Forge of the Mindslayers: Blade of the Flame Book 2 Read Online Free PDF Page B

Espial’s gleaming black surface. “Indeed.”
    Skarm frowned and winced as the blisters on his brow burst. He wiped away the serum that threatened to drip into his eyes. “But if the man was here and he had the dragonhead, why didn’t you take it from him?”
    The temperature took a sudden sharp drop, and Skarm could see his breath mist in the air.
    “The old man had companions. I … wished to take their measure before I acted.”
    Skarm understood. Nathifa hadn’t expected one of those companions to be a priest and such a powerful one at that. She hadn’t taken the dragonhead because she couldn’t. It seemed that Espial didn’t know—or at least didn’t tell Nathifa—everything. Skarm would’ve smiled if he hadn’t feared it would anger Nathifa further.
    “What do we do now?” he asked.
    “We
don’t do anything. Espial says the old man and his friends are bound for Perhata. You will go there and keep watch on them for me, learn what you can about them, and if the opportunity presents itself for you to take the Amahau—the dragonhead—do it and bring it directly to me.”
    Skarm didn’t relish the prospect of trekking to Perhata—especially in his current condition. “I would be most happy to do as you bid, Mistress, but the old man and the others have already seen me. I fear they will recognize me if I attempt to spy on them.”
    “They saw you because they were distracted by the orc watching from the western mountainside. I sent you out to lure them in before they could head off to investigate who was tracking them.” She glanced at the barghest. “And might I add that your performance was clumsy at best.”
    Skarm bristled. “But you must admit it was sufficient to draw them in.”
    Nathifa waved Skarm’s words away. “Yes, yes.” She sighed, the sound like winter wind whistling through hollow bone. “It’s not like the orc to venture this close to our domain. Our neighbors on Mount Luster must be up to something. The question is, will it interfere with my plans?”
    Skarm smiled, revealing teeth larger and sharper than a goblin should possess. “If it does, I am certain you will make them regret it, my mistress.”
    Nathifa placed her hands on either side of the ebon skull before her, cradling Espial’s face in her hands as if it belonged to a loved one, and her dry dead lips slowly stretched into a bloodless smile.

CHAPTER

THREE
    T he four companions—their boots now relatively clean—sat around a small fire, huddled in their heavy cloaks against the cold night air. They ate a supper of tasteless trail rations while they debated whether to make camp for the evening or continue on to Perhata. Since they were no longer searching through the foothills, they could head directly to the city and reach it in a few hours’ time. The moons were bright, and though the area was draped in shadows cast by the hills and small mountains all around them, both Ghaji and Hinto would be able to guide the other two with little trouble. Fatigue wasn’t an issue, either, for since Diran had dispelled Tresslar’s weariness, the older man was fresh and full of energy. Hinto didn’t care one way or another, but the way the halfling kept gazing nervously into the darkness, as if he expected some terrible monster to come roaring out of the night, told a different story.
    “I’m inclined to make camp,” Diran said, “if for no other reason than that we haven’t located the body of the barghest that Ghaji set aflame. It’s possible the foul creature survived, and ifso, it would need to feed right away in order to begin healing its injuries. If we remain here in the foothills, there’s a good chance the barghest might attack our camp during the night, giving us an opportunity to finish it off.”
    Diran waited for the others to react, but no one said anything right away. Hinto kept his gaze cast downward as he nibbled without enthusiasm on a biscuit. Tresslar stared into the fire, his lips pressed