Lupi 04 - Night Season

it on the cold. “Then I am in charge. Except that Tash worked for the gnome, and I don’t know who she—”
    â€œThe one you call Tash is also dead. She fought with great honor for those to whom her bond was given.”
    Dead? Tash was dead? The shock of it sent clammy fingers over Cynna, opening up a numb, empty place like an unexpected wound. She hadn’t thought of Tash as a friend, exactly, but…
    â€œOthers are still alive. One of the humans is unconscious but not badly hurt. I believe he is kin to you. This little ugly one is also alive. I am unsure what she is, but perhaps you want her to live. Speak, little one.”
    â€œCynna Weaver?” Gan’s voice, even higher and squeakier than usual, came from the hall. “I don’t want to be dead. Maybe I don’t have enough of a soul yet to still be if my body’s dead, and besides, I like being alive. I really like it. You said you’d be sad if I got killed. Do what he says, okay? So I won’t get killed.”
    Her breath whooshed out. Her eyes stung as she met Cullen’s eyes. He shook his head once, but she didn’t know what that meant. Don’t let them kill Gan? Don’t trust them? Don’t bargain away all their lives?
    â€œDo you surrender?” the charm whispered.
    She hunted for her choices amid this ruin. The Ahk were warriors. Did they have a warrior’s code of honor—their word was their bond and all that? Cynna had the impression they were brutal but honest. But so much depended on her choice…
    Cullen held up something. A gem?
    Not just any gem. The one the elf-woman gave him. The call-me. Cynna swallowed and concentrated on not hyperventilating. Calling that bitch might be a mistake, but if anyone could take on the Ahk, it was the sidhe.
    She nodded at Cullen and spoke loudly. “I have your word that everyone alive now will be spared if they stop fighting? No retribution?”
    The rumble, and the charm: “Ahk do not take vengeance on those who fight with honor. Your people have fought honorably. You have my word.”
    â€œAnd you’re in charge. The others will do as you say.”
    â€œThey will.”
    She gave up.
    Cullen disappeared.

TWENTY-EIGHT
    G AN had been scared before. Lots of times. She’d seen lots of bodies, and while she didn’t much like eating dead things, they held no horror for her. But as they walked past these bodies, she felt awful. Even the body of Bilbo, killed where he slept in the big bed, made her feel bad.
    First Councilor had told her that might happen. Well, not specifically how Thirteenth Councilor would get killed, but that there was a chance he would be. So Gan had known this was possible, and she didn’t even like Bilbo—and yet the sight of his slit throat made her own throat tight and unhappy.
    Shouldn’t she be feeling good? She’d survived. She wasn’t hurt. Cynna Weaver had decided not to feel sad about Gan getting killed, so she’d surrendered like the big Ahk wanted. So she ought to be okay.
    Nothing was okay.
    They started down the stairs, her and Cynna Weaver and Steve Timms, surrounded by a bunch of Ahk. One of the Ahk was carrying Daniel Weaver, who wasn’t dead. He’d been hit on the head and was unconscious.
    There, sprawled on the stairs, was the guard who’d played poker with Gan and Steve Timms sometimes on the barge. He had laughed a lot, even when he lost. He wasn’t dead yet, but with a wound that big in his belly, he probably would be. A demon could heal that kind of damage. She didn’t think people with souls could.
    He was making an awful, groaning noise. He probably hurt really bad. Maybe he was scared about dying, too. Cynna Weaver asked the big Ahk if her people could tend their wounded. He was mad, though. He thought she’d tricked him because Cullen Seabourne had translocated someplace. Cynna Weaver had said she didn’t know he was going to do that. She said Cullen Seabourne hadn’t known he would do it, either, because some sidhe had tricked him, but the Ahk leader didn’t believe her.
    Gan stopped on the stairs, the awful feeling getting bigger and bigger until she thought she’d choke on it. “I want to help him! I want to help him, and I don’t know how!” Why had she never learned how to do stuff like that? She was so stupid!
    The Ahk behind her shoved her, but she set her feet and didn’t move.