Chapter 23: Dark gods

I glanced out the open door to watch the summer rain with dozens of rainbows. My sons were actually walking and getting into everything. Ash was learning better control now that her companion was constantly with her and helping. Melody spent most of each day at the mage hall getting lessons.

Jasmine slipped up beside me and put her arm around my waist, “Feeling melancholic?”

I smiled, “A little. It feels like I have been cooped up for months.”

She grinned and gave me a push towards the door, “Go steal something, that will make you feel better.”

I laughed but walked out and headed to the Grinning Cat. Teresa had her baby in a cradle by the kitchen door with all her miniatures crowded on the baby. I caressed Jewel when she rubbed against my neck and sat at my table. Teresa grinned when she walked by and slipped a mug of cider onto the table, “Playing hooky?”

I grinned and took a sip before relaxing. When Teresa returned she gave Jewel a caress, “So what mischief have you been up to?”

I smiled and raised an eyebrow and she grinned, “Practicing.”

I glanced at the baby, “Have you been to the garden fair?”

She laughed and turned to sit beside me, “It was wonderful. We even saw a lot of the nobles with their children.”

I glanced at the door when it opened and frowned at the small man that entered. He looked around and crossed to another table to whisper to a dark cloaked man. It was summer and even with the rain people did not wear long dark cloaks. I nodded to the table, “Do you know them?”

Teresa looked and shook her head, “They have come in a few times. They asked a few questions about the king and...”

She frowned, “The first time they asked if we had a temple called ... Cesh?”

I hissed, “Krish?”

She smiled, “Yes.”

I growled, “Do not let them give you anything and do not accept food or drink from them. Clean and check the table and bench where they sit after they leave.”

She looked at them as they stood together and started to leave. I hesitated before standing, “Be careful of what you say around them.”

I turned to follow them out, Krish was a collection of several dark gods. They cherished making people suffer. I glanced up as the drakes dropped down from the rooftops. I reached up to Jewel, “Let the children know to follow at a long distance.”

She looked up and gave a warbling chirp. The drakes spread out as they flew back up close to the rooftops. We were headed for the stockyards and I had to fall back further. When they began looking around I moved into a doorway. The cloaked man turned to look back the way they came and I saw him drop something that spun off strands of magic.

They walked into what looked like a warehouse and I waited and watched. I glanced at Jewel, “Go tell the others to watch around the whole building.”

She nodded and leaped into the air. I moved out of the doorway and down to the strands of magic. It was still raining but I could still see the almost sickly yellow tint of the strands. I slipped out a silver pen knife as I knelt and started moving the strands. Once I had them on the wall beside the doorway I left them and moved away.

I put the knife away as I went to a waterspout and easily climbed up to the roof. Jewel landed on my shoulder as I was moving to one of the skylights. I stood back as I peered down and in and slowly looked and searched the dark shadows. I shifted when I saw the statues and Jewel rubbed against my neck.

I watched as a dozen men knelt in front of the statues while bowing their heads. I almost broke in because they had a man on what looked like a bed of nails. He was bloody from hundreds of cuts on his body but I could see he was not moving or breathing. I watched until they began to leave and then moved to look down in the street.

I needed to slip into the warehouse and settled to wait since the black cloaked man had remained inside. Slowly the day ended and night came and the rain stopped. I climbed down and moved into the shadows close to the door. I waited and finally the man emerged, he frowned when he looked at the spot where he had left the trap.

I slipped up and he turned and one hand began to move as I struck with a sap. It hit him on the temple and he dropped. I checked him before stripping the cloak off and put it on. I checked the man before lifting him and turning to enter the warehouse, “Jewel stay out here with the drakes and keep watch.”

She leaped into the air as I opened the door. The moment I stepped in I felt the pain and searing agony but ignored it as I carried the man to the bed of nails. I set him down and reached out to move the dead man. I looked at the bed of nails before lifting the man I had carried in. I set him on the nails before I began moving it towards the statues.

The pain increased until it felt as if I was being flayed. Finally I stopped and looked around as I limped away and came back with a couple of empty crates. I tilted the back of the bed so the dark gods statues could see the man. The pain vanished and the man stiffed before he began to scream.

I went looking in the shadows before finding old sacks. The man was writhing around in agony is his flesh was torn off and burned. There were four statues with a single chest filled with gold offerings and I shuddered at what might happen. I moved into the darkness behind them and slipped up behind one.

I quickly pulled the sack down over it until only the bottom half of the statue was left uncovered. I moved back and shook my hands and looked at them. They were red and stinging as if I had burned them. The man on the bed was only spasming as his blood ran freely. I moved to the other end and moved up to pull another sack down over another statue.

I was gritting my teeth in pain as I backed away. I did not wait and moved to the next statue and yanked the sack down over it. I was almost screaming and felt blood trickling down my chest and arms. I growled as I moved behind the last statue and pulled the sack over it. The pain vanished and I moved back and sagged to the floor.