Masters of Deception

by J C Kang

  He squinted to where the sun glowed red, not far above the horizon. The star of Arcea, the Traitor, hung unseen over it, suggesting those on righteous paths would face betrayal. Was his path righteous?

  Of course it was. The pyramid was at risk, and with it came the potential danger of the orc gods returning on their flaming chariots.

  He sighed. It was much too early in the morning, after a late night of Divining, to be righteous. His arms might now be draped over Makeda and Brehane on either side of him, but neither were naked and sated. Instead, they wore their white Mystic robes. The male, Dawit, unseen since the afternoon before, had wanted to come, but Makeda ordered him to stay behind at the manor.

  The scent of burning wood and something unfamiliar filled his nose. Cassius blinked several times. A line of smoke curled up from behind the seawall, not far ahead.

  “Over there,” he ordered his driver.

  The smoke smell grew stronger as they passed through some of the old villas, until they at last came to a sandy beach where fishermen often tied down small boats.

  He stumbled out of the carriage and, not bothering to help Makeda or Brehane this time, shouldered his way through the crowd of fishermen, city watch, and fire brigade members gathered at the top of the seawall. Many had covered their faces with colorful cloth.

  A pyre of driftwood and planks burned on the sand, just a dozen paces away. Both the Paladin master and the apprentice stood nearby, palms pressed together, chanting. And beside them…

  A girl, in a frilly but filthy and torn pink dress, whose style had been all the rage years ago. Pointed ears poked through her long, dark-brown hair. An elf, perhaps? They rarely left their secluded valley realms. The last one on record to visit Tokahia was the golden-haired one who’d fought the Iron Avatar outside the pyramid on the night of the Hellstorm, three hundred years ago.

  The girl looked directly at him for a few seconds before turning her attention back to the pyre.

  He sucked in a breath. By Ayara, she was stunning. Exotic. Not just elf, but part-Cathayi as well, given her honey-toned skin.

  Alas, she was much too young. Maybe a segment of De Lucca’s clients wouldn’t care about her age, but Cassius would have to wait a few years. Or maybe a decade more, with the longevity of elf blood. He shook out the thought.

  “Signore,” the fire brigade chief said, joining him. “Every time we try to approach, one of the Ayuri blocks our way.”

  Cassius nodded, then took the steps down to the beach. “Master Anish, Sir Sameer, this type of open fire violates our city ordinances. Just what are you doing here?”

  The two Paladins continued their chanting.

  The half-elf beauty walked over and curtseyed with the grace of a cat. Her Cathayi accent lilted, adding to her charm. “Signore Cassius.”

  She knew his name. Of course she did. He swept into a bow, but then pointed at the bonfire. “This is against the law.”

  “The Ayuri are sending off their departed master.”

  So they were sending a signal? Cassius squinted out to sea. There were no signs of a ship, nor did the harbormaster’s office have record of one scheduled to disembark at this hour. “The Gods’ Whispers did not speak of early ship departures today.”

  “Not that kind of departed.” Shaking her head, the girl curled her index finger.

  He stared at the finger and cocked his head.

  She sucked on her lower lip—such a cute gesture—and drew a finger across her throat.

  Cassius’ jaw might’ve been in the sand. That kind of departed. The pyre wasn’t a signal to the old master… He peered into the flames. Something blackened and suspiciously human-shaped burned on top of the wood. Bile rose to his throat, and he covered his mouth.

  Straightening, he looked over his shoulder. Makeda and Brehane were just descending the seawall, and thankfully, couldn’t have possibly seen his moment of weakness. He cleared his throat, as if that would dispel the foul taste in his mouth.

  The half-elf smirked for a split second. “They were insistent on cremating the body at dawn.”

  Cassius tore his gaze away from the body. “What…what happened?” He regretted the words as soon as they left his mouth.

  “Surely the great Signore Larusso knows everything that happens under the stars.” The half-elf raised an eyebrow.

  Curse every god. Exhaustion was throwing him off his game today. He gestured to the sun. “When Tivar, the Deceiver, shrouds the sun in his veil of red, one cannot trust the Gods’ Whispers.”

  “Riiiight.” She winked. “The Mafia attacked her last night.”

  “I see.” Cassius nodded in slow bobs. Was this part of the crime families’ strategy to seize the pyramid? Perhaps they had tried to recruit the old master, too, and killed her when she refused. He waved the fire brigade chief over, then pointed to the buildings past the seawall. “Lucian, is the fire a danger to the buildings?”

  Lucian nodded. “Yes, but many of the structures in this district are the concrete buildings from the old days, and the others have stone facades. With no breeze, the danger is low. If it were closer to some of the crime family districts, I would be more concerned.”

  “Very well. Keep watch on the fire, make sure it stays under control.”

  Lucian gestured to some of his men and hurried off.

  Cassius turned back to the pretty girl. “The Paladins are clients of mine. They didn’t tell me they had a companion, Miss…?”

  “Jie.” Her eyes flicked behind him before meeting his.

  Cassius looked over his shoulder, tasting the foreign name. Jyeh.

  Brehane and Makeda traipsed across the beach, the latter muttering in their language as she held her robes up and stared at the sand like a cursed soul forced to walk across Mortasi’s bed of glass shards and hot coals.

  He turned back to her. “I am sure I would’ve heard of a half-elf in Tokahia.”

  “I’m surprised you didn’t Divine my arrival.” Her grin was mischievous, in an adorable way. “The sun wasn’t red when I landed.”

  “You!” Brehane marched through the sand, pointing at Jie.

  The half-elf put a finger on the tip of her nose and blinked. “Me?”

  “You were following us yesterday, before you went after the Ayuri Paladins.” Brehane snarled a word of magic. A purple flame flared in her palm.

  “Brehane…” Cassius looked from Mystic to half-elf. All these people’s paths were intersecting, and nothing in the stars had hinted at a convergence. Damn that shooting star from a few days ago, throwing everything off. Now, it looked like Brehane was about to roast Jie, probably before the fire brigade could douse her.

  ✽ ✽ ✽

  Had Jie known the Mystics would appear his morning, she would’ve stayed out of sight. Now, the one with the plain robes looked like she planned on starting a second pyre, with half-elf blood as the fuel.

  Up close, the flower scent in their hair fogged up Jie’s brain. Shaking her head, she waved her hands back and forth. Hopefully the Mystics couldn’t detect falsehoods or read minds. “You misunderstand. I was just headed to Signore Cassius’ megalith circle, when I saw an acquaintance. Then it turned out to be you, with the magic bead.”

  “Do you know the girl in the image?” Eyes brightening, Brehane snuffed out the flame. She exchanged glances with her companion, who wore fine silken robes and enough jewelry to open her own shop.

  Rich Girl shook her head.

  Brehane’s lip curled. Whatever their silent argument was, it looked like Brehane had made up her mind. She reached into her pouch. Her face and complexion transformed into the idealized version of Princess Kaiya… The same image Jie herself had assumed, with a similarly mysterious magic bauble, just weeks ago.

  The Diviner, whose narrow eyes and drooping head suggested either a hangover or a long night, if not both, now sucked in a sharp breath.

  Brehane—the fake princess—held out her palm, revealing a glass bauble. Just like the one Jie had used to t
hwart a rebellion. Its size and shape was the same as all the light beads the Mystics made and sold in every corner of the continent.

  Jie looked her up and down. It was such an exact copy, it must’ve been created by the same person. Of course, the Mystics didn’t have to know about that. At least, not yet. “You look like a famous painting of the princess of Cathay. How did you come by this magic?”

  Even if Brehane now looked like a pretty version of Princess Kaiya, when she spoke, her voice didn’t begin to compare with the princess’ melodiousness. “It was infused with an illusion by our missing adept, Melas.”

  Yet another missing person, and unless Aksumi Illusionists all used the princess’ generous court painting as practice, the missing person was undoubtedly connected to the failed coup back home. “Is he here in Tokahia?”

  Brehane looked to Cassius and raised her eyebrow.

  Cassius pointed north. “The stars say he is north of here. How far, I am not sure. It could be as close as that house, or as far as the Teleri Empire.”

  Some Diviner. Suppressing a snort, Jie studied him. “How about Sohini? Any luck with her?”

  Cassius’ eyes flicked to the Paladins. “Didn’t the master tell you?”

  “Tell me what?”

  “I Divined last night, at his request. Sohini, too, is somewhere in the city.”

  Jie looked to Anish. He’d said nothing about this. Still, it was possible that what Sameer said was true, that Signore De Lucca had sent Sohini to attack the Acerbi. It also didn’t discount Sohini working for the Mafia. That made the attack on the Paladins more plausible, starting with… She turned to Brehane. “Would an Illusionist be able to magic up a bauble that makes the holder invisible?”

  Rich Girl, who’d looked bored up to now, snorted. “Maybe three hundred years ago, before the Biomancers betrayed the Illusionists. Since then, none have been able to invoke invisibility, let alone imbue that magic into a bauble.”

  Brehane glared at her, then turned back. “If anyone could do it, it would be Melas. Invisibility is easier than recreating all the detail of a new face.” She held out the bauble in her hand again.

  Melas. Nightblades, trained by a traitor. All had contributed in some way to the attempted coup in Cathay, and all were connected to Tokahia. Maybe the plan had been hatched right here. Or maybe it was just a coincidence. The local Mafia would have no reason to interfere with Cathay. Jie sucked on her lower lip.

  She let it go with a pop. “A Bovyan using an invisibility bauble joined the Mafia in attacking the Paladins. Perhaps Melas is a mercenary, hiring his skills out to the highest bidder, and that bidder happens to be the Bovyans who work for the crime families. The Mafia is the common denominator.”

  Brehane sucked in a sharp breath and exchanged a glance with Rich Girl.

  The Diviner, whose hangover didn’t prevent him from trying to sneak a peek down Rich Girl’s neckline, cleared his throat. “I told Master Anish that the most auspicious time to meet with Don Acerbi would be noon. The best place, at his headquarters.”

  Jie looked up at the Iridescent Moon, now waning toward its second crescent. Five hours until noon. But going into the lion’s den sounded like a recipe for disaster. “Why would you want to do that?”

  Cassius cocked his head and winced. “Signore De Lucca was going to send some of his Bovyans with Sir Sameer to confront Don Acerbi and demand Sohini’s release.”

  There was enough doubt in the Diviner’s tone to suggest he, too, thought it was a bad idea. Jie looked to the Paladins, still chanting. Perhaps Don Acerbi had Sohini, or maybe De Lucca was looking to escalate the turf wars, using a brash Paladin apprentice and his master. After last night’s encounter with Signore De Lucca… She patted her chest, where the letter he’d given her was hidden. It might reveal his motives. She turned to the Mystics. “Can Aksumi magic translate written foreign languages?”

  Rich Girl turned up her nose. “Of course.”

  Jie pulled out the letter. “I need this translated. In return, I will help you find your missing Illusionist.”

  Rich Girl harrumphed. “I doubt you can help us.”

  Jie tilted her head to the Paladins. “I found out more about their missing apprentice than the greatest Diviner in the Estomar.”

  If Cassius had looked dopey before, his mismatched eyes now glared at her.

  She waved her hands and grinned. “Not you. I meant a tarot-card reader we met.”

  Brehane peered at the sheet. “What is it?”

  Revealing what it was would inevitably lead to questions of how she got it. The answer would probably fuel the Mystics’ suspicion that she was a pickpocket. Then there was Signore Cassius, who might very well be De Lucca’s ally. It was time to lie. “A crime family message to De Lucca.”

  Cassius’ eyes drew into sharp focus. He reached for it. “How did you get ahold of it?”

  She pulled it out of his reach as she prepared a new lie to drive a wedge between him and De Lucca. “From the men who attacked the Paladins yesterday.”

  He turned to the Mystics, his haggard expression transforming into that of a rakish playboy. “Please, my lady, translate it.”

  Both reached for it, but Jie passed it to Brehane, who’d been less of a turtle’s egg.

  Brehane turned her shoulder, avoiding Rich Girl’s grab, like the games of keep-away Black Lotus children played, albeit with sharp objects. She unfolded the letter with a whip of her wrist.

  Rich Girl’s eyes went from the strange runes to Jie. “What language is this?”

  Jie shrugged. “If I knew, I would’ve found someone who could read it already.”

  Rich Girl harrumphed and looked back.

  Cassius looked over Brehane’s shoulder, his chin nestled on her neck. She flashed a smug smile at Rich Girl, who frowned.

  The Diviner might be handsome, but certainly not worth acting like a pair of cats in heat around. Jie suppressed a snort. “Um, the letter?”

  Brehane knelt and placed the paper on the sand. Producing a crystalline prism from a pouch, she set it atop the sheet. She then spoke a three-second string of words which sounded like the temple dogs fighting for scraps. The prism glowed, and the words on the paper swirled into yet another foreign script. Her eyes roved over it.

  Jie leaned in. The new squiggly lines made no more sense than the runes. “What does it say?”

  Brehane started to speak, but Rich Girl interrupted and said, “Father—”

  “Father?” Cassius cocked his head, and winced again.

  Brehane nodded, and looked up at Jie. “Are you sure this is from De Lucca to the crime families?”

  Looking over her shoulder to make sure the Paladins weren’t paying attention, Jie turned back and shrugged again. “That’s what the man we dispatched said, but who knows? Maybe he lied. What else does it say?”

  Rich Girl cast a triumphant glance at Brehane. “It says, Father: Plans are proceeding on schedule. I’ve convinced most of the signores to support using Bovyan mercenaries to protect the pyramid.”

  Jie looked to Cassius. From his expression, perhaps the smell of smoke was coming from his ears, not the funeral pyre. He and De Lucca must be rivals. “Who is De Lucca’s father?”

  Cassius shook his head. “No one knows.”

  “Except the Mafia, apparently, since he sent the letter with one of their thugs.” It didn’t matter that it was a lie, just that it would get her close to the creator of the illusion bauble—and therefore, the conspiracy back home.

  Cassius turned to Rich Girl. “De Lucca said he wanted to introduce you to his sister. Sometimes, girl talk can reveal even more than the Whispers of the Gods.”

  Jie’s ears perked. De Lucca had confused her for his sister the night before.

  “That’s of no interest to me.” Rich Girl waved a dismissive hand. “I am going to go talk to Don Acerbi.”

  Brehane stared at her. “Stupid assama. What do you hope to accomplish?”

  “I will ask them nicely abo
ut Melas.” Rich Girl threw her hair over her shoulder.

  Whatever else anyone could say about Rich Girl, no one could accuse her of being a coward. A fool who might be walking herself into a prostitution ring, maybe, but not a coward. No matter what happened, she’d provide the perfect diversion for a little reconnaissance, to see if Melas had any dealings with the Mafia. In any case, as much as she wanted to see what De Lucca’s sister looked like, Jie didn’t want to risk another meeting with De Lucca himself. “I’ll take you there.”

  Of course, she’d have to figure out where there was.

  Cassius favored her with a raised eyebrow, then turned to Rich Girl. “It will be much safer to meet De Lucca’s sister.”

  Rich Girl pointed her chin at Brehane. “Let my useless cousin engage in idle chit-chat. Come, elf girl.” She beckoned with a flippant jerk of her head.

  “Take some of the watch with you!” Cassius waved furiously at some of the men in black armbands.

  Rich Girl wasn’t waiting. She picked up the hem of her robe and marched through the sand toward the seawall.

  A captain of the watch came and bowed. “Yes, Signore?”

  “Take a squad and follow her, Julius! She’s going to Don Acerbi.” Cassius’ voice sounded frantic, yet he did nothing to stop Rich Girl.

  The incredulous look on Julius’ face would’ve inspired caricature artists for the next century, if they’d seen it. “Signore, the families would see it as a violation of our truce.”

  “Do it, but don’t be aggressive.” Cassius turned to Jie. “Please, keep an eye on her.”

  Jie nodded, even if she’d only do so as long as babysitting didn’t conflict with her own agenda. She motioned to the chanting Paladins. “Let them know I’ll be back.”

  Cassius nodded like an agitated seal she’d seen at one of the ports.