I knock on the door to Hirthik’s chamber and am ignored, but I know he’s in here. I knock again, louder. His reply is short and sharp.

“What is it?”

“We need to talk.”

“Who are you?”

“Zathar.”

“I thought I told you to leave me alone. Go away.”

“We need to talk.”

“Later.”

“Not later, now. You know about what.”

“I don’t.”

“I think you do. It’s about certain... discrepancies.”

That gives him pause.

“Well?” I ask.

“Go away.”

“I’m not going away. Either you let me in now, or we’ll have to have this conversation somewhere more public. Trust me, that won’t be in your best interests.”

I hear him clump toward the door. He opens it and scowls.

“What the hell are you playing at, up-abover?” he hisses.

“You already know. Let me in. Like I said, it would be best for you if this conversation goes unheard.”

“Fine.”

He lets me in and shuts the door, quietly. He folds his pudgy arms and glares into my eyes from an uncomfortably close distance.

“Well?” he demands.

I decide to get right to the point: “You’re a thief. You steal food from the kitchens while you cook.”

“That’s a very bold claim to make.”

“It’s true.”

“It is not. For one, there's no reason for me to steal. We can all eat as much as we like.”

“Anyone taking more than their fair share would be noticed.”

“So I don’t.”

“Liar. You ate a good half a dozen meals worth of food in the kitchens. Don’t pretend you didn't—I saw you very clearly.”

“You didn't see anything. Now get out.”

I laugh, loudly and suddenly enough to make him flinch. “I saw everything,” I lie. “All of you lot’s eyes might be withered and dim from lack of use, but mine aren’t. Your little cloak of steam may fool the others, but not me. I saw you darting your grubby fingers into the pot, snatching all the best bites when they floated to the top. Disgusting. Greedy.”

His face turns red with anger. “I did nothing of the sort!” he hisses at me.

“You did, and you know it.”

“I’m not a thief. None of us are thieves down here, up-abover. We have a duty. We have honor.”

“Most do. You don’t seem to.”

He clenches his fat fists. “Get out of here!”

“You know I’m right. Admit it, Hirthik. But only to me.” I lower my voice to a whisper. “No one else needs to know.”

“Blackmail, is this?”

“Yes.”

“Blackmail needs proof, you filthy up-abover. You have none.”

“You admit you’re guilty, then?”

“I’m not admitting anything. You have no proof.”

“You’re right, I don’t. But the rumors have been swirling for some time, Hirthik. Did you really think you were being clever, taking extra ingredients just so you could be careful to make sure each of your dishes was the same size as the others? I’m not the only one who’s noticed how much meat you seem to waste.”

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“If anyone had noticed anything like that, they’d have told Cathez by now. And I take the same amount of ingredients as everyone else.”

“They haven’t told Cathez because, like you said, they didn't have any proof. They like your cooking too, I suppose. Not in their interests to have you punished.”

“And what makes you think they’ll change their minds now?”

“Because you’ve been sneaking down the corridors alone to the kitchens too. Breaking the Runethane’s decree, all for an extra bit of food.”

“Liar! I’ve done nothing of the sort.”

“Well, no. But it’s a plausible enough story, considering how many rumors there are about your actual thievery. And corroborated by some of my friends, well, it’s probably enough to get you punished rather severely.”

“You don’t have any friends.”

“I have Nthazes. He’s a very well trusted dwarf.”

“He wouldn’t—”

“He’s already agreed to back me up,” I lie, though I’m not sure he would. “Additionally, your alleged escapades might also raise suspicion from those of us who aren’t totally convinced it’s the darkness that killed Mathek.”

He clenches his fists tighter; they start to tremble.

“Why would I sneak down to the kitchens to steal ingredients anyway? No one would believe your story. Am I going to cook them in my room?”

“That’s a very good question. Maybe you were sneaking around the fort for another reason. How suspicious.”

I wait for him to reply, until I decide not to allow him any more time to think.

“Well?” I say sharply.

He seems to deflate: the strength drains from his trembling fists, his eyes drift downward, and he staggers back and sits down on his bed, scared and defeated.

“What do you want?” he says. “Metal? Gems? I have plenty.”

“I want knowledge.”

“Knowledge?” He gives me a confused look. “What?” His confusion turns to incredulity. “Is all this just about learning to cook?”

I roll my eyes. “No. I want to know about Mathek.”

“Mathek?”

“I’ve heard you two were friends.”

“What the hell’s this all about?”

“You don’t need to care. Just answer my questions. Were you friends with him?”

“I talked to him sometimes, I suppose. I wouldn’t have called him my friend. I don’t need friends.”

“What did you talk to him about?”

“Nothing important. Food, mostly. He liked my cooking, same as everyone else.”

“What else did you talk about?”

“I can’t remember! We didn't talk that often. Normal stuff. Forging, the darkness, what it might be like up above.”

“Did he ever say anything strange about the darkness?”

“Strange? What do you mean?”

“Like it was following him. Or like he’d heard things, felt things in the lead up to his... end.”

“Nothing.”

“Are you sure about that?”

“If he’d been talking strangely, I’d have remembered that.”

“Did he act strangely, then?”

“Not that I remember. But like I said, we weren’t close.”

“What did everyone else say about him? Did he have any enemies? Did he ever insult anyone?”

“Like I said, I don’t have friends. I keep to myself. I don’t care about what others say about others. So I don’t know.”

“You must know something!”

I’m getting desperate. This is my best lead, he has to have heard some hint, some clue, anything.

“What are you trying to get me to say?” he cries. “Like I said, I didn't know him that well. He was just friendlier to me than most, so I didn't mind talking to him sometimes.”

“Did he ever insult you?”

“No! As far as I know, he never insulted anyone.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes! Are we done now? Are you satisfied?”

“If you’re lying to me—”

“I’m not lying to you. What the hell is this all about? Do you think I killed him or something? Have you been listening to the human?”

“The darkness doesn’t drink blood. The human is right about that.”

“Look, maybe I sneak a bit of food now and again, but I’m not a killer! Hells below, why would I want to kill anyone?”

“I don’t know. But someone must have wanted to kill him.”

“It was the darkness, that’s the only explanation.”

“It’s not.”

“Well, I’ve nothing more for you anyway. He never said anything suspicious, he never insulted anyone, he never acted strange either, as far as I know. Ask someone who knows more about him. Belthur and Danak were close to him.”

“I’ve already spoken to them.”

“Then there’s nothing else I can help you with.”

I look into his eyes, deeply, searching for any hint of dishonesty, glint of lying. There is nothing. He just looks like what he is: a fat thief, no more and no less. I sigh and back away.

“Fine. I’ll believe you.”

“Thank you.” He looks frightened for a second. “And you won’t tell anyone about the food?”

“Not for now. If I see you acting strange though, well, I’m not going to forget either. And neither should you.”

“I won’t.”

“Goodbye, then.”

I walk out into the corridor and shut the door behind me; just barely resisting the urge to slam it as hard as I can. I feel like dashing my flickering torch against the wall and stomping on the burning fragments. Damn! This was my best opportunity and he had nothing. Didn't even know Mathek all that well, and what he did know only serves to emphasize everything else I’ve been told: that Mathek was a good dwarf, friendlier than most, with no enemies and no grudges against him of any kind whatsoever.

Was Jaemes wrong? I hurry to my room—technically I should be accompanied, but it’s only a short distance. I sit down on my bed to worry.

If no one wanted to kill Mathek, then that leaves no other possibility other than the darkness. Yet Jaemes’ theory is too plausible. How could the deep darkness suddenly change how it kills, how it moves? There’s no logical sense behind it. And how could any creature sneak through the tight, heavily guarded tunnel into the fort?

I’m missing something here, I’m sure of it. Nthazes still has two more to talk to. Maybe one of them had something interesting to say.