The Emperor's Edge 3: Deadly Games

The Emperor's Edge 3: Chapter 15 Part 1

Awareness returned to Basilard slowly. Memories of dreams wafted away like smoke in the wind. A dim blurriness met his eyes, and he blinked, struggling to focus. A face came into view.

Sicarius.

His features held no warmth or friendliness. Basilard tried to lift a hand, but bindings secured him to the table. Sicarius was free, though still nude. He wore his brace of throwing knives on his forearm and held two daggers, one the black blade he favored and the other one of Basilard’s fighting weapons. Basilard’s gaze lingered on the sharp steel, and he remembered his last thoughts; before he had succumbed to the drugs, he had been sure Sicarius knew of Basilard’s plan for killing him.

Basilard turned his head from side to side. Other prisoners lay on the tables, some horizontal and others tipped vertical against the wall. None appeared to be awake. How much time had passed? Deep shadows shrouded the corners of the laboratory, and the lights were dimmer than he remembered. It must be nighttime, though one might never know the difference down here.

Sicarius lifted his hands and signed, You are alert?

That he signed instead of speaking meant he had escaped, not been released, and being quiet was important.

Had Basilard’s hands been free, he would have responded with “vaguely,” but, strapped down, he had fewer options, so he only nodded.

Sicarius slipped a key into the first lock, the one that bound Basilard’s wrists to the table.

As soon as his hands were free, he asked, How’d you escape?

The woman. Sicarius’s signs were as terse as his spoken words.

She released you? Because she wanted to... Basilard stopped. He had no interest in the details; he just wanted to know if Sicarius had won her over—or forced her over—and if she could take them to the surface.

She was unable to craft the sphere.

Was? Basilard asked. She’s dead?

Yes. We have to find another way off. Only the other twin and a male telekineticist can make the protective bubbles. The woman is incapacitated from your attack, and the male isn’t on board right now. We may be too deep to swim out. Regardless, a kraken guards this place. Our blades would be useless against it.

No, even firearms would be useless underwater. The woman told you all this? Basilard asked.

Yes. Sicarius’s cool gaze told him to drop it.

Basilard swallowed, imagining Sicarius letting that woman think they had some connection, and then turning around, interrogating her, and killing her. True, Basilard himself had killed, but only in combat and only men. Not women. His eyes narrowed in remembrance. Or children.

Sicarius unfastened the bindings about Basilard’s ankles, then continued with those tying his torso and thighs to the table.

Basilard tilted his head. Why come for me?

Sicarius flicked him a glance that could have meant anything and continued to unlock the bindings.

When the drugs were overtaking Basilard, he had not expected Sicarius’s help, indeed had thought Sicarius might have set him up to die. Was it possible he had imagined everything?

Sicarius released the final straps and stepped back.

Do you know I know... Basilard stopped himself. If Sicarius had not figured it out, it would be foolish to alert him.