The tyranny of ghosts

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

19 Vult

Aruget reacted instantly, vaulting over the table and slamming the door of the room in Pradoor’s face. Ashi heard the old goblin priestess yelp in pain. Aruget put his back to the door and pointed at the table. “Get that over here!”

Ashi dropped the torn pieces of Tariic’s false letter and heaved against the table. Papers went flying. Aruget hopped up out of the way, and she rammed the table against the door just as something-a bugbear’s shoulder, probably-struck from the other side. The door shuddered, but the table held it closed. Aruget joined Ashi, and together they threw the table up on its end so the heavy top leaned against the door.

The silent door of Tariic’s chambers. The thick, muffling carpets in the outer room-the same things that had hidden their entry, Ashi realized, had let Pradoor and the bugbears sneak up on them. How had she known they were there, though? Ashi glared at Aruget. “You set off that ward on the cabinet after all!”

“I didn’t!”

“The Six hear our secrets,” Pradoor called from the other side of the door, “and I hear you. Do you think Lhesh Tariic would keep his plans behind just one ward? The Keeper commands that both inner and outer doors be guarded.”

A second ward inside the cabinet. Ashi ground her teeth together and Aruget cursed. “What now?” she asked him.

He looked around at the scattered papers, then scooped up both the folded paper she’d written on and the rolled map she’d copied from. He thrust the folded paper at her and stuffed the map through his belt. “We fight. Whoever gets out has to get this information to someone who can warn Breland.”

Ashi’s mouth went dry as she took the paper and slid it into her jacket. “What about stopping Tariic before he can attack?”

Aruget looked at her and shook his head. “That’s not going to happen. I’m sorry, Ashi, but this could be the end for Darguun. The Five Nations will crush Tariic.”

Another blow rocked the door and shifted the heavy table back by a handspan. Ashi jumped away from it and drew her sword. Aruget drew his as well and shifted around to the side of the door. When the next blow came, the door burst open, and a bugbear pushed his head and shoulders through. Aruget lunged.

His hobgoblin sword wasn’t made for thrusting. The broad end of it, though sharp, left only a shallow cut in the bugbear’s shoulder. The bugbear yelped and just jerked back. Aruget cursed. “Useless bloody-”

With a roar, the bugbear hit the door again. This time it flew wide, the table toppling over, and the bugbear surged into the room. Aruget leaped for him-and Ashi heard Pradoor’s voice crack in prayer, invoking the power of the Dark Six. “See the glory of the Mockery!”

Aruget stiffened before he could land a blow. His eyes went wide with unnatural fear, and he leaped away. The bugbear lumbered after him, but the changeling pressed himself back toward the farthest corner of the room.

Ashi reached out and grabbed his arm. She focused her will, and heat spread through her dragonmark. Aruget sucked in a breath and the fear faded from his face.

“You’re welcome,” said Ashi. No further tricks of the mind lurking in Pradoor’s prayers would touch either of them anymore. She ducked past Aruget and slashed at the first of the bugbears. The bright Deneith honor blade flashed and the big dar reeled back, clutching the gaping wound across its belly.

The other two bugbears pushed it out of the way, almost filling the room with their bulk. They were armed too. One carried an axe, the other a heavy hammer. Tariic might have had them deafened, but that hadn’t taken away any of their battle skills. Both swung their weapons in easy circles. Ashi backed up a pace. She didn’t even notice that Pradoor had also crept through the door until the priestess flung an arm toward her. “The Fury scours your soul!”

Black fire tinged with licking colors seemed to rush up around Ashi, feeling as if it were burning all the way through her. It vanished in an instant, but it left her gasping, and this time it was Aruget who ducked past to cover her. He wouldn’t stand long against the two bugbears, though. Ashi sucked in her breath, pushed the pain of the fire away, and joined him. The hammer swung down at his unprotected side, but she caught the blow with her sword and deflected it.

The hammer’s wielder bared his teeth and turned all of his attention to her. Crouched down low, she moved to the side, searching for an opening.

Beyond the two armed bugbears, Pradoor crept toward the one Ashi had wounded. She moved with eerie confidence for a blind woman, hand going directly to his wound. Ashi didn’t hear the prayer she spoke, but she saw its effects-the bugbear jerked at her touch and sat upright. The wound across its belly was gone.

“Just run, Ashi!” snapped Aruget. He led the way, slipping around his opponent and sprinting through the shattered door into the outer room. Ashi feinted at the hammer-wielding bugbear, then slid to his other side as he reacted.

The bugbear Pradoor had just healed thrust himself to his feet and lunged for her. Ashi skipped aside, and the bugbear’s arms swept wide, but so did her blow. Pradoor cackled with glee. Ashi plunged on through the shattered door after Aruget. The changeling was almost across the outer room, almost at the door to the corridor “I call the teeth of the Devourer!” Pradoor shouted.

Whirling white blades burst out of the air between Aruget and the door. He tried to stop, but he slid half in among them. The blades seemed to close on him like a school of fish caught in a feeding frenzy. Aruget screamed and scrambled away. His left arm emerged torn and bloody from the attack. The white blades spread back across the door, cutting off escape.

Ashi caught up to him. “Aruget-”

“I’m fine,” he said in a voice tight with pain.

“No,” she said. “The map.”

Tucked into the changeling’s belt at his left side, it had plunged with him into the spinning blades. Pradoor’s spell had chewed it to tatters.

Aruget looked up at her, and his face hardened. “Keep your paper safe then,” he said-and shoved past her, charging back at the bugbears and Pradoor as they emerged into the outer room. He snatched a heavy vessel of Aundairian glass from a shelf as he raced by and hurled it ahead of him at the old priestess.

For once, Pradoor’s strange senses seemed to fail her. The glass vessel struck her right between the eyes, and she pitched over backward. She hit the floor, and the barrier of blades vanished.

And the bugbear with the hammer hit Aruget. The weapon swung high, slamming into his chest and halting his charge. The changeling’s legs flew out from under him and he crashed down onto his back. The other armed bugbear raised his axe. Ashi saw Aruget’s eyes open wide. He flung himself aside and the axe chopped through the thick carpet deep into the floor. The bugbear jerked at the axe, trying to pull it loose, but the other two bugbears were already on Aruget, the unarmed one kicking at his head with heavy boots, the other raising his hammer for another blow.

There was no need. Between Tariic’s servants, Ashi saw Aruget’s face run like wax. The coarse features, ruddy tones, and long mobile ears of Aruget melted into a pale, delicate visage surrounded by short-cropped, silver hair. The bugbear froze in surprise.

Ashi had never seen Aruget’s true face. Changelings didn’t revert to their natural face in sleep or when they lost consciousness, only when they willed it. Or when they died.

Rage settled over Ashi. In her head, she knew that she should be running-out the door, down the stairs, and out into Rhukaan Draal in search of some way to get her information out of Darguun. Her heart told her she should be doing something very different.

Even though the bugbears couldn’t hear it, she raised her voice in the fluting battle cry of the Bonetree Clan and flung herself at them. The first barely had a chance to look up from his buried axe. Ashi leaped off of a carved table and plunged her sword, with all of her weight behind it, deep into his back. The bugbear collapsed under her. She rolled off him, snatched back her sword, and whirled to face the others.

The unarmed one had seen her. He pointed, and the hammer wielder spun around, his weapon still raised over his head. Ashi thrust her sword up under his ribcage, then yanked it sharply out again. His mouth opened in a groan that never came, and he slumped backward.

The last bugbear, the one she had originally wounded, snatched up Aruget’s fallen sword. He backed away from her with fear in his eyes, sword held low to protect his belly from another blow. Ashi stalked after him, then lunged suddenly. Her first attack bashed the sword out of his hand. Her second pierced his right leg and he toppled over, screeching his pain. She reversed her sword, raised it — and a voice like the creaking of a door called out, “The Six curse you, Ashi of Deneith!”

Pain shot through her, as if someone had gathered all of her nerves in a fist and pulled hard on them. It ripped a scream from her, and she almost fell. She forced herself to stay on her feet, though, as she turned to face Pradoor.

The goblin priestess was on her knees, blood running in a dark red ribbon between her eyes. The expression on her face, however, was rapturous. “You try to defy Tariic,” Pradoor said. “You try to defy the will of the Six. But you won’t. You can’t. Tariic will bring in a new age, and Darguun will follow the power of the Six once more!”

It hurt to draw breath, but Ashi managed it. “The only power Tariic will allow in Darguun is him, Pradoor,” she spat. She dragged herself closer to the old goblin, raising her sword with shaking hands.

“Fool,” said Pradoor. “Tariic knows and fears the power of the Six-as should you!” She flung out a hand. Shadows flowed from the gesture.

The pain that shook Ashi seemed to intensify, sucking the strength from her limbs and driving her to the ground. Incredible weakness pressed against her. She couldn’t stay upright. She could barely breathe. She sank down against the soft carpet, her eyes level with Aruget’s.

The changeling looked disappointed in her.

Shuffling footsteps scuffed across the carpet behind her. Ashi tried to lift her head but couldn’t. Groping hands touched her shoulders, located her skull. Pradoor gasped with effort.

And something hard and heavy drove thought out of Ashi’s head.

A slap in the face woke her up.

Ashi started and opened her eyes to bright light. Shock rolled through her, and the habit she’d cultivated for weeks drove fear into her. It was morning. The sun had risen, and she hadn’t renewed the protection of her dragonmark No. She blinked and the light came into focus-an everbright lamp. She was lying on a cold, hard floor with the lantern close beside her, and someone was holding her arms up above her throbbing head. An open window in one wall showed the darkness of night beyond. Relief replaced shock. It wasn’t morning yet.

Then another slap hit her, and she saw who was striking her. Tariic stood over her, still in his tigerskin cloak, still wearing the spiked crown of Darguun, still carrying the Rod of Kings. He smelled of wine and meat as if he’d come straight from his feast.

The events of the night rushed over her. Tariic raised his hand for a third time.

“Do it,” Ashi said, “and I’ll bite you.”

He stomped down on her belly instead. Ashi convulsed and retched. Tariic stepped away from her. “You’re almost more trouble than you’re worth,” he growled. “Oraan is missing. I assume that changeling was him?”

Ashi twisted her neck to follow him. She wasn’t in his chambers anymore, that was certain. The room was small and cold. She could hear the night noises of the Rhukaan Draal, but they seemed distant. A room in one of Khaar Mbar’ost’s towers, she guessed. She lifted her head a little and looked down toward her feet.

Pradoor stood there. And Dagii.

Anger darkened the face of the young warlord of Mur Talaan, but he stood still and silent as Tariic paced the room. Ashi tipped her head back to see who held her. The last of Tariic’s three deaf bugbears bared his teeth at her.

Tariic’s foot thumped into her side, forcing a gasp out of her. “I asked you a question.”

She glared at him. “Yes,” she said.

“Was he Aruget?”

“Yes.”

“And you found out what I plan for Breland.”

She didn’t answer that. Tariic’s words had an effect on Dagii though. His face darkened even further, and his ears lay flat. “You have no honor,” he snarled at Tariic.

Ashi felt a moment of surprise. Dagii wasn’t under the control of the rod? What was he doing here, then?

He was there, she realized suddenly, because of her. Tariic didn’t need the rod to command Dagii right then. All he needed was her as his captive.

Tariic flipped Dagii a piece of paper. Ashi recognized the paper-no longer folded-that had been in her jacket. “The copy is terrible,” Tariic said, “but you should be able to make it out.”

Dagii bared his teeth as he scanned her roughly drawn map. He looked up at Tariic. “This is a violation of the Treaty of Thronehold-”

Tariic turned on him. “First,” he said, “don’t pretend you don’t already know.” He pointed at Ashi. “If Oraan was Aruget, then she hasn’t been as isolated as I thought she was. And if she wasn’t isolated, she was going to friends for help. Senen Dhakaan. You.” Dagii stiffened. Tariic sneered at him. “You should never lie, Dagii. You don’t have the talent for it.”

“Second,” he added, “you need to get used to the idea, because you’re leading the attack on New Cyre.”

Dagii’s ears flicked. “I won’t.”

“Your lhesh commands it.” Dagii said nothing. Tariic’s sneer returned. “At the feast tonight, you accepted my request to lead the Iron Fox out of Skullreave. If you already suspected that the defense against Valenar raiders was only an excuse, then why did you accept? You were willing to do your duty then. You swore an oath to do it.”

Dagii met his gaze. “I deny my oath.”

Tariic laughed. “You? Dagii, son of Fenic of Mur Talaan? You’re not capable of it.” He looked at Ashi. “Any more than Ashi here seems capable of placing any value in her own life.”

Some of Ashi’s own anger came back. “All your bracelets have done is keep me in Rhukaan Draal and my hands from your throat, Tariic,” she said.

Tariic flicked his finger, and the bugbear holding her arms gave them a sharp tug. The pain made her gasp. Tariic smiled again. “True,” he said. “That’s why I think I need new leverage against you. Against both of you.” He pointed the Rod of Kings at Ashi. “You are going to remain my prisoner, though not in the comfortable surroundings you have been enjoying.”

He pointed his other hand at Dagii. “You will command the assault on New Cyre, the hero of the Battle of Zarrthec at the head of my armies. If either of you disobeys me, the other dies.” His ears twitched and rose. “Is that simple enough?”

Dagii thrust out his chest. “Command me with the rod. You’ll have my obedience then!”

“You don’t understand, Dagii.” Tariic’s words rasped between his teeth. “I can command anyone. I command the Ghaal’dar clans. I command the Kech Shaarat who dared to come before me. I command the envoys of the dragonmarked houses and the ambassadors of the Five Nations. But that isn’t true power. That’s not how the emperors of Dhakaan truly ruled.” He held up the rod. “This is a crutch. Unless I put care into my orders, my power doesn’t extend beyond those who see and hear me. To rule an empire requires servants who serve because they want to”-he lowered the rod-“or because they have to.”

He waited.

Dagii looked down at Ashi, then his ears drooped, and he lowered his head. His fist rose to rap his chest. “I will command the assault, lhesh.”

“Dagii-” Ashi said, but the instant her lips moved, the bugbear jerked on her arms again. Her words vanished in another gasp.

Tariic ignored her. “Serve me well, and you’ll be rewarded,” he said. He gestured toward the door. “Now go, and remember what you have to lose.”

Dagii walked out the door like a broken man. Tariic closed it behind him, then turned his gaze back to Ashi, gesturing for the bugbear to ease his grip on her arms.

“I know you don’t care about risking your own life,” he said. “How do you feel about risking Dagii’s?”

Ashi glared at him. “I saw the letter that you had forged. It doesn’t matter what Dagii does. You always intended to destroy me.”

He drew his foot back to kick her again. Ashi braced herself, but the kick never came. Tariic lowered his foot. “Not always,” he said. “But I knew that in the aftermath of my attack on Breland there was a chance Breven might relent and ask you to return to Karrlakton. I couldn’t let that happen. You do know my secret-and my ‘crutch’ is very convenient.” He turned the rod in his hands. “I didn’t so much intend to destroy you as to make certain that no one outside of Darguun would want anything to do with you.”

“Why not just kill me, then?”

He smiled at her. “Because I don’t need to.” He stepped back. “I saw that you tore up my letter. There really wasn’t much point to that. I can have another one made. In fact, you’ve given me the chance to send Breven an even more impressive gesture of your disdain for Deneith.”

He gestured, and Pradoor dragged out something she’d been hiding behind her back. Ashi’s bright honor blade. “In the new letter,” said Tariic, “you’ll be sending it back.” He took the sword from Pradoor.

Ashi started to struggle, but her bugbear captor renewed the pressure on her arms. She forced herself to relax. She glared at Tariic.

“I’ll stop you, Tariic. I swear I will.”

“I don’t see how,” said Tariic. “Dagii is gone. Aruget is gone. Senen is gone. You’re out of allies. I’d suggest focusing on behaving yourself and keeping Dagii alive. His life is in your hands now.”

He turned to the door. “Pradoor,” he said. “Hold her.”

The goblin priestess murmured a prayer, and once again pain burned through Ashi’s body. While she writhed, the bugbear released her and lumbered to his feet, taking the lantern with him. By the time she could breathe again, Tariic, the bugbear, and Pradoor were all at the door. Tariic clapped the bugbear on the shoulder. “You already know your new jailer,” he said. “Don’t bother screaming. Nobody is going to be coming for you.”

She managed to raise her voice. “The dragonmarked envoys will miss me.”

“No,” said Tariic. He lifted the Rod of Kings. “They won’t.”

The door closed. The room plunged into darkness. Ashi heard the rasp of a bolt being slid home on the other side of the door. Two bolts. And a key in a lock.

She sat up slowly, utterly alone in the cold darkness.