When the ether calmed at last, a dark caricature of the six-legged leopard stood in the center of the circle, its eyes glowing red.
Lady White clapped once and the ominous aura that had filled the room vanished. “The summoning is complete.”
She pointed at her new warbeast, then at the floor. It sat on its haunches and looked up at her like a loyal pet; only the lolling tongue was missing.
“Congratulations. I’ve never witnessed anything like what you just accomplished.”
“The summoning is simple enough, the hard part is subjugating the demon to your will. Even an instant of doubt will result in you turned into a bloody lump of meat. Happily, I left my doubts behind long ago. Still, it’s thirsty work. Would you join me for a glass of wine?”
Otto nodded, his own mouth feeling as dry as a desert.
They left the warbeast in the summoning chamber and Lady White led him down a passage he hadn’t even noticed when they passed it earlier. It ended at a salon decorated in high style, the furniture all done in black leather, and a table carved from bone and ebony. She gestured to one of the tables then sat opposite him.
A bottle of wine and two glasses appeared out of nowhere, poured, and landed on the table. Lady White took the glass in front of her and drank deeply. Otto took a sip from his own glass and smiled at the high quality of the vintage. They should export it, such fine wine would bring an excellent price in Garen.
“I suppose this is where you try and recruit me to your cult,” Otto said.
Lady White set her glass down and the bottle topped her off. “Hardly. Your soul is of no interest to Astaroth. What little of your mortality remains is too mingled with the ether to be of use. No, I have another proposal for you.”
Otto took another sip to cover his surprise. He’d felt certain she would try and convince him to become a demon binder. “I’m happy to consider any proposal you’d like to make.”
“The Cult of Astaroth is currently in a poor position here. To increase our power, we have sought to expand outside of our homeland.”
Otto nodded, his expression neutral. If she imagined him welcoming demon worshippers into the empire, she was crazy. “Go on.”
“To that end, we’ve sent agents to the Celestial Empire. A small cell has established itself in their capital city. While they’ve gained some followers and created a modest force of undead warriors, the empire is too organized for us to truly thrive. I don’t directly oversee that operation and reports from my subordinate have been slow in coming. Hardly ideal, but far from a surprise given the forces opposing us. I know little of the details beyond what I’ve told you, but I believe we can help each other.”
“My interest in the empire is narrow. Getting deeply involved in local politics doesn’t concern me.”
“Exactly, that’s why you’re useful. The last message I received indicated that they want someone that can kill a high-ranking official thus clearing the way for someone allied with us to assume the post.”
“So you need an assassin. I have no problem taking on that role. But what can you do for me?”
“We can provide you with a way in.” She leaned forward so their faces were only inches apart. Up close she smelled of grave earth and decay. The lovely Lady White might be a bit less alive than he’d first thought. “You must understand, the empire is a sealed nation. They have only a single point of contact with the outside world and no foreigners are allowed in. Our agents can smuggle you across the border and into the capital. I assume that’s where you want to go.”
Otto didn’t know exactly where he wanted to go. Perhaps she could tell him. “I’m looking for the lab or workshop of their Arcane Lord. I don’t know where that is exactly.”
“Then you need our help even more. Kill the official, and we will help you complete whatever mission you’re on. I swear it in Lord Astaroth’s name.”
Was an oath sworn in the name of a demon lord worth anything? He didn’t know, but doubted he’d find a better offer.
“Agreed.”
“Excellent. One of our agents will meet you in the port city of Han. He or she, I can’t say which, will be dressed in all black with a single red flower somewhere visible.” She stood and held out her hand. “I believe Lord Astaroth guided you to us. Perhaps one day we will meet again.”
Otto gently grasped her hand. It felt cold, like the hand of a corpse. “Indeed, this has been an illuminating experience.”
They parted and soon enough he was on his way back to the ship, once again carried by the demon bearers. Illuminating or not, he’d had his fill of the Land of the Demon Binders.
After the rather harrowing events in the Land of the Demon Binders, Otto was glad to be back at sea. Their exit from the harbor had been accomplished by the same means as their entrance, the bizarre sea beast and the odd being Lady White called The Voice.
Now two days away from the fog-shrouded land and standing on deck in the bright, warm sun, Otto took a moment to consider the deal he’d made. At the time, accepting Lady White’s offer of help had seemed like the prudent move. But now he wondered.
Putting his fate in the hands of demon worshipers he wasn’t even sure were still alive seemed like pushing his luck. On the other hand, if the empire was as sealed off as she claimed, there might not be any other option. Once he’d had a look around the city and spoken with their agent, he’d make up his mind for sure.
Feeling a little better about his decision, Otto turned to find Corina staring at him. “Did you need something?”
“No, it’s just that you’ve seemed on edge since we left that awful place. Are you sure you don’t want to talk about what happened?”
Otto had remained silent about his conversation with Lady White for the very simple reason that he didn’t feel like explaining his decisions. And there was no question in his mind that his apprentice and his bodyguards, not to mention his brother, would all disapprove of him doing business with the Cult of Astaroth. Which was fine, he didn’t especially care what they thought. Otto just didn’t want to have a debate.
“They offered me a way into the empire in exchange for helping them remove a local magistrate that’s causing them problems. It’s a last resort, so don’t worry about it.”
“They only offered you a way in? What about the rest of us?”
He’d been thinking about that. After what happened in Audin, he would actually prefer to leave them behind this time. Worrying about Hans and Corina getting into trouble was a distraction he didn’t need. If the price was having no one to watch his back, then so be it.
“You all will remain behind and prepare for the voyage home. The ship will need a full refit and maintenance. That’s plenty to keep you busy.”
“But you could get into trouble without us,” Corina said.
Otto shook his head. He appreciated the concern, but on this his mind was made up. “Not this time. Once I secure the Heart, I’m coming straight back here via the ether. I can’t take you or the guys with me. If it all falls apart, I can escape on my own more easily. It’ll be safer for all of us.”
She looked like she wanted to argue some more but he held up a hand. “I know you want to help. And I appreciate it, but this time, the best thing you can do is watch over the ship and make sure everything is ready for my return. Depending on how things go, we may need to leave in a hurry.”
“Hans isn’t going to like it,” she said.
“Of that I have no doubt.”
Chapter 35
Port Han wasn’t actually part of the Celestial Empire. It was the largest city on a peninsula that jutted out into the ocean to the south. It wasn’t a particularly large area and Otto couldn’t imagine why the empire didn’t simply conquer it and claim the port for their own, but for whatever reason, they hadn’t.
He stretched and yawned, enjoying the early morning air from his place in the ship’s forecastle. Since leaving the Land of the Demon Binders, Otto had gotten rested and his magic was now at full str
ength. If this mission was anything like what he had to deal with in Colt’s Workshop, he was going to need every bit of power he could muster. Especially since he wouldn’t have any backup.
Neither Axel nor Hans had been thrilled when he told them he was going in alone, but in the end, they really had little to say about it. Considering how tightly controlled the empire was, a dozen foreigners would stick out too much to be useful. They’d be caught and executed in hours at best. Otto wasn’t exactly happy about the situation either, but it was what it was.
Ahead of them, the city grew larger by the minute. After the City of Coins, Port Han’s wall wasn’t terribly impressive, but it no doubt served its purpose. The buildings consisted of large warehouses near the dock, and smaller buildings further inland. All pretty typical.
Four hours later they sailed into the port without so much as a greeting from anyone in charge. No ships patrolled the harbor or surrounding water. Ships of every size were tied up seemingly at random.
Axel joined him as the sailors finished their work. “This can’t be normal.”
“It might be normal for here,” Otto said. “The business district in Garen used to let people come and go as they pleased before we changed the rules. This might be something similar. Either way, we need to have a look around. Leave six men to guard the ship. The rest of us will go exploring.”
Axel nodded and went to issue orders. Otto made his way to the helm where Captain Wainwright stood with his arms crossed as he gazed out over the city.
“Not what you were expecting, Captain?” Otto asked.
“Not exactly. Aside from the style of the buildings, this could be any of a dozen ports I’ve visited. I thought things might be more exotic.”
“I’m taking a party to look around. Would you like to join us? I’m sure you need supplies to prepare the ship for the journey home.”
“I’ll take you up on that. We have room enough for ten more casks. If I can find some kind of preserved food that will last long enough, maybe we can avoid any stops on the way home.”
“That would suit me very well. I’ll leave it in your hands as I fear logistics are outside my area of expertise.”
The shore party set out down the dock toward the city. With every step Otto expected some sort of official to show up and ask for money, either a bribe or tax or whatever. But they reached the city proper without issue.
“At least there’s no fog,” Corina said.
Otto smiled and turned the group away from the warehouses and towards an open-air market. “The ether is pure here as well. We should be able to use our magic safely.”
The sounds of the market reached them before the sights. Merchants shouted about the quality of their wares. Others cried out with offers of food and drink. Everyone spoke the same language as Otto and his companions only with a dozen different accents.
As they walked through the market, Otto kept his eyes peeled for someone in black and red. This would be the most natural place for Lady White’s agent to try and spot them, especially if he didn’t want to attract attention.
“What are we looking for exactly?” Hans asked. The good sergeant kept a constant watch on the crowds and sounded nervous. He probably expected an attack at any moment.
“We aren’t looking for anything in particular,” Otto said. “We’re just getting a feel for the lay of the land.”
“It’s crowded, loud, smelly, and an attack might come from any direction,” Hans said. “What more do you need to know?”
Otto chuckled but said nothing. Hans would worry. It was his nature and part of his job as a bodyguard. No doubt losing Cord made him even more vigilant. Speaking of vigilant… “Has anyone seen any guards?”
“Plenty,” Axel said. “I think every stall had at least one.”
“Not them, I mean a city guard. People in uniform making sure no one gets murdered or robbed.”
“Oh, then no, I haven’t.”
“No officials, no guards, it’s like this city has no authority.” Otto frowned. There had to be someone in charge. The walls and docks didn’t maintain themselves. “Let’s find a tavern. There’s bound to be someone that can tell us what’s going on here.”
“We passed a stand selling maritime supplies a little ways back,” Wainwright said. “I want to go back and see what they have.”
“Take a couple scouts with you,” Axel said. “Cobb, pick a man and keep him safe.”
“Sure, send me when we’re on our way to a tavern.” Cobb grabbed the youngest looking of the bunch and set out behind Captain Wainwright.
Leaving the open-air market behind and moving into the city proper, Otto couldn’t help noticing the buildings. There was no cohesive style. People just built whatever they wanted. Single-story buildings, multistory buildings, shops, residences, and taverns all mingled at random.
“There’s a place.” Hans pointed across the street at a two-story building with a frothing mug on the sign. It looked reasonably maintained so they wouldn’t have to worry about it collapsing on their heads.
Otto led the way across the street and pushed through the swinging doors. As he expected at this time of day, the common room was nearly empty. A single table held five men that, judging by their weapons and scars, worked as mercenaries. The sole other occupant was the bartender, a slender, almost gaunt woman around forty wearing a simple tan dress.
He went to the bar while the others found them two tables.
“What can I get you, stranger?” the woman asked.
“A round of drinks and some information.”
She looked over his head, her dry, cracked lips moving as she counted the members of his party. “Drinks will be half an ounce of silver. Information is more costly.”
Otto placed a silver coin on the bar and she dug out a scale. A little weight went on one side and the coin on the other. When both sides stabilized, she shrugged and said, “Close enough,” and pocketed the coin. “I’ll bring your drinks then we can discuss your questions.”
“That’s fine, thank you.” Otto returned to the others and took a chair beside Corina.
“Learn anything?” she asked.
“I learned this city doesn’t mint its own coins. They sell by weight of metal. Probably wise given the different nationalities I saw in the market.”
A few minutes later, the bartender arrived carrying an overloaded tray that looked far too heavy for her skinny arms. She set the tray in the middle of the table and everyone helped themselves to a mug. Otto took one sniff, grimaced, and set his mug back down. He’d have to be considerably thirstier to drink that swill.
“Will you join us?” Otto asked. “I have many questions.”
“Do you have gold to pay for the answers?” she asked.
Otto placed a double eagle on the table. “I believe that should purchase anything I want to know.”
She licked her lips and nodded. “Yes, it will.”
When the bartender had dragged a chair over Otto said, “When we docked, there was no sign of a port authority or guards as we strolled through the market. Does this city have an organized government?”
“Not as such. The five most powerful merchant companies act as a city council of sorts, overseeing the docks and making sure the city doesn’t fall apart. But for the most part, people are expected to look after themselves. We all pay a small fee every month for collective maintenance, but that’s it.”
“So you could walk outside and murder someone and no one would arrest you?” Axel asked. “Sounds like chaos.”
She shrugged. “It is to an extent. And we like it that way. Who needs a bunch of smug nobles telling you what you can and can’t do? We have collectives that provide security. If you killed me, for example, the other members of the collective would hunt you down and kill you. Everyone knows the rules, except new arrivals, who learn quick or die quicker.”
“What about the Celestial Empire?” Otto asked. “They don’t mind having chaos on their southern border?”
Otto perked up at the mention of a wall. “So their border is fortified?”
“Ha! That’s putting it mildly. Only registered merchants can cross and only with native guards. The wall is patrolled at all times and stretches from ocean to ocean. Magical guard beasts swim in the waters offshore, devouring anyone stupid enough to try and swim. No, trying to get into the empire uninvited is a death sentence.”
That was an unfortunate bit of news. His hopes of sneaking in without the help of Astaroth’s cult dimmed to nothing. Still, at least he wouldn’t be wondering.
“Are there safe places to rent rooms in the city?” Otto asked.
“Do you have any more gold?” she asked. “Places that provide security are expensive. Most merchants simply stay on their ships or camp outside the walls surrounded by guards.”
“Assuming the price isn’t totally unreasonable,” Otto said. “I believe I can manage.”
The others were looking a bit woozy as they wobbled in their seats. After one drink even Corina should have remained clearheaded.
A scraping drew his attention to the rough-looking men at the other table. They had all gotten to their feet and drew an assortment of weapons.
He turned back to the bartender who shrugged. “Robbing foreigners pays considerably better than selling drinks and information. Especially since no one will come to avenge you.”
“You think you’re going to rob me?” Otto asked.
“Considering I’ve got five guys, all of whom are alert and not drugged and all your guards are nearly unconscious, I’d say yes.”
“Then you are an idiot.” Otto flicked his iron ring and sent binding threads into all six people, freezing them in place. “Trying to rob a wizard without one of your own is unwise.”
He smiled at the fear in her eyes as he stood and unsheathed his mithril sword. Drawing fire from a hanging lantern, he wrapped it around his blade. Swift, hard strokes cut the mercenaries’ hands off at the wrist and seared the wounds shut.
The Heart of Alchemy Page 16
