Dragon (S)Layers Ch. 40

Hello there!

I come bearing gifts (finally), after some computer issues forced me to reformat and I accidentally nuked my backups too. . . So I had to re-write the ending from scratch, delaying it severely. But on the plus side, I have the interludes ready to go so you can expect those to line up with the rest of the month and the entire volume to be released. I've also started planning the fifth volume and I have some /really awesome/ stuff to get on the page. Can't wait!

Thank you so much for reading, commenting and faving.

And just a fun little knowledge bit: This volume closed out (with the Interludes) at 77 thousand words, 160 pages O_O

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Chapter XVI: Everything as Planned

Satisfying.

Utterly, apologetically, euphorically satisfying. Sarah drew deep from her cherry flavored cigar, welcoming that particular burn of the blended leaves and diluted narcotic as it smoothed over the rough spots and muffled the thrum of argument raging only a few feet away. The euphoria would pass as it inevitably did, but for that precious moment she was in another plane of existence entirely.

The young paladin was bickering about something with Cosnu and occasionally the mayor's daughter would chip in with some inane comment she thought particularly biting or witty. All the while Sarah watched the ceiling over her glasses, propped up in her favorite rocking chair with her feet kicked up on the table her friend had used to shine his boots.

What a man he had been- even when they didn't get along, he always carried himself with the refinement of a gentleman and the sense of humor of a sailor. It was no surprise the village had made him mayor, but what was surprising was that he had the gall to befriend her and the wherewithal to maintain it. . . .if only she'd kept her end of the bargain.

"Gods dammit."

Sarah's high came crashing into the dirt only to be lofted again tenuously by another pull on her cigar. And another. Just for good measure.

She sat there with images of what could have been swirling between her pointed ears like a flurry of bees and wondering, not for the first time, what she'd do with herself next. Sorash had been meant as a new start, a clean slate far enough away from the Free States and- she'd thought, erroneously- the reach of the dragon's agents but that was up in smoke now. She puffed.

There were cards to play, of course. Sarah had been meticulously careful about that and not only had she stacked the deck, she'd built the bloody table the game was played upon. She had plans. Contingencies upon those plans and then alternate plans for when those primary ones blew up.

But what was the fucking point?

The dragon had found her. Just like the Free States, just like the elven border lands, just like every other time. It'd taken him longer this time, nearly two decades, but he still found her- and she'd become comfortable. Maybe this was a sample of the games immortals played with one another. It was a game she was sorely ill equipped to play. She didn't have the long term scope of a true immortal being; she had seen freedom when she was in chains, she'd believed in it under the kiss of the whip and when she had engineered her own opportunity to taste it she had acted, but the space of a decade was nothing to the eternity of true immortals. . .

Sarah let her cigar hang between lips for a moment, sensing someone was watching her she looked to the group. They were all staring at her.

"Terribly sorry, I wasn't paying attention. What did you need?"

Caldion groaned, looking to Cosnu he snorted. "Told you."

The portly man grunted, "too busy gettin high to hear us, huh? Seems like some things never change-"

"I-" Sarah sprang from her chair and thrust her hands out in a universal 'tada' pose. "Am perfectly sober, some might say against my better judgment! But be that as it may, I was waiting for the bickering to die down so we might progress smoothly. . ."

Caldion opened his mouth.

"You especially should be ashamed of yourself! We as representatives of our respective deities have a duty- a compulsion!- to spread the good of our patrons! Don't we, paladin?" Even as the words left her mouth she could feel her cherub at the fringes of her consciousness, probing her drug addled mind for a way in. This was only matched by the paladin's skeptical glance. She blocked both out. "If you're done?"

Cosnu made a theatrical gesture to continue. "By all means, m'lady. Maybe you'd like some tea and sweets while you explain?"

"Such generosity! I'd be delighted!" She gave him a dry smile. "The city guard is looking for our friend, patrolling this very village in an uncouth and mildly impotent display of force. They've not seen her in action and while I have no doubt they don't think she's capable, I assure you she is. . ."

"The point, Sarah." Caldion said mildly.

"Getting there! Were we to combine our forces, we might stand a chance of bringing her in relatively unharmed where she can stand trial for her crimes!" In the back of her mind the tingle of magic reminded her of the 'other' problem they had to deal with. She didn't think twice about selling them out- she'd need all the chaos she could get if she was to enact her own plans. "Now, we've a small wrinkle in all this as well. . ."

"Let me guess, an angry father?"

"Don't be absurd, I've never left one angry! Weak in the knees, if anything. But to the matter at hand; we've the oversight of a particularly unscrupulous group of individuals who trade in misery and suffering." At the uneasy looks she smiled, sliding into the lie she was constructing on the fly. This was going to be an easy sell. "This group has seen fit to attempt to implicate me in dealings with this Diamond woman- they've even somehow come to the idea that I may have killed some of their members. It's disgusting, and an affront to good sensibilities.

"Let's not kid ourselves into thinking these are people who'll let such things go by without comment- they want her dead." Sarah glanced around, vaguely bothered that no one seemed to have an issue with that. Typical. "So what I would propose is that we let the city guard handle them as well. I doubt they much like the idea of slave traders working so close to the city. It's terribly bad for the labor market for one thing."

"Mmm. . ." Caldion was studying her with that skeptical look she'd come to associate with his trying to figure out if she was being honest or not.

"I needn't tell you how absolutely vulgar the very idea of slavery is to the gods, surely."

He ran a hand over his face. "You're good."

"Hm?"

"I've met some jackals, but you've gotta be the only one I've ever met who laughs the entire time." His deep eyes focused on her sharply. "You're going to play them to a point."

"Well, yes, that was the idea."

Cosnu shifted his weight. "Sarah, that's. . . .these aren't people you screw around with-"

"Think of it this way, they'll be so busy chasing one another that you and yours can apprehend this miscreant killer, my company and I can make an egress and you can be hailed as a hero." She smiled brightly- if a little glassy eyed. "Everyone's a winner."

A solemness permeated the air while the four of them traded quiet glances and the empty assurances that they'd constructed inside their own heads. To Sarah, there was no question of whether or not they'd succeed. They didn't have a choice.

"So when you say 'egress'," Caldion said tentatively. "What do you have in mind?"

"We need only create circumstances by which the city guard can catch sight of the girl, they'll run afoul of the slavers of course, and if Cosnu's militia can keep them busy long enough that we can get away once she's out there, then all parties involved can turn on her and we'll be given leeway to escape- her capture is assured and the minimal amount of life is lost. . ." She dampened her lips. "Ideally. . ."

The fat sheriff's hesitation was palpable. Even the mayor's daughter was dubious. At once they started with variations on 'why would we do that?' to which Sarah already had a ready answer.

"If you plan to bring out the slavers in force to protect what they hold, you'll need to make it appear they stand a real chance of losing what they have- something I would relish, personally." She gave Cosnu a pointed glance. "The guard wants this girl for what she did, but the nobility place a high bounty of live slavers, they'll be a target of opportunity!"

"You're playing with a lot of fire here, Sarah. . ."

"Keenly aware, my dear," the buxom half-elf pushed her glasses up. "But I suppose in the interest of full disclosure, I should mention I have it on good authority that failing to capture this girl would be bad for all involved; she is a menace to a great many people and I would rather she be captured than this village put into a state of martial law and you and your entire militia locked up."

"That-"

"Would not be the first time! Remember the race riots?"

He grunted.

"Quite, so!" She clapped her hands. "Let's get to work, shall we? Be so kind as to make contact with the city guard and appraise them of the situation, that you and yours have narrowed down a target she's after and that a group of people dressed as peasants will be working with her- slavers, naturally and-"

"Sarah," Caldion folded his arms as he studied her. "Why should we believe you? You're a liar and a cheat-"

"And a million other things, dear boy. Including too tired to feel the compulsion I explain myself in detail! Suffice it to say that like minds work in concert, plucking the strings of lute and lyre to produce melodies fit for the heart and soul of all who hear. More than that is just noise!"

"I-"

"Am beginning to test the patience of someone genuinely trying to do the right thing? I quite agree! Come now, the sooner we get this woman out of our hair, the sooner we can return Tessarie to her proper place and never have to speak to one another again."

The young man, surprised by her bluntness seemed to relax a little- maybe it was the shared understanding they now had. He glanced at the mayor's daughter and then Cosnu. He tugged on his gloves. "Right. . ."

#

Sarah and Caldion crept along an outer ring of houses that still held the line of shadows between the breaking dawn and remnants of early morning. Sarah kept her shawl tight knowing full well how ridiculous she looked in her coat, but vaguely thankful for whatever cover it might have given her.

They crept around to the opposite side of the village where early morning farmers were getting up to start their day, tucked themselves between a cart and a crate of tools and waited. And waited. Sarah was starting to fall asleep when the city guard trotted by their hide out. Caldion nudged her.

The two glanced at one another- a count of three. Two. One.

Sarah jumped from her hiding spot only to catch the heel of her boot on the toecap of her other and tumble, face first, into the dirt. The guard wheeled on her and Caldion was beside her in a moment. He held up an arm in defense, shouting. "We saw the killer! The woman you're after!"

The two men looked at one another as Sarah recovered herself. Then it all went pear shaped when the one recognized her. In an instant they had their weapons out and Sarah reached for hers- too slow. Way too slow.

"Hold on!" Caldion got between them, hands out. "We've got a common enemy here and-"

"Get the hell down, boy or you'll regret it when Sir Drass hears about this. She's a wanted criminal and-"

"You're belaboring the issue, my good man! We've a common threat we all face here-" Sarah recoiled when the guard grabbed Caldion's arm. He started to close in and knee the paladin in the groin but Caldion was no fool, he saw the move coming and countered with both hands, throwing the mail clad man to the ground. The other guard started to respond to the 'threat' but Sarah was on him in a second, pistol leveled at his face.

It was only powder, but he didn't need to know that. Still, she kept her finger off the trigger.

"Kindly lay down your arms, yes? We've bigger issues and I suspect your good knight will want to know about this, too. . . .we've a human trafficking ring going on in the village! One that, if memory serves is quite illegal! Yes?" Sarah glanced at the other man as Caldion backed up. "Fetch your lord, I'm not leaving. We'll be at the mayor's house."

The guard blinked.

"Quickly, now!" Sarah made a show of sliding her finger in the trigger guard, pressing it firmly against the front of it. From the front it would look far more menacing than it really was. "Before I lose my patience. "Or my head," she added mentally.

The guard looked at his companion, at Caldion then at Sarah. He flexed his grip on his blade, but at Sarah's waggle of her pistol he relented and turned. "Y'be there or we'll find you, elf."

"Don't be so droll." Sarah muttered as she watched them leave. A shaky breath parted her lips and her shoulders slumped when they rounded the building and disappeared from sight. When she looked at Caldion he glanced away from watching her.

"Good job. . ."

"Do I detect a hint of respect? Egads, an angel has received their wings."

"Don't get carried away now," he scoffed as they trotted back towards the mayor's house. "You know, for an elf, you're not very nimble."

"It was a ploy to offer you as much time as you needed to make your move!"

"Obviously," the young man shot back. "So that dirt on your knees is just for my sake."

"I suspect many women have dirtied their knees for your benefit, you should be used to it."

He gave her an odd look. Then something clicked and he blushed faintly. "Not so much, no."

"Ah, another great tragedy who's resolution is nowhere in sight. How disheartening, that a fine young man would not know the kiss of-"

"Sarah," Caldion slowed his jog to match her pace. "Stop."

"Why, whatever do you mean?"

"You know exactly what I mean. . ."

Sarah gave him a smirk, "I'm not one to pry, dear, but I suspect you've had more than your fair share of-"

"No."

"Hmph! Maybe we can fix that when-"

"No thanks. You're not my type-"

"You assume I was going to throw myself at your feet? Psheh! What kind of woman do you take me for, dear boy?" As they approached the front of the house Cosnu emerged to greet them. Caldion seemed to relax, taking the opportunity to avoid answering her question.

"Is everyone in place?" Caldion prompted.

"Yeah. . ." The older man drew a shaky breath. "Yeah, we've got it."

Sarah pulled the shawl from her head and dusted herself down quickly before she readjusted her coat to look as flattering as it could. The tingle of the slave trading magic user's particular essence was weaker now, but there was no doubt that he had some inkling that she planned to betray them. Even an idiot could see that.

But then, the very idea of 'betrayal' had always been a liquid concept to Sarah. These people were to be respected only so far as their ability to kill or steal another person's freedom was concerned. Unfortunately that sort of respect could go a long way if leveraged correctly. . .

Something the three of them were keenly aware of, judging by the glances they shared. But then, there were ways to shift the fulcrum too. Sarah straightened out her coat with a confident grin she didn't believe for a second. "Now, then!"

"You there!" A man called from their side. Sarah wheeled on him with a growing sense of dread, staring up at a man in full plate armor flanked by a pair of guards in city colors and chainmail. "The elf blood! You're under arrest, by decree of his Majesty's civil guard-"

Cosnu didn't hesitate, though there was a touch of fear in the way he stepped up beside Sarah. "The ambassador is assisting in a diplomatic matter regarding slave traders at the moment. . ."

"Ambassador?" Caldion and the knight started at the same time. Sarah was already unfurling her diplomatic papers as Cosnu's men- dressed as farmers and caravan workers started filling in the space between some of the houses.

This, in turn, brought curious onlookers from the village out to see what was going on. Sarah was sure the human traffickers were among them, but there wasn't anything that could be done about it. All she could do was hope the swelling crowd would buy her enough time to draw out the real target.

Sarah licked her lips, eying the armored knight as he approached. "That's right, good man. I came here seeking out a group of traffickers in flesh and lo, I should stumble upon a plight rocking the very fabric of your social structure!"

The man wasn't impressed. She made her pistol visible, holding his gaze- he had the good sense to stop at least. "You've been impersonating a noble, girl, what makes you think-"

"Let's pretend for a moment I was pretending," Sarah drew herself up to full height. "The exact nature of such a duplicity allows one to enter strata beyond the ken of mere civilians, and fortuitously the access that comes with it allows a considerable amount of flexibility!" The knight took another step. Sarah backpedaled. "To point, my good knight, the murder of five of the city's elite socialites has surely not gone missed!

"No, I should think not! But were I to tell you that through particularly delicate maneuvering, I've narrowed her down to this very village?!" She cast a quick glance towards Caldion. "Ask the dear paladin here, why don't you?"

"She's not lying about that much, at least." He shrugged one shoulder. "I can't speak to the rest of it, but the fact that she's willing to put herself in danger to draw this assassin out- along with the slavers." He glanced towards the crowd surreptitiously. "She's-"

"Enough!" The knight bellowed.

A tingling.

Something empty. Hollow. A void in the fabric of reality. It prickled her extra senses like a biting absence of anything natural. It was the assassin.

Sarah swallowed. It was show time.

#

Sarah looked towards Cosnu, plumped out her cheek with her tongue. The agreed upon signal that made her look nervous to onlookers but conveyed meaning between the two of them. He tensed. She urged him on silently. "Now would be good, old man."

Any moment now. . .

He faltered. Paused. Then raised his hand as if trying to shade his eyes. His men didn't hesitate; a pair of them strode up shouting in that incoherent dirt language of the eastern peasantry about scared daughters. "Oi! Ya fuck'n pricks almost raped my daughter!"

The knight regarded them obliquely but never let Sarah out of his sight. Soon enough there were more people approaching with similar stories. Some threw rocks. A few threw bottles.

To his credit, the knight didn't flinch at all. "Arrest the elf."

His men moved in. Cosnu stepped in front of them. "Now hold on, it seems like we got a problem here-"

Shouting followed, so loud that the voices became a steady thrum of confusion and anger as more people joined in decrying their city-state guardians. Cosnu's men were well trained insofar that they came from the same dark places he did and knew when to push. It was part of why he and Sarah got along so well.

She wasn't about to waste such an opportunity, she nudged Caldion to follow her. The peripheral sense of where her would-be assassin gave her a rough direction, but Sarah took the extra step of keeping the crowd between herself and the knight as best she could. A little caution never hurt.

Cosnu's more obvious village security made an appearance shortly thereafter, just as the knight was shouting to find her. They drowned out his demand with bungling attempts to separate the 'farmers' from the armored men. All in all, it was going quite well.