Chapter 14: Five Adventurers and a Secret Mission

An hour later it was getting dark, and the companions were ready to depart, clustered around the door of the lounge and the antechamber beyond.

The three children hadn’t provided a great deal of information, but in the view of Warlik, it was enough. They had learned that Maluhk had been seen being led into a mansion house at the very edge of the merchant’s quarter, adjacent to one of the city’s internal walls that divided the quarters. It would be up to the companions to find out exactly where in that building he was – presuming he hadn’t been moved – and to break him free.

The lizard warrior had paid the children another two coppers each, and they had run off smiling broadly. Alcar tried not to obsess over the fact that each of them now had more money then he had left.

“We should divide up,” said Warlik, who appeared to naturally be taking the lead in the fledgling group, especially as they had now move Lox’aar upstairs to recover from her injuries.

“Why so?” asked Etienne.

“In order to approach quietly,” explained Olynka. “We’re not all as stealthy as you, halfling.”

Etienne nodded, looking at Alcar, his eyes twinkling. “Right. Of course. That’s certainly true. So – two groups?”

“Yes, it will have to be that way,” said Warlik. “I’d prefer three pairs, but Lox’aar still needs more rest. I will take her to the healers of the Elemental Hand Guild in the morning, and pay some silver to their god. So for now, we must form one pair and one group of three.”

“Don’t forget Brutus,” said Alcar. “That makes six.”

“You can’t take your new pet, man,” said Etienne. “I’m not going back for my bird, am I?”

“You have a pet bird?” asked Olynka incredulously.

Etienne shrugged, stifling a yawn. “Sure I do. Smarter than a dog. But even if she was here, it still wouldn’t count as six of us.“

“I could go and ask Sprigg,” mused Alcar.

“Enough!” cried Warlik, raising his fists in the air, and everyone else fell silent as the mighty lizardman warrior began to stalk around, circling them. “This chit-chat has no place in a serious situation like this. Maluhk could be getting tortured as we speak. We need to plan quickly, and act now. There is no time for recruiting more help.”

“Agreed,” said Golgrasanna. “But this group lack experience. Perhaps you should take the halfling male” – she nodded her head towards Etienne – “and one of the other recruits.”

“You fancy yourself as a group leader,” said Olynka, raising an eyebrow.

“Why not?” Golgrasanna shot back. “I have made it alone from a far off land in the west of Uburtia. What about you? From a village that’s just a mile or so away, if I’m not mistaken?”

“Um, well...” At this, Olynka fell silent.

“No arguments,” said Warlik, raising a clenched fist again. “I will take Etienne and Olynka. Golgrasanna, you can go with Alcar. As for the dog, my advice would be to leave it here with Lox’aar.”

“No – I don’t want to leave Brutus!” said Alcar. “He’s just getting used to me. He doesn’t even know Lox’aar.”

“He barely knows you either,” said Olynka, and then she snickered. “Look, your new friend will be just fine. He probably needs a rest after all that dried goat’s meat.”

“I guess.”

“The woman is right. Brutus will be perfectly safe with Lox’aar watching over him,” said Warlik. “He can sleep on the sorcerer’s bed – Maluhk isn’t here to object.”

Alcar grumbled for a moment, but then nodded.

“Very well. My group will take the lead. Golgrasanna and Alcar, you can depart after another fifteen minutes. Understood?”

“Yes, Warlik,” said Alcar, secretly pleased that he had a few minutes grace. Among other things, he wanted to relieve himself at a latrine – or against the side of Maluhk’s tower, if necessary.

As the others left, Golgrasanna graced Alcar with a rare smile. “Well, why don’t we take it easy for a few minutes, my fellow apprentice? Let’s go through.”

They walked together back into the lounge, which suddenly felt very empty with the others absent. The smell of stew was now mingling with other smells in a rather off-putting way, to Alcar’s mind – or was it just the stench of those mushrooms? Either way, he was glad he hadn’t eaten too much of the stuff, having instead filled up by sharing some of the spare dried meat with Brutus, up in the study/kitchen.

“What’s your deal anyway,” he asked, looking sideways at the demonic Golgrasanna.

“My deal?”

“Yeah, I mean, like... you’re not from around here. And if you don’t mind me saying so, I’ve never seen one of your species before. What brings you to Katresburg, and to Master Maluhk specifically?”

“Indeed. I am from the faraway continent of Urbutia, many hundreds of miles to the south,” she replied. “A very hot place – not many people from this city have ever been there. I have travelled for many months, for I was told that the greatest sorcerers reside here in the Varian Empire.”

“Mmn,” said Alcar, stifling a yawn, and realizing how rude he must look to respond that way to the beginning of her story.

But if Golgrasanna noticed, she didn’t say anything about it. “We still have a few minutes,” she growled softly. ”You wanna just chill here until it’s time to leave? Here – feel free to take the comfortable chair.”

“Thanks.” Alcar stepped in that direction, but then hesitated. After the early start and everything he had been through since, he really did feel ready for a short rest. But he was fairly sure that if he sat down, he might well drop off entirely.

Perhaps the alcohol from earlier will still having an effect.

“You know what, Gol,” he said, “I might do just that, but I’m gonna take a minute to settle this hound upstairs, first.”

“Right.” Golgrasanna narrowed her pretty purple eyes as she looked down at Brutus. It was clear that the two had not yet bonded, and she rapidly took a step back as Alcar led Brutus away, still using his belt as a leash.

He hurried up the stairs, and found Lox’aar fast asleep on Maluhk’s bed. “Ah, poor thing,” murmured Alcar as he entered the room, still holding Brutus close. “She obviously really needed to rest. I’m glad she’s all right, though. Come on – up you get, boy. I’m sure Lox’aar won’t mind.”

Brutus leaped up onto the bed, which was around four feet wide and covered with a thick and clean-looking red woollen blanket. As the large dog landed on the bed, the frame wobbled considerable, and Lox’aar’s head thumped against the wall. Alcar winced, baring his teeth for a moment, but the lizard warrior didn’t wake, and Brutus then circled and settled himself in a gap beside her legs.

“Boy, these lizards sleep soundly,” Alcar murmured, then yawned again, thinking to himself how tempting it was to settle down and grab a quick few minutes’ sleep himself.

Then he paused, narrowing his eyes suspiciously.

He took a step over towards the lizard warrior’s face, and gently raised one of her eyelids. Lox’aar’s eyes had rolled right back, and all he could see was a membrane.

Was that normal?

“Lox’aar,” he called gently, rocking her shoulder. “Can you hear me? Are you alright?”

Brutus whimpered.

Alcar now put one hand above the warrior’s mouth; she was definitely still breathing, and he could see a slight rise and fall of her chest. She was alive, but appeared to have been totally knocked out. Had she taken some healing drugs that he didn’t know about? Or had she somehow banged her head hard?

And just then Alcar remembered the stew. He himself could hardly stop yawning, and he had seen others yawn, too. Lox’aar was totally out for the count.

And Golgrasanna?

Well, she had prepared the meal, but he actually hadn’t seen her eat any. Golgrasanna had also been the last of them to be alone with the dwarf before he had escaped his bonds and fled the tower...

Whirling around, heart thumping, Alcar looked behind him, trying hard to think clearly, and was immediately a little relieved to see that the demonic apprentice was not standing right behind him with her dagger out. Could she really have drugged them all, and if so, what was her plan? Alcar recalled that she had specifically asked to be in a group of two with just one of them.

“Stay there, boy,” he said to Brutus, raising his hand and stepping carefully from the bedroom.

“Alcar?”

Golgrasanna’s voice rang out from the bottom of the stairs.