After The Rabbit (Waldo Rabbit Series) (27 page)

“I don’t blame you for losing the purse. Gronk and I were both there and we didn’t prevent it. Going to the tavern wasn’t a mistake. Cleptus stole from me, trying to get the coins back was the right choice. Letting him get away was the only error. I am the master and I am the one who makes the decisions. The responsibility for this is mine and mine alone.”

Alice lifted an eyebrow. “You’re not going to start saying I’m a familiar again are you?”

“No.”
Though you are.

“Well, that’s sweet of you to say, but it’s still true that we ended up here because you listened to me.”

“Does that mean I can ignore what you think from now on?”

“That’s not really my point.”

“Will you at least Charm people whenever I tell you to from now on?”

“No. Look, darling, what I am saying is that I’m sorry I got so obsessive. But I know everything is going to work out fine. I trust you, and I know we will find a way out of here.”

Hearing that did make him feel better, as did the way she was embracing him. Masters were not supposed to care what their servants thought. Yet, Alice’s words made some of his worries melt away. It gave him the oddest sense that he had done something right, despite the current situation.

“Alice, I made the choice. I could have said no. Even though you can be rather scary at times.”

“Hey!”

“Oh come now, we both know it’s true. But the fact is that despite your morals and silly notions, sometimes, you are right.”

“Only sometimes?”

“I still think you should Charm people whenever I say.”

“That would be wrong.”

“So you keep telling me. Still, I couldn’t do without you. I am very glad to have you at my side.”

He noticed her cheeks blush and a sense of happiness spilled over through the bond. She slowly rubbed herself against him.

“Thank you, darling,” she whispered in his ear. “When we get out of here I promise to make it up to you.”

“Does that mean you’ll give me one Charm?”

“Ah, I had something else in mind.”

“You mean that thing you do with your tongue that I like so much?”

She gaped at him and looked back to where Gronk was. The ogre was standing there grinning.

“He means the way I kiss!”

“No, I don’t.”

“Yes, you do,” she growled.

“Why are you angry all of a sudden?”

“I am NOT angry!”

“Yes, you are. In any case, I wasn’t referring to kissing. I meant how you take your mouth and…”

Smack!

“Don’t you dare say that where anyone else can hear! I’ll die of embarrassment.”

“Oh please sweetheart,” Gronk chuckled. “Like that should embarrass you. I mean you did pleasure me with your feet once.”

“WE NEVER SPEAK OF THAT AGAIN!!!”

XXX

Daring was in the meeting room. A single torch provided light. He was seated at a table with an empty mug in his hand. Across from him was his friend Markus. At other tables sat several others, sipping at their own mugs and looking on. Since his escape he’d managed to empty about half a keg of brown ale. Daring was still gazing at his left hand.

“There’s skin over the wound. It’s not even red or scarred. How’d he do that? You’d think it was from years ago.”

Markus answered him with one word. “Magic.”

“Never knew a wizard could do that.”

“Yeah, they’re amazing.”

He kept staring at the nub where his pinky used to be.

“Do you think if I cut his hands off he’d be able to heal them?”

“Who knows? It’s not something I’d want to test.”

“That’s what I should do you know. Cut his hands off and leave him as a beggar in the streets.”

“I’m sure he’d hate it,” Markus took a sip from his mug. “You should have never gone anywhere near that White Mage. No matter how much gold he had it wasn’t worth it. “You never try to shear the wolves.” You’re the guildmaster, you’re the one who taught us that.”

“Don’t remind me,” he muttered. “I never would have if it weren’t for her. You saw her, she was worth the risk.”

“Still feel that way, Nine Fingers?”

“Funny man.”

Markus paused and leaned forward in his chair. “You know we can’t let this White Mage go. Sooner or later he’s going to find his way out. Then what? We’ve all heard how ruthless they are with our sort. You think this one is just going to forget about you? And if he returns for you none of us will be safe.”

“He won’t be back. He took the duke’s sword.”

“You think it’s any better if he sends one of his friends to do us in instead?”

“I get it. We’ll end him. Him and his savage. My red haired beauty though… her I don’t want hurt. Not a bruise, not a scratch.”

“You want us to bring down a wizard and someone who can lift a wagon with one hand and be gentle with her while we’re at it? That’s asking a whole lot.”

Daring sent his friend a furious look. “I am going to make her my woman, no matter what it takes. I want her more than any girl I’ve ever laid eyes on.”

Markus raised is hands. “Fine, you’re the boss.”

“Damn right.”

A few minutes later one of his men came in to tell him they were coming.

“Bring the chest in here and get the lads ready. Make sure everyone knows not to be too rough with my lady.”

XXX

“Do you hear something?” Alice asked.

“No,” Waldo said.

“Yes,” Gronk said.

Alice stopped and peered ahead. “Darling, could you put your wand out?”

“If I do that I won’t be able to see anything.”

“Just for a bit.”

With a frown Waldo negated the spell. Once he did so they could all clearly see a flicker of light coming from twenty feet down the tunnel. The three of them made their way towards it as quietly as they could. The light framed a doorway carved into the wall. Gronk reached out and gave a slight push. The door silently swung open.

“Well that’s not suspicious at all,” Alice muttered.

“Come on,” Waldo held his wand in hand and entered. “It’s better than being lost.”

They found themselves in an antechamber with another door. Waldo nodded to Gronk. This door too was unlocked. It opened wide to reveal a large room with four tables and multiple chairs. There was a single torch and its light was not enough to reveal the entire room. At one of the tables sat Cleptus Daring with a large wooden chest.

Alice urgently leaned close and whispered in Waldo’s ear. He listened and gave a nod.

“Did you enjoy wandering around the sewers, lord wizard? Are you willing to make a deal now? Come sit down and we can talk.”

Waldo spoke in a soft voice, just loud enough for his familiars to hear. Alice shut the door behind them, while Gronk took a couple steps to get between Waldo and Daring.

“You’re not going to be rude and refuse are you?” Daring popped open the lid to the chest. He grabbed a fistful of coins and let them slip away. Most had the reddish tint of copper, but a few shined of gold and silver. “Come, sit, we’ll work something out over a few mugs.”

“Didn’t I already tell you thief?” Waldo said. “I won’t bargain with you.
Ventus
.”

A strong burst of wind blew the sole torch out and plunged the room into pitch blackness. Waldo, Daring, and the thieves who’d been hiding in the shadows were now completely blind. Gronk and Alice could still see perfectly.

XXX

Daring’s plan had been simple. To allow Waldo and the others to sit and relax, perhaps drink some ale. Then, when their guard was down, he would signal the boys and the wizard and savage would die under a hail of thrown daggers, while Alice would not be touched. The instant things went dark the plan got tossed aside.

He and his boys were used to the darkness. They were all experts at hiding in the shadows and moving about in silence. But human beings needed
some
light to be able to see. With all the hidden doors shut the darkness was total. Not only could they not see, they were trapped in a room with a wizard. His boys were tough, but they were thieves not soldiers, they had only agreed to the original plan because as risky as it was it seemed less dangerous than letting the wizard go. The idea of fighting a White Mage they couldn’t see was more than a little bowel loosening.

The lads all started to panic.

“Someone light a torch!”

“No! Don’t!”

“What do we do?”

“I say light it!”

“Kill ‘em before they kill us!”

“Let’s get out!”

“Can anybody see ‘em?”

“Run! Run! We have to run!”

“What do we do? What do we do?”

“We got to kill ‘em!”

“Where are they?”

“Gronk smash!” There was the unmistakable sound of a table being tossed aside.

Beneath all the shouts Daring heard a sound like something tearing.

“I want Cleptus alive!” the wizard cried. “You can kill the others.”

“Got it, Master.”

Daring was on his feet with a dagger in each hand, he wished he’d drunk less. “Calm down! There are just three of them and we can kill a mage like any other man. They’re as blind as we are.”

“Really?” Alice’s voice called out. “Then how do we know there are exactly twenty of you?”

Those words made his blood run cold. The wizard’s magic let him see in the dark. Daring had badly underestimated him. He was trying to decide what to tell the lads when he felt the floor shake. Then something like a brick smashed into the side of his face and all his thoughts vanished.

XXX

Alice enjoyed seeing Gronk knock that damned thief out. If she had her way she would do a lot worse.

Time for that later
.

Alice was fully transformed, angry, and ready to do murder. She had no sympathy whatsoever for the men standing before her. When the three of them had arrived they had been skulking in the shadows with their weapons drawn, intentions obvious. Now that they were helpless she didn’t feel any pity for them.

The first one she came up to was holding a short sword in one hand and a carving knife in the other. He was facing the wrong direction and saying something about needing to get out. He had no idea she was even there.

One swipe of her left hand and her claws sliced open his throat as neatly as a kitchen knife would have a rabbit’s. Blood pumped into the air. He dropped his weapons and clutched at his ruined neck.

It was her first time killing a man. Alice was surprised at just how little she felt. It was no different to her than killing that goblin. He’d been an enemy and she’d dealt with him, it was as simple as that. She remembered telling her husband once that she would do absolutely anything to protect him. Those words had been true. The idea that these men had wanted to kill Waldo infuriated her even more than the fact they’d wanted to kill her. Anyone who tried to hurt her husband was dead so far as she was concerned.