“We’ll have the settlers dispose of the Dead-eyes,” Aldric said. “And this thing … Soki—Sokhelle—will want to study it. It makes sense to know your enemy.”
Niklaus grabbed the creature’s head by its wiry hair and looked behind its ears. “My blade was useless against it,” he said, his eyes flicking to Aldric, then away. “At least at first. It was protected by sorcery. You’d know more about that than I do.”
The creature had cuts all over its body. Its arm had been severed, like its head.
“Then what happened?” Aldric asked.
“I have a few tricks up my sleeve.”
Aldric narrowed his eyes. “Then you should share them. Such knowledge would benefit us all if we run into another of these things.”
“Not this trick.”
“Do you want to return to Caronath with Valeria tomorrow?” Aldric’s tone was hard.
Maybe this wasn’t the right time to confront Niklaus. Then again, there might never be a better one. Niklaus stared for long moments at Aldric. He looked as if he might be calculating the cost of revealing a secret, or perhaps what dark deed he’d have to do later to preserve it.
“The priestess won’t be leaving us,” Niklaus said eventually. “She’ll follow orders from now on. And I told you before: steel can kill these creatures. There was no trick. Whatever sorcery protected it, it failed.”
He spoke with confidence, as if Valeria had agreed to obey his commands. And he hadn’t risen to Aldric’s baited question.
“We’ve been attacked by two of these creatures now,” Aldric said. “That’s not a coincidence.”
Niklaus nodded. “I agree.”
“You said that someone—or something—always controls them.”
Aldric remembered the wraithe he’d encountered in the wilderness on the way to Caronath. It had warned him that humans meddled with things best left alone. Aldric had assumed it meant sorcery, but what if it had meant the ruin? That was the only thing he could think of, of any significance. Yet, at this point, they hadn’t entered the ruin, so why send the black Dead-eye against them? Unless it was a preemptive strike?
“Something doesn’t want us here,” Niklaus was saying. “It was content to let the settlers stay until they found the ruin.”
What was so important about this ruin? Something significant enough to warrant both Aldric’s presence and a representative of Niklaus’s goddess. It wouldn’t be the first time his Church had kept him in the dark.
“I think,” he said slowly, “whatever it was counted on the Dead-eyes driving the settlers away. When that didn’t work, it sent them in greater numbers. And then this creature. And it seems the only thing here worth protecting is the ruin.”
“I agree,” Niklaus said, and shrugged his shoulders. “We should check it out.”
Aldric stood up. “Whatever happens, we have to get rid of the Dead-eyes once and for all. We can’t have them attacking the settlement. And we certainly don’t want them here when we’re investigating the ruin.”
Niklaus rolled the head closer to the body. He wiped his hands on a tuft of grass and stood, kneading the small of his back. “Kill Dead-eyes—that’s something we can all do. Except Razmus apparently.” He chuckled.
An especially poor joke, thought Aldric. Then again, what could you expect from a mercenary?
“We need to bury the Dead-eyes,” he said.
“We should just cart the Dead-eyes away from the settlement,” Niklaus said. “Leave them to rot near where we think they’re coming from. Might deter them from attacking again.”
“We’ll do it,” Aldric said. Though he didn’t particularly like the idea of leaving the monsters to rot, it might prove effective.
~ ~ ~
“Do you have a smaller knife?” Soki asked Neb. “Maybe a fruit knife? Anything with a finer blade will do.”
She wiped her hands on a rag, leaving a stain of clotted blood and yellowy ichor. The stench of the creature was almost overwhelming, and Soki had to breathe through her mouth in order not to gag. An arcane globe she’d created cast a bright light around the room. A small fire gave off some warmth, but its illumination was insufficient for the work she had to do.
From his spot next to the door, Neb opened one eye a slit, then squeezed it shut again. “Maybe the widow Hazel will have a fruit knife. She was wealthy once and brought some fancy plates and utensils with her. It’s still dark, but she might be up—doesn’t sleep much these days. Oh gods, can we bury or burn the creature soon? We’ll never get the smell out of the wood.”
The dark-skinned Dead-eye lay on a table Soki and Neb had dragged to the center of the room. She had peeled back the creature’s chest to reveal its ribs, and removed its organs, which sat in various wooden bowls next to the corpse. They didn’t have much time before full-dark, so sleep would have to wait.
Soki tapped her bloody knife against the table and bent over to examine the body cavity. “I didn’t get a chance to open up the one we killed in Caronath. All of its organs are similar to a normal Dead-eye’s, except larger. It must be related. Fascinating.”
A strangled sound came from Neb. “When will you be finished?”
“Soon, if you get me the knife I need.”
Neb exited the shack and slammed the door behind him. The building shuddered, and dust drifted down from the beamed ceiling. Soki waved her hands to try to stop it settling on the corpse.
She hadn’t been able to find a catalyst on the creature, so it wasn’t able to use sorcery. Still, some creatures had innate abilities, like demons. Niklaus had said it was immune to his steel, for a while at least. But that couldn’t be an innate talent, as it wouldn’t fail at a crucial time. Which meant someone else was shielding it.
The realization sent a chill through her, and she dropped the knife on the table and stepped back. The creature in Caronath had tried to kill her, which meant it was likely this one had been sent on the same mission. She shuddered as goosebumps rose on her skin and managed to stop herself from rubbing her arms and wiping blood over them.
Without warning the door opened. Soki uttered the first few syllables of a cant, then stopped as Shand stepped inside. The girl was carrying a pile of sticks and a hessian bag, which hopefully held the fragrant herbs Soki had asked for.
“Here you go, Lady Sokhelle,” Shand said, placing the bag on the floor next to Soki.
She moved to the dust-covered fireplace, dropped the sticks, and began setting a fire.
“Thank you, Shand.”
The girl looked wild—maybe because of her shorn hair—but she was helpful and curious. Her clothes were in worse condition and dirtier than those of the other settlers Soki had seen, and her belt was a length of frayed rope around her slender waist. Either she was very poor, or no one looked after her properly. Soki resolved to question Neb later once the Dead-eyes had been dealt with. Maybe she could do something to aid the girl.
With a few strikes of flint and steel, Shand had a small blaze going in no time.
“Get some of those herbs on it straight away,” Soki said. “And don’t skimp. There’s no reason to put up with this stench if we don’t have to. I shouldn’t be much longer. If you’d like to go now, I’m sure Neb will—”
“I’d like to stay,” Shand said as she threw a handful of dried herbs on the fire. With a jump, she perched on the edge of a side table, her eyes never leaving the creature. “Why is its skin darker than the other Dead-eyes? What does it eat? Do you think—”
“All good questions, Shand.” If the girl could stomach watching her slice apart the creature, Soki had no issue with letting her stay. “It is bigger than any Dead-eye I’ve seen, though it seems to be of the same species.”
“The same what?”
“That means it could breed with the regular Dead-eyes.”
Shand grimaced and wrinkled her nose. “Eww! That’s disgusting!”
“The creatures have to breed, just like everything else. Nothing lives forever.”
At the same time, she could work on persuading him to use his dusk-tide power more often. He had hamstrung his sorcery, and it angered her more than she admitted to him. The most potent cants combined dawn- and dusk-tide power, and Aldric couldn’t afford to limit himself. One day, his life might depend on his mastery of the dusk-tide. She wouldn’t have his death on her hands just because he was stubborn.
There was a knock on the door, and Neb entered. He held out a slim knife to Soki. “Matron Hazel says it’s an heirloom. Looks just like a fruit knife to me.”
The knife was a solid piece of silver, with a patterned handle. “I’ll wash it thoroughly,” promised Soki. “Did you tell her what I require it for?”
“No. I thought it best not to.”
Shand snorted, earning a frown from Neb.
“I have other work to do,” he added. “Shand, I need you—”
“The Lady Sokhelle wants me to stay,” lied Shand. “In case there’s anything she needs help with.”
“Oh, that’s all right, then.”
Neb kept his eyes on the dissected creature as he backed out the door. When it closed, Shand let out a soft laugh.
“There was no need to lie,” Soki said. “I was going to ask you to stay anyway.”
Shand shrugged. “I didn’t know that. And besides, following Neb around all day is boring.” She rolled her eyes and pretended to yawn. “You’re different to Valeria.”
Soki paused, the fruit knife hovering over the creature’s eyeball. “In what way?”
“She doesn’t do anything. She just talks and drinks tea. The other girls think she’s a princess in disguise, as well as being a priestess of the moon goddess. She says her goddess values women above men and gives powers to her priestesses. Can you imagine it? Like sorcery, only better.”
What was Valeria up to? Was she planning to build a temple out here in the wilderness, or merely preaching to the settlers? Or was she stirring up trouble?
“Such power is rarer and limited compared to sorcery,” Soki replied. “But yes, it is often stronger for specific tasks.”
“She said sorcerers don’t like the Lady Sylva’s priestesses because they’re jealous.”
“That’s not right. When did you speak to her?”
“She met with a few of us at the widow Hazel’s.”
“I suppose they’re interested in the big city and what life is like there. I can tell you it’s not all it’s cracked up to be.”
“I didn’t think so, but they’re stupid. Most of them anyway.”
“What are you interested in, Shand? What do you want?”
The girl pursed her lips and hung her head so her hair covered her face. At first Soki thought she wasn’t going to answer; then she said in barely a whisper, “I’m interested in learning things. The truth—about everything. And I want a mother and father, but that’s not going to happen.”
A lump rose in Soki’s throat. Maybe she could do more than furnish Shand with new clothes. After they’d dealt with the Dead-eyes, she’d ask Neb about taking the girl with her back to Caronath. She could do with someone to help around the house and at the shop.
“Thank you, Shand, for being honest.” Soki placed the tip of the fruit knife just under the creature’s eye. “What I’m going to do now,” she said, applying pressure until the tip sank a knuckle-length into the skin, “is remove its eyeballs.”
Shand leaned forward eagerly.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Confrontations
ALDRIC HAD DONE THE best he could to heal the wounded in the settlement, then collapsed into his bed. Except sleep hadn’t come. He’d given up after an hour and joined the others who also couldn’t sleep.
On the other side of the room, Stray Dog sat cross-legged on his bedroll, oiling his axes. Niklaus said Bryn was out scouting the perimeter of the settlement and checking the defenses. The fight with the Dead-eyes, combined with Razmus’s grievous injuries, left a dismal pall over the company, and Aldric didn’t know how to dispel it. Along with the injuries among the settlers there had also been one death—a young man who wasn’t scared enough of the Dead-eyes and whose excitement at seeing warriors swinging swords had overcome his common sense.
Aldric checked on Razmus. The former soldier was in a deep sleep, which was good. It would aid his recovery. Beside him was a bowl half full of broth and a spoon. Good, someone had been feeding him.
Aldric poured himself some hot tea, then grimaced at its feeble taste.
From her seat by the fire, Valeria saw his expression and gave a faint laugh. She looked mournfully into her own cup.
“Yes, the flavor is … delicate. Some thieving settler stole a bag of my best leaf, so my supplies are running low, and I’m having to stretch every pot. And the settlers, goddess bless them, refuse to share their own supplies. Oh no, we don’t grow tea; we make do. Liars. They gave me shaved roots and bark instead.”
The goddess’s blessing sounded more of a curse the way Valeria bestowed it.
Aldric grunted. “As long as it’s warm.”
The night was the coldest yet as an icy wind blew from the north.
Valeria patted the seat next to her with a gloved hand. “It’s warm over here.”
Niklaus’s chuckle broke Aldric’s awkward pause.
Valeria’s expression darkened, and she stared daggers at the mercenary, who ignored her and went back to his exercises.
Valeria’s nothing next to Soki, Aldric thought. He looked away from Valeria, suddenly afraid she might see his thoughts on his face. “It’s full-dark tomorrow night,” he said, eager to change the subject.
“How positively enlightening,” Valeria said mockingly. “And here I thought you were an idiot.”
“Where are Sokhelle and Priska?” he asked.
“Out practicing sorcery, one would assume,” Valeria said. “Leave them be, Aldric. You can’t follow Sokhelle everywhere like a dog after a bitch in heat. It’s getting uncomfortable for everyone.”
He should have gone outside as soon as he’d abandoned his attempt to sleep. Then he wouldn’t have to deal with Valeria. “The Lady Sokhelle is teaching me sorcery, along with Priska. I don’t have to justify my movements to you, or anyone.”
Too late Aldric realized he’d just done exactly that.
“Do you think sorcery will help you?” Valeria placed a hand against her mouth and gave a dry cough. “It didn’t help Razmus, the poor man.”
Aldric opened his mouth to reply, but was interrupted by Soki calling him from outside the meeting hall. He leaped to his feet, eager to be done with Valeria and her malicious streak.
Soki was right outside and grabbed his arm as he emerged. She pulled him around the side of the building, to where Priska was waiting. The young woman was staring at the cliffs to the south. Behind him, Aldric heard the door open again as others followed him.
“There!” Soki said, pointing. “A light.”
“I think it’s a fire,” Priska said. “But we saw a brighter light at the same spot earlier.”
“That was dawn-tide sorcery,” said Soki.
Priska looked at her sharply. “You could sense that? From here?”
“It couldn’t be anything else,” Soki said. “But yes, I sensed it. It was … strange. I’ve never felt anything like it before.”
“That’s not good news,” Aldric said.
“A fire?” Niklaus said from behind them. “That’s why you dragged us out here? It’s as cold as Margebian’s tits.”
“Niklaus!” said Aldric, shocked at his crudity. “There are women present.”
The mercenary gave a mock bow. “I apologize to all the women present. Sokhelle, Priska, Valeria, and yourself.”
Aldric rolled his eyes, feeling heat rise to his face. Valeria, who’d just appeared from behind Niklaus, gave a throaty chuckle.
“Can you work a divining?” Aldric asked Soki.
“Can I?” She flashed him a wry smile. “Of course. But you’ll owe me.”
“Anything,” he said, with a smile of his own. “If it’s within my power.”
Soki instructed Priska to hold her talisman in one hand. “Another lesson for you. Hold my hand with the other, and I’ll guide you through the process. You’ll be able to feel what I’m doing. It’s night, so we’ll use dusk-tide power. There … do you see the currents of the night? Gather your questions, bind them, and send them forth.”
Aldric knew what Soki was doing technically, but the complexity of such sorcery was beyond his meager abilities. He knew that Priska wouldn’t be able to follow the entirety of what Soki was doing either; she was just along for the ride.
With his sorcerous sight, he watched arcane forces gather around Soki … a twisting darkness, a solidity of shadows.
“A woman,” whispered Priska.
“Yes,” confirmed Soki. “What else?”
“I … She’s injured. Hurting. There’s … No, I’m sorry. I’ve lost it.”
“It’ll become easier with practice,” Soki said. “Now … a woman … lost … in pain … but there’s also relief. She has … power. There are sparks of potent sorcery around her. Three of them. Someone died close by, not long ago.”
Aldric swallowed. More complications. “Did she kill them?”
Soki frowned. “No,” she breathed after a time. “A fall. From a cliff.” Her breath caught. “There’s something else … a presence … a being … ancient … insane.”
“What is it? Is it close by?”
“No. There is a man close though.” Soki shook her head, then opened her eyes. She blinked repeatedly, as if to clear them. “It’s gone.”
Revenant Winds (The Tainted Cabal Book 1) Page 37