Chapter 20: Railbird

"He's not Bona Serat Corsar to me."

"That bad? Do others feel that way?"

"Yes."

"Then why do you protect him?"

"I'm not protecting him."

"Ah, we understand each other, then. I'm not going to get the location from you no matter what I do, correct?"

"No. Even if you tear me to pieces, I won't tell."

"A lover or a child?" Carak stared intently at Kadax's face as he spoke. "Both. No, I won't be getting any information on the camp. Perhaps tell me about the human?"

"What's there to tell? She's gangly and tall and has weird brownish-pink skin and brown hair. She was working with the builders, but now she's giving us guards orders."

"Because she's the Bona Serat Corsar's lover?"

"Probably. I mean yeah, their plan worked once, because he's brilliant. But she mostly just has us running around all day and doing things like playing games and working as a team. It's not how a soldier acts."

Like Kadax would know how a soldier acts, Lindsay thought.

"Hmmm..." Carak looked deep in thought. "So there's unrest. Did you go to Corlan, yourself?"

"No, the Bona Serat Corsar sent me to teach their soldiers to run all day, too. But when I told the Corsar what was going on, he agreed with me. We were going to challenge him, but then you abominations attacked."

"It sounds as though our timing was poor. But nothing to be done for it now. I believe we've gotten all the relevant information we can get from you."

Kadax was sweating profusely. It was clear the overwhelming pain was taking over. "Yeah."

"Thank you for the conversation. Do you have anything else to say before I end it?"

Kadax's head shook.

"Then may you rest with the Immortal." And with that, Carak leaned over and, in one bite, Kadax's throat was gone, leaving only the spine and the flesh that made up the back of the neck.

She was too stunned to go back. She kept watching as Carak left the room, followed him and his irregular gait down the hall, barely even thought enough to hide behind him when she saw the black-haired prince at the door.

"Was it quick?" Prince Rivuk asked.

"Yes." Carak wiped gold from the side of his mouth. "Painless."

"Was there nothing more you could get?"

"The hearts were failing; one did while we were talking. Torture would have been useless. But I did learn something interesting."

"Tell me."

She didn't really want to hear again how her relationship with Sirix was tearing apart the Bonat. Besides, it had been almost ten minutes, Donil might start to worry. Or shiver. She focused on Donil, and there she was, back in the forest.

She slid in between Donil and Veralosa only to have Donil turn over and lay her arm and leg over Lindsay as she slept. She gazed at that lovely face, trying to avoid looking at her neck, trying to avoid thinking about what it would look like if most of it was no longer there.