The Iron Teeth

Queen of Swords 1

The cloaked hobgoblin tiptoed silently down the shadowy hallway. The dull noonday sun shone in through the nearby windows, but he kept out of the light and in the dark. Since this passage was rarely used for anything but storage, it didn't get a lot of traffic and the windows were the only source of light.

Blacknail could hear the creak and thud of peoples' footsteps moving around him, but none of them seemed to be moving in his direction, and that was good. He wanted to avoid detection at all costs. He'd come fairly close to being caught earlier when a guard had walked by, but Blacknail had managed to duck aside and hide behind a shelf at the last second.

His heart still hadn't slowed to its normal speed and was thudding in his chest. It would be very bad if he was discovered, and Blacknail didn't even want to think about the consequences. He had to stay hidden from the humans no matter what!

Of course that was never going to happen. He'd proven over and over again that mere humans couldn't detect a hobgoblin like him. He was the dreaded Faceless Assassin, and Herad's undefeated sneaky killer!

"What in all the hells are you doing, Blacknail?" Saeter asked from right behind him.

The unexpected voice slipped into the hobgoblin's ears, and his heart exploded in panic. He jumped several feet into the air. He hadn't heard anyone approaching! Oh no, it was master Saeter.

When Blacknail hit the ground, he was already dashing away down the hallway as fast as his feet would carry him. He'd been found; he had to escape, and quickly!

Blacknail believed him; he could hear the stubborn certainty in his master's voice. When he used that tone there was no arguing with him, and he always did what he said he would, no matter how stupid or dangerous it was.

The hobgoblin stopped running, went completely still, and let out a pitiful whimper. This was the worst possible outcome; why did it have to be his master that had found him?

The urge to flee and hide was overwhelming, but he knew that wouldn't work. Saeter would find him soon enough. He was incredibly annoying like that.

"Right, now come back here," Saeter ordered impatiently.

The hobgoblin sighed and obeyed. With his head down he walked sullenly back to his master. He didn't dare meet his eyes.

"Lose the hood, and look at me," his master ordered next.

He sounded very annoyed, so Blacknail reluctantly pulled his hood down and met the old scout's gaze. Saeter looked him over inquisitively for a few seconds, and his expression changed from an angry look to a concerned one.

The hobgoblin cringed and had to turn away a few seconds later. What if his master could smell something? What if it showed? His master spoke up.

"What bloody nonsense has gotten into you, Blacknail? You've been acting weird, and avoiding everyone since you returned from chasing those assassins. You told Herad that they got away after a brief fight, and she didn't question it. She doesn't know you like I do though, and I'll eat my boots if that's what really happened," he asked the hobgoblin quietly, so that no one would overhear.

"Yes, it is. That totally happened," Blacknail replied nervously, as his anxious eyes wandered around the room.

Saeter just glared at the hobgoblin stubbornly; he obviously wasn't convinced. Blacknail withered under his master's gaze for several seconds. The hobgoblin knew that Saeter wasn't going to let up until he got an answer, so obviously he had to lie through his teeth.

Blacknail looked up and met his master's eyes. He licked his lips with his long tongue nervously as his brain worked feverishly to come up with the greatest lie ever told.