“Yes, yes, you’re very loyal. I can see why they chose you.” She turned a corner, leading them down a narrow alley that ended at a crumbling wall. “But unfortunately, that loyalty means you’re of little use to me. I’ve given you plenty of chances to answer me freely, but those answers will be carved out of you if need be. No one can hold out against torture forever.” Four shadows dropped from the low roofs on either side of the alley. “This is your last chance.”
Zae blinked. At times like this, when the course of events took a turn she wasn’t expecting, she felt like a clock that had just started to run down and would be fine again after a bit of winding. While it was a relief to see that, once again, Appleslayer’s wary instincts had been correct, Zae felt strangely betrayed.
Three men and a woman in leather armor and shrouding hoods moved forward, weapons drawn, to converge on them. Rather, to converge on Keren. She had the big sword, and she had held Kala’s attention. Zae and Appleslayer had not registered as a threat. This was something Zae could use to her advantage; she retreated a few steps and dropped her hand to her side, palm back, signaling Appleslayer to wait. She called upon Brigh to bless her allies, and saw courage surge through Keren and the dog.
Keren drew her greatsword up into a parry, deflecting an attacker’s sword with a clang of angry metal. “I don’t know what you think I have, but I swear to you I don’t have it. We’re just here to train.”
“Unlikely,” Kala said, drawing a sword from the folds of her robe. “We’ve been waiting for the Knights of Ozem to get involved. How convenient that they always arrive at the same place. So. Lead us to the artifact and we’ll spare you. Defy us and we’ll kill you both, and the next knights they send after you, and the next.”
Zae curled her hand into a fist; Apple, recognizing the wordless command, sprang forth with teeth bared.
“Tezryn—behind you!” one of the attackers shouted, and the priestess turned. She slashed at Appleslayer with her sword, but the dog sprang out of range. He circled and made a lunge for Kala’s calf. The dog had enough sheer bulk to throw an unprepared opponent off balance and enough herding instinct to shuttle enemies toward Keren’s blade, but Kala sidestepped, raising her sword to parry Keren’s attack. No matter how many times Apple engaged in combat, Zae was always fascinated to see him employ the same leaping and bounding maneuvers that were trademarks of his breed’s energetic play.
Zae ticked over the spells she had prepared that morning, without having known that she would be teleported to Absalom or dropped into the middle of an alley brawl. She now knew several things about their guide: not only was she not a priestess of Iomedae, but if her first instinct was to strike out with a blade rather than a spell, then she likely wasn’t a priestess of any god at all. Meanwhile, something odd was tickling at her senses, something about the way the rest of them moved that wasn’t quite right.
Kala—Tezryn?—dodged Keren’s next attack, but that put her right in the path of Appleslayer’s teeth. He latched onto her hamstring, jerking his head from side to side. Keren neatly sliced the back of her other leg, bringing her down, and then turned her attention to the closest attacker, matching him swing for swing.
Appleslayer released his prey and turned toward one of the other shadowy figures, a fury of sharp teeth and strong paws, nimbly ducking swords and unarmed swipes. He’d come in behind an enemy to keep it turning and distracted, and then Keren would take it down with one fierce swing. He and Keren fought as one, seamlessly aiding each other with each foe. While Apple’s emotional devotion was to Zae, he was equally loyal to Keren. She had trained him well, and their rapport was a beautiful, fluid dance that just happened to result in a certain amount of blood.
But this time, it didn’t. Keren sliced a man’s arm clean off, and it fell twitching without the trademark arterial gush. Zae cursed herself for not realizing it sooner, and called upon Brigh to bring down her holy wrath upon the attackers. The maimed man fell, and the others cringed and staggered at the sudden assault of light. Though remarkably whole, they were not alive. And neither was their leader. She had struggled to her knees at the periphery of the fight, but she cried out and curled herself into a tight ball under the assault of power.
Appleslayer and Keren tore through the attackers one by one. Their blows rang against Keren’s shield. When all of them were on the ground, Zae finished them with another surge of holy power. The priestess, however, had worked her way to her feet somehow, and was stumbling toward the mouth of the alley. In a fluid movement, Keren unstrapped her shield and threw it like a skipping stone. It scuttled across the cobbled street and cut Tezryn’s wounded legs out from under her, sending her sprawling. When Keren pushed the leader onto her back, she was glassy-eyed but snarling.
Keren reversed her grip and held her sword over Kala’s throat, two-handed. “What do you want from us? Tell me!” Her hands were steady and the swordpoint didn’t waver, but Zae knew her well enough to hear the hurt in her voice.
When the mock-priestess only grinned at her with bloody teeth, Keren brought the blade down with such force that it struck all the way through the woman’s throat and impacted the pavement beneath. The priestess gurgled, and was still.
Zae started to call Appleslayer back to her, but the dog was approaching Keren, so she held her tongue. He sniffed at the knight, tail low, pacing around her like an anxious child while she checked the other attackers to make sure they were dead. Now that they were still, peeking into their hoods showed skin stretched tight over starved cheeks, and the teeth within their open mouths were longer than they should have been.
Kala was dead without a doubt, but that didn’t put Zae at ease. She pressed her fingers to the guide’s forehead, then brought them to her own nose. The scent was faint, but it held notes of rosemary and clean linen. “Undead, and disguising it,” Zae said. “Unguent of revivification, I think. The timelessness salve wouldn’t be this fresh. And she’s not anyone’s priestess. She concealed both her appearance and her aura.” Beneath the vestments, she wore the same leather armor as the others.
“Are you sure she wasn’t just alive and evil?”
“Positive. I called Brigh’s light down upon the undead, not the living.”
“So the others…?”
“Probably not under her thrall, but likely she told them where to go for a good feast. None of them bit you, did they?”
Keren shook her head. “Apple bit one of them, though. Should we be worried about that?”
“I don’t know. I don’t think so, but better to be safe than dog food. Would you mind making sure they don’t get back up while I take care of him?”
Keren pushed up to her feet, but Zae motioned for Apple to stay with her. She reached a hand out for the dog, who sniffed cautiously at her fingers. They still smelled of the ointment, Zae realized. She wiped her hand on her coat and gave him her other hand instead, whispering to Brigh and sharing a soft, warming light from her fingertips through Apple’s fur. “He’s fine.”
“Which means that our real welcoming party…” Keren and Zae exchanged a long look.
Zae mounted up on Appleslayer’s saddle while Keren took the vestments of Iomedae from Tezryn’s corpse and reshouldered their supplies. “Apple, that alley you were curious about. Can you lead us back there? Retrace our steps. Good dog!”
As they hurried away, Zae took a quick glance back over her shoulder. Figures were already emerging from the shadows and creeping toward the corpses. Zae had seen squatters and street gangs scavenge what they could from the dead in the seedier quarters of other cities. It felt a little strange to her, knowing that it was happening, but it worked in her favor; there would likely be little left for the attackers’ masters to find.
In the alley with the pub sign, Apple’s nose led them through a heap of rubbish to the dead end and a broken, upturned crate, underneath which was bundle of bloodied rags that had once been fine cloth; it must have been the victim’s underdress. Keren cursed and turned away, b
ut Apple stayed by Zae’s side while she peeled the stiffening fabric away. There was little flesh to be found. Small scavengers hovered, drawn by the blood and determined to find a scrap to eat.
“Get, you!” she heard Keren shout, followed by a scattering of refuse and a scuffle of many tiny feet. Half a dozen rats scampered out of range of Keren’s sword, but didn’t flee from sight, unwilling to give up the chance of a meal. Keren crouched over the cloth, her expression set and cold.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Howard Andrew Jones is the author of three previous Pathfinder Tales novels—Plague of Shadows, Stalking the Beast, and Beyond the Pool of Stars—as well as the short stories “The Walkers from the Crypt” and “Bells for the Dead” (both available for free at paizo.com). In addition, he’s written the creator-owned novels The Desert of Souls, The Bones of the Old Ones, and the forthcoming For the Killing of Kings, as well as a collection of short stories, The Waters of Eternity. His books have been honored on the Kirkus New and Notable Science Fiction list and the Locus Recommended Reading List, and The Desert of Souls was number four on Barnes & Noble’s Best Fantasy Releases of 2011, as well as a finalist for the prestigious Compton Crook Award for Best First Novel.
When not helping run his small family farm or spending time with his wife and children, Howard has worked variously as a TV cameraman, a book editor, a recycling consultant, and a college writing instructor. He was instrumental in the rebirth of interest in Harold Lamb’s historical fiction, and has assembled and edited eight collections of Lamb’s work. He serves as the Managing Editor of Black Gate magazine and blogs regularly at blackgate.com. Visit him at howardandrewjones.com, or sign up for email updates here.
THE PATHFINDER TALES LIBRARY
Called to Darkness by Richard Lee Byers
Winter Witch by Elaine Cunningham
The Wizard’s Mask by Ed Greenwood
Prince of Wolves by Dave Gross
Master of Devils by Dave Gross
Queen of Thorns by Dave Gross
King of Chaos by Dave Gross
Lord of Runes by Dave Gross
Gears of Faith by Gabrielle Harbowy
Pirate’s Honor by Chris A. Jackson
Pirate’s Promise by Chris A. Jackson
Pirate’s Prophecy by Chris A. Jackson
Beyond the Pool of Stars by Howard Andrew Jones
Through the Gate in the Sea by Howard Andrew Jones
Plague of Shadows by Howard Andrew Jones
Stalking the Beast by Howard Andrew Jones
Firesoul by Gary Kloster
Reaper’s Eye by Richard A. Knaak
The Worldwound Gambit by Robin D. Laws
Blood of the City by Robin D. Laws
Song of the Serpent by Hugh Matthews
Hellknight by Liane Merciel
Nightglass by Liane Merciel
Nightblade by Liane Merciel
City of the Fallen Sky by Tim Pratt
Liar’s Blade by Tim Pratt
Liar’s Island by Tim Pratt
Liar’s Bargain by Tim Pratt
Reign of Stars by Tim Pratt
Bloodbound by F. Wesley Schneider
The Crusader Road by Michael A. Stackpole
Death’s Heretic by James L. Sutter
The Redemption Engine by James L. Sutter
Shy Knives by Sam Sykes
Forge of Ashes by Josh Vogt
Skinwalkers by Wendy N. Wagner
Starspawn by Wendy N. Wagner
The Dagger of Trust by Chris Willrich
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Contents
Title Page
Copyright Notice
Dedication
Inner Sea Region
Sargava
1. Treasure in the Deep
2. The Black Ship
3. Unexpected Allies
4. The Thing in the Hold
5. Dragon Tears
6. The Next Bottle
7. River of Blades
8. Reunion
9. Faces of the Dead
10. Warnings From the Dark
11. The Newcomers
12. The Dead King
13. Death in the Hall of Corpses
14. Wood for the Burning
15. The Compass
16. The Catacombs
17. Guests of the House
18. People of the Vault
19. Changing Plans
20. Net of Fire
21. The Open Window
22. Questions From a Death Mask
23. The Eyes at the Bottom of the Sea
24. A Friend Below
25. Revelations
26. The Veil
27. Into the Mist
28. Rough Passage
29. Beyond the Gate
30. The Storm in the Temple
31. The Music of the Tear
32. Homecoming
33. A Drink Between Friends
Acknowledgments
Glossary
Excerpt from Pathfinder Tales: Gears of Faith
About the Author
The Pathfinder Tales Library
Copyright
This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, organizations, and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.
PATHFINDER TALES: THROUGH THE GATE IN THE SEA
Copyright © 2017 by Paizo Inc.
All rights reserved.
Paizo, Paizo Inc., the Paizo golem logo, Pathfinder, the Pathfinder logo, and Pathfinder Society are registered trademarks of Paizo Inc.; Pathfinder Accessories, Pathfinder Adventure Card Game, Pathfinder Adventure Path, Pathfinder Battles, Pathfinder Campaign Setting, Pathfinder Cards, Pathfinder Flip-Mat, Pathfinder Map Pack, Pathfinder Module, Pathfinder Pawns, Pathfinder Player Companion, Pathfinder Roleplaying Game, and Pathfinder Tales are trademarks of Paizo Inc.
Maps by Crystal Frasier and Rob Lazzaretti
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First Edition: February 2017
eISBN 9780765384393
First eBook edition: January 2017
Pathfinder Tales--Through the Gate in the Sea Page 30
