The Deceiver's Path - Chapter 146 - Chains in the Snow (Patreon)

Piper stood in the snowy courtyard, awaiting the arrival of the sleigh, all the while keeping an eye on Ophelia. Ever since her friend had attended training with Lysander yesterday, she’d been unusually quiet. And Ophelia was never quiet.

She sidled up to her friend and gently poked her with her elbow. “Are you alright?”

“I’m fine,” Ophelia replied without looking in her direction.

Piper winced at the reply. She’d obviously done something to upset the young woman, though she had no idea what it had been.

Ophelia reached up to tie back her golden hair. Her burn scar crinkled slightly as she frowned. “Do you think Mom and Dad will be happy to see me?”

“What are you talking about?” Piper tried to hide her shock at the question but utterly failed. She wouldn’t have been more surprised if a wyvern had descended and done a little dance in front of them. “Why in the world would you say that?”

“I know they miss you, but do you think they miss me?”

“They love you to death,” Piper said fiercely. “Never wonder something like that. I bet they miss you more than anything in the world.”

“Thanks, Pip. I hope you’re right.”

“I know that I’m right. They love you.”

She reached over and squeezed her friend’s hand. Was all this because her friend was worried about their reception when they got home?

Piper immediately felt a surge of worry as she realized she hadn’t told Ophelia that they needed to delay their journey home. During her brief trip to the Infernal Realm, Astaroth had told her that death awaited her on the other side of the Dragonspine Mountains.

Unless she could figure out how to make a flying mount to get in and out of the Bloodveil Empire without being seen, they would have to wait to check on their family. No matter how much it pained her.

I really need to figure out how to create a flying mount.

Piper fought down a yawn, her eyes bleary from lack of sleep. The previous evening, she’d stayed up late with Sarnyxia to work on a new spell. The demoness had learned how to cast something called [Marionette’s Curse] in the Infernal Realm.

Long ago, during her awakening, she’d witnessed a vision of a Shadeling Demoness with a Deceiver class use the same spell to turn her enemies into puppets. Piper desperately wanted to learn the spell, though she’d had no success last night.

Sarnyxia had explained the spell worked by using mana to seize control of invisible pathways travelling through a body. Piper knew from her extensive time in the hospital that the pathways the demoness referred to were nerves. But even with that knowledge, she had failed to unlock the spell.

I’ll have to try again the next time I’m in combat.

While most skills manifested when a person was trying to improve them, spells seemed to work differently. Aside from the ones granted upon leveling up, most of her new spells had only appeared during desperate battles.

She yawned and stretched while she waited for the others to arrive. According to Lysander, there were three groups of aspirants and a group of wayfarers escorting the noblewoman. Hopefully, that would be enough to keep the redcaps and undead at bay during their journey.

“Good morning, gravebait,” Lysander called out. He turned and grinned at Ophelia. “How are you feeling today?”

The blond-haired woman rubbed her shoulder. “I’m sore.”

“That means you had a good workout. Next time you level up, I’ll help you allocate your points to ensure faster recovery.”

Piper sniffed. “It’s not like she would listen to you. All of her points are currently in Strength.”

Ophelia giggled. “Did you really believe that?”

She narrowed her eyes. “You didn’t put all your points into Strength? Were you playing a trick on me?”

“Maybe…” Ophelia dodged a swat from Piper. “How do I still get you after all this time?”

“I’m going to kill you,” Piper said through gritted teeth. “I was so worried that you’d get injured from having such low stats.”

“I do listen to you occasionally.”

“I guess miracles happen.”

Lysander glanced up at a group of approaching aspirants. “No more jawing. This one wants you out of the guild, so I’d do your best not to provoke her on the trip.”

Piper followed the man’s gaze and groaned internally at the sight of Joanna leading her entourage. She was not looking forward to doing a quest with the brat. But she would do her best to avoid another confrontation. Though if it happened, she had the troll illusion ready to smack down the young noblewoman.

Joanna stopped several paces away from them and theatrically rolled her eyes. “Please tell me I don’t have to endure riding with that lowborn peasant again. Does she not have a barn to muck out as befits her station?”

Biting down a retort, Piper climbed into the sleigh. Plus, it wasn’t like she could argue with the insult. It was common knowledge that she helped around the farm at the villa. Still, it was annoying to hear that from a brat.

Ophelia climbed in next to her and settled down. “Want me to smack her around a bit?”

Shooting a glance over at the bodyguard, Monika, Piper shook her head. “I don’t think that would end well.”

“I bet the three of us could take her. Let me clobber that jerk.”

“Which one’s the jerk?”

“They’re all jerks.” Ophelia laughed. “But I could definitely beat them with my angel sword.”

“Stop showing that thing to everyone,” Piper whispered harshly. “I don’t want you to draw it again unless we’re in a life-or-death situation or facing demons…”

“What if we’re facing demon zombies?”

“Those don’t exist.”

“What about zombie demons?

Piper let out a long sigh. “They’re the same thing!”

“How do you know they don’t exist?”

“I just know. Now promise that you won’t draw it.”

“Yes, Mom.”

Piper rolled her eyes before remembering how annoying Joanna looked when she did it. She chewed on her lower lip and then decided she wasn’t nearly as theatrical as the young noblewoman. So, it should be fine when she did it.

More wayfarers and aspirants straggled out of the building. She had no idea how they were all going to fit onto a single sleigh, but then another pair of transports glided around the building.

Thankfully, Joanna’s group immediately made a beeline for one of the other sleighs. Nikandros helped the young woman in before taking a seat in the front. Monika clambered in the back and placed her swords across her lap. All the while, the noblewoman loudly complained about the cold, her seat, and being forced to travel with peasants.

Piper caught Nikandros's gaze, and he shot her a grin. At the smile, her face twisted with confusion before she looked away. What on earth was going on with him? Why was he being so friendly? It had to be a trick of some sort.

A few minutes later, they were joined by Lysander and Zenos. The latter had a huge grin on his face and held a bag in his hand. Zenos leaped into the back and plopped down beside Piper.

From his bag, the man pulled out a bone carving of a unicorn. “A little present for you.”

Piper took the gift and peered at him quizzically. “What’s this for?”

“My luck has finally turned. I won big at dice yesterday, and I thought that I’d share my good fortune.”

She examined the carving, quite impressed with the level of detail. It was a really beautiful gift from Zenos. She clutched it to her chest. “Thank you. It’s lovely.”

“I knew that you’d like it,” he beamed before turning to Ophelia. “And don’t think that I’ve forgotten about you.”

From the bag, he pulled out a medallion with a golden figure surrounded by what looked like radiant light. “This is a pendant worn by warriors to gain the Emperor's favor.”

Ophelia’s eyes nearly bugged out of her head. “Is that gold? Real gold?”

Zenos chuckled and leaned over to hang the pendant around her neck. “As I said, I had a run of good luck. After taking all the money from the servants, I was invited to a game the adventurers were having. I won quite a bit from them, which allowed me to purchase this for you.”

“It’s amazing,” Ophelia said excitedly. “Thanks!”

Zenos returned his attention to Piper. “And don’t think yours is simple bone. The owner claimed it was carved from a unicorn horn and is said to possess great healing power.”

“Does it really work?”

“Who knows?” he laughed. “But it makes for a wonderful story, and for how much it cost me, it had better work.”

“Enough talking, gravebait,” Lysander snapped. The man leaned back and placed a hat over his face. “I had a few too many pints last night, and I plan to sleep until we reach Helidros. If any of you wake me up with your chatter, I’ll have you on latrine duty for the next week.”

“You can’t put us on latrine duty,” Ophelia shot back. “We’re not servants.”

“Want to test me?”

Conflicting emotions warred on the young woman’s face until she finally shook her head. “No.”

“Good choice. Now, not another word out of you.”

Piper shared a look with Zenos and then turned to peer over the side of the sleigh. At least she could watch the wildlife on the way to Helidros. She still held out hope that she’d see a herd of mammoths.

The driver waited until the other sleighs were loaded before snapping the reins. As he did, the sleigh lurched forward, making Lysander curse, and then the horses found a steady pace.

As the convoy left the courtyard, dark clouds gathered in the sky above. She silently prayed to no one in particular that the snow would hold off until they arrived. The last few weeks had delivered enough of the white stuff to last a lifetime.

True to his word, Lysander fell into a deep slumber, and his snores drifted across the wagon. Even the driver shook his head as the sound intensified until it sounded like the man was sawing logs.

Piper kept herself busy watching the landscape. Unfortunately, the trip turned out to be mind-numbingly boring, as no animals stirred in the snow, and she didn’t even sight a single bird.

They passed through the gorge where the wyvern had hunted her like prey. She was surprised to see that many of the statues had been buried up to their necks in snow. Would even this gorge eventually become impassable?

A short time later, they reached the spot of the redcap ambush, but the storm had buried any trace of the battle.

After several more hours of mind-numbingly boring travel, the sleigh arrived in front of the towering walls of the town. By that point, Ophelia was like a coiled spring, nearly vibrating with pent-up energy. If her friend didn’t get out of the sleigh soon, she would almost certainly cause problems for them.

Before they had even stopped moving, Piper leaped over the side. “Do you want to stretch your legs with me?”

“Yes, please!” Ophelia immediately jumped out and drew her wooden sword. “Want me to show you some moves?”

Piper shrugged. “Why not?”

As her friend took her through a series of stances and forms she’d never seen before, the others piled out of their sleighs. Seemingly, they were just as tired of sitting as her friend. Only Joanna remained seated, sniffing at all those around her.

Piper turned her attention back to Ophelia. She tried to emulate her friend's moves using her mace, but she kept messing up the footing. She was really looking forward to the weapon trainer's arrival at the villa. More than anything, she knew that she needed to improve her fighting skills.

“Aspirants!” a shrill voice cried out from nearby. “I will not be escorted by mere aspirants!”

Piper lowered her mace and turned around to see a heavyset woman nearly buried in furs waving dismissively in their direction. “I was promised a proper escort by the guild. Not this… this… rabble!”

Lysander roused himself at the noise and sat up in the wagon. He peered around blearily before clambering over the sideboard. “This is the very best we have available for your escort,” he said, waving off another wayfarer who was approaching the woman. “But I have no problem heading back to the villa if you want to hire someone else.”

The woman adjusted her fur hat and took a deep breath. “I suppose this will have to do. I’ll have you know that the guild master, Niko, is a close friend of mine. He will most certainly hear about how you treat me. And the fact that you’re forcing me to endure the company of aspirants. Now, where should I put my cargo?”

Lysander waved at the sleigh. “There is plenty of room in the back.”

The woman’s eyebrow twitched up. “For twenty of them?”

“For twenty of what? Crates?”

“Slaves, of course. I’m bringing new slaves to toil at the manor.”

Piper's eyes widened in horror at hearing they were transporting slaves. She refused to have anything to do with the repugnant practice.

“You never said anything about slaves,” Lysander said stiffly. “I was simply told cargo.”

“And what do you think slaves are?”

Lysander scowled, his lip curling up in distaste. “People.”

“Hardly,” she sniffed. “These were all refugees from the Bloodveil Empire. As you know, they are raised as cattle and are inferior to Arissians. Most of them were starving on the street before the Lord-Mayor swept them up. I am doing them a favor by generously giving them food and a roof over their heads. What else would you have us do with these poor wretches?”

“The guild doesn’t traffic in slaves.”

“This is not trafficking.” She gave him a sickly sweet smile. “Only escorting them to my manor. Now, are you going to comply, or will I have to speak to the Lord-Mayor to have the lease on your sad little villa revoked? What will your superiors say if the guild is banished from these parts? I imagine your career would be over.”

Lysander spat to the side. “I want no part in this.”

Another wayfarer from the guild stepped forward and placed a hand on Lysander’s shoulder. They conversed in hushed tones for a minute until their escort finally threw up his hands. He stomped back to the sleigh while the other wayfarer bowed to the noblewoman.

“I’m not transporting slaves,” Piper said as Lysander marched past her.

“Shut up, gravebait,” Lysander snarled. “We have no choice.”

“No, I won’t shut up. This is wrong!”

Spinning around, Lysander thrust a finger in her direction. “Do you think I’m happy with this arrangement? I’ve been overruled. Unless both of us want to leave the guild, we have no choice but to go along with our superiors.”

Piper shook her head. “You know this is wrong.”

Lysander almost seemed to deflate. “Do you think I don’t know that? Sometimes, there are things you just can’t change.”

“We have to at least try!”

He laughed with no mirth. “What are a wayfarer and an aspirant going to do? Now shut up before you get us both into more trouble.”

Piper gritted her teeth and crossed her arms. She would leave the guild before transporting slaves. It would sting to lose the resources, but she would have no part in this.

As she opened her mouth to say as much, she slowly shut it again at the sight of the slaves filing out from the gates. Each of them wore an iron collar around their neck with chains stretching between them. At the lead was a familiar figure with a shock of red hair.

“Vespera?” she whispered.

As the slaves were loaded into the sleighs, she simply nodded at Lysander. “Fine. I’ll escort the slaves.”

He gave her a suspicious look but didn’t push the matter any further.

As she climbed back into her now crowded sleigh, she decided her only goal was to free the slaves on the road to the manor. After all, what was the point of all the power she had if she couldn’t help others? She just regretted that it had taken the sight of her friend in chains to bring her to that conclusion.