I felt a flicker of annoyance at that.

With one hand, Grimalkin seized the dead Kobalos mage by the left foot, her other holding its head by the hair; she dragged it out of its lair and into the open, and I followed behind.

“This is as good a place as any,” she decided, letting go of the beast about eighty feet away from the tree, clear of most of the roots.

“You dig the grave and I’ll start my search,” she said. “Drag the beast into the pit, but don’t cover it with soil yet.”

“Are you looking for anything special?”

“I’m seeking to learn all I can about our enemies.”

12

Nicholas Browne’s Glossary

WHEN I’d dug the grave and dragged the mage into it, I leaned my spade against the tree trunk and went inside. Grimalkin had pried the lid from one of the jars and was sniffing the contents. It contained a light green slime flecked with small gray particles.

“Find anything interesting?” I asked.

“There is much here that is outside my knowledge. For example, I suspect that this green gel is some kind of preservative. Within it are small pieces of living tissue, but from a creature I have never encountered. What its purpose is, I have no idea. . . . I’d planned to travel north again tomorrow, but this is a treasure trove. I will stay here until I have learned all I can—days, or even weeks, if necessary.”

I nodded. “After I’ve filled in the grave, I’ll get back to the house and leave you to it. If you ever want to eat a meal at my table, you’re more than welcome. In any case, please call in before you go. I’d like to know something of what you learn.”

“Leave the grave to me,” answered Grimalkin. “I want a closer look at the body before it’s buried. As for what I discover, I will tell you all you need to know. You may be reluctant to combine forces to meet an anticipated Kobalos attack, but by presenting this to me you have advanced our cause significantly.”

“Who are your allies?” I asked.

“Witches from Pendle will eventually join with me to face the threat that I have scryed. The people far to the north across the sea have faced the Kobalos in battle before; they will be our allies. We have now reached a crisis. The birth of the Kobalos god, Talkus, has already taken place, increasing the power of their mages threefold and triggering war. Soon they will burst out of their city, Valkarky, and make war on all humans, starting with those who border the Kobalos lands.”

“Do you think this mage was a spy?” I asked, nodding down at the body.

“It is more than likely,” Grimalkin said. “The haizda mages usually live alone, far from other Kobalos, but I wouldn’t have expected to find one this far south.”

With that, we parted company, and I headed back toward Chipenden. But one of Grimalkin’s remarks had been interesting, to say the least.