“I would want to hear about it first,” Siku said slowly.
“Great!”
Aputi wrapped his arm around Siku’s narrow shoulders and turned him toward the café with a broad gesture.
“Then let’s get something to eat and I’ll tell you all about it, then you can decide.”
Siku
Standing outside the open double doors to the meticulously kept salon, Siku felt his nerves tighten. The entirety of the role he was supposed to play required him to be as comfortable and relaxed as possible. Knowing he needed to be relaxed, however, was making him more tense as he thought about it.
He glanced to his right, toward Aputi slouching against the doorway. His light blond hair fell over his eyes, which were watching the street and its pedestrians intently. Siku’s heart thumped harder as he watched the man, thinking he looked so calm, so collected, and he envied it.
Then again, Aputi was apparently a very accomplished thief and conman, so this was just another day for him. Siku had no idea why he thought the man was worthy of trust or understanding. He supposed it was because, despite his willingness to be deceitful, Aputi had been nothing but honest with him. There was a kindness in Aputi that Siku could sense beneath the man’s cocky smile and glib nature.
Aputi looked up, and for a moment, Siku wondered if somehow his mind had been read. Aputi smiled, the gesture bordering on a smirk, and he tilted his head in acknowledgment. Rather than calming Siku’s nerves, he could feel his body grow even more tense. It was bad enough he was going to be putting on a façade in a moment, distracting a man while Aputi robbed him blind. Worse was to have a skilled partner, who was more distracting than Siku would have preferred.
“Nervous?”
Aputi’s question snapped Siku from his daze. Heat rushed to his face as he realized he’d been staring and he forced his gaze back to the building ahead.
“I am not nervous. I am…merely trying to get into character.”
Aputi chuckled. “Well, Your Highness, don’t let me keep you from your thoughts. By all means, take your time, I’m sure our man won’t be disturbed by someone standing on his front steps.”
Siku rolled his eyes. “Forgive me, but I don’t have the utmost faith in this plan.”
“I think I know what I’m doing, plus, you’re a better actor than you give yourself credit for. Just go with it, let it happen.”
“This would not be the first time I’ve heard that phrase,” Siku grumbled.
The words had left Siku’s mouth before he could second-guess them. Immediately, another flush crept up his face as he looked at anything but Aputi. He’d be lucky if the man didn’t think him lecherous.
Aputi smirked. “Oh? Sounds like a fun story, feel like sharing during our post-victory dinner?”
That, if anything, made Siku’s embarrassment grow even deeper. Aputi had cleaned himself up a little for their latest venture, having disappeared briefly to shave and obtain different clothes. The new outfit was by no means high class, but it would serve for Aputi’s role as Siku’s manservant.
Siku cleared his throat. “I will give you this much, you do look presentable.”
“Presentable, but not good.”
Siku blinked, unsure what to say. He’d been forced to play at political intrigue and social farces for as long as he could remember. To his dismay, he was surprisingly good at them, but Aputi was beginning to show an off-putting tendency to throw Siku off his mental balance.
“I meant that you now look the part of a rich merchant’s manservant,” Siku clarified.
Aputi’s eyes glittered. “That was the point. Now, if the good master would be so kind as to lead the way.”
The sudden shift in tone from irreverence to deep respect was jarring. Even amid his surprise, Siku winced at being called anyone’s master. Slavery had been outlawed with his grandfather after several revolts had broken down the institution that had once been the bulk of the kingdom’s income. Siku knew just enough about the royal coffers to know they were nowhere near suffering, but had been told repeatedly by older members of the court how much better things had been in the old days.
“Problem?” Aputi asked as he took his place just behind Siku.
“Refrain from calling me ‘master’ if you would. The age of slavery in this kingdom has long since passed.”
Aputi chuckled. “Are all rich nobles as out of touch with reality, or are you just a naïve foreigner?”
Siku glanced over his shoulder, frowning. “Meaning?”
Aputi prodded him in the lower back. “Onward Your Highness, I’ll be good and not call you master, if that helps you get through this.”
It wouldn’t, but Siku saw no point in trying to debate the point either. Not wishing to tempt his guide’s patience any further, Siku stepped into the building.
Unlike the parts of the city he’d walked through before, the salon was decorated with care. Rather than serving a function of extreme practicality, the interior shone with the crystal glaze of carefully sculpted ice. The pillars that lined the initial walkway were made with images of bears and seals leaping out from their cylindrical bases. Vases of pure, clear ice, holding carefully preserved snow flowers were thoughtfully placed on tables beside the chairs. The furniture meant to be sat on was made of wood, a mark of the owner’s extreme wealth and status.
Siku breathed a sigh of relief at the environment. At the very least, Aputi had chosen a target whose tastes would suit Siku’s understanding. The salon was owned by an extremely prosperous banker who was quite fond of showcasing and selling various pieces of art to those who were interested. Siku was meant to play such a patron, which meant he would have to pull on the knowledge of art and technique from lessons he’d tried not to sleep through.
A portly man stepped from an arched doorway to Siku’s right. “Good evening.”
Siku straightened. “And a good evening to you as well my good sir.”
The effect of his words and inflection had an immediate impact on the man. The owner, Nulak Oku, straightened himself, adopting a far more genial and welcoming air. Nulak’s eyes swept over him in appraisal, barely touching on Aputi behind him and dismissing him for the mere servant he was.
Nulak smiled wide. “I am pleased to have you in my home sir.”
“Miraak, Sir Miraak,” Siku said, devising the surname on the spot.
“Well Sir Miraak, I do hope you have come to see my fine collection.”
“Yes, I’ve heard it’s quite prodigious and of great quality.”
A soft snort could be heard from behind him and Siku frowned without turning around. The comment had been meant as a compliment, but almost immediately Siku realized his mistake. Looking the man up and down, he thought the collection wasn’t the only prodigious thing about him.
He’d heard tales that outside the castle walls, it was a trend for the rich and powerful to eat themselves to greater size. Those who were thin or overly muscled were considered to be lower class and often sneered at by their rotund betters. Fit bodies were the norm in the castle, but Siku wondered why the man didn’t take in his obviously small stature and judge him unworthy.
“Well, I would be more than happy to show you what I have. I have gained not only the most impressive sculptures from all over the land, but a few paintings as well.”
Siku perked up at that. There were a few paintings in the castle, but they were carefully stored and maintained. The cold climate kept the worst of the wear and tear from paintings, but proper painting supplies were next to impossible to get. Even if there were someone with an exceptional talent for painting that could somehow be found, it would drive even the royal coffers into debt to try and fund their art.
Siku hesitated. “Wait, is the canvas burlap, cotton, or perhaps…linen?”
Nulak’s smile turned into what Siku imagined was supposed to be a pleased grin. Siku thought it looked more at home on a deranged walrus, but kept a look of pleasant curiosity on his face.
“Ah,
I did not know I had someone so knowledgeable in my home. By all means, please, come in further, I would love to show you what I have.”
Siku followed after the man, glancing around the room they entered. It wasn’t as spacious as the entry room, but the sculptures were less decorative and more for display. There were no marks on the pieces to signify their worth, but as Siku’s eyes roamed the delicately spun ice, he imagined they might run a fair price.
“Please, don’t mind the guards. Despite this district’s well-earned safe and cultured reputation, I wouldn’t want to take any chances. There is a great deal of value in these rooms, particularly where we shall be going.”
Two men emerged from the doorway, summoned by Nulak’s words. Both bore hulking hammers of durable and deadly looking steel. Siku took them for mercenaries, seeing none of the carefully worked but sturdy armor he was used to seeing on the royal guardsmen. Yet the armor on the two men who awaited them looked just as efficient, and similarly built to fall away if they chose to transform if their weapons wouldn’t do for the threat at hand.
Aputi had warned him there’d be guards, and that Nulak would summon them when it came time to show certain parts of his collection. Apparently, there’d been an incident where a rather deranged visitor had used a knife on a painting that they “just couldn’t stand the sight of.” After that, Nulak made sure there were always enough people around him to stop such incidents in the future.
Another prod in his back brought Siku around to glance at Aputi. The exasperated thief stared at him intently, nodding his head with a sharp jerk. Siku winced as he remembered they weren’t there for the paintings.
Nulak raised a thin brow. “Is there a problem?”
Siku sighed. “My manservant reminds me I am in fact here for someone in particular and not for my own self-interest.”
“What a dutiful slave,” Nulak noted.
The sneer in his voice was bad enough, but the use of the word brought Siku around with a frown.
“Slavery was outlawed over a generation ago sir.”
Nulak chuckled. “Of course, of course. And I, as a faithful servant to the crown and abider of the law, would never dare to keep any such thing. The law says nothing against indentured servants…don’t tell me you’ve been allowing your ‘servants’ to rotate out of your house?”
“Told you,” Aputi said, voice barely audible.
He’d warned Siku that Nulak wasn’t above using the law to his advantage. Siku knew it was technically possible to keep an indentured servant for far longer than their original contract stated. It was a loophole he had discovered in his youth when he’d been forced to study the various laws he might one day need to know. Everyone, from tutors to his own mother, had assured him that no one would be so bold and callous as to abuse the technicality.
Nulak patted his fluffy coat, searching. “I imagine you are looking for your wife then?”
Siku blinked, feigning surprise. “Yes, how did you know?”
“A man who has to be reminded by another man, even his servant, is surely someone who would be in deep trouble with the true master of the house if they forget why they came. No need for that look, good sir, I know the ways of women. And perhaps after you have done away with your shopping, we can talk about methods in which to…renegotiate your contracts.”
Siku’s stomach rolled and he was amazed to find his expression stayed pleasantly interested. What Siku wanted, was to get out of the salon as quickly as possible, and not be forced into a horrid conversation about what amounted to enslaving people. What he would do, would be to make sure Aputi did what he’d come to do, and whenever he made his way back home, find a way to do something about the abuse of the loophole. Even one person willing to redefine the terms repeatedly to keep a servant on for the remainder of their life was too many for him.
“I’m sure it will be an enlightening conversation,” Siku said.
Nulak chuckled, pulling a thick ring of keys from his pocket. “There we are. This coat is lovely, no? Problem is, it has more pockets than I know what to do with it. Now, if you would follow me, I know just the thing to impress the lady of the house.”
Siku had a hard time believing the man had any understanding of what people did or didn’t like. Keeping the pleasant smile on his face, he allowed Nulak to guide the way back through the main hallway and into another room. The door required multiple keys, each shoved into one of the many locks.
Siku could only watch in amusement as the man flung the door open to reveal a room without windows, but lined with cases. Each display held a different piece of jewelry, set into soft material, with twinkling lights overhead. Siku thought the room could have done with a little less light, letting the jewels twinkle in the eternal darkness of the room, like stars reflecting off untouched ice.
Nulak stepped out of his way, gesturing broadly. “Please, please, take a look around and see if something catches your eye. Nothing here is priced, so if you have any questions feel free to ask.”
Siku strolled among the cases, Aputi close behind. His role was meant to distract the banker while Aputi made off with a few of the displayed goods. According to Aputi, the banker was fond of using his position to bully and blackmail people into handing over their most precious heirlooms. Siku had been dubious about the accusation, finding the idea of using debts and loopholes in property laws to one’s advantage to be tasteless. Yet, after seeing Nulak’s eagerness to inform him how he could bend the law to keep servants in service for their entire lives, Siku was both more believing, and less sympathetic toward the man.
Aputi huddled closer, muttering. “If you can keep Big Lug One and Two busy, and Nulak, I can get to work.”
Siku nodded, disgust with the banker trickling away as he braced himself. It was one thing to play a role, but something else entirely to provide a distraction.
“Find something?” Nulak asked from behind him.
Siku turned, plastering that same pleasant smile on his face once again. “I was hoping you might have something with a little more…vigor to its color.”
Nulak frowned. “I have a number of pieces here with a full body of luster to them. Was there a particular color you were looking for?”
Siku made a show of walking around the man, forcing him to turn his back to Aputi. The guards had positioned themselves at the entrance, facing the room so they could see everything. Siku made his way by them, peering through the cases with a thoughtful expression as Nulak chattered behind him.
“Ah, I see you’ve moved on to my more refined pieces,” Nulak said, spotting where Siku was looking.
Siku looked down at the pieces of spun silver, wound intricately around brilliant rubies and sapphires. The pieces were incredibly beautiful and he imagined anyone who received one as a gift would be overjoyed. The problem was, he didn’t know where to begin to serve as a proper distraction, as the guards were barely paying him any attention at all.
Nulak continued. “Now, I’m sure you can already see the great value in these pieces. If you were to guess at a price, what would you say was fair?”
Siku froze, fingers tightening on the edge of the gilded display. Fighting the urge to look behind him at Aputi, Siku braced himself, hoping his answer was appropriate.
“Fifty sekham?”
The guess was wild, and from the sudden silence that followed, he realized it wasn’t anywhere near what it should have been. Keeping his eyes locked on the diadem in velvet in front of his fingers, Siku found himself cursing his tutors. It had always felt like their lessons were limited, and he wished he knew more about their currency than just the name.
“Surely you joke sir.”
Nulak’s tone told Siku that if it was a joke, it wasn’t one that was appreciated. Nervous, Siku glanced up into the man’s now stony features. Even the guards were looking at him, one seemingly struggling to keep his laughter contained.
Siku winced. “A jest, in poor taste no less.”
Nulak clicked his tongue.
“I was hoping you might be a serious buyer. If I wanted amusement, I would listen to the myriad of excuses that debtors bring to my doorstep.”
Siku hadn’t met someone quite as touchy and cruel as when he’d been forced to deal with a distant duke’s son. Unlike that difficult boy, Nulak didn’t look prepared to threaten Siku with a duel of honor.
Thinking quickly, Siku spouted the first thing that leaped into his mind. “How about you tell me what you expect? I admit, I am not particularly adept at the price of jewelry and precious gems. It would be better if you were to simply tell me the price so I can consider it. Haggling over prices seems so tedious.”
The change that came over Nulak was almost instantaneous, the dark glower becoming a beaming smile once again. Siku wasn’t sure if the man was simply greedy and pleased to have someone he might be able to overcharge, or if his vanity was just easy to feed. The man had suddenly become more complacent in their first interaction than when Siku had first spoken, apparently wishing to deal only with those of a higher class. Whatever the case, Siku could feel his head spinning from the attempt to keep up with the banker’s mercurial moods.
“As you wish sir. The piece you’re looking at now could quite easily be over ten times the amount you mentioned.”
His grip tightened around the edge of the display as he leaned in closer to look at the diadem with feigned interest. Pulse pounding, he tried to think of what to say next that would keep the man talking. If he somehow screwed up, either Nulak or his guards would shift their attention from him. Sweat coated his shoulders as the pounding in his head intensified, and Siku felt the inner beast come to life.
Eyes widening, Siku fought to keep the bear from roaring to life. His pride had been wounded, he was cornered, lost, and more desperate than any time in his life. Failure meant the guards arresting them or taking their lives. The former meant the loss of what freedom Siku had gained, and probably Aputi’s permanent incarceration. Despite knowing Aputi was a thief, and a thief he barely knew, some part of him bellowed from within that Aputi should remain safe.
Claiming the ice Prince Page 3
