The Iron Teeth

A Tradesman's Tools 4

Before the hobgoblin could act and draw his weapon, Saeter quickly spoke up.

A huge content smile appeared on his face as he turned towards the thug, and that kind of freaked Blacknail out. His master's face just didn't look right unless he was glaring or scowling.

"We were just checking to see if any of the big wigs dropped any coins. We already spent all of ours, but we still need some more drinks," Saeter muttered brokenly, as if he was drunk.

The old scout swayed slightly as he waited for Galive's minion to respond. The guard eyed them critically for a second, but then snorted in disgust.

"If you don't have any more money then get out of here. A man of your age should bloody well know better than this," the cloaked thug told Saeter, before turning around and walking away.

When the other man was gone the smile immediately dropped from Saeter's face, and a familiar scowl reappeared.

"Ya, fuck you too," he muttered as he turned back to Blacknail.

"Did you get it? We need to move," the old scout then asked him.

"I got it; the human Galive can't hide from me!" Blacknail whispered excitedly.

"He doesn't need to hide, he's a bloody Vessel and an experienced fighter. In anything like a fair fight he'll rip your scrawny green ass apart," Saeter growled back.

"I'll be very sneaky," the hobgoblin replied defensively.

"You'd better; don't take any foolish risks. We can always try again another night," Saeter explained.

"Yes, master. What-ss now?" Blacknail asked.

"Now you're on your own. I'm not much good at sneaking around a building like this. Find Galive and kill him. Just don't let anyone see you, especially not Galive," Saeter ordered him sternly.

"Yes, master," Blacknail whispered back gleefully.

It was time for the hunt to begin, the oh so delicious hunt. Blacknail licked his lips and started salivating just thinking about it.

"I'll be outside across the street and a bit down the escape path we planned out," Saeter told Blacknail.

The old scout then gave Blacknail a farewell nod, and started walking towards the front entrance. Blacknail watched him go for a second, before turning around and smirking at the door Galive had gone through.

At last, it was time to have some fun! Galive was going to regret making him sit still so long! He would also regret making Herad angry too, of course. Either one was really just a bad idea.

Now what was the best way of tracking down his prey? Blacknail slowly turned and regarded the room around him. There were still a lot of random residents of Daggerpoint around, but none of them were looking his way. There were still several of the cloaked guards standing around the perimeter of the room, though.

Two stood by the bar, two more were by the main entrance, and one was stationed by the door Galive had gone through. As Blacknail watched, the last guard glanced his way. Blacknail knew that he was acting somewhat suspicious, so he casually turned around and mingled with the remains of the earlier crowds.

He then looked around the room. There was no easy way into any of the doors that led inside; they were all guarded. He'd have to make his own way in, and that meant he needed a distraction. What would work?

After a few more seconds of thought, Blacknail headed over to the table closest to the door Galive had gone through. There were two men and one woman sitting at it, and they all seemed quite drunk. The woman seemed unsteady and was leaning onto the larger of the two men. Blacknail grinned as he walked past them. They would work perfectly.