Salvation (Scars of the Sundering Book 3)

by Hans Cummings

  “How would it know?” Kale glanced up the stairs and then at his sister.

  “I had a similar thought. What if it only activates for an archmage?” Alysha tapped the volume. “Is there anything in there that says who built the circles?”

  The apprentice shook her head as scanned the pages. “Not that I’ve read, but I haven’t been through the whole thing.”

  “Like Kale said, how would it know if I was a random drak wizard or the archmage?” Delilah encircled the circle, examining the runes as if staring at them would unlock a new secret.

  “Maybe you have to be a drak archmage?” Kale stretched his wings.

  “That seems unlikely.” Alysha climbed the steps to the first bookshelf and began to peruse volumes they hadn’t yet searched.

  “I should go, Deli. Kali is waiting…”

  “Go, go. Thanks for sticking around.” Delilah waved at him while still examining the runed circle. “I’ll talk to you later.”

  Her brother climbed the stairs and joined his mate. The three women returned to their task of scouring the as-yet-unread treatises on the shelves. We still have a lot of work to do.

  Chapter 20

  Kale’s mate awaited him in the shop, chatting with Ori, who showed her the tome he illuminated currently. The winged drak caught glimpses of stylized serpents winding around the outside of the pages as he approached them.

  “So, how did it go?” Kali glanced at him as he checked his daggers and pouches.

  “The moon gate thing works, but only for Deli. They’re trying to figure out why.”

  “Oh, a moon gate? Is that’s what’s in the basement.”

  Kale bit his lips. He forgot they hadn’t shared with Ori what lay behind the concealed door. It was impossible to hide their comings and goings from the limner since the door sat in full view of his counter, although he often sat with his back to the hallway into which the door opened.

  “Yeah,” Kale rubbed the back of his neck. “Don’t tell Deli I told you, okay?”

  “Oh. Well, I’d love to see it. I illuminated a book about them a couple of years ago. Did you know the Runes of Selene were all built by drak wizards in the Age of Legend?” The limner took the tome he showed Kali and returned it to his stand. He held up one of his brushes and closed one eye as he inspected the tip.

  “Really? Did you read the book?” Kale figured if Ori could help, maybe Delilah wouldn’t become angry he accidentally revealed their secret to the blue drak.

  “Oh, I end up reading just about every book I work on. Sometimes I have to so I can put the right embellishments on the pages. I never could figure out what the gates were supposed to look like, though.”

  “Kale.” Kali tugged on his arm. “We have to get going.”

  As his mate dragged him away, Kale pointed to the concealed door. “When Deli comes out, tell her what you know.”

  Once they were away from the shop, Kali’s tail entwined with Kale’s. “That was mean. Your sister will eat him up if he starts blurting stuff about moon gates.”

  Kale didn’t agree. “She’d be so happy to find someone, a drak especially, who knows about it, she won’t think twice.” He muttered a quick prayer to Dolios.

  They walked through the narrow, shadowy residential streets of the undercity. At this time of day, most draks were out and about, and avoiding crowds was the key to traveling through the undercity in a reasonable amount of time. That the city’s draks still believed he had special powers or a special status boggled Kale’s mind.

  All the residential streets of the undercity led to a stone staircase that climbed up though solid rock and emerged into the predominantly minotaur-populated part of town. Boss Steelhand requested the drak couple meet him at one of his residences.

  “It’s just up here.” Kali pointed ahead, past a crowd of minotaurs assembling a scaffolding around a crumbling building. Kale saw a sign beyond them: The Wealthy Robber.

  He considered suggesting they stop there on their way home, but his mate stopped before the tavern’s door.

  “Here? I thought we were going to one of his houses.”

  Kali stood on her tiptoes and peered through the window next to the door. “Apparently, he owns this place and has some living space upstairs.”

  “Wow. Living in a tavern? I should have thought of that.”

  The two draks entered the tavern. A cloud of smoke clung to the beams of the ceiling, wafting up from water pipes on each table. The heads of twoscore minotaurs turned and stared at the draks as they entered. Compared to the human taverns Kale had been in, The Wealthy Robber was built to giant proportions. A log crackled and popped in the hearth, and as if on cue, all the minotaurs returned to their conversations.

  They approached the bar and found that the tops of their heads barely reached the counter. Kali climbed onto one of the stools and rapped her knuckles on the bar top to get the minotaur barkeep’s attention. “Hey, we’re supposed to meet Boss Steelhand here.”

  Without turning to face them, the barkeep pointed to the stairs. “Downstairs. Door on the left.”

  “What happens if we go right?”

  He shrugged. “Hope you like flour.”

  Kale moved in the direction indicated. He and Kali descended the stairs and noted oil lanterns illuminated the hallways.

  “He’s the same minotaur as that wizard Theros, right? I wonder why he doesn’t have magical lights.”

  “Because I try not to flaunt it,” Boss Steelhand called from behind the open door on the left.

  Three rooms composed the minotaur’s suite in the tavern’s cellar, all connected by curtained doorways. Boss Steelhand sat in a plush chair before the iron stove located in the center of the room. A plush, ornate rug woven in muted red and gold dyed wool covered most of the floor.

  “Have a seat.” The minotaur gestured with his steel hand to another armchair that faced the one in which he sat.

  Kale spread his wings as they climbed into the chair. With careful positioning, the two draks sat together in the chair sized for a minotaur. Once they were settled, Boss Steelhand leaned back and steepled his hands before him.

  “Thank you for coming. I’m glad to see you survived the ire of your sister and mate, Kale.”

  The winged drak chuckled and studied the patterns of the rug. “Uh, yeah.”

  “We’ll get him straightened out.” Kali patted her mate’s knee.

  “I’ll get straight to it. With Vilkan Icebreaker out of the way, the archduke is moving forward with many plans with which he requires my assistance. One of them is removing restrictions on draks and minotaurs here in the upper parts of the city.”

  “Well, that’s good, right?” Kale eyed the minotaur.

  “Yes, but our draks have been restricted to the undercity for so long, there’s a whole generation who have never been around humans”—he raised his hand—“other than the guards, of course.”

  “The guards don’t do much of anything except stand around and watch the market.” Kali shifted and dangled a leg over the arm of the chair.

  “Exactly, which is where the two of you come in. I want you to take a leadership role in helping the draks integrate into human society. You’re outsiders, and you know what humans are like.”

  The winged drak frowned. “I don’t really. We don’t have humans in Drak-Anor.”

  “I know what you mean.” Kali squeezed her mate’s knee. “The humans here can’t be that different than the ones in Almeria.”

  “No, not at all. A bit rougher around the edges, perhaps, but that comes from being so close to the mountains. Our winters are harsher than those Almeria experiences.”

  “Harsher?” Kale’s eyes widened. He recalled the drak-high snow drifts in Almeria and shuddered. His exposure to winter from the inside of Drak-Anor had been minimal. Back home, winter snow often blocked the mountain passes and the entrances to the city until springtime, but the weather never affected its interior.

  “So, what?” Kali extended her
hand toward Boss Steelhand. “You want us to be the mayors of Draktown or something?”

  The minotaur threw back his head and laughed. “No! Just community leaders, elders, if you will.”

  Kale felt as if his eyes might pop out of his head. “Elder? I’m not old enough to be an elder! I don’t even have any hatchli—” He snapped his mouth shut and glanced over at his mate. She smiled.

  “Whatever you want to call yourselves. I don’t care.” Boss Steelhand spread his hands. “Just don’t go around trying to convince anyone you have any legal authority.”

  “Okay, fine, so we help the draks figure out how to deal with the humans.” Kali leaned forward and tapped her chest with her thumb. “What’s in it for us? We’ve got a good thing going with Ori.”

  “Whom I set you up with, through Jairo, if you’ll remember.” He raised his hand. “But I think we can work out something. You help the draks, be my eyes and ears in the undercity, and I’ll grant you a modest stipend.”

  Kale felt his mate stiffen. She cocked her head and stroked her chin. “So, you want us to spy on them, too? There are some shady characters down there.”

  “No, no, no. Nothing like that.” Boss Steelhand shook his head. “I already have people for that. I mean keep me informed about how they’re assimilating. If there are any accommodations that aren’t being met, that sort of thing. The humans will be resistant to change, but I have the ear of the archduke. You”—the minotaur pointed at Kale—“are the brother of the archmage. Any complaints the humans make about having to share space aren’t going to fall on sympathetic ears.”

  He gestured to the ceiling in a sweeping arc. “Once the dwarves abandoned this city after The Sundering cracked the world, we minotaurs were the first to settle here. We only let the humans join us out of pity. The draks came during the healing, but even more humans came.” He brought down his fist on the arm of the chair. “They drove us, well, the draks mostly, into the undercity. It’s time they learned their place. Were it not for the draks, so much of this city would still be in ruins.”

  “Did the humans enslave the draks?” Kale pondered whether humans subjugating draks was a common theme throughout Andelosia.

  “No, but there was some exploitation that occurred. Once the humans were comfortable, they wanted the draks to disappear. The undercity was good enough. Out of sight, out of mind, you know.”

  “How much is a modest stipend?” Kali was back to business.

  “It’s negotiable.” The minotaur leaned forward. “Look, I’m not talking about revolution or anything violent like that. The wrongdoers have been dead for generations. We all share this city. It’s just, some folks need to be reminded of it. I know there’ll be bumps, but I think most of the commoners will come around, and believe me, the nobles won’t be able to stand alone. They’ll cave, and those who can’t adjust will leave.”

  As Kali launched intense negotiations regarding compensation details, Kale tried to keep up, noticing sparring with the minotaur seemed to energize her, a far cry from her earlier protestations that she wanted no involvement with the minotaur or his cronies. Kale, realizing their discussion was over his head, allowed his mind to wander.

  Maybe she changed her mind when she discovered he was the archduke’s right hand. But what happens if Deli gets that moon gate working? We’re going to leave, then, right? She’s going to need my help. Pancras needs my help.

  If he was honest with himself, Kale did not understand what his sister’s plans were or why she needed to go to meet up with Pancras, but he preferred it that way. Making plans was their job, and he helped where and when he was needed.

  “Then we’ll do a good job for you.” Kali patted Kale’s knee again, jostling him out of his daydream.

  He had the feeling he’d just been volunteered for something he wasn’t sure he wanted to be a part of. “I’m sorry, can you summarize? You were talking awfully fast.”

  Boss Steelhand laughed. “She’s quite the negotiator. I think I’ve been had.”

  “Don’t worry, Kale. We’re going to be all right.” She offered a hand toward Boss Steelhand as she slid off the chair. They shook on their agreement.

  “Starosta Kale and Kali. The humans will like that.” Boss Steelhand chuckled. “We’ll use their own titles. That’ll allow you to talk to community leaders on their own level.”

  “We’re Starostas now?” Kale’s tongue stumbled over the word. It sounded like a word he heard the locals use when they weren’t speaking in the common trade language, mostly older folk talking among themselves. “What does that mean?”

  “It’s a title humans around here used to use. Mostly for influential landowners, not quite lords and ladies. When someone is not of the lineage, nobility requires an official position in the peerage. “Both of you are Starosta. Individually, you’re Starost Kale and Starost Kali.”

  “Well, that’s weird.”

  “Human languages don’t make a lot of sense, Kale.” Kali leaned on her mate. “I learned some Old Etrunian a few years ago, and the words in all the phrases were out of order!”

  Boss Steelhand stood. “Find a linguist and figure it out. I have to get back to the archduke.” He ushered them out of his suite and up into the tavern. He introduced them to an indifferent minotaur crowd, instructed the barkeep to let them run a tab, and left the two draks alone in a tavern full of minotaurs.

  Kale glanced at the minotaurs intently ignoring the two short draks in their midst and then turned to his mate. “Want a drink?”

  ***

  True to her word, Scout Stonehammer waited at the city’s south gate, formally known as Cardoba Gate. Gisella approached the dwarf woman whose mount resembled a great, fat boar. The hairy creature snorted and squealed at Moonsilver’s approach. Gisella paused to determine if Stonehammer’s mount was aggressive and then approached them.

  “The Golden Slayer atop a white steed. I am not surprised.” Scout Stonehammer leaned forward and scratched between her boar’s beige-tipped ears. Cream-colored fur near its snout accented its raven-colored coat. Two dirty, white tusks curved up from its lower jaw.

  Gisella patted the side of her steed’s neck. “Moonsilver has been a good friend for nearly ten years now.” The horse tossed its head and whinnied. She glanced at the boar. “Are there any bogs around here?”

  “Not where we’re going, why?”

  “I don’t care much for them.” Gisella glanced away from the boar and shuddered. “Bad childhood memories.”

  “Quincy here likes to stomp oroqs in the mountains.” Scout Stonehammer put the spurs to her boar and sped through the south gate. Gisella caught up to her on the road. She reined in Moonsilver to keep him from overtaking the boar.

  The road turned westward while still within sight of the city’s walls. They followed the hard-packed dirt, traveling single file to allow passing caravans the use of ruts worn into the earth from decades of travel. When the city receded from view behind them, Scout Stonehammer guided them off the road and led them north.

  “According to the map Fennie showed me, those undead should be coming ashore not too far from here.”

  “Do you need the map?” Gisella reached around to her pack, but stopped short of opening it when the dwarf shook her head.

  “I know this area like my own home. I ride these plains constantly.” She pointed ahead. “There’s an overlook above the beach. I can’t imagine them climbing up the rock cliffs when there’s a nice beach they can just wade up onto.”

  Gisella nodded. “That seems logical. If their instructions are too specific, though, they may have no choice but to scale the cliffs. We should be cautious.”

  “So, what’s your story, Blondie? You come up to Fennie, tell him some wild tales, and suddenly he’s all agog, ready to call out the King’s Army to help you.”

  Gisella gritted her teeth at the hated nickname. “Please, call me Gisella.”

  “I know your name.”

  Scout Stonehammer’s terse reply dr
ipped with jealousy. Gisella spurred Moonsilver forward and faced the dwarf woman. “Then use it, Valora.”

  The Golden Slayer did not fear the daggers in Scout Stonehammer’s eyes, and she maintained eye contact until the dwarf looked away.

  “If I’ve given offense, tell me, and let’s be done with it. I don’t have time for petty squabbling.” Gisella suspected she understood exactly the dwarf’s problem. She’d encountered it before, although not since having departed Muncifer. One of the disadvantages of traveling with a minotaur and fiendling was that prejudices against the two of them colored other people’s perceptions of Gisella, as well.

  “I know your type. You come in, see a tall, handsome man, flash your symbol of Aurora in his face, and flutter your eyelashes—”

  “I have not come to seduce Lord Fenwick.” Gisella maneuvered Moonsilver in front of Quincy, bringing them to a stop. The boar squealed and snorted in protest. The Golden Slayer slid off Moonsilver to stand eye level with the dwarf.

  “He is handsome, I’ll grant you that, but that’s not why I’m here. I came with Pancras to stop the Lich Queen. That’s all. Once my task is accomplished, I plan on returning home. Are we clear?”

  “You’re in my way.” Scout Stonehammer pulled on Quincy’s reins and steered him around Gisella and her horse.

  “What of that fiendling you’re with?”

  Gisella laughed. “Qaliah will never consort with a Justicar. Maybe if she were trying to rob him, or her—”

  “I overheard Orion talking. He’s taken an interest in your minotaur, you know.”

  “Has he?” It was news to Gisella. She didn’t care to keep track of others’ relationships unless it affected her missions. “Good for him. Pancras is honorable. Perhaps the two of them will find happiness together.”

  A bird of prey screeched overhead as it circled some unseen target. Gisella watched as it dove toward the ground, snatched a wriggling creature, and flew away in triumph.

  “My clan would string them up. Two males… humph.”

  Not an uncommon attitude, particularly in the north. Gisella didn’t agree with it, herself, and life in the Four Watches could often be harsh and unforgiving. Tolerant of alternative lifestyles, Watchfolk judged others by their actions in battle and how they contributed to their communities. The harsh winters, clan feuds, oroqs, and frost wyrms made certain of that.