Free Blood Storm: The Books of Blood and Iron by Steven Harper

took Sharlee by both hands and danced about with her for a moment. “I saw it from the beginning! This is wonderful news! That last venture into the Iron Sea was worth every lost sailor.”
    “Especially since we didn’t pay them,” Sharlee put in. “You’re a genius, darling.”
    “So are you, my love. The merfolk know the location of the Key, and that means we’ll get everything we want. Ourfamilies . . .” Hector rubbed his hands. Sharlee waited with a wife’s patience.
    “Do you know how much this means to us?” he said.
    “Of course, darling.”
    Hector went on, as if she hadn’t spoken. He was heading into a tirade, and Sharlee, recognizing the signs after years of marriage, held out her goblet for more wine. The slave obliged.
    “We were
powerful
, Sharlee,” he said. “Your family and mine. Kings begged to lay their broken crowns at our ancestors’ feet. Now all we have is money. Money! As if money meant real power to anyone!”
    “Any child can earn money on a street corner,” Sharlee said, giving the reply she knew he wanted. “But only the right people can wield the power of the shape.”
    “And we will become the right people. All we need to do is get everyone in the right place at the right time.” Hector looked thoughtfully at Irwin’s selection of goblets. “Danr is attending the prince’s reception tomorrow evening, and that will allow me to set everything into motion. Can you get our heroes of the Iron Axe into proper position?”
    “No.” Sharlee set her wine down as Irwin snatched up a fourth goblet
    Hector raised his eyebrows. “No?”
    “It’ll have to be you.”
    “Oh.” Hector thought again. “A little man-to-man talk. Can I handle that?”
    Irwin downed the fourth goblet in one desperate gulp. Sharlee laughed and put a hand on Hector’s arm. “You absolutely can’t, darling, but don’t worry—I’ll tell you what to say.”
    Hector heaved a sigh of relief. “That’s why I keep you around, my dear.”
    “Only that?” she asked archly.
    He put his arms around her and kissed her. She tasted wine on his lips, and her body molded warm against his. “Some other reasons leap to mind,” he whispered in her ear.
    “M-my lord?” quavered Irwin.
    Hector looked over Sharlee’s shoulder in annoyance. “Oh. Four goblets. Yes, you may go, Irwin. I should run, if I were you. We still need to figure out what to do about the lost dwarfs.”
    “And we need a mermaid,” added Sharlee. “No small detail.”
    “Thank you, my lord.” Irwin rushed for the door. After four steps, his knees buckled and he went down. He choked and gasped and convulsed. His face turned reddish purple, and his tongue protruded from between his teeth. Then he gave one final breath and died.
    Sharlee laughingly boxed Irwin on the shoulder. “I knew it! You poisoned all of them, didn’t you?”
    “Never leave your opponent a choice.” Hector kissed her again.
    “A fine philosophy,” said a nonvoice.
    Sharlee jerked away from Hector as a tall man in blue and white stepped over Irwin’s body, but she relaxed when she saw who it was. “Really, Will! Can’t you knock?”
    “I let myself in,” the man said, “and I see poor Irwin has paid for the traffic I encountered on my way here. I’m afraid he wasn’t truly responsible for the loss of the dwarfs. That was me.”
    “Well, obviously.” Sharlee put her hands on her hips. “No one else would have the money to pay them. What inVik’s name do you mean by leaving us with a single dwarf?”
    “You need to think bigger, my dear,” said the man. “I have a deal for you.”
    “A deal?” echoed Hector. “One that will give us something better than an army of dwarfs that can make golems? We want them back, Will. Now.”
    “I couldn’t help overhearing what you said about the girl Aisa,” the man said, ignoring Hector’s demand. “I’ve noticed her as well, you know. Eyes and ears all over the slave market. And speaking of