Free The Conqueror's Shadow by Ari Marmell Page A

sort of treaty with the local flora, or learned to disguise himself as a suit of armor, I’d say that was a distinct possibility./
    The dark-garbed warlord ignored the sarcasm. “I thought you said he and your old friend had parted ways.”
    /Spells that simple, Rebaine can perform on his own. And Audriss, if you refer to Khanda as my “old friend” one more time—well, I have a truly horrendous genital-rot curse I’m just itching to try out on someone./
    â€œ
‘Itching.’ Hysterical. Tell me, are all your kind as obnoxious as you are?”
    /I have a gift for it./
    â€œBecause if they are, I should just stick Rebaine with you
and
Khanda. Between the two of you, he’d do anything I asked just for a few moments of peace and quiet.”
    /Speaking of whom, are you certain we shouldn’t be watching him now? Are you so convinced he’ll act as you anticipated?/
    â€œQuite certain. I haven’t left him any other option.”
    /He could run./
    â€œOh, no. Not Rebaine. I know him too well for that. No, he’ll do
exactly
as I expect him to, you can bet your soul on that.”
    /Funny
. Now
who thinks he’s the court jester?/
    Audriss’s reply was interrupted by a sudden knock on his heavy chamber door. A quick snap of the fingers, and his black mask affixed itself perfectly to his face. Even as he rose, a second gesture sent the door swinging ponderously open, seemingly of its own accord.
    â€œMy lord?” the soldier standing without asked nervously.
    â€œI distinctly recall giving an order recently,” Audriss said, tapping one finger against the chin of the mask with exaggerated care. “Now, what might that have been?”
    The soldier, a young man who’d served Audriss long enough to know that responding to the question was not a wise move, swallowed nervously.
    â€œI’ve got it!” Audriss announced. “Could it have been that I was
not to be disturbed?”
    â€œI—I beg your pardon, my lord! But—but we felt you should know—”
    â€œYes?”
    â€œWe’ve captured another group of refugees attempting to flee Denathere. A large family and their servants, or so it appears.”
    â€œI see.” They weren’t the first citizens to attempt an escape from the sudden reign of Audriss—called by some under his rule the Serpent—and they wouldn’t be the last. “It seems we’ll require another example. Give the women to the soldiers, have the men impaled alive before the front gate.”
    â€œAnd the children?”
    Audriss sighed; did he have to do
everything?
“Slaves’ quarters. Raise them to be useful.”
    â€œYes, sir!” The warrior moved to depart.
    â€œSoldier!” Audriss called abruptly. The man froze.
    â€œY-yes, sir?”
    â€œThose are, you realize, my standing orders. I gave them after the first escape attempt. Why am I repeating them to you now?”
    â€œS-sir, it’s just—I thought—”
    Audriss sighed again. “Are you hungry?”
    â€œI … no, sir, I …” It dawned on the young soldier only belatedly that, just perhaps, his lord had been addressing someone else.
    /I could eat./
    â€œHe’s yours, then.”
    The soldier’s mouth opened, wide but deathly silent. A faint green glow shone behind his eyes; his jaw gaped wider, and wider still, until muscles tore, skin peeled, bone shattered. The glow faded as quickly as it appeared, and the man collapsed.
    /A tad bitter, but not too bad./
    â€œI’m so glad you approve. Tell Mithraem he can have the body.”
    /I believe he needs them alive, but I’ll ask./
    â€œFine. Enough chatter for now, though. I’ve got a long night of planning ahead of me. And I’d like to see if my citizens take the proper lesson from the impaling.”
    The chamber door slammed shut.

    NIGHT BROUGHT SMALL RELIEF from the harsh heat of summer,