Though nothing I say will make the slightest difference in what you do, we both know this is true
“We understand each other, then. What would you like to know?”
The Badgie scratched his bristly chin. In the cell's faint light, the white thatch that streaked his dark hair gave him a fierce demeanor that matched his chill, uncaring eyes. Finn thought of Koodigern, who had given him a dagger to protect himself, then gone to his death unarmed. How such a fellow could be a brother to this wretched creature was something he would never understand.
“I know the features of the human face,” Maddigern said. “Do not look at me in such a manner again. Now, you will tell me how you got back in the palace. Who told you there were passages beneath the grounds?”
“No one told me. I found the entry myself.”
“That is not so.”
“I said I would not play games with you. I won't risk her life to beat you.”
“You did not find this entry yourself. Those tunnels have been abandoned for a hundred years.”
“I said I found the way myself, and that is true. I must also tell you I gave a great many silver coins to a slightly drunken servant. Don't concern yourself, he was human, not a Badgie at all. Certainly not a courageous member of the King's Third Sentient Guards.”
For a moment, he thought he had gone too far. He had to hide his anger from this creature, who had filled Letitia with dread, driven her to the edge with his dire promises, and threats of greater pain and humiliation to come.
Now, he sought to break Finn himself, make him lose his self-control in front of Letitia Louise. Finn knew his strengths, and his weaknesses as well. If he didn't stand up for himself, the Badgie would bring him down. And, though he knew there was little chance the brute would spare Letitia any pain, he had to walk the thin line and play the fellow's game
If Maddigern had learned to read a human's features, Finn was becoming adept at piercing the near-inscrutable Badgie's expressions as well. Finn was sure, now, it was Maddigern he had seen in the chamber below with DeFloraine-Marie. Maddigern knew he'd been in the tunnels, but he couldn't know for certain Finn had seen the lair of the Deeply Entombed.
This, then, was his quandary, for the knowledge of that place was a secret so deeply ingrained in all who were privy to it, that Finn was near certain the Badgie could scarcely bring himself to speak of it aloud, even if his prisoner was never meant to leave this cell alive.
“Let me begin at the beginning, Master Finn. Perhaps that will help bring your answers to mind.”
The Badgie peered thoughtfully at the ceiling, at the hard stone floor, as if the thing he truly sought lay hidden there.
“You left the palace with our esteemed seer… “
“With his blessing, as it were. As a free citizen of Heldessia. You can find no fault in that.”
“… and then you escaped, through a mass of irate farmers at the inn.”
“How could I escape? Escape from what? I hold one of the highest honors in the land. Higher than a Captain/Major, though that is a worthy rank in itself.”
Maddigern bent quickly to Finn's face. “If I kick that stool away from her, she'll strangle. Right here, right before your eyes.”
“And I will answer your questions better then?”
Maddigern backed away, as if Finn hadn't spoken at all.
“You left with Obern Oberbyght. Some hours later you discovered a way back into the palace. I think you know the question I'm asking now, human? How did you get back into the palace the first time? After you left the seer, and before you came back through the corridors underground?”
Finn stared. “What first time? What on earth are you talking about? I left once, I came back once. You're already aware of that-”
Maddigern didn't answer. He turned so swiftly his long green cloak billowed in his path. He stalked out the open door, stopped, shouted orders to a pair of the King's Guards who stood rigid in the hall. The two turned and disappeared.
Moments later, the Badgies were back again. Between them they dragged a heavy bundle, wrapped in a dirt-stained cloth. With a nod from their leader, they tilted the burden and spilled its contents roughly to the floor.
Letitia cried out, a low moan of despair. Finn felt the bile rise up in his throat and prayed his stomach would behave, and not choke him to death.
Dostagio had been savagely cut across the throat, his head nearly severed from his body. In death, his face showed more emotion than Finn had ever seen him betray in life.
“This is the question you will answer,” Maddigern said, his own features nearly reflecting his true feelings now.
“Why did you do this thing, Master Finn? By damn, you'll tell me why you murdered a loyal servant of the King or I'll skin that Mycer of yours alive!”
FORTY-SIX
Damn me, this isn't what it seems to be, it's some dark scheme, some deadly pursuit. And only Maddigern knows its name!
Finn felt strangely calm, somehow detached, as if he played no part in this at all. He didn't look at Letitia, for she would understand what had happened here as well.
“There's no point in telling you I had nothing to do with this,” he told the Badgie. “Whatever nasty business you're about, it has nothing to do with me. You're well aware of that.”
“Don't talk to me of nasty business, Finn. There's little worse than murder most foul.”
“Yes, I quite agree with that. And this is what the King will hear, no doubt. That Finn, maker of lizards, was discovered slitting this poor fellow's throat. Loyal guards tried to take him alive, and had no choice but to cut the maniac down.”
“You've a way with words, human. I'll hand you that.”
“And Letitia? She's a slasher as well?”
“I think she hangs herself in despair.”
For all his efforts, there was no way Finn could hide his fear, his apprehension now. The Badgie's words had struck home, and Maddigern knew it well.
“I'd face you on even ground,” Finn said, “if you had the courage for it.”
“That would be too easy, too quick. I'll need more than that.”
Finn risked a look at Letitia. She returned his glance with a smile, her eyes bright, her chin raised in defiance. Finn gave her an encouraging smile in return.
The Badgie shook his head. “You so carelessly show your feelings to the world. I cannot imagine such a weakness as this… Cadigar! Sigdin!”
The Badgie's words had scarcely left his lips before the two cloaked guardsmen came at a run through the open door. Both came to rigid attention, as Maddigern shouted orders in the harsh Badgie tongue.
At once, the first mailed warrior took up a position at his leader's side. The other moved to Letitia, stood with his stubby legs apart, his hands behind his back.
“Tell him to get away from her, Maddigern, now!”
“Don't concern yourself, please. I'll give you time to say your farewells before he takes the stool away. I have something else for you first. My kind are more efficient than humans, Finn. When we begin a task, we see it to completion. We do not leave a job undone.”
He turned, then, facing the Badgie by his side. The Guardsman started to move, but Maddigern stopped him with a glance.
“Hold your post. I shall handle this myself.”
Maddigern stalked to the door and disappeared.
“What do you think, Letitia? I'm guessing fatcake, sugar tarts. Squash pudding with a cherry on top.”
“Thornberry pie,” Letitia added. “That's the least I'd expect from such a caring fellow as this. Thornberry pie, dripping at the crust.”
“I knew you'd say that. A thick red filling, bubbling at the-”
“Stop. No talk!”
The Badgie close by clutched the hilt of his sword. “You know what we're saying, then? Fine. What would you fellows think of a tub of gold coins? One each, of course, wouldn't ask you to split a single tub, why, you'd slaughter each other out of hand.