Rexi and Talon

By Onyx Tao

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26. Rexi

"What did you do?" Rexi said, his mind still half-reeling from the magic Zackton had unleashed. At the moment, he was simply grateful that the half-orc hadn't targeted him.

"I've seen your organization in action," Zackton said. "Given that you've allied to me, I thought you should see a taste of what I can do."

"A taste," said Rexi.

"We are allies," Zackton said calmly. "I have a good idea your capabilities. And now you have an idea of what I might bring to your aid."

Bring to your aid ... "You want something," Rexi half-guessed, half-knew.

Zackton's face moved around the tusks curiously, shaping itself into a pleased smile. "Indeed."

"First, tell me what you did to Landra."

Zackton shrugged. "You heard the compulsion I set on her. And why."

"Yes," Rexi said. "But after that? Things were ... confused."

"Confused," breathed the half-orc. "Yes. I fuddled her memories, made her forget what I had done. The compulsion is still there, but ... unremembered. Forgettable. Forgotten. Instead, she recalls drinking an enchanted brew, and my kindling its power within her."

"But that's not what happened," Rexi said.

"No," said Zackton. "The source of that spell was again me."

"But why hide it?"

"Why not?" said Zackton reasonably. "I decided to reveal some of my power to you - not her."

Rexi nodded. "And you want something."

"Yes."

"What?"

"What I wanted before," Zackton said. "I ... grew fearful, worried that perhaps the statue - there is only one I must have, Rexi - might have been damaged, destroyed, be beyond reclamation."

"I'd had that thought, but ... it seemed unlikely."

"Its disappearance seemed unlikely, and then to have no mention, no record, nothing ..." Zackton's voice trailed off ... "I took my fear to Shelyn's temple, to her priestess, hoping for nothing more than confirmation that what I sought could be found, or failing that, that I'd left it too long, that time had chewed it up ...

"She granted me a vision, Rexi," Zackton said, sounding almost bemused. "I don't know why. I'm a terrible worshiper of hers. I don't agree with half of her teachings, and I ignore most of the others, simply trying to find my own way into my own heart. All I wanted was to know that I wasn't hunting an impossibility. And for all that, She still granted me a vision, I saw ... and her priestess, who interceded for me, knew where it was." Zackton turned to Rexi. "The statue I want is now the centerpiece of a pond - the Justine Pond - of Paracount Mortaille."

"He lives next to you," Rexi said. "The orchard borders his. On the far side."

"Which gives us some understanding of why the statues vanished so tracelessly. Perhaps they were taken, when the gardens were in disrepair." Zackton took a breath. "We will reclaim it tonight."

"What?"

"Tonight," Zackton said calmly. "Have your Family scout the house and grounds. Cautiously. I want the information on my desk by dusk."

"But ..." Rexi paused. "That statue is life-sized, right? It has to weigh a ton."

"Yes," Zackton said, "but I'm prepared. Having to steal it was always a strong possibility, and so I'm prepared. The right tools - the right magic - simplifies the matter. I planned for this Rexi, years ago, and I have a wand which causes things to become small - about a half of a half of a half of a half, which has eight uses left to it. I have a lump of marble clay, which will itself become a statue imitating anything to which I touch it."

"That ... will make things easier. Very convenient."

"Not convenient," Zackton said. "Planning. Thought, planning, and preparation. And once we get the one critical statue -"

"You only needed one?"

"Correct," said Zackton.

"You might have said."

"And what difference would it have made?" Zackton said dismissively. "None. We still needed to trace the statues to find the right one; finding any would have been a useful way to find more, and I still want them all. I was perfectly truthful in saying I wanted all of them to restore the shrine. I simply wanted one of them for ... an additional reason." Zackton took a breath. "Can you get the scouting done? I can have Ryo-san do it, but I suspect your Family could do a better job - if you wished it."

"Probably true," said Rexi. "Is that your plan? You and the hobgoblins go steal the thing after we do the scouting?"

Zackton nodded. "That's my current thought - but it may change depending on what your scouts find. That's the point of scouting, after all."

"Agreed," said Rexi. "You'll want some rough maps. I don't know if there are any guards posted ... but I will. Anything else?"

"No ..." said Zackton. "One thing. Please let Kodo-san, Ryo-san, and Tu-san know that we may be going on a short excursion. And then ... I think I'm going to go see how Landra is getting along with your other purchases."

"She is important to us," said Rexi.

"She doesn't seem aware of it."

Rexi shrugged. "She doesn't need to know yet. We'll recruit her when it's time. As long as she's safe, and we know where to find her."

"As long as she behaves herself," Zackton said. "Is this anything that concerns me, or that I might assist you with?"

Rexi considered. "I will think about that. Not at the moment, though."

"Of course," Zackton said. "I haven't told you more than I have to - well, much more, anyway. I see no reason you should do otherwise."

"I appreciate that," Rexi said. "I do."

"I will point out that I'm a big believer in planning and preparation, Rexi. If you need my help at some point, the sooner I know what you need, the better your - our - chances of success. I'm very good at making things happen, but haste is the enemy of success."

"We agree on that," said Rexi. "I appreciate your offer. And I understand what you're saying. I won't come to you for a miracle at the last minute."

"Oh, you can do that," Zackton said. "Just as long as you're willing to be disappointed."

"I'm not, generally," Rexi said.

"Then prior notice is called for," Zackton said.

Rexi watched Sassy, Harald, and Loomis head off towards the orchard and the estate beyond. He'd considered it several ways, and only told them they might have a job there. Locate the pond, count the statues. Check for guards. Straightforward.

An hour later, he had the reports. They'd found the pond, and drawn a quick map of the grounds, and a very rough guesswork at the house, which didn't matter as much. The pond was just behind the formal garden outside the inner courtyard, unpleasantly close to the main house, but ... if Zackton was right, they wouldn't need more than a couple of minutes to steal it. Rexi stared at the hastily-scrawled maps for another minute, and went to find Zackton.

Unsurprisingly, Zackton was down at the shed, watching Landra become more closely aquainted with the slaves he'd bought. Rexi wished Zackton hadn't done that, but then, she had been pretty rude to him. Note to self: do not be rude to Zackton Silvercane. No, it was more than that, Rexi thought. It wasn't the rudeness; it was the nature of the insult. Zackton, for all he seemed oblivious to the typical crudeness associated with orcs, did not care to have those prejudices thrown in his face. He'd overreacted, and vengefully at that. There was something that Zackton cared about. Had Zackton actually revealed something?

Probably not, Rexi thought. It seemed staged, a pretext to show off his power to Rexi, to impress him. Rexi was impressed, but ... he'd already known Zackton was powerful. Now he had an idea of how. Although Landra's mounting the half-orc slaves in the stable one after the other had seemed to amuse him, too. Which seemed strange to Rexi; Zackton had never seemed interested in females. Certainly never with any halflings, for which Rexi felt supremely grateful. That would have been messy. But he'd treated Talon well.

Zackton was confusing.

Which could mean Rexi was still missing something important, or ... it could just be that Zackton had some issues with humans. Let him, thought Rexi. He certainly treats halflings well enough.

For the excursion over the wall, Zackton and his hobgoblins turned up dressed in surprisingly practical dark mottled brown clothing. It was a common mistake that black was the best color. It wasn't; a thief - or assassin - was better off with something dark but not too dark, something that would blend in. And all four of them looked ready and competent.

Rexi himself had dressed in dark brown, as well. Kodo-san looked a little surprised at his presence, but the other two, Ryo-san and Tu-san, didn't. Zackton said only, "I hadn't expected you, but you're welcome. Are there any others ... about?" Rexi didn't see a trace of the surprise Zackton claimed, but then, maybe he wouldn't. Zackton was hard to read at best.

The half-orc's question remained. Are there any other halflings, hidden and following us. "No," lied Rexi. "Too dangerous." Rexi had already sent Sassy and Frum ahead, just to keep watch. They were under orders to do nothing but provide a perimeter watch. An old habit of Rexi's, on any job. Always good to have something in reserve. Preferably several somethings, and Rexi had another couple of surprises tucked away in his own pockets.

Zackton had just nodded his acceptance, and they'd set out towards the orchard wall - quietly. This was Rexi's first chance to evaluate Zackton's skills for himself rather than depend on reports. Zackton definitely had skills. The hobgoblins weren't bad, but they were not the equal of Rexi - or of Zackton. But they were more than quiet enough for a job where there were no guards, and no opposition at all. Rexi hoped that was what they would find: a nice, quiet pond where they could make the substitution quickly, and be back. Twenty minutes, Rexi thought. The job should be over in twenty minutes.

The map led them straight to the pond; they approached from the far side. It was close enough that they could see distant lights in four - five - six of the downstairs windows, across several hundred feet of formal garden. The windows had all been closed and curtained when Loomis had scouted them earlier, but it seemed to Rexi that one of them was fluttering slightly, as if the window had been opened. He tapped Zackton at his waist, pointed with his hand, and Zackton nodded. "I'll take care of it," he said, not in a whisper, but so quietly that Rexi could barely hear him.

The pond itself was about twenty feet across, with statues - all the missing statues, Rexi realized - set around it on small raised plinths. Sassy's report had mentioned fish and frogs - and there was a low chorus of croaking seeming to come from the broad floating pads of lily leaves. Only a single bud poked up from the greenery, though. A soft splash suggested that something had entered the water; probably one of the frogs. A low, wet smell rose to meet his nose, heavy with the slightly green scent that suggested both water and active gardening.

Zackton intoned something under his breath - more magic, Rexi thought, a low, almost subsonic sound, and the night air in front of the pond seemed to twist and shimmer, forming into a long wall of trees that blocked off the house. Zackton said, still in that profoundly quiet voice, "We'll need to be quiet, but we cannot be seen from house, now. All they will see is what they've always seen, if a bit foreshortened. Sound will still carry, though."

Some kind of sophisticated seeming - an illusion. Very much in keeping with what Rexi knew of Zackton. Interesting. Zackton pulled a short bronze wand out, and he walked over to one of the statues, the one holding a large bass, and inspected it, carefully. Tested it, maybe, muttered something - more magic, perhaps, although Rexi wasn't sure exactly what kind of magic would be useful.

Reached into his pocket, and pulled out a handful of something wet and white, tapped it to the statue, and then there were two of them, one on the plinth, and one right next to it.

It was at that point brilliant light spilled around the pond, magical light, from lanterns. Held by guards - all of whom had drawn swords in their other hand. The voice that followed was a mellow baritone, nowhere rich as Zackton's, but alarming nonetheless. "Good evening. I don't recall inviting anyone tonight, however." A man dressed in a long gray robe with gold thread walked forward, apparently unconcerned by the hobgoblins and Zackton himself - Rexi tried to be very small in the sudden lack of shadow.

Zackton's response was immediate and surprising. Somehow, Zackton was now wearing a heavy iron gauntlet on left hand, and his right hand held a sword. "Invitations come in many forms," Zackton said, and then, "how very surprising."

"I'm a little surprised," the man volunteered, coming to a halt. "I presume you're my new neighbor to the south? The half-orc opera bravo I've heard so much about? In some kind of petty theft? And of ..." he peered at the two statues. "There's got to be a story behind this. I take it I wasn't supposed to realize I'd been burgled?"

"That was the idea, yes," admitted Zackton, pointing the sword at him. "Suppose I tell you the story privately. I'll send the others home, and you and I can discuss the matter."

"Not a sentiment I should expect from a thief," the man said, calmly.

"Not sentimental." said Zackton. "Practical. Or don't you recognize me?" the half-orc added. "I admit, it's been a while, but I recognize you."

"Should I know you?" the man stopped, and looked at Zackton closely without any apparent recognition. "Are you sure I should know you?"

"You'll remember when I tell you," Zackton said. "This is a discussion we should have in private, if we're to discuss old times."

The man paused, and for a moment, his face took on the same blankness that Rexi had seen on Zackton's.

"Old times," he said, and then stared at Zackton for a moment, and finally, something like recognition flickered across his face. "You have set me an interesting task."

"Then you do remember," Zackton said simply. "Is that why you took the statues?"

He was quiet, then, and said, "Send them away. We can talk in the house."

"Yes," said Zackton. "But ..." and he jabbed the statue viciously with the wand. It shrank, then, dwindling slowly at first, and then faster and faster and smaller until the thing was barely larger than a human's hand.

The man - Paracount Moraille, Rexi assumed - eyed it for a moment, and then grunted in acknowledgement. "Put the replacement up before you go," he said. "Zackton, bring the statue with you."

"Zackton-sama ..." said Tu-san cautiously.

"I'll be fine," Zackton said. "The Paracount and I simply have some ... catching up to do. Take the statue to my workroom. "Rexi. Do not interfere. Get out. I'm used to tough audiences. You can't help me with this one."

"Truer words," the Paracount said. "Now, out. All of you. Tass - Zackton and I ... need to catch up." The Paracount smiled. "Don't worry, he'll be back. I'll return him unharmed."

Suuuure you will, Rexi thought, but then Zackton must be thinking exactly the same thing. And it was Zackton who'd suggested they should leave ... but would they actually be allowed to leave? Or was something waiting for them? No, wrong question. What was waiting for them? The hobgoblins, after seeing Zackton's nod, simply turned and started walking, so Rexi started walking after them; he wanted three large, tough-looking targets while he faded away, quietly falling behind, then quietly vanishing into the shadow of a tree. He listened, and heard nothing; but that told him nothing.

No. If Zackton had sent the rest of them away, then this was seriously dangerous, and Rexi was more than willing to leave the half-orc's battles to the half-orc. Not that his Family might not visit the Paracount's manor after this, of course. Letting one's owner be killed was ... tacky, but ... Zackton had brought it on himself. Rexi's duty was to his Family.

Get out. Zackton had even told him to do exactly that.

Easy decision.

Let Zackton and the Paracount hash out their affairs in secret.

Only Rexi wanted to know those secrets. And ... Rexi decided. Took a tiny metal vial out of his pocket, checked the bumps on it. Again. A third time. Not a place to make a mistake. Lifted the catch on the stopper, drank the liquid, quickly. Some wizard or alchemist had brewed this stuff for its magic, not its taste or texture, and magical drinks, in Rexi's experience, had a vast range of nasty to draw on. This one was ... almost tasteless. No, not tasteless, it had numbed his tongue. The texture was thick, cloying, like flavorless lamp oil, greasy, thick but drinkable. Rexi was used to much, much worse. The intent of this stuff was to hide him from sight, make him invisible. It wouldn't last long, and it was the fragile sort of invisibility that persisted only so long as he didn't interact with anyone, but it should be enough.

Let's see what you're hiding, Zackton.