I blinked. I’d heard that name, although only in whispers. He was a big man in Water Shallot, but ... I knew very little about him. He was supposed to be behind everything that happened in the district, yet ... I’d never even been sure he was real. He was a shadow, a cipher ... I shivered. It was disturbing, somehow, to know there was some truth behind the rumours.
My eyes narrowed. “And you know Zadornov?”
“My old master knew him.” Rebecca seemed to have given up all hope of keeping anything from us. “He purchased a handful of restricted ingredients from Zadornov. That was six years ago, more or less. I haven’t heard anything from Zadornov since.”
I figured she was telling the truth. “How would you contact him now?”
“I don’t know.” Rebecca met my eyes. “And if he knew I’d talked to you ...”
“We won’t tell him,” I said. “You have our word.”
“Hah,” Rebecca said. Her eyes went cold. “I ... the last I heard, he’d taken over the loan shark con. Completely, I mean. You could probably get a line on him if you shook them up a little, but ... you might also get turned into mice and fed to the cats. Zadornov ... he was genial, when I met him, but he was a very dangerous man. I can’t imagine he’s mellowed since then.”
I felt a flicker of sympathy. If the rumours and whispers were even remotely accurate, Rebecca would be in real trouble if Zadornov thought she’d betrayed him. He might even have pressed her, once or twice, to do favours for him over the last few years. The Bolingbroke connection might be enough to keep him away... or it might not. The Great Houses might not have touched someone like Zadornov with a ten-foot pole, but they might be quite happy to let Rebecca serve as the middleman. Was that why Malachi Rubén had pointed us at Rebecca? Or was I overthinking it?
“Thank you for your time,” I said, stepping back from her. “We’re sorry to bother you.”
Rebecca didn’t look pleased. Beside her, Jill shot me a look that should have turned me into a pile of ashes. If she’d been Alana, I would have considered it a very real possibility. I bowed to Rebecca, then led Caroline back through the door and into the shop itself. The collection of ingredients was impressive enough, but the row upon row of prepared potions, salves and medicines were stunning. Rebecca really had done well. And we’d come and bullied her. I told myself that we’d had no choice, but I wasn’t sure that was true. Malachi Rubén might have sent us up the garden path.
“So,” Caroline said, once we were outside. “What now?”
I felt my stomach rumble. “We get something to eat,” I said. It was mid-afternoon. I hadn’t eaten anything since breakfast. It felt like days had passed since we’d left Sir Griffons. “And then we go looking for a loan shark.”
I scowled. Father had warned me that it would be better to become a prostitute than sell myself to a loan shark. He’d actually been a lot more graphic, when he’d explained how the scam worked. The interest was so high that the debt literally could never be paid off. It was just like becoming an aristo’s client, only worse. I wondered, sourly, if Rebecca had run the risk of falling into Zadornov’s clutches. Her old master might have sold her for drink.
I should see if I can figure out her story, I thought. I’d never heard of Rebecca Travis. If she was good enough to be snapped up by House Bolingbroke, I should have heard of her. I’m sure there’s something missing here.
“And then ... what?” Caroline smiled, coldly. “Do we let him lead us to Zadornov?”
“I was thinking we’d force some answers out of him,” I said. I had no qualms about hurting loan sharks. They sent the leg-breakers around if someone missed a single payment. The entire community would cheer if the loan sharks were fed to real sharks. “And then let him take us up the chain to Zadornov.”
“And then?” Caroline smiled. “Do you think we can get answers out of him?”
I nodded as we entered a small diner. “Yeah,” I said. “I’m pretty sure we can.”
Chapter Twenty-Nine
It was raining by the time we returned to Water Shallot, great drops of water that splashed our cloaks and threatened to seep into our clothes, no matter what charms we used in a futile attempt to stay dry. The streets emptied, hundreds of people scurrying for what little cover they could find in the shops, clubs and alleyways. The only people left on the streets were the guardsmen, looking increasingly damp despite their caps and waterproof cloaks. I would have felt sorry for them if I hadn’t known they were making things worse. I was pretty damn sure the local hard cases were already plotting ways to drive the guardsmen out.
And yet the streets are probably safer than they’ve been in years, I thought, as we hurried into the lower districts. The stench of rotting fish was almost overwhelming. I wonder if anyone’s grateful for their presence.
“The loan sharks have an office down here,” I said, grimly. “Follow my lead.”
Caroline shot me a sharp look, then nodded. Something was bothering her, although I didn’t know what. She’d been very quiet over lunch. I wondered if she was having second thoughts about our plan. We were alone, miles from any hope of support. If we ran into something we couldn’t handle, we were dead - or worse. A smuggler who’d survived for years in Water Shallot wouldn’t have done it by being a nice, reasonable sort of person.
I put the thought to one side as we stepped into a grimy alley and eyed the shop. It was tiny, the building looking vaguely as if it was being squashed between two larger buildings. The golden globes in the window - cheap brass, naturally - marked it as a combination of pawnshop and several other trades that preyed on the desperate. I shuddered, remembering the horror stories I’d heard as a kid. The rentmen were genial souls, as long as you paid them. If you didn’t - if you couldn’t - out came the sticks. There were some men wandering the markets who’d been crippled for non-payment of debts. I hated to think what might have happened to the women.
The door chimed as I pushed it open. Inside, the shop was even smaller. There was barely any room for a handful of grown men. The shelves were lined with goods, put in pawn by people desperate to make their rent for the month. I frowned, wondering how much the stuff was worth. It probably wasn’t worth very much, even if the pawnbroker was honest. I was pretty sure the man behind the counter had undervalued everything that had crossed his desk.
“Hello?” The loan shark looked like a kindly old grandfather. “Can I help you?”
I met his eyes, daring him to challenge us. “Take me to Zadornov.”
He blinked. He made no visible motion, but the wards flickered. Two burly young men appeared, wearing black tunics and caps. The boys, I knew; the leg-breakers. I glanced at Caroline, then hit the first with an overpowered stunning hex. He flew back and crashed against the far wall. The second lifted his hand, too late. Caroline turned him into a stone and kicked him out the door. I wondered, vaguely, where he’d find himself when the spell finally wore off.
The loan shark’s jaw dropped. “What ...?”
“Take me to Zadornov,” I repeated. I felt no guilt at pushing the man around. I had no doubt he made people suffer, just because they couldn’t pay their rent. Once you were in their clutches, it was very hard to break free. “Now!”
The man stared at the stunned bodyguard, his eyes flickering between us. I glared at him, willing him to believe that I was ready to do anything to force him to comply. And yet ... I knew what he was thinking. Zadornov wouldn’t be happy if he took us to him. The loan shark would probably bear the brunt of Zadornov’s displeasure. I found it hard to care. The man deserved worse than either I or Zadornov could give him.
“Fine.” The loan shark grabbed his coat. “If you’ll come with me.”
“And no funny business,” I warned. “It might work out well for you if you take us there without any tricks.”
I was pretty sure that wasn’t true, but it didn’t matter. The loan shark closed the shop, then led us through a twisting maze of streets until we reached the older warehouses
by the canals. I was aware of eyes following us, but no one moved to bar our way. I wasn’t too surprised. The loan shark was a big man. No one wanted to risk his displeasure, save Zadornov himself. I wondered, idly, if Zadornov had set the man up or if he’d simply taken over once the loan shark was in power. The man had folded rapidly, when we’d confronted him. Most bullies collapsed when faced with someone stronger and more ruthless than themselves.
They’re cowards at heart, I reminded myself. The trick is to hit them hard enough to bring that to the fore.
The loan shark led us into a warehouse and spoke, briefly, to a man wearing a dockyard worker’s outfit. The man eyed us both, then vanished into the backroom. I waited, my heart pounding. The warehouse was surrounded by magical protections, slowly coming to life as they realised they had intruders. I braced myself, ready to fight my way out if there was no other choice. The loan shark could have led us into a trap. Or Zadornov might decide to kill us both ...
“This way.” The faux worker returned and indicated the door. “Come.”
We followed him through the door, up a rickety flight of stairs and into a small office. A man stood in front of a desk, studying us with a cool and collected expression. He was slightly shorter than me, muscular with broad shoulders, a pale face with dark hair cut so closely to his scalp that he was almost bald. His clothes marked him as a manual labourer, but they were made of a fine cloth no labourer could have hoped to buy with less than a decade’s wages. My eyes narrowed. A nobleman, pretending to slum with commoners? Or someone who wanted people to think he was a nobleman? But only a nobleman could afford such an outfit for day-to-day life.
Or a smuggler, I reminded myself. He’s probably rich enough to fund a Great House.
“Well,” Zadornov - it had to be Zadornov - said. “A pair of Kingsmen, coming to call on me.”
I frowned, surprised. We hadn’t told anyone who we were.
Zadornov smiled. “You’re wearing rings,” he said. He made a dismissive motion at the loan shark, who was hastily escorted out. “The charms you have on them are good, but ... not good enough.”
He waved a hand at the sofa. “You went to some trouble to see me,” he said. “What do you want?”
I glanced at Caroline, feeling flat-footed. I hadn’t expected Zadornov to see through us so quickly. I’d intended to try to probe him gently, to see what he might have to say before I tried to pressure him. This was his territory. We might not get out alive if he decided to have us killed. But there was no point in trying to be subtle. He’d seen through us.
“So far, there have been two terrorist attacks in North Shallot,” I said, carefully. “And, in response, Magus Court has declared a state of emergency and put a small army of guardsmen on the streets. They’re already searching carriages heading into North Shallot from Water Shallot and they’re planning to extend the searches to barges and ships moving up and down the river. I submit to you that their searches won’t be good for business.”
Zadornov cocked his head. “And you think I need to worry about the City Guard?”
“You might have to worry when they put armsmen on the streets too,” I pointed out. “You cannot bribe them all.”
“Maybe,” Zadornov said. “Are you sure?”
“They’re looking for the person who built the terrorist devices,” I said, ignoring the question. “And you are one of the people who could supply the components. They’ll come for you.”
Zadornov’s face became expressionless. “Maybe,” he repeated. “Are you sure?”
“Yes.” I met his eyes, even though it felt as if I was locked in a staring contest with a dangerous snake. “Sooner or later, someone will talk. Someone always does.”
“Perhaps.” Zadornov looked me in the eye. I could sense a hint of magic in his words. “How did you know where to find me?”
“You have a file in the office,” I said, carefully. I didn’t let his spell get a grip on my mind. Besides, it was probably true. We just hadn’t been able to look at the files since Sir Griffons had been ordered out of the city. “It was quite informative.”
“I see.” Zadornov’s face was so bland that I couldn’t tell if he believed me. “But not informative enough to lead you here.”
“No,” I said.
Zadornov smiled. “What do you want?”
I looked at him. “I want clear answers,” I said. “Truthful answers.”
“They come at a cost,” Zadornov said. I wondered, idly, just how many hundreds of crowns he’d try to charge us. “What do you have to offer me?”
“An end to the affair before Magus Court pulls your operation up by the roots and dumps you on Skullbreaker Island,” I said. “If we can catch the people responsible, the state of emergency can come to an end. You’ll be safe.”
“Provided I keep paying bribes,” Zadornov said, amused. “Very well, truthful answers. I didn’t supply the materials to make the infernal devices.”
I blinked, surprised. “You didn’t?”
“No.” Zadornov looked at me, evenly. “I concede I have no way to prove it to you, but lying is hardly in my best interests. Is it?”
“No.” I glanced at Caroline, who frowned. “Do you know who did?”
Zadornov looked oddly offended. “If it didn’t come from me, then it came through more ... legal channels,” he said. “I didn’t supply it. The other smugglers don’t have my contacts. I think you have to look elsewhere.”
I cursed under my breath. If Zadornov was telling the truth ... I turned it over and over in my mind, trying to understand. He had good reason to tell the truth ... I thought. Zadornov wouldn’t have survived for so long if he hadn’t been ruthlessly pragmatic. He wanted the state of emergency lifted before it crushed his business. And yet, if the materials hadn’t come from Zadornov, where had they come from? The Great Houses? Or ... or where?
“So it would seem,” Caroline said. She sounded resigned. “Do you know who built and triggered the infernal devices?”
“It was none of my people,” Zadornov said. “Of course, there are factions within factions and splinter groups within splinter groups. It could be anyone.”
He grinned at me. “I hope you found our chat informative.”
“It was very useful,” I said. It felt as if we’d wasted our time, although ... we did know, now, that Zadornov hadn’t supplied the raw materials. We’d eliminated one possible suspect. And I found it hard to believe he’d lied. Zadornov stood to lose a great deal if the state of emergency led to mass civil unrest. “Thank you for your time.”
“I would be very interested to know what my file had to say about me,” Zadornov said. He held out a hand. “Can I trouble you for a copy?”
“No.” I couldn’t tell if he was serious. Was he pulling our legs? Or trying to see if we could be bribed? He’d love to have a pair of Kingsmen on the payroll. “We can’t take the files out of the office.”
“How terrible.” Zadornov stood. It was clearly a dismissal. “Don’t bother coming back here. You won’t be welcome.”
“Understood,” I said. The door opened, revealing another man in black. “We’ll be seeing you.”
The man led us down a different flight of stairs and pointed us at the door. Something ran down my spine as we stepped through the door and into a barren alleyway. My eyes narrowed. There weren't any homeless sleeping in the rough, not here. It wasn’t normal. The sense that something was wrong grew stronger as we made our way through the maze of streets. Caroline picked up on it too. I could sense her concern as we turned a corner and ran into a trap.
“Well,” a voice said. I recognised the thug Caroline had transfigured, surrounded by a handful of other leg-breakers. I didn’t have to look behind me to know there were others standing there. “Look who we’ve found.”
I reached out with my senses, carefully. There were at least four behind us, two powerful enough to bleed magic in all directions. They hadn’t been formally trained, as far as I could tell, but it di
dn’t matter. Four behind us, five in front ... I gritted my teeth. Caroline and I were good, but not that good. My head spun, trying to think of possible options. Perhaps if we levitated, we could hop along the roof until we reached more civilised territory ...
Caroline cleared her throat, nervously. “What do you want?”
I hid my amusement with an effort. Caroline was never nervous. I thought she was overdoing the act. The thugs didn’t notice. Their grins grew wider as they stared at Caroline, undressing her with their eyes. I shuddered, inwardly. I didn’t know if Zadornov had set us up - there was certainly no way we could prove it - but it was a matter of honour for them now. We’d humiliated the thugs. They wanted revenge.
“I want a little kiss,” the thug said, nastily. He licked his lips, his gaze crawling over her breasts. “And then we’ll let you go.”
Caroline walked forward. I stared, unsure what she had in mind. She didn’t intend to kiss the thug, did she? The thug leered, wrapping his arms around her as their lips met ... and blue-white light flared. He screamed in agony as magic crackled around him, every cell in his body ablaze with pain. I didn’t hesitate. I summoned the strongest spell I could and hurled it behind me, slamming all four thugs into the nearest wall. I thought I heard bones break under the force of the impact, but I didn't have time to check. Caroline knocked down two more, forcing the others to scatter. Her would-be rapist hit the ground, groaning in pain. I could practically smell burning flesh.
“Run,” Caroline said.
A thug loomed in front of me, so big and muscular that I was sure he was mainlining dangerous and illicit potions. I clenched my fist, muttered a spell and then punched him in the jaw. The magic strengthened my blow. I felt his jaw crack as he spun and hit the ground. I hoped Zadornov would pay for reconstructive magic as I jumped over the thug and ran up the alleyway. No one tried to chase us. I grinned at Caroline, forgetting - just for a moment - how close we’d come to disaster. If Zadornov had intended to quietly dispose of us, he’d failed completely. And I wasn’t going to forget it either.
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