Dusk Falling (Book 1) (15 page)

“It’s almost as if he’s worried about the consequences of telling. But what could it be he’s hiding in those shadows?” Aya thought as she watched him over her shoulder. His brows were pinched but what he was thinking, she could not fathom. But she wanted to. She had to know if she were doing the right thing.

“All right, stop.” Serrtin called. Agemeer padded back from his place in the lead. The Yarcka rubbed her knuckles with a taloned thumb. She looked up from the ground at them, but mostly in particular, Aya. “We’ve been allies and partners long enough to where I can almost sense what you’re thinking.” She smiled fondly, a flash of teeth on emerald skin. “Whatever happens, we always decide to face the outcome together.

“I take my job very seriously. My job is my life, it’s all I know how to do. To even consider they could be wrong; it should be inconceivable to me.” Serrtin continued seeing Aya’s expression fall. “Yet…”

The Yarcka met the gaze of the half-Elf. He did not put false hope into his eyes, impressing Serrtin. If he had pleaded with her, taken the cowards route, Serrtin would have drug him before the Circuit Master, demanded her money and cheerfully bought her companions the finest dinner on his blood. The trethen’s amber gaze was flat but there was a measuring calculation behind that gaze. He would die before going back, that much was true in the set of his downturned mouth. That kind of passion could not be faked. She also saw the fact that he did not wish to but he would fight for that freedom, even against them.

That, Serrtin could appreciate. “Yet, my time with a certain aspiring mage and a babbling old man helped me in learning the more honorable side of bounty hunting. We are after criminals, murderers, thieves. Those who deserve their fate.

“Right now, at this moment, I am unsure if what we are doing is ‘honorable’ for Circuit Hunters, for our own reputation and for the Circuit itself. I… I need to know more.”

“What do you mean ‘more’?” Genlo asked. A breeze blew, tousling his hair and causing the lush greenlands around them to wave and dance.

“What you aren’t telling us.” Serrtin responded. “There is much more, I am sure of that. If you want our help then you-”

“I don’t need your help.” He growled. “I don’t need anyone’s help. I-” He paused then said, “-can take care of my own problems.”

“Right now, even you can’t believe that.”

Genlo snarled something neither understood, eyes flashing. “Why? Why do you ask this? I refuse.”

Serrtin looked at him, an almost saddened expression to her visage. She then sighed and shook her head. “If you will not tell us and I am not allowed to beat it out of you, then I have no choice but to assume the Circuit has the right of the situation and turn you in.”

Stubbornness was ingrained into his posture, from his shoulder set to his still limbs to his tight lips. His eyes warred against it.

“The bars of the Hold are solid, the walls magic-proof. Circuit Guards are highly paid so that any words said fall upon deaf ears…” The saurian said, hooking thumbs into her belt.

Genlo mumbled some more in his unfamiliar language, scanning the lands around them. “If I am taken back… I will lose more than my life. If they only wanted my death, I wouldn’t fear it.”

“Go on.”

“I told you Verca cas Nemun Uralskc meant the Invoking of Dusk Falling but I didn’t tell you why. They worship an arcane lord- a God few have heard of. To invoke him would be to bring about Dusk Falling- or Eternal Night.” The Jrahda-trethen pinned Serrtin with his eyes. “To destroy all those who came after the ones sent here by the Deities of Light, the Serrhnafae, all life in this world will die.” He did not pause to let the information sink in but plunged ahead in his story, gaining a fervor that quickened his words as if releasing pent-up negativity. “They called me
Yashvre
, the Phoenix. The Verca need the phoenix to invoke the final spell and like the firebird, the Yashvre’s soul will be devoured in flame to then be born anew. My soul will be destroyed, my body host to a Deity- an avatar in mortal form with enough power to kill off every single creature in Demaria and beyond. No one could hope to stop-” Genlo halted his tongue, closing his eyes. “It’s not something I like to think about. Or talk about either. For all this to happen, I won’t achieve my afterlife of eternal damnation in the Abyss or even Qroth’tormosfor that matter- whichever end I deserve- for what is me will be utterly undone. I suppose it’s the remnants of the Demon in me that causes me to… fear that ending so much.”

~ ~ ~

“And that’s why I love you, ma girl.” The Bounty Master, Gartus, clapped her on the shoulder beaming widely. He shook his head with a chortle. “I am impressed but then again you are my favorite.”

Aya took his praise with a polite tolerant smile but in truth was not overly fond of the man. He stood too close to her and had a habit of not keeping his hands to himself.

Serrtin stood nearby with a sneer on her lips. She felt much the same about the over-stuffed retch. The room in which they stood was circular in form, even the roof. The walls were dark like harcsker metal with etched-in runes that would flare up at different intervals. Six barred cages lined one side of the curved wall, half of them currently empty. It was brightly lit but there were no visible sources of light.

“Now, let’s go get that reward for you.” Gartus said smacking his hands together. “And if you don’t mind me sayin’ so, you aren’t the only ones making a killing today.” His wording causing Aya to twinge inwardly. “The Circuit is getting a lot of coin for this contract and I personally want to thank you.”

As Gartus steered the mage out of the room, she looked back over her shoulder at one of the cells.

“Trust doesn’t come easy to you, I know that, but at this moment you have no other choice; You have to. We need to find the person who put in for the contract.”

“What for?! I already told you-”

“You are sure? Because I am not. If you wish to end all this then do not interfere. Let us handle it.”

“I never asked for your help and I am no interested in ‘ending all this’.”

“So you want to continue running for the rest of your life?! They will get you eventually; just the same as we did, and you’ll end up dead… make that worse than dead. Please. Trust us. Trust me…”

The heavy manacle attached to his left leg limited his mobility but his hands were free. He stared after the girl- the girl who owed him nothing but asked for everything.

~ ~ ~

His powers were still sealed but it did not take a mage’s eye to know he was in a magic-dampening field. The room was round, normal prisons were typically square or rectangle. Items- such as the Circuit prison- were rounded to keep the spells from escaping. The spell would simply rebound repeatedly. The colors of the rune spells
however Genlo could not be sure of. His Dark Elf half knew they thrummed with power, as did the manacle about his leg. Obviously, the Circuit did not take chances once they got someone within its walls.

Chapter 12

Time passed and Genlo grew tired of standing so he lay down on the cold floor. Its chill felt good and helped calm his inwardly fraught nerves.

He didn’t want to trust them but what choice did he have now? A voice in the back of his head told him he would not have had the problem to begin with if he would have found a way to get over his buried moral consciousness and killed them. He could have tried harder, been less cooperative.

Genlo brushed away the hair from his forehead, tucking his arm behind his head.

“But what if what she said is right… What if it is time to stop running and this is the way to finally end it? Finding who was responsible for the contract on my head could be an ideal start.” He thought to himself. “If they pull through, that is. With the amount of coin that Circuit bastard must have offered, I’d leave me to my fate if I were them.

“I guess lucky for me, they don’t want me dead just yet. The Verca will need to get me back to Thabinthira. That should be time enough. If I don’t have my powers so be it. Youkai have been killing humans for centuries.”

~ ~ ~

Three hundred fifty was placed before them, making a total of seven hundred coins. It was quite the paytake, much more than their last bounty. Serrtin and Aya both were silent as they looked at the simple hemp bag. ‘Blood money’ was what Genlo had called it and indeed it was.

Aya cleared her throat. “So when is the Client going to be notified.”

“They will be sent a messenger today.” Gartus said, leaning his elbows on the Cage’s counter. “Aah, you’re worried the Chase will try an escape after you leave? Don’t you worry. Zara Krell has the best Hold of all Circuit Holds, there’s no way that bastards going anywhere.”

Aya fought down the urge to respond to that. Instead, she asked, “The Client will then be here tomorrow or the day after?”

“You are worried. Yes, tomorrow or the day after. It depends on them really. The messenger will inform them tonight latest. Huh, this little riffraff must’ve really given you a time! I almost wish you could be there to see them drag him away in irons.”

“Could I?” The mage asked, quickly jumping on the opportunity.

“Mmm…” Gartus made a face, straightening. “No, I don’t think so. It’s against regulation.”

“Oh, but who would know?” Aya said, conspiratorially leaning forward. Hating to use such methods but thinking of no better way. “You are the Bounty Master after all.”

Gartus’s greasy eyes slid down the girl’s neck. “Well, I could get in big trouble. We usually finish transactions after the doors are closed.”

“We could say I wanted to offer more security for the Client and also to tell them what to watch for. I did catch him after all.”

“Truuue. That you did.” The Master said with a leer. “Okay, you talked me into it. But you’ll have to let me take you out for dinner.”

Aya gave a small titter of a laugh, buying herself a bit of time to think (and keep her lunch down). She shifted to lean on her elbow, other hand on her hip. “Afterwards then.” He was about to complain but Aya spoke up, saying, “To celebrate the lessening of scum in our fair world.”

The grin that had begun to slip returned. “Nicely said. It’s a deal. I’ll send for you once I get return word from the messenger.”

“I will be staying at the Pegasus Inn.” Aya said with a generous smile, scooping up the bag. With a wave, she turned to leave, long black hair giving a playful swish. The mage returned Serrtin’s raised eyebrow with a disgusted look and a quick shake of her head.

“The Pegasus Inn is kinda expensive don’t you think?” The Yarcka whispered.

Outside, Aya responded. “Yea but I wanted to impress that pompous ass so he’ll introduce me to whoever the Client is. Eh, and I could really use a good hot bath now.” She rubbed her arms for emphasis. “Like Hell I will go with that man anywhere. I’d rather have dinner with a starved harpy.”

Serrtin laughed. “So what pray-tell are you planning?”

“A nice fire spell would be appropriate.” She said as they headed away from the Circuit Hold. “But I am going to try a sleep spell. I don’t want any large explosions to mess up our plan.”

They headed into the nicer section of Zara Krell, where the wealthier resided and travelers were less likely to visit. The stores consisted of expensive tailors and dressmakers, fine pottery and exotic spices. There were no supply stores- full of items that would be needed by adventurers and wanderers. There was a weaponry store but the stock there within were more for decor than actual use. Never had Serrtin seen so many useless jewels and gold paint on what was supposed to be an item of war.

The Pegasus Inn was by far the finest Inn Serrtin had ever been in. Large, it had three stories and was a delicate cream-white color. Stairs lead up past double rearing Pegasus statures.

Walking in may have gone over a tad better if Serrtin had not had one of her hands covering half her face in disbelief.

~ ~ ~

Up to her neck in sweet-smelling bubble-filled water, Aya sighed. Traveling dust, tired muscles and most of all the icky feeling Gartus gave her melted away in the steamy bath. Her hair done up in a towel, she relaxed.

But her peace was not long lived. Thoughts of the Circuit prison haunted her peace, more so of its current inhabitant. She kept picturing him when she closed her eyes-

…anchored to the ground by a heavy chain of bespelled metal, he stood straight-backed arms at his sides. His orange eyes bored into her. There was no emotion on his face except watchfulness…

-and it was like his strange eyes were still watching her, judging her, and she had no idea what lay behind them.

Aya turned in the bath, placing her arms in front of her on the edge and rested her chin on the top of her hands. She spied a tray nearby, on it were various fruits, breads and cheeses. A bowl of steaming substance- a soup of some sort- sat in the middle. Beside the tray was a goblet.

She wondered if the prisoners in the Circuit Hold were fed. Genlo would be hungry by now. “Actually, he was always hungry. Now that I think about it; that was kinda odd. I wonder if it has something to do with him being part Youkai?” She snatched up a slice of bread and nibbled on it. “I must ask him.”

“Tomorrow,” She said to the bread, “We will all have our answers.” Then the bread was gone and Aya climbed out of the tub. She wrapped herself in the large drying towel.

Serrtin stood across the expansive room in front of one of the windows. She had gallantly resisted the urge to tear down the gauzy curtains, little purpose did they serve.

“Did you want to take a bath too? I could have them bring up more water.”

“No. If I wanna get clean, I’ll bathe the proper way- in a river. I do not want to be the only Yarcka in existence to be smelling like flowers and scented oil.” Serrtin leaned against the wall, still staring out the window. “You know, I won’t be able to be with you when you are in the Hold.”

“I know.” Aya said passively. She took a sip of the soup. It had an odd taste almost like coconut that she did not like so she sat it back down and took up the goblet.