His state of mind would have less to do with their success than his silence. A pair of crates were shoved aside and a narrow slot in the bed of Jet’s wagon revealed. Otto unbuckled his sword and squeezed inside. When the board was replaced, he found himself in perfect darkness. Lucky for him tight spaces had never bothered him.
The wagon rattled into motion and the die was cast. Soon they would either be in the empire or dead.
Minutes dragged by and Otto focused on his breathing. The air was stuffy and close and soon sweat plastered his clothes to his body. He didn’t dare use magic lest one of the lords be around and see his work in the ether.
At last the wagon stopped again. He held his breath and listened. There were muffled voices, but he couldn’t make out what they said.
The wagon rattled from side to side and one of the voices went up a fraction. He couldn’t say for sure, but it sounded like Jet.
There must be a problem.
He tightened his grip on his sword. If everything went to hell, he didn’t intend to go down easy.
A pair of thuds sounded from above and the cover to the secret compartment rattled.
If he did nothing, he would certainly be caught.
Taking a chance, Otto wrapped himself in invisibility just as the lid popped off.
A guard dressed in red-lacquered armor stared at him but gave no sign that he saw anything. At last the guard said, “It’s empty, sir.”
“I told you,” Jet said. “I only use that compartment in Port Han. Those thieves would steal the fingers off your hand. Hiding your most valuable goods is a necessity.”
There was a muttered apology and the guard put the cover back in place. A moment later the crates were shoved back where they belonged and the wagons were moving again. Otto let out the breath he’d been holding and released his spell.
Their rattling journey continued for he knew not how long before the wagon stopped again. This time when the lid opened it was Jet staring down at him.
She smiled her radiant smile. “I thought the game was up before it even began. It never occurred to me that you had the power to simply turn invisible.”
“I didn’t want to risk it in case a wizard was around to see the magic. What happened?”
“The head guard was a prick. He spotted the bottom of the hidden compartment and demanded that I show him the interior. He must be new here. None of the regular guards look that close. We’re out of sight of the wall so you can come out now.”
Otto happily climbed out of the tight space. While it might not have bothered him, that didn’t mean he enjoyed lying in a virtual coffin. “I suppose I’ll have to climb back in should we encounter anyone.”
“When we reach Celestial City you will, but until then I think a simple disguise will suffice.” Jet pulled a satchel out from under the wagon bench and handed it to him.
Otto pulled out a black robe, a black veil, and an odd, round hat that rose to a sharp peak. He’d never seen such an outfit. “What is this?”
“Traditional mourning garb. You’ll be posing as a cousin who recently lost his wife and is traveling with me to the capital to offer your prayer at the Lotus Temple.”
That was as good a story as any. He set his sword on the bench and donned his costume. Despite an appearance that seemed odd to his foreign eyes, the outfit was comfortable enough. The veil didn’t obscure his vision and the hat even provided a little shade. All in all it could certainly have been worse.
He climbed up beside Jet and she shook the reins.
“How far is the city?” Otto asked.
“If we make good time, about two weeks. As we come closer, the traffic will pick up. If we encounter anyone be sure to stay silent. Your accent will give you away at once.”
“And if someone should speak to me?”
“They won’t. No one would intrude on someone in mourning.”
Otto nodded and settled in for what he hoped would be a boring trip north.
Chapter 37
True to Jet’s prediction, the few people they encountered on the journey north took one look at Otto’s disguise and immediately looked away. Entry into the city had also gone off without a hitch. Otto listened to the whole process from his hiding spot and as best he could determine from the muffled voices, the guards were more interested in Jet herself than her cargo. Nothing like the combination of lust and overconfidence to make a person lax.
On the downside, Jet deemed it wise for him to stay out of sight until they reached her warehouse, a building that also served as the base for Astaroth’s cult in the city.
At least the road was smooth. If he’d had to bounce through potholes while stuck in the secret compartment, that would have really been unpleasant. As it was he merely had to deal with heat, stale air, and stiff muscles.
At last they stopped and Jet said, “We’re here.”
The crates were shifted and the secret compartment opened. Otto sat up and sucked in a great lungful of fresh air. Or reasonably fresh air. Smoke and stink battled to offend his nose more. Even for someone used to the foundries of Garen, the smell of Celestial City was a lot to take in.
“I take it you’ve noticed the unique odor of our capital,” Jet said. “You can thank the alchemists. They are constantly experimenting, trying to come up with something to catch their lords’ gaze and elevate themselves in the alchemists’ hierarchy.”
She said it with disgust in her voice, but he couldn’t see how their actions were any different than members of any other group jockeying for favor. Even Jet was trying to better her position in the cult. Otto forbore comment on her hypocrisy. She would be neither the first nor the last to lie to herself about her motives.
Instead Otto looked around at the stacks of crates. There was nothing here resembling living quarters. After his time on the road, he badly needed a bath, some decent food, and a good night’s sleep.
“I assume you have an actual temple or something nearby,” Otto said.
“Of course.” Jet crooked her finger. “Follow me.”
The two of them moved deeper into the warehouse while the guards remained behind and a pair of burly laborers busied themselves with moving the crates. Jet led him to the right rear of the building and stomped twice on the floor.
A hidden door slid open and a man with wide open, unblinking eyes stared at them without seeming to see. From the glaze over his pupils and lack of breathing, Otto decided this must be his first encounter with a zombie.
“Back, slave!” Jet commanded.
The zombie shuffled down the steps and squished into an alcove to allow them to pass. At the bottom of the steps, Otto started to conjure a light, but before the spell activated, torches burst to life with an eerie green flame. Corruption swirled around the lights and put a queasy twist into Otto’s guts.
An effort of will formed a shield of pure ether around him and cut off the nasty feeling. If Jet felt any discomfort, she didn’t show it. Perhaps having pledged herself to the demon lord, she was no longer troubled by the unnatural energy. Either that or she’d just gotten used to it.
She led him down a stone tunnel that looked carved rather than natural. Otto ran his fingers along the wall. Yes, this was definitely a hallway. He found crevices where the blocks fit together.
“Did you build this?” Otto asked.
“No.” Jet looked back at him. “The warehouse was built on the foundation of another building that burned during one of the purges years ago. We just took advantage of what was already here. It also connects to the building next door, which I own, so we have plenty of space. But I’m sure our leader is eager to meet you.”
Otto frowned. “I thought you were the leader of this cell.”
“No, I’m the face of the group. Our leader, well, he doesn’t blend with the living as well as Lady White. Meaning no offense of course. He understands that under the current circumstances, his remaining behind the scenes is best. Once Astaroth rules the empire, that will all change. And after all,
the dead have nothing but time.”
Jet led him to another set of stairs down. Otto prepared himself to meet an undead creature considerably less pleasing to the eye than Lady White. Given his limited assets, Otto had no desire to offend his host.
At the bottom of the stairs, the corruption was so thick it took half his power to filter it out. Interestingly, it was all contained within the single large room that looked like a proper temple. There was an altar with a large bloodstain in the center, and two square pedestals that held green flames like the ones above.
A single figure stood behind the altar, his body draped in loose-fitting dark robes. A deep cowl hid his features. Jet offered a deep bow while Otto contented himself with a nod of respect. Damned if he’d kowtow to anyone, living or dead.
Scabrous, rotted hands reached up to pull the cowl down revealing a face ravaged by Otto knew not what. The entire left side was stripped down to the bone. Ragged bits of flesh marked the border between bone and skin.
“So,” the dead man said. “You are the assassin Lady White has sent us. I trust you can do what you claim.”
Otto bristled at the insult. “One, I am not an assassin. I’m here for my own reasons. I agreed to help you in exchange for you helping me. Second, no one sends me anywhere.”
The fleshy part of the undead’s face tried to smile with limited success. “Finally, a human with iron in his spine. You and I will get along fine. My name is Marius and I bid you welcome to the Temple of Astaroth. A room has been prepared. Tonight, we meet with my agent at court. Until then rest and recover. Jet will provide you with anything you need.”
Otto nodded. “Thank you. Until tonight.”
Marius turned his back on Otto and Jet led him upstairs and down a different hall to a closed door. She opened it and stepped aside to let him enter first. The modest suite had only a bed, table and two chairs, and a small trunk. Another door led, he assumed, to the garderobe.
She shut the door behind them and said, “When you spoke up I feared our master would kill you out of hand. He doesn’t take well to people questioning him.”
“I don’t take well to orders or threats, and I assure you, I’m not so easy to kill. But infighting will do us no good. Better for everyone if we complete our business and I leave the empire as quickly as possible.”
“Yes, that would certainly be best. I will fetch you water to wash up with and food. Is there anything else you need?”
“No, thank you.”
She bowed, not as deeply as she had to Marius, but deeply enough that it wasn’t an insult, and left.
Otto sighed and slumped on the bed. The leader of the cult wasn’t what he expected, but then that was his mistake. It did make sense that the leader of a cult devoted to the demon lord of the undead, would be undead himself.
The combination of tension and exhaustion sent Otto into a deep slumber. He didn’t know how much time passed, but when someone broke the ethereal thread he’d placed across the threshold of his room, he sat up and sent ether surging through his body. Any lingering haziness vanished in an instant.
When Jet stepped into the room Otto relaxed a fraction. She carried a tray covered with steaming bowls and set it on the room’s small table.
“You might knock before entering,” Otto said. “Trying to sneak into my room is a good way to end up dead.”
“My apologies. I wasn’t certain if you were awake.” She bowed then straightened and pointed at the food. “I thought we might dine together.”
The beef and noodle soup she’d brought him earlier, while delicious, hadn’t been terribly filling. A second meal would suit him quite well.
He moved from the bed to the table and they sat facing each other. Otto breathed deep, savoring the rich scent of roasted meat and exotic spices. Considering he was staying in a temple dedicated to the demon lord of the undead, the food was surprisingly delicious. Of course, he still checked everything for poison before digging in.
When he’d eaten about half his meal Otto said, “Tell me about your minister of whatever you said he did. I can’t imagine it was easy to find someone willing to betray the government.”
Jet took a sip of wine. “You’d be surprised. Perhaps once honor and dedication had some bearing on who they selected for high posts in the government, but now it’s all about patronage. Minister Hu knew someone to get his foot in the door, but he’s risen as far as he can on his own. As you can imagine, that doesn’t sit well with him. He accepted our offer of advancement with very little coaxing.”
“So a politician with a taste for power, shocking. Does he actually know who he’s serving?”
She offered a polite laugh. “Of course not. Lord Marius is highly skilled at illusion magic while Hu has no talent for it and thus no clue that the wealthy, eccentric merchant is actually a long-dead demon worshipper. We’ll keep it that way until it suits our purposes to reveal the truth, assuming it ever does.”
Otto couldn’t deny a little discomfort at the idea of trusting someone so quick to betray his current masters, but as long as the minister stayed loyal until Otto acquired the Heart, what happened after was no concern of his.
“How long until the meeting?” Otto asked.
“About an hour. We’ll join Master Marius at the house next door as soon as we finish eating.”
Otto nodded and did exactly as she suggested. The food was too good to waste.
After mopping up the last of the broth, Jet led him down a different tunnel and up a set of stairs that led to the basement of a fair-sized house. All the usual junk that people accumulated over the years was absent here. Otto’s conjured light revealed a fine layer of dust covering the stone floor along with a single set of footprints that went straight to another staircase.
“Looks like you don’t use this entrance often,” Otto commented.
“No, not very. I usually go in the front door. Only Master Marius comes this way. We’ve let it be known that he’s a bit of a shut-in that seldom meets with anyone.”
They followed the tracks upstairs to a beautifully equipped kitchen. The only thing missing was food. He doubted anyone would ever visit the house, but if they did, it would be instantly obvious that no one actually lived here.
Outside the kitchen, they turned left and entered a sitting room where Marius waited. Now he looked like a nobleman, handsome and dressed in fine silks. All fake of course. The half-rotten corpse under the ethereal construct remained visible in his magical sight. But it should be enough to fool a normal human.
“Did you find everything to your liking?” Marius waved Otto and Jet into a pair of empty chairs.
“The food was delicious, thank you.” Otto sat and Jet joined him.
The illusion offered a proper smile. “That may be the only thing I miss about being alive. I was quite the connoisseur before I died.”
There was some noise from another room followed by the sound of a door closing. A moment later a servant Otto hadn’t noticed announced, “Minister Hu, my lord.”
The minister swept in, a long crimson robe flowing behind him. Despite the loose fit, it failed to disguise the massive potbelly hanging below his belt. His face was round, with chubby baby cheeks, and a patch of hair below his lower lip. Otto pitied anyone that had to deal with this creature on a regular basis. He’d rather take his chances with the undead.
“Marius, my friend, so good to see you again.” Hu, his voice a high, grating squeal, bowed a fraction, just enough to show respect.
“Minister,” Marius said. “How stand matters at court?”
“The same as always. My genius remains unacknowledged.” Hu glanced from Marius to Otto and back. “Is he the solution to our problem?”
“Indeed. We’re ready to move at any time.”
A ripple ran through the ether.
Otto didn’t know what spell was unleashed, but something just happened.
He stood and slowly drew his sword. “What have you done?”
“I’m sure I d
on’t—”
Otto put the tip of his mithril blade under Hu’s chin. “Don’t lie to me, you miserable sack of excrement.”
Jet and Marius both scrambled to their feet.
“Otto, what are you doing?” Jet asked.
“Have you lost your mind?” Marius added.
Otto never took his eyes off of Hu. “Didn’t you feel the ether shift? Someone cast a spell, a strong one. Since it happened right after this pig arrived, well, let’s just say I don’t believe in coincidences.”
“I’m sorry,” Hu blubbered. “One of my aides grew suspicious and followed me. The lords know everything. They came to my office. Made me agree to help.”
There was an explosion outside.
“If you surrender, your execution will be painless,” Hu said. “They promised me so.”
The sounds of battle grew louder by the second.
Otto flicked his wrist, cutting Hu’s throat from ear to ear. “We need to go.”
As he said it, a squad of soldiers burst into the sitting room.
Otto didn’t even think.
Threads lashed out, slicing the men to ribbons.
“How do we get out of here?” he asked.
“The basement or the front door,” Jet said.
Shouts came from the front of the house. Whoever was outside must have realized their comrades had been eliminated.
“I don’t recommend the front,” Otto said.
“We can’t use the basement either,” Marius said. “If they find the temple, the cult is finished here.”
Otto swore, turned to the wall, and conjured spinning threads of ether that sliced a disk out of the wall. Outside, another squad of soldiers waited in the yard.
Marius thrust a hand out and a black mist of corrupt ether rose up from around the men’s boots. An instant later they started to scream. An instant after that they melted into puddles of black sludge.
“Where now?” Otto asked.
“This way.” Jet led them away from the warehouse toward the city proper.
This didn’t seem like the best way to go, but given his complete lack of knowledge regarding the area, he had no choice but to follow. Marius didn’t complain either so her choice must have suited him.
The Heart of Alchemy Page 18
