Chapter 9 - Part 1

BY OATH EMPOWERED

Varna, in the Eldeen Reaches, the 4th of Vult, 993 Y.K., very early morning, about four hours before dawn

Beads of perspiration formed on the human male’s forehead, despite the late autumn chill in the courtyard. “Only one of you comes in,” the man said. His eyes darted left and right, noting the crossbowmen on the parapets and the pikemen on either side. Most were human, as was he, but more than one was a shifter employee of House Vadalis.

And they cared not for the two demanding entrance.

“Hey, one of your guests wants to see us, captain,” sneered the younger one, a half-elf with bright red hair that peeked out under a steel cap. “We got the word, you let us both in the courtyard, so what’s your problem?”

“I’m the night commander, not a captain,” said the sweating human male. He felt every one of his forty-six year, even as the sweat dripped into a thick gray mustache. “Bu that's okay, my House, unlike yours, doesn’t get so hung up on rank.” His voice hardened. It wasn’t the red-haired pup that made everyone on edge (whether they had shape-changing abilities or not). “But like your House, we in Vadalis take our orders seriously. Especially on night watch. Only one of you enters the building. I assume it’s Parnain.”

His eyes darted to the blonde half-elf with the cold eyes who stood to the right of and in front of the red-haired one. Parnain was everything the legends told of, and more. Since coming to Varna he was rumored to have killed over twenty people.

By Oalian’s root, what were the city fathers thinking allowing this madman free reign? The night commander wondered to himself.

“We didn’t mean to disrupt your watch, night commander,” Parnain spoke. His words shocked. Until that point he’d been letting the other one talk for him. The man’s hands rested on his belt, next to the hilts of his weapons. His tone was without passion, a man reciting formulas of civility by rote. “I understand that those without elven blood get tired.” His eyes suddenly swiveled to the pikeman on the night commander’s left. That man gave a start and took a half-step back. “But, you have to understand that it’s my job to be suspicious when things are out of order. Do you always limit early-morning guests to only one?” He blue eyes stabbed the human with their glare.

“No,” the man answered simply. He’d heard that the half-elf known as Parnain could smell lies. “But we limit people we consider dangerous to the House to only one.”

Parnain made a brief smile, the barest wrinkling of the corners of his mouth. “Well, I am dangerous.” He turned his head to his red-haired accomplice. “Stay here. Don’t kill anyone.”

“Fine,” the younger half-elf sighed.

Parnain stepped forward, as if unaware that there were nearly half a dozen steel-tipped crossbow bolts pointed at him. “Now, you’ve a gatekeeper in there who said he wanted to see me. And I’m running out of changeling spies and saboteurs to kill. So stop wasting my time.”

Anger began to grow in the night commander’s breast. “You watch how you talk to me,” he finally bristled. “I’m not scared of you.”

Parnain leaned in, and the shutters behind his eyes gave way briefly, letting the human see unfettered rage, if only for a moment. “Yes you are,” he said.

A long silence followed as they stared at each other.

“This way,” the night commander said, averting his gaze as he gestured at the men to open the doors.

The night commander led the half-elf into the building, and six armed men waited within to escort them both.