And then Mandan collapsed to his knees, wavered there a moment, and fell face forward into the dirt.
Afterward, while the warriors were bundling Mandan in a cloak and arguing over who would help him down to the fortress, Hweilan sidled up to Buureg.
“Why?” she asked him.
He kept his gaze on his warriors as he answered. “That’s no riddle. The Razor Heart needs all the allies it can find in these troubled times. I had the choice of fighting you, earning the ire of your master, and angering a Damaran lord-or making a friend of both. I chose the wiser path.”
“The Hunter has no friends, Buureg.”
“And you, Hand of the Hunter, what do you have?”
Hweilan walked away. She had no answer to give him.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
Hweilan heard the confrontation long before she saw it. Voices raised in argument-and one voice above all the others. When she walked up to the campfire, Valsun was holding Darric, who was screaming and facing down five hobgoblin warriors, all of whom had clubs in their hands and looked eager to use them. Jaden stood several paces away, eating a bowl of stew. His gaze flitted between the confrontation and four other warriors keeping an eye on him. All too easy to read him. If a fight broke out, Jaden was ready to run.
“Take me to him now, damn you!” Darric screamed. “You take me or I’ll-!”
“Darric!” Hweilan shouted as she approached the fire.
Everyone turned to look at her and the wolf and hobgoblin warriors walking behind her.
“Hweilan?” said Darric.
“What do you think you’re doing? You really think you can threaten them into giving you what you want?”
“They still won’t let me see Mandan! Hweilan, my-”
“Mandan is fine,” said Hweilan. “I just left him. Kaad was seeing to him. I expect your brother will be here before long.”
A look of almost comical bewilderment passed over Darric’s face. “I … I don’t understand. They said-they told me Mandan was to be killed.”
“He was,” said Hweilan. “But we made a deal.”
“A deal?” said Valsun.
“What kind of deal?” said Darric.
Hweilan kept her face still. “The Razor Heart have agreed to release Mandan … if Jaden will marry the queen’s daughter.”
“What?” said one of the hobgoblins near Darric. “Maaqua has no daughter.” But he spoke it in Goblin, so none of the Damarans understood him. But his companion seemed to have caught on and nudged him to silence.
“Your friend here offers his congratulations,” said Hweilan to Jaden.
That did it. Jaden let out a squawk, then ran for it.
None of the hobgoblins bothered to try to stop him. Indeed, none could have. Not only was Jaden surprisingly swift for someone so small and thin, but the hobgoblins all began laughing so hard that they had trouble standing.
Hweilan looked down at Uncle. “I supposed you’d better go get him before he does something stupid. Wutheh Jaden.”
The wolf bounded off into the dark. Hweilan picked up the bowl and finished the contents.
“I still don’t understand,” said Darric. “Jaden married?”
“Who would want to marry that git?” said Valsun. “Poor girl.”
Hweilan smiled. “There’s no marriage. A little fun on my part, I’m afraid.” She set the bowl back down by the fire.
Darric’s jaw tightened in anger. “My brother-!”
“Is fine,” said Hweilan. “We bargained for his life. I’m sure he’ll tell you all about it when he gets here.”
“He’s really coming, then?” said Valsun.
“As I said, Kaad is seeing to him now. I’m sure you’ll be one of the first things on his mind. So don’t do anything stupid until he gets here. I’m done trying to rescue people for the day.”
She turned and walked away.
“Where are you going?” Darric called after her.
“War council.”
Maaqua held her council in a chamber deep inside the mountain. The vast cavern, wider than a tourney field, overwhelmed the small gathering. Witchlights fluttered around the chamber like down on a breeze, giving a bluish-green light to the proceedings. Those attending sat in the very center of the chamber so that no one could approach without being seen.
Maaqua and Elret were there, as were a few others in rune-decorated robes that Hweilan took to be priestesses or disciples of some sort. Warchief Buureg attended with his favored warriors, and the elders of the Razor Heart’s most prominent families finished the roster. All told, there were only two dozen hobgoblins and Hweilan assembled in the chamber.
When they were all settled, Maaqua looked around the room and scowled. “Where is Rhan?”
Buureg gave Hweilan a warning glance, but she ignored it.
“The Cauldron of the Slain,” said Hweilan. “He stands vigil.”
Maaqua’s scowl deepened, but she said no more.
The queen laid out her intentions to the council. She would send Hweilan and the Damarans on their way with whatever warriors wanted to accompany them. The old schemer phrased it as if Hweilan was going out at Maaqua’s behest to fight the Razor Heart’s enemies. But Hweilan said nothing to contradict her. If the queen had to embellish a bit to get her people on her side, so be it. Maaqua would also send other parties of warriors throughout the mountains in hopes of distracting Highwatch’s attention.
“That won’t matter,” said Hweilan.
“Eh?” said Maaqua.
“Jagun Ghen”-Maaqua flinched at the name-“can sense me. You could send every warrior you have to light fire to the mountains, and he would still know I’m coming. He’ll know right where I am.”
“So what do you intend?” said Buureg. “To just walk right in to Highwatch and challenge him?”
Hweilan shrugged. “Something like that.”
“Fool,” one of the elders muttered.
Hweilan ignored him and fixed her gaze on Maaqua. “But I know where he is. Finding him isn’t the trouble. Getting to him … that is where you could be of help.”
“What do you mean?” said Maaqua.
“Send your warriors. But not to harry any baazuled in the mountains. Attack Highwatch with every warrior you can spare. It won’t be easy. In fact, it will be bloody and brutal. But if your people can keep enough of Jagun Ghen’s forces busy … perhaps I can get to him. And if I can get to him, I can end this.”
None of the councilors balked. They had either seen the baazuled apparate on their doorstep or heard the tale from those who had. There was no question they had to take action. And if they could send an outsider to do the work for them … all the better. Hweilan explained where she needed them to attack and when.
“Very well,” said Maaqua. “It shall be done.”
Hweilan thought the worst of the talking was over and was about to get up to leave-the gunhin was finally wearing off and she actually felt sleepy-when Maaqua said, “There is one other matter.”
The hobgoblins looked at each other, all of them obviously at a loss as to what she meant. Except for Buureg, Hweilan noted.
The warchief motioned to the guards who were standing at the edge of the chamber near the entrance. “Bring him!”
Four hobgoblin warriors in full armor led another. Walking between them, this one wore only a ragged pair of trousers. Even his feet were bare. He didn’t quite limp, but walked very carefully, as if-
It was Hratt, and Hweilan knew exactly why he was walking that way.
The procession stopped just shy of the council. One of the guards behind Hratt raised his spear and struck him behind the knees, knocking the hobgoblin to the floor.
Buureg said, “Hratt, you know why you are here. You were a sworn blade of the Razor Heart. A good killer who served our people well. Until now.”
Hratt raised his head, but his eyes were downcast.
Maaqua cleared her throat and began the accusations. “You beat the guards assigned to watch the condemned Damaran-one of them nearly to death.”