Chapter 12
“I don’t mean to be uncharitable,” said Lady Hammerfell after Harald fell silent, “but the simplest solution may be to just kill your friend.”
Harald wasn’t even shocked. There was no denying the fact. Kill Vic, and the temporal anchor that allowed the Handmaidens to stay in Flutic would be severed.
Then again, that would only delay Harald having to fight them.
And… much as Vic had made a true mess of things, much as Vic was the architect of his own misery, Harald couldn’t kill his friend.
Murder Vic? Extinguish the roguish companion that had seen him through so many dark and terrible moments of his youth?
As well, of course, as dragging him into so many problems?
Vic.
Harald sighed. How could someone be at once so charming and endearing, yet so thoughtless and self-serving?
“No,” said Sam. Harald jerked his head up in surprise. “We’re not murdering Vic to deal with this situation. Murder might be practical, but it’s not who we are. Vic is a Throne Hunter—for better or worse. We have to try to save him.”
Lady Hammerfell leaned back in the massive chair Anna had furnished her, causing it to creak. “Idealistic. I applaud your morals, even if they’re going to make Flutic suffer.”
“Sam’s right. And.” Harald glanced to Anna, who sat, stiff-backed, in formal wear in the corner of her library. “There’s an opportunity here. If we kill Vic, Flutic returns to civil war. Nothing gained. His arrival with the Handmaidens will have just proven a momentary interruption.”
“You have a plan,” said Anna.
“The beginnings of one.”
Nessa sighed and sat back in her chair.
“The beginnings of the beginnings of one,” amended Harald, glancing at her.
“Kársek has already volunteered to rouse the dwarves out of Deepforge. Lady Hammerfell, you’re a prodigious force in your own right, but you mentioned being able to possibly command the loyalty of other House Drakenhart raiders? ”
Lady Hammerfell inclined her head.
“The plan is this: we crash the coronation tomorrow when all the Handmaidens are together and wipe them out. There will be representatives there from all the Houses. When they see the Handmaidens under attack, and especially once they see them losing, they’ll be inclined to jump in and help so as to claim after that they were on the winning side.
Plus, I bet they’re absolutely besides themselves with loathing over having to bend knee to Vic. ”
Anna grimaced. “You’re assuming we can put the Handmaidens on the defensive. And that the other Houses won’t leap to their defense in order to earn their favor.”
“That’s where the second part of my plan comes in.” Harald leaned forward with a grin. “We have a little under twenty bells to visit each House, or the best candidates, at any rate, with Lady Hammerfell and you to offer them a new plan: to ally with us against the demons and help strike them down.”
“And they would agree to this, why?” asked Lady Hammerfell, tone mellow.
“That’s where the plan needs a little refinement.
A mixture of rod and carrot. Anna is of unimpeachable virtue—” It was almost as if he could hear Vic snort somewhere, and Harald hesitated, waiting for the crude comment that could never come.
“—and we could position her as a central rallying figure. A neutral party, like Gorkin. We tell everyone that this is a chance to reset the city to how things were, before. Anna takes custody of the Twilight Crown, and everyone stands down from civil war.”
“Where’s the rod?” asked Anna.
“We’re looking at her,” said Harald. “Lady Hammerfell, if I may be so bold, you’d crush anyone who refuses to agree. A display of power to cow those who think they stand to benefit.”
“So, we can’t kill your companion Vic, but you want me to kill anyone who refuses to go along with your plan?” Lady Hammerfell didn’t sound upset, merely amused. “Your morals are eminently flexible, it seems.”
“Vic initiated this mess out of a desire to help Flutic. He actually thought the demons would be under his control. He wanted to depose the nobility and uplift the poor.” Harald raised a palm to cut off objections that Lady Hammerfell didn’t seem eager to make.
“Look, I know. But that’s how his Demon Seed has warped him.
And it led to his making a terrible mistake and bringing the Handmaidens to the city.
But anyone who chooses to openly align with Eclavistra?
They’re purposefully and knowingly choosing evil. ”
Anna shook her head slowly. “You’re overestimating my appeal.”
“The appeal is twofold,” said Harald. “Some might agree because they want to avoid future bloodshed. But most would agree to your being the custodian because they think you easily swayed or killed. They’ll agree to your having the Crown so they can take it right after.
Which is fine. Our first objective is to get rid of the Handmaidens.
Once they’re gone, we can pacify the Houses, if need be. ”
“That,” said Nessa archly, “and nobody even knows where the Crown is.”
Harald grinned. “If it doesn’t turn up, then Anna doesn’t even need to guard it. And we can claim we believed Vic had it all along.”
“Hmm.” Lady Hammerfell ran one finger over her lips.
“I’m not opposed to the idea. These Handmaidens aren’t nearly as dangerous as they believe.
With the aid of the dwarves, we may not even need the help of the Houses.
That being said, I’m not opposed to overwhelming force so as to minimize our losses. ”
“Vic said they drove off a Gold-ranker,” protested Sam.
“Thornar Blackhammer,” laughed Lady Hammerfell.
“Doran’s grizzled guard dog. Thornar was once a tremendous fighter, it’s true, but he’s lost his nerve.
He’s very much become a ‘live to fight another day’ kind of raider and now gets by on his old reputation more than anything.
I’m sure he panicked and ran.” Lady Hammerfell shrugged.
“That’s not to say that a dozen of these demons couldn’t prove problematic, but if the dwarves are able to muster enough elite fighters… ?”
All eyes turned to Kársek, who was cleaning out his pipe over a cloth laid across his lap.
“I can’t be sure as to the extent of Deepforge’s strength.
I must speak with them first. But as a DreadRune, I command respect.
If I request that they aid in exterminating these Handmaidens, I am sure they will come.
No self-respecting dwarf would choose to live under the open rule of gathul. ”
“That sounds like our first course of action, then,” said Harald. “Determining what kind of power the dwarves can bring to the field.”
“Temper your expectations,” said Kársek. “Deepforge is a mercantile outpost that depends on the protection of the Flutic City Watch as much as it does its own ability to call for vengeance from Dumr?n. It is not a military fortification.”
“Still,” said Harald. “Will you go speak with them? We’ll proceed with approaching the Houses, then circle back tomorrow morning to see where we stand.”
Kársek inclined his head. “That, I can do.”
Anna rose to stand before the crackling hearth, fingers of one hand twisting at an amethyst ring on the index finger of the other.
“House Celestara is lost to us. Our role in Melisende’s murder and Josse’s belief that he is sworn to Vic through the Twilight Crown means they won’t dare oppose the coronation. ”
“A pity,” said Lady Hammerfell. “Yseult Khan is one of the few raiders I respect.”
“If we were to enact your plan, Harald, then the first House we should approach would be Viridian.” Anna’s tone had grown pensive.
“They are wise, cautious, and dominant in the market for magical Artifacts. Lady Verdant is highly respected, partially due to her aversion to politics, and has refused to be embroiled in this civil war.”
“That,” agreed Lady Hammerfell, “and House Viridian boasts two respectable Gold-rankers: Orin Vex and Newt One-Eye. Both are famous for their subtlety. They don’t charge into battle like I do.
” Lady Hammerfell smiled. “But they’re canny fighters, and potent.
I’d feel much better going into battle against the Handmaidens with them by my side. ”
“House Veridian it is,” said Harald.
“Perversely, we might have another option,” said Nessa. “Harald’s father shared in a letter to him that Silvershield is beholden to a demon, and we know Thornvale is Silenthros’ plaything. Neither House would be happy to have a rival demon rule over them.”
“Is that so?” asked Lady Hammerfell, brows widening. “Lady Mirella Argent is loyal to a demon?” Then she laughed, delighted. “To think! After all these years of preaching peace and seeking to root out corruption. Oh, the hypocrisy is too rich.”
“Emberfell is out,” said Anna. “Doran loathes us. I believe he’d rather see Eclavistra rule than have to work with our group.”
“Makes sense,” said Nessa, “seeing as Harald killed his daughter and humiliated him in front of all the other Houses.”
“That was Doran’s doing,” protested Sam. “If he—”
“I know, I know.” Nessa waved her hand. “But if you go around expecting rational responses from old men in power, you’re doomed to disappointment.”
“So Celestara and Emberfell are out,” said Harald. “Leaving only Drakenhart.”
“Whom I can pillage,” said Lady Hammerfell. “If enough raiders follow me, the new lordling won’t have a choice.”
Kársek rose to his feet, his pipe bundled once more in its cloth and stowed in a wooden case. “I shall be off, then. I’ll return or send word here once I have news.”
Harald stood and extended his hand. “We’ll send word to Deepforge to keep you abreast of developments. Good luck.”
Kársek’s grip was strong, and his smile was wolfish. “Where I’m going, I won’t need luck. You all keep your heads about you.” And he nodded to Lady Hammerfell, sketched a shallow bow to Anna, and strode out of the library.
“That’s a good man, that dwarf,” said Lady Hammerfell once he was gone. “You’re lucky to have his allegiance.”