Interlude 08: Dubious Companions

Marienne continued deeper into the maze of corridors, the soles of her boots clacking loudly against the wet stone floor. A ball of light, the Lih spell, floated above her right shoulder, illuminating the area around her. There was a tight frown on her features as she wandered through the hallways, a sign of her current mood.

Damn it all, she thought. Things were not going according to plan. She had managed to ingratiate herself into her target’s company, which wasn’t too difficult. She had planned to lull the lizardman into a false sense of security, then drug his food or drink with some sleeping draught. Enough to shackle him and get his inebriated self over to one of Garret’s agents.

But that plan was impossible now, thanks to the lizard’s companion, whom she recognized from the gathering at Garret’s home. Lee was the wrench in her works that she couldn’t figure out how to get rid of. She supposed that he, too, was after the reward but couldn’t for the life of her figure out he hadn’t acted yet. From the snippets of conversation he and the target had, she surmised that they had been traveling together for almost a week before she met up with them. That was more than enough time to either kill the lizard or drug him into a stupor. Marienne had snuck a look at Lee’s poisons; she knew he had enough there to drug thirty lizardmen!

The sorceress stopped at a crossroads and folded her arms, her mind hastily thinking things through. How could she capture the target without killing him? Usually, she would just seduce the target and slip a concoction in his drink or meal when he was least expecting it. Unfortunately, that method was out of the question for her, for obvious reasons. Even if she were so inclined, she very much doubted that Nero would be interested in her that way.

The more important step in her new plans though would be getting rid of Lee. He was her competition in this matter and he needed to be dealt with before she could enact any actions against the lizardman.

“My, my. What’s got your pretty little face in such a gloom, hmm?”

Speak of the devil.

Marienne turned her eyes towards Lee, who had just stepped into the circle of light her Lih spell was creating. He looked none the worse for wear, and still had that damnable smile stuck to his face.

“We were looking for you,” she told him, ignoring his previous question. “Where had you gone, exactly?”

“Oh, here and there,” Lee grinned. He then showed her the pack he was carrying, opening it to reveal several mostly functional scientific apparatuses inside. “Managed to find most of the archeological thing-a-bobs. Trogs broke a bunch of them, though. Client won’t be too happy ‘bout that.”

Marienne grunted. “I’m surprised you’re still going on about this quest.”

“Oh? Ain’t that why we’re here?”

“Oh, lay off it,” the sorceress snapped. “You and I both know that we’re in this for the reward on that lizardman’s head.”

Lee’s smirk grew wider. “Are we now?”

“Yes!” Marienne snarled in frustration. “You were there at Garret’s estate when he tortured that doctor for the information! You agreed to go after the lizardman as we all did, all for that fat bounty of two thousand gold!”

Lee nodded as he listened to her retort. “Yes. I don’t deny that I was there.”

“Then why-”

“Do you know why you won’t get that reward?” Lee interrupted her.

“What?” Marienne’s lone eye narrowed.

“Do you know why you will never get that reward?” Lee repeated. “Because you’re way too impatient. You don’t sit still and just… enjoy the moment. You’re way too busy drooling over the money that you don’t have, and refuse to see what life has in store for you right in front of your face.”

“What in the hell are you talking about?” The sorceress hissed angrily.

Lee sighed, then shrugged. “It’s no fun if I have to explain it to you.”

The lanky man then turned away from her and began walking down the hall.

“Wait!” Marienne said. “We can make a deal here. Fifty-fifty, how about it? We work together to bring that lizard in. Everyone comes away a winner.”

Lee turned around and tapped a finger on his lip, seemingly thinking the offer over. “Now that offer sounds very tempting, but I’ma have to say no.” He gave her a smile before turning around to begin walking.

Marienne’s lone eye narrowed as she watched the man’s back. “Fine,” she muttered. “I guess I’ll just have to keep the entire reward for myself.” She raised her right hand and aimed it at Lee’s retreating form. One fireball should do the trick.

Just as she began to chant the spell, her vision blurred. A few seconds later she began to feel dizzy and light-headed.

“What the-?” Marienne clutched at her forehead, finding the skin cold and clammy.

It was then that she noticed a long, thin, almost invisible needle sticking out of her left bicep.

“No…” She looked up at Lee, then back at the needle. “How? When? I didn’t even feel it!”

Her right hand grabbed for the needle to yank it out, but suddenly Marienne’s head felt heavy. She stumbled down onto her knees, her breath coming out in short, quick gasps.

The sorceress stayed like that for a few more seconds, before her breathing stopped altogether and she fell forwards, face-first onto the stone floor. Her Lih spell fizzled out, leaving the corridor in darkness.

As Lee walked away from Marienne’s prone form, he began to whistle a somber tune. It was an old sailor’s piece, a song about a foolish captain who was hunting a shark and in the end, bit off more than he could chew.