“I’m not sure she’s afraid, but she’d definitely be happier having me as an ally, or else killing me when there’s no risk involved,” Kari returned. “She did offer to help me kill Emma, but that just shows she’s more afraid of Emma.”
“Smart girl. If only we could get them to fight each other…,” Eli said. “I have a feeling Emma would win, but that’s the result we want anyway. Then you could try capturing her, though I think that’s going to prove tricky.”
“Maybe,” Kari said cryptically. “But I brought something from home that may help with that. Come on; let’s get some sleep. It’s going to be a busy day tomorrow.”
Once Eli was dried off, they returned to their shared room and separate beds. Kari was perturbed by the invasion, but at the same time, her mind latched onto the part of the dreams involving a daughter.
She remembered the beautiful little girl and the way the bright, warm sun had shone down on them, and she sighed wistfully and drifted off to sleep.
20
Setting the Snare
The rain continued through the following morning. Kari trudged down the muddy streets toward the northwest district and Kaelin Black’s tower. She felt well-rested despite her dreams being invaded during the night, and tried not to let the incident or the rain bring her spirits down. As she’d hoped, the storm fronted warmer air, and the rain wasn’t a cold spring drizzle. Kari’s cloak kept her dry, and she had her cowl up to keep the rain from drenching her hair.
Traffic was light in the rainy, muddy conditions, and even the bazaar crowd was sparse when she passed through. Many of the merchants had tents and awnings up around their stalls to keep them, their products, and potential buyers dry. There were a fair number of people braving the rain to pick up produce and meats from the vendors, but the pressing throng that typified the area was absent. It was a creepy contrast to the usual scene at the bazaar, but a welcome break from the dangerous crowd.
Kari felt conspicuous crossing the open area, and reminded herself to get in the habit of wearing her helm. Under her cloak, her hands dropped close to the hilts of her scimitars. She wouldn’t see the glow from Zalkar’s symbol under the cover of her cloak, so she stayed on the alert. She scanned the plaza but tried to keep her head facing forward, except for the occasional sideways glance that allowed her to look over her shoulder.
She would almost welcome the succubus to attack her here, in an open, sparsely-populated area where Kari could bring her full expertise to bear. The slick, muddy streets might be an issue, but with Kari’s dexterity and that of her attacker, she wasn’t sure they would make that much difference.
Eli’s words came back to her as she walked. Maybe Turillia was afraid to fight her hand-to-hand again. It didn’t seem likely; in her first encounter with Turillia, the two had seemed well-matched. More likely was Kari’s suspicion that Turillia couldn’t beat Emma, and was trying to turn Kari’s sights to the mallasti girl. If that were the case, it would mean Turillia didn’t know Kari’s intentions toward Emma and vice versa, and that the succubus was afraid the mallasti girl might actually help Kari.
Kari had no delusions that such would turn out to be the case. Emma didn’t want her dead and wouldn’t help Turillia. At the same time, if Emma didn’t consider Eli a friend and wasn’t willing to help him, Kari saw no reason the mallasti would help her. If it turned out Kari was Salvation’s Dawn, then Emma might at least step in and make sure Kari wasn’t killed. All the same, Kari wasn’t about to make assumptions about being Salvation’s Dawn, and she wasn’t going to put her life in the hands of a demon under any circumstances.
Well, unless maybe it was Trigonh, she thought with a smile.
It dawned on her that her erestram friend could also be a great source of information for the Order. She sighed; she’d probably have to give him quite an apology before he’d tell them anything, but apologizing to him was something she’d wanted to do for years now. When she had first been resurrected—against her will—she was furious with him for bringing her back to a life she’d been happy to let go of. After her relationship with Grakin blossomed and they had their first child, though, she started to appreciate Trigonh’s gift more and more.
She wondered where Trigonh was, and why she hadn’t seen him since that fateful day when he’d used a favor from the gods to have her resurrected. Kaelariel likely knew where to find the erestram, as Trigonh served the god of freedom and death, and had for many years.
I can ask Piotyr and Deirdre if they have any idea. At least they can let Kaelariel know I’m looking for Trigonh.
Kari wasn’t sure how old Trigonh was but knew he’d served Celigus Chinchala for centuries before coming to Citaria. He had to know virtually everything about his home and its indigenous demons, and if he still loved her as much as he had, he’d be willing to share.
Kari returned her attention to the task at hand when she reached Lord Black’s tower. She had no idea if the guards at the entrance were the same ones who’d made the disrespectful wolf-whistles at her years before, but that was an incident that stuck in her mind. The attitudes of Black’s primarily human guards were much better on this visit, and Kari had to give credit to Kaelin Black and Marshal Saracht. Kari hadn’t thought much of Lord Black upon arrival, and he hadn’t thought much of Kari or her Order, but she had to admit he was doing everything she could reasonably expect to be helpful—and honestly, he didn’t have to. When she approached, the guards nodded respectfully to her and allowed Kari inside.
Marshal Saracht was sitting on the couch before the fireplace, and he looked up and greeted Kari when she entered. He gestured toward the stairs but made no move to join her, so Kari began walking up slowly. She worked to get her thoughts in order; she had to be convincing in her act, or the demon might recognize the trap. While that wouldn’t put any of them in more danger than they already were, it would mean more research, tracking, and planning to try to draw Turillia into a web. The longer it took, the greater the risk that she would kill again and possibly gain the strength to challenge Emma.
Lord Black invited her in as soon as she knocked, and Kari blew out a quiet sigh before opening the door. She stepped in and closed the door behind her. Lord Garant was seated before the earl’s desk and regarded Kari with a polite nod. She returned the gesture but hesitated near the doorway until Lord Black waved her forward.
Kari glanced at the fire in the hearth; why was there such a chill in the air? Between the warm air outside and the fire, it should’ve been comfortable on the tower’s topmost floor.
The thought of playing poker with Aeligos and his siblings flashed through Kari’s mind an instant before her expression changed, and she kept it neutral. It all made sense now: The chilly room when they’d met with BlackWing on the Order’s campus; the same chill that pervaded Black’s office two nights ago and today; and the fact that Katarina had described the shadow demon as a mass of darkness that absorbed light and warmth. The young paladin had meant the last figuratively, but as Kari approached Kaelin Black’s desk, she recalled how deeply the chill bit when she’d stepped out of Katarina’s nimbus to approach BlackWing in their encounter on Temple Street.