The Shattered Land_ The Dreaming Dark - Keith Baker [59]
“We will return,” Lakashtai said. “I have confidence in the skills of my companion.”
“Of course you do!” Gerrion flashed an innocent smile at Daine. “Then let’s be on our way.”
He approached the door and lifted the knocker, striking three times. “I’m sure you recognize me,” he said to the air, “I bring two who wish to speak with Master Hassalac Chaar. They know the risks of entry and are prepared to face them for the honor of this audience.”
“What risks?” Daine muttered to Lakashtai. She made a dismissing gesture.
A moment passed in silence. And another. Gerrion stood at the door, smiling slightly.
Daine’s suspicions began to mount. “Oh, I see how this game is played. We paid you last evening, and I’m sure those coins have already gone to pay your debts. You even get us to kill one of your enemies. Now you bring us to your magic door, and what do you know, the doorman doesn’t want to speak to us. Not your concern, is that it? You’ve done the best you could?”
Gerrion shrugged. “Well, if Hassalac doesn’t want to speak to you, there’s really nothing I can do about it. You don’t force his hand.”
The battle with Sakhesh had left Daine in a poor mood for petty cons. “If this Hassalac really exists, you’d better take us to his house right now, or I’ll be using force on your hand.”
“Daine—” Lakashtai began, but Daine cut her off.
“I’ll bet you don’t even know Alina, do you? You just somehow linked me to her and figured it was a good angle to play, or perhaps this is her idea of a game.”
Daine’s sword was a flash of steel in the sun, but Gerrion’s crossbow was already drawn and leveled. The half-elf could only loose one bolt before Daine could close the distance, but the vision of the shattered crystal remained fixed in his mind.
“You have a keen mind, old soldier,” Gerrion said, “and I admit, I’ve played this game before, but not today. I can smell the path to profit, and there’s far more to be made working with you than against you. While I understand that you once escaped from Lyrris’ wrath, I don’t care to test my luck against the gnome.”
“Then what are we doing here?”
“Waiting,” Gerrion said. “I’d have thought you’d have learned to do that in your war.”
Then, without a sound, the door simply vanished. The space between the pillars was filled with dark mist.
“There,” Gerrion said. “Was that so terrible?”
Daine studied the portal for a moment. Nothing could be seen through the black smoke, which chose to ignore the rising winds. “Lakashtai …”
“This is what I expected, Daine. This is the gateway to our true destination. When we pass through, we shall emerge elsewhere, and I would suggest that we move quickly.” She glanced at the sky for a moment. “I believe a storm is coming.”
“I’m going first.” Daine’s sword was still in his hand, and he drew his dagger. With one final glare at Gerrion, he stepped into the shadow.
The darkness flowed around him, and Daine felt a shiver of fear as he remembered Tashana’s psychic attack, but it lasted only a moment. The pressure grew, and for an instant he thought his bones would snap—then it was gone, and the world returned.
He was in the wrong place.
This was no merchant’s manor. It was a subterranean passage, with walls of dark stone and packed earth illuminated by the light of guttering torches. Daine took in the surroundings in an instant, but his attention was focused on the creature that stood before him—a massive reptilian humanoid with the build and bulk of an ogre. Its skin was covered with thick black scales. Its fanged jaws could make a single mouthful of Daine’s head, but its halberd was more of a concern. The long blade at the end of the haft was strangely curved and bore some sort of engraved pattern, but what Daine saw was the point leveled at his chest.
Gerrion!