Chapter 20 Welcome Wagon #2
“The humans work quickly, I will grant them that,” said Sephone, the mockery clear in her tone.
“Have they broken the accords?” Nox asked.
“No,” Dentarius said quickly. “There is nothing in the accords that prevent or prohibit them taking up residence in the Midlands, and that includes the former Lost City.”
“Then what does it matter?” A lock of silvery hair fell into Kit’s face, and she brushed it back. “I don’t see why their presence in a previously uninhabited city would warrant such a detour.”
Sephone let out a derisive laugh. “Were the situation reversed, do you think the humans would delight in knowing that we had taken up residence in the former capital of Arcanis? That we were populating the streets and homes where those who ruled the entire continent once lived?”
“I am very aware that there are few humans who would ever delight in anything we did at all,” Kit said. “That isn’t an answer to my question. Why should we care? Your delay has kept us from being able to act upon the things we actually came here for.”
“We were simply following orders,” said Gilding.
“But whose orders?” murmured Jocelyn.
“Perhaps the full tale is better kept for when the human king and his council are present,” said Sephone. “We have several questions that King Lachlandris will surely be eager to have answered.”
Kit resisted the urge to roll her eyes at the blatant way Sephone kept dropping the king’s name, as if Kit needed to be reminded of who he was. As if he wasn’t the same man who had changed Kit’s diapers a century and a half ago.
She folded her arms across her chest. “My uncle,” Kit said, emphasizing the words, “would also surely want all members of this delegation to be kept aware of any and all information pertinent to our presence here.”
“Yes, but all members of the delegation are hardly present, are they?”
As if summoned by the words, the sound of pounding bootsteps and laughter echoed down the corridor. A few seconds later, Ollie and Thraigg rounded the corner, both with matching expressions of glee, the faint smell of ale and magic piercing the air.
“The prodigal delegates return,” Nox said, fangs flashing as they grinned.
“You two smell like mischief,” Kit added, wrinkling her nose. “Literally.”
Thraigg laughed. “Aye. Crowd turned a bit sour at The Cracked Keg. We had to make a sudden exit.”
“It was a great time until then though,” Ollie said wistfully. Then, with a wink, he added, “You really missed out.”
Kit leveled him with a look that had the guard straightening immediately.
“Where is Ell—where is the Lady Victor?” Kit asked, and she couldn’t help but notice the way the two newcomers both leaned in closer at her question.
“Some errant ale found its way onto her clothing,” said Ollie, a sheepish expression cresting on his face. “She said she would catch up with us.”
“Of course,” muttered Dentarius. “Well, there’s no point in continuing this conversation out here. Let us move into the sitting room, shall we?” He gestured toward a large door to his left. “We can all go through proper introductions there.”
“Why bother waiting?” Thraigg said with a laugh, jutting out his hand toward Sephone. “Thraigg Ironfist, m’lady. Stronghold’s finest, if I’m able to toot my own horn.”
Sephone laughed as she shook the dwarf’s hand. “A pleasure,” she said, and Kit was surprised to find she sounded supremely sincere.
Thraigg turned to Gilding. “And ye there. Strong and silent type, hmm? What’s yer name then, lad?”
“Sir Raephael Gilding.” He extended his hand down to the dwarf. “But you can call me—”
“Raefe.”
The word slithered down the hall like a shadow, cold and biting. No, not like a shadow. From the shadows. In a burst of furious darkness, the candles along the walls extinguished one by one, until the entire hall was bathed in night.
Sephone inhaled sharply, and Kit couldn’t help the sense of satisfaction that came from hearing the noise.
And then the Revenant was there, her very presence like the unsheathing of a blade. There was a thump, then a sort of cracking sound, rapidly followed by a muffled grunt. Another few seconds passed, and the darkness dispersed, light filtering back into the hall.
Kit whipped her head to the left, where Gilding—no, Raefe—was folded over, a pained whimper slipping from him as he clutched his face.
She took in the red spots dotting the polished marble at his feet.
Then, she looked to her right, where Elyria Lightbreaker leaned against the wall, arms folded across her chest, watching the man with an impassive expression.
“What the fuck was that?” Sephone hissed, darting forward to help Raefe, who was still trying to stifle the blood pouring from his nose.
“Elyria!” scolded Dentarius at the same time, before ushering both of the newcomers into the sitting room.
Shep, Ollie, and Jocelyn seemed somewhat stunned, like they were still catching up to what just happened, but eventually they filed out of the hall after them.
Thraigg and Nox, on the other hand, both seemed wholly unbothered by the shadowy assault.
“Never a dull moment,” said Thraigg, and with a slap to Nox’s ass that made the nocterrian growl, he took off after the rest of the group.
Tenebris Nox rolled their crimson-black eyes, smoothing the lapels of their dark jacket. “Nice touch with the candles,” was all they said before following the dwarf.
“And here I thought you had no interest in being part of the welcome wagon.” Kit shook her head as she approached Elyria.
“He had it coming.”
“And did it make you feel better?”
Elyria shrugged. Then, she smiled. “Maybe a little.”