Brak tucked his chin down. He was glad to be healed, but he wished Fogle had done it and not this stranger.
Jubilee frowned and said, “It is creepy. What happened?”
Stroking his face with his spider fingers, Slim looked at Brak and said, “It’s an interesting tale involving your father. He almost died. I saved him and mostly died. The crawly creatures carried what was left of me away to the arachnamen. They stitched me back up and also did this to me. I live, but a part of me still died.” He pointed at Brak. “But it was worth it, because your father is still alive. At least I hope he is. Nobody makes mincemeat out of underlings like he does. He really, really hates them.”
“We know,” Jubilee said.
“So,” Slim continued, “I’m allowed to live here because I’m a healer and the powers that be need me. I just have to hide when the underlings come around―and believe me, they do come around. Always unannounced. But I get fair warning.”
In a soft voice, Jubilee said, “We can’t stay here, can we.”
“With the entrance you made?” Slim raised his eyebrows. “The sooner you leave, the better.”
CHAPTER 28
Fogle lay on a decent-sized bed in a small room on the top floor of the Orc’s Elbow. A couple of hours ago Jubilee had delivered to him the news they wouldn’t be staying. But Slim and his colleagues had agreed to keep a lookout for underlings and cover for them with the locals so they could get some rest.
I swear this bed is the most comfortable thing I have ever lain in.
If Fogle had never left the City of Three, then this bed probably would have been the most uncomfortable bed he ever lay in. At the moment, after days of sleeping on the ground, it felt soft and rejuvenating. He squirmed in it and nuzzled his face in the small satin pillow.
I feel like I could stay here forever.
He couldn’t remember the last time he’d been alone. Isolation was something he had thrived on all his life. It reinvigorated him, and only alone could he really bury himself in his studies. He’d been accustomed to visiting his peers only when he felt like it. To meeting in the nicest taverns and boasting over the finest wines. To showing off his mind grumble skills on the weak and talking of scandalous conquests within their precious mage towers. He’d been young then. Arrogant. Proud. He hadn’t had a single doubt in his head. He’d had the entire world all figured out.
Bish, I couldn’t have been more wrong.
Older now and wizened by the Outlands, he’d come to realize how childlike his musings had been before. Now, he was a different man. He’d found abilities within himself he’d never imagined, and he liked himself more. He’d survived. He’d learned. He’d conquered. He fluffed up his pillow and closed his eyes.
Now if I can just shut off my mind. Let me have this peace now, and I’ll face death on a later date.
He tried not to think about what needed to be done. Where would they go? Or where would they run? The way he understood it, there wasn’t any refuge for the humans―north, south, east, or west.
Just forget about tomorrow, Fogle. Enjoy the silence. Enjoy the now.
Alone in the rustic and dusty room amid the comforting sounds of the busy tavern downstairs, his taut muscles eased and his mind slowed into rest. He drifted off to sleep.
Knock. Knock. Knock.
Fogle’s eyes popped open. “Aw, no, no, no. Go away.” He was certain it was Jubilee. The pesky girl never rested. She was always up. Talking. Walking. Humming. “If there aren’t any underlings in this den, then just go away!”
Knock! Knock! Knock!
Fogle stuffed his face in the pillow and screamed.
Knock! Knock! Knock!
He chucked the pillow at the door and rolled up into a sitting position. After taking what he hoped would be a calming deep breath, he rose to his feet, crossed the room, and flung open the door, saying, “This better be good, Jubil—?” His mouth dropped open.
Jarla stood in the doorway. Scarred and exotic, she was cleaned up, hair tied back behind her head, wearing a burgundy dress and her boots. A dagger was belted around her hips.
The brigand queen brushed up against him on her way inside. “Close the door.”
Swallowing, Fogle did as he was told.
She was facing the bed and didn’t turn to speak when she said, “If you don’t like interruptions, you might want to secure the door.”
With his heart speeding up he slid the bolt over and turned. Showing an uncertain smile, he said, “Welcome.”
“Have a seat. We need to talk.” Her voice was as matter-of-fact as ever.
Fogle reached for a small chair in the corner of the room and started dragging it over.
“No,” she said, pointing to the bed. “Sit here.”
Fogle sat on the bed right in front of her and said, “Done. So are you here to discuss an exit strategy?”
Picking at her maroon lips, she said, “No, it’s more of an entry strategy.”
“I don’t follow. Are we going to invade somebody’s territory?”
She made a little smile. “Mage—”
“Why don’t you call me Fogle?”
Jarla shrugged. “Fogle, I liked what you did with your magic earlier today. I actually did find it impressive. Powerful. I liked it, and I don’t like many things.”
“I’ve noticed.”
She leaned forward and grabbed his hands. She was face to face with him, caressing his fingers and looking him in the eyes. “I have a feeling there’s another kind of magic in your fingers. I’m curious.”
“I can do a variety of things.”
“Scoot back,” she said.
He did.
She straddled him. Her fingernails grazed his face and pushed the hair from his eyes. “Your stature is unlike what I’m used to, but I hope you can surprise me. Can you surprise me, Fogle?”
Flushed, Fogle said, “I’ll think of something.” His fingers charged with a soft flowing energy. He touched her back and ran his hands slowly up her spine.
Back arching, Jarla gasped.
CHAPTER 29
Venir, Kam, and Erin rode on Chongo, and Melegal and Jasper were on Quickster, leaving Billip and Nikkel on the last remaining horse. They galloped down through the Outland dust, following after the dwarves. After several weeks in Dwarven Hole getting refreshed, everyone was weary once more. At least they were alive.
“How are you holding up?” Venir asked Kam.
Her slender arms were wrapped around his waist, and her head was resting between his shoulders. Erin was sitting in front of him, wide eyed and excited as ever. Kam tickled Venir’s ribs and said, “I can finally feel my fingers again, but I couldn’t tell you where my toes are without looking.”
He chuckled. His body rumbled when he did so.
“You like this trip, don’t you,” Kam added.
“I can’t say I hate it. Besides, what isn’t to like when I have my two favorite people with me?”
One of Chongo’s heads, the one whose tongue hung out most of the time, barked.
“Excuse me, Chongo. I meant three favorite people. Or creatures.”
Chongo barked again.
“Fine, people.”
Pressed against Venir’s back, Kam’s body rumbled with her own laughter. “He truly is a marvelous person,” she said of Chongo. “I wish more people were like him.”
“And I wish more people were as wise as you,” he replied.
Kam rapped her knuckles on Helm, making a hollow sound. She said, “Do you have to wear this? I can only imagine how unbearably hot it is.”
“I’d rather not, but after our last encounter, I don’t want to take any chances. Even with Chongo here we can’t be too careful.” He scratched Chongo behind the ears, and Erin did the same. The dwarven setter, transformed into a two-headed beast, was the ultimate hunter. Especially when it came to underlings.
They’d made it a couple of miles when Chongo’s tails and ears went up. A cloud of dust rose on the horizon. The
rumbling of galloping hooves carried in the breeze.
Holding his position, Venir said, “We have company.”
Billip rode along his left side, and Melegal and Jasper his right.
“There are many, very many,” the archer said, getting his bow ready.
Venir glanced at Melegal. “Why don’t you ride out there and see who it is?”
Without looking back at Venir, Melegal replied, “Sure. Can I borrow your helmet?”
Laughing, Nikkel said, “I’ll ride out, Venir.”
“No, there’s no need. Judging by the looks of them, those banners waving in the wind, I think it’s the jung.”
“You can see that?” Billip asked.
Within two minutes the jung were right on top of them. There were hundreds of human, black-haired riders who all carried the sandy-gray and white banners of the nomads in their hands. They were well armed and dressed in desert robes.
Kark the jung leader rode on a great tan steed. Two curved swords hung from his hips like fangs. He and the rest of the jung were skinned up and bloody, right through their armor and robes. Many had soaked-red bandages for hands and arms. Built like a bear, Kark leaned forward in his saddle and eyed Chongo. His eyes slid up to Venir, and he said, “Either you live, or a giant white corpse breathes.”
“My blood still runs hot,” Venir said, removing Helm. “You sound like a person who has heard otherwise.”
“Mood implied you were gone. I should have known he lied. He’s gone mad.” Kark spat a bunch of black juice onto the ground. “Too many jung have died.”
“What happened?” Venir asked.
The hardened fighter’s dark eyes narrowed. His face was full of anger. “He marched us straight into the canyons of the Badlands. My baked skin crawled, but Mood assured me the passes would be fine. Halfway in, the canyon’s rims filled with those demon jewel-eyed underlings. They coated us like a sandstorm. I’ve lost over half of my jung.” He beat his chest. “My pride. Slaughtered.”
“The battle is over, then? Where are the blood rangers?” Venir said.
“Over! Hah! They all die a little bit at a time, hemmed in like sheep awaiting the slaughter, but they do not cry out.”
Venir’s tone darkened. “How did you get out and not them?”
“Don’t take on a tone with me, Venir. We fled to preserve ourselves. Found a pass and ran free and clear before those fiends cut it off. The dwarves, they fight! They don’t flee—they just go! Mood has led them to their doom.”
Venir ground his teeth. He had no doubt Elypsa had bewitched Mood. He glanced at Melegal. He could see a little guilt in the thief’s steely eyes. He felt some as well. He addressed Kark again. “I fear Mood has been ensorcelled by the underlings. I can’t sit in the saddle and watch the blood rangers and dwarves all be slaughtered. We will help them.”
“You will die,” Kark said. “A handful of you is not enough against an underling army. I don’t care how big your axe is. The underlings are spread out all over the canyon rims like birds of prey. The canyons will fill with dwarven blood. The vultures will devour them.”
Venir put Helm back on and buckled the chin strap. “It sounds to me like you can’t wait to get back in there, Kark.”
“The jung are not going back, but I suppose we can help you out. We know the Badlands better than any. If your mind is as sharp as your axe, then perhaps we will come up with something.”
“I’ve already come up with something,” Venir said. “I’m going to kill them all.”
Holding his stomach with two of his four arms, Kark exploded into thunderous laughter. “That’s a good strategy. A deranged one, but I like it.”
Melegal dug his heels into Quickster, and the pony went forward.
Jasper said to him, “You don’t have any objection to this?”
“No. Do you?”
“I don’t think I have any say in the matter.”
Kark let out a whistle and circled his fist over his head. The entire jung army turned back the way they had come. They did so with no murmuring and without complaint. “I don’t know why we follow you, but we will. Perhaps it’s the helmet.”
“Perhaps you’re just as sick of the underlings as I am.” Venir extended his hand.
Kark’s bug hand locked onto Venir’s forearm, and the nomad nodded.
Venir said, “Fight or die.”
Erin clapped her little hands together and repeated after her father in her toddler voice, “Fight o’ die.”
CHAPTER 30
A heavy knocking came at Fogle’s door. Jarla was up and on her feet, sliding her clothes on and taking away his final glimpse of her athletic figure. He rolled over onto one elbow and patted the quilt. “Ignore it. Come back to bed.”
“I’ve had enough sleep,” she said, buckling on her armor.
“Is that all you’ve had enough of?” he added.
“It was better than expected, but I’m certain it will last me awhile.”
The pounding at the door started again, harder this time than the last.
Fogle swung his feet over to the floor, covered his yawn, and said, “Should I answer, or should you?”
Jarla looked at him and said, “Are you worried what others might think? I’ve copulated with many. I’m not ashamed.”
“Many as in roughly…”
“It’s hard to say. Some were so big I would count them as two,” she replied. “Should I go on?”
Fogle shook his head and grabbed his robes off the floor. He’d only been with two women now, and suddenly he felt foolish. Both of them were free spirits when it came to their relations, and he wasn’t as comfortable with that as they were. He peeked through the curtains. It was dark now. They’d slept a while. “No more details, thank you.”
“I think you need to change your attire.” She bent over in front of him and slipped her boots on one by one. “Your clothes aren’t fit for travel. All they shout is ‘I’m a mage and a horrible lover.’”
“Horrible?”
She turned and patted his cheek. “I was only trying something new. Nothing more, nothing less. You did well, but it probably won’t happen again.” She tipped her head toward the door. “Will you get that?”
I could have sworn I did better than ‘well.’
Up on his feet, Fogle went to the door, unlatched the bolt, and opened it. “Gah!”
One of the ogres, he couldn’t tell if it was Olg or Ugg, filled the entire hallway with his tremendous girth, a beastly creature of fat layered over muscle. He motioned with his hand for Fogle to follow, then turned and pushed down the hall.
A strong smell like salt and manure wafted into Fogle’s nostrils. He pinched them closed. “That’s awful.”
“You get used to it.” Jarla crawled up on the bed and peeked out the window. “I see company. “ She closed the curtain. “Grab your gear.”
“What kind of company?”
“Underlings.”
“Many?” he asked.
“Too many to see.” Jarla pushed by him and followed the ogre down the hallway, down the steps, into the kitchen, and through a concealed door behind the cupboards.
Steps led down into a tunnel composed of rock, wooden beams, and dirt. They came to a stop inside an alcove big enough for a dozen people, despite the stored supplies. The other ogre was inside along with Brak, Jubilee, and Slim.
“It seems our presence was announced to the underling authorities awful quickly,” Fogle said to Slim.
“Like I said,” replied the lanky cleric, “you made enough of a ruckus to alert the entire city. I hoped to keep it under control, but the underlings have plenty of spies.” He shrugged his narrow shoulders. “And naturally I’ll be accused of harboring fugitives. I have enemies, you know. Especially Olg and Ugg’s parents. They’re out to get me since the two swore their loyalty to me.” He eyed Jarla and Fogle. “But at least you two enjoyed your stay.”
Jubilee’s brow creased. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
Fogle looked away from the girl’s disappointed expression.
What do I have to be ashamed about? Well … I just diddled with the same woman as Brak and Venir. Doesn’t seem right, now that I think about it. I must be getting worse than my grandfather.
He glanced at Jarla and said to Jubilee, “It’s nothing.”
Jarla put her hand on Jubilee’s head. “You’re young, but the sooner you understand that men are swine, the better. Yes, your wizard friend took full advantage of my passions. Can we all move on now?”
“Move being the key word,” Slim said. “The underlings will tear this place down trying to find us. These tunnels will take us to our horses. We’re loaded up with rations.”
“Us?” Fogle said.
“This party is over. My enemies will come for me now, but I think it’s meant to be. Oh, and Olg and Ugg are coming too. We’re going to need them.”
“Where actually are we going?” Fogle asked. “If there isn’t any sanctuary here, then where is there any?”
“For humans, it’s the Mist or death,” Slim said.
A silence fell over the room. Fogle had heard enough about the Mist to know it was the last possible place they wanted to go. Only a fool would go where giants dwelt.
Slim started laughing. “Only a jest, but the truth is, I’m almost all out of suggestions. I think traveling along the edge of the mist to the east is safe. Everyone still avoids it. Apparently a lot of creatures have been snatched out of there. Even underlings. Or perhaps we could go to the Red Clay Forest.”
“What about the Outposts? Don’t the Royals have control of some of them now?”
“Some, but they won’t let any strangers in.” Slim’s eyes drifted to Jarla. His brows creased a little. “Especially with the Snake of the South and a pair of ogres.”
“Where did this ‘Snake of the South’ term come from?” Jarla asked. “I don’t recall it.”
The Darkslayer: Series 2 Special Edition (Bish and Bone Bundle Books 6-10): Sword and Sorcery Adventures Page 11