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Authors: Lisa Shearin
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haven’t heard of Rak’kari,” Tam told him. “They’re rarely conjured because they can’t be controlled. They’ll turn on and kill their creator as soon as they manifest unless they’re immediately contained.”
I was incredulous. “So the black ‘rope’ Markus was wrapped in was a web ?”
Tam nodded.
“It was as thick as two of my fingers put together. How big is this thing? Or do we not want to know?”
“You probably don’t want to know.”
“Okay, I’m good with that.” I raised my glass. “Here’s hoping I’ll never have to look one in its ugly face.”
“Technically, it doesn’t have a face.”
“What part of I’m good with not knowing don’t you understand?”
Imala sighed the sigh of the long-suffering. “Welcome to my world.”
“And there’s no recorded way to kill them.” Tam continued. “They don’t require air, they can live underwater, and their outer armor is indestructible.”
I just sat there. “It’s a spider monster with a shell ?”
Tam nodded. “The entire body is armored.”
“Of course, it is. Magh’Sceadu are Khrynsani. Whose bright idea was it to create Rak’kari?”
“Khrynsani.”
“Please tell me you’re kidding.”
“I wish I could.”
“Shit,” I spat.
“We couldn’t agree more,” Imala said. “The night you destroyed the Saghred, we arrested as many Khrynsani as we could find, but just as many escaped. They have nothing to lose now and everything to gain.”
“First being revenge on us,” Tam noted.
“Whether they would have wanted to kill you and Imala as well would depend on their idea of revenge,” Mychael noted. “Would they want you dead at their hands, or would they prefer to leave you to take the blame for their actions?”
“Yes,” Imala replied.
“Pardon?”
“Yes, to both. They wouldn’t see why they couldn’t have both. Though they’d want blame to come first, death later, once they thought we’d suffered enough. When it comes to vengeance, we goblins prefer to drag it out as long as possible.”
Yet another goblin quality that gave elves nightmares.
I looked from Tam to Imala to Mychael in disbelief. None of them appeared to be shocked that there were still Khrynsani running around among the living, and still organized enough to come after us. Come to think of it, I shouldn’t be surprised. Roaches and Khrynsani, you couldn’t get rid of either one of them.
“The Khrynsani have been active for over a thousand years,” Tam told me. “They’ve always come back. They’re like rats. Kill a few and the rest will either disappear down holes or vanish into the walls. Lying low for a few years—a century even—is well within their capabilities. They’ve done it before.”
“I was thinking roaches.”
“Just as hard to exterminate, but it doesn’t mean we stop trying.” Tam flashed a grin complete with fangs. “And occasionally you get lucky and get a few under your boot.”
“Speaking of which, have your parents found Sandrina Ghalfari?” Mychael asked.
Sandrina Ghalfari was the mother of Sarad Nukpana, the late, not-lamented leader of the Khrynsani. The psychotic, rotten apple that had been Sarad hadn’t fallen far from his mother’s crazy tree. Sandrina had fatally poisoned Tam’s wife and had come close to killing Tam’s parents and his brother—and me. For a few hours, Sarad Nukpana had been the goblin king, with Sandrina as the power—and evil—behind the throne. Tam’s parents had led the goblin resistance. Tam’s mom was a mortekal, which in Goblin meant “noble taker of life” or “righteous executioner.” My translation was “badass assassin.” Before we’d returned to Mid from Regor, Tam’s folks said they’d be taking a second honeymoon/hunting trip, with Sandrina Ghalfari as the prey.
“They haven’t found her,” Tam was saying. “And yes, they’re still looking. Mom doesn’t give up, especially when it’s personal. Sandrina Ghalfari is as personal
I was incredulous. “So the black ‘rope’ Markus was wrapped in was a web ?”
Tam nodded.
“It was as thick as two of my fingers put together. How big is this thing? Or do we not want to know?”
“You probably don’t want to know.”
“Okay, I’m good with that.” I raised my glass. “Here’s hoping I’ll never have to look one in its ugly face.”
“Technically, it doesn’t have a face.”
“What part of I’m good with not knowing don’t you understand?”
Imala sighed the sigh of the long-suffering. “Welcome to my world.”
“And there’s no recorded way to kill them.” Tam continued. “They don’t require air, they can live underwater, and their outer armor is indestructible.”
I just sat there. “It’s a spider monster with a shell ?”
Tam nodded. “The entire body is armored.”
“Of course, it is. Magh’Sceadu are Khrynsani. Whose bright idea was it to create Rak’kari?”
“Khrynsani.”
“Please tell me you’re kidding.”
“I wish I could.”
“Shit,” I spat.
“We couldn’t agree more,” Imala said. “The night you destroyed the Saghred, we arrested as many Khrynsani as we could find, but just as many escaped. They have nothing to lose now and everything to gain.”
“First being revenge on us,” Tam noted.
“Whether they would have wanted to kill you and Imala as well would depend on their idea of revenge,” Mychael noted. “Would they want you dead at their hands, or would they prefer to leave you to take the blame for their actions?”
“Yes,” Imala replied.
“Pardon?”
“Yes, to both. They wouldn’t see why they couldn’t have both. Though they’d want blame to come first, death later, once they thought we’d suffered enough. When it comes to vengeance, we goblins prefer to drag it out as long as possible.”
Yet another goblin quality that gave elves nightmares.
I looked from Tam to Imala to Mychael in disbelief. None of them appeared to be shocked that there were still Khrynsani running around among the living, and still organized enough to come after us. Come to think of it, I shouldn’t be surprised. Roaches and Khrynsani, you couldn’t get rid of either one of them.
“The Khrynsani have been active for over a thousand years,” Tam told me. “They’ve always come back. They’re like rats. Kill a few and the rest will either disappear down holes or vanish into the walls. Lying low for a few years—a century even—is well within their capabilities. They’ve done it before.”
“I was thinking roaches.”
“Just as hard to exterminate, but it doesn’t mean we stop trying.” Tam flashed a grin complete with fangs. “And occasionally you get lucky and get a few under your boot.”
“Speaking of which, have your parents found Sandrina Ghalfari?” Mychael asked.
Sandrina Ghalfari was the mother of Sarad Nukpana, the late, not-lamented leader of the Khrynsani. The psychotic, rotten apple that had been Sarad hadn’t fallen far from his mother’s crazy tree. Sandrina had fatally poisoned Tam’s wife and had come close to killing Tam’s parents and his brother—and me. For a few hours, Sarad Nukpana had been the goblin king, with Sandrina as the power—and evil—behind the throne. Tam’s parents had led the goblin resistance. Tam’s mom was a mortekal, which in Goblin meant “noble taker of life” or “righteous executioner.” My translation was “badass assassin.” Before we’d returned to Mid from Regor, Tam’s folks said they’d be taking a second honeymoon/hunting trip, with Sandrina Ghalfari as the prey.
“They haven’t found her,” Tam was saying. “And yes, they’re still looking. Mom doesn’t give up, especially when it’s personal. Sandrina Ghalfari is as personal
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