Read Online The Gates of Night: The Dreaming Dark - Book 3 by Keith Baker - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Keith Baker
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don’t know!”
Daine threw up his hands. “One mystery at a time. This orb. You’re saying that those dead giants used it to stop an invasion.”
“I think so.”
“And Lakashtai …
is
one of these invaders?”
“I don’t know. We need to talk to a kalashtar!”
Daine shook his head. “After all we’ve been through? That’s the last thing I’m going to do. Still, this is starting to make sense. When Gerrion separated us, Lakashtai was furious. She almost killed him. What if this whole thing—the entire trip to Xen’drik—was staged to get you to Xen’drik?”
“What?” Lei shook her head. “You were sick—”
“What if she
made
me sick to begin with? Back at Karul’tash, she said this was never about me. She said, ‘Sometimes the best way to achieve your goals is to threaten another piece.’ She couldn’t get you to go to Xen’drik on your own. But she knew you’d do it—”
“To save you,” Lei breathed. “And we played along. But why didn’t she just drive
me
mad? And why me, in any case? I’m hardly the best artificer in Sharn, let alone in the world.”
“Perhaps—”
A new sound cut off Daine’s speculation. It was faint, distant, but set against the silence of thenight, it might as well have been a thunderous explosion.
It came again. The baying of a distant hound.
“It seems like we’d best prepare for company,” Daine said. “How quickly can you finish this oracle of yours?”
Lei studied her scattered tools, searching for the mixture she’d been working on. Luck was with her. In the midst of the chaos, the mortar remained undisturbed. “It’s ready for use. And if we may have a fight ahead, I’d rather use it now.”
Daine nodded. “Get back inside the sphere. I’ll watch the door. Hopefully Pierce and our wayward drow will return before anyone reaches us. All the same … as soon as you’re done, I want you to prepare a blinding charm, and to toughen your armor. We’ve been running hard for days now. This time, let’s be
ready
for a battle.”
Lei gave a quick salute. “Yes, Captain Daine.” She made her way into the carriage, and Daine moved to block the portal. Glancing back, she caught sight of something strange. Daine was facing away from her, watching the plains, and she saw a strange mark at the base of his neck. It was only the briefest glimpse, a flash of black and red rising up from his chainmail byrnie, the edge of a bloody bruise.
But this was no time to look into injuries. She set the mortar in front of her and sat on the floor. Searching through the pockets of her pack, she found a long match and lit the contents of the mortar, producing a stream of aromatic smoke. Lei closed her eyes and breathed in the vapors, trying to set her thoughts adrift, to release the stress of the last few days and hours. Perhaps it was only her imagination, but as moments passed she feltthat there was a
presence
surrounding her, a force that was watching, listening. Lei tried to speak, to open her eyes, but her body seemed distant and unresponsive.
What should we do?
she thought.
The answer was immediate. The thoughts seemed to fill the world—
Your answers lie in the evening twilight beyond the Gates of Night. Darkheart must taste the blood of the Huntsman. She knows the path, and she is the key
.
With those words, the presence faded, and Lei’s eyes snapped open. The last traces of the smoke were fading, drifting out the portal. She felt lightheaded, and the word
Darkheart
hung in her thoughts. But there would be time to consider this riddle in the future: Daine had given her orders, and she had to prepare for battle.
D aine kept his eyes on the plains, searching for any sign of movement. Since they’d last heard the distant baying of the hounds, he’d seen nothing. But now it was clear that they weren’t alone … and the cries had sounded like hunting hounds to his ears. Trouble was coming, he was sure of it. Just a matter of time.
If anything,
Daine threw up his hands. “One mystery at a time. This orb. You’re saying that those dead giants used it to stop an invasion.”
“I think so.”
“And Lakashtai …
is
one of these invaders?”
“I don’t know. We need to talk to a kalashtar!”
Daine shook his head. “After all we’ve been through? That’s the last thing I’m going to do. Still, this is starting to make sense. When Gerrion separated us, Lakashtai was furious. She almost killed him. What if this whole thing—the entire trip to Xen’drik—was staged to get you to Xen’drik?”
“What?” Lei shook her head. “You were sick—”
“What if she
made
me sick to begin with? Back at Karul’tash, she said this was never about me. She said, ‘Sometimes the best way to achieve your goals is to threaten another piece.’ She couldn’t get you to go to Xen’drik on your own. But she knew you’d do it—”
“To save you,” Lei breathed. “And we played along. But why didn’t she just drive
me
mad? And why me, in any case? I’m hardly the best artificer in Sharn, let alone in the world.”
“Perhaps—”
A new sound cut off Daine’s speculation. It was faint, distant, but set against the silence of thenight, it might as well have been a thunderous explosion.
It came again. The baying of a distant hound.
“It seems like we’d best prepare for company,” Daine said. “How quickly can you finish this oracle of yours?”
Lei studied her scattered tools, searching for the mixture she’d been working on. Luck was with her. In the midst of the chaos, the mortar remained undisturbed. “It’s ready for use. And if we may have a fight ahead, I’d rather use it now.”
Daine nodded. “Get back inside the sphere. I’ll watch the door. Hopefully Pierce and our wayward drow will return before anyone reaches us. All the same … as soon as you’re done, I want you to prepare a blinding charm, and to toughen your armor. We’ve been running hard for days now. This time, let’s be
ready
for a battle.”
Lei gave a quick salute. “Yes, Captain Daine.” She made her way into the carriage, and Daine moved to block the portal. Glancing back, she caught sight of something strange. Daine was facing away from her, watching the plains, and she saw a strange mark at the base of his neck. It was only the briefest glimpse, a flash of black and red rising up from his chainmail byrnie, the edge of a bloody bruise.
But this was no time to look into injuries. She set the mortar in front of her and sat on the floor. Searching through the pockets of her pack, she found a long match and lit the contents of the mortar, producing a stream of aromatic smoke. Lei closed her eyes and breathed in the vapors, trying to set her thoughts adrift, to release the stress of the last few days and hours. Perhaps it was only her imagination, but as moments passed she feltthat there was a
presence
surrounding her, a force that was watching, listening. Lei tried to speak, to open her eyes, but her body seemed distant and unresponsive.
What should we do?
she thought.
The answer was immediate. The thoughts seemed to fill the world—
Your answers lie in the evening twilight beyond the Gates of Night. Darkheart must taste the blood of the Huntsman. She knows the path, and she is the key
.
With those words, the presence faded, and Lei’s eyes snapped open. The last traces of the smoke were fading, drifting out the portal. She felt lightheaded, and the word
Darkheart
hung in her thoughts. But there would be time to consider this riddle in the future: Daine had given her orders, and she had to prepare for battle.
D aine kept his eyes on the plains, searching for any sign of movement. Since they’d last heard the distant baying of the hounds, he’d seen nothing. But now it was clear that they weren’t alone … and the cries had sounded like hunting hounds to his ears. Trouble was coming, he was sure of it. Just a matter of time.
If anything,
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