03 Reaper of Souls by Dan Abnett;Mike Lee

Author:Dan Abnett;Mike Lee
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Tags: Epic, Fantasy, Fiction, Action & Adventure, General
ISBN: 9781844161935
Publisher: Games Workshop
Published: 2006-08-08T05:00:00+00:00

80

“Open the door,” the knight growled. “I’ve got a prisoner and a nauglir to sell, compliments of Lord Tennucyr.”

“The Witch Lord’s cousin?”

“The very same.”

There was a loud clack as the spy door slid shut, then a rattle of bolts being drawn back. One of the large doors swung noisily open and a slight, stooped druchii stepped tentatively outside. He wore stained robes and a faded brown kheitan and carried a cudgel and a coiled whip at his belt. The servant sketched a cursory bow to the retainer and stared down his long, crooked nose at Malus.

“Him? He looks half dead.”

The retainer turned his head and spat. “Bastard ought to be entirely dead, but he’s either too mean or too stupid to know it. He’s tough for a city-born.”

“That’s not saying much,” the servant said, crouching on his heels and prying back one of Malus’ eyelids. “He ought to be lying on a bier somewhere,” he muttered disdainfully. “What about this nauglir, then?”

“It’s right over there, fool.”

“That runt? What do you take me for? If Master Noros were here he’d be threatening a blood feud over this. It’s an insult!”

“Do I look like a baker’s apprentice to you, dung worm? I’m not here to haggle with you. Lord Tennucyr said to take this lot to the House of Noros and sell them, so here I am.”

“All right, all right. No need for all the shouting,” the servant said querulously. The man shuffled back to the doorway and let out a sharp whistle. “Cut him loose,” he said to the retainer.

“Why?”

“I want to see if he’s strong enough to stand. If he can’t, he’s not good for anything but nauglir fodder.”

Malus lay perfectly still as the retainer drew his knife and bent to cut the ropes binding the highborn’s wrists and ankles. For a moment he thought his opportunity had arrived, but by the time his bonds had been cut away two large, muscular human slaves had emerged from the compound.

They took him by the arms and set him on his feet as though he were a doll. Malus gave them a weak groan and let the two slaves bear much of his weight while the servant studied him critically.

Master Noros’ man was clearly not impressed, but after a moment he sighed. “All right,” he said, “but only as a favour to your lord. Come inside and we’ll settle on a figure.” He turned to the slaves and jerked his head at the doorway. “Take him in and have him branded, then throw him in with the rest of the runts.”

The humans grunted a response and dragged Malus through the doorway into the slaver’s compound. He was taken through a large room furnished with gleaming marble pillars, each one fitted with polished silver steel manacles for displaying the owner’s wares. Malus was surprised to note that the pillars themselves were entirely decorative; in fact, there wasn’t even a ceiling for them to support. Looking up, he saw that the walls of the

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