Far Horizons: Tales of Sci-Fi, Fantasy and Horror. Issue #12 March 2015 | Page 11

beast packed the winding streets, filling the air with
the stench of civilization and roar of commerce. He
guided his mount through the throngs. The turmoil
wouldn’t ebb with the encroaching twilight, but would
just be replaced by another sort of revelry involving
drink, deviousness, and all manners of debauchery.
Khellus’s gaze lingered on a woman slumped in a
domicile threshold. Eyes shut, mouth gaping, one
would’ve thought her dead but for the occasional twitch of legs under her skirt. Streaks of platinum-blonde hair coursed through her otherwise black
tresses, and blood seeped from cracks in her fingernails. Those combined with the leg twitches were
signs of rampant dravillish use.
He let his gaze slide past her and oriented himself.
Dravillish was just one of the many pernicious drugs
Belladain dealt in below all its other transactions of
silk, spices, flesh, and soul. She looked like she’d
crashed. He knew the energy and focus the drug promised was false. That eventually you’d end up as this
woman had, with mind-wrenching exhaustion. One
more addict didn’t concern him. Even though she
could slip into a life-threatening stupor if she couldn’t
replenish her supply. She’d made her choices in life
and now paid the price. He had enough of his own to
pay to take on anyone else’s debts.
To meet his current obligation, he needed to find his
contact, get the salient details, finish the job, and slip
out of the city before the blood dried on the stones.
Quick, quiet, and yet effective in sending a message king’s orders.
He chose an inn at random and paid for a three night
stay, though he intended just one. He had his horse
stabled and tipped the muckboy a half-copper to ensure the feed had no bugs in it. As night spread a sable
blanket across the city and its conjured lights blurred
the stars, Khellus strode off for the nearest marketplace.
He found the proper shop an hour later. The engraved
board above the door displayed T’ings and F’ings.
He allowed a small chuckle at the crude gutterspeak
which also served as code among many royal agents

across the kingdom. He ducked into the alley alongside the establishment, which stunk of piss and offal.
Odd patterns of soot and the occasional streak of dried
blood marked the stones all over. Tucking his gloves
into his belt, Khellus clambered to the roof, picked the
lock on the waiting hatch, and dropped into a lightless
upper storeroom.
He prowled through stacks of dusty crates and scattered stock until he found another door. Using a tiny
vial from a pouch on his belt, he dripped oil onto the
hinges, and then opened it, revealing the living quarters behind the shop. He detected a subtle scent of
lemons as he slipped though the doorway.
The shop owner, a hefty men, with a permanent flush
to his pale neck and cheeks, sat at a table lit by several large candles. He dithered over a simple dinner of
roasted dogflesh and herb-rubbed bread. A ledger lay
open on the table beside the meal, and he ticked off
entries with an inked quill as he picked at his food.
Khellus studied him for a few minutes, noting the
sweat gleaming on his bald head and the slightest
quiver to his fingers as he wrote. Then the assassin
descended the stairs and leant against the wall directly
behind the man. To his left, a wooden slat door closed
off what he assumed to be a closet, while another
stood half-open to reveal a bedroom with armoire and
feather-stuffed mattress. A third doorway, blocked by a
silk curtain, led into the shop front.
He waited until just the right moment, as the shop
keeper took another bite of bread. Devils above and
below, he loved this part of the work.
He cleared his throat.
Crumbs spewed. Meal and book went flying as the
man shoved the table away, spinning as he rose, quill
thrust out like a dagger. His chest heaved and the
bloodshot whites of his eyes showed as he staggered
for balance.
“Easy, Dolomun” Khellus rumbled. “Your heart isn’t
allowed to fail until you’ve given your report. Then
you can have all the spasms you want.”

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