Maybe they were. But no matter how Cera turned the matter over in her mind, all she could see was that five groups of outlanders had taken up Yhelbruna s quest, and there were only four remaining.
Dai Shan had observed long before that the important moments in life weren t spaced out evenly. Either nothing happened, or situations that demanded attention arrived in quick succession.
So it was that night. He d only just dismissed the shadow he d created to spy on the Griffon Lodge, when the thing he d retrieved from the spot where Falconer had instructed him to look for it gave a little bleating cry from the brassbound leather chest where he d hidden it.
He crossed the chamber to the chest, unlocked it with the proper word, and opened it. Raking aside layers of clothing, he lifted out the undead demonbinder s gift if gift was the appropriate term for such a grotesquerie. Though Dai Shan too had studied what many considered to be an unsavory form of the mystic arts, as well as the techniques his family used to interrogate and chastise prisoners, touching the thing made his skin crawl.
It looked like the right-hand side of a baby that had been split lengthwise, a freakish baby born under a curse. What there was of the head was abnormally big and bulbous, and patches of its skin were as scaly as a snake s. The body s three fingers and two toes ended in black claws. When Dai Shan had smuggled it into the castle and hidden it away, it had seemed dead, as by all rights it should certainly have been. But it squirmed feebly and opened an eye that, though it rolled from side to side, was all bloodshot sclera, with no discernible pupil or iris.
Dai Shan assumed that once the creature had been a complete imp. Falconer had presumably called it forth from one of the lower worlds, cut it in two, kept one half for himself, and had some swift, stealthy servant carry the other to Immilmar.
The half-imp s eye stopped moving, presumably because it was looking at Dai Shan, although it was impossible to tell for certain. Then it spoke his name in Falconer s deep, hollow, oddly accented voice.
Noble captain, Dai Shan replied, and imagined his own voice issuing from the mouth of the half-imp still in the undead mage s keeping. I trust you have good news.
The Aglarondans are dead, Falconer said.
Excellent, the Shou replied. I told you my drug would make the griffons particularly susceptible to enchantment. And it hadn t even been especially difficult to contaminate the winged steeds food supply. While it would be an exaggeration to say that Folcoerr Dulsaer had come to trust him, once they had sealed their pact, and the griffonriders had grown used to seeing him in their encampment, the opportunity had almost inevitably presented itself.
He wished it was as easy to juggle the half-imp. Dai Shan needed to hold onto it to strengthen the magic, but he couldn t find a way to keep the cold, slimy exposed organs from coming into contact with his skin.
I suppose it did, the skull lord said. But something else happened that we didn t foresee.
Dai Shan frowned slightly. And what was that? he asked.
There was another griffonrider there, a sun priestess on a black mount, Falconer said. And she got away.
Interesting, said Dai Shan. And it was. He hadn t realized that anyone else who d undertaken the quest was spying on the competition, and his respect for Aoth Fezim and his compatriots went up a notch. But if the Aglarondans didn t tell her I sent them to their doom, that shouldn t be a problem. And apparently they didn t, or by now someone would have called on me with inconvenient questions.
The thing in his hands jerked and shuddered like an epileptic in the throes of a seizure. To his disgust, its convulsions squeezed out fluid and sludge to stain his hands and sleeves. Then the fit subsided.
Who can you kill next? Falconer asked.
I don t know, Dai Shan said. Do the worthy magus and his circle trust me now? Do we have an arrangement? If not, then I fear the answer must be no one.
Yes, Falconer said. We have an agreement. Continue helping my allies and me, and when we win, you can have the griffons.
That s splendid, replied the Shou.
It would also be splendid if my new partner would tell me at least a little more about himself and his comrades. Such a display of trust would make me feel even more confident about the commitment I ve made. It might also give me added insight into how I can best assist you.
The half-imp convulsed again, biting down so hard that one of its jagged teeth cracked. Squeezed out of its body cavity, a little green egg of an organ fell and splatted on the floor.
Undead have come to these lands from somewhere far away, Falconer said at length. I myself don t understand where exactly. I gather that the face of the world has changed significantly since my former master made me as I am and charged me with my thankless tasks. But the newcomers are waking and rallying all those who once craved dominion, even the filthy Raumvirans.
Dai Shan considered himself an expert on many things. The history of long-dead empires was not among them. Still, he knew enough to ask,
And are the proud and valiant Nars pleased to welcome such wretches into the ranks?
For now, they serve a purpose, Falconer said.
We look forward to the time when that will no longer be that case.
Dai Shan smiled. I fully understand, he replied.
And I thank you for all the information you ve confided so far. But I d also appreciate one or two details. Perhaps the mighty and sagacious captain will tell me where he s established his stronghold.
You don t need to know that, said the skull lord.
Your trick with the imp is ingenious, said Dai Shan, but my half is deteriorating rapidly, and I suspect yours is as well. We can t count on being able to use this form of communication whenever we need it. If I know where you re based, I can dispatch a messenger.
Falconer hesitated before saying, All right. I see your point. Rest assured, it s not the only stronghold my army has occupied. But I m based in the Fortress of the Half-Demon.
And the warriors of the Griffon Lodge were sneaking north. Dai Shan had their destination, although how they knew to go there and the current whereabouts of Aoth Fezim and Jhesrhi Coldcreek remained unclear.
He considered telling Falconer to expect callers. But he quickly decided against it for two reasons.
The first was that he d already done the undead marauders one service tonight. It would be wasteful to perform another so quickly. Doling them out in a measured fashion was the way to keep Falconer from feeling beholden to him.
The other was that he might decide he actually wanted the Griffon Lodge to take the fortress by surprise. In the multilayered game of Stones he was playing, there was no reason to close any line of development prematurely.
After a moment or two, Falconer spoke again and roused the Shou from his contemplation. Does that satisfy you? he asked.
For now, brave champion, it does indeed, said Dai Shan. And I thank you for the honor of your confidence.
Then let s get back to my question. Whom do we kill next?
I ll have to explore the possibilities. Most of your enemies are less gullible than Folcoerr Dulsaer.
Well, then, while you re exploring, maybe you can do something else for us.
Falconer then proceeded to explain, and Dai Shan found himself intrigued. Because, despite his own expertise in the mystic arts, he didn t understand what the point of such an operation would be.
And unfortunately, his trader s instincts told him it would be futile to ask for explanations. For the time being, he d extracted everything from Falconer that he was going to get.
EIGHT
If anyone were to catch Dai Shan exploring the cellars under the Iron Lord s citadel, the results could be unfortunate. But the Shou soon decided detection was so unlikely that he didn t even bother exerting his mystical abilities to hide from prying eyes. He simply prowled along like a mundane, but exceedingly accomplished, sneak thief.