“You’re supposed to be gathering information, not shopping,” Jonathan interjected quickly, his voice desert dry.
“Besides which, we haven’t earned the money yet,” Keg added with a frown. “We don’t know what the fair folk will consider to be trying to carry out our part. I’d rather wait to split anything until we’re sure we’ve earned the money.”
“But what if I need to buy someone a drink or something?” Alice protested, though she didn’t seem that surprised. “Gathering information quickly usually requires some encouragement.”
Orsah nodded in agreement, even if she thought Alice was being slightly overdramatic. Looking at Keg, she asked, “What do you think? Can we spare a couple of silver for that?”
“You know we can. I scrimp and save so that when we need it, we have some funds available,” the man grumbled, and pulled out another pouch, carefully extracting a pair of worn silver coins. He slid them over to Alice as he growled, “Keep track of what you spend them on, though. I want an accounting, and any personal purchases will come out of your share, you hear?”
“Loud and clear,” Alice replied, picking up the coins with a grin. “Where should I meet you once I’ve got the info?”
Orsah paused, thinking about the question for a few seconds, then shrugged, looking at Jonathan as she asked, “What do you think? The ridge just past Oak Ford?”
“Seems like a good spot if we’re going to ambush a mage,” he agreed, nodding slowly. “Plenty of cover to hide our presence, and just enough ambient magic to make it harder for them to detect us.”
Alice nodded, standing up fully as she stretched.
“I’ll get going, then! I don’t know when they’re going to leave, so the sooner I get moving, the sooner I can catch up with you,” Alice said, glancing toward the sun that was making its way over the horizon, a few rays of light managing to reach them in their cave. “If I’m quick, I can make it well before noon!”
“Good, we’ll get moving, too. With any luck, we’ll be the ones to catch the holy maiden,” Orsah said, grinning broadly as she considered what she’d do with her share of the money.
Two hundred crowns could buy a lot.
Chapter 23
“Are the pair of you related to snails? I can’t imagine any other reason for it taking an hour past sunrise to get out the door,” Xandra snapped, her foot tapping impatiently on the floorboards, and Jasmine winced as the elf continued in a withering tone, “I thought your faith revered the sun, not that you made certain it was well on its way past the horizon before dragging yourselves out of bed.”
Naomi opened her mouth to retort, but Jasmine quickly interjected, afraid that she was about to make things worse.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t realize you were waiting,” Jasmine said, flushing slightly as she explained. “I usually have my morning prayers just after dawn, and they’re rather… involved. It’s part of my morning ritual, at least when I’m in a city.”
“Then it would have been good to inform me of this,” Xandra replied waspishly, her eyes narrowing a little more. “As it is, now we’re going to be arriving in Springville a good hour or more after when I anticipated. I do not like being late.”
“Didn’t you say that it wasn’t that long of a day to Springville?” Naomi asked, crossing her arms as she glared back at Xandra in a way that just made Jasmine even more frustrated. “What does it matter that we’re going to be leaving later than expected?”
“Oh, only the small aspect that we’re now going to be pushing farther into the heat of the day,” Xandra retorted. “Given your level of fitness, by the time we get there you’re going to be on the verge of melting, and it isn’t even the height of summer yet! Gods know what you’d do if you were put into a proper march during the summer. Regardless, now that you have dragged yourselves out of your rooms, it’s time to get moving. Come along. Or don’t, if you don’t want my help.”
Jasmine’s mouth snapped shut as she was about to reply, and she flushed, glancing at Naomi before she asked, “Could we at least stop long enough to get breakfast?”
“There are food stalls on the way to the north gate. You can eat as we walk,” Xandra replied over her shoulder, not slowing down as she exited the inn.
Hesitating just an instant, Jasmine paused to speak to the innkeeper, a man who looked somewhat amused.
“Thank you for the rooms, it was quite pleasant to stay here. I’m afraid I have to go, though,” Jasmine said apologetically.
“It’s perfectly fine. I’ve seen enough of Xandra to know there isn’t any reasoning with her when she’s like that, so you’d best go,” he replied, chuckling as he added, “She stayed here for a month before finding an apartment, you know. I’m glad she found someplace else to stay, after that. Now go!”
Jasmine smiled in relief, then rushed out the door after Xandra, Naomi right behind her. It didn’t take much effort to spot Xandra, as even with the cloak the elf cut a striking figure in the crowds. No one else exuded the sheer confidence that Xandra did with her posture and stride, which allowed Jasmine to start catching up, if somewhat more slowly than she anticipated.
“Does she have to be so rude about things?” Naomi demanded. “I mean, I know what you said last night, but still!”
“She has a point, though. We didn’t tell her anything, and kept her waiting for who knows how long,” Jasmine said, her cheeks coloring a little as she considered that. “I should’ve realized she wanted to leave first thing in the morning. She’d indicated as much last night, after all.”
“Maybe so, but still…” Naomi began. Her voice trailed off as Xandra stopped abruptly, turning to face them as she pointed at a stall off to the side.
“I’d recommend something from Gregor. He makes what amounts to an omelet inside a pastry crust, which makes it easy to eat on the move, and it’s light enough to not make you puke after an hour of walking,” Xandra said shortly, pausing before she added, “They also taste fairly good, assuming you like mild peppers, onion, and eggs.”
“That… that does sound good,” Jasmine replied, blinking in surprise, then glanced at Naomi. “What do you think?”
“Sure,” Naomi agreed after a moment of hesitation.
Jasmine approached the stall, and inside she saw how the large, bearded man was deftly making what looked like omelets, which he rolled up inside a thin pastry dough, then dipped the entire thing into a cauldron of bubbling oil. When done they were like fried burritos, if you asked her, and Jasmine debated before ordering one each for herself and Naomi. They were large enough that she was fairly sure that would be enough food, though it was always possible she would be wrong. They had some dried food for on the road, though.
Within a minute they were on the way, their food wrapped in handkerchiefs to keep from burning their hands, and Jasmine bit into hers dubiously, only to be surprised by the burst of flavors, as well as the bits of ham and cheese that were in it. It was rather good.
“Thank you for the recommendation,” Jasmine finally said when they were almost to the northern gate. “This is quite good.”
“I think so, but I’m a terrible judge of food quality. You’ve had my cooking, after all,” Xandra replied simply, seeming to have calmed down by that point.
Naomi giggled, and Jasmine couldn’t help a smile of her own as she nodded.
“Yes, we have. And if it’s all the same to me, I’d prefer to never experience it again,” Jasmine told Xandra firmly.
Xandra glanced back at Jasmine, and the priestess thought she saw the hint of a smile on the elf’s lips, before she replied, her tone ambivalent, “Yes, I thought you might feel that way. Now, less talking and more walking, hm? We’ve a long way to go.”
Jasmine nodded and got back to eating as she followed Xandra outside of the city walls. She might miss being safe in Loth, yet… yet there was something oddly freeing about the situation. Jasmine just wished that the circumstances that brought her here weren’t so terrible.
“
Oh, the holy maiden? Yeah, I saw her. I’m not surprised you heard about her, with the number of people who’ve seen her around town. That’s one really nice looking priestess. I wouldn’t mind going to her to confess my sins, if you know what I mean,” Devak said, a leer on the man’s face, and Alice resisted the urge to shudder. His shop was seedy enough as it was, and she tried to ignore the mold-spotted shelves around her, as well as the items she was sure were stolen. Why, some of them her group had even sold to him.
She’d never liked Devak much, but the man was the best person in Evren at picking up rumors and information, so she put up with him. It was strange, he wasn’t honestly that bad looking, it was his personality that ruined the dark-haired man for her. And everyone else, from what Alice had heard. Even some of the brothels had begun declining his business, which was startling, considering how low some of their standards were.
“Really? She’s that good-looking?” Alice said, having to deliberately inject skepticism into her voice. “I’ve heard that looks aren’t everything when it comes to priestesses. Some of them are old crones.”
“Not this one! She’s a half-elf, with all the ageless beauty that implies, yet has the figure of a human. A really, really busty human. If she was working at Madam Poffin’s, she’d be charging gold every night,” Devak said, though his leer turned to a scowl at the mention of the most exclusive brothel in the city. He shook it off after a moment, continuing, “Long black hair, beautiful… the other priestess wasn’t bad looking either, but not nearly as nice as her. If it weren’t for the company she kept, I’d betcha that one of the gangs would’ve tried to swipe her, since she didn’t have any guards.”
“Company?” Alice asked, blinking a couple of times. If he was right about how pretty the priestess was, she didn’t disagree, but based on what Orsah had said, there were only three women in their group. Unless the holy maiden had picked up a pile of mercenaries in town, she didn’t see what would dissuade the local thugs from trying to take the holy maiden themselves.
“What, you didn’t hear about that?” Devak asked, looking honestly shocked as he took a swig from the flask she’d brought him.
“Hear about what? I got into town an hour ago!” Alice protested, scowling at Devak as her annoyance grew stronger. “I came to ask you because you’re the one who usually knows these things.”
“Well, you’re right about that. I’m startled that you heard about the holy maiden, but not her company. I wonder… ah, of course! Your group was planning to nab her yourselves!” Devak said, snapping his fingers as he grinned broadly for an instant, then added, “Give it up, Alice. It’s not worth what’ll happen to you.”
“What are you talking about?” Alice said, ignoring his guess. Denying it would just confirm his suspicions, and she wasn’t about to give him that satisfaction. Unfortunately, his next comment destroyed every bit of composure she had left.
“She’s with Xandra. That scary bitch of an elf is escorting her around, and none of the gangs are about to try crossing her again,” Devak replied, sounding all too satisfied as he watched the blood drain from Alice’s face. “They left via the north gate this morning, and good riddance, if you ask me. I’d tell your friends to back off if they don’t want to be reduced to cinders.”
“X-Xandra? And they headed north?” Alice asked, her voice trembling, feeling like she’d been hit over the head with a hammer, she was so dazed.
Xandra had become a symbol of terror for the bandits and gangs around Evren, and all of them had taken to avoiding her whenever they knew she was in the area. The woman didn’t yield to threats, and trying to extort anyone in front of her was a quick way to an early grave, assuming anything was left to be buried. It wasn’t as though the elf sought them out, but Xandra was impossible to deal with. Alice had heard of a handful of gangs discussing trying to band together to kill the sorceress, but the discussions had died once Xandra had eliminated a host of assassins that the slavers had sent after her.
“That’s right,” Devak confirmed, watching her closely. Then he chuckled softly, shaking his head. “They’re up that way, huh? Well, you’d better hope that they recognize X before they attack. Otherwise, you’ll be gathering ashes for a memorial.”
Alice’s shock turned to anger almost instantly, and her temper snapped as she slapped down a silver on the counter between them.
“Shut the hell up, Devak. You’re an ass,” Alice spat at him, then turned and left, not quite running.
As she reached the exit, she was followed by Devak’s laughter, and she could only hope that the others would recognize Xandra in time. If they didn’t… well, it didn’t bear thinking about. So as she moved, she began mouthing a prayer to the gods.
Chapter 24
The forest was growing quieter as they walked, which caused Xandra’s deep-seated paranoia to rear its head. It had taken her time to fully adapt to a world which had numerous small animals and birdsong, but she’d managed it in the end, and it gave far better clues as to impending ambushes as well. Unfortunately, it didn’t seem like Jasmine or Naomi had noticed a thing. It just figured they’d be ignorant of impending danger, and it also explained to Xandra why Jasmine had been captured previously.
“I thought this would be darker, maybe a little more dismal. The trees here are so big, and sunlight gets through their branches more easily than I thought it would,” Naomi was saying, craning her neck to look upward. “I’d always heard that forests nearer the Thorned Wood were scarier than other areas.”
“True, though I haven’t had enough experience with them to be sure. I’ve rarely been out of Loth, and never in this direction,” Jasmine said, walking along the road calmly, the hem of her skirt still a little wet from crossing the ford. “There was some discussion of me going to negotiate with the republic in the fall, but after the last few days, I doubt that will happen.”
Xandra couldn’t resist a snort, and after an instant she decided not to warn her companions of the potential danger, at least not yet. She wasn’t sure what the danger was, after all, and until she had a better idea, there wasn’t much of a point.
“These woods aren’t as dark because of the occasional forest fires. That clears out the underbrush regularly, and there aren’t many oaks because they don’t deal well with fire,” Xandra told them, shaking her head slightly. “As for the areas near the Thorned Wood, they don’t look any different than most other areas. What makes them dangerous are the creatures that come out of the Thorned Wood, nothing more. Obsidian tigers are my least favorite of the predators to hunt, as they can teleport via shadows. Nearly having a few tons of cat land on you isn’t my idea of a pleasant day. I suspect one would murder the pair of you without getting so much as singed.”
Jasmine colored slightly, but she didn’t disagree, instead asking, “Wait, you’ve been to the Thorned Wood?”
“Of course I have,” Xandra replied disdainfully, her gaze flicking back and forth as she searched for the source of the danger. “It’s been three years, and I’ve been hired for everything from destroying an infestation of firevine to clearing the trail along the coast. One imbecile even wanted to hunt a forest drake, and wanted me as an escort. He got himself eaten when he insisted on facing it in single combat, without my assistance. At least he didn’t leave behind any offspring to carry on his idiocy.”
Naomi paled a little, clearing her throat, then asked, “Are they really that bad? I’ve never seen a drake before.”
“Not particularly,” Xandra replied absently. “At least, not if you have a modicum of thought in your head, and don’t try to take on a venomous, flying drake that’s in a tree with an axe. They’re about as stupid as he was, which takes some doing, so you can outsmart them relatively easily. I killed the drake, and took his body back to his father. I find it telling that his father didn’t even seem surprised at the result.”
“That… that’s terrible,” Jasmine said, looking rather horrified. “Why would he let his son go do something like that?
”
Xandra snorted again, this time in amusement. “Why not? If he’s going to get himself killed, best that he do it before having a family and leaving them in mourning. One can cure many things, but sheer idiocy appears to be beyond any cure. Unless you’re willing to alter the minds of others, but that’s going too far for most people.”
“Of course it is!” Naomi exclaimed, looking at Xandra in horror. “Why would you even consider something like that?”
Xandra looked at her for a moment, irritation rushing through her, then spoke bluntly. “Because no matter what you may think, it is an option. I saw it done plenty of times in the palace. Besides, what you do with insisting on repentance or other such things is little different, it’s simply less direct.”
The priestess stopped in place, the clenched hands at her sides betraying her outrage.
“How… how can you claim that our religion is like that?” Naomi demanded angrily.
Xandra’s patience was running thin as well, and she was about to reply despite Jasmine stepping between them when she caught a flicker of movement in the trees, and the danger she’d sensed finally made itself known.
Orsah smiled slightly as she saw the women coming down the road. She was honestly shocked that they’d managed to choose the right location to ambush the women almost immediately after getting the job, but she wasn’t going to object. Mostly she was glad they hadn’t delayed a full day, or they’d have missed them entirely. That hadn’t happened, to her immense satisfaction.
The only problem was that Orsah wasn’t in a good position to examine the three. The priestesses were obvious, as not many people she knew wore white robes when they went traipsing through the woods, and the blonde hair of one glittered in the light. The other priestess had dark hair, and based on the description she’d been given, that was their primary target. It was the other woman with them that Orsah didn’t have much information on, and she edged around the tree, checking her blowgun to ensure the dart was in place. They all had drugged darts, which should make capturing the priestess easy, assuming they got at least one into her. Multiple could be dangerous, but Orsah was willing to take the risk.
Dusk Gate (Soul Bound Book 1) Page 18
