Chapter Seventeen

 

 

WE BOTH lay huddled on threadbare blankets in the corner of the shack. Despite Ver’s snoring, I fell asleep almost instantly. It seemed I’d barely closed my eyes before Jory was shaking me awake.

“Almost dawn,” he said.

“All right.”

Our hostesses watched silently as we left. They hadn’t offered breakfast, and I didn’t ask. I shuddered to think what scavengers might dine on.

It wasn’t far to the warehouse, and we passed nobody except for a few scavengers. They glanced curiously at us but said nothing. The cold mud squelched between my bare toes, chilling me and reminding me uncomfortably of when I was a shoeless child and teen. I hoped my soles hadn’t softened too much in the intervening years, protected as they had been by my fine boots.

“Everyone around here recognizes you?” Jory asked.

“Many of them.”

“But few know me. Meet me at the warehouse? I’ll find us something to eat and drink.”

I wanted to refuse, but he had a good point. We’d eaten little the previous day, and while I supposed we could miss a few more meals without dropping dead, we needed to drink. Besides, I needed a few supplies. “Get paper and pen too. We need to send a message.”

“All right. How will we send it?”

“I’m working on that.”

We stood in the soft gray of the early morning, staring at each other. “Be careful,” I finally said.

He smiled. “You too.”

As I walked away, I sensed him watching me.

Instead of going straight to the warehouse, I headed a few streets south to a dilapidated building with a caved-in roof. The ground-floor windows were boarded shut and the upper-story ones were gaping holes. The structure had been slightly more sound when I was a boy, but not much. I assumed magic must be keeping it from collapsing entirely.

Grateful to be skinny, I crawled in through some broken boards at the rear of the building. I pulled in the bag with the head; the damn thing was certainly annoying to drag around. I tiptoed through a narrow, cobwebbed hall and into a large room, empty except for a dozen or so lumps on the floor. At least my lack of boots made me quieter.

“Good morning,” I said.

The lumps sprang to life, some of them hissing like cats, most brandishing makeshift weapons. A few of them would clearly have liked to escape, but I blocked the exit.

“You should always have more than one way out of a room,” I said pleasantly. “What if I set a fire right here where I’m standing? You’d all bake.”

“Whattaya want?” growled the largest figure, still several heads shorter than me. I couldn’t tell if it was a boy or a girl.

“I’m looking for Wenna.” I tried to remember the name of the friend she’d mentioned, the one for whom Jory had once done a good turn. “Or Tomi.”

“Dunno who you’re talking about.”

“I’m going to the wraiths’ house. I’ll give a remi to anyone who brings Wenna to me within an hour.” I had to trust that these youths didn’t know about the price on my head—or if they did, that they would prefer a remi from me to a larger reward from the guards, who they probably despised.

Well, that got them moving. Most of them had likely never possessed that much money at once. I left the way I had come, and I heard them scrambling out of the building behind me.

Tangye’s street urchins were like a disorganized little army. The city guard had underestimated them when I was a boy and during my time as a guard, and they underestimated them still. Just because a person is young and small doesn’t mean she isn’t useful—or dangerous. And as messengers, they had the added benefits of being swift and mostly unnoticed by the general populace. When I was one of them, I’d often felt invisible, which wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. I could have used that magic now.

I sped back to the warehouse before either full light or the general population of the Low could catch me afoot.

It was an odd thing, but after the ordeal in Tewl Loor, the warehouse didn’t feel frightening. In fact, a few minutes after I arrived, the temperature dropped suddenly but my heartbeat remained even. I turned around slowly, and there was a single wraith. It floated a few steps away, seeming to consider me.

“Did you oversleep?” I asked. “I don’t blame you. I’d love a good nap myself.”

It didn’t react. I don’t know how sentient wraiths are. I’m not even sure what they are. Some people think they’re a type of ghost, the incorporeal remains of dead humans, but I doubt it. They certainly don’t resemble the ghosts I saw in Tewl Loor. If I had to lay a bet, I’d say wraiths are spirits of the river itself. Why couldn’t the river Tangye have… well, a soul? Or multiple souls.

“We won’t be here for long. Maybe you could let us stay just a few hours? I don’t have anything to pay you with, I’m afraid. I’m tapped out.” I wiggled my bare toes.

It came closer and reached out an appendage. Its arm, I guessed, although it looked more like a thin line of heavy fog. It touched my shoulder and I felt its chill through the heavy cloth of my cloak as well as my tunic. But it was nothing compared to Lady Death’s touch.

I laughed. “I’m danced out too.”

The wraith remained unmoving. It had no face, and that was preferable to Lady Death, who’d stolen the visage of my mother. Despite the lack of expression, I felt some emotion coming off the wraith. Curiosity, perhaps?

“Does it make you angry, what we’ve done to your river? It must have been clean once. Probably still is, before it flows into the city.”

Out of nowhere, I had a brief vision of clear water bounding joyfully over rounded rocks and around boulders, thick swaths of green embracing it on either side and a shockingly blue sky overhead.

I sighed. “My mother was given to the river after she died. It wasn’t intended as a sacrifice… yet perhaps we can think of it that way. She was a good woman once, I think. You should remember that.”

The wraith floated a few steps back, dropped its arm, and bowed. Although startled, I bowed back. Then it disappeared through a crack in the wallboards.

Warmth was just returning to my body when Jory returned. Until I saw his face, I’d been half-certain I’d never see him again—that he’d been caught by the guards or had simply fled Tangye without me. When he came near, I impulsively drew him into a fierce embrace.

He pulled back after a moment. “You’re going to crush our breakfast.” But he was smiling. “And you look rather pleased with yourself.”

“I’ve sent for a messenger and had a lovely chat with a wraith.”

He glanced around quickly. “A wraith?”

“It’s gone. You know two nights ago, when they attacked? I’m not sure that was an attack. I think they were just trying to figure out what we are.”

“They could have found a more polite way to ask.” Jory clasped my hand and pulled me to sit on the floor. “Food.”

He handed me a thin clay bowl with a leaf tied tightly over the top. Once you removed it, you could use it as a spoon to scoop out the contents.

He’d inadvertently found one of my favorites, a thick porridge dotted with dried fruits and bits of spiced meat. Not only was it tasty, but it was the kind of meal that kept a belly filled for hours. Jory brought two bowls, plus a large waterskin containing lukewarm tea. It was a small feast, especially after Jory produced, with obvious delight, a paper bag full of sugared almonds.

“Did you find paper and pen too?” I asked as I rubbed my satisfied stomach. Whatever else happened today, at least I wouldn’t meet my death hungry.

“I did.”

“Will you write a message for me?”

“Of course.”

He must have had endless pockets hidden in his tunic. He produced a few thin sheets of paper from one of them, along with a bespelled pen that never needed an inkwell. “Isn’t that expensive?” I asked.

“I struck a good bargain.”

His innocent face didn’t fool me. He’d likely stolen the thing. But now wasn’t the time to be particular.

“Write,” I ordered, then watched with no small fascination as he transcribed my words. I’m hardly an expert, but his penmanship looked exceptionally neat. Maybe even a bit fancy.

Myghal,

I may have killed people, but I am not a murderer. I think you know that. There is a plot that endangers the city and the monarchy. I have proof. Come to the wraiths’ house and I’ll show you.

Daveth

Jory had to sign it for me because I couldn’t write even that much.

As befits an obedient scribe, he didn’t ask any questions while I dictated. When we were done, he folded the paper, melted a bit of sealing wax with a calmstick, and wrote Myghal’s name on the flap.

He was just opening his mouth, no doubt to interrogate me, when we heard voices. Two children cautiously entered the warehouse, their eyes large. One was Wenna, who grinned at seeing me. The other was an equally grubby but slightly younger girl who was, I assumed, one of the children I’d awakened that morning.

“Give me my remi,” demanded the younger kid.

“Steep fee,” observed Jory, but he handed the girl a coin. She clutched it tightly and ran away. Wenna remained, however, her eyes bright.

“I need you to bring a message to someone,” I said, holding up the note. “It’s important.”

“What’s it about?”

“It’s a long story. I’m going to pay you now, and then I’ll have to trust you to deliver it. If you don’t, Jory and I will die.” I didn’t mention that we might die regardless. An added bit of fear wouldn’t hurt. “If we die, we will come back as ghosts and haunt you.”

She scrunched up her face doubtfully. “You can’t do that.”

“We can. We just came back from meeting with a necromancer in Tewl Loor.”

“Daveth danced with Lady Death herself,” Jory said. “I saw it.”

Now her eyes widened. “What did she look like?” Wenna whispered.

I said, “My mother.”

Wenna’s expression was far too old for her, and she nodded. “Is your papa dead too?”

“Don’t know. Have no idea who he is.”

“You got brothers? Sisters?”

“I have myself.”

Jory moved slightly closer to me but didn’t say anything.

“I’ll deliver it,” Wenna said. “Promise.”

Risking my life on the word of a ragamuffin wasn’t wise, but it certainly wasn’t the most foolish thing I’d done that week. “Give her whatever coins we have left,” I instructed Jory.

He did. It wasn’t much. But she’d get several meals out of it. Then I had a thought. “Do you know where I live?”

“Yeah.”

“Okay. I doubt I’ll ever go back there. If I’m right about that, the place is yours. Rent’s paid for another month. Lockspell password is drought. I have a decent cloak there, and you’re welcome to the rest of my possessions too.”

Her thin face was grave and her voice tiny. “All right.”

That was good. At least someone deserving would profit from my death.

Apparently inspired by my offer, Jory spoke up. “Mine too. Ask around if you don’t know where I live. My rent’s paid only through the week, but I own a few nice things. If you sell them wisely, you’ll end up with quite a few coins in your purse.”

“I don’t want you two to die,” she said. “There’s lots of bad people in Tangye, but not you.”

I snorted. “I don’t want to die either, kid.” I guess it was nice one resident of the city preferred me alive.

She held out her hand and I gave her the paper. She squinted at the name, then shook her head. “Can’t read it.”

“Me either. It says Captain Myghal Tren. He’s in the city guard. Take it to the guardhouse on Royal Road at the entrance to the Royal Quarter.”

“What if they won’t listen to me?”

“Be persuasive. Throw my name around if you need to.”

She tucked the note into her clothing carefully. “I’m gonna say a prayer for you. There’s a priestess who comes around sometimes and gives us food if we listen to her, and she taught us some prayers. I don’t think they work, ’cause I prayed for all kinds of things and didn’t get ’em. But maybe it’ll work this time.”

“Thank you, Wenna.”

After a quick smile, she was gone, leaving Jory and me alone.

“Do you want to rest?” he asked.

“No.”

He came close and put his warm palm against my cheek. “Do you want to fuck?” he said seductively, locking eyes with me as his thumb gently stroked.

I walked away, although I had nowhere to go and nothing in the room was as interesting to look at as Jory.

“You can stop the act,” I said without turning around.

“You think I’m acting?”

“I think you’ve decided your best chance of survival is with me—which is wrong—and you’re doing your best to keep me between you and the guards’ blades.” I sighed and turned to face him. “I don’t blame you. I won’t even argue that I don’t deserve it, considering I started this whole thing by trying to drag you to Lord Uren. And I’ll stand in front of those blades regardless. But for the gods’ sakes, Jory, let me spend my last hour without lies.”

He gazed at me with his lips curled between his teeth. Finally he flashed a sad little smile. “I can’t decide which of us you have less faith in.”

“Jory—”

“Honesty is not my strong point, but I’ll try.” He looked down for a moment as if gathering his thoughts. “When my family disowned me and my lover left me, I held out hope for a while that somehow… somehow I’d regain at least a part of what I’d lost. I thought maybe someone would hear me sing and fall in love with me. Not a rich man—I’m not greedy—but perhaps an artisan or shopkeeper with a comfortable life. A lot of them were certainly willing to fuck me.”

I didn’t want to hear this but couldn’t walk away. After all, I’d essentially invited him to speak. “That wasn’t what you wanted,” I said.

“I don’t mind sex as sport, but I yearned for more. I don’t think it’s too much to ask for, being loved.”

“Love is a lie.”

His eyes hardened. “Don’t you dare say that. Your mother loved you and you loved her back. You didn’t have long enough together, and she failed you in the end. But you had love. Don’t deny it.”

Although I worked my jaw, I didn’t say anything. Instead, I wondered what difference a few old, stale crumbs of affection made to a heart. A great deal, I’d guess.

He took a deep breath and continued. “It took me too long, but eventually I realized that none of these men would love me. They couldn’t, because they had no respect for me. I was just a whore.”

“There’s no just,” I growled. “I’ve told you how I feel about that.”

“I know. That’s my point. Not one person ever saw me as more than a plaything. Even Uren—especially Uren. And I gave up. Why do you think I put up so little resistance when you first came for me, even though I knew what the outcome would be?”

“Because you knew I’d win if we fought.”

“Possibly. But I could have found a way to escape if I’d tried. I didn’t try. I’d come to the point where it didn’t matter anymore. Then you protected me when Uren’s men attacked us.”

“I—”

“Wait. You did. And more than that.” He stepped forward and stroked my jawline. “You’ve been impatient with me and you don’t trust me, but you’ve never scorned me or had contempt for me because I’m a whore. You’ve never acted as if I’m… tainted.”

“You’re not. I know tainted, and you’re not.”

“You’re not either, you know. Don’t make that face, Daveth. If you’re not going to judge me, you should stop judging yourself so harshly. Anyway, this is the truth. And you fascinate me—I’ve never met anyone like you. I don’t think anyone like you exists. You’re a mythical creature, like a horse. Can you imagine a large animal that allows people to ride on it and lead it around?” He laughed and stroked me again.

I just shook my head, unbelieving.

“Daveth, if all I wanted from you was protection, do you really think I’d have come to a building haunted by wraiths—twice? Would I have gone down into Tewl Loor to chat with a necromancer? All I want from you is you. I wish I had the time to know you better, but if all we have are these short days, I’ll take that much.”

When he kissed me, I didn’t push him away.