Skye's POV
I sat in the darkest corner of the tavern. After ordering a pint of ale, I stared hard at the soldiers in the room. Most were human, but I sensed a different power within a huddled group sitting a few tables away. It was unpleasant. Laughing men and whores surrounded the table but the power seeped from the left. I stared hard at the lean form of a young man who was laughing with his troupe. I chugged my ale and slammed it down on the table. The patrons and the owners gazed at the offending noise.
Nikolai's last words to me before I departed for Comwen rang through my head. Nothing will get done if no one knows you. Stand out by standing up. I followed my gut sense and stomped toward the lean young man. He didn't quake in fear as he should have. I stared hard at his eyes. They seemed normal, except the edges surrounding the pupil were slightly slanted. I knew it. I growled in my throat before punching him in the jaw.
"Whoa!" His friends began to get up grabbing their weapons. I didn't care. I lifted the spy high into the air.
"What will you be relating to your Chieftain, little spy?" I asked.
"What are you talking about?" He choked out. I shrugged and punched him in the face again, adding a little repel magic of my own Old Saint Nik had taught me. The peach parlor of his skin gradually became the dark grey black skin of his tribe. His ears elongated and slimmed and his eyes slanted more inward and turned to a bright red shade. The patrons gasped.
The Draconian struggled in my grasp. I smiled and tightened my grip.
"Well?"
"Rargh!"
"Oh yeah." I loosened my grip so he could speak. He gasped for air and fell to the floor. "Answer my questions." He glared at me as I brought a chair over. Lazily, I straddled the chair and let my chin rest on my forearms that hung on the back of the chair.
The Draconian smirked and I sensed him tugging the air around us. I stomped it down and he gasped in surprise. It was my turn to smirk. A bead of sweat ran down his face and he licked his lips. A nervous habit I suppose. I sighed and asked again, "What information will you be sending to your chieftain?"
"I haven't gotten anything worth taking to him." He had the balls to lie. I smiled at him and allowed it to slide. I glanced toward the soldiers he was laughing with not two minutes ago. Several had captain ranks but there was a general in the crowd.
"How long have you been in this company?" I directed my attention back to the spy. At least three years for him to have his general accompany him. Unless he used magic. I growled. I hate magic.
"Why would I tell you?" So he thinks he has one up on me. It was difficult to keep the smile off my face.
"You don't have to tell me." His mouth dropped open in surprise. He wasn't expecting that. I turned to his companions.
"Three months." A thick muscled blonde man spoke up. The Draconian growled in displeasure.
"A draconian spy undercover for three months hasn't found anything worth taking to his chieftain." I spouted off. He grimaced. "That's unusual. Draconians are known for their stealth, magic, ingenuity, and adaptability. Not being able to get any sort of worthy information after three months is quite a feat. You almost have to try NOT to get anything."
"Shut up!!" His face had turned a darker shade of black. That's interesting. I shrugged.
"I wonder what Linus will think when he hears about your failure."
The spy's eyes opened wide in shock. You could almost hear his thoughts. "How does this mortal know the Chief? Not only that, but a human man!" I laughed. I had never met Linus, the Blood-chief of the Draconi. I had, however, learned about him and his reign.
Slaughtering friends and foes alike for simple pleasures and mild amusements were among his most gracious acts. Raping, torturing, and finally draining the blood out of young women for his personal supply of magic was one act I vehemently despised. Let's just say, he wasn't called the Blood-Chief for nothing. As I was learning about him in Nexus, I vowed I would not allow him to live.
Squinting at his spy, I remembered what Nikolai taught. Linus only allows the best of the best to live in slavery under him. Be aware, be careful, and be smart. Always be one step ahead. I noticed the spy's eyes darting from a point behind me to me. I quickly provided a shield around my hand as I caught the torch flame-side. The spy had taken the advantage and leaped for a window on the other side of the room. Sighing heavily, I slowly put the chair back to the table.
"Well, it's been fun, but I've gotta run." I threw down some coins to pay for my meal and jumped out the window. He would have taken the left if he is trying to get out of town and into the forest.
I turned left and began to run after him. His trail was easy to follow as I already had a rough idea of where Linus kept his tribe hidden. I guess I have to thank the gods for that. Thinking about the gods brought forth an image of her and my mind filled with rage as my heart started an aggravating rhythm. I shook my head to clear it.
"Keep your eyes peeled and your mind open. You'll live longer that way." The words of my old instructor cleared my head and I focused back on the task at hand. Find Linus, kill Linus, free his people, return to Old Post.
Entering the forest, I noticed the spy had slowed down. He must think I am slower in the forest. Wait, no that is to easy. Jumping to a branch above me I climbed a nearby tree. There were a couple of other options that were plausible. One, he could have a troop waiting for him where they would, two, ambush me, or three, he thought he could take me on better than dying at the hands of Linus himself. The third one is probably it. I smirked. If he wants a fight, he's got one.
I continued at a faster pace, eagerly anticipating the challenge. I entered a clearing with dead trees surrounding a small form. The Draconian was crouching, knife in hand. I pulled my sword out just as he launched himself at me.
A few words escaped his tongue as he suddenly veered to my left. I swung my sword in a wide arc around my head parrying three arrows before defending his flying daggers. Suddenly he jumped from a tree on top of me and I waited for him to come closer. His eyes smoked and I ducked toward my right as the real spy narrowly missed stabbing me in the heart. The spy backflipped as I swung my broadsword in his direction. This weapon won't work. He is to fast.
I jumped into the air and brought my sword into the ground. Two daggers came from behind me and I instantly chanted the shield spell in my head. The daggers stuck in the force field and I turned to my left and blocked the Draconian's next attempt at my life. Grabbing his arm before he could do anything I broke his wrist, got his dagger, and cut off his one good hand before he could slice me.
"Argh!!" He screamed as his tainted blood drenched the pants he wore.
"Now," I held the knife up to his throat, "you are going to tell me what information you have that Linus wants and tell me where he is located, or you are going back to him alive." I had never thought in my worst nightmares that returning to your commander would ever be used as a threat. But it worked.
"The chief has aligned with the orcs. We will battle the city of Loirean in two weeks time. I was to make certain the human armies never heard of it and marched toward the town of Drumber instead." I punched him in the face.
"Stop lying. Your chief would love to slaughter more than just some peaceful elven town. He would love if the humans marched towards the elven town and helped destroy it in the process." I punched his gut for good measure. "Now why were you there with a respected general of the human forces?"
The Draconian spat blood before answering.
"To drag you out."