Not altogether surprisingly, the place was half full, even though it was barely an hour after sunset. A circular bar in the center was surrounded by a muddle of untidily arranged wooden tables, while sitting on benches against the wall and eyeing the customers keenly, a group of prostitutes were preparing to ply their early evening trade. To the rear were three doors leading to private rooms, where no doubt all manner of unsavory activities took place. It was, he considered, a true den of thieves.
Four men sitting two tables away were taking it in turns to look in his direction. Their clumsy attempts at discretion suggested that they were nothing more than ordinary thugs. Which was good, because it was thugs like them that he needed right now.
Once the room was almost full, Akiri rose and stepped outside. As expected, the four men followed him. Doing his best to appear unaware of them, he walked at a leisurely pace until he reached an alley that he had taken note of earlier. There were only a few pedestrians remaining, and he doubted that any of them would choose to get involved or stay around long enough to be witnesses to what was about to happen. From what the cloth vendor and a few others he had spoken to had said, the magistrate’s office would not care to investigate the matter deeply.
Akiri slowed his pace until he heard blades being slowly drawn. They would be able to see that Akiri was armed, so it was likely that they would rush in all at once. That would make things go much more quickly.
As Akiri had anticipated, the thugs charged as soon as he entered the alley. His sword was in his hand and his body turned to face them before any of his attackers had taken their second step. With two blinding slashes, he opened the chests of both men on his left. The two remaining assailants stumbled forward, stunned by the sheer speed and ferocity of their intended victim. The third man’s head rolled from his shoulders as Akiri slid behind him. This was more than enough for the final thug. He turned to run, but his body froze as a dagger was buried in his spine.
Pulling the blade free, Akiri then rammed it through the man’s heart. It was done. All over in a few seconds.
As expected, the few people who had been about were now hastily scampering clear of the scene. But they would return. Akiri knew that by morning, he would have caught the attention of his prey. He ripped a piece of cloth from a fallen thug’s shirt and dipped it into his blood. Using this like some macabre pen, he wrote four letters on the walkway beside the bodies.
DABO.
He smiled. How do you find a man who cannot be found? You make sure he finds you.
Back inside the inn, he saw the innkeeper drinking a mug of ale near the entrance to the common room. “If I have any more trouble tonight,” he told the man in an even, unemotional tone, “you will be sharing a grave with your four friends outside.”
The wide-eyed look of terror on his face was enough to tell Akiri that he understood perfectly well. Without waiting for a reply, Akiri returned to his room and lay down on the bed. It seemed a pity to have sullied his blade with the blood of such lowly men, but he had little doubt it would soon be tasting far worthier flesh.
His message was clear. And he was sure that it would be quickly received.
Chapter Four
The following morning, Akiri ventured down to where he had killed the four men. Their bodies had been removed, and the letters he’d written had already been scrubbed from the street. From among the people gathered, he heard several whispers of a fierce outlander – a slayer who had come from the west to kill Dabo. A few glanced in his direction, clearly wondering if he were the one being spoken about. The rumor had already been established, and Akiri had to restrain a smile.
It was possible that Dabo would ignore the challenge. If so, it would have to be repeated. Enough messages sent, and he would clear the city of thugs and bandits completely. Perhaps that would please the Rahaji sufficiently to let him go on his way?
He stayed on the streets and in plain sight, eating his breakfast at an establishment with an open porch in front. He had almost finished when he saw a familiar face approaching.
“It had to be you,” Palazar called out. With a deep frown on his face, the thief he had encountered in the desert grabbed a chair at the table. “It was. Wasn’t it?”
Akiri realized that Palazar’s order of thieves would be among the first to hear of the incident. “And what have the Zumatra to say about my message?” he asked.
“That whoever is challenging Dabo is a dead man. Are you completely insane? Do you have any idea who this man is?”
“I was told he is the leader of the Cult of Hajazar.”
Palazar threw up his hands. “Exactly. Why would you seek him out?”
“Why do you care?”
“I don’t. In truth, I’m just curious.”
“Do you think he will respond?”
“You can count on it. If I were you, I would leave Rath…now.”
Akiri regarded him for a moment, a plan forming in his mind. “You are in my debt, are you not?”
Palazar eyed him back suspiciously. “I am. Why?”
“I want you to make sure Dabo finds me.”
“You are insane,” he snorted. “How am I supposed to do that? No one knows who he is.” He pointed to a street vendor. “He could be Dabo, for all I know.”
“Yes. But if he wants to find me, he’ll have to look. He’ll need to make inquiries. I want you to see that the correct information is passed along. That way I can meet my enemy at the time and place of my own choosing.”
“And why in Mishna’s name have you chosen to make Dabo your enemy?”
“That is my business. Will you do as I ask?”
Palazar hesitated, then heaved a sigh. “As you say, I am in your debt. Tell me what you want me to do.”
Akiri went over his plan. It was simple, but if executed properly, should lead him to Dabo.
Palazar listened carefully, then rose and cocked his head. “I still think you are insane. I also believe that if Dabo were aware of who is coming for him, he would think twice before seeking you out.”
“Then let us hope he doesn’t.”
Akiri waited until Palazar had vanished into the crowd before heading back to the inn. The innkeeper avoided making eye contact, pretending to be busy cleaning as Akiri walked by.
He grabbed the innkeeper’s arm and forced him to meet his gaze. “I’ll be needing my horse,” he stated.
“Of course. I’ll see to it right away.”
After gathering his things from the room, Akiri collected his mount and then pressed a silver coin into the innkeeper’s sweaty palm. Just before climbing into the saddle, he said: “You should be more careful with strangers in the future. You never know who you’re dealing with.”
Stuttering assurances that he would do just that, the man turned and scurried back inside. Watching him go, Akiri wondered how many unwary fools had fallen victim to one of his plots. An urge came over him to take a moment to ensure that there would be no more. With a grunt, he stopped himself. If he went around killing every man who deserved it, his days would be filled with nothing but blood and death. And there were those who would say that he himself was among those deserving of retribution.
He considered pausing to visit Rashid, but soon thought better of it. It was possible he was already being watched. The boy had seen enough trouble, and there was no need to bring more to his door.
Outside the city gates, the land was lush and fertile, made so by the winding Ganshi River that split the kingdom in two. It had been a curious sight to see when riding in from the barren desert that stretched throughout most of the land.
Akiri headed north for ten miles before turning east, eventually making camp when he reached the point where the sands first began to blow across the parched strands of brown scrub. Here he would wait and hope that Palazar was successful in his task. As he lit a small fire, he felt the familiar and welcome presence of Kyra overhead. Her blood was still boiling from the thrill of the hunt, and he could almost taste the fresh ki
ll in his own mouth.
“Nothing for me?” he asked.
She trumpeted a roar in reply. A couple of minutes later, the dragon landed a few yards away, the fresh carcass of a hare clamped in her teeth. With a jerk of her neck, she tossed it beside the fire.
Akiri laughed. “How kind of you. And to think I was afraid you’d forgotten about me.”
Kyra merely gave a small gurgling growl and dropped down heavily beside the fire.
After a satisfying meal, Akiri settled in and began reflecting on just how he had managed to get himself wrapped up in this mess. He’d been warned not to leave the city, meaning almost certainly men would be sent looking for him, but that couldn’t be helped. He was sure the Vizier would understand his necessity.
The old beggar woman’s words echoed in his head. Mishna is watching you. He half-expected one of her demon spirits to show itself, though Kyra’s presence was probably enough of a deterrent. On the previous occasions the dragon had encountered them, it had not gone well for the spirits. Akiri grinned, thinking about it. They would certainly think twice before appearing again.
It still left the problem that the gods seemed determined to meddle in his life. If a war in heaven lay on the horizon, it was clear that they had a part for him to play, though the reason behind this was a mystery. Why would they choose someone who totally despised them? They had better hope that at the end of it all, their continuing existence wasn’t left up to him. He had always thought the world would be better off without any gods at all. Or failing that, that they should simply remain in heaven where they belonged and leave the mortal world to its own designs.
That night, dreams of battle and blood – a conflict so violent and horrific that it threatened to swallow the world whole – jolted him awake several times, leaving him drenched in sweat with his heart pounding. He could still smell the stench of charred flesh and taste the ash on his tongue. Kyra would wake whenever he did, staring at him and hissing through her razor-sharp teeth. He could feel her concern.
“It’s all right,” he told her. “Even warriors have bad dreams.”
Finally, he managed to snatch a few hours of peaceful rest.
The morning brought nothing but heat and boredom. He knew he might need to stay put for at least a day or two, but hoped Palazar would be able to spread the word quickly that the man who had thrown down the challenge was holed up north-east of the city, waiting for his comrades to arrive. To face the Cult of Hajazar within the walls of Rath could complicate matters greatly. He needed solitude for what he had to do. It would probably take him a long time to elicit information from devotees, and any witnesses would lead their fellow members straight to him.
He passed the time by reading and practicing with his blade, though without an opponent, the latter was a fairly hollow exercise. By the third day, his supplies were running low. That meant he would soon be forced to return to Rath.
The sun was just touching the horizon when Kyra leaped skyward, sending warnings to him through their bond: a lone rider was approaching.
“Are you there?”
Akiri recognized Palazar’s voice. “I am here.”
The man appeared from behind a small patch of desert scrub. “I thought your dragon would be with you.”
“She is near.”
His eyes shot nervously skyward. “She knows I’m a friend, doesn’t she?”
“She’ll know when I know. What are you doing here?”
“I was asked to find you,” he replied. “Well, in a way, I was.” He took a seat by the fire. “A man named Mahir is looking for you. He’s put the word out in every tavern and inn in the city.”
“Mahir? What does he want?”
“Lord Rashid is missing. I assume he is hoping you can help him.”
Akiri felt a cold knot in his stomach. “When did this happen?”
“He went missing yesterday. The entire palace guard has been scouring every inch of Rath, looking for him.” Palazar cocked his head. “Why would Mahir think you can help?”
“That’s not important. Do you know where he is?”
“I do have an idea, actually. There’s an estate a few days away from here. One of our people thought he saw three men and a young child heading in that direction on the evening after the boy vanished.”
“Did you tell the Rahaji about this?”
Palazar huffed. “And get mixed up with Dabo? Not a chance. But seeing as how Mahir wanted to find you, I thought you’d like to know.”
“You know where this place is?”
“I can tell you how to get there.”
“Better still, you can show me.”
Palazar held up his hands. “Oh, no. I’m not getting involved. I came here out of courtesy, nothing more.”
Akiri leaned in, his eyes narrowing. “It occurs to me that Dabo may have set this up as a trap. Which would mean he’s sent you to help spring it. Which also means you are either doing so under his orders, or by chance. And I have little faith in chance.”
“No! I swear it’s nothing like that.” Fear bled into his tone. “If I was in league with Dabo, why would I go to all this trouble? I could have just sent fifty men out here to kill you and be done with it.”
“Then you will prove your good intentions by coming with me.”
After a long moment of brooding, Palazar nodded. “Very well. You win, outlander. I’ll show you the way. But after that you are on your own…and my debt to you is settled.”
Akiri doused the fire and collected his mount.
“Shouldn’t you go and ask about your reward first?” Palazar asked. “Surely the rescue of a young noble is worth a fortune.”
Akiri did not reply. He had no intention of allowing Rashid’s tiny face to plague his dreams. Besides, this could lead him to completing his true mission: killing Dabo. That was the important thing.
As they spurred their horses, Palazar added: “I wish we had never met, outlander.”
“Many have thought the same thing,” he replied.
Akiri glanced up to catch a glimpse of Kyra’s scales glimmering in the moonlight. She was eager for battle and to slay the wicked. He had once thought her soft-hearted; now he knew she most certainly was not. Idealistic and naïve, yes, but such was the way with youth.
And she was still a very young dragon.
Chapter Five
The rocky terrain leading up to the estate made it easy to approach unseen. Akiri was impressed by how silently Palazar could move. He suspected that the man made a good thief. There had been no more complaints from him along the way, suggesting he had come to accept the situation, but now that they had reached their destination, Akiri kept an even closer eye on him. He could not take the risk that the man was being deceptive. As much as he kept trying to tell himself that he was risking his life solely to fulfill his mission of killing Dabo, he knew that he would have come to rescue the boy regardless.
“Who dwells here?” he asked softly.
“This was once the home of the Rahaji,” Palazar whispered back. “He abandoned it to live with his uncle soon after his father was killed. After that, he allowed his father’s most trusted guard to stay and keep it maintained for a time, but he died only a few years later. Ever since then, ownership has been disputed.”
The shape and size of the manor and its walls reminded Akiri of those he had seen in the west. Even the stone was of a deep gray color rather than the tan shade of what was locally quarried. Through Kyra’s messages he understood that the walls were sparsely guarded, and only five men were patrolling the inner yard.
“You do not have to go with me any further,” he told Palazar.
“So now you trust me?”
He pointed his finger upward. “I trust that Kyra will kill you if you betray me.”
“No need for that. I was coming anyway. That way you can kill me yourself if I deserve it.”
Akiri cracked a smile. “That would be more satisfying.”
They crept to the west wall a
nd waited for a time to be sure there were no patrols on this section of the rampart. The stone was old and cracked in several places, offering just enough foot and handholds for a skilled man to scale the twenty-foot face. Akiri could see from Palazar’s expression when they reached the top that he was impressed by Akiri’s aptitude for climbing.
Below them lay an open courtyard surrounded by a small garden. Five men were strolling lazily about, talking casually and clearly not expecting anyone to intrude. Akiri pointed a few yards to their left, close to the base of the wall. There, a patch of soft earth behind a row of fairly tall bushes offered a convenient spot. Palazar nodded in understanding. Even with a soft landing, it was a long way down. After moving into position, both men jumped together. Palazar’s legs buckled under the impact, pitching him gracelessly forward. By contrast, Akiri landed lightly, his knees bending as he tucked into a roll and came up standing. Palazar gave an embarrassed shrug as he took Akiri’s extended hand.
Back on his feet, Palazar pointed to the right side of the main building. They waited until the guards were walking in the opposite direction and then dashed over, using the shadow of the manor to stay hidden. Once around the corner and with no danger of being spotted, Palazar tested the first window they came to. Finding it locked, he removed a thin blade from his belt and slid it between the window edge and the frame. After only a few seconds, there was a soft click, and he eased it open.
Inside, the room was completely bare, the furnishings removed long ago, leaving only a thick layer of dust to cover the floor. Palazar gently closed the window, making sure to leave it unlocked. Akiri pressed his ear to the door until he was satisfied that no one was within range of his keen hearing.
“We need to find a way to the basement,” Akiri whispered.
Palazar nodded. “Then what?”
A vicious grin formed as Akiri drew his dagger. “We’ll send Dabo another message.”
They exited the room and began systematically searching. Both were masters of stealth, allowing them to move from hall to hall in absolute silence. Kyra, meanwhile, remained circling high above, waiting for Akiri’s call.
Akiri: Sands Of Darkness Page 7
