The Darkslayer: Bish and Bone Series Collector's Edition (Books 1-10): Sword and Sorcery Masterpieces

by Craig Halloran

  Kuurn gestured toward the rafters. His fingers wriggled like spider legs as he chittered in underling. White spiders with red stripes that could fit in the palm of a man’s hand crawled out of the rafters and onto the webbing. They scurried toward Venir and the others. Each and every spider had a mouthful of razor-sharp teeth.

  CHAPTER 15

  “Somebody help her!” Jubilee pleaded. She was cradling Kam with her ear tilted to Kam’s mouth. Erin attached herself to her mother’s legs. “She’s still breathing. Barely.”

  Fogle was on a knee. His hands trembled. Kam was dead so far as he was concerned. Blood pumped out of the wound in her ribs. It twisted his stomach. No, no, no, this can’t be happening. It was happening though. Right before his eyes, his dearest friend was dying. On the other side of the portal, he was certain Venir and the rest were doomed. He’d never felt so helpless.

  Billip and Nikkel stood over him, battered and bloody, with fire in their eyes. “Open another portal,” Billip demanded. “We can’t help Kam, but we can help Venir.”

  Shaking his head, Fogle croaked out the words, “I can’t.”

  “What do you mean, you can’t?” Nikkel said.

  Fogle had never seen the young black look angry before. “I can’t open another portal. That last one was all that I had left in me. I-I’m sorry.”

  “It’s over then,” Billip said, shaking his head. “It’s only a matter of time for the rest of us. I say we find Hoff. We need to honor Venir’s final words. We’ll take down the West Gate even if it kills us.” He looked down at Kam. His eyes watered. “We’ll avenge her. Let’s go, Nikkel.”

  Slim lowered his lanky frame over Kam. “She isn’t dead, though chances are that she will be soon if we keep talking and not acting.” His spider fingers popped up out of his sleeve. With a strange life of their own, they crawled into Kam’s wound. She jerked. “See, she lives. Mostly dead only.”

  “What are you doing?” Cass stood over Slim’s shoulders with a curious look on her face.

  “I hope to stop the internal bleeding. It feels awful in there though. She’s truly ripped open.”

  “She grows cold,” Jubilee said with a sniffle.

  “Cass,” Slim said. “Can you warm her up?”

  “I’m a druid. I can do much more than that. Just tell me what you need.”

  Slim gave a quick smile. “Certainly, but after I get Kam out of the grave. In the meantime, I need you to keep her warm.”

  Cass rubbed her hands together, creating a warm pink radiance. She took off Kam’s boots and grabbed her ankles.

  Tears streamed down Jubilee’s face. “I can feel it. So warm. Comforting.”

  “It’s a necessity when living in the mountains, sometimes. The north is very unforgiving.” Cass eyed Fogle. He was slouched over. “Your worry is of little use. Do something fruitful, Fogle. Your expression fouls my mood.”

  He snapped out of his trance and scooted back. He wasn’t sure what to do. He wanted to help but couldn’t. Over the years, he’d felt a very strong kinship with Kam that sometimes became something else. He’d wanted her since the first day he saw her. Now the worst thing possible was happening. With a guilty heart, he was witnessing her death.

  “I would like to think your heart would be bursting the same for me as it is for her now if I were in the same situation,” Cass said.

  Fogle looked into Cass’s pink eyes. The druid always saw right through him. “Just save her, please.”

  Cass’s chin dipped. “Anything for you, Fogle Burdened.”

  Slim’s body stiffened. Kam lurched. Her eyes popped open. There was the scrunching sound of sinew, bone, and cartilage mending in her body. At the same time, Slim’s youthful face began to age. His skin tightened. Age spots appeared. The long hairs on his head turned from tawny to gray. He started to withdrawal his hand from the wound, slowly. In a wheeze, he said, “This is bad. Very bad.”

  The druid sounded one hundred years old and looked worse. His eye sockets were hollow. Fogle scooted back, his jaw hanging open. Slim gave him a feeble wink as he finally withdrew his spidery hand.

  “Will she live?” Fogle asked.

  “It’s up to her now, I’d say,” Slim replied in a dry voice. “Hoot, that really takes the life out of me. It becomes worse every time I do it.” He collapsed on the barn floor.

  “Slim!” Fogle rushed over to the man. The lengthy man was light as a feather when he picked him up. “There’s nothing left of him.”

  “He is not like us,” Cass said. Her voice was cryptic. “He is part of Bish.”

  “What do you mean by that?” he said. Slim was still deteriorating. His bones and skin became brittle. “Slim? Slim?” He gave a gentle shake. Slim’s head snapped off. “Gah! Did I just kill him?”

  The entirety of Slim’s body turned into small flying insects with pale-blue wings and sand-colored bodies. They scurried, took flight, and flew up and out of the barn’s skylight in the form of a small swarm. Birds dived on the swarm and gulped many of the bugs down.

  “Ew,” Jubilee said. “That was really strange.”

  Eyes cast up, Cass said, “It was a beautiful thing. Good-bye, Slim.”

  “He’s gone forever?” Fogle asked.

  “Probably so, in the form that you know him, at least.” She turned her attention to Kam. “Your woman is still cool but breathes. That’s the best that can be done for her now. You can’t expect much when one is on the brink of death. Chances are, if she wakes, she won’t be the same.”

  “Why do you say that?” Fogle asked.

  “This is Bish. It happens.”

  CHAPTER 16

  Altan Rey stood deep inside the dugout. The door leading out opened. All of the underlings had abandoned the dugout as far back as the preparation room. The fight was over. Altan rubbed his cold hands together.

  I’ve never witnessed anything like that before. If any man could have stopped Master Sinway, it was Venir. A pity it did not happen how I hoped. Or did it?

  He stared through the bunker bars. Venir and his comrades were hemmed in by webbing. The biggest man of all, a towering seven-foot monster, raved unintelligibly. His situation became worse with his tremendous struggles. The blood from the men’s wounds dripped on the floor and soaked into the webbing. Now, tiny spiders so creepy that Altan’s bones chilled crawled toward the doomed men.

  Altan swiped a thick layer of sweat from his bald head. In truth, he was hopeful that Venir could defeat Master Sinway. Deep down anyway. It seemed logical at the time. Even Venir had him convinced that, if it was going to happen, it would happen. Fate took a different route. Fortunately for Altan Rey, he played both sides, preserving not only his life but Castle Kord’s as well.

  Take a breath, Altan. You did what you had to do.

  Watching the creeping doom crawling down the web, his fingers fidgeted with his thumb. They lit up with a crackle. He didn’t want to see Venir die like this.

  Devoured by spiders. A sickening thing. It’s no way for a warrior to die.

  With a flick of his fingers, he could send a shower of sparks out. The embers would destroy the webbing. He envisioned the heroic moment. He saw Master Sinway turning him into dust too. He balled up his hand, and the magic fizzled out.

  I’ll just have to find another way, for me, anyway.

  There was a passing breeze. He turned. A woman stood before him. “Ashlyn, you shouldn’t be here.”

  “You’ve been gone too long.” Ashlyn wore tight-fitting red robes laced with green. A belt with a dagger graced her hips. Melegal’s gray knit cap hung over the side of her face in a stylish manner. She ran her fingers through his hair. “I was worried.”

  “I see you’ve taken an odd fancy to that cap.” He shook his head. “Still, this is no place to be. How did you even make it in here?”

  She shrugged her eyebrows. “You know I have my ways. Besides, the underlings aren’t worried about the likes of you or me.” She peeked over his shoulder. “What’s this?”
Swallowing, she froze. “That’s ghastly.”

  “Don’t look. Let’s just go before some other frenzy falls upon us. I swear, I’ve never felt my heart pounding in my throat until today.”

  As they headed into the preparation room, Ashlyn grabbed a towel. She wiped his sweaty temples clean. “That’s better. I’m proud of you, Altan. You pulled off quite a feat. We’ll live another day, perhaps years, reveling in underling glory.”

  “Yes, but it doesn’t feel like victory.” He twisted Melegal’s ring on his fingers. “Though, not only did I extend our lives, but I acquired a few precious baubles as well. There was an Orb of Negation,” he said with his mouth watering. “That would have been a real treasure.”

  “What happened to it?”

  “Master Sinway turned it into dust. The power! I swear it felt like he could have turned this castle inside out if he wanted to.” He made a beeline for the preparation room exit. “I think we should go to our room and wait, but a bottle of port would be nice. After all, we should revel somewhat in our victory.” He pinched her rump.

  She squeaked. “Altan!” Just as he started to open the door, she stiffened. Eyes narrowed, she searched the room.

  “What is it?” Altan said.

  “An odd sensation has me tingling all over.” She pet her cap.

  Altan Rey stepped away from the door. “What are you saying?”

  “We are not alone. I swear we are being watched.” She pulled a dagger from the scabbard on her hips. “Do you smell manure?”

  Altan sniffed. “A mild aroma, but this room is drenched in centuries of blood, grime, and sweat. Perhaps we should—ack!”

  A sword tip burst out of Altan’s chest.

  Ashlyn screamed. “Altan!”

  Melegal appeared, sword in hands. He’d stabbed Altan in the back, running the sword clean through the spine and poking through the heart at an angle. Altan slid from the steel, dead as a stone.

  Horrified, Ashlyn exclaimed, “Why did you kill him?”

  Removing his dart launchers from Altan’s wrists, he said, “This backstabbing wretch? Don’t be a fool, woman. It’s called revenge.” He took his ring from Altan’s fingers and stood with his hand out. “I’ll take my cap back now, lying wench.”

  “Uh-uh.”

  “I should have killed you first.” He drew back the sword. “Last chance.”

  Her eyes narrowed. “No.”

  “Death it is then.” He advanced.

  “Stop!”

  Melegal’s entire body locked up.

  Ashlyn smirked at him. “I like your cap. I think I’ll keep it.”

  CHAPTER 17

  “Taking a little nap, are we?” said a hungry-eyed guard with warts on his arms and nose. He smacked his lips. “It’s time to eat, darling woman. I’ve a spoonful of gruel for you. And water. But, you’ll have to do something for me first.”

  Jarla catnapped in the dungeon on and off at all hours of the day. The guards had been unrelenting in their treatment of her. They pawed all over her while making the lewdest suggestions. Huddled back in the cell, she kept her mouth shut and eyes closed.

  The guard pecked on the bars. “I know you hear me, mistress. Don’t worry, Pernsky will take care of you.” Pernsky slobbered when he talked. “I’ve never seen such a fine prisoner. Tell you what, I can ignore your scars. All you have to do is ignore my warts. Though, I’ve been with many women that think I’m still handsome.”

  Jarla’s stomach made a loud rumble.

  Pernsky sniggered. “I know you hunger, lady friend. Please, come to me. Your fate is better with me than the gallows with the underlings. I can let you out, you know. Help you escape. I know a way.”

  It was a lie. There had been other women that were taken advantage of only to be dragged out of the dungeon kicking and screaming. The days had been long since Jarla was captured by the royal knights. They beat the snot out of her. She had a black eye and swollen cheek to show for it. Her ribs ached. She let out a light cough she couldn’t control.

  “Ah, my delight awakens. Dear one, please, let me feed you.” Pernsky clacked the spoon on the bars. “Come, drink from my spoon. Let me see you sip with those soft maroon lips.”

  Jarla turned her eyes toward him. He gasped. Since she’d been taken prisoner, Pernsky had latched onto her. She couldn’t stir without him being there. All he did was leer. It sickened her. “Listen to me, you teeth-sucking, wart-faced worm, you will feed me and I’ll grant you no favors.”

  Pernsky turned aside, hiding the water bucket and bowl of gruel. “No, no, my lady. You must return the favor. Let me caress those silky locks with my fingers.”

  Jarla hated groveling, but she was starving. Pernsky’s droopy eyes were filled with lust. Her touch would transform him into a lust-filled devil. She needed to take advantage of that, but his sloppy, uncomely appearance sickened her. His hair was matted and greasy. He wore the dark-green uniform of a guard, but it was stained and soiled. He was portly and greasy necked. In the brigand army, there were men lacking appeasing attributes, but none of them repulsed her like Pernsky did.

  Orcs are worse than this man, but I can’t bear him. At least they are confident.

  “They will hang you, fine one. Stretch your neck. I don’t want to see it. I glory in you, my precious cherub.” He smacked his lips. “Let me feed you. Give you strength. You will need it for escape. Our escape, together.”

  “You don’t have the keys, Pernsky.” On her hands and knees, she crawled over to him, chest low and hips high.

  Pernsky salivated. Clinging to her body, his eyes enlarged. “You know my name. You called me by my name. You are my queen.”

  Suck it up, Jarla. Just do this.

  She put a little honey in her voice. “Show me the keys, and I will let you feed me, Pernsky.”

  He shook his head. “No, no. You will try to trick me. I don’t like tricks. Let me touch you, treasured lady. I must feel your fine skin on mine.”

  If Pernsky had access to the keys, she was certain he would have crawled into the cell with her by now. She reached out and grabbed the bars. “Go ahead, Pernsky, touch me,” she said but not too willingly.

  Feeling her hand with his, he said, “Ah-ah-ah, I am delighted. Your skin is hot as fire.”

  She let him paw at her some more. He touched her hair and shoulders. Jarla let him get away with as much as she could stand then pulled away.

  “No, no,” he moaned. “Please, let me feel you again!”

  Tidying her hair, she said, “I want to eat, drink, and know where I am, Pernsky.” She undid the strings at the neck of her jerkin while she tossed her hair from one side to the other. “That would please me.”

  He stretched his straining arms through the bars. “No, you must come back to me. You must come back to me!”

  Jarla seized his wrists. With a hard tug, she pulled his face into the metal. “I asked nicely, Pernsky. Won’t you please tell me so that I don’t have to snap your arms?”

  He gave a delighted giggle and said eerily, “Pain, I like pain. All my life is suffering, my queen.”

  She tugged harder while turning his wrist in a painful position. “Then you won’t mind this.”

  “Your firm hand is elation!”

  Jarla released him.

  “No, no, why did you stop?”

  “You did not feed me. You did not tell me what I wanted to know. If you want to indulge yourself more in sickening pleasure then tell me what I want to know.”

  “It does not matter. You will die either way,” he said, picking at the warts on his arms. “Please, pleasure me.”

  “I want a name.”

  “Castle Kling,” he muttered.

  “I thought the knights of Kord brought me in.”

  Pernsky shook his head. “They captured you, but you were traded here. They want you for the games.”

  “I thought they wanted me for the gallows.”

  “No, you are too special, but I don’t want to see you die. Pleas
e,” he stuck his arm through the bars. “Hurt me!”

  Clank.

  Jarla turned an ear toward the back of the cell. There was a stitched-up sack nestled in the corner. It can’t be!

  CHAPTER 18

  Venir let out a gusty laugh. He’d laid it all on the line to win. It wasn’t working. If he couldn’t die with steel in his hands, he’d die laughing in the underlings’ grimacing faces. The outburst startled the underlings in the audience. Even Master Sinway perched a brow. His maniacal cajoling echoed in the room that had fallen silent.

  Even Brak’s berserk ramblings ceased. His eyes were glassy. His struggles in the web had formed a frail cocoon around him. “Father, what happened?” he murmured.

  “I’ll tell you what happened,” Venir said in his boisterous voice. “These black hearts are about to watch little spiders devour us. It’s a very whimsical strategy for them. Letting your enemies be devoured by bugs. It’s no wonder that the underlings continue to fail when they try to triumph over men. They are as stupid as their skin is gray.”

  “Mind your insolent tongue!” Kuurn yelled.

  The underlings chittered.

  Sword in hand, Elypsa took a step toward him. “Let me skewer him, Master Sinway. Or at least slice his tongue out. No underling should have to listen to this.”

  Master Sinway held up a hand. “Nay. Let this muscle-bound bag of flesh say what he wants. I look forward to his screaming. The wolf spiders do excellent work, especially when they crawl into every orifice and begin to nibble. Oh, how I delight in torture. Soon, all of my brethren will delight as well. I’m confident the City of Bone is mine now, as nothing on Bish can stop me.”

  The wolf spiders inched down the webbing. Their tiny feet marched over the strands like an advancing army. Their minuscule teeth clicked. The uniform motion sent tremors through the webbing.