Realizing their conversation was coming to an end, she hurried to the entrance, thinking to tell Lebendig to take the horses around the back of the Leichtes Haus where Wichtig wouldn’t see them. She paused, hand on the door, glancing back to check she hadn’t been seen, and stopped. Wichtig was gone. Not gone like he somehow stepped out without her noticing—that was impossible. Gone like he’d never been there.
Morgen remained, sitting patiently like he was waiting for—Me. He’s waiting for me. She remembered Bedeckt telling Wichtig and her—though he sent the Swordsman off first—to meet him at the Leichtes Haus. Here sat the little snot godling in his place. She remembered how easily they entered Selbsthass City. Morgen planned this. Somehow he knew they’d come here.
Stehlen stepped out of the inn and flashed Lebendig a quick wink. The Swordswoman twitched an eyebrow. Where a man would have asked a stupid question she said nothing.
Re-entering the Leichtes Haus, Stehlen banged the door open and strode within. Still no one noticed her entrance. Not even the godling. Grumbling, she approached Morgen’s table. The shite didn’t see her until she dropped heavily into the chair Wichtig previously occupied. It was still warm. Morgen glanced up, his eyes sad, and then not.
And what is it that plagues you, my bland little godling? Guilt, perchance?
“What are you doing here?” asked Morgen, calm and composed.
You’re a good liar, but not that good. “We made good time,” said Stehlen, ignoring his question.
“We?”
Again she ignored his query. “Bedeckt said to meet him here. Said he had a job planned. The World’s Greatest Moron hasn’t made an appearance yet, has he?”
Morgen shook his head, avoiding her eyes. Only Lebendig ever looked directly at her. Everyone else shied from her gaze with poorly concealed looks of disgust. Even gods.
“Just as well,” she said. And now to sow some doubt. “He can’t follow the simplest directions. I’ve seen him get lost on a straight street with no intersections.”
“Bedeckt is gone,” said Morgen as if she hadn’t spoken.
Fine, let’s play that game. “Gone? Dead? Again?” She snorted, a nasal snork of amusement.
“No,” said Morgen. “He’s alive.” Now he did look her in the eyes. “Unlike you.”
“Returned to life? How?” Did Wichtig asked this question? She hadn’t been listening. Probably not, the fool never thought to question anything.
“He killed me. I must obey his commands.”
“I know how that is,” said Stehlen, feigning camaraderie. It felt awkward and false.
“He forced me to return him to life. He said he wanted to be free of you and Wichtig. He said you were insane. Filthy.” There was no hint of apology in his voice. “He abandoned you here.”
Stehlen’s breath came ragged with rage. Control yourself. He’s doing to you what he did to that idiot Swordsman. You’re smarter than this. God or no she’d kill the little shite, paint his world with blood.
Not yet.
“Bedeckt stole from you,” said Morgen, unaware or uncaring of how close he was to death.
“Stole from me?” Stehlen asked, confused.
“He killed you and then he left you here. He took from you the chance to avenge your death.” Morgen shrugged, his eyes bleeding insipid apology. “He abandoned you. Again.”
“I’ll kill the pig-sticker.” The words escaped before she could snap her teeth closed. “No one steals from me,” she hissed. He’s manipulating you. It didn’t matter. Assuming Bedeckt really had left her here, Morgen wasn’t wrong.
“Bedeckt is alive and you’re dead and he didn’t even try to bring you with him.” Morgen’s lip curled in childish anger. “He used me, used his power over me. He stole from the church. Gold. A lot of gold. He’s wealthy, fat, and lazy. And he left you here.” Morgen glanced at his hands, hidden beneath the table and his eyes narrowed, glazing with tears. “He took Wichtig with him and left you here.”
The outright lie quenched Stehlen’s rage like a sodden blanket on dying embers. Morgen told Wichtig that Bedeckt abandoned him here. If he lied about bringing Wichtig with him, what else did he lie about? Was it all a lie? Was Bedeckt still here, somewhere in the Afterdeath? No, she felt sure that much was true. Bedeckt was gone. But what if he hadn’t abandoned her, what if that was the lie? Did Morgen return the old man to life just so he could send Wichtig and Stehlen after him? Why would he do that, why would Morgen return Bedeckt to life only to have him killed? Morgen said it himself: Bedeckt killed the boy. The Geborene godling was bound to serve in the Afterdeath.
But what does returning Bedeckt to life achieve? And why send me? Trying to think this through was like trying to puzzle out one of Bedeckt’s shite plans. Stehlen’s head spun. Planning was for idiots. She didn’t need a plan, she needed to be smarter and faster than those she was up against.
She eyed Morgen. That shouldn’t be too difficult.
The godling underestimated her as all did. Of course Wichtig—self-centred, egotistical, and overconfident as he was—never thought to question the boy. Stehlen saw through the lies. I’ll save Bedeckt’s life, ruin the Geborene brat’s plans. One more theft, making her the winner.
Stehlen’s breath caught and she stifled the urge to laugh.