Gorgoroth (Haladras #2)

THIRTY-FOUR

"You want to trust this fellow? Who's to say he won't rat us out to the authorities?"

Skylar sighed and rubbed his temples. They had already belabored this point to death. Grüny, however, still refused to admit Skylar's plan was anything but pure insanity.

"He won't," insisted Skylar. "Because if he turns us in, he won't get paid. And I can assure you, he wants to get paid. You should have seen his eyes when he saw the bracelet. We're lucky he didn't try to steal it from us then and there."

Grüny folded his arms over his chest.

"I still don't like it. And what about you two skin-and-bones? How are we ever gonna convince anyone that you're meant to be eaten?"

"I have some meat on me?" protested Skylar.

Grüny snorted.

They were back in Wenna's humble dwelling, gathered around the fireplace. They had just finished a meal of roasted mutton and butter dumplings. The fire blazed warmer than it probably ever had before. Were it not for their dire situation, Skylar might have felt content to sit there and repose for ages.

"Grüny does have a point," said Kendyl, who'd finally broken her silence the day before. "Endrick and Grüny look fit to eat, but I think we'll have a tough time convincing anyone that you and I are."

"And especially you, miss," added Icca. "The empress would never eat a female. She rarely eats human fresh and when she does, it's a male enemy."

"You're right," said Skylar, tightening his jaw muscles, "but how are Kendyl and I going to get through?"

"That's easy," replied Kendyl, "we'll be the driver's niece and nephew. We'll be along for the ride."

"A cheery ride," muttered Endrick.

Skylar cast her a skeptical look.

"What?" she replied, defensively. "We look like we could be brother and sister."

"Maybe," said Skylar, "but you haven't seen this fellow. We're definitely not related."

"We don't have to look like him. Maybe his sister married a defect Ahlderion."

"Or maybe we're adopted," said Skylar.

Kendyl looked at him, the touch of a smile forming on this lips. Then the painr broke into laughter. The others joined in too. It felt good to laugh. Like a sudden warm breeze had swept through the room and carried away all their troubles with it. How had that happened? It felt good to see Kendyl happy. She looked so beautiful. The drab clothes she wore could not blight that flaming hair and radiant smile. His heart stuttered in his chest.

"Assuming we can convince them you two are related to this Obern fellow," said Grüny, interrupting their fleeting moment of happiness. "What's he going to tell the guards when he comes back through the gates and you're missing?"

"He won't have to tell them anything," said Skylar, "because they'll be different guards. Endrick and I know precisely what times the guards change. We're supposed to arrive just before the change of guard. When Obern leaves, there will be a new set of guards at the gates. Guards who don't know a thing about what was in Obern's cart when he entered."

Grüny crossed his arms in front of his chest again. "I don't like it. I don't like it one bit."

* * *

The companions had almost as hard a time convincing Obern of this change in plans as they did Grüny. He didn't like the idea of calling Skylar and Kendyl his relations. Much less, returning through the gates without them. Skylar suggested he and Kendyl could be assistants or apprentices—Obern could make up whatever he wanted. Another view of the bracelet, however, proved the best method of persuasion for him. One look at the precious piece of metal and his mouth began to salivate.