“Why would you help us?” Elenyr asked.
“I didn’t ask for this,” Gendor snapped. “I didn’t ask to become a butcher.”
“Then be smarter,” Shadow said.
“That’s easy for you to say,” Gendor growled. “I’m a specter of death, and my entire future has been taken. When this fire gives out I will pursue and kill you, and neither you nor I can stop that.”
The current of fire began to diminish, the flames falling. Elenyr caught Shadow’s arm and pulled him toward the exit, but Shadow shook himself free and returned to the flames. Gendor began to pace on the opposite side, as if fighting the urge to leap through the flames.
“You must kill intruders?”
“I am compelled,” Gendor said. “The moment your presence was known, I found a Gate and returned.”
“What if we’re not intruders?”
Gendor slowed. “What are you suggesting?”
“That we are an assassin’s old friends,” Shadow said with a smile. “Here to reminisce over an expensive barrel of magma ale, which unfortunately ignited. A sad and expensive mistake, I must say.”
His words brought Gendor to a halt. Elenyr had opened the door, but she spun to face Shadow, her features writ in surprise. Shadow gestured to the barrel of magma ale, which had begun to sputter.
“You think we’re friends?” Gendor asked, his tone incredulous.
“Doesn’t matter what I think,” Shadow said. “Only matters what you think. Are we intruders? Or are we friends?”
The fire sputtered and the liquid died. Gendor did not advance. He stood in the doorway, his scythe low to the ground, the metal still red from being plunged into the fire. Shadow smirked at his reserve.
“I see no intruders here,” Gendor said.
“Exactly,” Shadow said.
Elenyr did not lower her sword. “What is Serak’s weakness?”
“There is one that can defeat Draeken,” he said.
“One of us?” Shadow asked.
“No,” Gendor replied. “Serak manipulated a prophecy out of Senia, and then took her memory of the vision.”
“We saw it,” Elenyr said. “It’s how Serak knew they would need four generals.”
“The same.” Gendor twitched as if he were struggling to keep himself in check. “But you did not see the rest of the vision. Senia foresaw one born of three bloodlines, human, elf, and dwarf. He’s the only one capable of destroying Draeken, and Serak’s greatest fear.”
“Why not kill Senia?” Elenyr asked.
“Serak fears her power,” Gendor said. “But he also needs her.”
The scythe came up a few inches, and Shadow realized the gambit would not endure forever. Gendor hated them, for the fragments had almost destroyed his mind, taken his future before Serak had done the same.
“Do you know their name?” Shadow asked.
“No,” he said. “But I know he’s in Talinor. Now go, before I reconsider your presence.”
“You can stop Serak and Draeken,” Elenyr said. “You can be your own master, again.”
“No,” Gendor’s red eyes flared. “My fate is sealed, but I will have revenge against those who call me servant. I swear on the edge of my blade, Draeken and Serak will fall.”
“What are you going to do?” Shadow asked. “Your will is bound.”
Gendor’s voice hardened. “But my mind is free.”
Elenyr pulled Shadow into the stairwell and this time Shadow did not resist. As they departed through the secret entrance, Shadow stifled a laugh, pleased with how the morning had turned out. Then Elenyr stumbled and he recalled her injury.
They exited through the base of the fortress and Shadow flew them up to where Lorica, Rune, and Sentara were hidden. As he deposited Elenyr in the mouth of the cave, Rune leapt forward and knelt at her side.
“You were in there a lot longer than we planned,” the girl said. “What happened?”
“We found a friend,” Shadow said.
“Did your friend slice Elenyr?” Sentara asked.
“It must be cleaned or it will kill me,” Elenyr said.
“It stays with you even in ethereal form?” Rune asked.
Elenyr nodded, her features tight with pain. “Only weapon to ever do that unless it had lightning.”
Rune stepped forward and knelt. “The Unnamed knows what to do.”
