“They’ll eat my steel soon enough.” Venir didn’t obey Helm’s urgings. If he did, there’d be slaughter in the streets. “Now’s not the time for fighting but for thinking. I have to admit, I’m much better at the fighting part.”
Venir pushed off the chimney and peered west. The gate’s forces still numbered in the hundreds. Venir was still kicking around the wizard Altan Rey’s idea. Perhaps he should go into the pit fights with the castle. It would be a place where they could strike down all of the enemies at once. He was a little uncertain about Altan Rey. The royal mage had transformed into the identity of an underling mage named Kazzar. Venir still wasn’t certain that he could trust him.
“So you say there are ten thousand strong dwarves outside in the Black Columns, waiting to slam through the gate?”
“Something like that.”
Venir scratched the side of his cheek. Mood and the dwarves would be pinned between the City of Bone and the underling army coming from the west. The dwarves could hold out a long time in the Columns, but not forever. Plus, Kam, Erin, and Chongo were there. They were his family. He couldn’t let them down, or eventually, they’d be slaughtered as well. “They can hold out a long time in the Columns. Weeks at least. Maybe months.”
“They can’t go without food that long. Not in that hot desert,” Creed said.
“They can.” Venir picked up his rucksack and slung it over his shoulders. “I’ve seen enough. Let’s head back.”
***
The Chimera was no longer the sordid watering hole of the royals sowing their seeds. Its polished tables were half filled with a clandestine lot, both citizens and royals. Melegal sat with his back to the wall in the corner of the room adjacent to the bar. Jasper’s bottom filled his lap as she dabbed wine from the corner of his lip with a napkin. Rayal sat across from him with Elizabeth beside her. The girl’s smile was carved upside down.
“Let me have some wine, Rayal?” Elizabeth said. “No one gives a slat if I drink or not. We’re all going to die—well, at least you all will. I’m pretty sure I can talk my way out of it.”
“Not with a mouth like that, you won’t.” Rayal combed her silky locks aside. “Then again, if I didn’t know any better, I’d swear you were part underling.”
Elizabeth stuck her tongue out.
The tavern dwellers were a patchwork of people that managed to survive and cling together. The royals were easy to spot, dressed in their simple fineries but doing a poor job trying to fit in. The other citizens were a bunch of long-faced weepers and smokers with reddened eyes. All they talked about was the coming death unless they worked with the underlings.
Melegal’s long fingers drummed the table but made no sound. Such cowards. It took so little to break them. He emptied the purple wine in his goblet, set it down, and pushed it over to the jug. “Pour, please.”
“You need to keep your wits about you, Me.” Jasper tilted the bottle over the goblet. “This sullies the mind.”
“Hardly. It’s watered down. I’ve tasted rain water stronger than this swill.” He took a sip. “Where is that lout anyway?”
A commotion started at the front door. Gasps followed. People hunkered over their tables as an underling patrol sauntered inside.
Melegal hissed through his breath. “Bish.”
CHAPTER 4
The cowering crowd in the Chimera huddled over their tables, eyes down, with their noses in their glasses. An amber-eyed underling wearing a gray set of robes stepped between two underling soldiers. His piercing eyes scanned the bodies leaned over the tables. With a quick chitter, he pointed a finger with a sharp nail toward a strapping man leaned over the bar.
“You,” the underling said to the man at the bar. “Come with us, human.”
The man wore a jerkin that cut off at the elbow. The muscles in his wiry forearm flexed. His free hand slid from his knee to a knife tucked into his belt.
Melegal’s fingers grazed over the dart launchers underneath his sleeve. Jasper’s index finger circled in the air. Her silent lips spoke in syllables. They’d have to run. He tipped his chin at Rayal. She gave a gentle nod. Elizabeth’s eyes were wide with interest, like a wicked child plucking the wings off a fly.
The underling soldiers, barely five feet tall in most cases, strutted among the tables, hissing and brandishing sharp curved steel. Two of them flanked the strapping man at the bar.
The robed underling spoke again. “You, man, I said come with us.”
“I won’t be a body for your gallows,” the man said. “I’ll die first.” He struck out with the knife, trying to bury the blade in the neck of the underling standing behind his right shoulder. The underling ducked under the blade. The underling’s fist jabbed the man hard in the ribs. The man fell off his stool. The underling clubbed the man with a black rod of wood. The hard, heavy smacks echoed in the room. The little fiend with the rod choked the man by the neck with the stick and dragged him, heels kicking, from the tavern.
This wasn’t the first time Melegal had seen this happen. It had happened a few times in the past few days as they moved from spot to spot. He’d seen dozens taken to the gallows, snatched from their homes and dragged screaming through the streets. This group was different though. He rocked slowly on the back two legs of his chair. The underlings hustled out a couple more humans that were pleading for their lives. “No! No! Please! I’ll do anything!” The wailing fell on deaf ears.
The robed underling stopped in front of Melegal’s table. He gave them all a long once-over. Two wiry underlings hung behind their leader’s back. With a chittering speech, the underling said to the soldiers in Common, “I like this place.” He gazed at the sparkling crystals hanging from the chandeliers. “Clear it out. Take those men to the dungeons and prepare them for the pits. I’ll screen this scrawny brood for information.” His eyes glowed with radiant amber. “Citizens!” He glared at everyone left in the room. “Why are you still here? Do you want to hang from the gallows?” No one moved. “Go!”
The dwellers scrambled out of their seats, knocking over chairs and bumping tables on their way out. Aside from Melegal’s gang and the underling, the tavern was empty. Even the barkeep and staff were gone.
The underling dragged over a chair and sat down. Resting his forearm on the table, he said, “Relax, it is I, Altan Rey.” He rubbed his nose. “For certain. Can’t you tell?”
“It’s hard to say,” Melegal replied. “All underlings look the same to me.”
Altan chuckled. “I guess I deserve that. After all, I do need to make a convincing disguise.”
“So, you’re still rounding up fresh meat, I see,” Melegal said.
“I take no pleasure in it. I have to keep the act up, or my superiors will get suspicious. But have a little faith. The ones going to the pit fights are given some time and a fighting chance. Who knows, they might still be breathing if we succeed in this little revolution.”
“When we succeed,” Rayal said.
“Of course, forgive me. I’m not a pessimist, but the odds are not in our favor,” Altan replied.
“Where’s Ashlyn?” Melegal asked.
“She’ll be along. And Venir?”
“You never know with him, but if it’s still quiet outside, that’s a good sign.” Melegal adjusted his cap. He still wasn’t sold on Altan Rey. There were plenty of royals marching in lockstep with the underlings. There was no reason to believe that he wasn’t one of them. For now, he’d use the man for information. “What’s the latest news from the underlings? Are they still bent on filling the streets with the burning bodies of the citizens?”
Altan scooted closer. “They are offering rewards for any knowledge of the culprits who turned the underling ranks into hunks of dog food. Any talk of a man called the Darkslayer is to be squelched. I should say, your friend Venir makes quite an impact. The mere mention of the slayer brings them to a frenzy.” His eyes drifted over to Rayal. “Have you managed contact with your father?”
“I am wai
ting to hear back.” She gave him a hard look in the eye and looked away. “These things take time.”
“Time is not something we can wait for,” Altan said. “You must convince him that they need to host pit fights in Castle Kling. I’ll have my best fighters included and hopefully a few more from among you.”
“We aren’t going in that direction for certain, Altan.” Melegal narrowed his eyes on the man. “Venir wants the gate down.”
“Venir wants a shot at Sinway. This is the best way to do it. Take him down and the entire city will be in chaos, at least for the underlings. That’s when we strike. When the moment comes, our forces will be ready.”
“Let me be clear: That’s not for you to decide. I’ve been down this road before, many times. We’ll do what we do, with or without you. Do you understand, Altan?”
Altan gave a stiff nod and with a froward mouth said, “Clearly.”
CHAPTER 5
A forty-man tent made from black canvas was nestled at the bottom of the rocks of the Black Columns. Twelve dwarves wearing breastplates and carrying spears stood guard in the front. Alone, Fogle approached. It had been half a day since Cass returned on Blackie. She’d picked up him and Slim. Jarla went her own way, riding north, toward the City of Bone. He caught a final glimpse of her galloping over the outland dust, and that was it. She was gone.
Cass sneaked up beside him and took his hand in hers. “Feeling better?” She rubbed his tummy.
The flight had made him more than a little queasy. He vomited midflight not once but twice. “I don’t think flying is something I’m meant for.”
“Of course not. It’s an acquired thing, I suppose.” Her soft fingers combed his hair over his ear. “You are still green as a one-eyed toad. Are you hiding something, Fogle? You are not warming to me as I would expect. I don’t like it.”
Averting his eyes, he rubbed the back of his head. “I’m unsettled. It will pass.” He squeezed her hand. “Come. Let’s see what is brewing inside, shall we?”
“I’ll stay out here. I don’t go for confined spaces.”
The dwarves guarding the entrance to the tent stepped aside.
Fogle pushed the flap aside and entered. The tent was full of familiar faces. The most captivating of all was Kam. She hopped out of her chair when she saw him.
“Fogle!” She gave him a fierce, memorable embrace. “My heart swells to see you!”
“So does mine.” Surveying the room, Fogle saw Brak slouched over a gaming board and facing Jubilee. The game board was a grid of blue and black circles with game pieces of the races carved from marble. Jubilee’s brows knit together. Mood stood with this hands locked behind his back, looking down at maps on the table. There were two other blood rangers with him and four black-bearded dwarves. They spoke in Dwarven. His father, Boon, stood among them. He gave a nod to Fogle. “So, it’s been a long time. Care to fill me in, Kam?”
They sat down on a pair of stools. Erin was sleeping at Kam’s feet, bundled up in fox-fur blankets. The little girl was the only one in the room without tension marring her sweet round face. Dark circles showed underneath Kam’s eyes, but her voice was cheery. She caught him up on many things, including the demise of Lefty and Georgio.
Patting her hand, he said, “I’m sorry, Kam.”
“We’re dealing with it.” She tipped her head at Brak and Jubilee. “They hurt the most for it. I’m just so glad you’ve survived your awful adventures.”
“So, Venir is inside the city, is he?”
“Drawn like a bear to honey. It’s supposed to be a scouting mission. It’s been days. No word from him yet. We’re tempted to send someone after him.” She gave Fogle’s hand a squeeze. “The underling army presses. There are so many, Fogle. There is a sea of them.”
Fogle had a good look at the map from his position. Each figure represented a group of men. The underlings were five to one compared to the dwarven forces.
“I’m telling you, King of the blood rangers, that’s all of them. They’ve abandoned the Underland.” Boon engaged in a fierce debate with Mood. “With the help of the giants, you can destroy them all!”
Mood slammed his fist on the table. The figurines hopped and fell. “We won’t make a truce with giants! You cannot trust them. I know this! You know this too!”
“It’s not a matter of trust so much as a matter of bargaining. We need to attack now, while the underlings are exposed. There won’t ever be another chance like this.” Boon poked Mood in the shoulder.
Mood glared at him and huffed cigar smoke in Boon’s face. “Don’t do that again, mage. I’m your friend, but I’m still kingship. No, we’ll hole up in the Columns and fight them to the end or until the gate gives way.”
“A pair of giants could open those gates as easy as one, two, three. Just use them. I do it all of the time.”
“Get him out of here,” Mood said to his black-bearded dwarves. The dwarves shoved Boon toward the exit flap.
“Don’t shove me, bearded brutes. I could turn you into orcs with a thought.” The dwarves shoved Boon harder. “Gack! Away with you! I’ll leave on my own. Grandson, talk some sense into them, will you?” Boon vanished through the flap.
Fogle found Mood’s emerald eyes locked on him. “Got something to say?”
“Grandfather’s passionate about his cause. I’m sure there is much truth to it.” Mood huffed rings of yellow smoke. “There is no truth in the giants.”
“Or the underlings, for that matter,” Fogle replied.
“No, but we know what side they are on. The giants, you never know. There’s a reason they don’t roam this world like they used to. We ran them off, to the mist, for good. It needs to stay that way, underlings or not.”
“Now that I’m here, Mood, is there anything that I can do to assist you?” Fogle asked.
“Would your sorcerous ways be able to get word to or from Venir?”
Fogle smiled. “With my spell book, that is most certainly possible. Kam, will you assist me?”
“I’d be glad too,” she said.
“Chongo can find Venir quicker than you can,” Brak said. He stood up so tall his head almost hit the top of the tent. “I say we go after him.”
Perked up, Jubilee said, “I agree.”
“No one is going anywhere,” Kam said.
“You aren’t in charge,” Jubilee fired back. “We’ve done just fine this entire time without you, and we’ll do just as well on our own.” She grabbed Brak’s wrist with two hands and led him away. “Come on, Brak. We’ll do what we want.”
“Jubilee. Brak. Come back here,” Kam said.
“They don’t have anywhere to go.” Fogle offered his elbow. “Come, let’s get the spell book. We’ll talk soon, Mood, if you’ll excuse us.”
With the cigar in his fingers and his eyes on the table, Mood waved them off.
As soon as Fogle and Kam passed through the flap, they ran right into Cass. The druid’s eyes became daggers when she saw them arm in arm. “You foul, wretched cheater!”
CHAPTER 6
Cass stormed by Brak and Jubilee. Her fists were balled up at her sides. She cut through one of the narrow passes in the Columns and disappeared among the rocks.
“I wonder what her problem is,” Jubilee said.
“Maybe we should find out,” Brak replied.
Jubilee gave him a look. “Why?”
“I have an idea.” He led the way through the narrow pass. He turned his shoulders as they brushed against the jagged rocks then popped out on the other side. Dwarves milled about in a busy military order in a broad space that separated the Columns. Not a single dwarven eye passed over them. Brak pointed. “There she is.”
Blackie was nestled against the rocks. Chongo lay beside the dragon, looking like no more than a puppy. Cass was talking to both creatures. The dragon looked away. Chongo’s stiff tails wagged. The pooch’s left head panted with his tongue out, and the right head’s ears perked up. Quickster lay nearby, on his back, asleep.
<
br /> “You think she’s beautiful, don’t you?” Jubilee said.
“Will you stop with the jealousy? I don’t understand that. I just want to fly on the back of that dragon again.” He gave Jubilee’s little body a shove. “Come on.”
“Are you sure that’s it?”
“Yes. I told you, I have an idea.”
“You have an idea? Like what kinda idea? Most of yours involve some form of eating.”
“It’s not that, but I am a bit hungry.” Brak cleared his throat when they stood behind Cass, who was working on the buckles that fastened on Chongo’s armor.
“What do you urchins want?”
“Let me help you with that.” Brak unbuckled the straps on Chongo’s neck that were too high for Cass to reach. “I know he hates this dwarven link.” Several buckles and a few fierce tugs later, and Brak’s powerful arms were filled with the giant dog’s mail. “Feel better, Chongo?”
Both heads of the beast licked his face.
Scratching Chongo’s necks, Cass said, “You’re good with animals. I like that.”
“Don’t like it too much,” Jubilee warned.
“Ah, the little lady is a jealous one, like me, it seems. It’s a shameful attribute. So, tell me, young scoundrels, what do you want?”
“I don’t want anything. Ask Brak,” Jubilee gave Cass’s exotic body a once-over, “but I’m pretty sure I could guess what he wants.”
Cass walked over to Brak, crossed her arms over her chest, and looked up at him. “I’m curious. You really do want something, strapping one. What can I offer you?”
Brak’s face lit up. “Can you and Blackie fly us over Bone and drop us in?”
“Brak!” Jubilee said, “Have you gone mad?”
“No, I’m just going with my gut.”
Cass made an approving nod. “I like this youth. He thinks with his heart. This cursed world could use more men like him. Blackie, it’s time for flight.”
The Darkslayer: Series 2 Special Edition (Bish and Bone Bundle Books 6-10): Sword and Sorcery Adventures Page 28
