The Necromancer didn’t need to command them but only said, “Follow.” She led them to her lair, where stacks of caged animals chittered and howled. A large cage held a human-like animal. They moved to more decorated rooms. Some had tapestries that held strange scenes from ages long past. In one, a man with a bull’s head held back a ring of soldiers. “Come, Akisane. Your friends can wait out here.”
Akisane followed her into a room that looked like it was her bed chamber. He hovered near the door, not wanting to get too comfortable. She would try to turn him against his father. She was a schemer, which would be the predictable thing to do. But he had no interest in defying his old man—not because he was fond of the ruthless Duke but because he didn’t want to die yet.
Darksun rattled in its scabbard. You don’t have to.
“A hair short and blond. A hair dark and long.” She held out the hairs pinched in her fingers and let them go, and they landed in a silver bowl full of water. It was so full that the water humped at the sides. A single drop of water might cause it to overflow by the look of it. She took an ornate spoon and stirred. Instead of rippling, the water turned to smoke where it went.
He stepped a bit closer out of curiosity. Sorcery no longer frightened him. As a child, he feared the darker sorts, especially the tales from the mystical forests. He’d been there and seen horrific things, but none of it phased him any longer. “What are you doing?”
“I sent an abominable hinagon to follow Kichi and Masahide and find out why they snuck away and climbed the mountain. It’s time to have a look.” She brushed close to him, and she smelled fragrant. The shapes of her body seemed almost impossible when she was near, including an expanse of cleavage. Her finger bumped his sword hilt. “Can I see it?”
“You trust me with it out?”
When she moved her hair behind her ear, it shone like black silk. “I don’t trust anyone. Nor should you. “Now, pull it out.”
The black blade rang like a pure sword reunited with its master.
She put a hand on top of his and smiled at the blade. When had her lips become so swollen? “Do you know why your father didn’t take Darksun for himself?”
“No. Why?”
“You’ve met the Scatterer of Ashes. It’s tied to the sword, and it will come after you when it is freed.”
“Why would anyone set it free?”
“Look.” She waved her hand over the smoke on the water, and a scene coalesced. Kichi and Masahide hiked below an enormous white wolf on a snow-covered slope. “There are powerful spirits in the realm. It would take an entire order to defeat it. If the Duke starts a war, he doesn’t want to be without a patron spirit.”
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When he sheathed the sword, she approached, and he began to back away, but he didn’t fear her, so he stopped himself. “You can’t be serious. That monster will fight with the Black Order?”
“Yes.” She ended up in his arms, pressed firmly against him.
He urged her to the bed, and they began tearing away clothes. Her soft thighs closed on his hips, and they felt ice cold.
A decomposing face with thin hair flashed in his mind, but it was gone as if it had never been.
He thrust until he was done, but when he went to pull away, she grabbed him in an embrace. He struggled, but she felt like a cold iron.
She put a hand to her stomach, which, to his surprise, looked slightly bulbous. “I think I ate something that doesn’t agree with me. You may go.”
Outside her chamber, Akisane closed the door and tucked in his shirt. For some reason, he had a bad feeling about what happened.
Shank appeared beside him. “You slept with her?”
Akisane didn’t answer.
“You’re a madman, plain and simple. And you’re bleeding.”
The back of Akisane’s neck was slick. He looked down at reddened fingertips. “She scratched me,” he said and touched again, and it started to burn.
“I hope you wore a lambskin.”
She’d dug into Akisane’s neck pretty deep. He wanted to get out of there and waved his companions to follow. They headed to the great hall. He didn’t feel like eating, but he’d be expected, of course. When they arrived, the food was on the table.
Duke Akitomo looked to Darksun. “You did it. I knew you would. Even with your failures, you show promise. Now, take a seat beside me.” He gestured to a servant. “Can you bring a washcloth and clean up Akisane’s face? He looks unseemly.”
Whitebeard rose and cleared his throat. “If it would please Your Grace, I’d like to tell the second part of my story.”
The Duke waved for Whitebeard to start, then said in a voice low enough not to reach further than Akinsane’s ears, “Have your fun, Whitebeard, but let’s see what the loremasters have uncovered.”
Shoveling a mouthful of mutton into his mouth, Akisane paused.
The Necromancer entered the hall. She looked pregnant.
Akisane spat his food into a napkin.
Henry (Akisane)
Level: 10
Focus: Telekinesis
Secondary focus: Shadow walker, fire walker
Weapons: Darksun Sword - 85% corrupt, decay+12