Secret Avalanche
"And why shouldn't I kill you now?"
Secret Avalanche backed toward the edge of the tower, one slablike hand clamped over the brim of his hat. "I think of two good reasons..."
"You're that oafish 'spy' that the boy-genius is forced to rely on, aren't you?"
"One... no good eating..."
"Compelling, but not convincing... I suppose I could find something more entertaining to do with you..."
"And two... you're woman that walks as beast, I'm rock that walks as man. Good conversation starter." A grim smile tried to break his face, but it was doubtless lost in the dim light and driving rain. He looked down behind himself, and noticed how pointy and blade-like the gothic turrets and buttresses of Sperimin looked from above.
Her hand cupped his chin gently.
"Humor? Perhaps my reputation does not seem credible to you, jokun. I can show you that all of the rumors are true. Why are you in my den."
"Do you ally with the goat-wolf?"
"Are you still trying to spy on me? You have no concern for your pitiful essence, do you?"
"Huh." The grunt was like a laugh, in the way that the obsidian orbs set in his skull were eyes. "I served gem-lords in hidden caves beneath lightless oceans for thousands of years. I fought in war that can not end from first day eyes opened, against mad gods made before the sun broke sky. In deep places I found where man's father's fathers first nursed at teats of yozis. I was old when you were spawned, Raksi." He drew himself up and closed his hand around her wrist. "Yes. I don't want you to kill me, but I know you won't. My destiny is greater than this."
The witch queen of Mahalanka drew hereself back a pace and grinned her most barbaric grin at the elemental. "Perhaps it is worth keeping you alive for the... conversation, after all."
The only answer she received was the howling of her ape-children in the streets of ancient academies, trampling and defouling the ancient monuments and sating their depraved lusts on the flesh and loins of their foes.
