Lady of Poison

CHAPTER 26

Fallon followed behind the slender woman with purple hair that Damanda had called Lex, pulling Ash gently with one hand. Damanda broke the trail ahead of Lex, using techniques that the elf hunter recognized in his own woodcraft. The hulking Bonehammer walked behind, ensuring that Fallon didn’t try to run off into the woods, though he hoped that he had convinced the vampires that his loyalties lay with them.

Dawn threatened to break within the hour. As each increment of time passed, he could sense the tension of the three rising. Of course, he’d known immediately what they were long before they’d caught him. Unfortunately, he hadn’t been in a position to lay a trap like he was able to do against the first lone vampiric seeker. He’d decided that his best chance for survival lay in pretending that his loyalty to the Rotting Man had never wavered.

Fallon believed he’d pulled off his ruse, though the blightlord had tried to dominate his will anyway. He had Ash’s earlier expulsion of the Rotting Man’s control to thank for his continued resistance. He squeezed her hand in thanks, though of course Ash didn’t respond.

As he walked along, he began to wonder what he had gained really. If he truly wished to protect Ash, he would have to make some sort of break for it and fight these creatures. The more they drew him into their power and the closer they ventured into the Rotting Man’s territory, the less likely he could fight his way free with his and Ash’s life intact. Perhaps he should just attack Damanda right then?

He continued to debate with himself as they walked.

They had already traveled for a few hours through the forest. He thought it interesting that Damanda made no effort to hide their passage. It either meant that she no longer feared being followed by Marrec’s group, or that she actively wished the trail be found, like a lure.

Fallon ventured, “What of the cleric and his friends, then? Did demons get them after all?”

Starlight revealed a slight shrug from Damanda ahead. She said, “Perhaps, but when we find the sanctuary I know of, we’ll make preparations, just in case.”

Fallon knew that the blightlord wouldn’t waste energy on such ‘preparations’ unless she knew there was a good chance that such an energy expenditure during daylight would have a payoff. That meant that Marrec, Elowen, and the othershe couldn’t recall their namesmight very well be on their trail.

This meant that he might have allies at his back, allies who hated him and probably wanted to kill him, to be sure, but allies all the same. He wondered what he might do to slow the vampires’ progress to give those he hoped were behind a chance to catch up.

They broke out into a large clearing. The orange light of advancing dawn revealed a large, mausoleum-like stone building in the clearing’s center. Thick undergrowth partially hid the entrance.

“What is it?” wondered Lex, speaking for the first time. Her voice sounded like a squealing hinge, irritating and penetrating.

“It is an old Nar hermitage,” said Damanda, sounding pleased. “I found it on a map the Talontyr keeps in his library. When we followed our missing morsel… er, friend, up to the surface, I decided we’d get back to the Close quicker if we took an overland route. I knew this structure would be around here.”

Lex grunted acknowledgement, looking at the lightening sky.

They entered the dark building.

None of the vampires commented when Fallon picked up a length of dead branch before pulling Ash after him through the entrance.