his presence as it was chained in place.
Two of the attendants periodically doused the prisoner with water as a third was sent to request the pleasure of the Anointed Lord's company.
Fitch was well used to the torture and interrogation of human subjects but this was the first time that he had been requested to apply his technique to a member of an entirely different species.
He looked into the thing's eyes, hoping to at least catch some emotion, some strand of fear that he could later use. But there was nothing.
"You. Hand me that needlereed."
Fitch used the sharp implement to extract a blood sample, which he then smeared thinly across a sliver of highly polished metal. The blood was black with a strange blue sheen and it smelt of the sea.
Well, this is a challenge , Fitch considered. He wasn't entirely sure whether he was looking forward to it but he would certainly apply himself to the best of his ability.
The door to the cell opened and Katherine Makennon entered, a small retinue trailing respectfully in her wake.
"Querilous, I see that the prisoner has been prepared." She leaned in close to the creature, a cruel smile playing across her lips.
"Anointed Lord, can I perhaps ask where you attained this specimen?"
"It was apprehended at the Turnitia docks. Some of the thieves' guild were attempting a raid on a ship and this is what they met. I must say that even the city guard couldn't have done a better job in routing the rogues. They were hosing down the docks for days afterwards."
"But where does this thing come from, originally ?"
"We don't know. But we're hoping that it will be able to use its knowledge of and affinity with the sea to help us locate the Llothriall ."
"I can assure you, Anointed Lord, that I shall do my utmost to persuade the creature to be cooperative."
Fitch looked down at the thing that sat before him. Barbed spines ran from the small of its back to the top of its head and he examined these closely before signalling to one of his attendants to hand him a pair of heavy-duty clippers.
"I need to be certain that these sharp protuberances are non-venomous. One shouldn't take risks in working with an unfamiliar species."
As Fitch snipped the spines from its skull the howl of the creature was so loud that it rattled the instruments in their metal tray. The thing fought against its bonds for a moment but the collars and chains that restrained it only tightened in response.
Fitch waited until the creature had calmed before running his fingers over its scalp. The scales were cool to the touch and the tang of its alien thoughts flowed into him like incense. He lay his hands on the creature's skull, and then pushed against a slight resistance before his fingers sank into its mind.
"The prisoner should be ready for questioning now, Anointed Lord."
Makennon sat down and looked thoughtfully at the thing for a moment before proceeding.
"How many more of you are there?"
Fitch moved through the creature's mind, his eyes rolling back in their sockets as he went deeper.
He looked up and, far above him, saw the underside of rolling white breakers. A brilliant shoal of iridescent fish darted in front of him and when they parted he found himself surrounded by the creature's brethren. They were swimming down towards a great domed building. Entering it they left they filed into a huge circular chamber. They congregated before a dais on which stood one of their own.
"There are many more," Fitch said. "Hundreds."
"Can't it speak for itself?"
"Apologies Anointed Lord, this method is more direct and I don't think that the creature has an affinity with the human tongue."
"Very well," Makennon turned her attention back to the prisoner. It was breathing shallowly, wheezing gasps whistling through its many vicious teeth. "I think it needs dousing again." The attendants threw salt water over the creature and it seemed to recover slightly. "Now, why the attack on Turnitia? What possible interest can you have in
Two of the attendants periodically doused the prisoner with water as a third was sent to request the pleasure of the Anointed Lord's company.
Fitch was well used to the torture and interrogation of human subjects but this was the first time that he had been requested to apply his technique to a member of an entirely different species.
He looked into the thing's eyes, hoping to at least catch some emotion, some strand of fear that he could later use. But there was nothing.
"You. Hand me that needlereed."
Fitch used the sharp implement to extract a blood sample, which he then smeared thinly across a sliver of highly polished metal. The blood was black with a strange blue sheen and it smelt of the sea.
Well, this is a challenge , Fitch considered. He wasn't entirely sure whether he was looking forward to it but he would certainly apply himself to the best of his ability.
The door to the cell opened and Katherine Makennon entered, a small retinue trailing respectfully in her wake.
"Querilous, I see that the prisoner has been prepared." She leaned in close to the creature, a cruel smile playing across her lips.
"Anointed Lord, can I perhaps ask where you attained this specimen?"
"It was apprehended at the Turnitia docks. Some of the thieves' guild were attempting a raid on a ship and this is what they met. I must say that even the city guard couldn't have done a better job in routing the rogues. They were hosing down the docks for days afterwards."
"But where does this thing come from, originally ?"
"We don't know. But we're hoping that it will be able to use its knowledge of and affinity with the sea to help us locate the Llothriall ."
"I can assure you, Anointed Lord, that I shall do my utmost to persuade the creature to be cooperative."
Fitch looked down at the thing that sat before him. Barbed spines ran from the small of its back to the top of its head and he examined these closely before signalling to one of his attendants to hand him a pair of heavy-duty clippers.
"I need to be certain that these sharp protuberances are non-venomous. One shouldn't take risks in working with an unfamiliar species."
As Fitch snipped the spines from its skull the howl of the creature was so loud that it rattled the instruments in their metal tray. The thing fought against its bonds for a moment but the collars and chains that restrained it only tightened in response.
Fitch waited until the creature had calmed before running his fingers over its scalp. The scales were cool to the touch and the tang of its alien thoughts flowed into him like incense. He lay his hands on the creature's skull, and then pushed against a slight resistance before his fingers sank into its mind.
"The prisoner should be ready for questioning now, Anointed Lord."
Makennon sat down and looked thoughtfully at the thing for a moment before proceeding.
"How many more of you are there?"
Fitch moved through the creature's mind, his eyes rolling back in their sockets as he went deeper.
He looked up and, far above him, saw the underside of rolling white breakers. A brilliant shoal of iridescent fish darted in front of him and when they parted he found himself surrounded by the creature's brethren. They were swimming down towards a great domed building. Entering it they left they filed into a huge circular chamber. They congregated before a dais on which stood one of their own.
"There are many more," Fitch said. "Hundreds."
"Can't it speak for itself?"
"Apologies Anointed Lord, this method is more direct and I don't think that the creature has an affinity with the human tongue."
"Very well," Makennon turned her attention back to the prisoner. It was breathing shallowly, wheezing gasps whistling through its many vicious teeth. "I think it needs dousing again." The attendants threw salt water over the creature and it seemed to recover slightly. "Now, why the attack on Turnitia? What possible interest can you have in
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