Crown of Steel (Chaos Awakens) (10 page)

As Haley sought her fallen blade the massive black object that had shattered the wall was righting itself, uncoiling into a terrifying dark-furred werewolf. At full height the top of its head touched what remained of the ceiling and its bulk filled a surprising amount of the room. Its golden eyes looked down at the small girl crawling around the floor with an unmistakable hunger. It lunged for Haley.

She spotted the knife just ahead of her and was crawling quickly towards it when things went wrong. Haley didn't see the werewolf coming for her until it was too late. The massive monster grabbed onto her right shoulder with its teeth and shook her hard, pulling her away from the hilt of the knife just as her fingers were about to close on it. Bone, sinew, and flesh tore as the creature thrashed her from side to side and Haley cried out in pain and anger. She hadn't gotten to Xan's knife in time. He'd bought it just for her. A loud pop sounded in her shoulder as the socket connecting her arm to her body snapped free and a strangled gurgle of agony split from between her lips.

Kill it!Kill it before it kills you!
Her voice, or what sort of sounded like her own voice, yelled through her head. It had a strangely bestial edge to it, but she hardly had time to consider that. She let the axe slip from the fingers of her right hand into her empty left hand. With all the considerable strength she could muster she swung the axe at the creature that seemed to be attempting to rip her arm from her body. Her left hand wasn't as coordinated as her right, but what she lacked in coordination she made up for in brute force. The axe tore into the beast's torso and ripped out a surprisingly large piece of furry flesh. A deep growl rose up from between its clenched jaws, but instead of letting go it bit down even harder. Blackness rose up around the edges of Haley's vision. Fear came with it. She knew that if she let herself lose consciousness she was dead.

The werewolf grabbed her left leg with one of its claws and the wickedly sharp digits ripped through the fabric of her pants and into her flesh with surprising ease. Haley swung her axe again, desperation driving her. She hit the creature's hip and the blade sunk in deep. It still wouldn't release her, so she swung again and again as the monster tore at her small body. As her strength began to falter she took one final swing. Her blade connected with the creature’s ribs and finally the beast gasped and its mouth dropped open. Haley toppled most of the way to the ground, but her leg was still caught up in the demon's claws. Free of its mouth, Haley swung herself around and chopped at the elbow joint with her axe and was finally able to land a controlled blow. The werewolf's arm split at the joint tobe held on only by a small fragment of remaining flesh. It howled in agony with frothy pink blood pouring from its mouth. Her axe blow to its chest must have hit a lung. It was dying.

Haley swung her axe once more and severed the last of the creature's arm. She fell the rest of the way to the ground with the dying thing's claws still hooked into her leg. She fastened her axe back onto her belt. The floor was slick with blood, hers and the wolf's, but she pulled herself across it anyway. She couldn't stand. She could barely move. Where was Kassa? It didn't take her long to reach her destination. Xandrith's knife was just beyond the chaos sitting unused and clean on the hut floor. She grabbed it with her good hand and held it close to her chest like a child might do with a favored doll. Xan would be angry with her. Not about almost losing the knife, she knew. He'd be angry that she'd spent so much time worrying about the knife that she'd let herself be taken completely by surprise. That was stupid. Haley knew that was stupid. It was just a piece of metal. It was also the most valuable gift anyone had ever given her. The edges of her vision were getting darker. She looked down at herself and she could see the pool of blood forming around her.

"I'm bleeding out.”  She said quietly to herself. “Kassa!?” She called for the older woman, looking for help. There was no reply but for the wind and a cacophony of other sounds she couldn't identify. “Kassa!” She called again, her voice weaker. It was difficult to get up the energy to call out again. Her heart felt like it was beating far too fast in her chest. Darkness thickened around her. “Xan, I don't want to die.” She gasped into the cold air. Black nothingness devoured her whole.

Chapter 4

Footprints

As the world swam slowly back into focus Haley sprang to her feet and drew her dagger before she was even halfway upright. Something touched her shoulder and she struck out at it instantly, the knife diving forward like a snake striking to deliver its venom. Her strike was knocked off center and turned to the side and then a familiar face was at her side. It was Kassa.

"Whoa, relax. You're alright Haley.” Kassa said, waiting for the light of recognition to fully flicker in the girl’s eyes before releasing her wrist and the knife.

"Where are we? The werewolves?” Haley asked, trying to fit together the last of her memories and her current situation.

"The werewolves are dead. You killed one, and I dispatched the other two. You were badly injured in the fight. I had to carry you to the nearest town. Luckily they had an Order of Mages healer, and she has repaired most of the damage to your body. It took a few days for you to come out of the sleep though. How are you feeling?” Kassa spoke slowly and calmly.

Days?
Haley thought with frustration.
I've already lost days on Xan's trail.
She forced herself to take a deep breath and stretch her limbs. She felt almost like normal, but her right shoulder had a strange kink in it that seemed to offer a little bit of an ache when she rolled the cuff. It wasn't bad and it wouldn't interfere with her movement, but it was noticeable. Her old burns tugged and pulled as she stretched, but she’d become accustomed that discomfort.  "I'm alright.” She answered Kassa, though in truth she actually felt terrible and not from the physical injuries either. She was ashamed to have been carried into town, and she was angry to have slowed down their progress.

"Good. We should be moving on then. I've already got a lead on where we should go next.” Kassa said. The older woman wore a guarded expression on her face. There was something she wasn't saying, and whatever it was it was clear that it was behind her desire for haste. Haley wasn't certain whether she should ask about it or not. Was it any of her business? Did it have something to do with Xandrith? If it was about their friend then Haley decided it was her business.

"Is something wrong?” Haley finally asked.

"It's nothing.” Kassa replied too quickly, not meeting Haley's eyes. “I just don't want to be here any longer than we have to be. I'm eager to be back on the road.”

Haley frowned, certain that something was being omitted, but what was she going to say? She didn't even have a clue what could be bothering the older woman. “Alright. Let's get going then. Is there ... do we have any bills to settle before leave?” Haley asked, only too aware that they had no money and nothing of any value other than the masks they'd been given by Johndin, and there was no way they would part with those.

Kassa's lips tightened for a moment and she shook her head tersely before replying. “I've already paid.” With those three words she turned on her heals and grabbed a couple of packs and some new, winter weighted cloaks that were on the ground by the door to the room. She tossed one of the packs and one of the cloaks to Haley, and quickly fitted the others to herself.

"Get dressed and come on. We need to move. Your mask is in your pack. Put it on before you leave the room. I've seen a lot of people wearing plague protection, and we're not taking any chances.” Kassa ordered coldly as she slid her own mask over her face as if to hide her features behind the wolfish ones of the mask. However, the magical mask still seemed to convey her considerable unease through its surface. Kassa was already heading out of the room.

Haley jumped to follow her and pulled on the pack and cloak as she went, suddenly worried that Kassa would leave her behind in her haste to depart. She slid her mask into place just as she reached the door and shivered a little as the mask seemed to crawl against her face. How had Kassa settled their bill without any money, and why was she in such a hurry to leave? It didn't make any sense to Haley, but she felt like she couldn't ask for Kassa to explain. It was obvious that her companion didn't want to share the details.

On the way out of the healer's clinic an attractive woman maybe a few years older than Kassa dressed in a thin silk brown robe waved after them and called out. “Leaving so soon, girls?” She took a few steps in their direction, but Kassa didn't even slow down. “Shame you couldn't stay longer!” She called as Kassa pushed out the door and into the street without even turning her head. Haley gave a look back over her shoulder to see the woman teasing at her lower lip with her teeth. She gave a mischievous wink to Haley just before the door closed in their wake, which did little but confuse the girl even more.

"That was kind of rude, wasn't it?” Haley asked as they marched down the road at a much faster pace than seemed reasonable.

Kassa didn't reply. She didn't even look at Haley. The scowl of the wolf mask had deepened and there seemed to be a feint red tinge coming from the insides of the carved ears. Was that a blush through the mask? Seeing she wasn't going to get an answer out of her travel companion, Haley set about adjusting the straps on the travel pack Kassa had thrown to her. It was a good quality pack, and its weight and heft told the girl that it had been stocked with supplies. “How did you get the money to buy all of this?”

Kassa looked over at Haley, some of the grimness fleeing her features. “I didn't steal them, if that's what you're implying.”

Haley hadn't really thought she did, and she told the older woman as much. “Xandrith might have stolen them, or the money to buy them, but I didn't think you would.”

"I skinned the werewolves before making my way here. I needed the furs to keep you bundled, warm, and in one piece while I made the journey. I wasn't sure how far I'd have to go, but I knew we'd need to be warmer. I sold the hides after I made arrangements for your healing. They still needed to be properly tanned, but werewolf hide is quite valuable. I bought us supplies with that money while I searched for information about Xan.”

"You said you had a lead. What did you find out?” Haley asked, suddenly only too willing to let the subject of their finances drop.

"Rumors mostly. South of here about three days march there is a permanent tradesmen's camp. Traders stop there to do some internal trading in order to vary their goods before heading off to their final destinations to sell. About two weeks ago someone claims that a stranger came into camp, ranting, raving, and talking to himself. Everyone just assumed he was some crazy man, but apparently he got into a fight with one of the traders and when things escalated the stranger lit all of the trader’s wagons on fire.”

Haley frowned. “That doesn't necessarily sound like Xan.”

"That's what I thought too.” Kassa said with a sigh. “But he described the stranger as a man dressed in black with a braded beard and skin covered in strange black tattoos. He was wearing a knife on both his hips, and he lit the fires like a mage by simply creating the fire from nowhere. Maybe none of those things on their own would specifically point towards Xan, but all of them together ...”

Haley nodded. “It would almost have to be him, but I didn't think he could really use magic because of ... well, you know.” She held up her hands with her pinkies tucked in.

Kassa shrugged. “Me being here at all is an indicator that maybe he isn't as limited by his fingers as the Order might believe. At any rate, it's the best lead we have right now. We'll travel south and see if we can learn anymore from the traders’ camp. With any luck there will be someone in residence who was there when the events happened that might know where we should go next.”

Haley smiled. It seemed a slim hope, but at the same time Xan felt like he was within reach. It infused her with a sense of purpose, and that put her in a strangely agreeable mood. She took a deep breath, preparing to do something else she didn't normally do.

"Kassa, thank you for working so hard to save my life. I would be dead if it wasn't for you.” She thanked the older woman, though it wasn't easy to do. It felt a little like admitting defeat.

Kassa seemed unsure what to say in reply. “It's nothing.” She said, though there was that same shadow of unease over her features. Together they crossed through the town gate and out onto the road, an awkward silence settling between them.

"It is something.” Haley said, unwilling to let the matter drop this time. The secret settling between them was stifling. “You don't owe me anything. We don't even really know each other that well. That you were willing to carry me all the way from out in the wilderness to this town, even when you didn't know how long or how far that would be, that was far more than you needed to do. It would be wrong of me not to repay you in some way. At least let me pay back whatever it was it cost you to get me healed. If it's coin, I can earn coin. If it's a possession, I will find you a replacement. If it's a service, then I will serve you until we are even again.”

Kassa stopped in her tracks, her wolf ears bright red as she looked down at Haley, a look somewhere between amusement and anger shaping the features of the mask.  The mask showed a half snarl expression that might have been quite intimidating on an actual wolf. “You're not going to let this go, are you?” She asked, obviously flustered.

"I don't like feeling as though I owe you something.”  Haley replied, proud of herself for pushing the issue.

Kassa closed her eyes for a moment, but when she opened them again there was a look of determination on her face. “We'll talk about this once, and then never again so listen closely. The mage running that shop, the woman in the brown robes you saw as we left?” Kassa waited for Haley to nod before going on. “She has been lonely for a very long time. You see, she doesn't find men attractive the way most women do. Instead, she wants to be with women but there are no women in the town that feel the same way. I didn't have nearly enough coin to pay for your healing, but she promised to give you her best treatment if I agreed to spend the nights with her and fulfill those desires that she has been unable to satisfy. Do you understand?”