by Nick Harrow
“Fuck it. Where do you want the money delivered?”
“It doesn’t have to be delivered anywhere.” She gave me a cryptic smile and took a step closer to me. A cool breeze wafted off her skin. “Your willingness to make the sacrifice has bound it to me. It will be mine when the ritual begins.”
“I’ll have it together for you by sundown. It’s not going to burn when you do your ritual, is it? I don’t want a bonfire in my dungeon.”
“You don’t need to worry about fire.” She was so close to me the flickering aura from her armor passed through my disincarnated body. “You are an intriguing man, Rathokhetra. Not at all what I’d imagined. I must go to prepare the way for my sisters. We will return.”
“When?”
“Near sunset, three days hence. We come from the heart of the dying sun in the west.”
Three days was cutting it mighty close. The tax collector’s troops would be nearly ready by that point. It might even be too late, if our timeline was off. Be a real fucking shame if the Order showed up and found the oasis littered with corpses. Still, it was a gamble I had to take. The angels could swing the tide of battle in our favor.
“I look forward to it. You better be worth it.”
“Oh,” she whispered and stepped forward until her body was partially inside mine. She turned her head slightly so we could look at one another and blew me a kiss. “I’m definitely worth it.”
I shuddered as Tyrsilene passed through me. By the time I’d turned to watch her go, the only trace of her that remained was a flicker of brilliant white light.
Chapter 20 – Play Hard
I RETURNED TO THE DWARVES and the blacksmiths a couple of hours before sunset. They’d finished with the swords and looked beat. I guess pounding on red-hot iron all day is enough to take the wind out of your sails.
“Nice work, eh?” Tarl asked. “Your people are fast. Tomorrow, we should be able to do twice as much in the same time. Which is good, seeing as how those goatfuckers dropped another two tons of iron on us.”
The aforementioned goatfuckers glared at the dwarf from the carts where they’d been resting. From the looks of the two of them, they’d spent the past several hours doing a lot of nothing while the blacksmiths and the dwarves worked themselves halfway to a coma.
“Hey, goatfuckers,” I called to the herdsmen. “I need you to corral all of these gold coins so they don’t roll off.”
“What gold?” the nearest goatfucker asked. “All I see is a bunch of greatswords.”
With a theatrical snap of my fingers, I transformed the greatswords into a pile of five thousand gold coins. That gave me just short of fourteen thousand gold coins, total. Tyrsilene would take ten thousand of that at sunset, which left me a little short. I’d have to work the dwarves a little harder today to get where I needed to be.
“That gold.” I pointed at the pile. “And if even one coin goes missing, I’ll know it. Don’t ask these blacksmiths or the dwarves to help, either. You sat on your asses while they put all these weapons together. Keep your eye on this gold is all on you.”
The herdsmen frowned but hopped to it. They each had a small shovel, which I assumed they used to clean up goat shit, and they used their tools to load the coins into one of the carts. I considered ordering them to haul everything down to the treasure chamber but decided it didn’t matter. The settlement was part of my territory, and after Tyrsilene took the gold I’d promised her and I spent the rest on build points, there wouldn’t be anything left on the surface, anyway.
“Are we done for the day?” the dwarves asked.
“Nope.” I snapped my fingers, and the two tons of iron ore became a hundred more blades and hilts. “Knock out twenty more of these things before sundown. When you’re done with them, head over to City Hall on the west side of the oasis. Tell the wahket there that I promised to get you fed and find you a place to stay. I’ll need all of you back at this first thing tomorrow morning. All right?”
The dwarves and blacksmiths shrugged and nodded. I knew I’d assigned these poor bastards a tough, thankless task, and they’d shouldered it as well as could be expected. Piling extra work onto their shoulders this late in the day was a dick move, but I needed the money from those swords for my plan. I’d have to think of some way to reward them when this was all over.
I vanished without wasting any more words. I didn’t have anything else to say to the work detail, and they looked too tired to listen to me, anyway. I reappeared at the top of the same tower I’d visited earlier to find a new pair of guards, both of whom were just as spooked by my little trick as the first pair had been.
“Everybody needs to chill,” I said. “You’re going to be seeing a lot of this. I pop here, I pop there, and I don’t need everybody losing their damned minds every time it happens.”
“Sorry,” the men said in unison. And then, as if remembering who they were addressing, they added, “Lord Rathokhetra!”
“Yeah,” I said. “Relax. Just doing a little sightseeing. Checking out the battlefield. Don’t mind me.”
Which I knew was a lot like asking them to please pay no mind to the silverback gorilla who’d just arrived for dinner. I’d have to make this quick if I wanted to keep them from pissing their pants in awe.
I don’t know if it was my dungeon lord senses or my overactive imagination, but I was able to see how this battle would play out on the terrain below me. Lexios’s forces would arrive from the northeast, cavalry at the lead, infantry and archers behind them, with the siege engines and those fucked-up gray carts in the rear. The east gate would be closest to the tax collector’s current camp, but I’d schemed to give him an easier, more attractive target. If my plan worked, his forces would head west and circle the ridgeline to chase the bait toward the west gate.
The terrain on the west side was more in my favor because he’d have to pass through a narrow valley to assault the gate. That would string his troops out and make them vulnerable to all the dirty tricks I had in store.
I had no illusions that Lexios would fail to reach the west gate. He had too many soldiers for me to kill them all before they could bang on my door. Sure, I could weaken the motherfucker, but that wouldn’t stop him. Before long, he’d be parked right outside my gate.
And that’s when the real fun would begin.
I spent six grand on three build points, invested two in Martial upgrades, and one in a Defensive upgrade.
<<<>>>
Modifier adjustments: Str +1, Dex +1, Int -1, Cha -1
<<<>>>
I crossed my fingers and hoped I hadn’t fucked this up.
Because if I was wrong about the plan I’d made, we were all dead.
Wasn’t that a cheery fucking thought?
“All right, boys,” I said as I prepared to leave the tower. “Have a good night. Keep your eyes peeled. We're getting close to the end of this bullshit.”
“As you will, Lord Rathokhetra!” they shouted in unison.
Before the last echoes of their words had faded, I was back inside City Hall.
“Teach me to do that!” Izel shouted from where she played next to the throne. Two wahket were crouched on the floor beside the little girl, and they both waved as I approached.
“I am sure Lord Rathokhetra has better things to do than teach little girls how to get into more mischief,” one of the cat women said.
“Not really,” I said with a grin. “Thank you for keeping an eye on her. It’s made this transition much better for her, I would imagine.”
“This is a very nice place,” Izel remarked. “Though it would be even nicer if there were more children for me to play with.”
“It’s good to want things, kid. It builds character.” I patted her head as I passed the throne, then stopped and turned back to the wahket. “A couple of dwarves are going to show up here in an hour or so. Find one of the new houses to stick them in. I just summoned a bunch of food in the dining room, so get some friends to help you haul it over to where
ver you put them up. They’ll bitch and whine until the sun comes up if they don’t get fed.”
“As you wish, Lord Rathokhetra,” one of the wahket said. “I’ll prepare something right now.”
She beat me up the stairs by a good thirty seconds, but only because I didn’t teleport, and I was so fucking tired every step felt like climbing Everest. I needed time to recharge my batteries, to meditate and get my shit straight before I found myself waist deep in blood and guts. War was coming, and I needed to be ready.
But, first, I needed to party.
As did all of my guardians. Things had been far too stressful recently, and I knew the cure for that. Lots of booze, lots of good food, and as much great sex as any of us could tolerate.
Which, fortunately for me, was quite a lot.
Full night had crept over the city by the time my guardians began to return home. Zillah was the first to arrive, and her eyes widened when she saw the ridiculous amount of food I’d summoned for our feast. A bloody rare prime rib crusted with herbs rested on an enormous serving platter at the center of the table. A full Iberico aged ham, or at least as close to a real Iberico as I could summon, was impaled on a serving spike at the table’s foot. The head of the table held a suckling pig, its crisp skin still steaming with heat, a sugar-glazed apple that glistened like a ruby stuffed into its mouth.
The rest of the table was crammed with sweets, fresh fruits, vegetables that almost none of my guardians would even sample, and a bunch of cheeses I’d seen at fancy parties. I couldn’t taste any of it, but I hoped my people would enjoy the spread.
“All this for me?” Zillah asked. “What are the rest of you are going to eat?”
“I’ll think of something.” I rose from my chair and met the scorpion queen halfway across the dining room. Her eyes were fever bright and her cheeks were flushed scarlet. “Are you all right?”
“Oh, yes,” she said. “All but one of the gnomes are safely squared away in your dungeon. Pinchy and her friends are keeping an eye on them.”
“And what happened to the other gnome?”
“It kept complaining about being hungry.” She shook her head sadly. “I warned it again and again that I didn’t want to hear it. You’d already promised them all the food they could eat; they just needed to be patient. It had to go bye-bye.”
“You really ate it?” I really did not want to know the answer to that question, but I had to ask.
“You better believe it.” Zillah rubbed her belly with both hands. “Stringy, but delicious.”
“I hope you saved room for some of this food I slaved over for all of fifteen minutes.”
“Of course!” Zillah stood up on her tiptoes and kissed me on the cheek. “I’m going to take a bath. If Kez comes home, send her up. Neph, too. Hell, send Del up. You can come, if you want.”
“I will, after dinner.”
The rest of my guardians showed up one by one: Nephket, followed by Kez a half hour or so later, and finally Del who swooped in just as everyone was sitting down to eat and planted a kiss on my cheek.
“I am sorry to be late,” she said. “I wanted to study the notes Kezakazek had prepared for us. I am afraid I lost track of time.”
The soultaker settled into her chair next to Nephket, seemingly oblivious to the three pairs of eyes that were focused on her. Every one of my guardians watched Del like they were afraid she was about to shed her skin and go on a wild snake rampage through the dining hall.
“It’s good to be prepared.” I cleared my throat, and all eyes turned to me. “But, for tonight, let’s all relax, just a little. Eat, drink, have a good time. In a few days, we’ll be asshole deep in bad guys. Let’s make some more good memories before the shit hits the fan.”
All four of my guardians raised their glasses in a silent salute, and I couldn’t hold back my smile. Seeing them all together, eyes bright, smiles wide, ready to take on the world, gave me hope that we’d all get out of this in one piece.
I don’t remember the rest of the dinner. Hell, I barely remember the rest of that wild night. Zillah lived up to her promise, and I jumped in and out of so many bodies before the sun came up I wasn’t sure where one of us ended and the others began.
But I do remember their smiles.
I remember the soft curves of their sleeping forms highlighted by the first rays of the rising sun.
And I remember the heat of my rage at the thought that Lexios might take any of this away from me.
For the next three days, I plotted, and planned, and stoked the furnace of fury that glowed in my belly like a miniature star.
And then, it was time to kill.
Chapter 21 – The Jump
CHARLIE AND HER PEOPLE stood nervously in front of the Solamantic Web. I wasn’t sure if it was the ten giant scorpions who surrounded them or the small tribe of blood gnomes huddled across the room, but the raiders did not look happy about their current circumstances.
“It’s simple,” I pointed out to Charlie. “Follow Del and Neph through the web. Pop out behind Lexios and his army. Set their shit on fire.”
“What if they attack us?” Charlie’s nerves were frayed, and my patience with her bullshit had worn thin. She’d asked me a hundred questions during the day, and I’d had it up to my eyebrows.
“Then you fucking run.” I almost shouted the last word, but a quick glance from Neph told me that I’d raised my voice several decibels above stern. “Just go back into the web. I’ll get you to your next spot.”
“How do I know this isn’t a trap?” Charlie’s voice was too tight, and she scrubbed her hands together like a nervous little mouse. “You could send us off somewhere to die, and we would never know any better until it was too late.”
“Are you kidding me?” I waved a hand at the giant scorpions and the blood gnomes, the soultaker and the wahket priestess. “I walked you down here into my dungeon. You’re surrounded by cannibals and enormous arachnids. If this was a trap, don’t you think it would’ve sprung by now?”
“I don’t know.” Charlie dragged her nails to her long hair and paced back and forth. “It seems like we’re taking a lot of risk here. What are your people doing in the meantime?”
“Half of them are guiding your asses through the Solamantic Web,” I snapped. “We had a deal, Charlie. Are you going to hold up your end or did you suddenly turn into a pussy?”
“I just want to be sure—”
“There’s nothing sure in this mess. I told you before, you’re in or you’re out. If you’re out, then I guess this really is a trap.” The raiders all went for their weapons, but I stopped them with a booming shout. “But that’s not how I want this to go down. I know this is risky. That’s why I’m sending Del and Neph with you. You could just as easily fuck me over and turn on them, right? I don’t expect you to trust me once this fight is over, but I do need you to trust me right fucking now, Charlie.”
“Okay,” she said at last. “You’re right. This isn’t my scene. I’m not trying to fuck anything up. I just want my people covered.”
“They’re covered.” I stepped closer to her and leaned down so my words wouldn’t travel to the rest of the party. “You’re freaking your people out. Pull your fucking shit together, right fucking now.”
This plan was already risky enough without Charlie losing her mind. If she flaked on me, not only would I lose two of my guardians, I’d likely lose the war. I stared into the half-orc’s dark eyes and put a hand on her shoulder. I needed her to know I had a plan, that we were all in this together, and that I had her best interests at heart.
“Now,” I said sternly. “I am going to open this web. My people will go through first to check the end point. You’re going to follow them as soon as they give me the all clear. They will tell you when it’s time to start with the burning. Cool?”
“Cool.” Charlie raised her fist, and I bumped my knuckles against it. “We’re on it. See you on the other side.”
I let the raiders gather around t
heir leader and motioned for Nephket and Del to follow me across the room. I was so nervous I had a hard time standing still, and even without a pulse it felt like my heart was about to burst out of my chest. The next few minutes would make or break the rest of my battle plans.
“Three hits and then out.” I looked at Neph and Del to make sure they understood. “First fire, then arrows, and then the raiders run. Are we clear?”
“We live to serve.” Nephket’s golden skin was pale, and her pupils were so wide there was barely any color visible around them. She knew this was the most danger she’d ever been in. “We’ll attack from the rear, then from the north side. After that, the raiders will lead the army west into your next trap.”
Delsinia nodded along with each of Nephket’s points. We’d been over and over this during the last couple of days, and I was glad the words I heard matched perfectly with the plan as I’d laid it out.
“When the raiders get to the stele intersection at the midpoint of the ridgeline, we’ll open the web and pull them out.” It would be a hell of a run for Charlie and her gang, but they knew the risks and they’d accepted my terms. If they wanted to go home, they’d do their part. “If they don’t reach the intersection ahead of the army, they’re on their own.”
“I understand.” Delsinia took Nephket’s hand and then mine. “I am honored to be given this chance to serve.”
I was surprised that Nephket wrapped her free arm around Delsinia and pulled the soultaker into a tight embrace.
“We need to move. It’s two hours before sunset. We don’t have much time.” My priestess released her fellow guardian to embrace me. Her body molded to mine, and she stood on her tiptoes to kiss me. I squeezed her tightly and held on to her as if I’d never see her again. For that one moment, nothing else in the world mattered.
“Come back to me,” I whispered into her thoughts. Our minds were entangled, a flurry of emotions and desires that blended together even as our bodies parted.
