Shade glanced toward Dray just in time to see a flash of emotion flicker across the Blight’s face before the boy raised his camouflage and disappeared.
“I don’t think that kind of love is really that uncommon.” Shade said with a faint smile then grunted as Dray’s elbow connected solidly with his gut. “I mean look at Jala and Valor.” Shade added trying to keep his voice normal despite the air Dray had knocked out of him. He glowered toward the area that Dray had vanished in and shifted his bag on his shoulder. “It’s also possible that he was Marshall for Micah. You’d be amazed what some people will do for friends no matter what it costs them.”
* * *
Shade shifted silently where he stood and tried to ignore the ankle deep filth in the alley. He wasn’t sure which was less appealing, the stench from the garbage or the smell drifting from the slave quarter of the city. It might have been bearable had he been in his true form, but in order to remain hidden well he had switched to the Blight form for its camouflage abilities. Unfortunately while the creatures were adept at hiding, they also had remarkable senses, and his sense of smell was about to make him vomit. With an effort he pushed his nausea back down and tried his best to refocus his mind on something besides his own discomfort.
His attention moved across the rotting produce and various other items he didn’t want to contemplate to settle on Caleb. The man was crouched deeper in the alley with a small swarm of rats surrounding him. All of the rodents were attentive and some even stood on hind legs as if to hear Caleb’s various squeaking noises better. In another time or place the sight would have been comical; today he couldn’t even summon a faint smile. Too many other concerns echoed through his thoughts, the foremost being how exactly Caleb would manage to explain what he was doing if they wrong sort of person walked by the alley before he was finished. Rivasan were talented with arcane magic, not druidic powers. Amongst the Elder Blood the Fae and the Shifters were the ones that excelled in the natural magic and neither of those would be welcome in Prendington.
The squeaking conversation died down and Shade let out a slow breath of relief as Caleb began handing out tiny bags of seeds to each of the rodents. He didn’t understand this part of the plan at all, but Caleb didn’t seem inclined to elaborate on any of the details of his plan so Shade had no choice but to follow blindly.
“Keep close to me and don’t get lost. I won’t pause for you I’m running out of time.” Caleb whispered as he stood slowly. He turned toward the west and began picking his way carefully through the alley taking care to avoid the clogged gutters that ran alongside the sandstone wall of the building.
He led them through alleys and backstreets for several blocks and gradually the filth lessened as well as the stench. With each turn they seemed to be moving into better parts of town and by the time Caleb stopped once more Shade couldn’t detect even a hint of the slave markets in the air. With a frown Caleb pulled a rag from his backpack and leaned back against the alley examining his boots with a critical eye.
Realizing they were going to be stopped for at least a few minutes if Caleb intended to remove the filth from himself Shade moved quietly to the mouth of the alley and glanced at the street beyond. Everything as far as he could see in both directions was clean and orderly. The southern area of the road seemed to be a merchant’s quarter and he could just make out the bright banners of an open market in the distance. To the north the shops and cafes gradually gave away to houses and apartment buildings crafted in the same reddish sandstone that seemed to comprise most of the city. Neither direction seemed a likely place to locate Derrick Rivasa. Shade glanced back at Caleb who had just finished wiping down his boots and wondered if he should even bother asking what they were doing here. Chances were good that Caleb would ignore that question as easily as he had ignored the other dozen questions Shade had asked on the way to the city.
“You should stay here. I doubt any of you will approve of this part of the plan.” Caleb murmured as he stepped from the alley into the bright sunlight of the open street. A few well-dressed passersby slowed to watch him with looks of distaste on their fine faces, but no one openly rebuked his presence.
“What part of the plan would this be?” Shade whispered just loud enough for Caleb to hear him and crossed his fingers that no one else in the area had hearing good enough to detect his words.
“Luring Derrick out. An eye for an eye and all.” Caleb returned softly before setting off at a brisk pace toward to southern end of the street.
“What in the hell is that supposed to mean?” Dray mumbled from somewhere to his left.
“I haven’t a clue, but I’m not interested in skulking in alleys and waiting.” Shade replied quietly. Carefully he stepped from the alley and ghosted after Caleb. It took most of his attention to avoid the scattered people on the street as well as anything on the road that might give his presence away. Even something as trivial as kicking an errant pebble could draw attention to him. While he didn’t think anyone in this particular area of town would notice something so small, he didn’t want to take any chances.
Caleb crossed the street swiftly with a determined stride and it took every ounce of skill Shade had just to keep him in sight. There was little chance of losing him in the crowd however even if he did manage to lose sight of him for a time. Caleb’s dark cloak and plain grey chainmail stood out like a crow in a songbird cage amongst the Rivasan nobles.
His steps veered toward one of the nicer store fronts and Shade felt a moment’s hesitation at the sight of the guard standing beside the door. The man eyed Caleb with suspicion, but Caleb simply bowed his head and whispered something before continuing toward the door. Shade hadn’t been close enough to hear whatever was said, but it seemed to do the trick as the guard didn’t protest Caleb’s entrance beyond a disgusted nod.
The door had barely closed completely behind Caleb before a woman’s scream erupted from inside. The guard at the door fumbled for his sword and rushed for the doorway just as Shade himself was gaining the stairs. With a sprint he slid inside the building behind the guard and managed to flatten himself against the wall before anyone had a chance of bumping into him.
The scene inside was pure chaos and Caleb stood at the heart of it all. Two guards lay dead on the floor to either side of the door and a third was sprawled across a display case. Caleb whirled as the last guard closed and delivered a backhanded blow to the man’s head that sent him stumbling to his knees. With a quick kick to the man’s face Caleb dropped him completely to the floor and then turned toward the clerk who was screaming in pure hysteria.
“Shut up or die your choice.” Caleb snarled glaring at the woman with more hate than Shade had ever seen on a person’s face. The clerk gave a hiccupping gasp and managed to stifle her screams as Caleb’s attention left her and turned to regard a woman crouching beside a display table of fabrics. His sword arm relaxed as he gazed past her to the small boy clutching her skirts and then finally came to rest on an older woman who stood tight lipped and pressed firmly against the back wall.
Shade stared at the three apparent hostages and felt his mouth go dry at the sight. All three were Elder Blood, and all three had the very distinct features of House Rivasa. He had no idea how Caleb had known the women would be here, but his earlier words now made perfect sense. An eye for an eye, it was far more fitting to say a wife for a wife. Derrick Rivasa had killed Caleb’s wife and sister and Shade had the unsettling feeling he was about to witness Caleb returning the favor. Shade’s stomach soured at the thought. At the very least Evanell Faulklin had died fighting for her life. Rivasan women were not trained in fighting at all though. These women would be slaughtered like lambs. The most useful magic skill a Rivasan woman typically learned was a mending spell, and even that was considered unseemly for a noble woman.
A small voice inside him screamed at the thought and Shade found himself wondering if there was anything he could even do that wouldn’t result in them all dying. He could disable Caleb,
but then the women would call the guards and he doubted he could escape with Caleb before they arrived. He could of course leave Caleb to the Rivasan mercy and escape alone, but he would be better off driving a knife into his own chest and he knew it. If he allowed the women to call down the guard on Caleb and left him to die he would never sleep peacefully again. The only option left was to remain silent and try to think of something to say that might force Caleb to reconsider his plans.
“Kalleria Rivasa.” Caleb spoke the name in a cold voice that sounded more like an accusation than a greeting. His gaze was locked on the woman by the fabrics once more.
“I don’t know who you are, but you are quite possibly the biggest fool I’ve ever seen. Do you have any idea what the penalty will be for accosting members of the High Lord’s own house? My brother rules this entire land and he will not tolerate such disrespect!” It was the older woman by the wall that had spoken rather than Kalleria, and even as the words came out of her mouth she was straightening her posture and smoothing her skirts with the indignation that only a pure noble could muster in this sort of situation.
“A Mother for a Sister. That seems fair.” Caleb muttered with a faint shrug of one shoulder. He was moving before Shade could even open his mouth to protest. His sword flashed once and the old woman’s last words faded into a gurgling sob as blood began to spurt from her throat. Her hands clutched at her neck in a vain attempt to stem the blood, but Shade had seen the edge of the Shadowsteel sword and he knew there was no hope there. With that single slash Caleb had likely cut to the bone though the strike had looked like little more than a flick of his wrist.
The clerk began to wail once more and Shade silently crossed the room toward the woman. He doubted there was anything he could do to save Kalleria, but he could silence the clerk and she at least would survive.
“Please. What do you want? I don’t know who you are or what you want.” Kalleria’s voice trembled as she spoke and her hands grasped the boy at her skirt closer. Her dark eyes were wide with fear and her tanned face had paled to a sallow color.
The twisting in Shade’s stomach grew worse at the sound of the woman’s desperation, and he nearly turned back toward Caleb. The reason Caleb had advised him to remain in the alley became abundantly clear. This was an act of pure evil in Shade’s eyes, but it was for the greater good if it stopped Derrick. At least he hoped it was. No matter how much he tried to convince himself that it was worth it if Derrick died the words were ringing hollow in his mind.
“I want my wife and son alive once more and I want my daughter returned to me. Since the first two are impossible I will settle for your death and your son as a bargain chip for my daughter.” Caleb returned coldly as he slowly closed the distance between him and the terrified woman.
Shade cursed silently as he clubbed the clerk in the back of the head dropping the woman unconscious to the ground. “Caleb wait! It would be a better bargain if you used them both for trade. Surely Derrick would listen better if you had them both.” Shade said in the loudest voice he dared. He had no doubt that other guards were already on the way and he had no desire for anyone beyond the store to know that Caleb wasn’t working alone.
“I told you to wait in the alley.” Caleb observed quietly as his sword lashed out once more. The boy erupted into sobs as his mother crumpled beside the table pulling most of the fabric down with her as she fell. She hadn’t even tried to step away, or shield her own throat. Shade noted silently as bile filled his mouth.
“Momma! Momma!” The boy’s cries rose to hysterical shrieking as blood began to pool under the woman.
Shade hadn’t had a clear view of the killing blow, but by the woman’s silence he guessed it was another slit throat and Kalleria was still in the process of dying a very messy death before her child’s watching eyes.
“The boy will be enough to get Derrick’s attention.” Caleb informed him in a monotone voice. He eyed the child for a long moment before apparently deciding the boy wasn’t going to do anything stupid. With a nonchalance that made Shade’s skin crawl Caleb dropped down to a knee and pulled a bolt of fabric from beside the dying woman’s side. Eyes locked on Kalleria’s face he wiped his sword free of the blood and then slowly turned his face to meet the frantic child’s wild eyes. “Stay here by your mother and help her cross into the Darklands. If you leave her side I will cut your legs off at the knees.”
The boy cringed back away from Caleb as the man rose and walked toward the fallen guards. By his size Shade guessed the child wasn’t more than eight. Judgment wasn’t the best at that age, and Shade found himself moving to stand between Caleb and the child just in case the boy mustered enough courage to bolt for the door. An eight year old child might be fool enough to believe he could make it to the door before Caleb could stop him, but Shade knew better. Both of the blows Caleb had struck against the women had been lightning fast with deadly accuracy. The boy wouldn’t make it three feet from his mother’s side before Caleb kept his promise and left the child crippled and bleeding.
Shade’s nausea returned at the thought and he found himself staring after Caleb in disbelief. He never would have believed the man could manage such cruelty. His name is the Bloody Huntsman you naïve fool. The thought came from the same part of his mind that had taunted him in his prison in Glis, and Shade pushed it aside easily. It was too late to cry about it or allow shock to settle over him. For the moment he had to focus all of his concentration on making sure the boy didn’t move.
“Kalleria went through two maid servants a week. All of them were slaves of course so she disposed of them as any civilized Rivasan would. If their infractions were minor she sold them off to a brothel. If they had offended her deeply she had them thrown into the pits to die in whatever way was fashionable that week.” Caleb spoke quietly as he shifted the guard’s bodies with his foot and eyed them critically.
“To the Rivasan slavery is a way of life.” Shade muttered. He didn’t like the thought of speaking in the woman’s defense any more than he liked watching Caleb murder her. “She was raised to treat them that way. Did she deserve to die from it? Do you feel less pain from Evanell’s death after killing Kalleria?”
Caleb froze and glanced toward the sound of his voice with narrowed eyes. “I warned you that I was going to level this city Shade. Kevala’drin as I said. I will have vengeance for Micah, Honor, Nel, Ryven, and Chalice. Did you honestly think Derrick would be the only one to die? Amdany burned and still lies in waste. I will see that Prendington suffers the same fate. Thousands will die today, just as they did in Amdany.” His voice was low and filled with promise as he turned his attention back to the fallen guards. Crouching down he leaned back on his heels and checked the pulse on the last guard he had dropped. With a faint smile Caleb slapped the man hard and shook him until he moaned.
“The other guards will be here any minute Caleb. We should take the boy and go.” Shade whispered as he glanced toward the door. He was rather amazed that the guards hadn’t already arrived and was grateful for the distraction of worrying over them. He didn’t want to dwell on the city burning or think of how many innocent lives would be claimed if Caleb did manage to succeed in his vengeance. Zoey might be able to free the Delvay and Arovan prisoners, but Prendington was quite obviously slaver town and there would be countless people chained in the lower parts of the city with no hope of escape.
“You should have stayed in the alley.” Caleb observed sourly as he slapped the guard again and drew him to his feet. “Wake up or I will slit your throat and find another messenger.” Caleb growled as the guard’s eyes flickered feebly. The man tried to rally at Caleb’s words and his eyes fluttered open several more times before he managed to keep them open. “Good.” Caleb nodded with approval as he shoved the man against a wall. “In about two minutes I’m going to shove you out of that door.” Caleb informed him as he pointed casually toward the only exit the store offered as far as Shade could tell. “You are going to inform everyone outside tha
t if they move toward this building I will kill your Lord’s son. If they set fire to the building, I will kill your lord’s son. If they stare too long at the building, well you get the picture. Once you have ensured everyone outside is going to behave you are going to run your little ass off to reach your lord before I get annoyed with waiting on you. You will tell him the Bloody Huntsman has come and has his son. You will inform him that if he wants his child back alive he will bring me my daughter alive and well. Are we clear?”
The guard’s face paled drastically at the words Bloody Huntsman, but to the man’s credit he managed a firm nod as Caleb released his grip on the man’s tunic. “Lord Derrick will bring the entire damn city down on your head, fool.” The guard muttered with a disgusted shake of his head. “Might bring your girl to you, but only long enough for her to watch you die.”
Shade expected Caleb to kill the man for his words, but to his amazement Caleb simply smiled and nodded. “No doubt he will try that. My daughter’s name is Syrah. Lord Derrick should know her by sight. Now be a good little bitch and to your master with my words.” With a sharp nod toward the door he took another step back from the guard and glanced toward the boy who was still sobbing quietly over his mother’s body.
“What makes you think he won’t just go straight to the guard’s barracks and summon the entire city guard here?” Shade asked softly.
“Derrick will want to deal with me personally. He isn’t fond of me at all.” Caleb said with a sigh. With a quick glance out the window he leaned back against the wall and closed his eyes. Pain lit his face for a breath as he slowly opened his eyes and stared down at the black sword gripped tightly in his right hand. “Once I have Syrah.” Caleb whispered as he slowly pried his fingers free of his sword with his left hand. The blade clattered to the floor at his feet and Caleb took a ragged breath as he massaged his hand and glared at the sword.
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