Don Bassingthwaite - The Killing Song

“… didn’t expect that you would turn up so late last night, Storm.” Biish had left off speaking Goblin, and Natrac guessed that Lord Storm didn’t understand the language. “I had business to attend to.”

“I know what your business was. Charging around Malleon’s Gate hunting for some changelings! Are they paying you? No!”

Lord Storm’s voice was loud and unrestrained-and the sound of it brought Natrac’s eyes open wide. He jammed two knuckles of his fist into his mouth and bit down to keep himself from crying out. A moment later, Storm stopped pacing and stepped up to the table. Natrac bit down harder as anger and fear beyond even what he felt for Biish surged in his belly.

Lord Storm was Vennet d’Lyrandar!

As Biish’s orange skin turned red with outrage, Natrac studied Vennet. The last time he had seen him in Taruuzh Kraat, the half-elf had been spattered with old blood, his clothes torn, his hair matted, and his eyes filled with madness. He’d cleaned up since then, with new clothes and clean hair. He could probably have passed among strangers without rousing suspicion, but Natrac had known him for years, had sailed with him from Zarash’ak to the remote port of Yrlag and back many times before Vennet had turned on him. The intensity of madness was still in his eyes. Since he’d devoted himself to Dah’mir, something had happened to crack Vennet’s mind. Not that he’d been entirely sane before. Natrac’s right arm tingled with phantom pain. In service to the cults of the Dragon Below, Vennet had been the one who’d hacked off his hand, leaving it as bait to lure Dandra into a trap.

What was he doing here?

Then a new fear cut into Natrac as Biish opened his mouth to respond to Vennet’s scorn. If the hobgoblin told Vennet who he had imprisoned upstairs, there would be no point in trying to escape. Vennet-and Dah’mir-would know he, Dandra, and the others had escaped Taruuzh Kraat. He squeezed his eyes shut, afraid to watch what unfolded.

Biish’s rage saved him. Natrac’s eyes popped open again as Biish unleashed a blistering storm of furious curses and roared out, “Your gold buys you and your freakish birds a hiding place and my services, you lunatic dog! If you think it puts me at you beck and call, then the Keeper take your soul and I’ll send it to him myself!”

The hobgoblin was on his feet, but Vennet just leaned into his bellows as if leaning into a sea wind. There was even a beatific half-smile on his face. As Biish ran out of breath, Vennet straightened up and said calmly, “You’re afraid of me.”

Biish made a strangled noise and might have leaped across the table at Vennet if Benti hadn’t held him back. Vennet just pulled out a chair and sat down. He looked up Biish. “Sit,” he said. “We have things to discuss. Are your preparations ready?”

Breathing hard, his fists curling and uncurling, Biish stared at him and slowly eased himself into his chair. His ears, though, were still flat to his head. “Mazo,” he said. “We’re ready. The plans are drawn up. We have two possible targets for the first part of the operation. One is preferred, but if we can’t get it, we’ll get the other.”

Vennet pressed his fingers together in front of his face and sat back. His gaze was on Benti. “There is the matter of someone to take the helm.”

“You’re looking at her,” Biish said, jerking his head at the woman. “This is Benti Morren.”

Vennet’s eyes glittered. “Show me,” he said.

Natrac watched as Benti unfastened a wide leather bracer on her right arm and held her arm out for Vennet’s inspection. The bright colors of a dragonmark traced the pale skin on the inside of her forearm. The half-orc stared at it. Half-elves could only bear one of two dragonmarks-and he’d never heard of a bearer of the Mark of Detection standing at a helm.

But half-elves also manifested the Mark of Storm, the mark of House Lyrandar.

The same mark that Vennet bore. Natrac frowned. If Benti carried the Mark of Storm, but not the name of Lyrandar, she might be a renegade from the house. But so was Vennet. Why did he need someone else with the mark? Why was he concealing his own power?

Vennet’s lips twitched, a look of pity and disdain flitting across his face. “A poor thing, but it will do,” he said, sitting back. Natrac saw Vennet’s shoulders, where his own dragonmark was located, shift in discomfort. Vennet reached up to scratch himself as if unaware he was doing so. From above, Natrac caught a glimpse down the back of his shirt.

He spat his fingers out of his mouth in disgust and horror. At Tzaryan Keep a month before, it had seemed as if the skin around Vennet’s dragonmark was reddened and irritated with scabs in spots. Now it was utterly raw, the colors of the mark marred with big patches of crusted blood and yellow-white infection.

If Biish or Benti could see it, they gave no sign. Benti seemed more put-off by his dismissal of her dragonmark. “It will have to do,” she said, fastening the bracer around her arm once more. “You don’t have anyone but me.”

Her voice was smooth but with an edge to it, like a purring cat or a fine knife. Vennet just gave her a fleeting smile. “As you say,” he said. “And the second part of the operation?”

Biish’s ears twitched and stood up. “Leave,” he said with a glance at Benti. She nodded once and walked out of Natrac’s field of vision. A moment later, the door of the meeting room opened and closed. From a pouch at his belt, Biish produced a piece of folded paper and smoothed it out. “There are a lot of them,” he said.

Vennet’s expression darkened. “If you tell me that you can’t handle it, I’m not going to be happy. It won’t be any more difficult than the other three.”

“I’m not saying I can’t do it. It’s just going to take longer.” Heavy fingers sketched on the tabletop. “If we start with a few at various locations, the rest will gather at a central spot to defend themselves and once they’re there …” He looked at Vennet intently. “We’ll need to adjust the timing. We’ll have your help as before?”

“Of course. You don’t even need to take all of the targets on the list as long as you get most of them. We need seventeen.” Vennet raised an eyebrow. “You’re certain it will work?”

Biish bared his teeth. “I’ve had some experience at this. Humans and goblins usually run around in confusion during a raid. Halflings go to ground. Hobgoblins and dwarves move to a perimeter.” His ears stood up. “Kalashtar cluster together.”

Vennet laughed. “Storm at dawn! After tonight, Biish, your name will be known far beyond Malleon’s Gate!”

It felt to Natrac as if the air in his lungs had turned to sand. He didn’t dare even to breathe. Kalashtar? Tonight? Dol Arrah’s mercy, he thought, what is Dah’mir up to?

Biish only grunted, but his ears bent forward, betraying his excitement. Vennet rose to his feet. “Your people have been scouting Overlook over the last few days, Biish? They all know the district? We only have one chance at this. Nothing can go wrong.” He leaned across the table and the madness in his eyes found its way to his voice. “Nothing.”

But Biish rose as well. “Nothing will go wrong,” he snarled.

“Let’s be sure of that,” said Vennet. “Let’s you and I go up to Overlook together and have a last look around. Whatever you were busy doing when I arrived, I’m sure it can wait.”

Biish said something in Goblin that Natrac didn’t recognize. He couldn’t tell if Vennet did or not. The half-elf simply stood up, utterly calm and stepped away from the table and out of sight for a moment. When he reappeared, he wore a wide-brimmed hat that hid his face entirely from Natrac’s view. “If you don’t want to go together then, I want a report before it all begins. When you’re ready, come and see me. You know where to find me.”