Duality Risen

Fourteen

Chairon simply watched. Oh, he was certain he could get free of the rope and disappear whenever he wanted, but this was far more interesting. But still, he began to wonder why he hadn’t just slipped a knife between Mardruk’s ribs and be on his way home by now. He’d wanted the game, true, and he’d led them everywhere Aljei wasn’t. By now, the warlock was strong enough to take on Arthas and quite possibly survive. But Aljei was after sweeter prey, the ones who had imprisoned him in the first place. Wherever he was, it wasn’t in Feralas or Desolace.

But it still didn’t explain why Chairon was making himself jump through hoops for what should be an easy kill. Maybe he was getting soft, more interested in the thrill of the hunt rather than the kill.

Chairon looked up as the kal’dorei moved closer to him. They’d stopped beside the bridge that led into Desolace, in hopes Mardruk and Cassie would come here. Tyrrandal, that was this one’s name. The hunter. Chairon smirked at the taller creature, earning a frown in return. They were alone, except for the damned lion, as the other four had headed down toward the waters of the ocean, presumably to look for their missing companions. Chairon figured it was so the kal’dorei could beat the shit out of him and could claim innocence. Like Chairon had beat the shit out of himself, or something.

“Why?” Tyr asked suddenly. “Why did you take the contract?”

“Boredom, mostly.”

The kal’dorei crouched before the rogue and fisted a hand in long blonde. “You were bored? So you took a contract from a psychotic warlock to kill someone?”

Chairon shrugged. “If it’s that easy to understand, I don’t know why you’re asking me.”

Tyr gave a rather impressive snarl. “Did it ever cross your mana-obsessed little mind that maybe Aljei was hoping you’d get killed in the process?”

“The thought had crossed my mind.” Chairon said dryly. “And I’m not mana-obsessed.”

“Oh, really?”

“Yeah. If I was mana-obsessed, I’d have killed half your friends just to sate said obsession. Considering they’re all still alive, and the fact I’m a rogue and barely use magic, I think it’s safe to say I’m completely addiction free.”

Tyr’s yellow eyes narrowed. He tugged on Chairon’s hair hard enough to make the sin’dorei wince. “Why Mardruk?”

“I don’t know. Aljei just said your orc-friend was a thorn in his side.” Chairon shrugged. “I’m just here to remove it.”

Tyrrandal watched him, saying nothing. He released Chairon’s hair and rose, taking a step back from the rogue. Tyr wasn’t stupid. He knew Chairon could escape whenever he wanted, so it begged the question of why the rogue wasn’t attempting to get away now. Was he waiting to see if Mardruk returned alive so he could finish his task? Or was it something else?

“Aljei isn’t in Desolace, is he?” Tyr asked in a low tone. Chairon simply smirked and shrugged.

“Maybe. Maybe not. Do you want to meddle in the affairs of warlocks?”

“He’s going to kill people, Chairon, not just those he wants revenge on!”

“So what?” Chairon retorted. “It’s not my problem. If you goody-two shoes want to go risk your lives playing hero, be my guest. Your name will be forgotten, your faces, your deeds. You won’t become more than a passing memory. I already know what that’s like. That’s my life, being a shadow, taking on assassination contracts. You think Aljei doesn’t know that? I bet you he knows each and every one of you, more intimately than you think.”

Tyr’s hand cracked across Chairon’s face. The sin’dorei swallowed the blood from his bitten tongue and looked up at Tyr. He only grinned, never saying a word.

Tyrrandal glowered down at the bound rogue, then took a step back as he heard Serasin and Raichlos return. Serasin pointed back to the beach to indicate Nolay and Peritali were still there, and then her eyes focused on the rogue. “He was hired by Aljei to kill Mardruk,” the draenei said, “but it doesn’t look like he succeeded.”

“According to Nolay, our wayward friends should be along any moment now.” Raichlos said. His nostrils flared at the scent of blood and his lips parted to bare his teeth in a grin. “Did he get feisty?”

“He suggested Aljei’s been watching us.” Tyr replied. “And Aljei isn’t in Desolace.”

“So this little bastard’s been leading us on a wild goose chase?” Serasin asked. She glowered at Chairon who gave her an innocent but dangerous smile. “Does he know where de warlock is?”

“No, I don’t think he does.” Raichlos stroked his chin, studying the sin’dorei for a long while. “But we can’t trust him all the same. So what do you suggest we do with him? I could eat him.”

“That’s disgusting.” Serasin said. Raichlos shrugged.

“Rogue.” Chairon prompted. Serasin cuffed him over the head.

Tyr frowned. “Rogue. They take contracts for gold.”

Chairon smirked. “Why don’t you hire me to help you fight Aljei? Then you could trust me. Professionally, that is.”

Tyr and Serasin exchanged glances. They didn’t carry much gold. Enough for lodging if they made it to a town or an outpost, enough for food, but certainly not enough to hire a rogue. Raichlos canted his green-haired head and studied the sin’dorei a bit longer. Nolay and Peritali would have to be consulted, and Mardruk and Cassie when they returned. The priest stepped closer to Chairon, then crouched before him, green eyes forced to meet filmy grey.

“What if the price was your life?” Raichlos asked softly.

Chairon blinked. What?”

“You help us, we let you live. You’re outnumbered. I can smell you; the damn lion can smell you. At least three of our group can track you if you try to run, and two don’t need physical evidence to chase you down. You could run, true, but we’d find you. Besides that, we can inform you guild of how you failed at your task and then fled like a coward. If we don’t get you first, they will.”

Chairon’s eyes took on a cold gleam. Whether he believed Raichlos or not, he was certainly considering his options. Tyr saw lines form around the sin’dorei’s mouth as he tried to figure out a way to be free of this predicament. Raichlos just watched him, not needing to blink or breathe.

“Well?” asked the priest. “What’ll it be?”

Chairon’s gaze never wavered. He simply smiled and tilted his blonde head. “Fine. You win.”

Raichlos rose and looked back at the two Alliance. Tyr shook his head and moved to release the rogue, aware of how tense the smaller creature was. Chairon’s gaze swept from Raichlos to the trail where Nolay and Peritali were coming up to their camp. Neither seemed surprised to find the rogue free.

“We wait a little longer.” Nolay said. “They’ll be here soon.”

“And then what?” Serasin asked. “Our little friend here says Aljei isn’t where he should be.”

“So we look for him.” Peritali said. “A powerful warlock like him won’t be able to hide so easily.”

“Easier said than done.”

Peritali shrugged.

But all were thinking the same thing – if they couldn’t find Aljei, then what would they do?