David Dalglish - A Dance Of Death

“First the Wraith, now you,” he said, remembering Dieredon’s amazing speed with his knives. “Why, Ashhur, does the whole world hate me?”

Ashhur gave him no answer. Frustrated, Haern returned to the small room he and Zusa had rented. He was in no shape to fight the Wraith, and he didn’t want to imagine what would happen if he was spotted by Dieredon again. After bandaging his wounds, he lay on the bed, closed his eyes, and hoped Zusa fared far better.

“I want watch set up in three shifts,” Torgar said as Madelyn clutched Tori to her chest and watched her mercenaries take up positions throughout her yard and along the wall. Several of the men were wounded, and all looked tired, but they did not complain. Even Torgar sported a fresh cut across his already ugly face, but he didn’t seem bothered by it.

“They can’t make it through, can they?” she asked as the minor captains spread out, organizing shifts. Torgar shrugged, and gestured for Madelyn to go back inside.

“No reason they should, not with how many bodies we have watching the gate. Trust me on that.”

“Like I trusted you to handle the Merchant Lords?”

Torgar made a noise akin to a growl, and he put a massive hand on her shoulder.

“Go inside,” he said. “Now.”

She might have argued, but she held Tori in her arms, and feared something might happen to the baby. She slipped inside as told, and to her surprise, Torgar followed. The door slammed shut behind him with a heavy crack.

“Take her,” Torgar said to Lily, who stood waiting beside the door. The servant looked nervous, as if unsure she should follow the mercenary’s orders. Madelyn handed little Tori over, and she whispered soothing words as she stroked her head. Her eyes met Lily’s briefly.

“Get my guard,” Madelyn whispered before turning to face Torgar.

“We need to talk,” said the mercenary. “Either here or somewhere private. I don’t give a damn which.”

“About what, may I ask, that is so important you believe you can give me orders?”

Torgar grinned, and his tone was full of mockery.

“The Wraith, and how he killed Laurie.”

She swallowed, and forced herself to make no outward reaction.

“My husband’s old study, then,” she said. “Lead the way.”

“Oh no, ladies first,” he said. “I insist.”

Madelyn walked to the study, every muscle in her body stiff. She kept telling herself there was no way he could know, no way he could prove it, but that grin of his… Once inside, she put her back to a wall and crossed her arms over her chest. Torgar walked in casually, his hand resting on the handle to his giant sword. He kicked the door shut behind him, and her heart jumped at the loud bang.

“I don’t know what you’re thinking, but I can assure you…”

“Be quiet,” Torgar said. She did, and that alone worried her. The mercenary paced before her, tapping his lips as if in thought. His eyes never left her.

“You said you wished to talk,” she said, regaining her composure. “We’re here now, so talk.”

“I’ve been thinking about that night,” Torgar said. He stopped pacing, instead leaning his back against the door, as if reminding her she had nowhere to go. “The Wraith’s good, and stealthy, I have no doubt about that. I’ve fought him, seen what he can do. But to make it into your room unnoticed, without killing a single guard? That seems a bit much, don’t you think?”

“I don’t know how he got in, Torgar. I woke with Laurie dead and a hand over my mouth. Perhaps the window?”

“That glass breaking is what alerted us, Madelyn. If he got in, then he got in through the door. He left through the window…at least, looks like it, don’t it? I looked at the window, though, and it don’t seem right. Don’t seem the shape it should be. Course, I’m not the smartest, but then I saw something I really didn’t like.”

He stepped closer, and when she tried to slide away he shoved an arm in her way. Towering over her, he leaned in, grinning. Despite it, she saw the fury that burned in his eyes.

“I saw blood in your wash basin.”

“There was blood everywhere,” she said, her lower lip quivering. It took all her willpower to meet his gaze.

“Aye, but not that far. Sure, a drop could have landed in there…or someone cleaned up afterward. But that don’t make much sense, does it? Made me wonder, though. Wonder how he got in. How he got away. How no one saw him. All we had was your word, and milady, that don’t mean shit to me.”

“I’ll hang you for this,” she said softly.

“That so? I don’t think so. Not knowing what I know.”

He reached into a pocket of his vest. When she saw the dagger in his hand, her legs went weak. The hilt was golden, the sharp blade still stained with dried blood.

“You recognize this, don’t you?” he asked.

“Should I?” she said, trying to feign innocence.

“I tore your damn room apart, Madelyn, and I found this sewn up in your mattress. Look at it. Look at it! It don’t take much guessing to know whose blood is dried on the edge.”

“What do you want?” she asked. Under such conditions, she normally would have flaunted her body, used her sex to subdue his anger and put herself under his protection. But something about Torgar always made her uncomfortable, and deep down she knew any advance she made would be met by a blow from the back of his hand.

Torgar jammed the dagger into the wall. Her breath caught in her throat. He leaned closer, and she knew he could smell victory.

“Laurie’s dead, so you’re the one with the coin purse. I’d like to make sure my pay don’t get interrupted. If anything, I think I’ll be taking on more responsibilities around here, what with fighting off the merchants and the city guard. Oh, and let’s not forget my fun with that elven slut. So let’s have my pay go through the roof, you hear me?”

“I can arrange that,” she said, her voice hoarse.

“Not just that. I don’t want you trying anything stupid, like killing me to protect your little secrets. So this is the other catch. I know you won’t ever let me join the family, so if you want me to keep my lips shut, you need to make me Tori’s godfather.”

The door burst open, and a dozen guards rushed in. They said nothing, only looked around as if confused.

“Are you all right, milady?” asked one.

“She’s fine,” Torgar said, flashing a smile. He turned back to her. “What’s it going to be? Or should I have a talk with your house guards about that night? Or perhaps the Conningtons, or whoever will be running Alyssa’s house once she’s dead?”

“I’ll do it,” she said, thinking of a hundred ways she could delay making such an arrangement legal. “And I’ll trust you to hold your word.”

Torgar laughed, and he walked through the group of guards looking completely unworried by their presence.

“I’d say you’re not the one who needs to worry about getting stabbed in the back,” he called over his shoulder. Madelyn felt her blood run cold, and she nearly gave the order for her guards to execute him on the spot. The look on the guards’ faces stopped her. Some were inquisitive, but most seemed angry, or in doubt. How many of them knew, or at least, questioned Laurie’s death? Might Torgar have told them already? What if his presence was the only thing keeping them in line?

She caught several of them staring at the dagger embedded in the wall, and that was the last straw.

“I’m fine,” she said. “Go on, back to your posts.”

They filtered out, and when they were gone, she yanked the dagger free. The study had a fireplace, and she hurled the dagger into the center of the coals, not caring whether it would burn or not. She just didn’t want to see it anymore.