12. Secrets And Lies
Secrets And Lies
“ W hy is your glass still full, Rhalyf? Something wrong with the Chelios? Or is something wrong with you ?” Helgrom asked him.
“Nothing at all is wrong with either, Helgrom.” Rhalyf drained his goblet to the dregs and held it out for more.
Yet, despite his words, he barely tasted the wine. Instead, he was staring at Finley’s ridiculous robes. At a certain part of the robes. The part that held that journal with all that very interesting information inside of it.
A rift to Illithor of all things, he thought and recalled what Elasha had said about her twin’s belief that the fabled Kindreth city had been found by the Leviathan . So Darcassan is not totally insane. The boy could not have dreamed it in so much detail.
Finley was now over by the bar with the General and Snaglak. That damned orc was downing yet another flagon of ale. How many had the orc consumed? Finley and the General were paying for them all. Perhaps the orc had figured out one smart thing in this universe: pretend to be beaten by a human and get free beer for life. Although if Declan was what he thought he was… Well, taking down an orc–or a whole tribe of them–wouldn’t be hard at all.
“Ah, yes! That’s the spirit! Drink up!” Helgrom’s warm, gravelly voice should have been a welcome distraction from this vexing day, but it wasn’t. The second practically overflowing serving of Chelios definitely should have distracted him, but alas, it didn’t either. “So there’s nothing wrong then?”
Rhalyf’s eyes narrowed as he watched Finley linger by the stairway, gazing up at it, ostensibly waiting for Declan to appear. Only the General’s presence was keeping him on the first floor.
He must know about his friend’s true nature, Rhalyf thought. Otherwise why would he be looking up every single bit of information he can find on the Kindreth in the undoubtedly paltry selection at the Athenaeum? It can’t really be for a game! That would be absurd .
Finley turned towards him. Frowning. When he realized that Rhalyf was staring at him, that frown grew and he put a protective hand over the inner pocket that held his journal. He’d had Snaglak gather the rest up and put them behind the bar. As if that would stop Rhalyf if he wanted to see inside them!
Inside each and every one. I’ll know every word.
Amber eyes regarded him before Finley very deliberately turned his back on Rhalyf as if to say Rhalyf was unimportant to him. As if Rhalyf’s regard was no-nevermind. As if Finley was simply above Rhalyf’s interest! The urge to storm over there and turn Finley back towards him…
Absurd. Totally absurd. He pursed his lips. At least without a game plan. He has information on Illithor and Declan Wilde. I must not allow pique to ruin my interrogation of him later.
Instead of answering the dwarf’s question, Rhalyf said, “Tell me about Finley West, Helgrom.”
Helgrom’s amber eyes flickered from him to Finley and back again. The Dark Dwarf saw much. Knew much. But he kept silent about most of it. Rhalyf was infinitely grateful for that in certain instances. He was almost sure that the dwarf suspected him of having greater ties to the Kindreth than he let on, but Helgrom never said a word. But now he hoped that the usually tight-lipped dwarf would spill about Finley.
“Smart. Nearly as smart as you,” Helgrom said as he took a large gulp of his own drink, a bitter dark beer that tasted of ashes in Rhalyf’s opinion, but the dwarves and halflings loved it.
Ah, well, no accounting for taste!
“Really, Helgrom? But he’s–”
“ Human ? Please tell me you don’t carry such prejudice, too?” Helgrom’s right, thick eyebrow lifted.
“ Young . I was going to say young,” Rhalyf corrected. “And I actually don’t disagree with you about his intelligence.”
Despite Finley’s absurd robes, the even more absurd hat and the most absurd idea that he would get into Taranth, Rhalyf didn’t actually think Finley was absurd. He was very intelligent. His careful notes in that precise, fine script had told Rhalyf that. And the fact that Finley had remembered, sketched and confirmed seeing Illithor despite the Glass Scholar’s insistence that it was impossible also showed that Finley was determined.
Determined and intelligent. Too bad they’ll never let him study magic. Because those are the two qualities necessary to become a powerful Mage.
“And not just book smart either. Clever. Figured out a way to use people’s low expectations of humanity and turn it around. Now makes a pretty penny telling us our own stories better than we’ve ever done.” Helgrom smacked his lips in satisfaction whether that was from the drink or Finley’s pecuniary accomplishment or both wasn’t clear. Rhalyf thought it was both.
“So there is a game?” Rhalyf blinked. “With–with Xelroth Vex as the Big Bad?”
He dropped his voice as he said the Night King’s name and used Finley’s connotation for him. “Big Bad” did fit Vex. He rather thought that Vex would have been amused by such a title.
Helgrom nodded. “Vex is a surprise that he’ll be launching on his group tomorrow night. He’s the real enemy who will only make himself known after the heroes have faced one of his lieutenants. It’s quite good. I’ve even taken a turn playing. Finley created a special character sheet just for me to incorporate my family’s unique talents.”
Rhalyf bit his inner cheek at Helgrom’s barely concealed pride. Finley truly was intelligent if he realized that though Helgrom was not “too good” to own an inn and sell alcohol, he still remembered his family’s storied past. A past that the Kindreth had wiped out.
Helgrom continued, “He doesn’t satisfy himself with just books written by others either–though he’s consumed many of them–but goes directly to the sources. Or as close as he can get.”
“Such as interviewing you about the Greatfalls?” Rhalyf guessed.
Helgrom nodded. “And about the Kindreth.”
The name of Rhalyf’s people floated before them like smoke from Helgrom’s pipe. The Dark Dwarf was stuffing the black bowl with fragrant tobacco. The long, curling stem looked so delicate that it might break off from the weight of all those leaves.
“Why did he settle on the Kindreth as the villains for his little game?” Rhalyf tried to sound flippant as he added, “Is it because Finley thought he saw Illithor through a Leviathan rift?”
Helgrom’s amber eyes settled on him steadily. So steadily that if Rhalyf were not used to the cutthroat society of the Kindreth where to reveal oneself was to chance losing everything he might have squirmed.
“Finley has studied us. Knows what moves us. What makes us afraid,” Helgrom answered carefully then added even more carefully, “I had hoped that news about his spotting Illithor would have died when the Glass Scholar ignored it. But evidently not.”
Rhalyf ran a finger over the top of his goblet. “Did Neldor see his drawings? The sketches he has in his little books?”
Helgrom was staring at him again. “Even if he had, he wouldn’t have recognized it. Neldor isn’t interested in Illithor. Thankfully.”
The last was added almost like a prayer. That had Rhalyf staring hard at the dwarf.
“Why thankfully ? Illithor–”
“Is a poisoned chalice,” Helgrom cut him off. “All we would need would be fools going in search of its magic and mysteries.”
“Well, the fools wouldn’t make it very far.” Rhalyf tossed his head back. His long hair–dark as chocolate now as opposed to his true silvery locks–spilled over his shoulders.
“No, they wouldn’t, but disturbing it at all runs the risk of drawing Vex’s attention,” Helgrom’s voice was low and gruff. “All we would need is for him to make his way back to the surface. The Aravae–bless them–are in no fit state to face him or Kindreth Battle Mages. Even without being depleted by the Leviathan, they would be wiped out by Vex.”
The hair on the back of Rhalyf’s neck rose. That was true. Some thought that Vex abandoned Illithor, but Rhalyf rather thought that he had cocooned it in powerful magic so that it and all it contained would be there for his return. He wondered if the Leviathan’s activities hadn’t tripped some spiderweb of alarms if they really were rooting around the old city at least. But when he’d left the Kindreth, there had been no rumors whatsoever about Vex returning to the surface.
“If Vex were to come, Illithor’s magics and mysteries would be useful to have to use against him,” Rhalyf pointed out.
But Helgrom made a low sound of dismissal in the back of his throat as he pressed the last bit of tobacco into his pipe. “Who would be able to master such things? The great ones have drifted away on the Lieren Place or been killed long ago.”
“Aquilan could do it. I rather think he is unaware of his true strength,” Rhalyf said even as he thrummed at the idea of getting his own hands on those magics and mysteries. He , most definitely, could wield them to great effect.
“Aye, Aquilan is like the kings of old. Ailduin, specifically.” Helgrom stuck the end of his pipe between his lips and tipped the bowl so that the tobacco could catch fire from the candle on the table.
“Ailduin? Vex’s old foe?” Rhalyf blinked.
“Surely, you know that they were best friends before they were enemies?” Helgrom asked inbetween sucks on his pipe. He blew out fragrant tobacco smoke towards the fireplace. Its sweet scent lingered.
“Vex? Friends? And having a best friend? I am having a hard time imagining that,” Rhalyf answered absently, forgetting his own stricture about knowing little to nothing about the Kindreth. But it was frightfully easy to talk to Helgrom about these things.
But he was also distracted again and not thinking. His gaze was on Finley once more, who had a foot on the bottom step, and was gazing up almost beseechingly at the second floor. Rhalyf would have been right with him, too, if he’d thought it would do any good. Aquilan had made it perfectly clear that he and Declan were to be left alone .
He wasn’t worried about Aquilan’s safety with Declan. Not exactly. If Declan had been someone dangerous, he would never have allowed himself to be caught outside in the Sun like that without protection. No, the boy seemed… new. Inexperienced. Completely unaware of himself or the dangers.
But if he is unaware of his true nature then how could he have that clever glamour obscuring his real features? Rhalyf gritted his teeth. Will Aquilan see through it? And if he does, what will happen?
Considering Aquilan’s strike-first-and-ask-questions-later behavior with Vulre Vultorus, the young man might not make it out of the bedroom alive. Not that Rhalyf cared if he did or not.
Having one more Night Elf here is one Night Elf too many. His inexperience or carelessness could expose me. Fought too hard to get to this place. I will not lose it, Rhalyf growled internally.
But Aquilan’s reaction to the young man… now that was concerning. Aquilan almost seemed dumbstruck by Declan. Stunned. Haunted. It was very odd. He would almost think that the king was under some fateful curse. Or in love. Either would be terrible. Again, there would be only one Night Elf in the Sun King’s life and that was him!
“Ailduin and Vex were determined to map the Under Dark together,” Helgrom was suddenly saying. “Illithor is not just a Vex city, but a combination of both their visions and powers.”
That had Rhalyf turning his attention back to the Dark Dwarf almost sharply. “Really?”
A nod. “Oh, yes. The merging of their magics and their lives brought such a fenaissance for a time among the Under Dark. Vex crafted his first Blood Weapon after Ailduin was hurt in battle. He thought his best friend would die. The anguish he experienced at the expected loss of Ailduin caused him to create a whole new school of magic.”
For a moment, Rhalyf imagined seeing Aquilan fall in battle. His brilliant golden friend laid low. And something in him tightened. But he was hardly like Vex or Vex was hardly like him. The Night King had no heart to break. So while he could very well see himself creating a Blood Weapon out of grief and pain, Vex doing the same thing? Vex creating such a weapon with no knowledge or understanding simply because his supposed best friend was going to be lost? It seemed unbelievable.
“I’ve never heard this,” Rhalyf said with a jaundiced eye. “Are you sure it isn’t some kind of–of fairytale?”
“The only tales we tell of the Kindreth and Vex are dark ones. You know this,” Helgrom chided him and let out a perfectly formed smoke ring. “This is no tale, but the truth .”
“Well, that’s surprising,” he found himself unable to say more.
It disturbed him to think of Vex as anything other than the beautiful, if terrifying dark god he was now. To envision him as having friends , of caring for them so deeply that the first Blood Weapon would be created due to their perceived loss, made Vex seem… understandable. That would mean there was a time when he was like Rhalyf and maybe Aquilan was like Ailduin. He frowned.
“The two of them created many wonders together. They challenged each other to greater heights than they ever could have accomplished on their own,” Helgrom sounded wistful. Another smoke ring headed towards the fire.
“So what made them fall out?” Rhalyf asked.
“Lies,” Helgrom’s voice was gruff. Rhalyf stiffened as his own lies seemed very close at that moment. “Secrets and lies.”
Rhalyf swallowed. His eyes darted to the stairs. If Declan was a Night Elf and Aquilan figured it out and… And what? The king was safe. If there was the least bit of danger, he would know and be up there in a thrice. No, what he was afraid of was that if Aquilan discovered one Kindreth in his kingdom so innocently disguised, he might look for more .
Secrets and lies, the words whispered through Rhalyf’s mind.
He drained another glass of Chelios. If Aquilan wasn’t down in another few moments, he would be going up there. He had to know what was going on. And if Aquilan hadn’t discovered any secret Declan might or might not have, Rhalyf would make sure he never would. If the boy couldn’t keep himself hidden then… then Rhalyf would hide him forever. He glared at the empty goblet. The war was over. His days of having to kill were supposed to be behind him. For a time at least. And now, he might have to kill Declan Wilde.
Damn it all.
“No need to give that glassware such a look, Rhalyf!” Helgrom laughed and filled his empty goblet up again.
Rhalyf gave him a tight smile. “Finley isn’t the only human who makes himself at home in the Dawn. The other one: Declan, is it? The one that Aquilan is… is taking care of? What can you tell me about him?”
Another sip of beer and puff on his pipe were the only responses for some time from Helgrom before the Dark Dwarf answered, “He is a good bartender.”
Rhalyf let out a sharp laugh. “A good bartender? That is all you have to say about him?”
“What else would I say? That is what I hired him for,” Helgrom answered stonily.
“At least, will you tell me if he is intelligent like Finley? I know he’s strong as the General told Aquilan and I all about his fight with the orcs. Unless that was an exaggeration or Snaglak actually figured out that ingratiating himself with humans would get him free beer and food for life,” Rhalyf said with a sigh as he saw the General buy the orc a whole roast chicken for himself.
“Declan keeps the peace as any good bartender should,” Helgrom answered in a clipped tone.
What is going on here? Why is Helgrom being so cagey? Rhalyf wondered as he studied the suddenly taciturn dwarf. It’s almost as if… Does Helgrom know what Declan is? No, no, he wouldn’t shield a Kindreth from the Empire. Considering what our people did to his… Well, if he thought he had a Night Elf under his roof, he’d draw and quarter them himself.
Rhalyf felt the magical approach of their king before the door to the bedroom was opened. His head turned. His chest felt tight. He saw Finley jump up and down like a popcorn kernel in hot oil as Declan and Aquilan appeared at the top of the stairs.
Declan looked completely well again. And he was disturbingly lovely. Black hair. Green eyes. And skin as pale as the moon. There were many in the Kindreth with skin that was pearlescent white and some with skin as dark as midnight and everything in between. All beautiful. All alluring. All dangerous.
But there is something about him… I can’t put my finger on it. But he does remind me of someone. Strange. Can’t place it.
Rhalyf’s eyes darted to his king. Aquilan was gazing at Declan’s back. There was such a look of longing on his face that Rhalyf nearly jerked away from it. His heart thundered in his chest. Aquilan hadn’t discovered Declan was a Kindreth– thankfully –but his increased interest in the young man would make Rhalyf’s determination to cause him to disappear that much harder.
I really must find Aquilan a love interest. A lot of love interests. Anything to keep his attention away from Declan Wilde!
“Now that I did not foresee,” Helgrom muttered, having seen the king’s regard for Declan just as clearly as he had evidently. “But I suppose…”
“You suppose what? That the king will take up with a bartender ?” Rhalyf hissed his displeasure.
Helgrom turned that steady stare upon him for the third time. Rhalyf’s reaction was ridiculous. Aquilan could take up with anyone and everyone he wanted from bartender to military leader and all inbetween. He was king. They were all his subjects. None were beyond his reach. And it wasn’t like Rhalyf to judge people on their professions. Helgrom knew that. So his reaction was nonsensical in the dwarf’s eyes. Unless Helgrom guessed why he might not want the king to truly take an interest in Declan Wilde.
He would never help a Night Elf. So Helgrom can’t possibly know what Declan is.
Aquilan had stopped at the bottom of the stairs, tracking Declan as the young man embraced Finley. Finley clung to him. He ran his hands up and down Declan’s shoulders, seeking any hurts. Declan gave Finley a tender smile that no Kindreth would ever be caught dead giving. Such open affection would mark Finley as someone who could be used against Declan. Rhalyf’s eyes narrowed. Finley already interested him. So getting nearer to the boy wouldn’t be a problem, especially if it gave him power over Declan.
The General also fussed over Declan who endured it all with good humor while Aquilan looked on happily. It was clear that Aquilan was touched by how much Declan was loved. Very loved. That was such a strange thing if he were really a Kindreth. Aquilan had taken to Rhalyf, but Rhalyf prided himself on being personable, far different than the rest of his kin who would rather stab someone than smile at them. Declan evidently had found a way around his Kindreth instincts to keep himself to himself and had earned their love.
Finally, Declan eased away from the loving touches and vaulted the bar. He immediately started to serve the customers as if he hadn’t been overcome by the Sun. He didn’t give the king one backwards glance either. That was the smartest decision he’d made that day in Rhalyf’s mind. Aquilan finally turned towards him and Helgrom, only reluctantly withdrawing his attention from Declan. He smiled broadly though when he did finally catch sight of them and headed towards their table.
Rhalyf was amused as always by how the people at the tables tried to rise and then bow to the Sun King. But Aquilan smiled and made a gesture that they should remain where they were. The king gracefully made his way past the packed house to their table. It was only when Declan was certain that Aquilan’s back was turned that he looked over at the king. His eyes showed nothing of what he felt. Helgrom had already lifted a hand to the young man to bring them food and drink. Declan nodded his understanding. He showed no interest in Rhalyf. Clearly, he didn’t recognize Rhalyf as anything other than what he presented himself to be: the Aravae best friend of the Sun King.
That’s good. Foolish. But definitely good for me.
When Aquilan reached their table, both he and Helgrom rose. They were Aquilan’s friends, but he was their king. Aquilan pressed a hand on both their shoulders and eased them back down.
“Sit, my friends! Please sit. For I intend to do so.” Aquilan gracefully lowered himself into one of the chairs with a moan of pleasure. “Good to be off my feet.”
“Is that… dust on your front?” Rhalyf frowned as he reached over and brushed the offending material off the Sun King’s white shirt. Aquilan had taken off his heavy, hot breastplate, too and left it up above or so it seemed. What had he and Declan been doing upstairs?
It couldn’t have been much. The boy was Sun Sick. He wouldn’t have been up to doing anything at all.
“Oh, yes, I suppose it is.” Aquilan glanced unconcernedly down at his soiled shift. “Declan lost his knife.”
“Knife?!” Rhalfy’s eyebrows rose.
“Yes, he… he was having a nightmare. Didn’t know where he was when he woke. Maybe he didn’t know who he was–”
“Are you trying to say he pulled a knife on you, my king?!” Rhalyf was rigid in his chair.
“It was nothing–”
“Declan would never hurt you,” Helgrom said firmly. “Whenever he speaks of the war–and it isn’t often–he speaks of you , King Aquilan. How you arrived and killed the creatures that had slaughtered his adopted parents and everyone else he cared for except for Finley and Gemma.”
King Aquilan’s blue eyes grew dark. “He thinks I did enough. He thinks I didn’t have to come to save… anyone.”
“You didn’t,” Rhalyf reminded him firmly. “But if he’s supposedly grateful to you then why did he pull a knife?”
He will regret doing that!
“You know that he couldn’t hurt me,” Aquilan reminded him with a wave of his hand.
But that was only true if Declan had been human. But he was not.
“It was a kitchen knife. One with a broken point of all things. I believe it's the one he had on the day the Leviathan came,” Aquilan murmured.
Rhalyf saw Helgrom stiffen at the description of the knife. It was hardly prepossessing so why was Helgrom reacting in that way?
“What is it, Helgrom?” Aquilan had noticed it, too. “Is it… am I right? Does he keep it with him out of fear that the Leviathan might come back and harm him and those he cares for?”
Aquilan’s blue eyes were huge. He had one hand clenched in front of his chest. Rhalyf had never seen him so passionate about anyone like this before.
“I… I think it may be the very weapon,” Helgrom finally said. “But you mustn’t worry that Declan lives his life in fear. The boy is quite the opposite. Takes down orcs, goblins, the whole bunch. Fearless , I would call him.”
Now you speak about Declan, Rhalyf thought darkly. Good. Answer all the king’s questions and mine, too.
Aquilan smiled. “The General did tell us this rather remarkable story about Declan fighting six orcs–”
“It happened. It cost me a pretty penny in carpentry to fix all the tables, chairs and the door that he destroyed in the process, but it was worth it,” Helgrom chortled. “Now the orcs behave themselves and I could retire on Snaglak’s bar tab alone.”
“So he does not live in fear?” Aquilan looked hopeful.
“No, not in the least.” Helgrom patted the king’s nearest forearm. “So put your heart at ease, King Aquilan. Declan Wilde is not afraid.”
Put your heart… No, no, no, Aquilan’s heart is secure in his chest! Rhalyf thought . It is not in that bartender’s hands!
And yet, Rhalyf wondered if that was simply a comforting lie he was telling himself.