Fogle flinched, then folded his arms behind his back and started pacing around.
“Don’t do that again … and yes, where have you been? What are you doing here? Where did this giant come from? How did you find me?”
“Easy Fogle,” Boon said, “you always were as uptight as a dwarf. Just give me a few seconds, and I’ll explain. I’m tired, you know. Running from giants isn’t the easiest thing to do. It takes a lot out of an old man like me, but I tell you what … It sure feels good to be back.”
Fogle folded his arms across his chest and faced his grandfather, saying, “What do you mean, ‘running from giants’? Why would they be chasing you?”
“I’ve been their prisoner, and I’ve befriended one of their own, Barton. I guess you could say that I’m an escapee and he is a fugitive, and a bushel of men twenty feet tall want to kill us. Well, me at least. Sorry to have to drag you into this.”
“Wait a second,” Fogle motioned to himself and Cass, “we didn’t want any part of this.”
“Well, you probably didn’t want to be my grandson, either, but you are.”
Cass giggled.
Boon slapped his knees and sat back down.
“Now, let’s get some rest. We’re going to need it for the journey ahead. Say, where’s my spellbook? I need to bone up on a thing or two.”
“It’s my spellbook,” Fogle said, looking around, “and where is it?” As he looked back at Boon, it was laying in his lap, where the old wizard's eyes glimmered with admiration. “Give me that back.” He snatched it.
“Pah,” Boon shooed him away, “I still remember it all, anyway.”
As Fogle opened his mouth to speak, Boon was already snoring. He looked at Cass, who shrugged and lay down on a grassy bed.
What is happening? Is there anything I can control?
CHAPTER 24
Verbard sat on a roughhewn throne of stone beneath the City of Bone, enjoying the celebration. The underlings had struck a nasty blow to the world above and lived to tell about it. Commander Jottenhiem stood at his side, holding a bottle of underling port up in celebration. Verbard was moved. He’d never seen his kind, reserved yet tenacious, so charged up before. Now they bragged, one underling to the other, of the exploit, and the news spread like fire. Perhaps leading underlings into battle wasn't so bad, yet he still couldn’t shake the feeling that something was wrong.
“Some port, Lord Verbard?”
“Certainly,” he replied. “I see no reason to exclude myself from this celebration. After all, a handful of us just slaughtered hundreds. Just think what we can do with the entire army.”
“I’ve been wondering the same thing,” Jottenhiem said, handing him the goblet. “I think with a thousand more underlings we could take the entire city.” Jottenhiem ran his black nailed fingers though his short course hair and showed him a fierce grin. “My sword arm is at your will and command, my Lord. I’ll take all the soldiers you can give me back above right now. The more dead humans, the better.”
“I agree, Commander.” He picked up the object resting between his legs. The orb of imbibing. “But they will be ready next time.”
“They won’t be able to anticipate our strikes. They’ll assume it's only a handful, but next time it will be hundreds. Whoever responds first will be wiped out.”
But Verbard wasn’t listening. Instead, he stared into the orb. The human mage wasn’t nearly as powerful as he was resourceful, but the fat man’s resources almost cost him his life. The magic in Bish was formidable. More so than he'd suspected. If a few more seconds had passed, he’d have been undone if not for Eep. Plus, the imp had followed his command, retrieving the orb to him. A costly move for Eep. The orb prevented him from teleporting, and Eep had a severed wing to show for it. Now the little horror sat behind the throne, mumbling in anger. Eep couldn’t return to his world to heal. Verbard chuckled within, stroking the dark mirror-like surface of the orb. He'd had something to do with that. It was worth the death of all those underlings combined.
“We have company, Lord Verbard.”
It was Kierway, escorted by the Vicious and two magi.
“Where are my Juegen?” Jottenhiem demanded, hands drifting to his swords.
“Dead, Jottenhiem,” Kierway fired back, iron eyes smoldering. “Perhaps with better training from the likes of a true swordsman they’d have fared better.”
Verbard rose from his throne, silver eyes flashing like lightening.
“Those are my men! And I’d also know the whereabouts of my other magi. Did they perish as well?”
“They died in battle, taking ten humans at least to their one,” Kierway said, eyes flitting back and forth between the two. “And I see plenty of other soldiers missing on your watch as well. I’d judge not if I were you, Verbard.”
“And yet I don’t see a single scratch on you, Kierway. With so many fallen, I can't imagine how you’d come out unscathed. Yet here you stand, like a babe drawn from the refreshing waters of a cave bath. Pah!” Verbard let out a long seething hiss as he struggled to keep down his rage. “Well,” he added, “can I at least see the key that my soldiers have died for?”
Kierway took a half step back, fingering his bandolier of knives.
“YOU DON’T HAVE IT!”
Every underling stopped as the dust and bat dung from the cave ceiling drifted downward.
Kierway pulled his shoulders back as he braced his fists on his hips.
“There were no keys! Only an empty chamber!”
Verbard fought the urge to shove the Orb of Imbibing down Kierway’s throat. The underling was nothing but lies and disappointment all wrapped up together.
“Ah, so am I to understand that Master Sinway sent us on a fools run? Is that the case? And what do you mean by keys? I thought there was only one.”
“No, many. Seven pegs, no keys.”
Liar. Verbard resumed his place on the throne. For all he knew, Kierway had the keys. Or, there never had been any keys, and Master Sinway had sent them both to meet their final fates in Bone. After all, Kierway was clearly the biggest disappointment in Master Sinway’s family. Kierway was a skilled swordsman, the stoutest of fighters, yet his career in leadership was marred in failure. His bloodlust led to the demise of more underling troops than most army commanders combined. Now, here he sat, paired with the most unpredictable underling of all. Might as well play this ruse through.
“And what of this cleric you mentioned? Is he dead … alive? I see no prisoners.”
Kierway showed a grin of sharp teeth and lied, “He paid the ultimate price.”
“I can only assume you mean he’s dead?”
Master Kierway nodded.
“So, let me understand this. There were seven pegs and no keys. The only lead you had was this human, which you now claim is dead. Hmmm … I’m having a hard time believing you, Kierway.”
Verbard pulled out a brass amulet with a clear crystal in the center. Kierway took a sharp draw in his nose.
“Of course,” he added,” I’m not going to take exception with your thin explanation. I’ll let Master Sinway handle that.”
Kierway’s eyes filled with hatred as Verbard draped the amulet over his neck, clasped his hands around it and chittered mystic words. The amulet felt like black fire in his hands as he let go. The humanoid image shimmered to life between the stone throne and Master Kierway. Verbard abandoned his throne and bowed. Master Sinway’s apparition was as real as if he was standing there. Verbard’s silver eyes drifted onto the amulet that was warm in his hand, radiating with black power, before turning them back to the all too realistic shade.
“What an unexpected surprise,” Sinway said in his powerful voice as he gazed upon his son, “and all this time I thought you were undone. I can only imagine that the delay was because you have taken over the entire City of Bone.” Sinway’s head glanced around. “But, this hardly looks like the interior of a castle.” The Master of all underlings turned his attention towards Verbard.
>
The iron eyes of Master Sinway were a swirl of copper and black, his expression cold and snake-like. Verbard found his tongue cloven to the roof of his mouth as he began to speak.
“I’ve led one small force inside, and we decimated hundreds. Among them, Royals and many magi. All ours that went in returned alive, and are now rejuvenated and craving the destruction of the Humans and their vile city more than ever. At this very moment, plans are being laid out for the next strike,” He bowed again, “Master Sinway.”
“Excellent, Verbard, and now, my plans of conquest shall be even easier with the acquisition of the key. Let me see it!” Master Sinway clawed and clutched at the air before him.
“Master Kierway led a small force into Castle Almen to recover the key,” Verbard said as he looked over at Kierway, whose eyes bore into him like lances of fire, “but his mission failed. He—”
“WHAT!” Sinway yelled, his vocal power frightening the bats from their roosts and bringing the buzzing underling army to a standstill. He turned on his son. “Kierway! Is this true?”
Kierway opened his mouth to speak, but Sinway cut him off.
“You are a failure! An imbecile! If you were not my son, I’d have you chopped up and fed to the urchlings. But, your mother insists I keep you around. That you will redeem yourself. Instead, you find another failure, this one grander than all the others!”
In a flash, lightning coiled around Master Sinway’s arms and blasted into his dumbstruck son. Kierway was bewildered as the bolts passed through him without so much as a singe. Sinway let out an angry hiss and turned his attention back to Verbard.
Verbard wanted to look away but didn’t. Don’t say it! Don’t say it!
“I want that key. You,” Sinway pointed at him, “will get it for me.”
He glared at Kierway. The underling had smirk on his face.
I knew it. The fool fails, and I now have to bear the full responsibility. Is this what success breeds? Escapades of conquest outside the realm of even dreams. He wondered if he should mention there were seven keys. It seemed strange Master Sinway wanted only one, yet Kierway seemed truthful there were seven. It will be easier to find one that seven. The best laid plans are kept to yourself.
Master Sinway turned his focus back to his son.
“As for you, Kierway. You are now at the will and pleasure of Lord Verbard, as is my Vicious.”
“No, Father!” Kierway objected as the Vicious took his place along Verbard’s side.
Verbard looked up at the Vicious. Things are looking up all of a sudden.
“Your life is in his hands, Kierway. Failing me is one thing, I’m your father. Failing him is another. He’s not.” Master Sinway’s image began to fade away.
Yes! Perhaps I’m not being set up, after all.
“Father, a moment!” Kierway said. “I’ve seen a grand chamber that hosted key pegs. There were seven in all, not one. I assumed Lord Verbard would have mentioned that. I thought you should know.”
Bastard manipulator!
As Sinway faded away, his gaze locked on Verbard’s as he said, “I only need one, but now I want them all. Get the keys. Continue the assault on humans! And await my next ordersssss …”
Verbard squeezed the amulet with all his might, sneering at Kierway, who snarled right back.
CHAPTER 25
Lefty barfed out two globs the size of eyeballs into his tiny hand.
Kam turned her head away, only to turn it back to him.
“Ew … what is that? Have you got a sickness, too?”
Lefty just stared at the objects in his hand, unable to hide his fascination. The look in his eye worried her. It was as if the halfling was possessed. Perhaps he was. He’d been awfully strange, after all.
“It’s disgusting, Lefty. Are you ill or not?”
He shook his head and began polishing the murky color from the stones. A flare of red light lit up the entire room, then winked out.
“What was that?” Kam said, exasperated. Magic!
Lefty concealed the gems under his clothes as the front door creaked open and Diller entered. Lefty curled back into a ball, and Kam glared at the man.
“What was that?” Diller said, looking around.
“What?” Kam replied, sneering.
“There was a light. A red one, spilling out from under the door.”
Kam didn’t say a word. Diller walked over, grabbed the chains that bound her, and pulled her up. He ran his rough hands over her bound wrists, brushed his paw all over her, squeezed open her mouth, and looked inside. She decided right then and there that if she got the chance she would kill him first. He shoved her back to the ground.
“You better not try anything foolish, Pretty Lady. I’d hate to bury your fine corpse,” he said, walking away and closing the door behind him.
“Lefty, where did you get those gems?”
The halfling rolled up into sitting position with a playful look in his sagging eyes. He looked more like himself that she’d seen him in days. The youthful energy in his voice returned when he spoke.
“The first time I met Venir, there was this underling. A powerful one …,” he looked up, “uh …, yes, I wrote it down in my tome.”
“I don’t care about your tome.”
“Oh … well, sorry, but I found these gems in the dead underling’s robes. You should have seen that underling, Kam. Venir cut his head in half with Brool. Really gross. So, I’ve had these gems ever since, and I know they have power; I can feel it. And I meant to tell you about them, but I was always worried someone might steal them, so I stored them in my stomach.”
“In your stomach? You can do that?”
Lefty made a cheerful shrug.
“Melegal said it was a gift. Just like my light feet.”
Kam cocked an eye at him and said, “Well, did you ever think to store a key to those chains in there?”
“Huh … no,” he said, looking sad.
“What else do you have?”
“Nothing, just these gems. Do you think they can help us?” he asked, holding them out in the palm of his hand.
Kam motioned with her hands to put them on the floor.
“We don’t need that glow again. Something you did triggered them before.” She shook her head. “I can’t believe you’ve had them in your belly all this time. And you never got sick?”
“No.”
“Or pooped them out?”
He made a disgusted face, shaking his head.
Kam’s fingertips drifted closer to the gems. She wanted to grab them so bad. Find out what kind of power was within. Underling magi weren't anything she’d ever toyed with before, but she’d been taught that all the mystic powers in Bish came from one source. There must be something within them that she could use.
“What do you think they do?” Lefty asked, nosing closer.
Kam hunched a little closer, too. The gems were a deep red like rubies, and their cut wasn’t the quality of gemstones, but more rounded on the edges, similar to river stones. Inside each one was a black swirl, like a tornado that she swore either pulsated or throbbed, like a living thing. Dark and mysterious, it beckoned her closer. Her fingers fanned out over the tops of the stones.
“Don’t Kam,” Lefty warned.
She bit into the soft flesh of her lip as her fingers curled up into a fist. There was power there. Dangerous. Seductive. Liberating. She could feel her heart pounding faster in her chest as beads of sweat burst on her brow. Take them. They can help. They will help.
“Kam?” Lefty said, pushing her hand away.
“What?” she snapped.
“We need a plan. For Erin’s sake.”
She held her aching head in her hand as she eased away while Lefty tucked the gems back under his clothes. Erin. Now wasn’t the time to be reckless, but what other chances would she get? What would happen if she and Lefty were separated and she didn’t get a chance to get her hands on the gems again? She couldn’t let that happen. She had to do somet
hing. Die doing something or die for nothing. Isn’t that what Venir once said? Maybe that was Billip or Mikkel, even Georgio, maybe.
“Lefty, do you think you can get those chains off, or not?”
“I think I can, but it might take a while. Why? Do you have a plan?”
She nodded as she shifted her hips to face him, saying, “I want you to free yourself. If you can do that, you can free me as well.”
“But then what?”
“Then I’m going to find out what those little gems can do, and when I do that,” Lefty’s blue eyes were looking right into hers, “I’m going to use it, if I can, to help you fulfill your promise to me. Whatever power I can give you, or me, you are going to use it to get Erin to safety.”
“No Kam! Using magic will kill you,” he objected. “I can’t let that happen. Maybe you can teach me to use the stones.”
She ran her finger underneath the choker on her neck and sighed.
“No, if you could use them, you’d have known already. Lefty, you’re going to have to be strong,” she pointed at him with her shackled wrists, “for you, for me, and especially for Erin.”
“But I mess up, Kam.”
“No, you messed up.” She poked him in the chest. “Now you fix it. Now you use all of your know how to make things right. Whatever happens, get Erin to safety. Find Joline; she’ll know what to do.”
The distraught look on Lefty’s face left a sad feeling inside her, sadder than the one she already had. How hard it must be to do the right thing when evil had you in its grasp. Now, surrounded by thieves, liars and murderers, she’d asked a tiny boy to somehow save her daughter. She shivered under her robes as she pulled them tight and leaned back against the tub. Guilt washed over her as her chin sagged above her breasts. She could have gone to her family for help. She just hadn't wanted to. Over the years, she’d convinced herself they didn’t care for her anymore. But now she was in over her head. Blasted pride! Now her daughter had to suffer for it. And she had to trust in a halfling boy who didn’t look much older than ten, if that.
She sat there, eyes closed, unmoving, gathering all of her thoughts and plans. What would it take for her and Erin to escape? It seemed every plan and scenario met with a dead end.
The Darkslayer: Book 05 - Outrage in the Outlands Page 15
