by Jim Galford
Time was running out.
Chapter Seven
“A People Divided”
“This is worse than any plan I have ever heard of.” Raeln flattened his back against the side of the keep wall. Nearby, a group of ten soldiers passed by, heading toward the barracks. “Pick any other doorNenophar. The front entrance is not even an option.”
“You underestimate me,” Nenophar replied, grinning. As he did, his facial features adjusted somewhat, changing his look enough that Raeln would never have recognized him. His build remained the same, but all the tiny details one used to recognize a person became a slight bit different. “Illusion is a specialty of mine. Try not to overreact when you see yourself.”
Raeln looked down at his hands and saw his fur coloration had changed dramatically, from the usual grey, white, and black to a dirty brown. Even subtle details like the smooth look of his fur had taken on a slight wave. He could not imagine any wolf looking quite like what he was seeing.
Wondering how great the change had been, Raeln looked around until he spotted a glass window. Shifting where he stood to look at himself, he felt his jaw drop as he saw what Nenophar had done to him. He still stood taller than most of the humans nearby, but everything about his appearance had changed. His chiseled wolfish features had been softened and his ears flopped about lazily. One minute he had been a wolf, the next Nenophar had given him the look of a mongrel.
“Before you object,” Nenophar said quickly, “I found the keep has no wolves on the serving staff anymore, after your departure. There are very few wildlings of any breed, but I did learn they have a dog wildling that looks similar to how you now do who is sent on chores outside the keep regularly. I could not make you look human without great effort. If I had tried, the disguise would have fallen apart the first time I spoke or had to do anything more complex than walk.”
“Small blessings there. I’ll take looking like a mutt over losing my fur any day.”
“You’ve lost nothing. This is old magic that plays on the minds of those seeing you.”
To test that, Raeln wiggled his ears, feeling them move as he remembered, but the reflection in the glass showed them flopping about like an idiot. When he opened his mouth, he realized the reflection even showed his tongue lolling foolishly out one side of his mouth.
“If you are ready and sure I have not somehow wronged you, we should go before the gate is fully staffed again,” Nenophar advised. “We only have a minute or two before more guards come.”
Raeln took a slow breath to calm his nerves and then followed Nenophar out into the street. They took their time walking to the open keep doors, despite Raeln’s desire to hurry. He knew the slow approach was far safer, but seeing four armed humans waiting for them made him worry they would be found out if they did not get past soon.
Leading the way, Nenophar passed into the keep without the guards saying a word, though they did scrutinize him. They paid far more attention to Raeln, though.
“Hey!” the nearest guard barked at Raeln, coming over to him. “You think I’m going to let you past like that? Get over here!”
Raeln froze, clenching his hands to keep them from shaking. He looked to Nenophar, but the man gave a subtle gesture with one hand as though to say, “Calm down.”
“C’mon, bend over,” the guard told Raeln, grinning. “Since when were you shy?”
Trying not to look entirely confused, Raeln bent at the waist slowly, until the guard reached up and scratched behind his ear. The man laughed and then waved Raeln on.
“Good boy. Get going before anyone knows you were out causing trouble with the tramps down on the south end of town.” The guard returned to his post. “See you tonight at the tavern?”
“Of course,” Raeln answered, praying that his voice was at least close enough that the man would not notice the difference. “See you tonight.”
Rushing to catch up with Nenophar, Raeln got as close as he could and whispered, “How did that just work?”
“I told you,” Nenophar answered testily. “The magic affects their minds. You might not look exactly like his friend, but close enough that he thinks he saw that man instead of you. I was more concerned about him touching you…he could have felt the tips of your ears through the illusion if he had tried scratching there instead. You were lucky.”
“I never want to do that again.”
“Getting so close to being discovered?”
“No, getting treated like a household pet. I’ve never had anyone pet me before. It’s humiliating to be seen as an animal.”
“I can only imagine,” said Nenophar, grinning as he led the way deeper into the keep’s halls. “Pretending to be something you’re not and feeling like the actions others take toward you are beneath you. It must be difficult.”
“You have no idea, elf.”
“No, of course not.”
Nenophar led them part way into the main hallway that led from the entrance to the first set of wide curved stairs to other floors, then stopped, looking around in confusion.
“The outside of the keep gave no indication of the complexity of the inside,” he mused aloud, eyeing the stairs. He turned in place and looked at the other set of stairs. “Why would they need more than one staircase? They all go up, which is where we need to go, but…why two? Was this place designed to confuse invaders?”
“One for servants and one for guests of rank,” Raeln explained, pointing to the stairs on the left. “We go up the servant entrance. You can’t possibly have spent time around any major city and not seen things set up this way in any noble home.”
They stopped talking briefly as a group of serving women passed by on their way toward the laundry, judging by the baskets they carried with them.
Once the women were far enough away that they could no longer hear him, Nenophar said, “You were correct earlier. Those assigned to work at laundry would have been easier to make disappear without notice.”
“That was not what I was saying,” Raeln insisted, keeping his voice low. “I meant you should have stolen clothing from the laundry, not killed the people working there.”
Nenophar nodded slowly and pointed at the steps. “I suppose that is an option, too. Shall we continue?”
“Can I lead the way?” Raeln asked. “I have been here before and had to learn most of the keep’s floor layouts while Therec held us here There wasn’t a whole lot to do other than explore, fight with Greth, or get yelled at by Ilarra.”
Nenophar smiled broadly. “Lead on. I was hoping to find a map or capture someone who knew the layout and torture them until they gave us directions, but using your knowledge is better.”
Raeln took to the stairs and tried not to let his dread about traveling with Nenophar overwhelm him. He hurried in hopes that the exertion would help him forget how much danger they would be in if Nenophar talked with anyone at all. If nothing else, Raeln wanted to be sure he stayed ahead, in case there were servants at the top of the steps. The last thing he needed was the elf killing someone.
Thankfully, when Raeln got to the next floor, the halls were as empty as those below. He waited for Nenophar, sniffing to get a feel for the type of people that most frequently passed by the area. He could smell oiled metal and sweat, likely guards and servants. Neither was too much of a concern as long as Nenophar maintained their disguises.
When Nenophar did finally walk up beside Raeln, he began looking around. “I had expected more difficulty,” he explained. At the far end of the hall, two servants hurried past, and Nenophar watched that direction long after they had gone. “Is it always so empty in here? Having a house this large with so few occupants seems very impractical.”
“This is not normal at all. The last time we were here, the first few floors were packed with people.” Raeln began to notice, despite the recent scents, the floors were filthy. Dust covered the few furnishings along the walls. Even the stairs they had come up were covered with several days of grime. “We need to be very ca
reful. There might not be many servants in the halls anymore. Something’s changed.”
Taking the lead again, Raeln led them down several halls and then up to a series of rooms that had housed the serving staff the last time Raeln had been in the keep. Most of the rooms stood open and very few scents presented themselves. The place was very nearly abandoned.
Growling and punching the wall near him, Raeln said, “Our disguises won’t work. They’ve sent most of the servants away for some reason. We need to look like guards.”
“Not an option for you. The city guards are all human or elven. If you are willing to split up, I can attempt to blend in as one of them and head for the higher floors.”
Raeln was about to dismiss the idea when he realized Nenophar was sniffing at the air. Thinking he had missed something so obvious even an elf could even smell it, Raeln took several deep breaths, but could not identify anything unusual.
Finally, Nenophar noticed his confused look. “I need to investigate something. There is no way I can bring you along. I am sorry, Raeln. I should be able to find you within the hour. Hide yourself if need be.”
While Raeln tried to object, Nenophar turned and ran back toward the stairs, leaving him standing in the servants’ wing of the keep.
“And that is why I stopped listening to Ilarra years ago,” Raeln muttered. “Elves are too flighty and unpredictable.”
Raeln flattened against the wall when he heard approaching footsteps from the direction opposite of where Nenophar had gone. He realized any attempt to hide only made things worse and stepped back to the middle of the hall, trying his best to look like he belonged by walking toward whoever was coming.
Seconds after Raeln had passed the first few rooms, with his head low to keep from drawing any extra attention, a young human man in servant’s clothing came around the corner, stopping abruptly as he did.
“What are you doing?” the man demanded, going wide-eyed and staring at Raeln. “Are you trying to get yourself thrown out? He’s coming down now!”
Raeln froze, trying to think of what he could or should do. He checked back the way he had come, but Nenophar had not returned.
“C’mon!” the man said, grabbing his arm. “Hurry!”
Almost dragging Raeln behind him, the man took them toward the stairs, heading down. Just before they reached the top step, someone came down the nearby stairs leading higher into the tower.
“Stop right there,” a voice called out, and both Raeln and the serving man came to an abrupt halt.
“You are in so much trouble,” the servant whispered. “Don’t drag me down with you.”
Raeln gauged his surroundings and decided he could probably escape down the stairs if trouble got too bad. There would be more guards on the bottom floor by then, but he felt confident he could either hide within the keep or overpower a handful of the soldiers if he surprised them. Satisfied that he had some semblance of a plan, he turned in place, keeping his head low in case he was being addressed by someone important.
As Raeln came around, he realized there were five people approaching, not the one or two he had expected. Peeking quickly up before lowering his head further, Raeln realized he had gravely overestimated his odds of survival.
Four of those standing in front of him were elven soldiers, three men and a woman, all armed heavily and wearing well-fitted chain and plate armor. Even aside from the finery, Raeln recognized the blue sashes they wore, marking them as the king’s personal guard. These were among the most skilled warriors in Lantonne and the type of people that had trained Raeln on and off through his childhood. He stood no chance against four of them and was not even sure he could safely handle one.
Behind the elite guard, the Turessian Therec stood glaring angrily at Raeln. Tucked in the crook of his arm was the very staff Raeln was sent to examine, making Raeln want to shout for Nenophar, though he knew he was foolish to even consider it. He briefly thought of simply grabbing the staff and running, but he did not even know if this was the right weapon yet. Blowing his cover for the wrong item would doom the rest of his companions.
Unlike the last time Raeln had seen Therec, the man now wore Lantonnian finery, including embroidered white pants and a blue tunic that might have been silk. Gone were the black robes and hood he had always worn previously, though his tattoos still made him stand out against anyone from Lantonne. During Raeln’s last visit, Therec had worn simple Lantonnian clothes on occasion, but always went back to his robes in a hurry after a public appearance.
“I ordered any wildlings banished from my sight at all times,” Therec roared, shoving aside one of the guards to walk toward Raeln. “Explain yourself, beast!”
Raeln could hardly believe the change in the man’s tone. He sounded on the verge of having Raeln executed on the spot, simply for being seen, without even knowing who Raeln really was. He immediately thought of Ilarra’s reaction to seeing him for the first time in months and wondered what Therec’s excuse might be. Sniffing, he realized he could smell each one of the soldiers and the servant beside him, but on Therec, he smelled nothing. What precisely that meant, he had no idea. There was something wrong here.
“I am sorry, regent,” Raeln offered in his best attempt to sound contrite. To add to the tone, he took a knee, lowering his head as far as he could without putting his nose on the floor. “I had forgotten the time and tried to be gone before…”
Therec walked right up to Raeln and grabbed the loose fur beneath Raeln’s left ear to tug his head up, shifting the staff to the crook of his other arm. “If I ever find you in any public place while I am there again, or on any floor above the ground, I will have you skinned and your pelt hung from the walls. Do you understand, or should I use smaller words more fitting of your species?”
Nodding vigorously, Raeln ducked his head again the instant Therec released him, though his reason was not so much to look more shameful but to get a better glimpse of the staff. At a distance, he had not previously noticed the faint carvings that ran the length of the wood. He made frantic mental notes of several engraved symbols on it, hoping to remember them when he found—and possibly throttled—Nenophar.
“Get out of my sight,” Therec told him, sneering as though he was considering killing Raeln anyway. “Your kind stinks up the place. You are not to leave your quarters until you have been bathed and cleaned up to look like you are worthy of standing in this keep.”
Bowing, Raeln hurried backwards to the edge of the steps, then spun and ran down them. At the first turn in the staircase, he quickened his pace, taking the steps two and three at a time until he reached the ground floor.
Thinking he had to find Nenophar and get out, he sniffed the air. He then realized Nenophar’s strange ability to leave no scent meant Raeln could do nothing to find him. He would have to wander about aimlessly across any number of floors to have any hope of locating the man.
So many furless people with no scents. It was bewildering and frustrating.
Raeln decided to explore the first floor of the keep—likely the only one he could travel easily through, judging by his conversation with Therec—on the off-chance Nenophar came back down somewhere Raeln could spot him.
For the next two hours, Raeln stopped at every painting he could find and wiped at the frames with a rag he had found near another of the servants’ stairs. The act apparently was good enough that he drew no more unwanted attention from guards that passed him from time to time.
Night began to darken the keep and other servants appeared to light torches and fireplaces in larger rooms. Raeln made his way back up to the second floor on the belief that Therec would likely be gone. He remembered Therec had been quite insistent that he retire to his own floor when the sun set and had to hope the habit was still the way he lived. Months before, he had claimed it was to avoid times when assassins were most likely to do their work. Raeln hoped he had only become more convinced of that risk.
After reaching the second floor, Raeln heard an argument
coming from another staircase that led up to the next floor. He debated for a while at the foot of the stairs, but after listening long enough to be sure neither of the voices sounded like Therec’s, he crept up, pausing every few steps to search the air for scents. Only one scent drifted down and stunk of sweat and dirty clothing—a servant.
Raeln climbed until he could peek around the curve at the next floor. Standing right at the edge of the steps were Nenophar and a serving woman.
“You can’t go in there, no matter the reason,” the woman was saying. “The king forbids anyone entry to the war room.”
“I told you, forget you saw me there. I was just taking a quick look,” Nenophar pleaded.
“No! You know the rules. I have to report it. They probably won’t punish you much, but if I don’t tell, I’ll be whipped and thrown out of the keep.”
Nenophar sighed and nodded at the woman, then checked over his shoulder. Turning back to the woman, he reached out quickly and grabbed her shoulder. As he did, the woman’s eyes widened and her skin darkened as flames erupted from her whole body. Before Raeln could react, she collapsed into ash, drifting all around Nenophar and settling into a large grey pile.
“What do you think you’re doing?” Raeln called up the stairs. “Are you crazy? You just murdered a woman.”
“She was going to report my presence,” he explained, motioning Raeln to follow him. “Her fate was already set in a way that does not affect our mission or the outcome of the war. What I did find will have more impact, and I wish for you to see it before we are found out.”
Raeln came up the stairs more slowly than he probably should have, unable to take his eyes off of the pile of ash at Nenophar’s feet.
“If you walk any slower, we may as well spell out our intentions in the keep using the bodies of the king’s soldiers,” Nenophar said dryly. “Come along, Raeln.”
Raeln stopped at the top stair, the pile of dust that had been the woman captivating him. Reluctantly, he lifted his foot and tried not to step in the ash, but no matter how careful he had tried to be, he felt it coating his paw pads and toes. His stomach churned, but he kept walking to prevent himself from dwelling on what covered his feet.