Hunter's Bounty (Veller)

by Spoor, Garry

  “And if I was?”

  “How many Hunter’s were assigned to your house, three, four?”

  “Just three, including me.” Kile replied, which wasn’t exactly true since her Hunter’s certificate had been revoked, which meant she was no longer a hunter and therefore no longer assigned to any house.

  “The Guild house in Azintar holds forty three hunters. I’m not sure how many are still in the city, but I can safely say it’s more than three.”

  Forty three hunters heading her way, searching for her, those were odds she wasn’t willing to take. How much damage could that many hunters with that many edges do to the caravans in the Vetta?

  “Say goodbye to your parents for me.” Kile said as she grabbed Megan’s hand. “Tell them thanks for everything.”

  “I will, just get going.” Megan replied.

  She quickly followed Robert across the Vetta to where the horses were tied. It was hard keeping up with his long strides as she ran alongside him.

  “Why are you helping me?” She asked, hoping that he was actually helping her and not leading her into a trap. That was always a possibility.

  “To tell you the truth, I don’t know. I could lose my certificate, be busted down to a level four for giving aid to a wanted bounty.”

  “Then go.” She said suddenly stopping.

  Robert turned.

  “What?”

  “Go, I don’t want to get you or anyone else into more trouble than I’ve already have. If they see you with me you’re as good finished in the Guild and since you’ve been assigned to the caravan that will only bring the Undacks more problems.”

  Robert looked at the horses, then back at the caravan. It was true. If he was found aiding her, if he was even seen with her, he would lose more then just his certificate. He turned to Kile but said nothing.

  “You’ve helped me enough, but if they find you missing or even suspect that I was on that caravan.”

  “Your horse was set off from the others, he’s safe. I don’t think anyone recognized it, but they will if you go riding him through town.”

  “Then he’ll have to stay there until I’m finished. I need to find Pickman’s square.”

  “Pickman’s square, that’s the seedier side of Azintar on the western end.” Robert replied “You’re going to have to cross the aqueduct, Head north from here until you reach Sandson Park. Head west and take Reed’s bridge, on the other side of the bridge you’ll see the old Thayan church, that marks the outer edge of Pickman’s square. It’s not a very safe place to be.”

  “There are no safe places for me at the moment.” She replied.

  “Keep your guard up and watch your back, and take this.”

  He grabbed Kile’s hand, turned it over and placed his Hunter’s signet ring in it.

  “Does this mean we’re engaged?” She said with a nervous laugh.

  “There are some that still respect the old ways. A hunter shall never harm a hunter.”

  “But I’m not a hunter anymore, and I doubt I ever will be.”

  “I’ve seen stranger things happen, now get out of her while you still can.”

  She thanked Robert and made for the back alley, it would not do for her to run into forty some odd hunters by taking the main road.

  ***~~~***

  19

  With all the hunters of Azintar racing to the Vetta, there was little chance of Kile running into any of them, and with all the people that naturally inhabited the great city, she easily disappeared among the populous.

  Azintar was by far one of the greatest and oldest cities of Aru if not the strangest. The entire city was built upon the side of a rather steep hill as a series of steps or platforms. The eastern gate which housed the Merchant guild and the Vetta as well as most of the government structures was set high over the city proper on the highest tier, and as one descended into the lower levels, the status of the inhabitant also decreased. There were stairs and tunnels, roads and bridges all twisting and turning with no rhyme or reason. There were at least a dozen ways to get to some places and no conceivable way to get to others, it was as if the entire city was built upon its own back, and it was slowly breaking.

  Finding Pickman’s square wasn’t difficult as Robert’s directions were accurate enough as was his description. Pickman’s square was by far the seedier part of the city with streets filled with trash and other floating debris that Kile didn’t want to think about. Buildings stood neglected, their windows and doors boarded up, a home only for the rats, and even the people, unfortunate enough to live down here, appeared abandoned.

  She picked her way carefully thought the streets. Finding Saybela wasn’t going to be easy. She had no idea where to look or even who to ask and felt as if she was just wandering aimlessly about the square until she smelled jasmine. It was the same sweetness she had smelled back at the Tally house, beneath the overpowering stench of burnt wood, but it was no more than a slight scent carried along on a stray breezed and she had dismissed it, but here, in this dreadful section of the city, the smell was so out of place it was like a beacon and she was forced to follow it.

  Like a dog with a scent she tracked the stray smell of jasmine through the back streets and byways of Pickman’s square to a lonely looking two story house that sat a little crooked on its lot. It looked, much like every other house, to be deserted, save for a single candle lit in an upstairs window. She tried the door, and much to her surprised, found it to be unlocked.

  “What do you think Vesper, should we go in?”

  -Don’t like.-

  “Me neither, but it doesn’t look as if we have much of a choice.”

  The interior belied the exterior as it was furnished in a very comfortable styling that did not fit with its location. It felt and smelled more like a library than the abandoned building that it appeared to be. There was carpeting on the floor and shelves of books lining the walls with scrolls and papers laid out neatly on the table. The furniture was of a higher quality than she had expected to see, polished burl wood with brass accents was not something common to the lower levels of Azintar. She entered slowly, closing the door behind her, cutting off the sounds and the smells from the street.

  With nothing to distract her, she sniffed the air and tried to dissect the different smells. There was the scent of old paper which was to be expected, mold, burnt stew, an acidic substance that she couldn’t identify and then there was the ever lingering smell of jasmine. It was the strongest odor in the house, so strong in fact that she drew her weapon, spun around and dropped into a defensive stance as the sword struck from the shadows. It was not just any sword. She would remember that blade anywhere, the long slim edge, and the worn cherry wood handle. She had been attacked with her own weapon. She easily deflected the blade away from her and jumped back to get a better grasp of the situation.

  “It would appear that I underestimated you, but then I guess I wasn’t the only one.” The attacker said as she stepped from the shadows.

  She was older than Kile, a little taller, but of the same statue with the same red hair, dressed in her hunter greens and wielding Kile’s missing Lann. She moved silently as she circled, almost as if she was floating across the floor rather than actually having to walk.

  “Who are you?” Kile asked as she readjusted her grip on her own blade.

  “I’m you, or haven’t you figured that out.”

  “That’s what you want people to believe, but why? Why are you doing this? Why me?”

  “So many questions.” She laughed, and it was a melodic laugher, but not a very warm one.

  “And I assume you don’t plan to answer any of them.”

  “It’s nothing personal Kile. It’s just a job. You know how it goes. You get an assignment, you see it through and you get paid.”

  “Yeah, but you’re not a hunter.”

  “Same concept, different guild.”

  “An assassin.”

  “If you already know the answers, why are you asking th
e questions? But you are correct. I am Cerys Samare of the Assassin’s guild, but most just call me Scarlet.”

  “Scarlet? How original. So why tell me your name.”

  “Because there’s nothing you can do about it. I’m almost finished with my list and you still have no idea what’s going on. By the time you do figure it out, if you figure it out, your own guild will have put an end to you. So, if you’ll excuse me, the sooner I get this done, the sooner I get paid.”

  “You know I can’t let you leave.”

  “I know you’ll try to stop me if that’s what you mean.”

  Kile lunged forward with her blade coming in low, catching the assassin off guard, forcing her to jump back. She managed to knock the blade aside and countered, but it was clear that this assassin wasn't used to handling a lann. Kile managed to spin into Scarlet’s weak attack, and grabbing the assassin's wrist with her free hand, she threw the woman off balance, wrenching the lann from her grasp. With her own blade, she sliced a crossed her body with a near fatal strike, unfortunately there was nobody to strike. Scarlet had broken Kile’s grip and was easily outside her range before she realized it. She quickly retrieved her second Lann and for the first time in a long time she felt more in control.

  “Very good, but you can keep your weapons, they are of no more use to me, although I can’t fathom why you would want them.”

  “Let’s just say they have sentimental value.”

  “Let’s see how well you can use them.” Scarlet remarked as she slowly drew her own weapon.

  It was a long thin blade nearly three feet in length and when she lunged it whistled as it cut through the air. Kile was forced to leap back, bringing both blades down to block the attack, but Scarlet was faster. The blade moved under her defenses and knick the inside of Kile’s right arm. Before she could even think to counter, the whistling blade struck again, this time cutting a line across Kile’s left leg. The wound wasn’t deep, no more than a scratch, but it burned so hot that she had to force herself to remain focused. She tried to push the pain from her mind, but as she pressed her next attack her leg gave out from under her and she fell to her knees. Her right arm wasn’t cooperating either, and she could no longer feel the sword in her hand, probably because she had already dropped it, although she didn’t feel that either. It was clear at this point that something was definitely wrong. The room was starting to spin as Kile fell to the floor, she could hear the assassin laughing.

  “You should consider yourself lucky, that was meant for another Hunter. The poison of a Bari serpent is not easy to come by.” Scarlet said as she set one of the fallen chairs upright and took a seat directly in front of Kile.

  “There’s no use fighting it. The poison is now working its way through your system, you’ll be dead soon enough. A pity really, what with two more targets to go and no one to pin them on. But I suppose you served your purpose.” She laughed.

  Kile could feel the numbness spreading through her body. She tried to speak but either the words weren’t coming or her mouth was no longer working and all she was able to do was make a guttural noise that reminded her of her former uhyre prison guards.

  “This is not in the scope of the original agreement.” Scarlet said shaking her head as she looked down at Kile. “This really is just a waste of resources. Do you know how expensive it is to refine poisons? Not to mention the difficulties in just procuring the ingredients. Do you know how hard it is to find Bari serpents?”

  Kile could feel the entire room spinning away from her now as her eyes began to lose their focus. Everything was in hues of grey and growing dimmer until there was nothing but darkness. She was falling, but she didn’t fall very far and the darkness reached out to her with black strands of sticky molasses that embraced her.

  “I don’t know what he actually had planned for you. I suppose he had intended to do away with you in the end if the Hunter’s Guild didn’t do it for him, although his, so called, justice was more important than you were. You were just a means to an end for him. I don’t suppose he’d mind too much that I finished the job ahead of schedule.”

  This was the Maligar Kile realized, and it came from the dark place deep inside her. It filled her with an all consuming fire of golden yellow, burning her and leaving nothing but an empty unsatisfied hunger. She could taste the sweat, she could smell the blood, she could hear the beating of a vir’s heart, and she laughed.

  “If I can’t get him to pony up the extra coin then maybe I’ll drag your body to the Hunter’s Guild, there’s a pretty fair bounty on your head, although, that may be a little tricky.”

  Kile opened her eyes and stared up at the vir that appeared to be preoccupied. She slowly pulled her legs up under her and her muscles tensed as she waited. The vir looked away. It was only for a moment, but it was enough as she sprang, lunging for the throat. Scarlet turned back just in time to get her hands up before the Kile slammed into her, sending them both over the back of the chair. Kile rolled to her feet and lunged again before Scarlet even knew what had happened. The assassin drew her sword but not before the hunter got under her defenses her fingers gripping the assassin’s throat once again. They toppled over backward and Scarlet managed to get a boot up between them, kicking Kile off her as she staggered to her feet.

  “What are you?” She asked, trying to catch her breath.

  Kile laughed and without warning she leapt again. This time Scarlet fell back to the wall, and as the assassin easily passed through the solid stone, Kile hit it face first and dropped to the ground.

  ***

  -Kile alright?-

  The sound of Vesper’s pleading voice brought her back to her senses but did nothing to alleviate her headache.

  “What happen?” She asked as she tried to sit up, the taste of blood was still in her mouth. She felt her nose, yep, it felt broken. She tilted back her head and pinched the bridge to stem the flow of blood.

  -Kile hit wall.-

  “I did what?”

  -Kile face first into wall. Red lady pass through wall but Kile didn’t.-

  She looked around to find Vesper sitting on the table some distance away, the yarrow seemed agitated.

  “What’s the matter Vesper, what happened?”

  -Kile… not Kile.-

  Vesper said and within those words, she saw the events transpire from the yarrow’s point of view and she couldn’t blame him for putting as much distance between them. She would have done the same thing. What had she become? Was this what her brother saw that night? If it was she could blame him or Jenny for being frightened. What ever happened she didn’t remember any of it after she had been poisoned.

  -Kile is Kile now?-

  Vesper asked as he started to get closer.

  “Yes, Kile is Kile.” She replied, releasing the pinch on her nose. It appeared to have stopped bleeding which meant she probably didn’t break it after all.

  Vesper came from across the room to run up her arm and sit on her shoulder.

  “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you.”

  -Worried.-

  The yarrow replied.

  She scratched his head as she got carefully to her feet. The first thing she checked was the wall. It was a very ordinary, very hard stone wall. If the assassin went out that way, she had to have some means of passing through solid objects. Did assassins have to have some knowledge in the mystic arts, the same way Hunters did? That was something she hadn’t considered, but it made sense.

  She looked around the room again. They had made quite a mess of the place. Broken furniture, scattered paper, it was going to take the owner some time to reorganize everything.

  “Saybela.” She exclaimed as she ran to the stairs, taking two at a time. She had almost forgotten the reason she was in his house. Had she beaten the assassin to her quarry or was she too late.

  The upstairs hallway was dark. The only light came from the door at the end of the hall. Kile approached slowly, it wouldn’t do to run into the assassin again, so
soon after recovering from her first encounter. She opened the door to a small bedroom with a white canopy bed, a stone fireplace, a single flickering candle on an otherwise bare table.

  “Come… back to finish… the… job.”

  Kile spun around to see a man sitting in a darkened corner. He was old and thin, a narrow face that looked under nourished. His clothes were as old as he was. Thread bared and tattered, fraying at the sleeves.

  “Mr. Saybela?”

  “You’re not… her.” He whispered and each word sounded as if it was an effort to speak.

  “My name is Kile Veller.” She said as she moved closer. “Let me help you.”

  “Too late.” The old man replied. “I was… able to slow it… but not stop it. She did not think I was learned… in the old poisons.”

  “Let me find someone who can help.” Kile said, although she really wouldn’t know where to look for someone with knowledge of poisons, not to mention the fact that he would probably be dead long before she got back. If Daniel was here, he could help, but then Daniel was helping the Hunters track her down.

  “I will be dead soon.” Saybela replied. “I finally paid for my sins.”

  “Your sins? What sins sir? What is this all about? Who is Ravenshadow.”

  “Ravenshadow, is that what he’s calling himself?”

  “You know of him then?” She asked a she crouched down beside the old man.

  “Yes… I knew him… He was my student after all.”

  ***

  “Windfoil.” Folkstaff announced as they rode up the road to a rather impressive old castle high up on the hill, its tall battlements casting them in shadows from the setting sun.

  “I’ve never heard that name before.” Daniel remarked as he stared up at the walls feeling incredibly small.

  “Seldom used but by the old.” Folkstaff replied. “In the days of lore it was believed that the walls upon this hill were so tall that it would divide the northern winds, forcing them to blow both east and west, thus earning it the title of the wind’s foil. Its original purpose was to protect the southern provinces from the men of the north and to serve as a seat for the High Kings. Now it is no more than a summer home to them, as they have moved the court to the city of Azintar.”