That one knew his anatomy, Kaern thought grimly. Venadrin. I believe that I'll remember that name. I don't have much love fer humans meself, but I've got less taste for a traitor.
He finally rose to his feet, looking around the perfectly lit room, and walked toward the back. There would be other things still here of use, if not to him, then to the girl.
*****
Life in a demon-controlled city wasn’t so different than in any human-controlled encampment Venadrin had known. Busier, it was so much busier, but really that was the most noticeable difference moment to moment.
Venadrin made his way through the streets, ignoring the hucksters and shills pushing whatever fraudulent sky medicine that was now popular. He noticed some shilling artifacts, likely fake or broken, from the old human empires. Some of those were worth a short attention, just to see if they were authentic.
Even a busted piece of ancient technology was worth investigating, particularly if it were being sold by a demon. Once the wars started, the old human empires started gene locking their technology, setting it so the demons couldn’t use it against humans. It was a stupid waste. In his experience, demons were rarely tool users.
Today he ignored them, settling on his path with intent. His short, expected vacation had been cut a little short with an unwelcome summons back to the Master’s palace.
The guards grunted and snuffed at him as he passed, but he ignored them. Demons liked to scare humans whenever they crossed paths. They enjoyed the scent of it or something, he supposed. Maybe it was just the mental satisfaction of showing their power over the lowest caste of the city, but Venadrin had a feeling that there was more to it.
He ignored the demons lining the room on either side of him, striding right through them into the throne room for the second time in as many days. Two times too many, to his mind, but the choice wasn’t his to make.
He only stopped when he again felt the presence, eyes casting down to the floor to avoid looking directly at the throne and what was sitting on it.
“Are you aware of why you are called here, human?” The voice reverberated, rattling his teeth and bones to the core.
Venadrin shook his head. “No, Master.”
“Of course you don’t.”
Venadrin felt cold sweat trickle down his spine as he wracked his brain, trying to think of what he’d done. Unfortunately, he was well aware that it was quite likely he hadn’t done anything. He could easily just be the latest example being made of by the lord of the city.
“I’m sorry, Master,” he forced out, eyes still down.
Rasping laughter passed along through the room from all sides save one. Only the presence ahead of him seemed disinterested in the humor most of them found in the situation. Venadrin felt the presence focus on him. It was like a deep pressure squeezing every part of him at once.
Blood began to trickle down his nose, he could taste it on his lips, and Venadrin knew that he wouldn’t survive much more interest from the lord of the city.
Finally the pressure eased, the presence pulled back, and Venadrin involuntarily relaxed.
“I have a new task for you, human,” the lord said. “With the final destruction of the resistance here in the city, it is time to finish the campaign. There is another free human settlement within my lands. It will be mine within the moon, or I will know the reason why.”
Venadrin closed his eyes, a dozen thoughts running through his mind, but only one in the front.
Another assignment. Thank the Maker.
He forced himself to nod curtly, dropping to one knee. “What would you have of me, Master?”
“Go ahead of my forces, human. Identify the defenders of the settlement, find their locations, and prepare that information for me when I arrive.”
Venadrin couldn’t help it. He looked up sharply in surprise.
He instantly regretted it, his eyes falling on the one who sat on the throne. He instantly slammed his eyes shut, trying to block out the sight, but it was too late. Like daggers through his mind’s eye, Venadrin could feel the image of the city’s lord tearing at his psyche, just looking on the demon felt like he’d received a mortal blow.
He refused to collapse, not in the sight of so many who would use any weakness against him, but he swayed for a moment before regaining control.
“You are going personally?” he blurted, as much to buy himself a moment as anything else.
“Yes, in this last campaign it is fitting that I command the final battle.”
Venadrin bowed his head again. “It will be as you command, Master.”
“Yes,” the demon said, “it will.”
Chapter 6
In the morning, Kaern let Elan sleep late, knowing that it would be best to start out well after the sun had started its dive to the horizon. The heat would be bleeding off by then, and he'd been keeping an eye on the phases of the moon to be sure they'd have light to travel by night. If his memory served, as it usually did, they'd have enough time to reach an oasis formed by a strong spring to the south.
It would be more than enough time, but he wasn't certain how well she'd hold up under prolonged travel just yet. The burns were mostly healing now, though her skin was still puffy with the blisters and scarred by the ugly peeling skin. The injuries to her ankles, though, would probably break open before the first few hours were out.
For a moment Kaern reconsidered, but staying in place was no good either. The local food source was running out, the desert rabbits weren't plentiful enough to support them much longer, and his own stock was meant for one. No, they had to move out before things became too tight to allow them proper travel provisions.
Besides, the medical unit he'd located in the control room had sealed antiseptics that were better than any of the local alternatives, so she'd be spared the agonies of flesh rot. She'd just have to tough out the pain, he supposed. It would be a good test of character if nothing else.
The rest of the old transport station had yielded little of value, unfortunately, save some clothes that would make for decent trading stock and a few trinkets that would go over well in the town square on market day. Public weigh stations didn't generally stock any of the more interesting devices of the World Builders, more's the pity. Though their more advanced technology was all gene locked, there were many useful trinkets that he would have liked to have found.
If nothing else, they were worth a great deal in trade.
Kaern shrugged the disappointment off and watched the sleeping girl as he waited for the sun to rise and fall.
Finally it was time. Elan had awakened some time earlier and there was nothing more to be gained by waiting around the old Redoubt, so it was time to move on.
"Are ye ready, lass?"
Elan nodded, shrugging the pack over her shoulders. She couldn't make heads or tails out of the material the pack was made of. Its brilliantly vibrant colors were shocking in their sheer gaudy display, but it was sturdy and light and more than she'd taken when she left home.
She was dressed in the soft shirt and pants that Kaern had found for her, the shirt sporting a beautiful full color image of an eagle in flight that had fascinated her for hours once she'd recovered enough to appreciate it. The clothing was soft to the touch, incredibly so, and tough, but Elan wished she had her leather tunic and pants back. No matter how she moved in these new clothes, they felt too insubstantial to provide any sort of protection from the elements.