require cleaning,' he said. He grabbed the guard's neck and plunged the two fingers into his nostrils, digging into the soft membranes there with his fingernails.
'Perhaps there is some foreign matter encrusted within?' he said, clawing up and down. Blood began to pour from the guard's nose. The guard began to shriek. Musical!
'Maybe your sense of smell will improve now,' said Dog, letting go. 'You write and let me know if that's the case, won't you?'
Dog smiled at the thought of the guard sitting down to compose the letter. He couldn't wait to read it.
The guard fell to the ground, clutching his face. Blood dripped down his fingers.
'All right, then,' said Dog. 'Have a lovely day.'
As they walked toward the lock across the narrow stone bridge, they locked arms again. 'That was fun,' said Asp.
Dog could only agree.
... after loud complaints from the House of Guilds, I was asked to pen an official statement on the matter. It read, in part,'The so-called Shadow Office does not exist, and never has. The notion of a secret group of spies, strangers to propriety, and invested with powers granted by the Black Art, is repugnant to Her Majesty. It is a fantasy promulgated by seditious elements within the very body who proposes that said office be expunged.'
The statement was, of course, a lie. The Shadows existed then, and exist to this day. One small portion of the statement, however, is factual.The very notion of the Shadows is indeed repugnant to the queen. This, however, has never stopped her from employing them.
-Cereyn Ethal, Autobiography (unexpurgated)
tudying with Master Jedron was like a cross between military training and torture, using techniques of both disciplines in equal measure. Jedron's idea of a training exercise was to have Silverdun practice the crossbow for an hour, and then-with no warning whatsoever-release a half dozen hunting dogs for him to fend off. Another 'exercise' was to tie Silverdun's wrists and ankles together and then have Than throw him into the ocean from the rocky cliff at the north side of the island. Jedron would then casually toss knives off the cliff until Silverdun caught one and used it to free himself.
'What's the point of this?' Silverdun blustered, after the second of these, clambering out of the water. He stumbled in turbulent surf that beat against the black stones whose edges had cut Silverdun more than once.
It was a gray day, about two weeks into the training. Low, gray sky, turgid sea. It was highsun but felt like dusk. Silverdun's clothes clung to him, flapping against his prickling skin in time with the wind. He brushed his hair out of his eyes.
Jedron and Ilian, who'd walked down from the tower to meet him, looked at each other. Jedron threw Silverdun a towel. 'You don't need to know the lesson in order to learn it,' he said.
'Not the test,' said Silverdun angrily. 'The cruelty. I was under the impression that I was being trained for a job, not being punished for my sins.'
'It's both,' said Jedron.
'Where's the other recruit you mentioned before?' said Silverdun. 'Do you treat him as badly as you do me?'
Jedron thought about it. 'No,' he said. 'He's not quite as stupid as you are.'
'Well, where is he?'
'He's around,' said Jedron. 'I don't want him to pick up any of your bad habits.'
Later, after Silverdun was dry, Jedron came to his quarters. 'Come with me,' he said.
Outside it had begun to rain, and Silverdun's fresh clothes were soon as sodden as his previous ones had been. Jedron led Silverdun and Ilian down to the quay, where the Splintered Driftwood rested, rolling in the waves. A storm out to sea somewhere was wreaking a mild havoc here. Jedron climbed aboard and beckoned Silverdun to follow.
On board, the silver-and-brass automatons had been covered with canvas tarpaulins that were tied around the things' ankles. Jedron untied one and pulled the canvas free, gesturing for Silverdun to have a closer look.
Silverdun leaned in and whistled appreciatively. The structure of the automaton's body matched that of a Fae body perfectly, only with the skin removed. Muscles of silver, tendons of brass. Eyes of glossy, polished marble.
