Chapter 2

It took them the rest of the morning and most of the afternoon to track Socor's trail, and Entreri was beginning to feel exhausted. While they had enough rations to take care of breakfast and lunch, it had been roughly thirty-six hours since the assassin had slept. This made for one irritated Entreri. Still, when they came upon the bodies of three men they recognized as the sheriff's, all traces of Entreri's tiredness were swept away by the knowledge a battle would soon be upon them.

The pair dismounted and checked the corpses. The bodies had only just begun to cool, so the companions tethered their horses and proceeded on foot. About twelve yards away, they came upon a clearing which contained a small hut with a thatch roof. They crouched in the undergrowth and considered the situation.

"He's in there," Entreri whispered.

"How do you know?"

"Instinct."

"You are correct."

"How do you know?"

"I can hear him talking from here."

The assassin raised an eyebrow at that and dually noted the information for future use. "Other than the girl, is there another with him, then?"

"His words suggest he is speaking to the girl, so I do not believe so." Jarlaxle narrowed his eyes as he concentrated on the hut. "One entrance, one exit," he observed absently, still keeping his voice low.

"Nowhere to run," the assassin said.

The drow nodded and motioned for Entreri to take the right while he took the left. In a wide arc, they sneaked their way out to the sides of the hut before approaching. With their signature stealth, they silently moved toward the door as one and then looked to each other once in position. Jarlaxle used drow hand code to sign to Entreri the timing of their entrance, and as one, they jumped through the doorway, both of them immediately diving to the sides.

Their instincts paid off, for the instant they came though the door, a lightning bolt blasted through the doorway. Entreri found he had nothing to take cover behind, so he rolled back to his feet, drawing his dagger and preparing to use his gauntlet to catch the next bolt. Sure enough, the air sizzled with static as he faced the tiny leather-clad man standing in the middle of the room.

"Well done," Socor commented in a soft tenor voice. His hazel eyes shone with almost childlike amusement, and for all the realms he seemed not much more than a mischievous overgrown child. "However . . .."

Entreri could smell the tangy-metallic scent of ozone, and the hair on the back of his neck rose. Tendrils of blue lightning crackled about Socor's hands as he hurled another bolt at the assassin. Entreri caught the lightning with his gauntlet and started to hurl it back at the wizard, but then he noticed the crying girl tied to a chair behind the man. It was too dangerous. With a curse, he aimed the blast at the stone fireplace at the back of the hut. The resounding crack shook the entire structure and filled with air with a puff of black smoke.

"Impressive," the wizard said with a note of genuine respect, but he had no time to comment further since Jarlaxle dropped the room into magical silence.

Socor's delicate angular features twisted into an annoyed frown. He reached inside his belt pouch, which caused Entreri to tense as he cautiously stepped toward the wizard. However, Socor simply produced a large silver coin approximately an inch in diameter. He rubbed it between his thumb and forefinger, and the silence immediately lifted.

"That was terribly rude." Socor folded his arms, coin in hand, and the aura of the overgrown child was replaced by one of unbearable conceit. His apparent ease despite the gauntleted assassin and the well-prepared Jarlaxle was either a foolish bluff or an unsettling display of power.

Entreri knew Jarlaxle would make another move, so he endeavored to keep Socor's attention on himself. "Why abduct a little girl?"

"A bit of mischief, a bit of revenge," the wizard answered easily. "The mayor and I had a small problem." Still evincing a total lack of concern, he briefly glanced back at the terrified blonde-headed girl, who looked to be about twelve years old. "Besides, she's a cute one, don't you think?"

Entreri stared at the man, hating him instantly. Socor was so short and slender he wasn't too much larger than a halfling, the assassin mused, and he envisioned how easy it might be to physically attack the man. With closely-cropped light brown hair, small protruding ears, and a button-like nose, the man reminded Entreri of a mouse. Considering Entreri's deep-seated disgust toward wererats, this observation didn't help Socor's case.

Jarlaxle, who was crouched behind a table to Socor's rear, had retrieved one of his many wands and proceeded to spray Socor with the sticky strands of a web. The wizard, however, shrugged them off with ease. "Now, now, we hardly need to bother with a fight. I assure you my token can—"

The drow immediately whipped out a second wand and struck the man with a lightning bolt of his own. The energy seemed to funnel into the silver token in Socor's hand, leaving the man unhurt. He turned, smiled at Jarlaxle, and leisurely popped his neck. "As I was saying, there really is no reason for us to fight. Let us be reasonable. I can tell the two of you are bounty hunters. Whatever the mayor is paying you to rescue the girl I'll double if you'll simply walk away. Or, if you really want to fight—"

Entreri wasn't even listening. He tackled the man, stabbing the vampiric dagger into his side as he knocked him into the floor. The assassin was not surprised when the dagger was deflected by a stoneskin spell, but he was shocked at the wizard's strength as he shoved him off.

A faint clicking sound against the stone of the fireplace told Entreri all he needed to know. He dived toward the sound, practically throwing himself to the ground as Jarlaxle hit Socor with another lightning bolt. Entreri grabbed the silver token that had been knocked from the man's hand and came to his feet again.

But Socor seemed unharmed except for the way all his hair stood up at odd angles on his head. "This could take all day," he sighed. Muttering a single word, he pointed toward Entreri with one hand and the girl with the other. Several powerful magical missiles shot forth.

In the same instant, Jarlaxle hurled himself at the girl, nearly knocking the chair over but managing to cover her in time. The band on his hat absorbed the missiles.

Entreri caught the energy with his gauntlet, and yet the token, which he now held between the middle and ring fingers of his dagger hand, grew burning hot. The assassin cried out, dropping both the token and dagger as his skin burned, but he kept enough presence of mind to redirect the magic into the dirt floor.

Pulling himself to his feet, Jarlaxle immediately countered by hitting Socor with a second web. This time the web captured the man against the wall. The drow smirked. "You bluffed well, but after my last lightning bolt I could tell—"

"Bastards!" Socor interrupted, raging. "Have you not heard of the Socors? You have no idea what kind of enemy you just made in me!" And he vanished in a puff of pale grey smoke, web and all.

Jarlaxle and Entreri traded grim expressions. "Wonderful," the assassin sighed. He examined his injured hand, cursing when he saw that the skin between his fingers had already blistered. The burning sensation was so powerful it felt more like ice. Gritting his teeth, he bent down and picked up the dagger and now-cool token with his other hand and tucked them both away.

"The token rejected you," Jarlaxle commented, apparently intrigued by the piece. "It must be quite powerful to have so easily negated my attacks. I'll want to examine it." He turned toward the trembling girl. "But first we have a girl to save."

The girl lifted her chin, obviously trying to be brave.

Jarlaxle smiled and knelt behind her chair to untie the ropes. "Your name is Lila, correct? Well, you may relax now. Your father sent us."

"I can see that," Lila said. Although tears still stood in her eyes, she managed to speak steadily.

Entreri stopped before her and held back an uncharacteristic smile. This one had pluck—no small accomplishment considering she'd been abducted by a wizard and rescued by a drow. He extended his uninjured hand when the ropes fell free. "Come, then."

The girl rubbed her wrists as she eyed the assassin. She appeared mistrustful for a moment, then seemed to change her mind. She accepted the hand and stood. "We are returning to the village now?" Her tone of voice made the question sound more like a command.

Jarlaxle chuckled. "Yes, milady."

Entreri stepped aside and motioned for her to lead the way. She didn't waste a moment.

"It would appear that we are both heroes today," Jarlaxle commented as they followed the girl.

"Don't be ridiculous." Entreri scowled at him as they ducked through the doorway of the hut. "Besides, Socor escaped."

Jarlaxle merely shrugged, a small smile bending the corners of his lips. "Perhaps. Yet we have saved the damsel in distress, my friend."

Entreri gave up and sighed heavily, holding out his burnt fingers. "Just heal my hand."

The companions weren't sure if they were to report to the mayor's house or the sheriff's office, so they chose the latter. Their hunch turned out to be correct; they found the mayor sitting at the sheriff's desk with his head cradled in his arms. He looked up at the sound of the door.

"Daddy!" Lila yelled, and the man knocked over his chair in his rush to stand and run around the desk.

Lila sprinted across the room and threw herself into her father's arms. The girl burst into tears the instant her father's arms encircled her, and the man began to weep as well. The commotion brought the sheriff into the room; McKinney smiled when he saw the girl but frowned when he saw the companions.

"Socor?" McKinney asked.

"He escaped," Jarlaxle admitted, but Entreri stayed silent, merely watching the show and frowning.

"But you brought back my girl!" Ligon exclaimed, hugging his daughter and lifting her off her feet by a few inches. "McKinney!" It seemed to be an order.

The sheriff growled and left the room, returning a moment later with a heavy brown bag. The mayor released his daughter and approached the companions.

"Thank you—truly—with all my heart!" Ligon said to them, still sniffling. He turned to the sheriff, who handed him the laden sack. "Here is your payment." He paused for a moment, looking uncertain, then handed Entreri the lumpy bag.

Entreri stared at the tearful man for a long moment, looked over at the daughter, then turned back to the mayor and returned the bag to him. "We cannot accept the payment. We only completed half of the job."

"No, you misunderstand." Ligon seemed confused. "It was five-hundred for my daughter and three-hundred for Socor. This is the five-hundred." He held out the bag again. "We'll pay you the three-hundred when you capture Socor."

Entreri shook his head, feeling resolute about the decision, although he was unsure why. "We do not accept payment for a job half done." Jarlaxle would likely be angry, the assassin figured, but he just didn't care.

"But—" the mayor began, obviously stunned. Apparently equally surprised, the sheriff stared at them, his mouth literally hanging open.

A scowling Entreri turned on his heel and left the office.

Jarlaxle took off his hat and swept into a low bow. "As the man says," he said, straightening and replacing his hat. "There can be no payment for an unfinished job." He followed the assassin out the door.

The drow caught up with Entreri down the street and gave him a curious look. "'We do not accept payment for a job half done?'" he asked, trying hard not to smile.

Entreri glared at him and continued walking without replying.

But Jarlaxle was not going to let this one drop. "Why did you refuse our payment? Five-hundred gold coins is nothing to scoff at, and we did rescue the girl."

"If you are so concerned about the gold, we can collect our payment when we finish the job," Entreri snapped.

The elf had to bite his inner lip to stop the smile this time. "Are you turning into a hero, my friend?"

Entreri halted in his tracks and stared down the mercenary as he stopped before him. "I am no hero, and I never will be!"

"Ah, yes," Jarlaxle replied with a wry grin, "because basically there are no heroes. But since there are no heroes, there is only us. So we then do what is necessary?"

"Don't be a fool," Entreri growled, turning on the drow and walking away.

But Jarlaxle merely continued to smile. I am many things, my friend, he thought, and a fool is not among them, especially when it comes to you. With a chuckle, he turned to follow Entreri to their inn, but just for a moment, he felt as though someone were scrying for him. The mercenary paused, frowning, but the sensation was gone.

Jarlaxle decided he needed to learn everything he could about Marrin Socor.