From above, Ebenezer kept his eyes on the group. The men were led into a small barracks converted to a prison for the gladiators of the upcoming games. He’d met the underling, Kazzar, briefly as they spoke about the games. Once the men were taken inside, he headed up to his mother’s room. The door swung open on his approach. Once it closed, he said, “Our ally Creed, from Castle Bloodhound, is in custody.”
Without looking up from her knitting as she rocked in the black chair, she said, “That’s unfortunate. An odd coincidence as well.”
“What do you mean?”
“I don’t just sit here and knit all day. I cast inquiring spells that allow me to put my eyes on things. Those men, I reckon, are up to more than just fighting. The heart of Bone stirs. The royals have started some sabre rattling.” The clicking of her knitting needles fell silent. “Something is underfoot. I think it’s time that I paid some of our allies a visit.”
“Castle Bloodhound? But Creed is no longer the lord of the castle; he is here.”
She set her needles and tapestry aside and stood. “You have many strong qualities, Ebenezer, but there are many things that you overlook as well. Do you really think that Creed was running that pseudo-castle that smells like dog piss?”
He nodded. “Lorda Almen. Yes, I imagine she would be controlling things.”
“It should be obvious to the likes of you, but not to Creed. She’s a brilliant diplomat with the cunning of a thief and the cold heart of an assassin. I’m going to see what she’s up to.”
“What about me?”
“Be seen so no one is concerned about me.” With her palms up and eyes rolling up into her head, she muttered a word and disappeared.
Ebenezer’s arm hair stood on end. He rubbed it down and departed.
CHAPTER 27
“Haze is dead,” Melegal said. He made his way toward the spring that burbled up out of the small stone fountain. Sis and Frigdah looked at each other. Both were dressed in the same garb they always wore that looked more like dyed sackcloth. Frigdah had slimmed down. One of her extra chins was missing. Sis stepped in front of Melegal.
He looked down at her. “I’m thirsty.”
“What happened to her?” Sis’s eyes got a little misty. There were bags underneath her eyes, and her paunchy skin was clammy. “Was it the underlings?”
“Let’s just say it was the underlings’ fault.”
“That’s not an answer.” Sis’s voice rose. Frigdah crowded him. “Be straight with us. Haze trusted you. We did too.”
“A drink first? It’s a long story if you want to hear it all.”
“How about a thank you for bailing your skinny hind end out?”
“Do you want to know what happened to Haze, or do you want a thank you? You can’t have both.”
Sis shook her head and stepped out of the way. “Drink, then out with it.”
Melegal cupped his hands and filled them. He drank long sips. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d enjoyed a drink of water, but today, after coming so close to dying, it was as sweet as fermented nectar. He rinsed his face off in the cool, almost icy water from the Everwell. He sat down on one of the stone benches that encircled the fountain.
Sis sat on one side of him and Frigdah on the other.
“Do you mind? I’m a little uncomfortable with close quarters at the moment.” He touched his neck burn. For some odd reason he thought of Sanny. She would have made a fine motley girl if she were a tad uglier. Now she swings from the sticks. A shame. Neither woman budged. “Haze was killed on our journey to the City of Three. The trek in the Outlands took her. It’s harsh out there.”
“Details, skinny,” Sis said.
Melegal wasn’t sure why he wrestled with what happened, but he did. Losing Haze hurt. He’d failed to protect her, blamed Venir, and it was hard to get over. “I’m surprised you two cow bladders still live. How’d you manage that?”
With her chin jutted out, Sis said, “Girls like us are hard to kill. Out with it.”
“There are strange creatures outside of these walls. In this case, she was taken by them. They are called arachnamen. They are men with black bug eyes and antenna from the torso up. All of the rest is spider. They blow bubbles of webs. They took her in the night. We tracked them to their lair, and by the time I got her out, she was already gone.”
Frigdah let out a slobbery sigh. She flung her soft, meaty arms around Melegal. He stiffened like a branch. “Release me, you mooing calf.”
Sis put a dagger tip to his belly. “You shouldn’t have taken her. I should gut you for it.”
“It was her choice.” Melegal twisted the dagger out of Sis’s hands and held the blade to her throat. “Don’t do that again. Now, where’s the rest of you?”
“There is no rest of us. This is it.”
“The rope that hung me had a clean cut right through it. Someone did that. Are you telling me that was you?”
“I don’t know who it was,” Sis said. “It was coincidence that we caught you hanging. How the rope got cut, I don’t know. I thought you did it.”
Melegal didn’t get the sense that she was lying, but he didn’t believe it was all a coincidence either. “Why were you there?”
“Someone paid us to be there. He gave us a sack of coin.” She shook a black purse hanging from her belt. “Said when something happens, be ready.”
“It was a he?”
“Maybe a she. Very spooky. The rags they wore moved with a life of their own. Gave me chills, but I can get over a lot of strange for a lot of money.” She scratched her chin. “I miss my sister. I never saw her like anyone more than you though. You must have done something right. Either that or you have a real walloper tucked in those trousers.”
Frigdah blurted out a wet giggle.
Melegal scanned his surroundings. The old iron door was barred on the inside. There was a separate tunnel big enough to crawl through on hands and knees leading out. As for this mysterious ally, he didn’t have any idea who that could be. On a long shot, it could have been something Altan Rey set up, though he found it unlikely.
“I wouldn’t like to stick around and chat, motleys, so I’m not going to.” He squeezed out from between them. “Where does that pipe go?”
“Where are you going?” Sis said.
“I have to find Venir.”
“He’s still around? What’s he doing?”
“What he always does; he’s killing underlings.”
“Ah, so he’s the one that the underlings are so worked up about. I knew it was him.” Sis slapped Frigdah’s arm. “He was the one that left a pile of them dead out there. We want to help, skinny. We know these pipes better than the man-urchins.”
“You’ve helped enough. I prefer my own company.” He made his way toward the pipe. Frigdah moved at a speed that was startling from the big woman and blocked the way. She crossed her arms over her chest and stuck her chin out at him. He narrowed his eyes on her. “I’m not in the mood to play your games. Out of the way, fat one.”
Frigdah shook her head.
“We can help. Let us,” Sis said. “You owe us. You lost our sister.”
Melegal considered his options. He could easily play along and leave them later. In the meantime, perhaps they would have something to offer. He didn’t have any other allies anyway. “Fine then, you can help me find what has happened to Venir. But that’s it. Do you understand?”
Both women gave vigorous nods.
I can’t believe I’m doing this. Melegal filled them in on Altan Rey and the battle in the pits that were set up. There, it’s done.
Sis smiled. “Let’s go find the big man then.”
Melegal crawled into the pipe. I can’t believe I’m working with them.
CHAPTER 28
The vibrant sounds of dwarven war horns carried through the Black Columns. The rich, powerful sound rose about the clamor of weapons. The dwarves fought on with the same iron vigor against the murderous wills of the underlings.
> Chongo and Brak moved higher up the bluffs. The dog’s jaws clamped down on an underling and tore it apart. Brak dashed an attack spider’s face in with the cudgel. Chongo’s four ears perked up. He slung the two pieces of underling over the rocks. Chongo moved higher into the rocks, away from the ensuing battle.
Brak tugged the reins. “Chongo, where are you going? The battle is back there. Chongo!”
Chongo moved at a trot through the crags, behind the dwarven defenders, and back down the steep ledges into the Black Columns’ interior.
Brak couldn’t slow the beast. He gave the reins a fierce tug. Chongo’s right head snapped at him. “Whoa!” Brak slackened the reins. Chongo was going where he was going. That was the end of it. They made it inside the main camp, where Mood was waiting with Kam, Jubilee, and Billip. The king of the blood rangers had a brass dwarven horn in his hands. He handed it off to Billip. With both hands, he scratched Chongo behind his ears.
“I see the two of you’ve been fighting hard. Blood covers you like rain,” Mood said.
“What is the meaning of this, Mood? Why did you summon us out of the battle? We’re needed.” Brak searched the eyes of his friend for answers.
“Yes,” Mood said, “you are needed, but needed elsewhere. The dwarves will handle Black Columns. You go with your comrades. Get inside that city and open the gate. We’ll meet you on the inside.”
“We’re leaving?” Brak dismounted. “How are we leaving? The underlings have surrounded the Columns.”
Mood reached up and patted the armor covering Brak’s shoulder. “I must go. Chongo, see to it he stays with his friends. I worry he might have too much of his father in him.” With a host of dwarves in tow, Mood departed.
“Kam, what are we doing?” Brak said. His blood was still up from battle. “We can’t just leave them.”
“We won’t dishonor the dwarven king,” she said. Kam had Erin nestled in her arm. The little girl was getting too big for Kam to hold easily. “You and Chongo will protect us, and we’ll protect you. Come on.”
Jubilee moved along Brak’s side, frowning at him.
“What?” he said.
“You look like you just crawled out of a sewer filled with dead underlings. And you smell.”
“Like dead underlings?”
“No, like you, but worse.” She cracked a smile. “I’m glad you aren’t dead. Don’t leave me again, Brak. I like having you around.”
“I have to fight when I have to fight.” He looked back down the channel. Dwarves moved like ants, gathering and preparing new equipment. “I don’t like leaving them. They wouldn’t leave us.”
Jubilee grabbed his blood-stained hand. “I understand. But for the moment, you’re mine.”
They entered the tent where Nikkel had been taken to rest. Slim stood outside with Quickster. Chongo licked the quick pony’s face and sat beside him. Inside the tent, Brak found Fogle, Nikkel, and Cass. Fogle sat with his eyes closed and the spellbook open on his lap. Cass leaned against the main tent pole in the center, eyeing Fogle with hungry interest. Nikkel, sitting up on his cot, gave Brak a wave.
Brak started to speak, but Kam gave him a quiet shush. The inside of the sweltering tent went dead quiet. Fogle’s lips moved, but no sound was made. His body trembled on the last syllable. His eyes opened wide. His eyes weren’t there. Instead, there was a scene living and moving in the back of his eyes.
“Come, Billip, look at what the ebony hawk sees,” Fogle said in a mystic voice.
Billip took a knee in front of Fogle. Brak could see something akin to what he saw when he rode on the back of Blackie. The view soared over the Outlands, over the crowds gathering at the walls of the city. The bird soared over the wall, past the castle spires, and above the carnage-filled streets of the city. It was difficult to see on account that Fogle’s eyes were only so big.
Cracking his knuckles, Billip said, “What am I looking for, Venir or a spot for your bird to land? This view is making me queasy.”
“We need a spot inside or outside of the city. You know it better than I. Tell me what is safe.”
“I thought you said you could find Venir with this bird. Why don’t you find him first?” Billip said. “That would make the decision easier.”
“That will take time. It’s even harder if Venir is on the inside. Billip, decide quickly.”
“We can’t all go into the city at once. The underlings will see us. Wait, wait, go in there. That barn.” The view swooped into the huge barn that was in deteriorating condition. “Yes, that’s as safe as any, but we better be ready for anything.”
“I know just where to go,” Fogle said. His eyes turned to normal. He reached out and said, “Help me up.”
Billip pulled him to his feet.
Fogle closed his spellbook. “Follow me outside.”
Brak followed behind Fogle and the others. Outside he gasped. Brak wasn’t sure what he would call it, but there was a huge doorway waving in thin air big enough to ride a chariot through. A view of the barn was in it.
“It’s a dimension door,” Fogle said. “Inky is my marker. He waits on the other side.”
Most everyone gawped. “That is very impressive,” Kam said.
“I can achieve much when I have time to plan.” Fogle looked at Billip. “Lead the way.”
Brak took Chongo by the reins. He walked through the doorway at the same time Billip and Nikkel did. The doorway was gone when he looked back. Out of thin air, Jubilee popped into view. Cass, Kam, Erin, and Slim leading Quickster and Nightmare came, followed by Fogle.
“That was weird,” Jubilee said. “Really weird.”
They were in the back end of the aging barn. Nothing stirred but them.
“Now what?” Cass said.
Chongo snorted. The beast started down the barn. Brak pulled back. “Whoa, Chongo, whoa. Hey, I forgot, Chongo can find Venir too, but he’ll never make it through the city without being noticed.”
The big dog growled.
“We need to stable him for now.” Slim led Quickster into a stall then came back and got Chongo. “I’ll stay with them.”
“I will too,” Cass said. “The rank city is no place for a girl like me.”
The ebony hawk fluttered down from the rafters and landed on Fogle’s shoulder.
“Let’s go find my father.” Brak took one step and froze. A spider twice the size of Chongo with bright blood-red eyes lowered from the rafters at the other end of the barn and scurried right at them.
CHAPTER 29
Lorda Almen, Rayal, Elizabeth, and Jasper sat in the high-backed cloth chairs in one of Castle Bloodhound’s living rooms. The fireplace was cold, but dozens of large candles were lit. The stained glass windows with images of many different hounds offered little light.
Rayal sipped on a goblet of wine, Elizabeth against her hip. Across from her, Lorda sat on the sofa. A huge dog named Manx lay at her feet. Jasper sat on the other side, nibbling at her fingertips.
“This is boring,” Elizabeth said. “I want to do something. I miss shopping.”
“Believe me, I miss you shopping too,” Rayal replied.
“Must you always be so rude, you ugly hag?” Elizabeth fired back.
Manx growled, and Elizabeth turned ashen. She pulled her legs up on the sofa and wrapped her arms around Rayal. Manx started barking. The hairs stood up on the back of his neck. Corrin’s dog, Burk, wandered into the room and howled.
The air between Rayal and Lorda shimmered, and Manamus Kling appeared. Black and white strands of hair tinted with gray barely touched her shoulders. Her features were strong and her dark eyes piercing. She was probably a beauty once, but her drab attire and unkempt hair led Rayal to believe she’d abandoned her beauty for something deeper and twisted long ago. Rayal took a knee. “Lorda Manamus.” She pulled Elizabeth to the ground with her. “What a surprise.”
“Yes, granddaughter, it never did take much to surprise you.” Manamus held a staff of gnarled wood that twisted from top
to bottom in her aging hands. Elizabeth rushed into her grandmother’s waiting arms. “Nanny Manamus! I missed you!”
Manamus hugged the brat of a girl and poked Elizabeth’s nose. “I missed you too.”
Rayal stood with a sliver of a scowl forming on her face. Manamus and Elizabeth took to one another like rain falling in a river. Manamus had never hugged Rayal or mentioned a kind word. She kept almost everyone at a distance.
The dog sat, but Manx’s teeth stayed bared.
“Welcome back, Lorda Manamus Kling. It’s a pleasure to have you in Castle Bloodhound again. I take it there is a turn of events you’d like to share.”
“In due time.” Manamus’s attention was focused on Jasper. “Who is this dark little morsel?”
“This is Jasper, from the City of Three. She is my guest. An ally of Rayal and Creed.”
“You are a sorceress.” Manamus walked over to Jasper and sniffed her. “Ah, you have potential. Who is your master, young girl?”
“I was trained in the Olive Tower by the High Conjurer, Dalsay.”
Manamus gave an approving nod. “I know the man. I know many. I know much.” She touched Jasper’s hair and rubbed it between her fingers. “You can learn much more from me. I’m not held back by the rules. Humph, you have grit to you. I sense it. We need stronger women in the order.”
“I’m strong, Nanny,” Elizabeth said.
“Yes, yes, you are.” Manamus patted her cheek. She turned her attention to Lorda Almen. “You keep unique company. Tell me what has happened. What do you know?”
Rayal fought the urge to speak out of turn. She let Lorda Catherine Almen do the talking. Lorda Almen eloquently explained the plans to infiltrate Castle Kling and assassinate Master Sinway with the assistance of Altan Rey.
“It’s a fine plan aside from the part where you allied yourself with that worm, Altan Rey.” Manamus said. “The House of Kord is a lower house, often divided. They’ll side with underlings. They are cowards, hence their lower standing in the castle. Still, I am curious. There are strange fates that dabble in our world. Your friends, Venir and Creed, they are in the castle. Altan leads them close to the mark, dangerously close. But killing Master Sinway, heh, that’s not possible. His very presence makes my bones cry. If I had power such as his, I too would take the world.”
The Darkslayer: Series 2 Special Edition (Bish and Bone Bundle Books 6-10): Sword and Sorcery Adventures Page 35