Kaden got back to the palace well after dark, with Trinity lumbering along behind him, barely able to walk with all the meat she’d consumed. He passed the guards and gently opened the door to his room.
To disappointment and worry.
Trella wasn’t there.
Trinity waddled to the side of the bed and flopped over.
Kaden went looking for trouble, staring with Sara, who answered the door in a nightgown. “Have you seen Trella?”
“No. Come in.” Sara opened her door wider and let Kaden sit at the table. “You wouldn’t believe what all our Slaver is involved in. If it brings in gold, he’s got contacts, or friends, or contracts. I thought S&K was diverse. We’re opportunistic, this is insanity.”
She had scroll upon scroll. “He moves from business to business, no focus, no relationship that I can identify, but I have yet to cross check shipping records. Also, your wagon is essentially permitted to stay there for years. It won’t be years, it’s moving next week. I need to go eat, but there’s more.”
Kaden took grilled chicken from Inventory. “I took a class and got [Grilling]. So did Trinity.”
“Of course she did.” Sara began to devour the meat while shuffling through papers. “These are the oldest records. He started out as a Portal Stone crafter. These shipments are normal. Crystal in, finished stones out.”
Kaden drew one from the pile. “Squid. Live squid trading. There’s a market for live squid?”
Sara nodded. “That’s from fifty years ago. I need to start at the beginnng and work my way forward.”
A soft knock at the door sent Kaden running for it.
Ashi and Eve waited outside with Vip prancing to see him.
Eve looked from him to Sara and sighed. “Of course you’re together. Let us in, we have news. Where is Trella?”
“Still scouting,” Kaden said, trying to remain calm. “Sara got business records. What did you find?”
“No magic. No sign of magic. If the [Slaver] acts, it is not a spell, but a skill.” Ashi looked to Eve.
“He’s not respected. He’s not feared, either. When you mention his name, it’s like conversation pauses, then continues. They have neutral, careful comments about his business dealings. I don’t like it.” Eve produced a treat and fed Vip. “Everyone loves a dog. Everyone wants to to pet the cute, fluffy, small dog. We probably wouldn’t have found half the things we did except they didn’t want to stop petting Vip.”
Sara focused on Eve. “Go back, tell me the rest. Why don’t you like neutral reactions?”
“Because no one feels that way forever. He’s certain to have made a good decsion in his favor or a bad decision in theirs at some point. Think about how many people you’ve offended making generally good decisions.” Eve paused. “In nobility, reading people is a survival skill. I learned early on how to understand what wasn’t being said. There’s too much not being said.”
Ashi cleared her throat. “I do not know your rituals and customs, but I do know power. These people have been touched by power. Instinct says ‘be silent, be careful, we may yet escape the [Itorlax]’s jaws.’”
“I’ll be waiting.” Kaden handed out more grilled meat. “Trinity learned [Grilling] tonight. The class came with some utensils she can’t use without hands.” He gave Eve a set and left her to stare.
Moonrise came and went.
The sky turned from black to deepest blue, and oranges flared over the castle walls when the slightest whisper of a shadow came racing along the wall. Trella burst into existence, staggered three feet, and fell.
Kaden rushed to grab her and hauled her into the room.
The [Falcrow] followed his instructions, going straight through the walls, and moments later, Eve rushed in dressed in only a thin sleeping robe. “Lay her out. She’s got poison. So much poison. What did she get into? And she’s got [Ink] from her own blades. And almost zero mana. And three different applications of [Lockdown]. I have no idea what that is.”
Eve worked for thirty minutes while Ashi and Sara joined them. “This is a third or fourth tier status effect. I’m out of mana.”
Kaden used [Mana Well]. “You’re not out.”
Twenty minutes later, Eve sat back, sweating. “I’ve lifted two of them. It prevents healing and I’m not sure what else. I’ll get the last one, it’s just hard. Ink only took three tries.”
Sara produced a Mana Regen poition. “Drink up and rest.”
Trella opened one eye and whispered. “I made it back. Yay.”
“Don’t talk,” Eve said. “Save your strength. Kaden, are we good for a few more rounds?”
Kaden dumped all but a point to Eve. “I’ll regen fast.”
“Got it!” Eve shouted as Trella rolled over and vomitted blood. “There. There. [Lockdown] is reduced. Her health isn’t dropping when she gains mana.”
“Found them.” Trella whispered, then took Kaden’s hand. *Found eight of them. Got [Liberator’s Vision], and I mapped his house.*
Kaden squeezed her hand to stop her talking. Then realized she didn’t need to talk at all. *How did you get [Ink]? Where was [Lockdown]?*
*[Backstab] gives you [Lethal Strike] at level ten. And [Shadow Walk] becomes [Shadow Arc.] It lets…* Trella said. Her eyes closed and she lay over.
Kaden began to gently unstrap her boots, dumping a silver dagger that wasn’t one of hers from a boot. As he unstrapped her bracers, a silver needle dropped to the floor—and another—and another. “Poison, I bet.”
“Needler traps are illegal,” Sara said. “But what does a [Slaver] care?”
Ashi triggered one of her mana stones and her skin turned deep green. “I am not as efficient as Eve, but if I may help, I will.”
As she worked, Trella’s skin went from pale to a more healthy pink, and her labored breathing grew more even.
“I’ve got it from here.” Eve took over, using [Life Transfusion] until at last she stopped. “There’s nothing else to do. The mental exhaustion only has one cure. When she’s ready, I want to know where this [Lockdown] came from.”
“Thank you.” Kaden gave her a quick pat on the hand. “Vip, you want to go with Eve?”
The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.
*Fast.* Vip hopped down off the bed, then looked back to Kaden. *Love?*
“She’ll be ok. She just needs a nap.” When they left, Kaden barred the bedroom door, then woke Trinity. “Someone hurt Trella. We should be safe in this palace, but I won’t risk her health on should. Can you guard the inside door?”
Trinity gave a creaking, whistling cry that was one Kaden associated with rage. [Razor Scales] unlocked all over her body, and she paced to the door, settling each head down. She’d positioned herself so if the door opened, she could strike from behind.
Kaden turned down the lights and lay down beside Trella. Her skin was cold and clammy, and she shivered in the dark,then passed into a deeper sleep.
###
He woke to find Trella bathing, studying green streaks in her skin. “What are those?”
“The bastard has traps. Good traps. Great ones. The status effect makes you pay with constant health drain until you use a skill and prevents health regen, while making it hard to use skills.”
She called for the others, wearing little more than wraps, and accepted a piece of grilled meat Trinity offered without qualms. “I overestimated my skills. Normally, the Sisters would have sent me on training missions. So many training missions. Then real ones with an elder sister at my side. Our training is good. It’s not good enough.”
Eve reached for Trella’s arm. “Needle wounds with arsenic. Old fashioned poisons. How are you even alive?”
“Remember Kaden’s snake farm? A few months ago I snuck over and got [Resist Poison] from it. It’s now level four.” Trella didn’t look at Kaden.
“You said you were never going to intentionally get bit—”
“I know what I said.” Trella produced a scroll from Inventory. “I mapped his house. My luck stat is working overtime. I can’t rely on [Luck] for a year at least. Every room is a [FarPortal]. Mistress Scylla saw what she saw, but that means nothing.”
Kaden adjusted the scroll. “What building is this?”
“His house is enchanted. It’s much, much larger on the inside and goes down five levels. I stole six vases and a [Healing Stone] and sold them at the closest shop to his house for six [Cure Status] potions.” Trella spoke the last with shame.
“Brilliant,” Ashi said. “Now, his expectations will be met. A thief broke in. Many traps were encountered. Desperate, they sold their prize to save their life. It is a lie most solid.”
“Not a lie. Those potions removed sixteen stacks of [Lockdown].” Trella turned her arms over, pressing each point. “The [Inkblades] are what saved me. [Lockdown] burns health every time you regen mana. [Ink] prevents mana regen.”
There were still pieces she wasn’t sharing, Kaden was certain. “Tell me what happened. Your stealth is better than mine. How did they even know you were there?”
“I made a mistake. The traps have an alarm on them, and I was so panicked about dealing with [Lockdown] I made a second mistake. There are no third mistakes.” Trella drew a hand from Inventory. Just a hand. “This is filled with those needles. I’m going back to Shadowvale for help. Nieman will help me analyze this. She’s seven levels higher in Alchemy.”
“I’ll go with you.”
“I need you to do something for me. There’s a beast with hallucinegenic poison. This son of a bitch has a standing quest for it, I think he’s an addict.” Trella spoke with certainty. “I got into his correspondence. He puts out weekly Quests for anyone who can bring the venom and hasn’t had a dose in a decade. All of those were from the collection of other Poison Masters, but I want you to get the real thing.”
“I’ll get you one. Or ten. What do I do with them when I have one? Also, what is it? Also, where is it?”
Trella handed him a scroll.
Unono. He hadn’t heard of them before but Beast Knowledge tickled as he read the name. The whole gods-damned marsh was infested. If the Inverted Tower didn’t give such fantastic loot, we would have quit. As it was, we fought through, avoiding them when possible.
It was clue.
A start. “I’ll get them. You want one? You want ten?”
“One and some slime. It’s a slime, not a venom. Anything else is too suspicious. It would help if the one is beat up. Sell that you had to work for it. Sara, does S&K holdings deliver from the Xiao Empire?”
Sara shook her head. “We don’t have a license. It’s not a matter of travel, it’s that you can’t enter their waters without a letter.”
“Assuming you had one?” Trella asked. “Could you conceivably buy a Phoenix Feast?”
“Yes, but I wouldn’t be able to get it back here. Ships are great for moving large amounts of cargo slowly. There’s a global FarPortal network in Shan-Fa for shipping, but usage is restricted. I just arranged transfer for Kaden’s bee colony. I can’t possibly get another slot.”
“Those bees are going to need to sit. Or roll. Or however giant honeybees normally move from one continent to another.” Trella wasn’t asking. “I have a good feel for this man. He’s a glutton. He gets everything he wants and he wants everything. I sent a bird to Mistress Scylla this morning, and I have a plan for how to lure him out and lock him out.”
“So, Ashi and I?” Eve asked.
“You go with Kaden. All I know about [Unonos] is that their venom is so powerful it leaves anyone less than a Centurion unconscious for an hour. Mistress Scylla intends to throw a celebration. A private thanks for only her business associates. We’re going to make that feast so attractive Ducat forces his way into attending. [Unono] elixir. Phoneix Feast. The things Ducat desires most.” Now Trella smiled. “While he discovers his mistake, I have a task. We. We have a task.”
Kaden knew what that was. “His house.”
“The other eight slaves must be freed before he dies or they die, permanently. I have to find the other four. The moment Mistress Scylla signals, I’ll break their bonds. You need to hit his house at the same time. I marked the ones I found using the same kind of wand you used on the demons.” Trella produced stones from Inventory and handed them out.
You have received 1x Shared Marking Stone. Targets will be highlighted.
Kaden stored them away.
“There’s something else I have to say. These aren’t monsters you’ll be dealing with. They’re people. Adventurers serving one of the most vile Classes in existence. They will kill you. They will burn your corpse. He has an incinerator, I’ve been inside it.” Trella paused. “You don’t have to take part in this. It’s my duty, not yours.”
“I’m in,” Kaden said. “I’ll volunteer to take the front gate. Whether I win or lose, I can draw every guard in the house out front. The moment they see Skully tearing down the gate, they’ll respond.”
“Absolutely not.” Sara jumped in before Trella could. “We’re guests here. He’s a citizen. If you start this outside, the city guard will be involved in minutes. No, we want to close off the ‘house’ so anyone outside can’t get in.”
“That’s right. This is going to make us probably banned from Trunistan. Get your equipment now. I’m going to.” Trella dressed quickly. “Eve, is there any way you could get me into a city council meeting?”
“Not for another two days,” Eve said. “As a minor councilwoman, I can always say I’m trying to learn how to better serve. That and five hundred silver for tea will get me a seat in the gallery. If you want time with different councilors, I’m going to need a reason.”
“The real reason is I have to find the other four slaves. I want to find the other four. Mistress Scylla says it’s not the King or his Craft Advisors. I don’t know how we find the others in a city this size.” The frustration in Trella’s voice was clear.
“If I were a slaver, I’d enslave a king,” Sara said.
“And you’d be discovered shortly thereafter,” Trella answered. “Kings and Queens, all rulers, anyone who needs to make a lot of quick decisions in changing situations aren’t suitable. It’s not that Slavers don’t occasionally try, it’s just that there’s no command they can give that covers what’s needed. And there’s nothing they fear more than being discovered.”
“I doubt that.” Eve wasn’t being cruel, but her tone said she was confident. “They have all this power, you say. No one can resist them, you say. And they fear being discovered?”
“Absolutely. Because if they’re discovered, one of us will find them. I’m going to take a different approach. Sara, can you tell me who Ducat deals with most? Anyone associated who doesn’t live in his house?” Trella was being awfully diplomatic.
“Perhaps, but I need to leave now. Our cargo ship is in the islands now, but getting it headed for the Xiao empire is going to require me going personally. You can get us a permit?”
“Not me, but Mistress Scylla will have it done.”
“Mom has all the connections. I don’t have time to shop. Eve, I’m entrusting you with my vouchers.” Sara gave Trella a hug, followed it with one for Kaden, and offered Ashi a pat on the shoulder. “If everything explodes before I get back, just make sure he dies. Kaden, could I borrow Skully? I’d like a bruiser at my back.”
Kaden handed over the mental leash Sara would need. “He’s very literal. And he really needs an empty skull or two.”
“The Guildmaster will know where the ‘Inverted Tower’ dungeon is. That’s where we’ll find a [Unono].” Kaden sent the Falcrow to the Guildmaster. “We’ll leave as soon as I know.”
Ashi spoke up. “There may be a way to get you to see the King without waiting. I must ask permission, even as a Daughter I would not presume. But I can approach the King as an envoy of Vichor. We buy much that is not made in Vichor. Perhaps Najur would buy from Trunistan.”
“Please.” Trella took Kaden’s hand. “This will be worth it. The death of a [Slaver]. The freedom of twelve people.”
A messenger bird landed on Kaden. “That Dungeon shut down five centuries ago. I’m sending coordinates to the nearest FarPortal but it’s a long way through a swamp that makes Foulwater Swamp look friendly. Go prepared.” The Guildmaster’s tone said there was prepared and there was prepared for what he’d be facing. “Eve?”
“I’m ready,” She said.
“Not yet.” Kaden wasn’t Sara, but he had learned from her. They weren’t ready yet, but they would be.