Lelith Hesperax: Queen of Knives by Mike Brooks

Author:Mike Brooks
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Science fiction: space opera (FLS)
Publisher: Black Library
Published: 2024-06-05T00:00:00+00:00

Nine

Lelith ignored the squalling masses who fled before her. The swirling mass of their fear was intoxicating and invigorating, but she had neither need nor desire to wet her blades with their blood. She sought a challenge, an enemy capable of facing her in combat without disgracing themselves. It was not just for her own satisfaction – her presence would attract attention, allowing her underlings more time and opportunity to harvest those for which they’d come – but Lelith was honest enough with herself to admit that satisfaction was the primary motive. Her body almost ached from the frustration of restraining herself when Morghana had disrespected her so, and… Why had she restrained herself? Killing another grand succubus in her quarters after accepting an invite would have been crass, certainly, and not in keeping with Lelith’s reputation, but it wasn’t as though it would have been wrong.

Failing that, Lelith could have accepted Morghana’s challenge and waited for a day, then fought her in the Crow’s Palace. That would have been a worthy spectacle. By rights it should have taken place in the Crucibael, of course, but a minor quibble over the venue should not have mattered. Lelith was quite happy to fight anyone anywhere, at any time, so that was not the reason.

An Asuryani came at her wielding a blade, her face set in steely determination. She was no warrior; she wasn’t even in armour. Lelith spun at the last moment, landing a kick with her bare heel on the point of the other aeldari’s jaw and snapping her neck backwards and sideways with an audible crack as the spinal cord parted. The Ilmarite dropped, the blade tumbling from suddenly nerveless hands, and Lelith moved on, her mind barely registering what had just occurred.

She wasn’t afraid, was she?

It was a ludicrous notion, but one Lelith felt she should consider. Drukhari fell prey to fear; theirs was a culture that revelled in overwhelming superiority, but did not relish adversity. The prevalence of gladiatorial combat might seem strange, given those tendencies, but that was because many drukhari honestly believed that they were invincible until the moment their folly was revealed to them by another’s blade. Whereas Lelith was, of course, actually superior to all those she had ever faced, and so she had never felt fear’s kiss. Wariness, yes; some enemies needed to be treated like the cold vacuum of space, in that they should not be engaged without appropriate equipment. Lelith and her raiders would not be staying around long enough for Ilmaren to rouse its Avatar of Khaine, but should she ever come up against the molten metal incarnation of the God of War then Lelith would require a more potent weapon than her simple knives for the fight to be worth chancing.

So was she afraid? Was that why she had walked away from Morghana, despite the other succubus’ insults? Did Lelith secretly believe that if she crossed blades with her old acquaintance then she would be the one left bleeding in the sands?

Someone had a shuriken catapult.

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