Shea tacked on a “my lord” to satisfyhim.
“Perhaps next time you should go through theproper chain of command,” Caden said archly from beside Fallon.
“What is it you think you know?” Fallonasked, giving Shea the full intensity of his attention.
She grimaced, “It’d be easier to show youthan try to explain. Not to mention more believable.”
“Of course,” one of the Trateri muttered.
Fallon held up his hand, signaling forsilence. Then gestured for her to continue. “By all means.”
She gave him a short nod before walking toher horse. Speaking over her shoulder, she said, “I’ve learned athing or two during my travels. The first and probably the mostimportant is that all of these backwards, inbred, uneducatedarmpits of the Lowlands mainly fear one thing. Beasts.”
Shea riffled through the pack still attachedto the back of her mount. Finding a small vial buried at thebottom, she smiled briefly. That should work quite nicely.
Turning back to the villagers, she composedherself, “Every aspect of your lives are spent trying to minimizeany contact. You tell your children stories so they might inherityour fear and stay locked inside these mindless prisons you’vecreated until their dying day.”
Could she do this? The repercussions of whatcame next could very well wipe this place from existence. Her mindturned to the empty baby’s bed. Yes. Yes, she could do this and somuch more.
Her eyes found the priest watching her withdeep suspicion.
“Do you know what this is?” she asked,showing him the vial contained in her hands. She didn’t wait forhim to answer, “It’s Pyke’s blood, and do you know what Pyke’sblood does?”
By the dawning realization and hint of fearbeginning to show on his face, she suspected he did. The villager’slooked confused, as usual.
“Interesting properties this blood has. Ineasiest terms, you could call it an attractant. All sorts of beaststhink this stuff smells tasty. You spill a little bit here andthere, and it’ll be the dinner bell announcing a banquet by nightfall. Now me and my friends are going to ride out of here.” Therewas a slight protest behind her that was cut off almost as soon asit began. Fallon no doubt had motioned for silence. “But before wego we’re going to spread this stuff and several other vials worthall around the perimeters of your village. Maybe you’ll survive.Probably not. But maybe.”
She watched the villager’s faces as she letthat settle. Fear does funny things to people. Some it turns brave,as it had Eamon and Buck when they rescued their men from a shadowbeetle’s nest. Others, as was the case with these villagers, turninto cowards willing to sacrifice anything and everything for justone more minute, one more day, one more week of living. They didn’tcare what they had to do or who they had to hurt as long as theycould keep breathing.
These people fell into the latter category.Figure out what they fear, apply a little leverage and they woulddo whatever you asked.
It started slow. A little bit of talking,some people crying, another shouting, ‘you can’t do this’, but soonthere was arguing, threatening and finally shoving.
Shea’s smile was cold as she said, “Well,you’ve had your chance. If you don’t want to tell me the locationof the altar, you can take your chances with the beasts.”
She uncorked the bottle.
“Wait.” A woman stumbled from the crowd.“I’ll show you where it is.”
“Marnie, no,” a man shouted.
“Thanks, but I don’t trust one such as you.Just point me in the right direction.”
“It’s on top of that hill.” She pointed toher left. “We wanted them to always be able to see us, youknow?”
Yeah, Shea was sure they appreciatedthat.
“I’m going to give this to my friend overthere. If I don’t return or I find out you lied, he’s going to dumpit and several others all over your village.”
“I’m telling the truth. I swear it.”
Fat lot of stock Shea put into her words.
Shea walked over to Buck and handed him thebottle.
“You had this on you the whole time?” heasked.
“Yup.”
