City of Towers_ The Dreaming Dark - Keith Baker [33]
“On the contrary,” Jode said, skipping forward. “We were sent to … well, talk to the wind. Is that you? We have a gift.”
Lei held up the staff.
The minotaur roared, and Daine had almost grabbed Jode before he realized that the creature was laughing.
“You would enter?” The minotaur snorted. “You think you can defeat me?”
Daine felt foolish challenging this juggernaut with his tiny dagger, but its keen edge had served him well. “Watch your tone. Size isn’t everything. There’s four of us to your one, and you’re not even armed. So why don’t you step aside?”
The monster fixed Daine with its inhuman eyes. “Don’t threaten me, little human. I am appointed to guard this gate, and only I can open it. You face me or you do not pass. One person. No weapons. One chance.”
Daine stepped back and turned to his companions. “What do you think?” he said quietly. “I know when I’m outmatched. Pierce?”
“I’m willing to try, Captain.”
“No. I’ll do it.” It was Lei. The other three looked over, surprised.
“What are you talking about?”
“Jura said this person wanted to see me. He gave me the staff. For all we know, I have to do it.”
Daine blinked. “Yes, but …” He glanced back as the minotaur lifted up the unconscious bugbear and threw him from the steps. “What are you going to do against that?”
“He said no weapons. I can handle that better than you can. Trust me, Daine. With all that I’ve been through the last two days, I’m going to enjoy this.”
“Your uncle, your decision.” Daine shrugged. “Jode, be ready to help her the instant she needs it.”
The halfling nodded.
Lei turned and bowed to the minotaur. It watched her, its inhuman expression impossible to read. Handing the darkwood staff to Pierce, Lei ran her fingers along the studs of her armor, murmuring quietly, then she produced a pinch of powdered stone from her pouch and rubbed it into the leather of her belt. Daine recognized the mystical significance of her actions, but he had no idea what enchantments she was weaving into her clothing.
After a few minutes, Lei’s preparations were complete. She turned and walked toward the minotaur, pausing at the bottom of the steps. She stood straight and tall, her arms at her sides, and took one slow, deep breath.
“I wish to talk to the wind,” she said.
The guardian nodded, then without warning he charged down the steps, a blur of black and gold.
Lei was no soldier. She had been assigned to Daine’s unit to care for the warforged. By the rules of war, she was a non-combatant, safe from the danger of battle so long as she posed no threat to anyone involved. Most artificers and magewrights had relied entirely on this pledge to serve as their shield, but Lei’s parents had not been so trusting. She was no warrior, but she’d been taught to defend herself with both magical and martial skill. To the others, the minotaur might be moving with blinding speed. But Lei had prepared for the fight, and to her enchanted eyes the beast was like a bull charging through three feet of mud. She barely moved, slipping just beyond his reach and turning as he rumbled past.
The minotaur turned to face her, and Lei raised her left hand. With a whispered word she activated the power stored within her glove, and a dark bolt lanced out to strike her foe. Shadows wreathed the minotaur, blue light tracing his muscles as the magic leached the energy from his sinews. But the minotaur was already in motion, and he slammed into Lei before she could slip out of the way. The golden studs of Lei’s armor flared with light, and a shimmering field of translucent energy deflected much of the raw force of the blow—but the sheer momentum of the attack threw her to the ground.
Lei cursed as she struggled to her feet. Never start a fight. Never draw a blade. Her parents had taught her defense, but the first principle of defense was to avoid the fight. Challenging a minotaur … what would her mother say to such foolishness?
She hadn’t hurt the minotaur, but she had weakened him, and he was acting