Hour of Mischief (29 page)

I didn’t know how such a tall man had managed to slip into the room without me noticing. The door didn’t open or close and the windows were still shut. Honestly, it didn’t matter at this point. He wasn’t human, and he was in the same room with me, a dark smirk on his face. A smirk that bore striking resemblance to the malicious one of my least favorite shape shifter assassin, whose blade I clutched in one shaking hand.

“Who are you?”

“You may call me the Lord of Beasts, Guard of the Abyss,” the man’s black eyes flashed. “Or just Cleptos.”

“Fuck,” I replied. The only word fitting to this situation.

“You may as well drop your blade,” Cleptos said, looking down at the knife. “It’s not going to do you much good.”

“You underestimate my propensity for foolish persistence,” I said, ignoring the twisting of my gut. “I have a strict policy against doing nothing when someone is trying to kill me.”

“I’m afraid my master wills it,” Cleptos said.

“Your master?” I croaked through my dry throat. “As in . . . the Goddess of Death?”

“Yes,” Cleptos said.

“I hate my life,” I replied.

“Don’t worry, you don’t have much of it left,” Cleptos said. His mouth twitched again and I guessed he was sort of like Sid in the sense of humor department. A mouth twitch equated to laughter.

I raised my knife a little higher, trying to steady my breathing.
Just a minor god from the deepest reaches of the Abyss. Nothing to worry about.

“Very well.” Cleptos sighed. He reached under his cloak and drew out a knife. His had the same shape and structure as mine . . . except it was two feet longer. And sharper. And scarier.

I swallowed hard but I stood my ground.

“Your move. I have time,” Cleptos said.

I looked straight into the black pits on his face, trying to decipher his intentions. But the problem was . . . they were black pits, absent of light. In a fight, the eyes can be the doorway to deciphering your opponent’s next move. But Cleptos didn’t have any of those helpful hints. I was fighting him blind.

I decided not to think too much of my imminent defeat. After a brief pause, I leapt at Cleptos, trying to slip under his huge blade and stab him in the stomach. He spun out of the way, knocking several glasses from the private bar with the edge of his weapon as he spun. He sliced down toward my neck but I rolled out of the way and ended up in a crouch against the couch, panting.

He struck out again, this time mutilating the faded cushions and sending feathers flying everywhere. I barely managed to duck to avoid the blow and I scrambled to my feet to face him again.

“You are quick,” Cleptos said. “Just as my subordinate said. Perhaps this won’t be so boring.”

The steel of his blade glinted in the light as he swung around with lighting speed. I didn’t have time to duck. Instead, I raised my left arm. The blade struck the steel so hard it sent me sliding back a few meters until my back hit the wall. But the arm held strong.

Bless you, Grant
.

“Steel,” Cleptos said.

“Yeah,” I said. “Didn’t your subordinate tell you?” I dove at him again, keeping low to avoid his blade as he swung. I brought my knife across his side. It didn’t go very deep, but it broke the skin and brought a stream of silver blood to the surface. I skidded to a stop and spun around to face him, a grin of triumph on my face.

Cleptos looked down at the wound, seeming surprised. Then he looked back at me. “Not bad.”

“Thanks,” I said.

“But I probably should wrap this up. I don’t want to keep my lady waiting,” Cleptos said. Then, before I could blink, he spun and jammed the hilt of his knife forward, nailing me in the stomach. Breath whooshed from my lungs and saliva flew from my mouth at the sudden, painful impact. My knees gave as black spots sprouted across my vision. I don’t know how I remained conscious, but I was aware enough to feel the brush of cold steel on the back of my neck. A shudder tore through my body.

He intoned Axira’s sacred words. “The Abyss claims all in time.”

“And drink keeps them happy until then!” a familiar voice said as the door burst open.

Cleptos blade lifted from my neck and I raised my head in time to see a mug spin across the room at top speed, nailing the minor god in the face. Laetatia followed soon after, spinning through the air to deliver a swift kick with her dangerously sharp high heels. Cleptos flew straight through the brick wall, leaving a hole in his wake and digging a crater in the cobblestone when he landed outside. Laetatia grabbed my arm and hauled me to my feet.

“Thanks,” I gasped out. “You have wonderful timing.”

“No problem,” she said. A low growl sounded from outside as Cleptos picked himself off the ground, shaking debris from his black jacket. “I think we should run.” She seized my wrist and bolted from the tavern. I could only follow after her, trying to ignore the horrible pain in my stomach. I was still out of breath, but who needed air once adrenaline kicked in?

“Is he following us?” I asked, not daring to look over my shoulder.

“If Axira ordered your execution, you may be sure he is,” Laetatia said.

“But why? Why am I suddenly important enough to send Cleptos after me? Why not just a normal assassin?”

“I don’t know. I don’t know why she’s decided to side with the elder gods either. I’d just as soon not ask. I could take Cleptos easily, but I’d rather avoid the fight.” Laetatia peeked over her shoulder. “Well, damn.”

I couldn’t help but spare a glance this time. And I wasn’t happy with what I saw. Four huge black dogs pursued us. The one in the lead stood twice the height of the others and his eyes burned black instead of red. Cleptos. But the other three shape shifter minions didn’t make our situation better.

Laetatia turned abruptly into an alleyway, nearly jerking my arm from my socket. I cursed as I registered the direction we were headed. “Laetatia wait. This way is–”

We skidded to a stop in time to avoid slamming face first into a steel wall.

“–a dead end,” I mumbled.

“Damn it all.” Laetatia spun around, grabbing the edge of her red dress and ripping it almost up to her hip. She had a band strapped around her leg. A band full of knives. I knew I had good reasons for loving this goddess. “I hope you brought weapons.”

“Thanks to Grant, I’ll never be without a weapon again.” I pressed the button on my hand. The blade darted into view, ripping the edge of my sleeve in the process.

Cleptos and the other shape shifters stopped in front of us. The minor god shifted back to human form immediately but his subordinates remained vicious black beasts. Their red eyes burned as they focused on me and drool dribbled from their pearly canines, pooling in disgusting puddles on the ground.

“Give her up, Laetatia. This is foolish,” Cleptos said.

“Since when do you give me orders,
minor
god?” Laetatia sneered. “I’ve always wanted to see you dance, so let’s go.”

Cleptos barred his teeth. “Fine.”

He lunged at the goddess. Their blades ricocheted off each other in a flurry of sparks.

I faced the three shape shifters, holding my blade arm in front of me. “I have a weapon now, bastards. Think you can handle me?”

They let out snarls in response and charged. I ducked under the first dog, raising my arm over my head as he passed. The edge caught him in the chest as he soared over my head and with a cry, I slashed the blade all the way through its abdomen. Foul smelling black blood splashed my face and clothes, mottling the cobblestone at my feet. The creature skidded until it hit the brick wall and lay still.

I didn’t have long to celebrate my victory with the other two shape shifters bearing down on me. They came from my right and left side, not leaping high enough to allow me to duck. So instead, I jumped. Their heads moved inches under my feet as they skidded under me, colliding into each other. I cocked back my arm and drove the blade between the shoulders of one of the shifters. Then I braced myself on its back and jerked the steel from its flesh, flipping backward to avoid the spray of black liquid. I landed on my knees, arm out to one side. The gooey fluid dripped from the steel tip, dotting the ground as I glared up at the final creature.

“You want this too?” I asked. God, I loved having a weapon.

The last shape shifter shot at me, but as he did a second snarl sounded to my left.

“Janet!” Laetatia called out.

I let gravity take over, dropping flat to the ground just as the shape shifter I had sliced from chest to belly moments ago went soaring over my head. Its gaping jaws passed so close to my face, drool splattered against my forehead as I landed on my back. I rolled to avoid another flurry of claws and teeth. The world around me spun and I couldn’t orient myself in time to see another one of the black beasts hurdling toward me.

A familiar god skidded in front of me, slashing his blade arm upward with a force that removed the monster’s head from its body. The creature crumpled.

“You okay, little thief?” Itazura glanced over his shoulder.

“Doing wonderfully,” I gasped out, pushing myself to my feet. My knees were scraped bloody and my lungs burned, but I was alive. “Thanks.”

“Don’t mention it.” He backed up a few steps as the two remaining shape shifters moved toward us. “If you want to kill them, it has to be instant. Get them in the heart or take off their head. You have to hit dead on.”

“Got it.” I sprang at one of the creatures before it could lunge at me, dropping at the last moment to slide between its huge paws. As I moved beneath its chest, I jammed my blade through its flesh, sinking the steel up to my fist. The creature let out a bone-chilling screech, writhing in an attempt to pull itself from my weapon. I curled my free arm around its shoulders, securing myself to its body as I twisted my wrist to pierce deeper into its heart. Its lifeblood pumped out, streaming down the steel of my arm and onto my jacket. I held my breath to avoid gagging at the putrid scent.

At last, the creature’s struggling ceased and it went still. I rolled it off me, jerking my blade from its torso, and rose, panting.

“Very nice,” Itazura said. He had dispatched the other shifter already. Now only Cleptos remained a threat.

Laetatia backed toward us, planting herself on my right side. Itazura stood on my left. We faced Cleptos with our weapons and satisfaction coursed through me as I realized we outnumbered him.

“I think you should return to your master and tell her you failed, Cleptos,” Itazura said, his green eyes narrowed. “Go.”

Cleptos drew something from his pocket. A small, obsidian gear that glinted in the light of the setting sun. A black flame was emblazoned on its surface “If I go,” he flicked the coin into the air. “I take you all with me.”

“He has Axira’s gear,” Laetatia warned.

“Shit.” Itazura took a step forward but not before the coin hit the ground with a high-pitched
ping
.

And my world was plunged into black.

When I opened my eyes, we stood in a globe of darkness. Not a dark room, but a globe. The darkness surrounded us on all sides, like a swirling black mist, rather than filling our space. I could still see perfectly fine. Itazura and Laetatia still stood on either side of me. Cleptos knelt in front of us, facing away, toward the tumultuous dark wall. I didn’t know why until the woman melted out of the black, as if stepping through a waterfall of darkness.

Her long, thick hair was the color of pitch and her dress the color of dried violets. She walked slowly and deliberately with an air of elegance few could duplicate. Her dark-violet eyes glowed with power.

Over her shoulder, she balanced the largest scythe I’d ever seen. Its silver blade was the size of my whole body and it looked sharp enough to cut through steel. The pictures didn’t do her justice but there was no mistaking it. The woman in front of me was Axira, Goddess of Death.

Great . . . Abyss.

Unlike the gods I usually associated with, Axira wasn’t someone I wanted to mess with. I could insult Itazura, punch Meroquio, and be a bit sarcastic with Laetatia. Even with Viden and Kaval I could speak my mind. But Axira? Forget it. If I said a wrong word, I would be dead.

If I didn’t say anything at all, I would probably be dead too.

Axira tilted her gaze toward Cleptos, “Thank you for bringing them here. Rise.”

“As you wish, my lady.” Cleptos stood and faced us again.

“It’s better that you’ve waited to kill the human,” Axira decided when her gaze locked on me. I shivered and struggled not to look away. “Perhaps now I can talk some sense into my brother and sister.”

“You’re the one who needs sense,” Laetatia said. “I know we’ve never been close, but you can’t be stupid enough to side with the Elder Gods. You’ll damn yourself along with us. Whatever they told you, they’re lying.”

Axira’s black eyes smoldered like coals after a roaring fire. “You think I am foolish enough to side with the Elder Gods?”

Laetatia flinched–actually flinched–at her tone.

“I’m not doing this to damn the realms, you idiot. I’m trying to save them.”

“What?” I stared. “How does killing me save anything? You’ll just throw the clock out of balance!”