Sachi grinned with the satisfaction of a job well done as she joined their little huddle beside the tent. Her armor was covered in dust and her dark ears were also flecked with it, but she looked pleased, not exhausted. She’d spent most of the day moving at full speed.
“It is a good thing you did not take the Merchant’s Roadway today, lord.”
Drake both mentally celebrated his genius and mentally kicked his own ass for letting some asshole spy on him through a creepy doll for so long. “What did you run into?”
“I scented a large group of men crouched in the thick forest through which the road passes just outside Kara’s Hamlet. I also smelled fresh oil and burning coals.”
“Gods,” Lydia whispered. “Would they really have set the whole forest on fire?”
“With us inside.” Drake grimaced. “They must be pissed Suck failed last night, so they’re escalating to full-on pyromania. What about wagons or horses?”
“I smelled both, lord, and their horses were quite lathered. They must have run them forcefully before those men moved into position in the woods.”
“Like they had to reposition quickly.” Drake offered Samuel a meaningful glance. “As if someone gave them orders to move their ambush to the Merchant’s Roadway.”
Samuel nodded, then raised one eyebrow in curiosity. “Who is Suck?”
“The assassin who sucked blood out of people.” Drake looked between them, receiving only blank stares for his trouble. “Because he sucked? C’mon, give me something.”
Samuel turned back to Sachi. “Were you able to get any idea of their numbers?”
One of Sachi’s cat ears flicked in annoyance. “Lord Gloomwood ordered me not to venture too close. He seems to retain some doubts about my abilities.”
“That’s not it at all,” Drake told everyone. “Whoever is after me had pockets deep enough to hire a guy with a rarity so deadly it worked through silverweave, and he did kill Thak. There’s obviously more bullshit where Suck came from, and I couldn’t know what rarities their assassins might have.” He looked at Sachi. “You’re too important to lose.”
Sachi’s ears flicked back and forth. “I am very important.”
Samuel stroked his chin beard. “On reflection, Lord Gloomwood’s orders were correct. We need not know the enemy’s composition, only that they waited in ambush.”
Drake grinned and raised a hand for a high five. “Give it here.”
Samuel ignored him. “There is a significant wealth gap between those who can afford to hire a Gilded Blade and those who cannot, but once one surpasses it, money becomes no object. The important thing is we have verified our suspicions.”
Sachi’s tail moved sinuously. “And what would those suspicions be, Sam?”
Drake raised an eyebrow in surprise. Sachi called Samuel Sam? He recalled Valentia telling him that Samuel was a mortal whom Sachi prized above all others and the person who had convinced her to join Lord Gloomwood. They must go back a good ways.
As he once again evaluated the man’s rugged good looks, he wondered just how well Samuel and Sachi knew each other. Was Samuel into catgirls as well? Had he actually banged a catgirl?
“I’m afraid only Lord Gloomwood can answer that question,” Samuel said firmly.
The old man caught on fast. Drake grinned at Sachi. “I just needed to verify a spy report I received from one of my contacts. Oh, and me and the old man wanted to settle a bet.”
Sachi snorted. “Samuel is experienced and wise, not old.”
Drake realized he might inadvertently have gotten himself into a great deal of trouble. “It’s a term of respect in my world.”
Sachi’s eyes fixed on him as her tail went still. “It had better be.” After a suitably terrifying moment, she relaxed and rubbed her shoulder against Samuel. “I need a bath.”
Samuel’s face remained impassive. “I’m sure Tamara can have one drawn.”
“I’m sure she can.” As she leaned against him, Sachi’s tail slapped against Samuel’s thigh and then slithered up and along his midriff like a snake. “If you have any other questions about my scouting, please. Come join me. I have missed our nighttime chats.” She slapped his belly and then sauntered off with her tail weaving sinuously back and forth... along with her ass.
Drake stared after her, then grinned and turned back to Samuel. “What was that you said earlier today? About all your relationships being professional?”
Samuel offered a flat stare. “Unlike you, Lord Gloomwood, I can only speak words I believe.”
The old man had him there, and he didn’t look in the mood to be teased about whatever was going on with Sachi. That made Drake all the more determined to tease him about this... once they all decided what to do about the creepy doll that was spying on them.
“So what will we do with the doll?” Lydia asked. “Anna seems so fond of it. She will be devastated when we toss it away.”
“We can’t just toss in a bonfire,” Drake said. “Besides, now that we know someone’s watching, I say we use it to fuck with Lord Proudglade.”
Samuel’s brow rose. “How do you know Lord Proudglade is behind these attacks?”
“Suck told me. Last night. Before I shot him.”
His butler finally looked to grasp just how powerful lying could be. “Now I understand why you ordered us to leave the room.” He paused, then nodded. “Well done, lord.”
That was the first real praise he’d received from Samuel. It felt good, but Drake wouldn’t let it go to his head. The important thing was they now trusted each other.
“I agree we should continue to feed our enemy false information through the doll,” Samuel added. “If we have not alerted them to our suspicions with today’s ruse.”
“I have a plan to handle that too,” Drake said. “Tomorrow, after Anna wakes up, I’ll give her back Robby and then you and I will have an argument in my tent in front of them both. I’ll berate you for countermanding my orders yesterday about our route.”
“I could not do that,” Samuel said. “Whoever watches us would become suspicious.”
“But what if yesterday, I gave you an order you could get around? Let’s say... I told you I thought it would be a good idea to take the Merchant’s Roadway. Then just assumed you’d do it. And because you’re a smart man, you gave the order to keep us on the Noble Road.”
“That makes me seem like a poor advisor, and you seem like a fool.”
“Which is also what we want Lord Proudglade to think. The more he underestimates us, the more of an advantage we’ll have when we turn the tables on that rancid chucklefuck.”
Samuel stroked his chin beard in thought. “The words you choose for your enemies are most colorful. Yet how will we argue when I did not countermand your orders?”
“You just keep your mouth shut and look sullen while I gripe at you, or toss in asides whenever you can slip a truth our watcher will misinterpret. The upshot will be that I, the master of lies, will berate you for keeping us on the Noble Road when I ordered you to take the Merchant’s Roadway. At which point you can truthfully remind me we merely discussed it.”
Samuel crossed his arms. “The possibilities your unique ability offer for spycraft are truly fascinating. I request a few days to consider all the ways we could adjust our current schemes to incorporate your talents. As ideas occur to me, shall I relay them?”
“In private, of course.”
“Of course. Then, Lord Gloomwood, I would ask your permission to retire once more. I have much to think about, but I think better when rested.”
“Probably a good idea for us all to get some sleep now that Sachi’s back,” Drake agreed. “Samuel, come find me so I can berate you in front of Anna and Robby, and then we’ll play the rest of the day by ear. If Anna wants to join us again in the carriage, we’ll at least know everything we say is being observed and can act accordingly.”
Samuel inclined his head and headed back to the tent. Lydia took one more look around, then smiled his way. “Shall we retire as well, lord? It is very late.”
“You go on ahead. I want to check something first.”
She watched him calmly. “You know I do not wish you to wander around alone.”
He sighed at her protectiveness. “All right. But after I grab my box, I’m going to hang out in my armored carriage for a bit. If it’ll make you feel better, you can stand watch outside.”
“It would make me feel better,” she assured him.
Drake led her to his carriage and opened the small luggage compartment beneath, where he had personally packed his own stuff. He pulled out his backpack, and then the sealed magic box gifted to him by Lord Skybreak. It was well past sundown, which meant she would likely not attempt to contact him again, but he hadn’t had time to check.
After he stuffed his backpack in the carriage and rose, Lydia eyed him curiously. “You have been spending an awful lot of time with that mirror.”
“I have to. You think looking this good happens naturally?”
Lydia almost avoided rolling her eyes. “I will be here when you’re done grooming yourself, alone, in your carriage.”
He considered her for a moment. “Actually, you know what? Why don’t you join me?” He pointed. “In the carriage.”
She pursed her lips. “And the rumors, lord?”
“Samuel’s not worried.” Drake looked around for any eyes and found only the distant backs of zarovians. “And if anyone else thinks we’re doing anything inappropriate, fuck ‘em.”
“I was given to believe that ‘fucking’ was the very rumor we were trying to avoid.”
Drake damn near choked on his next swallow, then thumped his chest. “Goddammit, Lydia, don’t just clobber me like that. You’re not supposed to hurt your manor lord.”
“I apologize, lord.” She did not look very apologetic.
Once they were both inside the darkened carriage, Drake fired up the Zippo candle and then spoke the name of his home. “Earth.”
The box popped open, and as he had several nights ago, Drake removed the mirror. He peered into it at once and was thrilled to find no trace of his own face. Instead, there was simply an inky blackness. That suggested something he’d very much hoped for.
“Lord Skybreak?” he asked. “If you’re there, pick up.” Since Lydia didn’t know Sky’s real name, he didn’t want to reveal it without Sky’s permission.
The darkness did not fade. No voice emerged from the mirror. Yet just before Drake turned to show the blackness to Lydia, a candle ignited in the pane.
“Lord Gloomwood.” Sky peered blearily at him from inside the mirror, her blond braids messy and in disarray. “I take it you’ve had a busy few days.”
Lydia’s mouth opened as she stared in surprise. Drake grinned at her, then focused on the mirror. “It’s good to hear your voice. Just so you know, Lydia, my steward, is in my carriage with me, though we are otherwise alone. Obviously, she knows about the mirror now.”
“So we’re moving on to involving blood thralls in our pleasant nighttime chats.”
“You involved Lucien first.”
“You are, in this case, entirely correct. Hello Lydia. We haven’t met, but all of my spies speak very highly of your capabilities as steward and of your prowess in combat.”
“Then please, Lord Skybreak,” Lydia said. “Thank your spies for me.”
Drake was pleased. His steward didn’t miss a beat.
“So, Clint.” Sky paused and grimaced. “She does know your name, doesn’t she? It is very late and I am operating on very little sleep.”
“She knows,” Drake assured her. “As my steward, I trust her with all my manor’s affairs and most everything else, hence why she’s the first person I’ve trusted to know about our little chats. With a cabal on the horizon, it feels like we both need to step up our game.”
“I assumed you would already be traveling. Do you care to reveal your route?”
“Don’t your spies know already?”
“They do.” Sky smiled faintly. “But I was curious if you would trust me with it.”
Sachi grinned with the satisfaction of a job well done as she joined their little huddle beside the tent. Her armor was covered in dust and her dark ears were also flecked with it, but she looked pleased, not exhausted. She’d spent most of the day moving at full speed.
“It is a good thing you did not take the Merchant’s Roadway today, lord.”
Drake both mentally celebrated his genius and mentally kicked his own ass for letting some asshole spy on him through a creepy doll for so long. “What did you run into?”
“I scented a large group of men crouched in the thick forest through which the road passes just outside Kara’s Hamlet. I also smelled fresh oil and burning coals.”
“Gods,” Lydia whispered. “Would they really have set the whole forest on fire?”
“With us inside.” Drake grimaced. “They must be pissed Suck failed last night, so they’re escalating to full-on pyromania. What about wagons or horses?”
“I smelled both, lord, and their horses were quite lathered. They must have run them forcefully before those men moved into position in the woods.”
“Like they had to reposition quickly.” Drake offered Samuel a meaningful glance. “As if someone gave them orders to move their ambush to the Merchant’s Roadway.”
Samuel nodded, then raised one eyebrow in curiosity. “Who is Suck?”
“The assassin who sucked blood out of people.” Drake looked between them, receiving only blank stares for his trouble. “Because he sucked? C’mon, give me something.”
Samuel turned back to Sachi. “Were you able to get any idea of their numbers?”
One of Sachi’s cat ears flicked in annoyance. “Lord Gloomwood ordered me not to venture too close. He seems to retain some doubts about my abilities.”
“That’s not it at all,” Drake told everyone. “Whoever is after me had pockets deep enough to hire a guy with a rarity so deadly it worked through silverweave, and he did kill Thak. There’s obviously more bullshit where Suck came from, and I couldn’t know what rarities their assassins might have.” He looked at Sachi. “You’re too important to lose.”
Sachi’s ears flicked back and forth. “I am very important.”
Samuel stroked his chin beard. “On reflection, Lord Gloomwood’s orders were correct. We need not know the enemy’s composition, only that they waited in ambush.”
Drake grinned and raised a hand for a high five. “Give it here.”
Samuel ignored him. “There is a significant wealth gap between those who can afford to hire a Gilded Blade and those who cannot, but once one surpasses it, money becomes no object. The important thing is we have verified our suspicions.”
Sachi’s tail moved sinuously. “And what would those suspicions be, Sam?”
Drake raised an eyebrow in surprise. Sachi called Samuel Sam? He recalled Valentia telling him that Samuel was a mortal whom Sachi prized above all others and the person who had convinced her to join Lord Gloomwood. They must go back a good ways.
As he once again evaluated the man’s rugged good looks, he wondered just how well Samuel and Sachi knew each other. Was Samuel into catgirls as well? Had he actually banged a catgirl?
“I’m afraid only Lord Gloomwood can answer that question,” Samuel said firmly.
The old man caught on fast. Drake grinned at Sachi. “I just needed to verify a spy report I received from one of my contacts. Oh, and me and the old man wanted to settle a bet.”
Sachi snorted. “Samuel is experienced and wise, not old.”
Drake realized he might inadvertently have gotten himself into a great deal of trouble. “It’s a term of respect in my world.”
Sachi’s eyes fixed on him as her tail went still. “It had better be.” After a suitably terrifying moment, she relaxed and rubbed her shoulder against Samuel. “I need a bath.”
Samuel’s face remained impassive. “I’m sure Tamara can have one drawn.”
“I’m sure she can.” As she leaned against him, Sachi’s tail slapped against Samuel’s thigh and then slithered up and along his midriff like a snake. “If you have any other questions about my scouting, please. Come join me. I have missed our nighttime chats.” She slapped his belly and then sauntered off with her tail weaving sinuously back and forth... along with her ass.
Drake stared after her, then grinned and turned back to Samuel. “What was that you said earlier today? About all your relationships being professional?”
Samuel offered a flat stare. “Unlike you, Lord Gloomwood, I can only speak words I believe.”
The old man had him there, and he didn’t look in the mood to be teased about whatever was going on with Sachi. That made Drake all the more determined to tease him about this... once they all decided what to do about the creepy doll that was spying on them.
“So what will we do with the doll?” Lydia asked. “Anna seems so fond of it. She will be devastated when we toss it away.”
“We can’t just toss in a bonfire,” Drake said. “Besides, now that we know someone’s watching, I say we use it to fuck with Lord Proudglade.”
Samuel’s brow rose. “How do you know Lord Proudglade is behind these attacks?”
“Suck told me. Last night. Before I shot him.”
His butler finally looked to grasp just how powerful lying could be. “Now I understand why you ordered us to leave the room.” He paused, then nodded. “Well done, lord.”
That was the first real praise he’d received from Samuel. It felt good, but Drake wouldn’t let it go to his head. The important thing was they now trusted each other.
“I agree we should continue to feed our enemy false information through the doll,” Samuel added. “If we have not alerted them to our suspicions with today’s ruse.”
“I have a plan to handle that too,” Drake said. “Tomorrow, after Anna wakes up, I’ll give her back Robby and then you and I will have an argument in my tent in front of them both. I’ll berate you for countermanding my orders yesterday about our route.”
“I could not do that,” Samuel said. “Whoever watches us would become suspicious.”
“But what if yesterday, I gave you an order you could get around? Let’s say... I told you I thought it would be a good idea to take the Merchant’s Roadway. Then just assumed you’d do it. And because you’re a smart man, you gave the order to keep us on the Noble Road.”
“That makes me seem like a poor advisor, and you seem like a fool.”
“Which is also what we want Lord Proudglade to think. The more he underestimates us, the more of an advantage we’ll have when we turn the tables on that rancid chucklefuck.”
Samuel stroked his chin beard in thought. “The words you choose for your enemies are most colorful. Yet how will we argue when I did not countermand your orders?”
“You just keep your mouth shut and look sullen while I gripe at you, or toss in asides whenever you can slip a truth our watcher will misinterpret. The upshot will be that I, the master of lies, will berate you for keeping us on the Noble Road when I ordered you to take the Merchant’s Roadway. At which point you can truthfully remind me we merely discussed it.”
Samuel crossed his arms. “The possibilities your unique ability offer for spycraft are truly fascinating. I request a few days to consider all the ways we could adjust our current schemes to incorporate your talents. As ideas occur to me, shall I relay them?”
“In private, of course.”
“Of course. Then, Lord Gloomwood, I would ask your permission to retire once more. I have much to think about, but I think better when rested.”
“Probably a good idea for us all to get some sleep now that Sachi’s back,” Drake agreed. “Samuel, come find me so I can berate you in front of Anna and Robby, and then we’ll play the rest of the day by ear. If Anna wants to join us again in the carriage, we’ll at least know everything we say is being observed and can act accordingly.”
Samuel inclined his head and headed back to the tent. Lydia took one more look around, then smiled his way. “Shall we retire as well, lord? It is very late.”
“You go on ahead. I want to check something first.”
She watched him calmly. “You know I do not wish you to wander around alone.”
He sighed at her protectiveness. “All right. But after I grab my box, I’m going to hang out in my armored carriage for a bit. If it’ll make you feel better, you can stand watch outside.”
“It would make me feel better,” she assured him.
Drake led her to his carriage and opened the small luggage compartment beneath, where he had personally packed his own stuff. He pulled out his backpack, and then the sealed magic box gifted to him by Lord Skybreak. It was well past sundown, which meant she would likely not attempt to contact him again, but he hadn’t had time to check.
After he stuffed his backpack in the carriage and rose, Lydia eyed him curiously. “You have been spending an awful lot of time with that mirror.”
“I have to. You think looking this good happens naturally?”
Lydia almost avoided rolling her eyes. “I will be here when you’re done grooming yourself, alone, in your carriage.”
He considered her for a moment. “Actually, you know what? Why don’t you join me?” He pointed. “In the carriage.”
She pursed her lips. “And the rumors, lord?”
“Samuel’s not worried.” Drake looked around for any eyes and found only the distant backs of zarovians. “And if anyone else thinks we’re doing anything inappropriate, fuck ‘em.”
“I was given to believe that ‘fucking’ was the very rumor we were trying to avoid.”
Drake damn near choked on his next swallow, then thumped his chest. “Goddammit, Lydia, don’t just clobber me like that. You’re not supposed to hurt your manor lord.”
“I apologize, lord.” She did not look very apologetic.
Once they were both inside the darkened carriage, Drake fired up the Zippo candle and then spoke the name of his home. “Earth.”
The box popped open, and as he had several nights ago, Drake removed the mirror. He peered into it at once and was thrilled to find no trace of his own face. Instead, there was simply an inky blackness. That suggested something he’d very much hoped for.
“Lord Skybreak?” he asked. “If you’re there, pick up.” Since Lydia didn’t know Sky’s real name, he didn’t want to reveal it without Sky’s permission.
The darkness did not fade. No voice emerged from the mirror. Yet just before Drake turned to show the blackness to Lydia, a candle ignited in the pane.
“Lord Gloomwood.” Sky peered blearily at him from inside the mirror, her blond braids messy and in disarray. “I take it you’ve had a busy few days.”
Lydia’s mouth opened as she stared in surprise. Drake grinned at her, then focused on the mirror. “It’s good to hear your voice. Just so you know, Lydia, my steward, is in my carriage with me, though we are otherwise alone. Obviously, she knows about the mirror now.”
“So we’re moving on to involving blood thralls in our pleasant nighttime chats.”
“You involved Lucien first.”
“You are, in this case, entirely correct. Hello Lydia. We haven’t met, but all of my spies speak very highly of your capabilities as steward and of your prowess in combat.”
“Then please, Lord Skybreak,” Lydia said. “Thank your spies for me.”
Drake was pleased. His steward didn’t miss a beat.
“So, Clint.” Sky paused and grimaced. “She does know your name, doesn’t she? It is very late and I am operating on very little sleep.”
“She knows,” Drake assured her. “As my steward, I trust her with all my manor’s affairs and most everything else, hence why she’s the first person I’ve trusted to know about our little chats. With a cabal on the horizon, it feels like we both need to step up our game.”
“I assumed you would already be traveling. Do you care to reveal your route?”
“Don’t your spies know already?”
“They do.” Sky smiled faintly. “But I was curious if you would trust me with it.”
