The Tomni'Tai Scroll (Book 1) (30 page)

Pinhead grinned wide and slapped Kai on the shoulder. “Don’t worry Kai. You see, Redbeard here almost killed Kelden’s grandfather a few decades ago, and Kelden and Redbeard get along fine.”

“I want to know what happened to my sister,” Kai said coldly as he shook Pinhead off of him. Kelden set the carafe down and the smile disappeared as he swallowed.

“You’re a Ranger, so I don’t need to go into all of the details. Suffice it to say that an informant tipped us off that a group was going to recapture Sebina and Jenedina. The man who ran the organization in Kobhir was named Galion. His lieutenant, Vermut, was bent on taking your sister and her friend back and completing the order that originated here. My men put all of them down before they could take the women.”

“Sebina and Jenedina were unharmed?”

Kelden nodded. “They are a bit shaken up about it, as you can imagine, but they are entirely safe.” Kelden shifted his gaze to the table and his focus drifted to a distant point. “However, we were unable to get any solid leads about the identities of Galion’s contacts in Blundfish. We only knew that the women were to be transported here and sold. With my men convalescing I decided the best tactic would be to come here pretending to have the women, and kill whoever offered to buy them.”

“So, you had no idea who you were looking for?” Kai surmised.

Kelden shook his head. “Honestly, I got lucky. I hit Honan’s tavern first. It was in the right part of town, had the right kind of crowd inside, and just felt like a good place to start. So, I asked the barkeep if he knew of anyone who was expecting a special shipment from Kobhir. I slid him enough gold to make him gush, of course, and then he offered you up.”

Kai nodded. “I was paying him to inform me if anyone came in that might have any ‘special’ merchandise.”

“So you don’t have any leads either?”

“Oh we have leads,” Pinhead put in quickly. Kai shot him a deadly look and Pinhead was quick to find an excuse to retie his boots.

“I have some leads, but I don’t know where Gurn hides. I am undercover working for one of his underlings. I paid Raife just in case someone came in who could lead me to the top faster so I could cut off the dragon’s head, as it were.”

Kelden folded his arms. “Well, I see we are on the same page then.”

Kai narrowed his eyes. “You don’t want to arrest him?” he asked.

“No, but I assume that won’t be a problem for you?”

Kai shook his head.

“So, you said the man’s name was Gurn, is that right?” Kelden asked.

“That’s what my source says,” Kai responded.

“By source I assume you are talking about the underling you have embedded yourself with?”

Kai nodded and poured a bit of water into a small clay goblet. “Exactly. He says if I do a few jobs for him he will eventually introduce me to him.”

“That could take a while.”

“What if you poke around Boots’ place while Kai works his angle?” Redbeard put in.

“Who is Boots?” Kelden asked.

“The underling,” Kai replied. “I don’t know if this is a good idea though.” He turned to Redbeard. “What if he gets caught?”

Redbeard shrugged. “Then it is someone with ties to Kobhir and the merchant guard, and you can still work your angle so long as you maintain your cover. Besides, we could go with him to make sure he doesn’t get caught.”

Kai shook his head. “I have Rangers that will be coming after me. If we spook Gurn now, I may not get another chance at him.”

“Why are Rangers coming after you?” Kelden asked.

“They think he killed Governor Gandle,” Redbeard blurted.

Kelden nodded his head. “Well sitting here is not getting anything done. I suggest you let me shadow you. How many men does Boots control?”

“No, if you are seen following me it will raise suspicion.” Kai stood from the table and drained his goblet. “Perhaps it’s best if you just go back to Kobhir and let me handle this.”

Kelden scoffed and stood up and jabbed his index finger into the table. “You can lick the bottom of my boot,” he said sharply. “My men bled for your sister, and this organization presents a threat to Queen Dalynn. If you stand in my way I will remove you as well.”

Redbeard and Pinhead stiffened in their chairs and shot quick glances to each other.

“Sebina is my sister,” Kai replied. “I will handle this.”

“Then what?” Kelden asked. “You will stay on the run for the rest of your life while the Rangers hunt you down for Gandle’s murder?” Kelden pointed a finger at Redbeard. “Did this man kill Governor Gandle?”

Redbeard stammered a bit before shaking his head. “No, I don’t believe he did.”

“Of course I didn’t,” Kai shouted. “I was on my way to uncover leads at Gandle’s manor when the assassin escaped moments before I arrived.”

“Can anyone confirm this?” Kelden asked.

Kai looked to the floor. “Captain Lador could, except he was also killed.”

Kelden folded his arms. “The Rangers will not stop hunting you,” Kelden said.

“I know that, that’s why I don’t want to miss this opportunity to kill Gurn,” Kai shot back.

Kelden nodded. “Listen to me,” Kelden started. “Redbeard’s word is good enough for me, and I can get you a pardon.”

“How can you do that?” Kai asked.

“I am more than a merchant guard,” Kelden replied. “I have been assigned by Queen Dalynn to head a secret unit that investigates and terminates threats that pose an especial danger to the queen or to the kingdom. Join me, and I will ask her to clear your name. The Rangers will then be required to drop their vendetta against you.”

“Rangers are not so easily swayed,” Kai replied somberly. “They will find a way to strike.”

“Then, perhaps I can send you somewhere they wouldn’t think to look,” Kelden said with a shrug. Kai regarded him curiously. “I have something I need checked out in the Elven Isles. A certain artifact came to light recently, and I want to do some research into its origins.”

“Does joining the unit come with any sort of guaranteed salary?” Kai asked.

“Does that mean you’re in?”

Pinhead raised his hand. “Just out of curiosity, let’s say Kai is in –does that mean we have a plan for Boots?”

Kelden smiled. “I do. When is the next time you are going to meet with him?”

“I need to meet him today for lunch, at noon. He said he had a protection job he wants me to do.”

“Alright, so go and do this job, but give me Boots’ location. Redbeard, Pinhead and I will attack Boots later this afternoon, say around five o’clock. While you are out on your job, we’ll take down Boots’ men and then interrogate Boots for Gurn’s location. You plan on ditching your client and rejoin us at Boots’ place around six or six thirty. Then, we all march on Gurn and finish it tonight.”

“What about the city guard?” Kai asked. “I don’t suppose they will recognize your authority as part of a secret group?”

“No, they won’t,” Kelden admitted. “But they will honor this.” He reached down into his boot and removed a tightly rolled parchment. “It’s a warrant from Queen Dalynn, authorizing me to conduct an investigation into recent kidnappings and murders. It mentions the two organizations in Rasselin and Kobhir as well. But, honestly I would prefer not to speak with the guards at all.”

“Why not?” Kai asked.

Kelden hesitated.

“Spit it out, lad,” Redbeard urged.

“My information leads me to believe that one or more Rangers may possibly have been involved with Gildar and Galion,” Kelden stated.

Kai was silent for a long while. He clenched his jaw and turned away to slam his fist into the wall.

“It isn’t conclusive,” Kelden offered.

“But it makes sense,” Kai growled. “How else would anyone have targeted my sister so quickly after she was transferred to Kobhir?”

“Do you know anyone in particular we could investigate?” Kelden asked.

Kai shook his head and punched the wall again. “No. The whole Ranger unit went with her. It could have been any one of them.” Kelden stepped forward and got close to Kai. Kai turned around and looked him in the eye. “Will you help me find out which one it was?”

Kelden nodded. “First, we take down Gurn. Then, you go to the Elven Isles for me and I will root out the crooked Ranger.” Kelden extended his hand to seal the deal.

“Alright,” Kai said. “I’m in.” He reached out and shook Kelden’s hand.

*****

“Ah, Brass, just the man I was waiting to see,” Boots said with a warm smile. He slicked his greasy hair back and lit a cigar as he pointed to a soft, red leather chair for Kai. “I already told you that a long time client desires a bodyguard as he goes through his business deals later today. I myself was going to take this job, but I feel comfortable that you can handle it. You have proven yourself to be every bit as capable as you claimed.” Boots clinched his cigar between two fingers and pointed at Kai with a wink. “You are going to move up to better places, I can see that for sure.” Boots put the cigar back in his mouth and inhaled deeply. He puffed the smoke out in a series of gray circles that ascended to the wood-paneled ceiling. “As a precaution however, Horkin will shadow you to ensure that this client is not lost.”

Kai almost started to argue with Boots about Horkin, but then he realized that would mean that Horkin would not be with Boots when Kelden and the others arrived later. “If you feel it necessary to baby sit me this time, feel free. Maybe Horkin will learn a thing or two from me.”

Boots chuckled, making his round belly bounce up and down with each laugh. “That’s why I like you, Brass,” he said with a nod. Then he handed Kai a small piece of paper with an address and time on it. “You will meet Daren,” Boots continued. “He is a merchant from Shausmat. He will be dealing with a local shop owner named Jinkis. Jinkis is a retired engineer and now owns the Black Saber armory shop. That’s where Daren and Jinkis will meet. It should be a dull assignment, but Daren feels it necessary that we ensure his safety at all times.”

“A merchant, huh?” Kai mocked.

“There are all kinds of merchants,” Boots said with a wink. “I never said he was an upstanding trader, but he pays well enough so we are going to follow through.” Boots took another drag on his cigar and relaxed his head back into his chair as he exhaled. “Oh, I almost forgot,” Boots started. “Daren has, on occasion, purchased a couple of girls from Gurn for him to take back to various brothels in Shausmat. So, do this right, and you will be getting your foot a little father in the door with Gurn.”

Kai felt his stomach flip and his blood broiled up in his chest, but he managed to keep himself in check. He forced a smile across his lips and nodded his thanks. “I will make sure I do not waste the opportunity to impress,” Kai pledged.

“Keep in mind that Daren doesn’t help with any of the finding or ordering, he just happens to purchase when the fancy strikes him. So, it isn’t a big step, but it is still a step in the direction you want to go,” Boots said. “You have about an hour before Daren is to meet you. I suggest you go now and make sure the meeting area is secure and then circle back to the tavern at that address.” Boots pointed to the paper he had handed Kai.

Kai nodded and looked at the address. “And Horkin will come with me?”

Boots shook his head. “No, he will shadow you. You do this as though he isn’t around. You likely won’t see him anyway. He’s a mountain of a man, but you’d be surprised how well he can stick to the shadows.” Boots slicked his hair back again and pulled another long pull on his cigar.

*****

Waiting inside the tavern proved uneventful and boring. Kai sat at table thirteen, as the small paper instructed, and waited. The patrons went on their daily business and hardly even noticed Kai. A short, stout man approached and smiled grumpily at him.

“What will you be havin' sir?” the man asked.

“I will take a small baguette and a glass of water,” Kai replied.

“What? This is a tavern! Who comes to a tavern to eat bread and drink water?! If you want that sort of fine dining why don’t you try the local dungeon?” the man retorted.

Kai leaned forward and slid his cloak back to reveal the hilt of his sword. “Perhaps I will,” Kai said coldly.

“Aye sir, bread and water it is,” the man answered nervously. He quickly hopped into the back and retrieved Kai’s order.

At the appointed time Daren strolled in. He looked just as Boots had described him. He was a tall, slender man wearing a red, long sleeved tunic under a black vest. His black hat easily shaded his face beneath its wide brim. A slender, but deadly, rapier hung from the man’s belt on his left hip. Daren looked around cautiously, inspecting the tavern before coming around to see Kai. When his eyes met Kai’s gaze the ex-Ranger nodded and rose to his feet. Daren walked over to Kai with an almost ethereal gait.

The ex-Ranger studied Daren’s movements. Kai’s instincts told him that this man was much more than just a merchant. Kai was experienced enough to recognize the tell-tales of a good warrior. Daren’s awareness of his surroundings, the way his rapier was fastened to his sword belt, and even Daren’s walk showed Kai that he likely dealt in death as much as goods and supplies. This made Kai wonder why such a man would feel the need to hire a bodyguard.