“Of course,” Rellen replied, stepping forward. “This is my wife, Miranda.” Miranda gave a curt nod with a wary look on her face. Her eyes flicked to Rellen, and there was no missing the irritation there. They planned to maintain the tension, just dial back the arguments.

  “Madam,” Javyk said rather formally. “I’m pleased you are willing to engage in this new arrangement.”

  “Willing is a good word. I’m here for the coin, but we always keep up our end of the bargain.” She eyed Javyk and then Dancer. “Keep up yours, and we’ll get along well enough.”

  “Of that, you can rest assured.” His eyes turned to the “prisoners.”

  Rellen pointed at the still-disguised Tavyn. “That is Tygeth Kurm, and the fellow beside him is Maybor Duvall. They’re up for bodyguard duty, and we already have a plan for dealing with the bounties on their heads. It’ll mean we’re away from you in Jabono for a night, but after that, you’ll have all four of us making sure nothing happens to you.”

  “And you don’t mind the shackles?” Javyk asked.

  “This is not the first time I’ve worn them to get paid,” Tavyn said. There was no joy in his voice, but there wasn’t any resentment either.

  “And it’s not the first time we’ve broken prisoners out after getting paid for them.” Miranda glanced at Mygal and Tavyn. “I wasn’t all that happy about turning them in, but a bounty is a bounty.”

  Mygal chortled. “You weren’t pleased?” He got a sour expression on his face. “You also weren’t the one getting sent to prison or a chopping block.”

  “It’s a tough business, isn’t it,” Miranda fired back.

  “We’re not going to have a problem, are we?” Javyk asked, looking a little concerned.

  “Not at all,” Mygal said. “I don’t have to like the people I’m working with. I should thank you, actually. This gets us off the hook and puts coin in our pockets.” He gave Javyk a mischievous smile. “Once this job is done, I’m planning on heading further south with a different name and maybe even a different profession.” He glanced at Rellen. “Bounty hunting is hard work with a lot of risk. Being a bodyguard, on the other hand, can sometimes have a lot of creature comforts… especially with the right employer.”

  “So, everyone is pleased with the arrangement?” Javyk asked.

  “We are,” Rellen replied. “I’ll keep them shackled until Jabono, so nobody in the caravan is any wiser. Miranda and I will turn them in, get paid, and then arrange for them to join us in the caravan a day or three after it leaves. Like Miranda said, it’s not the first time we’ve done this.”

  “Forgive me,” Javyk said, “but I have to ask this question.” His eyes flicked to Tavyn and Mygal. “How do you know they won’t turn on you?”

  “I can answer that,” Tavyn said.

  “Can you?”

  “Yes. The truth is, if our roles had been reversed, it could easily have gone the same way.” He looked at Rellen and Miranda. “We’ve known each other for a while now, and all things being equal, I actually trust those two more than any other bounty hunters I’ve known.” He let out a long breath. “It’s all about the coin.”

  “That’s right,” Rellen said. “We’ll give them half of their bounties, and they both know there’s good money to be made on the back side. I know them well enough to know they’d jump at a sack of dakkaris. Frankly, it’s why they’re wanted in the first place.”

  “Well,” Javyk said, sounding a bit dubious, “if you show up at the caravan, I can assure you there’s money to be made. It’s vital I get to Yaylo without any further incident.”

  “We can make sure that happens,” Tavyn said. “As long as the coin is genuine, I don’t really care who I’m working for.”

  “Excellent. Seeing as you may be getting into trouble in Jabono, I think it’s best that you not spend too much time with us on the road there. If the King’s Guard comes asking questions, I don’t want the whole caravan pointing them in our direction because of our association.”

  “That’s a good point,” Rellen said. “I’ll stay close to the carriage the rest of the way. The three of them will hang back just as we’ve been doing. If you like, I can bed down a little closer to the carriage tonight.”

  Javyk shook his head. “I don’t believe that will be necessary. Your suggestion to camp in the middle of the caravan was a good one, and you’re close enough that, if there is any trouble, you can intervene.”

  “True enough. We’ll keep a close eye on things and then join up on the other side of Jabono.”

  “Then, if you will excuse us, Dancer and I have matters to attend to.”

  Chapter Twenty-three

  Jabono

  Jabono lay on the southern side of the Sylverwylde Mountains, situated at the base of the range just as Sylverwynd had been. Jabono had a much more civilized feel to it, however, spreading out further into the countryside, with taller stone structures and fewer wooden ones. The architecture, clearly influenced by the southern cultures, was also dramatically different. The city was a kaleidoscope of bright colors mixed in with pale gray stone and an abundance of straw-colored wooden struts and supports. The air above it was clear, for the inhabitants of Jabono were more interested in textiles and artistry than they were forging steel.

  With the sun high in a cloudless sky, the caravan turned off the King’s Highway to pass around the outer edge of the city on a swath of cobblestone road only a few decades old. Jabono had become so densely populated it was difficult to get the caravans through the city along the section of the King’s Highway that passed through its center. The caravan would set up in an enclave along the river on the far side of Jabono, but Rellen and the others broke away, assuring Javyk that Rellen and Miranda would rejoin the caravan in a few hours. Later that night, they’d break Mygal and Tavyn out.

  When Javyk’s carriage was out of sight, the four of them turned their horses and continued into Jabono, riding along the King’s Highway. Tavyn and Mygal’s shackles came off the moment they entered the city. They were discreet about it, but both of them had been looking forward to the moment they could remove them. They’d gone a few hundred yards along the King’s Highway, with homes and shops passing by, when Xilly dropped out of the sky to once again perch on Rellen’s shoulder. Rellen greeted her fondly, giving her a scratch beneath her chin as she coiled her tail around his neck.

  Missed you, little one, Rellen said.

  Missed you too, she replied. I’ll be glad when this is all over.

  Rellen gave her a large chunk of jerky from a pouch at his belt, and she tore into it voraciously.

  How are you holding up? With all this flying, you must be getting tired.

  Not tired… well, maybe a little, she replied. It’s mostly lots of riding currents. I could do this for weeks.

  Well, hopefully it won’t be that long, but Yaylo is a long way from here, Rellen warned.

  I’ll be fine for as long as it takes.

  When this is all over, it’s a month of feasts for you, I promise.

  Xilly nuzzled his throat. I’ll hold you to that.

  I figured you would, Rellen replied, and gave her another scratch.

  “He’s not at all what I expected.” Miranda’s voice broke in on their conversation.

  “What?” Rellen replied.

  “I said, he’s not what I expected.”

  “Javyk?”

  “Exactly.”

  Rellen got a thoughtful look. “I agree, but he’s a Nissran. I have no doubt about that. The Nissran’s I encountered in Calamath mostly seemed like normal folks… until the lights went out, so to speak. Family members, neighbors, people they’d known for years had no idea they’d joined that wretched cult. That’s their greatest strength, if you ask me. They’re like a slow poison, seeping into a place a little bit at a time. And you don’t know they’re around until the bodies start stacking up.”

  “Do you think that’s what was going to happen in Sylverwynd?” Mygal asked, massaging his wrists.

  The streets were busy and full of music, with merchants and other inhabitants going about their business while bards on every street corner plied the crowds for coin.

  “I’d bet my life on it. I can’t imagine the six Nissrans who died in that warehouse were all of them. If only we could get that lucky.” Rellen shook his head. “The bastards are everywhere now. I think we’re going to be fighting them for a while, no matter what happens with Javyk and his employer. My worst fears are slowly coming true. Short of sending in troops and filling the streets with blood, I’m not sure we can stop it.”

  Mygal got a worried look on his face. “Maybe if we cut off the head?”

  “Maybe.” Rellen’s expression went grim. “Javyk is going to get his. I’m certain of that.”

  “What if we’re wrong about him?” Miranda asked. “What if he’s just a courier escorting that artifact from Svennival to Yaylo? Do you know for certain he was involved in the murders?”

  “Certain?” Rellen said. “No. I can’t say that I am, but that’s more a matter of semantics.”

  “He’s just so… normal.”

  “You didn’t see him in that warehouse. There’s no doubt in my mind he’s a Nissran. As to whether or not he was in the duke’s house that night? I may never know with any certainty. That’s beside the point. He’s a zokurioi, so he could have been the one to subdue the duke and his family. Whether he was or not, he has that artifact, he’s in charge, and he was ordering the Nissrans around like they were his very own slaves.” Rellen let out a long breath. “He’s not just a courier, of that I am certain. At some point, we’re likely to see his true colors, and when he bares those particular teeth, you’ll see how terrifying a Nissran can really be.”

  “Frankly, I hope I never find out.”

  “So do I. If they come out of the woodwork, blood will run in the streets, and we’ll have to kill them all.” Rellen intended to recommend a new state policy to his brother. If Nissrans were detected anywhere, the order would be to send a brigade of Corsairs to exterminate them. They’d learned how to detect and cleanse members of the cult in Calamath, and it was high time those methods were utilized in every corner of Pelinon. He just hoped it wasn’t already too late.

  “This is where we turn off.” Miranda nodded toward a four-way intersection up ahead. “The constable I know is stationed up that way, about a quarter way around the city.”

  “Alright,” Rellen said. “I have my own errand to run. Hopefully, I’ll be able to learn at least a little about what we’ve been dealing with.”

  “Good luck,” Miranda said as she turned her horse to the right.

  “And be careful,” Mygal added, following behind her. “We may have left our troubles behind us with Javyk and the caravan, but then again…”

  “We may not,” Rellen finished for him. “Don’t worry. I’m always careful.” He glanced at Tavyn, who seemed to be staring off into space. It struck him as a little odd, but then, they had been on the road for quite a while. Tavyn suddenly blinked several times and then nodded to Rellen, giving him a smile and a halfhearted salute.

  Chapter Twenty-four

  A Sense of Urgency

  Tavyn watched the caravan disappear from view as Rellen led them into Jabono. Rellen and Miranda were once again content to chat with each other, and he could count on Mygal to join in. He knew his horse would follow the one in front of it, so it was as good a time as any to check in with his employer. He closed his eyes and focused his will upon the black stone once again. The connection came almost immediately, and with that, he opened his eyes so as not to rouse suspicion.

  Milord, he called.

  I hear you.

  We have reached Jabono without incident and separated from Javyk. The plan is for Rellen and Miranda to meet up with him again tonight, after Miranda arranges for a constable here to legitimize our cover story.

  And that is? his employer asked.

  Mygal and I will have escaped after being turned in for the bounty. New bounties will be created with bad descriptions and different names. We’ll meet up with them in a couple days and travel in the open as additional bodyguards. Rellen fully intends to play this out until he’s discovered who is behind it all and why.

  I expected nothing less. He was the perfect choice. You have played your part well, and I am more than pleased at how things are evolving. Rest assured, there will be even greater rewards for you once these events have run their course.

  Do you know what is going to happen? What that artifact is for? Tavyn asked, hoping to pry at least a little information out of the man.

  I do not, but that, after all, is the point of the exercise. Has there been any additional involvement by the Delvers?

  No. If they’re going to attack, assuming they followed us from Sylverwynd, then it will probably be at some point past Jabono.

  Agreed. His employer went quiet for a moment. It is vital that the Delvers do not take possession of that artifact. Once you learn what it is for, you must find a way to steal it away and bring it to me.

  Rellen isn’t going to make that easy, assuming we can get it away from Javyk and whomever he’s working for.

  I have no doubt. If you can succeed, I shall double what I was going to pay you. With the Delvers involved, Rellen might learn the truth, and if he does, then it is likely that a number of my plans will grow even more complicated, if not completely unravel. Dedicate yourself to this one objective. Discover what Javyk’s employer intends to do with that artifact, and then bring it to me. DO YOU UNDERSTAND?

  The thought slammed into Tavyn’s mind, and his employer’s emotions flowed right along with it. They carried a profound urgency, an almost desperate hunger, and underlying it all was something else—something more deeply set in his employer’s psyche: a desire to dominate.

  I do, Tavyn replied, shaken by what he’d felt. And I’ll do everything in my power to make it happen.

  Excellent.

  They’re watching! Tavyn blurted. I have to go. He broke the connection and met Rellen’s gaze, blinking several times. He nodded to Rellen and gave a smile and a halfhearted salute.

  Chapter Twenty-five

  The Chancellor's Guest

  As he rode through the streets of Jabono, Rellen realized he was, for the first time in days, truly alone with his thoughts. He let out a relieved breath and leaned back a little in the saddle.

  Are you alright? Xilly’s query came gently from where she’d curled up around his saddle horn.

  I’m fine, he replied. It’s just quiet.

  We normally travel alone, she observed.

  Yes. He rubbed her between her shoulder blades. I’ve been doing that a long time.

  To protect yourself, she said gently. I understand.

  She probably did, Rellen thought.

  It wasn’t that he didn’t like the company of Miranda, Mygal, and Tavyn. Sometimes, he just found it to be… exhausting. The past couple weeks had been especially so, and with Javyk and Dancer added to the noise, it was becoming difficult for him to bear. He was playing a role, and had been, day after day. He had to be careful what he said around Tavyn. He had to be even more careful about what he said around Javyk and Dancer. He even, to a lesser extent, had to be careful what he said around Miranda and Mygal, although for different reasons.

  Mygal…

  Rellen shook his head. He’d really taken to the young Guardian—embraced the role as mentor. He hadn’t expected it to happen so easily, but the idea of getting close to someone still filled him with… the only word was fear.

  Jaquinn El Barad, the Second Guardian of Pelinon, had done something similar for him when he’d first joined the Guardians. Granted, Rellen hadn’t been quite as green as Mygal, but there was a lot he’d had to learn, and Jaquinn had been a patient instructor.

  He shook his head, pushing thoughts of Jaquinn and Mygal away. He didn’t know what he was feeling—or maybe he wouldn’t look at the emotions he felt.

  He guided Shaddeth to the great, inner wall of Jabono. It was over six hundred years old, maintained obsessively by the duke and his family, and was still as defensible as it had always been. The King’s Highway turned east, curving around the city wall. Rellen broke away, following a wide cobblestone of dark gray that led to the massive portcullis of the old city. There were guards on watch atop the wall, but the gate was fully open, and nobody stood in his path.

  Navigating his way through the fairly heavy foot traffic, Rellen left the mostly wooden structures of New Jabono behind and entered Old Jabono. The inner portion of the city was more stone than wood and reflected their original Aradinian architecture. The buildings, some three stories high, possessed intricate stone carvings up the corners and along the rooflines. They depicted all manner of demons who, it was said, were the captive souls of Aradinian foes. At the corners of many buildings, just along the roof line, stone demons stood, squatted, or otherwise looked down on the passersby. The statues were frequently part of the gutter system, with rainwater pouring out of their mouths or other orifices. The roofs were very different from Central Pelinon. They curved out from the buildings and then back in, as if giant, squared radishes had been inverted and stuck on top of the buildings.

  Rellen finally found himself in the Great Square of Jabono, where a large, three-tiered fountain sprayed water into the air. A ring of demons supported each tier, their grimacing faces showing the strain of their burden. To the right was the baronial seat of Jabono, a tall edifice, covered by demonic statues where the baron governed with—it was said—a magnanimous hand. Across the square from that was the reason Rellen had come. Jabono had the largest magic academy in the southwest regions of Pelinon.

  He stabled Shaddeth in an attached livery, securing his gear with the usual protection spells, then walked up the wide, stone steps in the front of the academy. A handful of students, all exuberant and mostly noble youths, moved in and out of the main entrance to the school.