Masters of Deception

by J C Kang

  “There.” The accountant pointed. “That is the South Seas.”

  Sameer followed his finger. The building stood two stories high, and like most of the buildings in this district, was made of off-white wattle and daub. No sign marked it as a brothel, nor were there any imposing guards or dancing girls by the open door like at De Lucca’s establishment the night before. His heart leaped into his throat. At last, they’d find Sohini.

  “Strange,” Jie said. “Where are the guards?”

  Giovanni shook his head. “It is out of the ordinary.”

  “I’ll go first and scout it out.” Jie sprinted to the building, her short legs moving deceptively fast.

  Even with his energy flagging, Sameer rushed after her. Sohini needed him.

  He burst through the entry just a few steps behind Jie. His boots clacked on the wood floors, but beside that, the only sounds were women sobbing. He looked around. Beyond the foyer, there was a long hallway, as well as steps leading upstairs. Jie had already disappeared into one of the side rooms.

  If she was going to check downstairs, he’d go upstairs. His pulse quickened as he took the steps two at a time. They creaked beneath his weight.

  On the second-floor landing, he picked the closest door and ran in.

  Two young women, with dark hair and a skin tone just a shade lighter than his own Ayuri people, huddled together on a bed, their shoulders shaking as they cried. Both wore drab robes with translucent veils. The outfits would’ve resembled the holy vestments of the Levanthi pious if they hadn’t been so skimpy.

  He knew that only because his family had hired a Selastyan refugee to do housework, and her husband had been an exiled high priest. Their son had been a good friend, and Sameer had visited their home in the ghetto and experienced their poverty firsthand. Perhaps these Levanthi women were refugees as well, forced to sell themselves. Sameer averted his gaze and cleared his throat. “Excuses me, misses. I’m…” Looking for Sohini, but these poor girls... “Are you all right?”

  “The Bovyans,” one said, accent thick. “They betrayed the don.”

  Sameer scratched his head. There hadn’t been any dead mobsters in the halls or on the stairs. “What happened?”

  “They took Bella and Sarah.”

  “Where?”

  The women exchanged terrified glances and shook their heads.

  Sameer’s jaw clenched. “What about Sohini?”

  “Who is that?” The second’s forehead scrunched up, and she looked at her companion.

  It’s not like there could be that many Ayuri here, and the don couldn’t have lied under a Paladin Command. Sameer tried to keep exasperation out of his voice. “The Ayuri woman.”

  “Oh.” A look of recognition bloomed in their expressions. “We could never pronounce her name. Sarah. The one the Bovyans took.”

  His heart sunk. They must have her drugged, or bound, or who knew what. She always seemed just out of reach… “How long ago?”

  “Maybe half an hour ago.”

  They couldn’t have gotten far in such a short amount of time. “I’ll be back to help you.” He pressed his palms together and darted out.

  ✽ ✽ ✽

  Brehane took in the foyer with wide eyes. Fading frescoes depicted fair-skinned men and Southern women engaged in the act of intercourse; yet it looked all wrong. One picture depicted a couple rutting like dogs, while another had the man mounting the woman. This was not the way it was supposed to be, yet Brehane couldn’t turn away.

  Of course. This was a fetish brothel, where some women, tired of following the natural order, experimented with submission. The shermuta here were trained to take the dominant role, while the woman grunted and moaned beneath them. Perhaps this one catered to visitors from the South, like her. No wonder Sameer wanted to save his lady friend from engaging in such perverse behavior.

  With a reassured nod, Brehane followed the sound of sobbing girls. They were undoubtedly acting out some sick fantasy. She peeked into a room, likewise decorated with vulgar frescoes. Two young women with honey-toned skin like Jie clung to each other. Their breasts nearly spilled out of roughspun dresses cut, dyed, and embroidered to resemble Cathayi gowns. Makeda’s Tear, this brothel wasn’t as twisted as she thought. After all, it wasn’t abnormal to enjoy the company of another woman, though Brehane had never had to pay for it.

  Still, it was hard to tell which one was the client and which was the shermuta, and they didn’t seem to be engaged in any erotic activity. Nor did any of the murals depict women together.

  The prettier one looked up, her voice cracking. “Who are you? Did the don send you?”

  Brehane shook her head. “The don is dead.”

  “Dead?” The other, who had dragon tattoos, beamed with a wide smile. Relief? What a strange reaction. Pulling up the dress to cover herself, she turned to the prettier one. “Does that mean our contracts are satisfied?”

  Contracts? Brehane’s head spun. It was all too confusing. Maybe this couple wasn’t client and shermuta, after all. “Where is Sohini?”

  “So-who-y?” The prettier one tilted her head.

  “The Ayuri girl.”

  The brunette’s mouth formed a perfect summoning circle. “She was upstairs, but I thought I heard her leave with the Bovyans.”

  Oh no, Sameer would be crushed. But why would she go with the Bovyans?

  The blonde shuddered. “They took Maya and Eira, too. We couldn’t stop them. No telling what those brutes plan to do to them.”

  Brehane clasped her crystal. It didn’t make sense. “What would they do?”

  The tattooed one looked at Brehane like she was a six-headed demon dragged from the pits of Hell by a Summoner. “What men do to women.”

  What men do to women… Brehane gasped. The truth she had been denying this entire time, despite all the evidence, was now unmistakable. In this foreign land, gender roles were corrupted. Turned upside down in contempt toward the natural order. Men ruled, women served. All the poor women she’d seen at the Signore party, in the gambling den, and in the brothel were playthings. Sameer’s lady friend, Sohini, was likely reduced to the same fate.

  Which also meant… Brehane gasped. Cassius saw her as a conquest.

  The two girls exchanged glances. The tattooed one met her gaze. “What do we do now?”

  How to answer? Brehane certainly didn’t understand the ramifications of contracts here.

  On the other side of the door, Sameer dashed by.

  One foot in front of the other, Brehane turned and stumbled out after him.

  ✽ ✽ ✽

  Sitting on a creaky cot, Jie patted the Cathayi prostitute on the back, wondering why the Bovyans had turned on Don Acerbi, and also why they’d taken only the one girl, Jovanna. Surely the four of them guarding the joint could’ve taken eight, one over each shoulder.

  “How old is Jovanna?” she asked, her home tongue sounding strange in her own ears after weeks of not speaking it.

  The woman’s answer wobbled through her choking sobs. “Fourteen. Her parents died and she had to provide for her younger brothers. She just came to us a few weeks ago.”

  So young; but in this trade, horrible men often had a taste for the nubile.

  Sameer popped his head in. “Hurry up, Jie, the Bovyans just left. They have Sohini and some girl named Bella. Do that thing with your nose.”

  As if she were one of the temple guard dogs. Jie harrumphed. Not like Sameer could offer her a treat. Disentangling herself from the prostitute’s clingy grasp, she rose and followed Sameer and Brehane out. Anish and Giovanni all waited outside.

  She met the accountant’s eyes. “What is so special about Jovanna?”

  “Jovanna…” His forehead crinkled and his eyes stared up into his skull, comparing receivables to payables in all likelihood. His expression blanked. “A beauty, that one. A virgin. Don Acerbi had started an auction for her maidenhood.”

  Face contorting into an interesting expression, Brehane blew out a
sharp breath.

  Jie sucked on her lower lip. It was a common practice in Cathay’s Floating World, as well: a beautiful girl’s virginity sold to the highest bidder.

  Sameer tapped his foot. “Come on, Jie. They have a half-hour lead on us.”

  Jie waved him off. “What about Bella?”

  “Bella…” Giovanni made the same face, one which she’d love to slap. “She’s been with the don for eight months, but she’s rather plain. She’s made the don seventy-two drakas.”

  Not even enough to pay for Signore Cassius’ fortune-telling services; so why would the Bovyans pick her? “And Sohini?”

  Giovanni cocked his head. “I’ve never met her.”

  “Sarah,” Sameer said, fists clenching. “Hurry up.”

  “Sarah, she’s the Ayuri girl.” Giovanni nodded. “Very popular among for those looking for an exotic treat.”

  Jie snuck a glance at Sameer.

  His face was flushed bright red underneath his bronze complexion. “We need to go now.”

  “Wait.” Jie held up a hand. “If we know why they took those three…”

  “Five,” Brehane said. “Maya and Eira.”

  “What about them?” Jie asked.

  Giovanni tapped his chin, which would have been a cute gesture if it didn’t belong to a foul mob accountant. “Some are prettier than others. They all have varying profitability.”

  Jie released her lip with a pop. The girls were all different races and ages. So far, nothing connected the ones who’d been taken. Unless… “Do they see clients during their special time of the month?”

  The accountant looked as if he’d sucked a lemon. “No.”

  “Can you think of any time when their revenues drop?

  Giovanni drew figures in the air, the motions forming a chart and numbers. “Considering when their income dropped every month, I would say they bled recently. Maybe even now.”

  The man could keep track of so many details, like a certain clueless spy back home. Thank the Heavens the latter used his talents for more noble goals, like assassinating rebels. “I—”

  Sameer tugged her sleeve. “Come on, they just left half an hour ago.”

  “Shhh.” Jie waved him away. His urgency was ruining her concentration. The Bovyans had taken five girls total, one a virgin. The others had just finished their monthly bleeding, which meant… She studied Giovanni’s expression, looking for any sign of a lie. “What do you do if a girl gets pregnant?”

  “An herbal mixture of some sort.” Giovanni stared into his skull again. “Based on the financial accounts, I’d say cloves, princess lace, and periwinkle, mixed in wine. I don’t know the specifics, but I could find out.”

  Jie looked among her companions.

  Both Anish and Sameer’s lips pursed.

  Brehane’s face contorted. “Barbaric,” she muttered.

  Barbaric, but it was all clear. “The Bovyans are looking for breeders.”

  Sameer’s face paled. “We must hurry.”

  Anish held up a halting hand. “No, Sameer. Your judgement is impaired.”

  Jie couldn’t disagree.

  “Master,” Samer said. “It’s your apprentice, Sohini, we are trying to save. Not to mention all the other girls.”

  Anish shook his head. “Without Elder Gitika to rein you in, I can’t control you. You will be tempted to use your power in ways you should not.”

  Brehane clasped her necklace. “Don’t worry, Sameer. The rest of us will rescue your lady friend.”

  Chapter 22:

  Contractual Matters

  Sameer’s chest squeezed so tight, it felt like it might crush his heart. With the death of Elder Gitika, Master Anish was now his master, at least until the Council reassigned him. To disobey a direct command would mean expulsion from the order, and with that, no further development of his Bahaduur skills. He might never see a naga again, except maybe on the receiving end.

  He closed his eyes and summoned an image of Elder Gitika. A paragon of Paladin ideals. His master, his real master. Whose body he’d cleaned just this morning and sent off into the next world. What would she do?

  She might not have sacrificed Paladin ideals just to rescue Sohini. On the other hand, she would protect the innocent, Ayuri or not. Whore—no, prostitute, as the half-elf said—or not. That was the Paladin way.

  He opened his eyes and faced Master Anish. “My first duty is to protect the innocent girls.”

  Master Anish’s lips curled into a…smirk? But the frown that followed was clear. “I am sorry, Apprentice Sameer, but I will be forced to recommend expulsion. I would command you to surrender your naga, but it is already in the hands of some Acerbi mobster.”

  Sameer’s shoulders slumped. Like his master, his naga was also gone. There was no telling what evil deeds some criminal was using it for.

  He straightened and turned to Jie. “Please find Sohini.”

  The half-elf was already kneeling by the road, running her finger over the stones. “The prints are hard to follow, but…” she sniffed the air and pointed. “I think they headed that way.”

  Away from town.

  Brehane nodded. “I think De Lucca said the Bovyans were housed on the outskirts of town.”

  “That would be a good place to start.” Jie sniffed again. “The prostitutes will slow the Bovyans down. Their perfume was pretty thick in the brothel, but it is quickly dispersing here.”

  Beckoning Brehane, Jie trotted away. The Mystic tailed after her.

  The two of them wouldn’t have a chance against so many Bovyans. Sameer held back a sigh. Perhaps this was the end of his life as a Paladin, but it was worth it, if he could help Sohini escape her ordeal. He might no longer be a Paladin in name, but he could still live as one. He might never wield a naga again, but he could still embody justice. Again holding an image of Elder Gitika in his head, he bowed one last time to Master Anish, then followed after the half-elf.

  Even if the prostitutes were slowing the Bovyans down, they still managed to stay ahead. Jie had to stop every now and then and backtrack. Eventually, she shook her head and claimed that the other scents of the city were masking the trail. Scanning the cobbled roads gave her no insight into the correct direction, either.

  Every time he was about to give up hope, they ran into more passersby. When she asked if they’d seen the Bovyans, some nodded and pointed, while others shook their heads and shrugged. Sameer’s pulse raced faster and faster with each delay. At this rate, the Bovyans would reach wherever they were headed first.

  The two-story row houses gave way to one-story ones, and eventually to unconnected hovels. At the edge of town, the road changed from paved stone to hard-packed dirt.

  Jie’s eyes lit up. She pointed to the tracks. “Look at the size of the bootprints.”

  Sameer followed her finger. There was nothing there beyond the scatter of dust in the ground. He frowned.

  “There, silly. Some of the dirt has been displaced by their heavy feet.”

  Sameer leaned over and squinted. Whatever the half-elf saw, it didn’t look like footprints of any sort to him.

  She threw up her hands. “Sixteen Bovyans in all. I would assume the girls are too light to leave a trail, or maybe the Bovyans are carrying them. In any case, this is the way, I’m sure of it.”

  Sighing, Sameer looked down the road, which crested over a hill. Like the route to Signore Cassius’ mansion, it was lined with green rows of tilled land, dotted with wooden farmhouses. Besides whatever tracks Jie thought she saw, there was no sign of sixteen large warriors and five young women. “They must have gone into one of the farms? Unless they are on the other side of the hill?”

  Jie nodded. “They’d have to have a ten-minute lead on us to get on the other side of the hill. I’ll run ahead to the hilltop. You can start checking the farms.”

  They were closer. They had to be. Soon, he’d be reunited with Sohini. If he couldn’t be a Paladin, at least he could make sure she stayed one.

 
; ✽ ✽ ✽

  Jie’s short legs made her the worst candidate to run up the road, but then again, she’d know how to process whatever she saw better than Sameer once they got to the top. He’d likely charge down the hill without even looking.

  So run it was. At the top of the hill, she paused and caught her breath. Whoever had decided to make a road over a hill instead of around it needed to experience Black Lotus torture.

  Then she saw it.

  A walled compound laid another li down the road, surrounded by a few farms. There were four separate structures within. Just outside its gates, twenty-some Bovyans escorted nearly fifty smaller women. The distance made it impossible to pick out Sameer’s darker-skinned friend from the rest.

  Jie dropped to the ground. She withdrew a dwarf-made spyglass she’d borrowed from a closed store, and looked again. With the magnified view, it was clear that there were five distinct groups, each with four Bovyans and between three and nine young women. Sure enough, in a group with five girls, one had the bronze skin of an Ayuri. Curiously enough, given Sohini’s Paladin skills, they hadn’t bound her. Maybe they’d forced her to take gooseweed to mute her Paladin skill.

  Jie sucked her lower lip. It wasn’t just the South Seas which had been betrayed. Five, if not more, of Don Acerbi’s brothels had been hit. It all made sense now: the Bovyans had guarded those brothels over several months, so they’d picked out potential candidates to kidnap and were waiting for a chance to steal them away.

  As she counted the Bovyans already inside the compound, she froze on one near the door to the center building. Her suspicions were right. Smaller than the rest, one Bovyan had a scar on his forehead. Nightblade Phobos! The spy trained in Black Fist ways. The one who’d made a practice of visiting all the brothels, according to the prostitutes she’d talked to that first night with Sameer.

  Now, what to do? It probably wouldn’t be hard to infiltrate the compound. The surrounding walls were only the height of a man, with plenty of finger and toe holds between the stones. There were several hiding spaces, between the well, stables, a kitchen, and other buildings. Of course, there might be more than one Nightblade, and that would make things a little more difficult.