“We should discuss how to proceed,” I told our new elf recruit, though speaking just as much to Gia. Vaeri was a powerful priestess, and one clearly with no love for demons. We might have found a common purpose for now, but it would be a mistake to trust her as much as a conventional ally.
Not that I trusted any of my allies overly much, but the point stood. “You can see there’s no reason to keep traveling on your own now, I hope? There must have been demons that already attacked you…”
“What could have given you that idea?” Vaeri let out a short laugh, and I felt a flash of irritation. “Just about every one of you – that is, every bottom-feeder that’s spotted me,” she moderated herself midsentence, though I’d say the damage was done – “By my estimation. One had the courtesy to tell me that elves are a ‘delicacy’,” she said, scowling, though not managing to completely hide a shudder.
“Then isn’t that a good reason to come with us?” Gia asked. She had a genuine empathy in her eyes I was surprised she still had the patience for. “We’re not going to try to hurt you.”
“Perhaps if it was simply you two on your own,” Vaeri said, expression softening as she looked at Gia. “But Anthurium spoke of your ‘forces’, and I would not expect other demons to take so kindly to me.”
“They won’t.” If we just walked back to our warband with an elf in tow and said she was our new ally, I’d half expect a mutiny on the spot. Even optimistically, there’d be some serious questioning of our judgment for treating her as an equal rather than an enemy or meal. “But if we claim you’re our prisoner now, they’ll go along with–”
“No. Absolutely not,” Vaeri interrupted me, eyes flashing. “I will not lower myself to such a vulnerable position. I will continue traveling on my own, thank you.”
Stopped short, I glared at her, gritting my teeth. Gia respected me enough to not interrupt. “You won’t need to actually be our prisoner. It’s just a ploy to placate the other demons, not a single one will touch you if we tell them otherwise…”
“And yet to sell this ploy they would need to be convinced I am your prisoner,” Vaeri replied, glaring right back. “Being bound up and paraded in front of an army of lecherous, mocking demons? No. That is more than a step too far, ‘twould be intolerable. I have survived just fine in this hell on my own, and I will continue to do so.”
“Guys, hey,” Gia said, blue eyes wide as she looked between us. “It’s alright, I think it’s totally fine to do something else–”
“You don’t even know where you’re going!” I snapped back at Vaeri. “Do you plan to just wander in circles until you’ve died or found your friend? What a heroic death that would be.”
“Of course not. Now that we will be traveling to the same destination, I will simply follow you,” the elf said, smirking and looking down her nose at me. She had at least half a foot on me, and it made me hate her even more.
“Our soldiers are not going to like having an elf clearly following us,” I told her through gritted teeth. Especially since we already told them we’d deal with her.
“That is hardly my problem, is it?” Vaeri said with a sniff. “Find some way to justify it to them, for you will not do the same to me with your own plan.”
“If they get antsy enough, you realize some might even want to attack you?”
“Then I suggest you do not let them, or you will lose as many minions as dare to try.” With that, she turned on her heel and strode away.
“Bitch,” I muttered, watching her walk away. “Fine, then, let’s get back,” I told Gia.
“I don’t think she’s that bad, really,” Gia murmured. “I can understand where she’s coming from.” But she followed my lead.
Byzantina had already made it back, and several sets of eyes turned towards Gia and I as we returned.
“What happened with the elf?” Vitis the satyr asked. Ah, so Byzantina had already spread that part.
“Did you kill her?” That was Lycoris’ high voice.
“We certainly could have killed her, but Lady Hydrangea was shrewd enough to manipulate her into serving our purposes instead,” I told them. “The elf is convinced we have a mutual enemy: Aconite.” Scowls and curses scattered among the Obsidian soldiers as I said her name. “She’ll be guarding our rear as we travel there. If anyone tries to attack us from behind, they’ll have to deal with her first.”
Whispers spread through the warband now. Most seemed approving, but I could see doubts on some faces. “Are we just going to let her kill any demons she sees?” That was Boquila, and he wasn’t helping.
“What if she tries to attack us?” Uvaia asked me.
“She won’t attack us, that’s been taken care of. As for other demons, we need to look out for ourselves.”
“We should just get rid of her!” Salix said, hissing, and a couple whispers of assent answered the catfolk.
“Maybe eventually. But right now she’s useful to us. Once she’s not…” I shrugged my shoulders with a smile, and a few laughs rippled around.
Not from Gia, though. Her brow furrowed as she looked at me, and she said nothing.
- - -
Uvaia was flying ahead when we next set out, as I’d told her to come down and warn me when Hymetos was in sight. I wanted us to set up camp just off-road not far from the city’s walls, but out of sight of any guards who might ask questions.
There weren’t many legitimate reasons for a small group to be towing three carts of food, and we looked too scruffy and heavily armed to be merchants. Besides, even if I could make that story fly, walking through the city with that much food would be asking to have it depleted by thieves and less fortunates. Or outright attacked by anyone desperate enough to risk their lives for a bite. Either case would be a mess.
Normally, I’d have accepted the risk of taking the supplies inside over leaving them outside at risk of attack. But out here we could kill anyone hostile, with no laws to contend with. And the trigger-happy priestess meant anyone trying to either sneak up or sneak off would have to contend with being blasted to cinders.
And unless she knew deceptive magic not in keeping with Revarch’s straightforward zealots, I strongly doubted Vaeri could enter Hymetos herself without starting a fight. Better to keep a presence out here, where we could stay in touch.
“This is it? We’re finally here?” Gia asked me as we approached, leaving the camp behind. I’d left it guarded by Eupatorium, Salix and Perpetua, all aggressive and more at risk of causing trouble in the city. Her eyes were bright as she looked at the city walls, a hopefulness to her countenance that seemed a bit much for just one next stop on our campaign.
“It’s only been a few days, my lady,” I told her with a half-laugh. Then, mindful of how she’d gone off alone in both the village and with Vaeri, I added, “Let me do the talking to get us inside.”
She blinked and straightened up, nodding seriously to me. This did seem to be important to her.
“And stop sensing auras, if you still are currently.” We’d be nearing a concentration of demons too much for her senses to handle.
Approaching the city gates, I noticed Crassula tense up in the corner of my eye. Two armored demons stood by the gate, a black bird emblazoned on their steel shields – the Ebon Company’s symbol, like Crassula had mentioned encountering herself.
I hadn’t thought much of it at the time, but in the days since then I’d realized the oddness in that. You would expect a mercenary company to be contracted for military tasks, not guarding a non-military location. It would be one thing if they were hired to guard Hymetos against attack, but it was at least nominally sworn to Aconite, and she’d just destroyed the only rival clan in the immediate area. If some powerful figure was planning to move against Aconite, that was absolutely something I could use.
“Stop there,” one of the guards addressed us in a woman’s rough voice. “If you mean to cause trouble in Hymetos, I’d turn away now. Governor Kimmei’s having us deal with conflict swiftly and decisively.”
So the governor himself had hired them. “We’re not here to cause trouble. We’re just refugees, looking for work and a place to stay,” I said, bowing my head. It wasn’t entirely wrong, and should give reason to believe we’d be well-behaved, if our entry and residence depended on it. “We come from Monem, it was destroyed just a few days ago in a raid.”
The guard straightened up at that, peering at me. “A raid? By who?”
“Deserters, I think. Didn’t exactly stick around to ask.” I shrugged at her, keeping my expression neutral.
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“Hmm.” The guard gave a look over our little band, and seemed to find us scruffy enough to find that believable. Leaving the supply carts out of sight had been best. “We’re not exactly hurting for people inside, but we’ve got room for a few more. Come on in.” She and her partner stepped aside, and chains rattled as someone else turned a crank to lift the gate. “And if some of you are any good with those weapons, the company could be a good place to find work.”
…that was also interesting, and somewhat concerning as well. The Ebon Company I’d heard of wouldn’t just recruit any old demon off the street. Had their standards been slipping? Were they short on numbers due to some recent decisions, or trying to bolster their numbers for a coming offensive? “Thanks for the tip.”
Heading through the gates, the city opened up before us, and the contrast with the smaller towns was immediate. Closely packed wood and stone buildings lined real cobblestone roads, the work of hard labor from demons too slothful to ordinarily bother. Being multistory was these homes’ standard rather than an exception, and the street was thronged with multi-hued demons walking, flying, or riding, carts and rickshaws drawn by carnivorous wildebeests and the occasional slave.
The chatter of urban life had its own feel to it, walking within like wading through a river of sound. A pair of nymphs talking cheerfully, a chimera snarling at a blindfolded gorgon selling food. This was a place unquestionably lived in, by hundreds if not thousands of demons, who’d found their way to relative safety within the brutal demon realm. Disagreements could still turn violent or murderous, but there was a sense of civilization in a city like this. A place where you could live and breathe freely without needing to constantly watch your back.
“Ah, yeah, this is much better.” Gia sighed happily as we walked along, looking earnestly around at buildings and passersby. “Not exactly like back home, but this is a lot closer,” she told me in an undertone. Not one quiet enough for my comfort level. “Geez, I can’t wait to sleep in an actual bed again…”
“Remember there’s a lot of strangers around us, Lady Hydrangea,” I told her, stressing the moniker, and she started and drew back, chagrined. “…But why don’t you take the others and find an inn. You do look like you could use a rest.” She still hadn’t been sleeping well, and a small entourage would do more to deter opportunists than my own presence would.
“You’re not coming?” Gia asked, looking startled.
“I’ll catch up to you later, stick with Uvaia and Sedum. I need to look into some things.” Strategos or not, I’d always worked better on my own.
“If you’re sure you’ll be okay,” Gia said, hesitant before her expression cleared. “Oh, I guess you did say you’re from here, didn’t you.”
I nodded noncommittally. I probably had said that. “Ask around if there’s a doctor, too. Sedum could use one still.” The mess of spiked bone that my shoulder remained was beyond a doctor’s ability to treat, but I still wanted to know if we had alternatives to Vaeri. Even if she wouldn’t charge money for her own services.
“Here, Lady Hydrangea, I can show you around. I used to be a tailor here,” Lycoris said, smiling at Gia and wiggling her spinneret. “The Kirin’s Mane is a nice inn nearby…”
Making a note to ask her about a more imposing outfit for Gia, I split off from them, and familiar voices faded into the background.
I’d never been to Hymetos before, but the basics of navigating a city remained the same. I didn’t make eye contact with any strangers, keeping an eye out for signs and landmarks, and avoided streets where the buildings were run down, the guards were sparse and the people were desperate. I might have business to attend to there later, but as a stranger and out-of-towner I’d start in places less likely to get me mugged.
Information was the key, now and always. I spoke with some street vendors, plying them with purchases of meat skewers, meat pies or drinks, and asking in exchange how things had been. No, the city hadn’t had anyone attack it, not from outside, anyway. But don’t worry, it had months since the last riots, ever since the governor had brought in those strange armored folks. Any complaints? Well, the taxes, of course, those had gotten even higher lately. Did he really need that much money to pay the new guards? Well, it probably did end up lining his pockets, but things were safer now, and the problem of thieves had practically dried up in exchange. What had happened to them? Don’t know, not our problem.
With my ears full of gossip and my stomach full of street food, I walked along to look into one more actionable bit I’d heard. The governor was holding a conference of some kind, and spotting a crowd gathered in the street with an oily voice floating above their heads, I inferred that I’d found it.
“Good people, I assure you all is well in our fine city!” Governor Kimmei wasn’t a type of demon I recognized, but then I couldn’t remember seeing any other demon decked out in such gaudy clothing. The golden silks draping his heavy form did nothing to hide how he resembled a large silver-scaled fish, presumably bipedal though I couldn’t see his feet to confirm. “Is Hymetos not a bastion of order, of safety among the wild wastes?”
“Those armored thugs of yours are just making things less safe!” one voice shouted from the crowd, and there was an angry murmur of agreement.
“My mate got in an argument at the market, and the next thing I knew those Ebon fucks were beating him within an inch of his life!” another demon called, his voice a growl of anger. I supposed there were downsides with hiring trained killers as a peacekeeping force.
“Simple misunderstandings, I assure you!” the governor said smoothly, raising his scaly hands and not looking moved in the slightest by the complaints. “If you have any complaints with the Company’s conduct, I am sure the commander will be happy to resolve them for you at their barracks.”
“And why are so many of the streets empty now?” another voice called, sharp and feminine and angry. “I cut through the Basalt Quarter the other day to see my cobbler, and it was a ghost town down there!”
“This is simply part of my Great Revival project for our fair city!” Governor Kimmei’s grin was oily smooth, complaints simply sliding off him. “Some renewal of the older, storied parts of Hymetos. Soon they will be restored to their former glory and far better beside.” He seemed to have far more confidence than I did that this wouldn’t turn into a riot.
Notably, if it did, his own guards visibly weren’t Ebon Company, which made me wonder why, as they certainly didn’t look better. One was yawning as he stood behind the governor, and the others on the dais with him were visibly zoned out. If anyone had meant to assassinate their employer, I doubted this lot would notice until it was too late. I had the thought to pull out my crossbow and see if they even noticed, but dismissed the idea. I could gather empirical evidence later and without starting a panic.
Still, I’d learned enough for now. This greasy man wouldn’t make any kind of ally against Aconite. But that just meant I’d have no regret taking his hires away from him.
- - -
I’d heard the Grisly Griffin was, regardless of its name, one of the better spots to spend your coin on drink if you had enough of it to throw around. So it did made sense that the Ebon Company spent their time at this tavern. Asking the bartender, I learned they kept most of the upper floor to themselves, Nyctocereus and a few of his lieutenants with others going in and out.
I had to admit, though, I would have expected the infamous mercenary leader to be more imposing. He was slumped in one of three chairs around the table, still in raven-crested armor but not looking battle-ready. If it weren’t for the armor and the serpentine features on a demon of his stature, I would have wondered if it was him. Not many danava asuras so resembled snakes.
I took in the two imposing figures to either side of him as I approached. The gray-skinned figure was largest and stooped low in his chair, looking like his near-bare torso was carved out of stone – possibly a small jötunn, I’d heard a few of them did fit that trend. To his left was a large red-skinned woman, just as muscular but with a robe and brown tunic concealing her form. No horns or apparent tail, which ruled out many classes of demon, but with the dot on her forehead I would guess another asura. Likely a danava like her leader, but a more conventional-looking one; I doubted a lesser asura would have her apparent position of prominence.
“Are you Nyctocereus?” It was really a formality to ask, but snarking about how he’d fallen so low was not the way to begin a business discussion.
The serpentine leader allowed me one glance before dropping his gaze. “Either join the game or piss off.” His voice was a deep, gravely bass.
…well, I couldn’t be blamed if he was rude first. “I can see business is good in the city. You’ve got a whole, what, ten obol apiece in that pot?”
Nyctocereus’s gaze flicked up with annoyance, but a red-skinned, muscled woman at his left chuckled lowly and gave me a look up and down. “It’s a friendly game. And not any of your business unless you’re a new recruit,” the leader told me, glowering.
“Could any of our recruits afford to join in? Hard to if they’re down four weeks’ back pay,” the muscular woman asked casually. I could see a glowing golden mace slipped into her belt, certainly enchanted and ready to go at a moment’s notice.
“I didn’t ask you either, Macodes. It’s common wisdom to make ‘em think twice about walking away. And don’t discuss company business in front of a stranger.” The serpentine demon sighed and looked at me grudgingly, as Macodes smiled at me behind his back. “Who are you and what do you want?”
“My name is Anthurium.” That got the attention of all three, their dice game forgotten however temporarily as they looked at me. Pushing through the wariness that stirred up, I kept talking. “I’m the strategos to an up-and-coming leader-”
“Oh, I know who you are. You’ve made quite the name for yourself these last few years,” Nyctocereus interrupted me, serpent’s eyes narrowed. “Clan leaders rise and fall, and you keep on surviving, isn’t that right? Well, I don’t care to get involved in these games of yours.” I felt frustration fill my chest as he looked back down, this wasn’t going to get far if he stonewalled me, before he added half to himself, “And if I didn’t know you’d left that bitch of a sorceress, I’d kill you right where you stand.”
Ah. That was something I could use. “I assume you mean Bryonia Alba,” I said, lowering my voice. I didn’t spread around my past with the Witch of the North, and I didn’t care for him calling me on it. “What are your grievances with her, exactly?”
“She cut off his balls,” Macodes said, cheer in her voice at odds with a flash of anger in her eyes as she looked at him. I made note of that, too.
“The bitch doesn’t fight fair,” Nyctocereus said, glaring at his lieutenant. “I could have killed her easily if we’d even got close, but those storms she set on us were nothing natural. Should have known that meathead would drag us into trouble, ‘invincible’ my ass…”
“You were part of Pachypoda’s last push against her, then.” Rumors could be distorted, but everything I’d heard indicated that the cyclops’ attempt to take Bryonia’s lands had failed catastrophically. Archons fighting against each other was a toss-up, but Bryonia was a juggernaut in craftiness and cunning. Obviously she hadn’t needed my help to repel her rival. And I didn’t need her, either. “I wouldn’t think you’d hold a grudge, when she could be next to hire you.”
“No. She won’t.” He blew out a breath through his teeth, staring off at nothing now. “I lost more men in that one assault than I have in the past decade. A hundred sixty three snuffed out, and for what? For nothing.” He shook his head slowly. “Two arrogant sons of bitches and their pissing contest over some scraps of land. Well, I’m done getting involved with any of it. The work here isn’t glorious, but it pays, and it’ll do.”
“So that’s how the infamous Ebon Company ended up as glorified town guards.” I crossed my arms, mindful of the hostility in his gaze now, but likewise taking in the gleam in Macodes’ eyes. “The man who’s poisoned lakes and razed clans to the ground, lost his stomach for battle? There’s more glory to be won and power to be earned than you’ll ever get here. Playing dice in a bar, while your men chase down thieves.”
“You’ve never served, have you,” Nyctocereus said in a low voice, staring at me. “Not as a soldier. Not for true.”
I felt myself tense up. “I’ve spent my whole life as a demon working for warlords, building up armies…”
“And yet you still don’t know what any of it means. I pity the fools you’ve led to their deaths following you.” He laughed at me, low and tired. Anger flared in my chest. “Glory is a young man’s beacon, chased down blindly until all his friends have died around him in the mud. And power’s not something to be held by people like me. The ones with power might depend on us, call for us – but in the end we’re the ones dying while they hold onto all they have. And sometimes, even an upjumped little runt has that privilege.” He snorted, as my hands clenched into fists.
“I don’t know how you got the witch to make you a general. But I won’t ever believe that you earned it. War hasn’t raised you as a soldier. It’s all just some means to an end for you.” He shook his head, looking away. “No, strategos, I won’t play your game. Best a soldier can hope for is enough coin to keep him afloat and a life to enjoy it with. That’s what I’m giving my men, all the ones I’ve got left to me.”
I took a deep breath and let it out. “Enjoy the rest of your life, then. Wasting away while opportunity passes you by.” I looked at his lieutenant for a moment, then turned and headed back downstairs.
I didn’t need to wait long. Waiting at the bar, I heard the stairs creak behind me, before I felt a large figure loom over my head. “You looked like you wanted to kill old Nyc on the spot,” Macodes said lightly, sitting down beside me. “I would’ve tried if he’d insulted me like that.”
“I didn’t find it the strategically soundest choice. Attacking him with one,” I looked sidelong at her, “Or two loyal lieutenants at his side.”
She grinned at me in answer. “You do seem to have an eye for opportunity. Which one of those would you calculate’s right?”
“It seems to me I’m not the only one he’s been insulting. Keeping you away from the chance to really seize something special. Stagnating, and dragging the company down with him.”
As I spoke, her eyes glittered, and she inclined her head to me, tugging my drink over to quaff down herself. “Let’s chat.”