Chapter 11

  In the end, Hitasa urged Dalex not to pursue and kill the dragons. A dead dragon would point right to Dalex’s involvement, and they decided together it was better to remain incognito for the time being.

  Seventh sent two of her {scout golems} out to follow the supply lines for each army and see where they went. The chances were good that the people involved in this “joust” were important figures in the Gaia Zetan political landscape. They might also be involved in future operations against Gaia Eta and the resistance, or they might know someone who was. Finding the commanders’ home bases could prove useful.

  In the meantime, Dalex and Hitasa hatched a plan to squeeze a bit more intel out of the battle. They monitored the closest army camp until they determined where the command staff met and who was most likely in charge. Thanks to the improved hearing that {enhanced perception} gave them, they overheard talk of a meeting that night and decided to attend.

  Dalex put restraints on Erban and told Seventh to keep an eye on him. She couldn’t do much to stop him. Even non-lethal intervention was sometimes impossible with the orders that prevented her from harming life. But Dalex could {fly} back to their camp in a flash if the beastkin got up to something.

  Just before Dalex and Hitasa left, Erban sat up and stared at him.

  “You’re going down there?” he asked. “What are you going to do?”

  From the look in Erban’s eye, Dalex could tell he was worried about violence, specifically if Dalex might cause any.

  “Nothing serious,” Dalex said. “We’re just going to listen to some conversations, do a little spying.” He raised his voice. “Because a certain demon isn’t willing to share what she knows.”

  Balgoth, who was lying on her back on a lush blanket Dalex hadn’t seen her use before, hissed at him from across their camp. She was always producing impossibly large items from unseen places. There was a good chance she had her own version of a {bag of holding}. The others had ceased to be surprised when she produced her own tents of varying sizes and shapes and ate food no one had prepared for her.

  “You’re not going to hurt anyone?” Erban asked. “What if you’re discovered?”

  Dalex crouched down next to him. “If they catch on, we’ll probably just {fly} right out of there.”

  He looked into Erban’s eyes for several seconds. The beastkin stared back, defiant.

  “You know, Erban,” Dalex continued, “there are two wars going on here. One between dragons, and the one I’m fighting against them. There have already been a lot of casualties as a result of both. What do you expect to happen next?”

  The beastkin didn’t give him an answer. He just glared at Dalex.

  Dalex nodded over the hill toward the valley battlefield. “Do you care about the people down there?”

  Erban nodded quietly.

  “Would you believe me if I told you I care about them too?” Dalex brought his thumb and index finger close together, almost pinching them. “Just a little bit, but enough that I don’t want to hurt them.”

  "I don't believe you. You've killed so many of my beastkin packmates."

  Dalex straightened. His heart caught in his chest. "Did I hurt someone you know?"

  Blessedly, the beastkin shook his head, and Dalex took a breath. That earned him an oddly curious look from Erban.

  Hitasa spoke up, "Most times, 'packmates' doesn't refer to family relations among beastkin. It's like your ‘human brothers and sisters’ or the elven ‘roots.’”

  Dalex pivoted toward her. “I don’t think I’ve ever heard you say ‘roots’ to refer to your people.”

  “It’s fallen out of common parlance. The dragons and humans like us to think of ourselves in human terms.”

  After an understanding “Ahh,” Dalex looked back at Erban. “I have no doubt that some of the people I’ve killed so far haven’t been totally evil. If I ever meet their friends or family… I’m not looking forward to that day.”

  He raised a finger and then jabbed it into his own chest. “But everyone I’ve killed tried to kill me or my friends first. All of them had the choice not to pick a fight. They could all have walked away. In fact, some of them did, and because of that, they’re still alive. They might even be better off than they were before they met me.”

  “I know better than to trust your lies,” Erban said.

  Dalex chuckled. “You and I had two run-ins before I took you prisoner. Did anyone actually die or suffer lasting injury as a result?”

  Erban just stared at him.

  “Sure, Hitasa broke some bones when we set up the {tomb seal}, but we healed all that before we left.”

  Stolen story; please report.

  Erban’s eyes widened and he leaned in closer to Dalex. “That soldier in the portal tunnel. He burned to death.”

  Dalex cringed a little. “I saw that. But I’m pretty sure an orc did it. I didn’t actually see the person who cast the flame. I was just passing through. I refuse to take the blame for panicked friendly fire when I didn’t throw a punch or fire a shot.”

  “Keep telling yourself that,” Erban said. “I know who you are. The more time you insist to yourself that you’re a good person, the closer you come to learning you aren’t.”

  With a shrug, Dalex stood up. “And the longer you sit in defense of the monsters that have caused all of the real pain and suffering on this world and others, the more it will hurt when you accept the truth. I’ve never claimed to be a good person. I just know who the bad guys are.”

  Dalex walked away toward Hitasa.

  She nodded at him, and they were about to take off when Erban shouted after Dalex, “You killed Best-hon’s city dragon! Only you could be blamed for that.”

  Looking over his shoulder at the beastkin, Dalex said, “You’re right, that one’s on me. But my point still stands.”

  He and Hitasa cast {fly} and floated down the hill toward the encamped army they had chosen to investigate. Over the past day, they had tested the camp’s ability to detect their {invisibility}. So far, no one had noticed them. Hopefully, that would hold out long enough for Dalex to listen in on something useful.

  Before they arrived at the tent where the commanders’ meeting would take place, Hitasa surprised him by saying, “You are a good person, Dalex.”

  He looked at her. She was invisible, and he only knew where she was because his armor’s system outlined her profile in blue light, but her presence was reassuring nonetheless. “Thanks for saying that, Hitasa, but I don’t know if it really matters.”

  “It does matter,” she insisted. “At least to me.”

  ***

  When Dalex and the elf were gone, Erban fell on his back and stared up at the stars. His captors had left behind the human woman—Seventh, they called her—and the demon. Seventh’s eyes followed him. He could feel her gaze at all times. The demon appeared to be asleep, though she had been awake at the start of Erban’s debate with Dalex.

  What was this motley group of travelers? Why did the humans trust the elf with so much power? They were ostensibly part of the same resistance movement, and their partnership seemed equal, but that was hard to believe.

  Dalex was nothing like the stories he had heard of Dalex of the Expedition Seven. Everyone had called the Dalex a cold-blooded killer, mentioning staggering casualty numbers and stacking up the bodies Dalex was responsible for.

  But the man himself was affable, attentive, and careful. He could certainly be annoying, but he also seemed to understand when to pull back.

  Erban squeezed his eyes closed. He should not have been thinking of his enemy in these terms. Dalex was not his traveling companion. He was Erban’s captor. He needed to be dealt with. As soon as Erban found a way to escape or fight back, he would make this Dalex pay for everything he had done.

  Erban’s eyes fluttered open. It was true, though, what Dalex had said. None of Erban’s troops had died in either of their encounters with the leader of the resistance. Dalex and Hitasa had even gone out of their way to mend wounds. One of Erban’s soldiers had even claimed that the head cold he had felt coming on had vanished after fighting Hitasa.

  And truly, Erban did not think he could blame Dalex for the beastkin that had burned in the tunnel. It had been Drakko’s policy to use orcs for his personal army, and everyone knew the brutes were too quick and stupid to avoid hurting their own allies.

  So, Erban remained on his back in the dirt and did not contemplate escape or a meaningful method of fighting back. He knew the latter course of action wasn’t an option. After what Erban had seen Dalex do to the lesser dragon in Best-hon, he believed the man had killed Drakko all on his own. If Drakko was no match for this human, Erban couldn’t hope to touch him.

  The only path remaining to him was deception. Perhaps it would be wise to relent and assume the position of guide. Erban could lead Dalex and his group away from important areas and people. He probably couldn’t keep them at bay forever, but he might give the army time to come up with a countermeasure.

  He turned his head to look across the hill and found Balgoth lying on her stomach, staring right at him.

  Erban flinched and pushed away from her with his feet, putting another yard between him and the demon.

  “Wha—” he stammered. “What are you doing?”

  The demon closed her eyes and sniffed the air. When she opened them again, her irises were dark slits. “Fear not, young pup. I only wished a closer look.”

  “Pup?” Erban said, and his rat ears twitched.

  “Second Captain of the Ulenbeter guard,” Balgoth said, almost hissing. “You must have done many exciting things. Would you like me to write a song about you?”

  Erban sat up. Demons never wanted to write songs about beastkin, and humans were always guarded about who they let their bards associate with. “I would not like that. I’m sure Dalex wouldn’t like it either.”

  Balgoth remained flat on her belly, staring at him. She blinked and suddenly her irises were round and human-like again.

  “What do you think of my patron?” she asked.

  “He’s dangerous.”

  The demon nodded. “The most dangerous human I have ever met.”

  Erban’s eyes flicked to Seventh. She stared at the two of them, unmoving. He knew she could hear every word they said.

  “Ignore her,” Balgoth said. “She can do nothing.”

  “I’ve seen what she can do,” Erban said. “She has all the same powers as Dalex.”

  “But she will not use them against you.”

  Seventh spoke up. “What are you doing, Balgoth?”

  “Seeking a second patron,” Balgoth answered.

  “Attempting to fraternize with our captive is suspicious behavior. I will report it to Dalex.”

  Balgoth rose to her knees and looked Seventh in the eyes. “You will not tell him.”

  Seventh blinked. “Incorrect. I will tell him.”

  The demon frowned. She opened her mouth as if to press the human further, but then she clicked her teeth together and closed her eyes.

  “I will be watching you, young pup,” Balgoth said.

  Without opening her eyes, she returned to her blanket and lay down on her side, facing away from Erban and Seventh. Erban wanted to shout at her and demand to know what that had all been about, but he kept his mouth shut. These people confused him, which was surprising because he had spent a large part of his life around inscrutable people.

  Seventh had the final word. “Do not attempt to escape, Erban Tenggas. Dalex will return soon. He will be displeased if you cause a disruption.”

  Erban silently laid back on the ground. What had Balgoth meant when she said Seventh wouldn’t do anything? The woman was clearly devoted to Dalex. She followed all of his orders and never did anything without asking him first.

  Erban took a deep breath to calm himself. Less than a half-hour later, Dalex and Hitasa returned. Unfortunately, their mission had been successful. It was too late for Erban to lead them away from the important parts of Gaia Zeta.

  They had learned just what prize the dragons had been competing for.

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