Scar'oth's laugh was genuinely amused.
"Oh, that wasn't US. That was YOUR helpful insider." He gestured to Darius's corpse behind them. "Very thorough, our late friend. Shared wine with the evening patrol before their shift. Good wine, too. Expensive. They never suspected."
He sounded almost impressed.
"Mixed my poison right into the barrel. Every warrior who drank is now very peacefully taking a nap. The ones who didn't drink?" He nodded toward the hostages being held. "Well. They're being VERY cooperative now."
Faelyn felt bile rise in her throat.
Darius hadn't just betrayed Roshan and Nyx.
He'd poisoned the ENTIRE evening patrol.
Then Scar'oth's smile widened.
"Oh, but it gets BETTER. The evening meal? That communal celebration the elders organized to promote 'cooperation and unity' between tribes?" His laugh was delighted. "Your insider suggested the WINE for that too. Very generous of him. Most of the village is currently sleeping it off in their dwellings."
