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Authors: Shawn E. Crapo
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widened as he saw Garret’s black assassin’s robes. He recognized him immediately. Garret pulled his dirk and finished off the Jindala with a quick stab to the heart. Ferrin let the man down slowly, keeping his eyes on Garret.
“What are you doing here?” Ferrin demanded.
“I came here to kill you,” Garret replied.
“Why?” Ferrin asked.
“I know it was you who convinced Maebh to allow these devils onto the island. Your greed is outmatched, Ferrin, and I knew the prospect of making gold from the deal would appeal to your senses.”
Ferrin scowled. “You are wrong,” he replied. “It was not I. Queen Maebh made the decision on her own. It was she whose love of gold blinded her to the truth.”
Garret sheathed his weapon, shaking his head. “How am I supposed to believe that?” he asked. “In all of the years I’ve known you, I have never seen you pass up the opportunity to line your pockets, regardless of the consequences.”
Ferrin closed his eyes, nodding in agreement. “You are right, my friend,” he admitted. “I have been greedy. I always will be. But not at the expense of losing my freedom, or the freedom of my people.”
Garret was silent. His thoughts were clouded now, swimming in confusion at this turn of events. He had come here to kill a traitor, but now saw a man who was willing to risk his life to protect his people. Or so he said.
“Look, Garret,” Ferrin said. “We have had our differences, and our Kingdoms have always been at odds, but we are brothers. Our people are one, and we must ensure that they are safe.”
“Eamon plans to claim the throne,” Garret said. “And his exploits here are beginning to convince the people to rally behind him.”
“If he wants the throne, then I support him. He is every bit the man his grandfather was. He will make a great king.”
Garret nodded. “Yes,” he agreed. “And the Knights he has chosen thus far are the best warriors the North has to offer.”
“I have no doubt of that,” Ferrin said. “But one question remains; what do we do now?”
Garret furrowed his brow. “That is a good question,” he said. “Do you still have a personal security force?”
“Yes,” Ferrin replied. “But they are Jindala. They are loyal to The Lifegiver, not me.”
“You didn’t think this assassination out very well, did you?”
“No,” Ferrin chuckled. “I’ve been waiting for Sallah to arrive for quite a long time. Once he was here, I had to take him out quickly. I didn’t really think of the consequences. I suppose I should probably flee.”
“That would be advisable,” Garret agreed.
“I can help you with that,” a voice said from the trellis.
Garret and Ferrin looked into the shadows, seeing Adder step onto the railing and join them on the balcony. Garret sighed in frustration.
“I told you not to follow me,” he scolded. “You may have put both of us in danger.”
“I knew you were coming here,” Adder replied. “And I knew that Ferrin was not the enemy. I only followed to make sure you didn’t kill him. But I wanted you to see that he was loyal.”
“Ferrin,” Garret said. “This is Adder, leader of the Thieves’ Guild.”
“We are familiar,” Ferrin replied. “He is my son.”
Garret gasped. He wasn’t aware that Ferrin even had a son, much less one like Adder. “That’s why you know me,” he said to Adder. The thief smiled, nodding.
“My name is Fordran,” he said. “And I am at your service, sir.”
“Can you get your father out of here?” Garret asked.
Fordran nodded. “Not a problem,” he said, and then whistled. Within seconds, three more thieves melted out of the shadows and surrounded the men on the balcony. Garret was once again surprised. These thieves had skill.
“I will take my father to Gaellos,” Adder said. “He will be safe there among our brothers. I suggest you disappear as well.”
Garret looked to Ferrin. “Good luck, my friend,” he said. “I will return to
“What are you doing here?” Ferrin demanded.
“I came here to kill you,” Garret replied.
“Why?” Ferrin asked.
“I know it was you who convinced Maebh to allow these devils onto the island. Your greed is outmatched, Ferrin, and I knew the prospect of making gold from the deal would appeal to your senses.”
Ferrin scowled. “You are wrong,” he replied. “It was not I. Queen Maebh made the decision on her own. It was she whose love of gold blinded her to the truth.”
Garret sheathed his weapon, shaking his head. “How am I supposed to believe that?” he asked. “In all of the years I’ve known you, I have never seen you pass up the opportunity to line your pockets, regardless of the consequences.”
Ferrin closed his eyes, nodding in agreement. “You are right, my friend,” he admitted. “I have been greedy. I always will be. But not at the expense of losing my freedom, or the freedom of my people.”
Garret was silent. His thoughts were clouded now, swimming in confusion at this turn of events. He had come here to kill a traitor, but now saw a man who was willing to risk his life to protect his people. Or so he said.
“Look, Garret,” Ferrin said. “We have had our differences, and our Kingdoms have always been at odds, but we are brothers. Our people are one, and we must ensure that they are safe.”
“Eamon plans to claim the throne,” Garret said. “And his exploits here are beginning to convince the people to rally behind him.”
“If he wants the throne, then I support him. He is every bit the man his grandfather was. He will make a great king.”
Garret nodded. “Yes,” he agreed. “And the Knights he has chosen thus far are the best warriors the North has to offer.”
“I have no doubt of that,” Ferrin said. “But one question remains; what do we do now?”
Garret furrowed his brow. “That is a good question,” he said. “Do you still have a personal security force?”
“Yes,” Ferrin replied. “But they are Jindala. They are loyal to The Lifegiver, not me.”
“You didn’t think this assassination out very well, did you?”
“No,” Ferrin chuckled. “I’ve been waiting for Sallah to arrive for quite a long time. Once he was here, I had to take him out quickly. I didn’t really think of the consequences. I suppose I should probably flee.”
“That would be advisable,” Garret agreed.
“I can help you with that,” a voice said from the trellis.
Garret and Ferrin looked into the shadows, seeing Adder step onto the railing and join them on the balcony. Garret sighed in frustration.
“I told you not to follow me,” he scolded. “You may have put both of us in danger.”
“I knew you were coming here,” Adder replied. “And I knew that Ferrin was not the enemy. I only followed to make sure you didn’t kill him. But I wanted you to see that he was loyal.”
“Ferrin,” Garret said. “This is Adder, leader of the Thieves’ Guild.”
“We are familiar,” Ferrin replied. “He is my son.”
Garret gasped. He wasn’t aware that Ferrin even had a son, much less one like Adder. “That’s why you know me,” he said to Adder. The thief smiled, nodding.
“My name is Fordran,” he said. “And I am at your service, sir.”
“Can you get your father out of here?” Garret asked.
Fordran nodded. “Not a problem,” he said, and then whistled. Within seconds, three more thieves melted out of the shadows and surrounded the men on the balcony. Garret was once again surprised. These thieves had skill.
“I will take my father to Gaellos,” Adder said. “He will be safe there among our brothers. I suggest you disappear as well.”
Garret looked to Ferrin. “Good luck, my friend,” he said. “I will return to
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