Arc 5: Chapter 9: The Assassin
I knew where Emma had gone, or at least had a strong suspicion. She had a favorite spot along the harbor, where she could look out over the bay without being disturbed during the late hours. With Qoth watching her back and her own talents to protect her, I hadn’t minded the regular outings.
Careless. I’d known there was a risk of retaliation against us. From the Priory, from the court, from Yith. No more sleeping in humble shacks after tonight, I promised myself. We’d move back into the castle, get strong stone walls between us and our enemies.
You have enemies in the castle too, I reminded myself as I limped along, every step sending a freshly intense spike of agony up my thigh. The knee had already swollen with a hideous bruise.
I’d figure it out later. For now, the night still held danger.
Fog rolled in as the night aged and cooler air settled, gathering thick over the water and rising up over the streets in a languid tide. It emerged from the waters below like the reaching fingers of some ghoulish horde, shrouding the sheer drops down into the lapping waters of the Riven. I knew where the docks were by the creaking of timber to my left. To my right, the city sprawl unfolded over this outer isle. The fog hadn’t yet become thick enough to shroud the Corpse Moon glaring down from the sky.
By the feeling around my ribs, blood had already soaked through my bandages. The pain had lessened, but the wound still bled, enough to be worried about it. I focused my attention on my surroundings, pushing my thoughts outside myself.
It was quiet here. I could hear the ghosts dogging my steps more clearly, as the sea fog gave them something to congeal forms from. They taunted me as I moved, wounded and anxious, toward my destination.
“She’s already dead!” The shades cackled.
“Had her throat cut just like that old widower, her body dumped into the bay. You’ll find it a week hence, bloated and eaten by fish.”
“That whore betrayed you. She brought them, and screamed your name so sweetly so you wouldn’t hear.”
“Now she’s gone off to lead them to you.”