Chapter 43

It was morning when Darras entered the part of the town partly built into the mountain. Though intended for the Dwarven folk, the passageways were tall enough for a Human and Darras got directions to the local smith, a follower of Pelegard.

“The agent of Gilmea?” the Dwarf asked in gruff tones. “Didn’t expect you ever to come here.”

“I go where she sends me, and Primvart, a name that has stirred her interest, has become my current path,” Darras replied, his voice carrying a hint of secrecy.

“Ah,” the smith nodded. “An evil man, though fortunately, it’s not directed at the town or my kinfolk.”

“I dealt with the threat of Sillak two days ago; your people are safe enough.”

“Good, what he couldn’t hold, he destroyed. Thankfully, it’s no longer directed at the town or my kinfolk,” the smith affirmed, his voice filled with relief.

“Are there any other ways into Primvart’s base?”

“I have heard tell of one, though I’ll need to ask my kinfolk about it,” the smith replied. “Go to the tavern yonder and enjoy an ale. I’ll join you soon.”

Darras enjoyed a decent ale at the tavern, though the Dwarven customers ignored him. This Darras was used to as unless they had anything to say, a Dwarf said nothing. Erren mostly listened to what conversations went on, as even with Darras’s good hearing, the Dwarves spoke in too low tones for him to hear.

‘They’re mostly concerned about a drying up seam of gold, ’ Erren informed Darras. ‘Pelegard assures me it is still viable and will last several years.’

“I’ll let the smith know,” Darras murmured. This was when the smith entered the tavern and sat next to Darras, who ordered the Dwarf a beer.

“My thanks,” the Dwarf said before producing a hand-drawn map. “Primvart had my kinfolk cut a passage from the rear of his holding to a cave in the mountain. You can reach it by taking the right fork out of town and cutting through the woods.”

“Is it guarded?”

“I do not know, but it seems likely; he is known to be a very wary Human.”

“My thanks,” Darras nodded. “Erren ... Gilmea informs me not to worry about the seam drying up; it’s still viable for several years.”

“Hmm, good news indeed,” The smith rumbled. “I’ll pass the word along.”

“Pelegard informed her, so feel free to use his name.”

“I will, and thanks.”

Darras finished his ale and left the Tavern, heading into the Human part of the town and following the trail out of it before entering the woods. Once again, the concealed forest folk aided Darras by opening a hidden trail that took him higher up the mountain. They left Darras viewing a cave entrance, which he entered.

‘Allow me to guide you, ’ Erren offered.

“Thank you, my love,” Darra murmured in the almost absolute darkness at the back of the cave.

With Erren guiding Darras, he made his way deeper into the cave as he saw a vision of sorts in his mind’s eye. The floor had been graded and was free from obstacles, and after a while, the walls became cut and smoothed.

“Beautiful work,” Darras murmured softly.

‘Dwarven, ’ Erren replied. ‘Quiet now; there’s a door ahead.’

The door was sturdily built but unfortunately locked, though it also had a drawbar to lock it from the inside to prevent pursuit. Darras and Erren examined the door, and Darras cut through the inner bolt using his strength and a mithril blade. This let Darras through into a storeroom with several boxes of bullion stored neatly, presumably waiting for a secure convoy to transport it to Torphan via river barge.

“What do they do with all this gold?” Darras asked quietly.

‘The Lords enrich themselves by buying luxury goods and paying mercenaries to guard it, and them.’

“Seems self-defeating.”

‘Gold is gold, and Human avarice can be strong.’

“Guess so.”

Oddly, the room was not locked or guarded, though Darras suspected that there would be a guard at some point, as Lord Primvart did not appear to be lax about his security. Darras found out why when, at the end of another short corridor, he found a bedroom, the sleeping chamber of Primvart, Darras presumed.

‘Seems likely, ’ Erren agreed.

The main door of the bedroom was locked, and Darras had no intention of forcing it. Sooner or later, Primvart would come to the room to sleep, and Darras would deal with him then.

‘He may have company, ’ Erren warned.

“Possibly, but I’ll deal with them too, if necessary.”

Relying on Erren to warn him when activity came near, Darras explored the room. He looked at a few pieces of paperwork, though he found them to be bills for various works performed by the Dwarves. There were several bags of gold coins, or rather gold disks, as they had no makings of currency on them.

‘Elven weight, ’ Erren confirmed.

“Makes sense,” Darras nodded. “If he ever needed to flee the country, these would be handy.”

‘True.’

An hour later, Erren warned Darras of someone approaching the room, though Darras was already feeling the nausea of being near a shadow. Concealing himself behind the door, Darras hid as it opened, and a tall, thin, balding man entered, followed meekly by a young woman, barely more than a girl. Reaching out, Darras grabbed the shadow residing in Primvart and wrenched it from the now unconscious man’s body, also grabbing the girl and covering her mouth. There was a short struggle from a weak shadow before it dissipated, and Darras carefully removed his hand from the girl’s mouth.

“Remain silent as I finish this,” Darras warned the girl, who nodded.

As he had done with Sillak, Darras used a pillow to suffocate the unconscious man before undressing him and carrying him onto the bed. He then turned to the girl, who was looking wide-eyed at him.

“Who are you?” she whispered.

“The agent of Erren,” Darras replied.

“You killed him.”

“His soul was irredeemable in the gods’ eyes, and Colanthus had corrupted him before the shadow being took over his body,” Darras replied. “You’re taking this calmly.”

“I utterly loathed the man; he had my parents butchered before my eyes because he took a passing fancy to me,” the girl replied in a dead voice.

“I see,” Darras nodded, having dealt with traumatised soldiers and their families in his past. “Have you anyone who will take you in?”

“No, at least I don’t think so.”

‘Bring her with you; they’ll kill her if they find her here, ’ Erren advised.

“Best you come with me...?”

“Kilinna, it’s Kilinna,” the girl replied. “How do I know I’ll be safe with you?”

“You don’t, but I give you my word you will be,” Darras replied.

Kilinna just gave Darras a hard stare before nodding slowly.

“Follow me, oh, and take those bags of gold for your future,” Darras added.

“Okay.”

Unfortunately for Kilinna, the bags were heavy, and she could only manage one, though Darras attached two more to his belts before leading the way to the secret exit.

“Hold onto my belt; it’s dark in there,” Darras advised.

“Okay,” Kilinna replied.

‘She’s not very talkative, ’ Erren commented.

Darras said nothing, though he smiled, having been thinking along similar lines. He then bolted the door behind him and, with Erren’s help, led the way back towards the cave entrance. Once there, Darras headed for the woods, and Kilinna’s eyes widened as a path opened before them in the fading light.

“You can use magic?” Kilinna asked.

“No, I’m just a friend of Doriel of the forests,” Darras replied. “The forest folk guide my path.”

“How can you see so well in the dark?”

“That’s partly Erren,” Darras chuckled. “Though I see well enough in the dark of night, not the pitch black of caves.”

“Are we going to see her?”

“Yes, it’s where we both live.”

Kilinna lapsed into silence after Darras’s answer and followed him down to the road, where he made his way back into the mining town and his room. Once in the building, Darras rented her a room and then arranged a hot meal for her, which she ate ravenously.

“I take it you weren’t well treated?” Darras asked.

“No, though I wasn’t beaten or anything like that,” Kilinna replied. “Just forced to be a toy to a man I loathed.

“Starved?”

“As punishment for any act of defiance or unwillingness,” Kilinna replied after taking a large drink of water.

“Well, you’re out of it now. It remains to be seen what Erren plans for you, but it won’t be anything bad,” Darras smiled.

Morning came, and Darras took Kilinna to the town’s one general outfitter to get her travelling clothes. They had precious little in the way of girls’ or women’s clothing, so she ended up with male winter clothing, most of which was a size too large for her. Darras found her a warm cloak and boots of the right size before heading to the town centre and buying passage for them on one of the returning supply wagons that would take them south.

Kilinna remained mostly close-lipped throughout this and the journey south, answering questions if asked but never instigating any. Darras was unsurprised by this and mainly murmured to Erren, getting odd looks from Kilinna as he did so, though she eventually appeared to take it in her stride.

‘She’s suppressing a lot of inner anger and anguish, ’ Erren informed Darras.

“I know,” Darras murmured. “Can you help?”

‘I can, but not until you get her to me.’

“Coming as quick as I can,” Darras chuckled. “How are things back in the gold mountains?”

‘A lot of confusion and anger, though none seem to think the two were murdered, ’ Erren replied. ‘A bounty has been raised on Kilinna by Primvart’s heir, but it’s not vast.’

“I doubt anyone really skilled will come looking.”

‘They won’t.’

The pair alighted the wagon as it reached a crossroads and headed east. Darras and Kilinna continued to head south, fording a stream and following a trail into the woods to head for the forest gateway. Kilinna became startled when forest folk appeared and observed Darras and herself as they made their way to the gateway, a hidden path opening in front of them and closing behind them.