Runemaster: The White Witch Pt. 02

"You truly would, wouldn't you?" Dwayne murmured.

Rafe opened his mouth to speak but the troll waved him away.

"Don't answer; I can see it in your eyes boy. You've embraced it, accepted that you are hers and she is yours. You have returned to Natalya, and the fire in you both cannot be contained again."

"I'll use it to burn the world down if I have to," Rafe said simply.

Dwayne nodded; he didn't doubt it. Walking past Rafe, the floor creaking with his heavy footsteps, the troll made his way to the bar. Picking out a bottle and two glasses, he gestured to a table.

"Take a seat then, let's talk."

"What about them?" Rafe asked, hiking a thumb at the groaning forms of his would-be attackers.

"They'll be fine - mostly their ego's that will need healing. The only one you really hurt was Kiel; I'm guessing you still haven't forgiven him then?"

"Nope."

"You should really get over that you know. It's ancient history at this point."

"Maybe," Rafe said dismissively, and Dwayne let the matter drop as he eased himself onto a chair. It wasn't really worth arguing over. The pair had never liked each other.

"You know, I've gotta say, I'm actually surprised you stayed," the old troll began as he unscrewed the bottle and began to pour them both a drink.

"Soon as the Greys decided they wanted you dead, I was sure that the only time I'd ever possibly see you again was as a corpse on the news. Figured you would have got out of Steelhaven first chance you had."

"I was going to," Rafe admitted as he sank down into the seat opposite.

"Getting out of town was exactly what I was going to do. But then I figured they'd just chase me, hunt me down like an animal, and bury me in some dark hole, and I didn't want to run again. Steelhaven is my home, Dwayne; I know it better than almost anyone. With the madness that has already started above ground going on, I figured I had a decent chance of surviving the Greys while they have bigger fish to fry."

"Fair points," the troll conceded with a nod as he thought about the situation.

"So, you went looking for Natalya because you knew you could trust her to reinforce that pit you call a home. She's the best enchanter around and you had a history. Fifty-fifty chance she'd say yes instantly or try and take your head off. Either way she wouldn't sell you to the Greys."

"Exactly," Rafe said, and he rubbed a hand through his hair.

"But then I saw her, I kissed her, she kissed me back, and it was perfect. I felt complete again."

"Heh, I'm gonna take a wild guess and say that's about where the Fae showed up," Dwayne chuckled.

"Pretty much. Nat and I had our moment, almost had a fight, and then the Fae rocked up, pretending to be one of her Coven. It killed them all, Dwayne. Three Witches were slaughtered, and it probably would've had us as well if Nat didn't have pure iron in her store."

Rafe met the old troll's eyes, and Dwayne felt a tremor crawl up his spine with the look. The Runemaster had doom riding on his shoulders, and the man looked like he knew it.

"It survived, Dwayne. A straight up brawl with me. Pure iron to the face and a drop from the fourth ring, and they didn't find a body. It's old Dwayne, very old, very powerful, and very dangerous. And it's after Nat.

"Dwayne, I need help; I need information, and like it or not, you are one of the best leads I have on finding that. Someone has to know who or what it is, and I'm willing to bet that you and yours still have eyes and ears all over Undertown."

Silence hung between them after Rafe finished. He had said his piece and now it was time for the troll to decide where he would stand. The Greys, the Fae, Rafe's past, and the bitter feelings his return had brought back to the surface, Natalya, and the supernatural bond she shared with the man in front of him. The fire burning in the Runemasters heart, and what he would do to ensure that it never went out. Dwayne considered them all as they sat in the dingy den.

"What do you need to know?" Dwayne rumbled out at last with a sigh.

Rafe leant forward, leaning an elbow on the table as he gestured with the glass in his other hand.

"Everything, Dwayne; I want to know everything. Who's in the pocket of what family? Which of the gangs is in power on what level? Who's running games in Undertown? Is Caterina still around? Who has their hooks in U-Sec? Has anyone seen the Fae? Does anyone know the Fae? What are the goblins up to in the Warrens? I need to know it all Dwayne if I'm gonna keep her safe."

The old troll nodded thoughtfully after Rafe let his rant peter out.

"Fair enough boy, fair enough. Some of those I can find out for you easily; I'll put out the word and you'll have answers in a few hours. Some I can tell you right now though.

"We control the entire Midden; Goblins control the Warrens down below. Yes, Caterina is still around, and her Vamps play with the upper class. Everything else is just slices here and there. It's not worth the responses from U-Sec and the families above to get greedy. Everyone below has a hook in U-Sec, they did when you were around and that hasn't changed a bit. But it works; if anyone takes a step too far the others unite to bring them down. For the families above, though, that's a bit trickier; some agents are well known, and they use that fact to bargain with power. Others are simply just passive informants passing along everything they hear; they are like weeds, you stamp one out and another two take their place. We only know a few but I can tell you who they are."

"That's a start," Rafe said.

"Thank you Dwayne."

"It's the agents of the Greys I need to know about first - them and the Fae - the rest can come later."

"Makes sense," Dwayne agreed.

"They have the most agents down here, seeing as they can't really come down themselves without causing a fuss, and some of them are known."

"How many in U-Sec?" Rafe asked.

"Probably more than I know about," Dwayne answered honestly.

"But if you're looking for one then just take a look right there," the troll said pointing a stony finger at one of the TVs hanging above the bar. Rafe turned in his chair, angling to look over his shoulder at the glowing box. What he saw made the colour drain from his face. It was a U-Sec officer, answering the questions of an eager reporter on the steps of 'Nevermore'.

The report listed his name as Officer Boyd Slate and the last time Rafe had seen him he had been escorting Natalya away.

"Fuck."