The Codex Lacrimae: The Book of Tears

Chapter 26: The Huntsmen's Endgame

The broad Gluckhaus platform of the Sampo appeared in one of the sub-cellars of the Krak des Chevaliers. Marcus, Jacob, and Genevieve emerged into the dark space amidst a shimmering shower of jettons and spinning dice.

"We did it!" Jacob exclaimed, relieved to see the stonemasonry of the castle instead of the stormy Port of Niflheim. No orcs or frost-giants loomed here.

"We did it," Marcus echoed."We did it, we did it, we did it!" The youth opened his hand and made a pulling motion. Hundreds of jettons swirled back into the hood of his cloak as he put the dice into his leather waist pouch. When the three youths stepped off the Gluckhaus board, it shrank to a portable size that Marcus secured somewhere behind his lower back.

"That was a great job, Marcus—thank you!" Genie said warmly, smiling as the boy hugged her and put a nose in her eye.

Something rumbled through the fortress.

"Let's get upstairs." Jacob turned, looking upward. "It sounds as if the war's begun."

When they reached the final landing, another thump vibrated through the fortress, and they heard shouting and feet running in the hallways above. With a whispered, "Come on!" Jacob dashed up the last flight of steps, threw open the door, and ran to the closest opening onto the courtyard at the end of the corridor. Framed within its sides—like a painting depicting Hell's fires—were the ruined wooden shards of the front gate and the smoke billowing from the broken curtain wall.

Genevieve stood beside him. "It's really begun, then."

"I need to find my mother," Jacob said. "Wait, that looks like dawn but what day is it?"

"Twelve hours have passed here on Midgard since we tried to undo the poisonings of Brother Nicholas," the Norn of the Present said.

"Oh, Lord," Jacob said, horrified. "Genie—I almost forgot. Those people—"

"Have either been helped by Alex and the others, or they're dead." She put a firm hand on the youth's shoulder. "As Clarinda's fond of saying, we'll deal with these things in order. First, make sure your mother's safe and healthy, then we'll find Clarinda and Fatima. For some reason, I can't contact them through the triquerta brooches." She smiled at Marcus. "I know they're going to want to speak with you and see the Sampo."

"Fatima and Khalil," Marcus said, obviously relieved to be back in familiar environs. "Orí and Ibn-Khaldoon."

"Yes," Genie said, "we're going to see all your family." They moved forward, and then Genie sidestepped in front of Jacob. "Get behind me," she whispered, protectively putting him behind her.

Three men stood in the shadows of another stairwell. Though dressed in Hospitaller uniforms, something about them frightened Jacob, not merely their drawn swords, but the unnerving manner with which they regarded Genevieve. Jacob gasped when he recognized the foremost man as Brother Demetrius, one of the physicians who'd attended Mercedier in Grand Master Arcadian's solarium. It seemed impossible. The man had been severely injured when he'd seen him last, but there he was—the knight to Demetrius's immediate right wasBrother Mercedier!

"Ah, Go'mårra, Verdandi, I am Mogthrasir." The Huntsman greeted Genie in Norwegian. "I knew your previous incarnation quite well." He smiled slyly and gave a shrug. "It's too bad that Santini slew her before we could get properly ... reacquainted." He pointed to his left, to the man opposite Mercedier who stood in the shadows. "This is Farbauti, and this is Mor—

Marcus drew his sword. "Ce n'est pas Frère Mercedier,"heshouted in great agitation. "Ce n'est pas Frère Mercedier. Il est le mauvais homme. Il est le mauvais homme!"