Escalla flicked a look between the map and the Justicar, then tried to drag the man away. “It’s been a long day, and my friend here is alittle tired. C’mon, Jus. Time for bed!”
Jus glared at the girl and said, “We’re going. The librarianmust be brought to justice, and Whelm and Wave must be recovered to prevent a civil war.”
Escalla whirred close to whisper frantically in the Justicar’s ear. “Are you crazy? That dungeon was specifically designed as ahero-trap! It’s a damned fortress!”
Ignoring the faerie, the baron sat back and folded up his arms in thought. “We will not entrust such a mission to a single ranger. We willneed to send a team to represent all interests in this matter. Geshtai and Bleredd shall each provide a priest as an observer. From my own garrison, I will send a sorcerer, a paladin, and at least one archer to provide you with proper fighting power.” The baron laid his hands flat upon the table, glaring at theassembled men. “Whelm and Wave are all that matters. The other thefts this manhas done are of no consequence to me.”
From across the table, Escalla’s tall ears pricked like arabbit’s. “Other thefts?”
“He has absconded with the library treasury of over eighteenthousand nobles, as well as wands, jewels, relics, magical scrolls, potions, and spellbooks.”
With a noise like a crossbow bolt, Escalla shot through the air, landed on her stomach in front of the baron and batted her long lashes. Her artless smile had more teeth than a shark.
“And these would be in your ‘spoils of war, finders-keepers’category, yes?”
“The state would require a thirty-three percent tax upon allsuch profits.”
“Which as good servants of the state, we’ll report to youwith unfailing accuracy!” Escalla raced back to Jus, hovered above the hellhound’s ears and polished the animal’s black nose with a rag. “Mister Baron, weare on the job one hundred percent at your command! My boys guarantee delivery!”
Geshtai’s priest rolled his head to gaze at the girl andsaid, “Why should we tolerate these filthy interlopers?”
The ranger stepped forward, his hand on the pommel of his sword. This time the Justicar was clearly going to decapitate the priest. Winging brightly down to save the day, Escalla blocked his path by happily shaking the baron’s hand.
“M’learned colleague here wishes to thank the county, city,and municipality of Trigol for their kind offer of assistance in his attempts to bring this dangerous thief to justice. My goodness but he’d like to thankyou for your kind interest! Is a start tomorrow morning too early for you?”
The baron emptied another wine goblet and shoved the empty cup out for more. He glared at the priests in absolute contempt. “This man has acommission from the countess. This man has fought and killed along that border for the best part of a decade. The party would all be dead men without an experienced ranger. You are entering a region blanketed by Iuz’s patrols and allsorts of lordless banditry. Do what he tells you. Once you cross the river into enemy territory, the party will be under his command.”
Slurping wine, the baron pushed up from his chair. He ignored his visitors as priests, clerks, and scholars all stood to their feet.
“We will also offer you a guide, an experienced trail-blazerwho is willing to guide the party into the Bandit Kingdoms.” The baron snappedhis fingers. “Summon him. Priests, bring your men. Plan your journey tonight.The recovery team leaves at dawn.”
Men bowed as the baron, his wine jug, and his goblet all retired from the hall. Priests glared at one another then swept from the keep to summon their agents. Escalla brightly waved them all good-bye then helped herself to the largest remaining jug of wine.
“So, Jus, we dodge in, we flit out. We grab the treasure andrun!” The faerie gave a great, expressive shrug. “What could be simpler?”
Sitting down at the abandoned table, the Justicar helped himself to wine, roast kid, and bread. “I don’t like it. He knows we are coming.He wants us to come. For some reason, the librarian wants us in his lair.”
Lair! Cinders grinned his big white grin. Cinderssniff! Fire burn! Kill!
Blissfully happy, Escalla raised her wine in a toast. “See?Cinders has it. Couldn’t be simpler!” The faerie reclined on the table andhelped herself to a large chunk of the Justicar’s food. “Look, take it fromme-adventuring is all just a matter of bringing the right talents to bear. We’vegot these Trigol City rubes for monster fodder, we’ve got you two guys formuscle, and me for brains! We’ve even got a guide!” The girl lay on herback and scissored her long legs in a twinkle of pure glee. “It’s perfect! Whatcould possibly go wrong?”
A soldier opened a door across the hall and admitted a new visitor. Striding happily into the room, the party’s guide took one look at hisnew companions and brayed for joy.
“It’s you, son! So there you are, finished skulking atlast!”
The Justicar jackknifed forward, almost choking on his wine. Brimming with joy, Polk the teamster whacked the big man across his hell hound-covered shoulders. “We’ve got a job, son! You and me! There’s a realadventure to be done. Real work, not this investigation stuff you waste your time on. A dungeon-now that’s where a hero should be! You stick withme, son, and I’ll make you a hero despite yourself!” Polk leaned to whisperloudly in Escalla’s ear. “We gotta talk him up, give him confidence. Poor kidwouldn’t know a portent from a portable hole.”
Escalla looked up at Jus and gave the man a big smile. Polk reached for the wine and poured drinks for all, throwing arms about all three of his adopted friends.
“Here’s to adventure! The stuff of legends and the spice oflife!” Polk stuffed a beef bone between Cinders’ jaws. “Drink, son, drink!We’re off to make history!”
With a heavy sigh, the Justicar surrendered to his fate. By the time he finished the wine jug, the world had still steadfastly refused to improve.
12
In the gray hours before dawn, the baron’s castle laysleeping. Sentries leaned on the battlements while guard dogs snoozed. In the stables, a few yawning milkmaids and grooms stumbled about the first of the day’s chores.
Cinders grinned happily, his teeth set and his eyes gleaming. Splayed on her belly in an old cot, Escalla made peaceful, ecstatic little noises as she clutched onto her bed. Jus had been tramping in and out of the room for almost half an hour, noisily getting ready for the journey. Escalla was aware that he was trying to wake her and perversely decided to remain exactly where she was.
An earth-shattering crash of metal, leather, and junk shuddered through the floorboards. Jus had deliberately dropped his armor and weapons belt right beside Escalla’s bed. Escalla hugged the bed, finally liftingan eye up out of the blankets.
“Is there any particular reason why you can’t just relax theway other people do?”
“We leave in three hours.” Jus was noisily beginning hisdaily task of attending to the edge of his sword. After this would come exercises, armor maintenance, and breakfast. “We have to pack.”
Escalla gave a mighty yawn. “Face it, man. There is nothingto pack. It all fits in one backpack.”
Jus spread Cinders out across his bed and brushed the happy hell hound’s fur. He shot a dire glance at Escalla, who still remainedsteadfastly in bed.
“Escalla, what are you doing?”
“I’m lying naked on an ermine fur blanket.” The girl gave ahappy wriggle. “What does it look like?”
Jus looked at her in confusion. “Why?”
“You know, you have got to loosen up more.” The faeriesat up. “All right, I’m up! The world is saved! Show me a map of where we’regoing, and I’ll try to find where breakfast is kept.” The girl stretched again,showing a fine set of little white teeth. “Hey, Cinders, how’s my favoriteflaming pooch?”