The Outsider of the Summerset Isles

Chapter 16

Nim-Jul rushed inside the curtained area of his hut when he heard a weak moan. Faendal dashed after him despite the Argonian had forbidden him to go inside under any circumstances. In semi-darkness of the room, he saw two rough beds; Llanas lay on one of them with his eyes half-open. His face was almost clear from burns and his chest was completely covered with bandages. The other body lay still, and Faendal noted it was a female Khajiit. The smell from it told him she was dead for at least few days.

"It worked," the Dark Elf whispered.

The Argonian made an odd move toward Llanas as if he was intending to hug him, but then stopped himself, turned toward Faendal and hissed, "Go to the town quickly, bring some milk and bread; your friend is starving after more than a week in trance."

"What about your friend?" Faendal asked in surprise.

"She didn't make it," Nim-Jul pushed him out of the little room and closed the heavy curtains after him. Faendal sensed there was something fishy about the whole situation, so he opened the door and closed it with a bang, but stayed inside. Then he crept toward an old table and hid under it.

"You're a Dunmer now, huh," the Bosmer heard muffled Nim-Jul's voice.

"It was your choice, not mine," Llanas replied and chuckled weakly. "Does it remind you your past in Morrowind? Miss your lashes?"

"I don't care what you look like, you know that," the Argonian whispered something else, but Faendal couldn't make out any single word.

"I've never gotten a male body yet... This promises to be an intriguing experience," Llanas' voice sounded different; Faendal had never heard it to be so soft. Whatever that thing was it wasn't Llanas anymore, Faendal realized, and his insides dropped to the pit of his stomach. That mad Argonian could chant him or... Faendal couldn't think of terrible possibilities.

"Who was that with you?" Llanas' voice suddenly changed, sounding sternly.

"Ah. Don't mind him, he is... his friend."

"And you let him in? He will cause troubles, for sure!"

"I didn't have any choice. It was to grab whatever was available, or lose you forever."

"What are you going to do with him now? Kill him?"

"No! We are not killers, Malexa. When he comes back, play the Dark Elf. Probably, you had enough time to learn everything about him. When the time comes, tell him you going to travel alone. The Bosmer is young and stupid, he will never guess his friend is gone."

"This one wasn't very talkative, so I know nothing about him. I have an idea! Let's send him to Oblivion — maybe he even manages to reunite with his friend!" Llanas, or whoever possessed his body, laughed and then started to cough. "Bring me some water, will you?!"

The Argonian opened the curtains and went out only to gasp helplessly when someone seized him from behind, and a cold blade touched his throat. Nim-Jul was much taller and overall bigger than Faendal, so he was scared that the lizard would just ignore his dagger and smash him at once. But he just froze, not offering any resistance, and whispered, "It's not what you think it is."

"I'll kill you if you don't bring the Dark Elf back in his body," threatened Faendal in a quiet voice, trying not to lose his grip. He had to stand on tiptoes in order to reach the Argonian's throat. "Let's go outside."

When they were out, Faendal released Nim-Jul and showed him his dagger.

"Believe me, this thing is poisoned with a poison of the Dark Brotherhood manufacture. You don't want to be even slightly cut by it. Now, tell me how are you going to bring him back."