Eli glanced at Sherman, who declined to meet his eyes as he recounted the tale. “That being said, the earl wasn’t too happy about a dead body on the street, but rather than come see to the situation himself, he decided to send one of his young protégés to see how they’d handle the situation,” the half-corlyps continued. “So, I was waiting for the earl to come state his feelings, but in strides this human kid full of heaven’s fire, flashing his tabard and this fancy paladin title and asking what gave me the right to kill an unarmed man. And what happened then?”
“Mr. Sorivar taught me a lesson,” Sherman informed Kari matter-of-factly, and she blinked and turned back to Eli.
“I beat the crap out of this kid, and then I asked him if he had anything to back up his tabard and fancy title,” the half-corlyps elaborated.
Kari was shocked, but the wry smile on Sherman’s face said there was more to the situation than that. “I’m surprised the earl didn’t have you arrested,” she said.
Eli folded his hands behind his back and shrugged nonchalantly. “Like I said: We have an understanding,” he returned. “My guess was that the earl wanted to see how Sherman would handle things, but I don’t think he expected this kid would walk into a situation blindly and expect a coat of arms and an air of authority to keep him safe. I suspect Sherman failed the earl’s test the minute he rode out the gates of the castle with no help.”
Sherman nodded but offered only a quiet, “Indeed.”
“I saw you looking at my tattoo,” Eli said to Kari. “The answer to your question is yes, I was a member of the Five Clans. I served as a guard and an enforcer for a few years after I was kicked out of the orphanage. Once I got a little older and was able to stand on my own, I cut ties with the guild and moved to DarkWind, but I always kept the tattoo… partly to prove that I wouldn’t turn on them, but also so I’d never forget where I came from.”
“When I was serving as an enforcer in Oge, I’d have killed someone like Sherman without a second thought; that’s how fast it happens. Someone walks into a situation totally unprepared, and they’re dead before they even realize they’ve crossed a line,” the half-corlyps continued, eyeing Sherman. “I suspect things work the same way in cities like DarkWind and Barcon, where the guilds and the crime families run things. You never walk into a situation like that expecting the law to keep you safe. Most people will respect the law, but it only takes one person with a sharp knife who doesn’t, and that’s a mistake that can’t be undone.”
“It was a lesson well-learned,” Sherman returned, nodding to the half-corlyps, and then he looked up toward Kari. “Everyone respects the earl, and never have I seen anyone treat him with even the least bit of disrespect. I remembered the way the people treated you and Erik on Tsalbrin, and the respect that seemed to come with your Order’s authority and the way the two of you wielded it. I came to expect that I would receive that same respect if I acted with the same air of authority, but Mr. Sorivar was… kind enough to show me the error of my ways in a less fatal situation than I might otherwise have encountered.”
Kari glanced at Eli again. After the short tale, she could see the experience the grizzled veteran possessed. She wondered at his mention of an orphanage and whether he’d had a childhood similar to her own. She marveled that he had turned out to be a decent and caring person despite the obvious hell of growing up within an assassin’s guild in Oge, of all places. There was little doubt left that he had a good heart; though it was plain to see that he and Sherman weren’t friends, there was a respect between them that was a little tougher for her to read when she’d first seen them interact. Now that she knew more about their relationship, she understood: Sherman regarded Eli the same way Kari had looked at the tougher drill sergeants when she’d trained at the Academy so long ago.
“I guess it probably all sounds a little silly or macho to someone who’s used to making her own way as a demonhunter,” Eli commented, sparing Kari a glance.
She shook her head as they made the final approach to the castle’s gates. “Not at all. My Order partners hunters together all the time to build bonds for just such occasions. We have authority over law enforcement all over the world for the same reason: If we need help, we have to be able to get it. If a demonhunter walks into a situation unprepared or outmanned, not only are they going to die, but more people are going to suffer in the meantime, and it could be weeks or even months before the Order even knows they’ve been killed. One of the most important things they teach you at the Academy is to know your limitations and never let pride keep you from asking for help when you need it. Contrary to what a lot of people think, I rarely traveled or fought demons alone.”
“Is that why you and Erik were partnered on Tsalbrin?” Sherman asked.
Kari nodded but didn’t go into detail as they reached the castle’s gates. Once through the portcullis, servants came to take the horse, and several more accompanied Sherman and his guests into the keep. It was hard to make out much detail in the light of the moons, but Kari could see that the keep was modest, no bigger than the one they had invaded on Tsalbrin. Other buildings stood along the inside of the castle’s walls, and Kari imagined those were for sheltering people if they sought refuge during wartime. It confirmed what she’d suspected when she saw the castle from the ship, and made her look forward to meeting the earl that much more.
The entryway was grand and beautiful, lighted by an expansive chandelier that had been mostly extinguished in the late hours. Curving stairways went up each side of the hall and met at a second level, and a sprawling circular rug with the earl’s coat of arms lay between them. Up each of the stairways were paintings of the earl’s family, and at the top, where the two staircases met, was a tapestry depicting a blonde knight on a white steed. The scent of flowers filled the air, wafting from several blooming potted plants and vases of freshly cut bouquets set neatly about the area. It was as stately a chamber as Kari had ever seen, comparable even to the castle of the shakna-rir monarchy in Aurun Ch’Gurra.
Sherman bid Kari and Eli goodnight and made his way upstairs, leaving the servants to guide the visitors to the guest chambers. Down a side hallway were the guest chambers, small but efficient, and the moment Kari saw the bed, her fatigue settled back in. It wasn't as luxurious as the suite at The Satin Palace, but Kari draped her cloak over the chair and began shedding her armor. She started to take off her undergarments, but there was a knock at the door. She chuckled before inviting Eli to enter.
He was stripped down to his own undergarments, a thick loincloth and a sleeveless grey tunic that showed off his scarred, muscular arms. He leaned against the frame of the door as his eyes met hers. “Don’t take this the wrong way, but are you sure you’re all right to sleep alone?”
Kari held his gaze for a few quiet moments. She could see the concern in his expression and almost hear the words he’d spoken to her earlier in the evening echo in her ears. What was it in his past that had bred such a deep and genuine concern for women in his heart? Though a half-corlyps would normally be accused of pursuing a sexual desire, she could see much more in his gaze. It was hard to miss considering where he worked, the way the women there spoke of him, and the fact that he had taken the fangs of a succubus to his neck to defend Kari just hours before. In a way, it made her sad to think such a man might spend the rest of his life alone because of the way he looked or who had sired him. On the other hand, she figured he at least had many more years to find himself a good woman.