CHAPTER 3: THE TWENTY QUESTIONS
Marcus was most confused.
Out of many of the strange things he would do with his fellow Knight, Kestral of Gallos, this might qualify as one of the strangest. Scouting missions, hiding places ranging from low in the dirty mud to highest tree branches, silent movements.
Yes, Kestral was the best scout and spy in the whole of Altdarios, most probably. But what Marcus failed to understand, was why they were hiding … from their own friend.
The Knight cleared his throat, making his companion turn around and hiss a couple of inappropriate words towards him, probably meaning that he should be as quiet as possible. They were standing behind the corner of the warehouse in Vestholm Harbour. Kestral was peering from their provisional lookout point. The ship from Janub had arrived at the Harbour only fifteen minutes ago.
"Kestral, what exactly are you trying to prove with that?" the Knight whispered.
The former bandit gave him her most steely look. "Well, how to break it to you. I want to get my revenge on Wisey."
Marcus raised his eyebrows, puzzled, causing Kestral to sigh in slight dismay.
"Sleeping powder. Leaving without a word."
"Aw, come on!" The young Knight waved both his hands. "We've discussed that … like a thousand times!"
Kestral looked from around the building corner again. "I'm not letting him get away with that."
"And how exactly are you going to do that?" Marcus crossed his arms on the chest and leaned over the wall, looking at the sky.
"That's easy." The former bandit smiled wickedly. "You see that mud puddle over there?" She pointed to an area on the ground near their hideout, covered with water from the last night's rain. "Now, I have a line in my hand ..."
"No ..." Marcus patted his head. "Not the tripping manoeuvre."
"Oh, yes!" Kestral's grin was even bigger this time.
Although Hakim would not argue with Chloe's expertise, he might have doubted the 'you're going to live' part. Every single limb of his body was aching, and the Knight had to do his best to hide it.
He and Ammae left the medical tent after the check-up and headed towards the group of tents, probably used for sleeping. They could hear the banging of hammers. Hakim figured it must be Hawker's men repairing the palisade.
"Just for my information, please. What does a handshake mean among the bandits?" the Southerner asked.
"Well, it's about trust. It's like the sign of someone's absolute belief in your actions," Ammae replied.
The Knight thought of one particular stormy evening, when Hawker saved him from Kassandra. The bandit did reach his hand to him back then.
Then, if Milo trusted him, why didn't he tell the Knight about what had happened to Kestral?
One of the Assassins walked towards them. He was no older than seventeen.
"Hissler, shouldn't you be at the palisade?" Ammae asked, frowning.
"Hawker sent me," the boy replied. "You are both to meet him at his quarters."
"Acknowledged," she replied. "Just a second and we'll be there."
"Also," he added. "Victoria ... erm, spoke to Betty-Lou. She sends you her most sincere apologies, and she will apologise in person at the next appropriate occasion," he said to Hakim.
"None offence taken," the Knight replied.
"Good. Back to work then, I guess." Hissler sighed. "You should feel responsible for us having to do it, sir." He smiled at the Southerner.
"Don't push it, kid," Ammae replied.
The boy turned on his heel and ran away to his chores.
"Tell me, how many other kids do you have here?" Hakim asked with concern in his voice.
"What are you suggesting?" The bandit looked at him, a bit surprised.
"Please. This boy is, what, fifteen?"
"Fifteen and a half." Ammae sighed. "Milo had many doubts about introducing him to the Assassins. Hissler apparently turns out to be the best horse-keeper ever. And, for now, he takes part in no outside job. No exceptions. He is an orphan, and Milo treats him a bit like a younger brother."
"And Victoria?" Hakim looked at his self-appointed guide.
"What, you want me to tell me about every single person that lives here? Are we playing twenty questions?" she asked with irritation.
"It would be suitable for the two of us, am I wrong?" Hakim smiled.
Ammae looked at him deprecatingly. "You've already used three questions, mister. When you're finished, I'll have my turn to ask twenty."
"You still haven't given me the explanation about Victoria."
"You wouldn't let me live if I didn't," Ammae murmured. "Victoria ... ever heard of the Vipers?"
"That female bandit organisation? Yes," he replied. "But I thought it doesn't exist any more."
"Correct. After half of the women there were killed by Eastern Riders, Victoria sought shelter here. Also, she is mute. She communicates only with Betty-Lou. She had her throat damaged, after she had encountered Kassandra. Chloe had to perform a miracle to actually keep her alive. That information sufficient for you?"
"Fully," Hakim said.
"You have seventeen questions left."
"Thank you for a reminder. How many women are among the Assassins?"
Ammae laughed.
"Yes, you've actually met only women here! One attacked you, one appointed herself your guide, and one assured your health. But seriously. Four and a half."
"Half?"
"Kestral is no longer an Assassin."
"Ah, yes." Hakim nodded. "Remind me to tell her that she has been reduced to half-a-woman."
"I might not survive her wrath." She looked up at the sky, wondering.
"And men?"
"Ten. You've met Milo, Hissler, Variat and Arno."
"I fear the last two might not have been introduced to me," the Southerner said.
"They have," Ammae replied. "You just don't know it. They were on the ship transporting Kassandra and Iulius to Sahir."
"Right. I forgot that. They were not using their real names, were they?"
"Obviously not. Fourteen."
"Fourteen? I have counted fifteen," he protested. "I am under the impression that you are ... bending the rules."
"Asking about the names is also confidential." She smiled wickedly. "Fourteen."
Hawker's tent was situated at the highest point of the terraced cliff side. Standing at its entrance, one could see the entire camp. The two terraces with tents arranged in circles, a big camp fire, two boats at the shore, and the provisional stables were covered with golden and red colours from the setting sun. To Hakim's surprise, the Assassins' hideout looked better that some of the camps the Knights used to stay at.
Hawker did not react when the Knight and the bandit entered the tent. He was leaning his arms on the table, looking at the map in front of him with caution. Hakim walked closer and noticed that Gallos was shown on it.
"Oh, you're both here," Milo murmured, not raising his head. "Good. I need to fill you in, right?"
"You promised to so back in Vestholm," the Southerner said.
"I promised to do so back in Vestholm," the bandit replied.
Hakim sat down on one of the two armchairs, wondering what such a piece of furniture could be doing in a tent. He didn't dare ask the question out loud. Ammae took the other armchair and Hawker continued on standing.
"Kestral went to Steinberg with some Knight business," he started. "You know that, I'm sure. Well, she finished what she needed to in just a couple of days, but pretended she had something more to do, because she needed some more time."
"For what?" Hakim asked.
"Kestral finally figured out the lockets thing," Ammae interrupted. "There were three lockets, one for each of the siblings. We currently don't have any in our possession."
It took only a second for the Janubian to make his decision.
"We have one," the Southerner said and reached for the chain on his neck.
Milo raised his eyebrows. "And you didn't tell me before, because?"
"Because you attacked me with your bare fists," the Knight replied. He reached out his hand and gave the Assassins' leader the pendant. "But having all things considered, I believe you do know how to use it better than I ever will."
Milo opened his mouth to say something, but got interrupted by Ammae again.
"What is important," the woman said, "is that we walked right into an ambush set by Alton, when we were going from the City to the camp."
"We?" Hakim frowned.
"I ... I was there. With Kestral." Ammae looked at the floor under her feet, as if she was searching for a specific sand grain in there. "She sacrificed herself, so I could run away with the ring."
Kestral sacrificed herself? Something just broke in Hakim's head, like a mirror dropped on the floor. Kestral's name and the verb 'sacrifice' together had never crossed his mind before. Maybe it was that tiny prejudice, that his friend's morality was far too shattered for such actions, or maybe it was the thought that Kestral willingly put herself in danger that concerned the Janubian.
Hakim blinked, snapping out of his thoughts.
"What exactly is the ring you've mentioned?" he asked.
Hawker raised his hand, showing a green emerald on one of his fingers. "Technically speaking, that's what makes me the Assassins' leader. Whoever has the ring, leads the team. Same goes with the lockets, only that there are three, instead of one."
"And, correct me if I'm wrong, as long as Alton does not possess all three ..." Hakim caught the idea.
"... he can't lead the Eastern Raiders and Soloire," Hawker finished.
The big picture started to clear in Hakim's mind. "Kestral is being held hostage," he said slowly.
"Yeah, we've figured that out, since they sent us a letter." Milo grimaced and threw Hakim the envelope.
"Wait a second." The Knight caught the item. "The Eastern Raiders are not aware of the camp's position, right? So how did they send you a letter?"
"We have a contact in the city," Ammae said. "Thirteen."
"Thirteen?" Hawker looked at the woman with a question written on his face, but Ammae just waved her hand, meaning it was not anything important.
Hakim took the letter out, and quickly read it.
"It's quite simple, is it not?" He eventually spoke. "They took Kestral, they want the locket. You are to meet their representative at noon on Tuesday to exchange the hostage for the pendant. Where is the catch?" His eyes locked on Milo.
"The Raiders don't trade," Hawker said.
Look, these guys don't negotiate. They go, they kill. Nothing is left after they get the job done. They're the bandits, the worst kind. Even if they pretend to be just noble city rulers, Kestral once said. A lesson to remember.
"Do you have a specific plan?" Hakim asked.
"I'm sure they will kill Kestral as soon as we give them the locket," Milo replied. "We need something more elaborate than just hiding extra bowmen in the bushes to shoot Alton down while trading."
"A double-cross, maybe?" Hakim's eyes narrowed.
Milo looked at the Knight with a mixture of interest and surprise on his face. "You have something in mind. Don't you?"
"My plan mostly depends on how much you trust me," the Knight said.
Hawker raised his hand and the pendant hanging on it swung a little.
"Let's just say that I owe you my trust." He smiled.
The September moon was high in the dark sky when Hakim and Ammae finally left Hawker's tent. None of them had anything to say to each other, not after four straight hours of planning. The bandit just pointed to Hakim's tent and the Southerner followed. At the entrance, Ammae just waved to him, yawned and headed to her own sleeping place.
Almost everything after that went blurry. Hakim remembered only the soft ocean of pillows he drowned in.
"Anytime now!" Kestral whispered with excitement.
"You've been saying that for ten minutes now," Marcus replied dryly.
"Aw, shut up, you sissy. He will have to come sooner or later."
"And who are you two waiting for, exactly?" The duo heard the low voice behind them.
Kestral turned around quickly. Too quickly. She recognised the voice's owner immediately, and that put her off balance, both mentally and physically. She did not manage to balance herself and while trying, she took a couple of steps behind. It was not enough to keep her in a standing position, especially when she tripped over a line. The former Assassin fell into the muddy puddle that was right behind her.
She would have probably heard Marcus laughing, if she wasn't swearing so loudly.