Guild Wars_ Ghosts of Ascalon - Matt Forbeck [57]
“We are both crusaders of the Vigil,” said Ember. “I am Ember Doomforge. The human female is Riona Grady. And she speaks the truth: our mission is on behalf of the queen of Kryta.”
Kranxx nodded. “Soulkeeper warned me you people might not be too sharp, but when I joined the Vigil, I had no idea that it might ever sink this low. Smuggling a charr into Ebonhawke! Has she lost her mind?”
Killeen opened her mouth to point out it had been Dougal’s idea, but Dougal raised a hand and silently pleaded with her to keep her helpful truths to herself.
“What did General Soulkeeper say in her message?” said Riona.
“Very little,” said Kranxx. “Very need-to-know, she is. ‘Expect visitors that will need to leave Ebonhawke quietly. Some may be problematic.’ Problematic! She is a master of understatement. And she provided the date and time to reconfigure the gate. That was some mighty arcane kludging, by the way. They’re going to have to recalibrate an entire bank of crystals after that one. Don’t touch that, either.” Gullik had found a pack hanging on a nearby peg intriguing, and looked at the asura sheepishly as he edged away from it.
“Very well,” said Riona, “you have gotten us here and past the Ebon Vanguard. Where do we go from here?”
“I have to go out and make a few final arrangements,” said Kranxx. “Plant a few false leads and wrap up some personal business. Then we will go out by way of the sewers.”
“Sewers?” said Riona.
“We?” said Dougal.
“We,” said Kranxx. “After this, I’m burned as an asset. And there will likely be an investigation and some changes regarding using and protecting the asura gate as well. Once Commander Samuelsson gets up and the lieutenant talks to him, I am going to become a person of interest. So, like it or not, I am coming with you. Where are we going?”
“Ascalon City,” said Dougal.
Kranxx let out a low whistle. “Almorra,” he said, “you never do anything in halves. Very well, then, get a bit of rest—you’re going to need it. I will be back. And in the name of the Eternal Alchemy”—he looked at Gullik—“don’t touch anything.”
Gullik looked disappointed and collapsed onto a pile of sacks in the corner. The sides of one of the sacks split and potatoes rolled out. Killeen lowered herself down next to him and tried to make herself comfortable using the norn’s pack as a pillow.
Ember held out her manacled hands and let out a low growl.
“Not yet,” said Riona. “We aren’t out of Ebonhawke.”
“You must be kidding,” snarled the charr. “We’re in a basement. If the Vanguard finds us, we’re better off if I can pull my own weight.”
“I don’t think—” said Riona.
“Do it,” said Dougal sharply. “Ember’s right.”
“We’re taking all sorts of risks—” Riona started again.
“Unlock her,” said Dougal, “or I’ll fish out my tools and break the locks myself.”
Riona shot Dougal a hot flash of anger but pulled the keys from her pouch and tripped the tumblers in Ember’s wrist and neck manacles. The charr immediately stretched herself out to her full height, raised her arms, and let out a powerful growl. “You have no idea how good that feels,” she said.
“You’d be surprised,” said Riona, but Ember ignored her and joined the other two on the pile of potato sacks.
Riona turned to Dougal. Her face was bunched with anger and, Dougal thought, a little confusion. Instead she said, “You going to get some rest? I’ll stand watch until Tactician Kranxx gets back.”
“You froze,” said Dougal. “At the asura gate. You were willing to hand over Ember.”
“You would have thought of something,” said Riona, but Dougal shook his head.
“You could have handed over your magic purple-stamped letter,” Dougal said pointedly. “Orders from the queen of Kryta and Logan Thackeray.”
“Thackeray’s name doesn’t hold the weight around here it once did,” she said. “And as for Queen Jennah, you know that most of us here think that she is distant authority at best.”
Dougal ignored her and continued, still keeping