by Ben Hale
“As you desire, but first a truth from you.”
“You did not win,” she said.
“Perhaps,” he replied. “But call it an indulgence for a respected foe.”
“And I respect you?”
“Don’t you?”
She regarded him in silence and then gestured in invitation. “One question. One answer.”
“What do you want with Elenyr?”
The woman cocked her head to the side and then shrugged. “I want her to return my mind.”
He groaned. “Another riddle?”
She stabbed her sword to the steps. “I gave you an answer. It’s not my fault you don’t understand it.”
“That’s all you’re going to tell me?” he asked as she forced him toward the steps. “Why did you even come to Keese?”
She cocked her head to the side. “I followed your brother,” she said, and then poked him in the back with her sword.
Realizing he would get no more from her, he ascended the steps. When he reached the top, he phased to darkness and crept to the edge of shadow, poking his head out to where he could view the strange woman. She stood where he’d left her, only instead of a sword she held a small glass orb, one she was arguing with. Shadow withdrew before Sentara could spot him and left even more confused.
Chapter 15: Brother
Shadow crossed the street and watched Sentara’s hut until a young woman approached, one Shadow assumed was Rune. Within moments she and Sentara departed, their packs suggesting they would not be returning. As much as Shadow wanted to follow the old woman, he had a more pressing need, to find out which brother Sentara had followed to Keese.
If one of the fragments had come to Keese, he should connect with them. But Sentara had said one, not some, so who had arrived? The other fragments had departed Cloudy Vale in pairs. Curious, he returned to the top floor of the inn, opening the door to find Lorica pacing.
“Where have you been?” she demanded.
“Looking for someone,” he said with a shrug.
“If you followed me . . .” Her hand twitched towards the hilt of her sword. “Doesn’t matter. Several carriages just entered the estate. I think the Raven is here.”
Shadow stepped to the window and eyed the carriages coming to a halt outside the stables. With dozens of horses and guards, it was obvious someone important had arrived. Then he spotted the woman stepping out of the middle carriage and nodded.
“She did indeed. Do what you need to get ready. I’ll be back tonight.”
“You’re leaving now?” she asked, exasperated.
“I told you,” he said. “I’m looking for someone.”
She caught his wrist, her voice turning dangerous. “Did you follow me?”
“Of course not,” he lied smoothly. “You said not to.”
She measured his gaze, and he idly wondered if she believed him. Ultimately, she released him and he strode away. As he crossed the threshold, she called out to him, her voice turning cold.
“I don’t like people poking around in my life.”
“Too bad,” he replied, and then grinned.
Shadow used the stairs to descend, leaving Lorica standing in the open doorway. He offered a mock salute before descending to the kitchens and then the alley. From there he slipped into the streets, his thoughts turning to what he’d learned.
The Raven’s arrival and one of the fragments coming to Keese could not be a coincidence. But who had arrived? The woman had asked about Elenyr, who’d been with Fire and Mind, suggesting either Water or Light were in Keese. He guessed Water, simply because Light was hard to follow. But why had he come here? And what did his arrival have to do with the Raven? He glanced to the sky. The gathering storm clouds heralded rain, but it was not dark enough for him to find his own answers.
He stepped into an alley and approached a group of children. Street urchins were common in Keese, and watched him warily until Shadow withdrew a silver piece. He held it aloft. The oldest of the boys advanced several steps, his eyes flicking between him and the coin.
“What do you wish to know?” the boy asked.
“Anything strange happen in the city today?”
The boy inclined his head and reached for the coin, but Shadow held it back. “Truth first.”
The boy’s eyes flicked to the coin. He licked his lips and nodded. “A group of bandits attempted to relieve a man of his coin, but he froze them in ice before wanting to know about the Ravens.”
The fragment of Water. He was the only one that used water to freeze his foes—one of his boring yet effective tactics. Shadow scratched his chin in thought, wondering what would have brought him here, and how he could exploit Water’s appearance.
“Where were they headed?” Shadow asked.
“The Shark’s Tooth,” he said. “On the docks.”
Shadow lowered the coin and the boy snatched it away. He scurried into the crowd, and Shadow turned toward the Raven hall. He half expected Lorica to appear, but there was no sign of the assassin, and he wondered if she’d remained in the inn.
It wasn’t that he didn’t trust Lorica. She would do everything in her power to find Gendor, and he could count on her skills as much as her anger. But revealing too much about himself could be dangerous. She was perceptive and skilled, a potentially lethal combination. Plus it was more fun to keep her guessing.
He found his way back to the Raven’s home. Avoiding the inn, he made his way to the servant’s entrance and used the gloom from the storm to slip over the wall. Once inside, he worked his way through the gardens, listening.
“ . . . really think he will come?” a guard asked as he and his companion patrolled the grounds.
“If he does, we’re ready for . . .”
Shadow drifted to another group, and then another, gathering snippets of information. The Raven had already entered her house and her carriage was stored, but Shadow noticed a subtle increase in the guards, and they were all on edge.
One of the guards mentioned a cellar, and Shadow slipped through a door and made his way to the basement. Raven guards were everywhere, but he managed to slip by them unnoticed. At the cellar door he looked down and saw Thorg laboring over a cage of fire.
A sly smile spread on his face as he realized what lay in store for Water. For whatever reason, they knew Water was coming, and had set a trap, one that would contain even a fragment of Draeken. No doubt they intended on luring Water into the cellar, a task not entirely difficult, since he was not the fragment that possessed strategy.
“Let’s not disappoint you, shall we?” Shadow murmured.
His steps hastening with eagerness, he returned to the gardens. The storm had darkened further, and Shadow used the growing darkness to reach the wall. A smile on his face, he withdrew from the estate and headed towards Water’s destination.
He wove through the city to the Shark’s Tooth, a tavern and inn on the shore. Recently built, the inn was known for its exotic quarters, chambers of aquaglass walls that allowed a unique view of the underwater shoreline. A single night would seem a fortune to a commoner, and on impulse Shadow sidled up to a haughty woman buying a broach. He cut her purse, and that of her husband, disappearing into the crowd as both cried out in dismay.
He listened to the sweet music of chaos as he entered the tavern. Spotting Water and Lira, he took a seat just behind his brother. With Water’s attention on Lira, and hers on him, Shadow suspected he could start a brawl and they wouldn’t notice. The closeness between them was telling, and he wondered if their relationship had pushed past friendly.
He kept a pattern of shadows on his features and hair, making himself appear taller and wider. Then he ordered a meal of fine cheeses, fruit, and seared fish. As he relished the food, he listened to them talk, a faint smile appearing on his face as he realized they were there seeking the Ravens as well, confirming his suspicions that Water had been lured to Keese.
As he finished the meal, he plotted how he could use them for his
own aims. He considered the noble’s home, and where the Raven would be. He needed to speak to Lady Dentis, and they needed to talk to someone named Serak.
As the two finished their meal, Shadow dropped a few coins for the barmaid and then made his way to the man near the front door. After a whispered conversation, Shadow paid for a single room and sent the key to Water. Then he went to their room and picked the lock. Minutes later, Water entered the room and spotted him.
With his feet on the desk, Shadow flashed a smile. “Hello, brother. What brings you to Keese?”
“Shadow,” Water said with a laugh.
Water dismissed his staff weapon and stepped forward, and Shadow rose to embrace him. When they parted, Shadow rotated to Lira and caught her hand, lifting it to his lips. He was rewarded by a light flush to her cheeks, and a touch of irritation in her expression.
“I hope my brother has been treating you well,” Shadow said.
“He has,” she said.
“Not as well as I could, of course,” Shadow said with a sniff. “But he’ll do.”
“What are you doing here?” Water asked.
“Still looking for the ancient map,” Shadow said. “I’ve tracked it to Keese and happened to spot you in the tavern.” He didn’t mention the additional admonition to seek Relgor.
Water shared their tale, including encountering Serak and the battle with the Order underground. He finished by describing the kidnapping of King Numen, and then spoke of Grena, the woman that had told them to come to Keese. Shadow suspected Grena to be a member of the Ravens, but said nothing.
“So you think Wylyn is with the Ravens?” Shadow asked, frowning as if in thought.
Water’s tale provided more than Shadow had expected, and he pondered the ramifications of Serak, the father of guardians. Was he part of the trap at the Raven guildhall? Or merely a part of the Order? Either way, they needed answers.
“Do you know where they are?” Lira motioned upward. “We were told to speak with Wenta.”
“She is a low-level informant for the Ravens,” Shadow said, even though he’d never heard the name. He rubbed his chin in thought. “Since we both want the Ravens, perhaps we can help each other.”
“What do you have in mind?” Water asked.
“The Ravens and I are not friends,” Shadow said, “but I need time in their archives, undisturbed.”
“How do we help with that?”
Shadow flashed a smile, trying to keep the smugness from his expression. Water was always so willing to help, and his sense of honor easy to manipulate.
“I need you to get caught,” Shadow said. “While they interrogate you, I can sneak in and find what I need. Then I’ll help you get out.”
“I get my answers, you get yours,” Water said.
“An interrogation usually involves sharp objects and blood,” Lira said.
“They won’t know who you are,” Shadow said smoothly. “I need ten minutes, no more. The Raven won’t be so hasty to harm you.”
“And if she realizes I look like you?”
“You would be so lucky,” Shadow said with a laugh, stepping to the door. “Just feign ignorance. You’re good at that.”
“Where are you going?” Water asked.
“I have my own room,” he lied, and then pointed to the single bed in their quarters. “And there’s only one bed here. I guess you’ll have to share.”
Water flushed. Shadow smirked. Then he departed and shut the door. Feeling confident with what he’d learned, Shadow exited the tavern and turned toward the inn where Lorica waited. Outside, he worked his way through the streets. He found her on the rooftop of the inn and sank into a seat at her side.
“Was she pretty?”
“How do you know it was about a girl?”
“It’s always about a girl.”
He laughed and shook his head. “We have an ally in the city. And they will provide the distraction we need.”
“Just like that?”
“They’re a good ally.”
“And you trust them?”
The doubt in her voice made him smile. “He’s the one with honor.”
She regarded him with hard eyes, and he realized she, too, was used to working alone. She didn’t have much trust for anyone. Over the last few weeks, he’d wondered if she would simply disappear and go after Gendor alone. But she’d surprised him by staying.
“I have yet to see Gendor,” she replied. “I think we should wait.”
“He’s inside,” he said smoothly.
Her eyes narrowed. “I did not see him enter.”
“My ally saw Gendor with his own target.”
“Would you lie to me?” she asked.
“Yes,” he replied.
She chuckled, the sound annoyed. “Then how do I know I can trust you?”
“You don’t,” he said. “I thought I’d made that clear. We aren’t here because we trust each other. We’re here because we need each other.”
She scowled, an expression that was quickly becoming his favorite. It pulled at her lips in a way he found captivating, but he did his best to hold her gaze. With Water’s aid, they could breach the guildhall and get what they needed. And waiting would mean losing their quarry.
“We’ll do it your way,” she said. “But know this, if you lied to me, you get a scar. You won’t survive a second lie.”
“Then I’ll make sure to make it count,” he said with a smile.
She grunted in irritation and gestured to the guildhall. “What’s your plan?”
Chapter 16: The Raven Archives
“Ready?” Shadow asked.
Lorica grunted in answer, causing Shadow to grin. Taking her answer as agreement, he crossed the street to the estate wall. They’d argued about going in at night, but Shadow had pointed out that the Raven might depart, and they should act quickly.
The storm gathered in the sky above, casting looming shadows in the street. Trees grew close to the wall and Shadow leapt into the branches, using them to cross the wall and enter the estate grounds. Lorica followed, and the pair worked their way through the roving guards to the Dentis home.
“Good luck,” Shadow said.
“I don’t need luck,” she retorted.
He grinned and separated from her, threading his way towards the grand home. Guards patrolled the grounds, but their attention was on the outer wall, and Shadow reached for the patches of darkness beneath windows, using them to scale his way to the bedchamber of Lady and Lord Dentis.
Turning elemental, he slipped through the gap in the window and darted to the closet. He knew the room well, and had even slept in the regal bed, which was surprisingly uncomfortable for such wealth. Ignoring the rich trappings, he left the closet door cracked open and retreated into the dark folds of cloth.
For anyone else, sitting in absolute darkness would have been unnerving, but for Shadow it was like a warm blanket on a cold night, and he reclined against the wall of the closet, feeling the wood at his back. With his magic, he could see the interior of the closet as if a dozen light orbs hung in the small space. But his vision could do nothing about the smell.
Doused in perfumes and scents meant to rob sweat of its rank, the closet reeked, and several times he had to fight a sneeze. He’d explored the entire manor of the house of Dentis before and never located Raven’s archives. He suspected they were located close or in the bedchamber. The only question was, would the Raven access the archives before Water was trapped?
It didn’t take long for the sounds of conversation approached, and he shifted to peer through the crack. The bedchamber contained a large bed with sheets flowing from above. Vivid tapestries adorned the walls, while a single desk sat against the north wall. Two doors connected to the space, one that led down a corridor to a bathing chamber and another to the private receiving room.
Through the doorway to the receiving room, couches and tables were visible, the room lit with a trio of cats fashioned of brilliant light. The creatures
were small and obviously sentient. They prowled around the summit of the anteroom, the chains of light clanking quietly.
“. . . cage is in place,” a male voice said. “The trap will work as planned.”
“Well done,” a female voice said. “You may inform Serak.”
“You will not be joining us?”
“I have other business to attend to,” she said. “I will join you in a moment.”
An armored dwarf and a woman stepped into view and the dwarf gave a curt bow before retreating from sight. Alone, the woman stood in the center of the receiving room before turning and striding to her bedchamber.
Short and unassuming, the woman looked like any other noble. Her bright red hair was as captivating as her figure, her skin lovely and soft. In public she smiled often, her eyes igniting with amusement and delight. In private, her smile was absent, her gaze cold and calculating.
Her dress was a beautiful red accented with black, augmenting the fire of her hair and the lightness to her skin. She slipped free of the dress as she walked into the room, revealing fitted armor beneath. The material was obviously dwarven made, the slight luminescence suggesting it had been enchanted for strength.
She tossed the dress onto the bed and made her way to the closet, forcing Shadow to retreat into a thousand cloaks. His nose tickled and he struggled not to sneeze as the door swung open. Instead of reaching for clothing, she touched a release on the inside of the door and a panel swung open, revealing an abundance of daggers hidden in the wood. She removed the one she wore and picked up a curved blade, and then a small hand crossbow. Sufficiently armed, she closed the door and returned to the receiving room, unaware that her shadow had gained a passenger.
She strode across the bedchamber to the arched doorway leading to the anteroom. Stepping outside, she entered the small room separating the bedchamber from the hallway. The room contained a pair of paintings on either wall, and the shining cats prowled the ledge at the top of the walls. The Raven came to a halt at the door to the hall and used her dagger to reach up and tap the keystone.
Standing just inches behind her, Shadow’s eyes widened when the silver light gathered in the keystone, and then flowed downward, expanding to fill the opening, obscuring the door. The silver liquid finished taking shape and then flickered, showing the Raven’s reflection. Without hesitation she stepped through the Gate.
