Erik de Bie - Downshadow

The hate in her eyes shivered Kalen to his core.

Cellica's eyes darted back and forth between Kalen and Myrin. She seemed not to notice Myrin's eyes or runes-the girl's eyes had been locked on the half-elf. "What was that?"

"Damn," Fayne murmured, touching her head as rhough it were tender. "Damn me for good and all." She shook her head and looked to the table, where she finally was able to see Myrin. Her lips curled like those of an angry canine, and Kalen half expected to see fangs. But no, her teeth were quite normal.

"Wait," Kalen whispered to Fayne.

She looked up at him, gray eyes slowly draining of rage-and replaced by wariness. "Aye?"

Kalen fell into communion with his threefold god, fingers curling around his gauntlet-etched ring. His hands glowed, attracting Myrin's and Cellica's awed gazes. Healing power flowed inro Fayne, easing her breathing.

She closed her eyes and nuzzled her cheek against his hand. "Oh, Shadow," she said.

"Kalen," he corrected.

"Hrmm." Fayne moved away-a little wobbly, but that might have been feigned. "If you're taking blue-hair girl, then I'll just have to wait until next time, won't I?"

She winked at Kalen in a way that assured him there would indeed be a next time.

"You don't-you don't have to," Cellica said. "Let me look at you. I've a healer's-"

"No need!" Fayne gave Cellica a winning smile and bent to kiss her on the forehead. "I'll be just fine." She tossed a glare at Myrin. "Just fine."

The half-elf left.

Kalen glanced at Cellica and Myrin. The halfling stood, pale faced, near the door, staring after Fayne. At the table, Myrin looked terrified. Blue runes adorned the left side of her face.

Kalen sighed. "I'll see her home," he said. "Wherever home is."

He grabbed his spare uniform, the black coat of leather and plate with its two gauntlets of rank. Heedless of whether they watched, he pulled off his hose and dressed.

With an eep! Myrin blushed and looked away.

Cellica looked hard at Kalen. "Do you know where?" she asked.

Kalen shrugged.

"So you really don't know her, eh?" the halfling said brightly. Kalen laced up his breeches and shrugged on the harness straps. "You

… you're still taking Myrin to the revel on the morrow?" Kalen shrugged. It hardly seemed relevant. "Well, then," Cellica said. She smiled.

Myrin pressed her back against the wall and slid down, trembling and hot in the face. What had she done?

She stared at her hands and her heart leaped. Little blue marks showed vividly against her left palm. She rubbed at them, as one might dirt smudges, but they didn't come off. She pulled up the sleeve of the old tunic, breathing hard. She found more marks traveling up her arm. She scratched hard at her skin, trying desperately to get rid of them, but she drew blood.

She touched her cheek, which tingled. In the small mirror across the room, she saw a vine of blue runes running along her throat and up her face. She sat, rigid in horror, and tried vainly to stay calm. The marks were moving-shrinking.

Soon, they faded entirely, and she could breathe again.

Fayne had gone, she realized, and Kalen-fully dressed and about to follow-was sraring at her. His icy eyes glittered balefully. When Myrin opened her mouth, nothing came out. Wordlessly, Kalen srrode into the corridor and banged the door shut.

Myrin looked down at her hands. Tears welled in her eyes. "Don't mind him." Cellica appeared at her side, smiling. "He's just a glowering bastard." "Really?" Myrin sniffed.

"Yes," she said. "I know what will make you feel better." Her eyes twinkled. "Dresses!"

flThen she realized Kalen wasn't in the Room of Records either, If Araezra slammed her fist on the table. Pain flared and she kissed her wrist to lessen it.

Damn that Kalen-where the Hells was he? He wasn't at home, and he wasn't anywhere at the barracks. This, the Room of Records, was his favorite place-it was peaceful and quiet, and he could read. Where could he be?

And who the Hells was that girl? Wearing his tunic, with hair like that? Had he brought a ^irl home from the Smiling Siren?

She felt sick. Everything was going wrong that day-everything. Except for Jarthay being so kind, she'd have sworn this was still a nightmare. The commander being sensitive made it seem more a fever dream.

Who was that girl? Gods, had Kalen fallen in love with someone else? Gods!

In her anger, Araezra hadn't noticed the door quierly opening or anyone entering. Only as she sat there, willing herself not to cry, did gooseflesh rise on her arms. She realized she was no longer alone. "Who's there?" she asked. "Kalen?"

Light vanished from the room and she gasped. The Room of Records had no windows, and with the door shut, it was utterly lightless. Pushing her uneasy shivers aside, she pur her fingers to the amulet she and those of her rank wore and whispered a word in Elvish. The medallion glowed with a gentle green light, softly illumining the room around her.

She made out the desk nearby and anchored herself. The candle on the edge of the desk gave off a little plume of smoke from its too-short wick.

"Fool girl," she said. "Scared by a burned-out candle."

She saw another source of light, then, coming from her belt. She froze and reached down, very slowly, to the hilt of Shadowbane's sword. She remembered that it had scalded her hand before, but the hilt was no longer warm to the touch. Instead, it felt cool and comfortable. Right. Light leaked around the edges of the scabbard and she drew it forth, gasping in awe at the silver shimmer that fell from it.

"Gods," she murmured. She cut the blade twice through the air, marveling at the way the light trailed. It felt so efficient-a killing weapon, beautiful and deadly.

Then she thought she saw movement against the wall. "What was-?"

She crepr forward, Shadowbane's sword held before her like a talisman. She approached, letting the circle of light creep closer and closer to the wall, until Nothing.

Nothing had moved-it was just a Watch greatcoat hung on a peg by the disused hearth.

Araezra loosed a nervous breath.

Then a man was there, leaping inside her guard. She gasped and tried to slash, but he was too fast, batting the sword out of her hands. The weapon spun end over end toward the door and clattered to the floor. Her attacker seized her by the throat and hip and crushed her against the wall. She could see, by the dim, flickering light of the sword, that it was a smooth-faced dwarf. His features were flawless, making him look all the more monstrous to her eyes. She knew his name-remembered Kalen menrioning a beardless dwarf.

"Arrath Vir," she squeaked.

"I am pleased that you know me," the dwarf said. "It means you might be useful." He fixed her eyes with his own. "Tell me-who is seeking me? A name."

"Piss-urk!" He pressed his arm tighter against her throat, cutting off air.

"Know rhat you are mine to slay on a whim." His eyes bored into hers. "You are powerless. The Warchmen in the barracks-all those swords and shields sworn to serve this city. All those men who hunger for your beauty. All of them mean nothing to you now."

Her face felt as though it would burst from the pressure within. As though he sensed this, Rath eased his arm enough that she could breathe.

"All the years spent cultivating your life-everything you learned as a child, all the pointless loves and hates that have defined who you are. All of it ends, here and now, at my whim." He smiled gently. "You will die at my hands, no matter what you do now."

Araezra gasped but could not speak. She could barely breathe.

"Aye," he said. "But you've a choice. Aid me, and I shall make your death a painless one. Do not, and I shall not."