“Dead or alive, I need to find out for myself,” the burglar retorts without backing away. She puts the desk back in place, but grips it hard enough to crack the solid top. “I’m aware that nobody believes me, but I know Clyde is alive. Something in the back of my head is telling me that he’s trapped and waiting. My real friends have felt it too. Why won’t you let me do this? I’m not one of your warriors, Xavier. You hire me as a spy and thief, which means I work alone anyway. The war can continue without someone like me.”
With an unexpected chuckle, the nobleman picks up the satchel and dumps the contents onto the floor. “I love how you always come up with some new reasoning that is just as entertaining as the last. You return with the holy symbols of ten high priests, who I heard were eliminated in a variety of fashions that point away from us, and you consider yourself expendable? Mab, you are the only person I can count on to accomplish missions like this. To lose you for even a week would be a disaster. That’s if you come back at all. The mortals might not be digging, but they are watching the area. Strange things are happening on the surface, which means they are still interested in the site.”
“Don’t you see that Clyde is alive and casting illusions for us to see?”
“There are many regions where such things happen thanks to the Great Cataclysm.”
“Stop blocking me from saving my friend.”
“It is for your own-”
“Don’t act like you care about me or-”
“Clyde was my friend too!” Xavier screams, his fangs extending and his eyes glowing blood red. With a shuddering snarl, he relaxes and puts his forehead against the golden ring on his left hand. “And so are you. When he was alive, Clyde was one of my closest allies. While he never swore loyalty to me, he came to my aid whenever I asked. If he discovered a tool I could use or a threat to my life then he acted in my best interest. Has it ever occurred to you that I would be the first one to start digging if I knew for an undeniable fact that he was alive? I live in fear of being killed by a threat that he would have stopped, so I childishly wish every morning to find him standing in this office. The problem is that our people are in a war and are losing, so I cannot let my best agents get themselves killed chasing ghosts. Since you insist on me not sending anyone other than you, we remain at an impasse.”
“At the very least, I have to be there,” Mab declares, her voice softer than before. Running both of her hands through her chestnut hair, the burglar heads for the window and hops onto the sill. “After fifty years, you finally told me how you really felt about this situation. That means I’m getting somewhere with my requests. As you told those cowardly nobles, I hope that you consider what I’m about to say before we talk again. Clyde may have been your friend, but he was my partner. Imagine how you would feel if Nadia was trapped and everyone else had given her up for dead. Bet it would make you wish you could rip your own guts out just to feel some other type of pain. If you want to give me what I ask for or have another job then you know where to find me.”
Xavier sits on the corner of his desk as he watches the burglar step out of the window and fall out of view. Curiosity gets the best of him and he hurries to witness how she is going to reach the distant ground. To his surprise, Mab is nowhere to be seen among the turrets and spires that make up the castle of Nyte. Tapping his fingers on the warm stone, Xavier wonders if he has let their disagreement linger for too long and there is now a risk of him losing one her as an agent. Returning to his desk, he opens a hidden drawer and pulls out a small map that shows nothing more than crude arches surrounding a black dot. Turning it over in his hand, he sighs at his sloppy signature on the back and casts the page out the window.
“If only we all had time for such hopes and dreams,” Xavier whispers before going back to his plans and reports. He grows a long claw and crosses off the locations of those Mab has recently eliminated. “But I would be lying if I didn’t envy her resolve. What will you do when you tire of your leash, Ms. Winthrop?”
*****
With her brother on a raid and Decker busy training a new batch of turns, Mab wanders the barely lit streets of Nyte. The vampire city is loud and crowded as the citizens go about trading their wares and attending to whatever urgent tasks they wish to get done before sunrise. Acting as a central hub, a circular marketplace connects to all of the main roads and is filled with stalls that are stacked four units high. Not having eaten since her last job, Mab goes in search of blood, which is freshly drawn from bodies that dangle off hooked poles jutting out from the shop windows. Stealing a wide selection, the burglar weaves through the whispering mob and notices that the other vampires keep glancing at the sky. Remembering the barrage of holy orbs that bombarded Nyte three months ago, she cannot blame them for expecting another attack at any minute. Even with the enhanced barrier created by Xavier and Nadia, the city no longer feels as safe as it once did. As midnight nears, banging hammers ring from above as carpenters get to work repairing the rooftops and making the more damaged buildings inhabitable again. Mab waves to several of the men and women before ducking into an alley and leaping up the rough walls. Landing on a third story sill, the nimble woman slips off her shoe and runs her foot along the ledge. Finding the soft part of the wood, she slides her big toe underneath the window frame and flicks it open. The instant she slinks inside her apartment, she is nearly blinded by an igniting torch.
Focused more on protecting her dinner than defending herself, Mab is about to jump back into the alley when she spots the intruders. A beautiful female orc with crimson hair reaches out to dim the torch with her bare hand, the flames obeying her gentle touch. Standing as tall as Titus, the elegant noble smiles at the burglar and lets a shimmer run over her blue eyes, which are flecked with yellow. Clothed in a flowing dress of white that is fringed with red, Nadia Sylvan glides across the floor as if she is floating. A wooden pendant dangles from her neck, its sparrow shape both crude and mesmerizing. Remaining in his chair, a chubby and well-dressed man repeatedly checks a magical hourglass that hovers above his outstretched hand. His thinning hair makes him look older than the age he was turned, but his ebony eyes are eerie enough to stop anyone from speaking such a thought out loud. A recurve bow is strapped to the man’s back and he repeatedly taps his fingers against the edge of a half-full quiver.
“To what do I owe the honor of having Nadia Sylvan and Kai Stavros in my humble and unkempt abode?” Mab asks with a low bow. Stepping toward a table as she comes out of the gesture, she chooses one of the blood jars to offer her guests. “I know you have a delicate palate, Lady of Nyte, but your husband would be furious if I forgot my manners. This one is a half-sylph or something like that. Probably nothing more than a half-elf, but the grocer doctored up the body to look more fairy-like. Considering how quickly you two got here, I assume you haven’t talked to Xavier.”
“No, but your conversations with my husband always end the same way,” Nadia states as she accepts the jar. Taking a sip, she is unable to hide her disgust at the taste and promptly hands it back. “Something that bland has to be more human than fae or elf. I would even go so far as to say it is partially seawater. Thank you for the offer, but we should get to business. Kai has brought something to my attention that I felt you should hear. It is in regards to the phantom you keep chasing.”
“Not sure if that’s better or worse than a ghost,” the burglar mutters before opening a container of gnome blood. Swirling the liquid to make sure it has not coagulated, she drinks half of it while taking off her jacket. “I feel like I could sleep for days, but I assume this is urgent since our most decorated spymaster is visibly twitchy. Do you want my report in the morning or can I give it to you later?”
“Take your time since you decided to eliminate your targets before Titus and his Vengeance Hounds could join you,” Kai replies, his voice betraying his impatience. The man moves to a mirror and casts a spell to make himself look more handsome. “As per your request, I’ve kept my ears and eyes open for infor
mation about Clyde. Not that I expected a destroyed vampire to appear, but there had to be other things in that temple like holy relics and tomes. Keep in mind that this is something I have not shared with Lord Tempest. I went to Lady Sylvan first and she insisted we come to you.”
“Because we have become such good friends, little thief,” the noblewoman declares with a snap of her fingers. Her spell shatters Kai’s illusion and steals his tongue, which appears on the windowsill. “Please get to the point, Mr. Stavros, or I will smash your overworked tongue into pulp. There are many things that both of us must do tonight. The least of which is telling my husband about this new . . . wrinkle.”
Bowing his head, the loyal servant waits until he can speak again before going down on one knee. “My apologies to everyone. We have learned that the Duragians are preparing to resume the excavation. Their work has not yet begun, but they have increased security in the area. More importantly, those visions and strange occurrences have not been witnessed in the last year. If there was a curse on the land then it is no longer active. One could even say that the source has passed away or moved on in some fashion.”
“You’re trying to say that Clyde might have been down there and now he’s dead,” Mab mutters while approaching the spymaster. She reaches by him to take two night cloaks off a hat rack and stuffs them into a nearby backpack. “I have another theory. He’s down there and waiting in silence. Either he believes that all his friends died in the Great Cataclysm or that we’ve abandoned him. That means I’m leaving tonight to prove him wrong. If Titus or Decker come back within the next twenty-four hours then I want you to tell them to stay in the city until I return. No sense in following since I’ll be sprinting without rest and they’re too slow to catch up.”
“And if you come back empty-handed?” Nadia politely asks with a smile.
“Then, I come back empty-handed.”
“Very well, but know that none of this proves he is alive.”
“At some point, everyone will have to stop telling me what I know is false.”
“It would be wrong of me not to speak on the side of caution.”
“Only in your world, Nadia, because I would have been fine with you shutting up.”
Putting out a hand to stop Kai from speaking, the noblewoman gets close enough to tower over the shorter vampire. “Since we are friends, I tolerate your rudeness and accept that you get irrational when it comes to Clyde. He was your partner for many years and his final act was one that broke your trust. It is hard to believe that he would die on such a sour note, but the world is cruel enough to make it so. All I ask is that you do not take your frustration and anger out on those above your station. Do not become a liability, Mab Winthrop, or even your long-standing friendship with me and my husband will mean nothing.”
The temptation to mouth off is strong enough to make Mab’s lip twitch, but she grabs a jar of blood and drinks until the cutting remark is off her tongue. After packing up the rest of her dinner and putting on her jacket, the burglar slides a long nail into a slit in the wall. She fishes out a silver chain and gently gets Clyde’s corn-shaped necklace out of its hiding place. Holding it in a beam of crimson moonlight, she chuckles at how plain it looks before putting it around her neck. A wide yawn causes her to stop her preparations and she considers taking a short nap before leaving Nyte. Feeling the curious gazes of her guests on her back, Mab swears that she will do whatever it takes to reach the excavation site by dawn. Opening a badly warped wardrobe, she pulls out a pair of leather boots that are decorated with fake diamonds and dotted with dry blood. Pulling on the uncomfortable shoes, she shifts from foot to foot at a speed that turns her legs into a pair of blurs. The relics spark and hum, their aura searching her undead body for the living energy they need to operate. With a curse, Mab chugs the rest of her dinner to trick the boots into thinking she is alive and bows to her guests. A burst of wind knocks the empty bottles to the floor when the burglar runs out the door, her body giving the illusion of vanishing in the blink of an eye.
“I get the feeling that she was saving those specifically for this day,” Kai says while he puts out the torch. Joining Nadia at the window, he stares at the distant castle and waves in case his master is watching. “Thank you for agreeing to help with my plan. I knew Mab wouldn’t listen if I came alone. My hope is that we have finally put an end to this distraction. Whether Clyde is alive or dead, her journey will bring her back to our side where she will stay. No more risk of her becoming more trouble than she is worth.”
“Was she really that reckless on her last mission?” Nadia asks, surprised to hear so much concern from the spymaster. Drawing a circle in the air, she conjures a mirror and checks her pristine face for blemishes. “It would not surprise me to learn that she took unnecessary risks in order to return quickly. Jobs that should take her weeks are being finished in days with higher body counts every time. It is no wonder you and my husband refuse to put her on a team. Her attitude has been terrible the last two years, which has driven me to the point of wanting to cut her loose. Friend or not, there are laws of civility in our world that must be upheld. You look concerned, Mr. Stavros. If you are worried about reporting to my husband then I will do it on your behalf.”
“No, I just had a passing thought that we really should consider.”
“What if she does come back with Clyde?”
“I know it’s hard to believe, but it could happen.”
Nadia smiles wide enough to bare her fangs and reaches out to pat Kai on the cheek. “If that is the case then we will act accordingly. Welcome our old friend home, make sure he is still a viable agent, and unleash him on our enemies.”
*****
Mab skids to a stop while she is still among the trees and kicks off the tattered remains of her magical boots. The sun is peeking over the horizon and gradually revealing the desolate land that was once a lush valley. Having only returned once since the Great Cataclysm, the hungry vampire finds it difficult to step into the open. Crouching in order to look more like a shadow than a living thing, Mab creeps along the ground until she is at the edge of the young forest. With lightning reflexes, she snags a squirrel that scampers down the tree she is hiding next to and drains the animal while covering its mouth. She tries to plot her approach, which will take her through piles of abandoned tools and the rotted remains of shacks built during the previous attempt to excavate the area. All of the debris surrounds a small hole that is crumbling around the edges and constantly releasing trails of dust into the sky.
Sniffing at the air, Mab catches the scent of mortal blood, but is unable to spot any of her enemies. Straining her senses to find any sign of danger, she barely makes out the sound of footsteps on the crunching dirt. Willing herself to see through illusions, the vampire watches the landscape shimmer and change. Instead of the long-abandoned excavation site, the ground is covered in holes and the central opening is jagged instead of smooth like she remembers. Priests and warriors of Durag are stationed in every direction while a solitary paladin stands atop a pile of rocks. Nobody is working, but it is clear that the digging has continued and the main entrance to the underground is large enough for a fully-grown elephant to be lowered in without touching the sides. Too busy counting her enemies, Mab is only faintly aware of the wind sounding like a chorus of distant screams.
“I’ve come too far and hoped for too long to give up now,” she whispers before casting an invisibility spell. She waits to make sure her magic did not set off any traps, the paladin briefly looking in her direction. “He’s going to be the real problem. I have enough strength to dodge and fight the grunts, but a holy warrior is something else. Okay, that only means I can’t be flashy or cute. Just charge right for that central hole and dive in. If Clyde isn’t there then I can use the ruins to take out my pursuers. Come on, Mab, stop talking and move. You’re so close to getting your partner back.”
As she waits for the patrolling enemies to unwittingly create a path, the nervous vampire gr
ows her fingernails until they are long and hard. The instant there is an opening, she darts out of the trees and rushes for the gaping hole. Mab only makes it a few steps before the mortals erupt into shouts and calls to action. She can feel her invisibility spell get peeled from her body by holy tendrils that threaten to pull her into a crackling barrier surrounding the area. Wrenching herself free, the exposed vampire stumbles forward and awkwardly leaps to avoid a swarm of sunlight blasts. Dodging a swordsman as soon as she lands, she dives into a nearby shack to avoid a barrage of glowing arrows. Bashing through the rotting wall, Mab continues running in the hopes of remaining an elusive target. Anyone who comes within reach is slashed, but she is too hungry to do more than maim the aggressive mortals. Focusing more on surviving than winning, she fires her metallic claws at a chanting priest and kills the woman as a churning orb of holy flame appears in the sky. The spell explodes into a fiery rain of magic that the vampire avoids by sliding under an overturned wheelbarrow.
Mab hears the heavy footsteps of the paladin and is about to emerge when her hiding place is sent rolling. She clings to the tumbling wheelbarrow as it bounces across the site and hits a bump that used to be a hill. Feeling weightless for a terrifying moment, the dizzy burglar does her best to jump out of the airborne container. With a grunt, she hits the ground with her shoulder and immediately scrambles away from the paladin's hammer. Due to the holy warrior wearing speed-enhancing armor, Mab finds it impossible to gain more than a few inches of distance. Any attempt to duck under a swing and dart by the large figure is met by arrows and magic blasts from the other mortals. It takes all of her steadily draining energy and strength to avoid getting hit by what she knows are spells that will tear her apart. Leading her pursuer to a rocky area, the nimble vampire uses the uneven terrain to gain an advantage. Once she has a comfortable head start, Mab darts to the side and abruptly ducks low as she runs. The blasts meant for her head pepper the paladin, who is knocked down by the friendly fire. Pushing her body to get a burst of speed, the vampire races across the area with a trail of arrows and smoking holes created in her wake by her enemies.
Loyalty Page 3
