Shadow of the Changeling

Chapter 1: The Beast and the Rose

The building was barely standing, its walls cracked and stained, the flickering lights casting a sickly glow on the chipped paint and mold-speckled floorboards. Inquisitor Elara Valenhurst lifted her skirts delicately, her nose crinkling at the damp smell of rot that permeated the air. The noblewoman had seen many unsavory places in her line of work, but nothing quite so… rustic. She muttered a quick, silent prayer as she took a step forward, resisting the urge to brush off her robes after each step.

“This can’t possibly be right,” she murmured, glancing at the parchment in her hand. Her mentor’s seal gleamed at the top, a final command urging her forward.

She had been given her orders—a pairing with an inquisitor of “unusual skill” for the purpose of rooting out a Changeling in the hive’s lower sectors. It was beneath her, and she knew it. She had barely been able to contain her outrage when she realized her partner was not only an abhuman but a beastman.

Elara stopped at the threshold of the apartment, steeling herself. She raised a hand to knock, but the door swung open before her knuckles could touch it.

The figure standing inside filled the doorway. Broad, towering, and heavily muscled, he looked like something conjured from nightmares. Thick, flat horns—somewhere between a moose’s and a goat’s—jutted from his brow, ending in leaf-shaped prongs. His skin was scarred and rugged, with deep red eyes sunk back in his skull, glowering at her with an intensity that could almost be mistaken for disdain.

“You reek of the Warp,” he said, voice as rough as gravel. “Though you don’t smell like our target.”

Elara stiffened, her jaw clenching at the crude greeting. “And you, Kel'Acthar, reek of…” She hesitated, struggling for a word suitable enough to encompass her disdain. “Animal.”

A flicker of amusement passed across his face, though he made no response. Instead, he stepped back, gesturing for her to enter. She did so with all the grace she could muster, moving past him and into the dimly lit room.

The apartment was sparse, with only the barest necessities—a small cot, a single chair, and a cluttered table covered in makeshift weapons and crude equipment. Kel'Acthar followed her in, closing the door with a solid thud that made her stiffen.

“I don’t suppose you have any tea,” she said icily.

Kel'Acthar raised an eyebrow, the edges of his mouth twitching slightly. “Not exactly in my budget,” he replied. “If you wanted comforts, you could’ve stayed in the upper hive. There are plenty of perfumed nobles up there.”

She narrowed her eyes. “I am here under orders, not for pleasure.”

“And so am I,” he replied, shrugging as he sat on the lone chair, gesturing for her to take the cot. When she remained standing, he continued, “So, let’s get one thing clear. We’re not going to be able to find this Changeling by lording over the locals and acting like we’re better than them.”

“Because I am better than them,” she shot back, crossing her arms. “I am an inquisitor of noble birth, trained to carry out the Emperor’s will. Unlike some…”

Kel'Acthar snorted, folding his hands. “Nobility doesn’t mean much down here. If anything, it’ll make you a target.”

She opened her mouth to retort, but he leaned forward, his tone growing serious. “These underhive gangs? They eat people like you alive. You stand out. They’ll notice every gesture, every look, every sniff you make.” He tilted his head, his red eyes narrowing. “You want to succeed down here? You’ll follow my lead.”

She took a slow breath, biting back the retort she wanted to hurl. She had no choice; her mentor had made that clear. But this—this was a humiliation, a test that went against everything she had been taught.

“Fine,” she said through gritted teeth. “Tell me your plan, then.”

Kel'Acthar leaned back in his chair, folding his arms across his chest. “Simple. We need the gangs’ blessing to move freely. The underhive boss runs everything down here, and if we want to get anywhere without half the hive gunning for us, we’ll need to get in his good graces.”

Elara frowned. “And how exactly do you propose we do that? Bribe him?”

Kel’Acthar shook his head, smirking slightly. “He doesn’t care about money. What he values is power. Fear. People who can be useful to him.” He gestured to her, his smile turning almost wolfish. “Which is where you come in.”

Elara stiffened, her tone sharpening. “What exactly are you suggesting?”

Kel’Acthar leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. “You’re going to play the part of a worried noblewoman from the upper hive. You’ve hired me to help you find your missing child, and you’ll plead your case to the boss. People like you don’t come down here unless it’s serious, and if he sees you’re desperate enough to come groveling, he’ll listen.”

Her expression darkened, her voice icy. “You want me to pretend to grovel?”

He shrugged. “Not pretend. Sell it. Make him believe you’re exactly what you look like—a desperate mother who’ll do anything to get her kid back.”

Elara’s hands clenched into fists at her sides. She could feel the heat rising in her face, the indignation bubbling beneath her skin. “You expect me to humiliate myself in front of some… some criminal scum?”

Kel’Acthar’s expression hardened, his voice low and steady. “I expect you to do your job. If you can’t swallow your pride long enough to fool the boss, then we’re as good as dead down here.”

They stared at each other for a long moment, the tension between them thick enough to cut. Finally, Elara exhaled sharply, turning away.

“Fine,” she said, her voice clipped. “I’ll do it. But if this plan fails, it’s on your head.”

Kel’Acthar smirked, leaning back in his chair. “Blame usually dose, just follow my lead.”