by M. Gregg Roe
She cautiously raised her head and looked toward the foot of the bed. Curled up on top of the quilt and pressed against her was the nameless black-and-white cat that seemed to think he owned the mansion’s grounds. It was the cat that she had been warned not to even approach, let alone touch, because he was so mean. She definitely hadn’t let him in last night, which meant that she must have forgotten to latch one of the doors.
Audrey really wasn’t sure what to do. The cats in Farmerton had been somewhat tame, cared for by the villagers and earning their keep by guarding the stored food from mice and rats. But the cat on her bed was feral. And to her knowledge, he had never tried to enter the mansion.
After some thought, Audrey began to slowly draw up her legs. The cat woke abruptly and stared at her with his big green eyes. He yawned, revealing teeth that were stained, but with no gaps that she could see. He slowly stood, then pushed his front paws forward in a stretch. He glanced at her briefly before jumping off the left side of the bed, landing with a thump. He padded out of the bedroom, his erect tail making his progress visible to her.
Audrey waited a moment, then hurled back the quilt and went to her wardrobe. After donning her new robe, she quickly pulled on a pair of thick wool socks. The front door was both closed and latched, but she found the back door ajar. She spotted the cat outside, presumably in search of something to kill and eat for breakfast.
She examined the outside of the door before closing it. There were scratch marks on the flat metal piece that had to be pushed down to unlatch the door. The conclusion was inescapable: The cat had let himself in. The latch design was different than any of the mansion doors. She had a sudden intuition. Her cottage was built almost entirely from materials that had come from the old servant quarters. The cat already knew how to open that type of latch, and the servants might well have taken care of him. And now, he was probably expecting her to do the same.
A brief inspection showed the pantry to be sadly lacking in food, for either her or the cat. Fortunately, there was a place nearby where she could find both food and warmth. She quickly cleaned up, got dressed, and set out for the mansion.
Last night’s pouring rain had given way to a beautiful morning with bright sunshine and a light breeze. Flowers were in bloom seemingly everywhere, and the grounds were alive with birdsong. The air had a wet, earthy smell that she inhaled with relish. It was so pleasant that she decided to go the long way, walking all the way around the front of the mansion to the other side where the greenhouse was located, and including the arched bridge that spanned the fish pond.
Entering the kitchen through the west door, Audrey saw that Almera was busy washing up the cookware. The buffet table held platters and bowls of food as well as a pitcher and cups. The sole occupant of the dining table was Rosalind, still working on a plate piled high with food. The dark blue guest robe that she was wearing was much too large for her.
“Good morning, Audrey!” called out Rosalind as she smiled happily. “I live here now.”
“Yes. I heard. Good morning.”
Audrey walked over to Almera and whispered, “I can alter that robe to fit her.”
“There’s no need,” replied the woman, also keeping her voice low. “We have smaller robes for children. I’ll change it out later.”
Audrey smiled as Almera continued in her normal voice. “Help yourself to the food. You can eat Saxloc’s share since he seems to be sleeping in.”
“That’s my fault,” said Rosalind with a guilty look. She noticed the looks that Audrey and Almera were giving her and shook her head. “No. I didn’t sleep with him. I just got scared by the heating system and went to his room.”
Audrey went over and got her own breakfast before sitting down opposite Rosalind. There was little conversation, and Audrey was surprised by how much Rosalind ate. But it was also encouraging. It wouldn’t be long before Rosalind needed larger clothing.
When Rosalind finally finished, she called out, “Thank you, Almera. I’m going up to bathe and get dressed now.”
“That’s fine, Rosalind,” replied Almera. “Come down to the parlor when you’re done.”
“Okay!”
Audrey stacked up all of the dirty plates and took them over to the washbasin. As they worked together, she described her encounter with the cat, ending by asking, “Didn’t anyone ever give him a name?”
Almera furrowed her brow as she thought. “Benson. I think that’s what they called him.”
“Benson,” Audrey repeated. “That’ll do. I think I’m stuck with him now.”
“Probably. So, do you really think that Rosalind only went to Saxloc’s room because she was scared?”
“That is exactly what happened,” said Saxloc as he walked up looking very tired. “I had trouble getting back to sleep afterward. And wait until you hear the real reason that Rosalind is after me. It’s bizarre.”
Audrey and Almera ended up sitting with Saxloc as he ate. He told them all about Rosalind’s odd form of racism. It was fascinating.
♦ ♦ ♦
Gabriel was appalled by the contents of Rosalind’s pantry. Stale bread, moldy cheese, badly bruised fruit—none of it was worth saving. Rosalind had clearly not been eating adequately. It cheered him that the young woman was now living with Draymund and Almera. There, she would be fed properly, as well as being safe.
He spotted a crumpled paper sack and placed all of the food into it. He would drop it off in the proper bin so that it could be used to make compost. The Witch’s City did an excellent job of utilizing its food waste in his opinion. It would likely be sent to one of the two neighboring farm communities, making use of the same carts that brought food shipments.
Saxloc and Rosalind had shown up at his family’s living quarters that morning, and he had promptly agreed to assist them. Rosalind had never been inside the Witch’s Castle before, and she was wide-eyed and shy when he introduced her to his mother. His father and sister weren’t present because of what Marryn had discovered about Sharp Edges. Gabriel was extremely disappointed that the shop owner had turned out to be a criminal.
Gabriel closed the pantry door and turned to look at Saxloc. Rosalind was off speaking with those of her neighbors who were at home. Her apartment was tiny. It was all one room, with the kitchen and pantry at one end, and a small bed opposite. In the middle was a doorless wardrobe and a single wooden chair. The floors were bare, and the old planks squeaked when either of them moved. He couldn’t imagine how Rosalind had been able to live in such a place.
“There is no food here worth saving,” Gabriel told his friend.
Saxloc finished wrapping the carved figurine of a pouncing cat, using what appeared to be one of Rosalind’s undergarments. It was one of several carvings that had been displayed on top of her wardrobe. “I’m not surprised,” he replied. “I really wish I had known about how bad things were for her earlier. I can’t believe she was living like this. Rosalind is going to end up living in a nicer place even if I have to pay her rent myself.”
He was pleased, both by Saxloc’s statement and that Rosalind would be taken care of. A year ago, Saxloc would never have said something such as that. He would still have wanted to help, but he would have asked his parents to provide the money. Saxloc’s mother Almera had been partly responsible, but Gabriel felt that Audrey had been the real difference.
Gabriel gathered up the cooking utensils and placed them all in the largest pot. He moved all of the cookware to the opposite side of the bed from where Saxloc was still busy wrapping up figurines.
The door opened and Rosalind walked in wearing clothing that looked old and worn. She glanced around and said, “I’ve talked with everyone who’s here and left a note for the landlord.”
Gabriel picked up a figurine of a sleeping cat that was carved from an orange-colored wood—probably marshwood. “You appear to like cats,” he commented as he began to wrap it in a faded green shirt.
“Yes,” she replied. “I do. Almera says that th
ere’s a cat that lives outside the mansion.”
“There is,” said Saxloc, “but he’s mean. Don’t even go near him.” His answer clearly disappointed Rosalind.
With Rosalind’s assistance, they soon had everything packed up. “Where’s my Sparrow set?” she asked suddenly. She knelt down and looked under the bed. After wriggling part way underneath, she emerged holding a wooden box that measured about twelve inches square and eight deep. It was made from a dark wood that Gabriel didn’t recognize. The top was inlayed using a lighter wood, displaying the word “Sparrow” in a rectangular frame.
Saxloc held out his hands and Rosalind carefully handed it over. “Be careful,” she told him. “It was handed down to me. It’s almost two centuries old.”
“I am impressed,” stated Gabriel. “My family and I frequently play Sparrow. Perhaps you could come over some evening?”
“Really?” she asked with a happy smile. “I’d like that.”
“Is that everything, Rosalind?” asked Saxloc, sounding impatient.
Rosalind made a complete circuit of her apartment before nodding her approval. “Yes. That’s everything. You can wrap it all up in the bed linens. They’re mine too.”
It ended up being almost too much for the three of them to carry, but two city guards passing nearby promptly offered to help.
♦ ♦ ♦
Hankin was in the middle of reviewing the previous month’s list of goods imported from Zardis when Natalia entered in her usual manner. It was the middle of a sunny afternoon, and he was annoyed, both by the interruption and by her secretive smile as she slouched in the chair.
“How is Owen doing?” he asked. It was a sore point with her.
Natalia smiled smugly. “Fine. He’s officially a Novox trainee. Celebern approved it. That’ll keep Audrey happy.”
Hankin was surprised that it had happened so fast. Now he was going to have to find something new to annoy her with.
Natalia held up her right hand and pointed a finger at him. “Did you ask Sasha for some business insurance information yesterday?”
He hadn’t told Natalia or anyone else about that. “Yes. Regarding Sharp Edges. Everything was fine.”
“Wrong!” said Natalia as she sat up straight. “What she told you wasn’t right. Sharp Edges is paying less than you would expect. She gave you false information.”
“What? Why?”
Natalia scowled and narrowed her eyes. “Sasha went home right after that, saying that she wasn’t feeling well. She didn’t turn up today. We sent someone to check on her. Her apartment has been cleaned out. She’s gone.”
Hankin was starting to get a really bad feeling. “What do we know about Sasha?” he asked. He knew that she had been working for Novox for a while.
“Apparently not enough. She may have been a spy.”
Hankin didn’t have to ask who Sasha might have been a spy for. The Zardis Thieves’ Guild hated Novox. The Guild had tried to seize control of the Witch’s City Thieves’ Guild, only to be thwarted and then watch as it was subsumed into Novox. By now, Sasha was either on her way to Zardis or in hiding. But something wasn’t right. “Why did she run and ruin her cover?” he asked. “It doesn’t make sense.”
Natalia nodded. “Exactly. We were all wondering that, and then we heard that Sharp Edges never opened this morning. There’s a sign saying it’s closed temporarily.”
“And now you are going to tell me that the owner has gone missing?”
“Yes. Someone matching his description boarded a ship last night. A ship owned by Zardis Trading.”
Hankin shook his head. Zardis Trading was a front for the Zardis Thieves’ Guild. Had Buris also been a spy for them? He had been in the Witch’s City for years. “We need to get inside Sharp Edges and search it,” he told her.
“Celebern has already approved it,” she said proudly, likely indicating that it had been her idea. “At midnight. It will be the two of us plus lookouts. Others will be investigating his house.”
“All right.” He doubted if Buris had left behind anything of interest, but he had been in such a hurry to leave that he might have. And they had to at least look.
“There’s more,” said Natalia. “This morning, the government instituted a review of Sharp Edges’ tax filings for the last ten years. Mardan requested it, and the word is that his daughter discovered it.”
“This is crazy,” said Hankin. “Buris has been committing tax fraud, but he fled before he was even accused?”
“Yes, but Sasha must have thought that we were on to him. She probably went straight there and warned him to get out.”
“All right, Natalia. Thank you for informing me. I’ll see you tonight at Sharp Edges.”
She stood up and smiled. “It’ll be fun. See you later.”
After Natalia left, Hankin simply sat and stared at the wall. He wondered just how many people the Zardis Thieves’ Guild still had in Novox, or in the city pretending to be normal citizens. It was worrying. Very worrying.
♦ ♦ ♦
Marryn gaped at her brother. “He’s gone?” she asked.
“Yes,” replied Gabriel. “According to Hankin, Buris fled the city last night by ship. It appears that he was an agent for the Zardis Thieves’ Guild. He mistakenly believed that Novox was wise to him.”
Marryn was feeling light-headed, so she sat down on her bed. It was all going wrong. Her parents had praised her for discovering that Buris had been cheating on his taxes. Lothar had even stopped by that afternoon to ask her some questions. Instead of being angry about the sneaky way that she had obtained the information, he had wanted to know how she had spotted the fraud. But now it appeared that it was all for nothing.
“We discovered that things were amiss this afternoon,” he continued. “Saxloc and I escorted Rosalind to Sharp Edges so that she could terminate her employment, but the shop was not open.”
That Rosalind was now living in the mansion had been another unpleasant shock. Marryn now regarded Rosalind as the most serious threat to take Saxloc away from her.
“So what happens to Sharp Edges now?” she asked.
“I do not know. Buris was the sole owner.”
“The government might seize it because of the tax fraud,” Marryn suggested. Then what she had discovered would be of some use.
“That is true. There is another issue. A woman who appears to have been a confederate of Buris was employed by Novox. She may still be in the city, and there could be others.”
“There probably are others. Novox needs to clean house.” Then she realized what her brother was implying. “Am I in danger?” she asked, now worried.
“Probably not, but it is a possibility. I have already spoken with our parents. We would like for you to not leave the Witch’s Castle without an escort.”
“For how long?” Marryn had a sick feeling in the pit of her stomach.
“That is not certain. We are concerned for Rosalind as well.”
“All right. I’ll be careful.”
Gabriel nodded. “Good night, Marryn.”
“Good night, Gabriel.”
Marryn laid down on her bed and contemplated how her good deed could have gone so wrong.
9
‡ Conflagration ‡
Hankin’s ears still rang from the noise of the explosion as he looked out from the office doorway. Eerie blue flames burned throughout what was left of the shop’s interior. Clearly, Natalia had triggered some kind of trap while searching the shop. He cursed himself for not having scanned for traps using his magical abilities. A scan of Buris’s office had revealed a safe beneath the desk that was both locked and magically-protected, and he had been completely preoccupied with trying to open it when the explosion shook the building.
He knew that Natalia must be dead even before he spotted what was left of one of her arms nearby. To his left, a huge splash of blood on the wall marked where Natalia had struck. Part of her, anyway. Natalia’s torso had only the upper part of her lef
t leg still attached. He had kidded her about wearing her leather armor, but now he was grateful. Without it, her torso would have also been shredded.
“What happened?” It was Alec, but the words sounded distant. Hankin hadn’t even heard him approach.
“A trap,” said Hankin, suspecting that he was speaking too loud. “Gather up as much of Natalia as you can find and take it outside. This place is going to burn down.”
Alec moved to obey as Hankin bent down and picked up Natalia’s torso. It was a sickening task, but necessary. If Natalia’s remains burned, there would be no recovering her. He made his way to the back door, which Alec had left open. A spectator moved toward him—a middle-aged woman who looked concerned—but she fled retching when she saw what he was carrying. After walking down the alley behind the shop and well away from the burning building, Hankin carefully set down his burden. Alec soon appeared and added things that Hankin really didn’t want to look at. He had seen plenty of carnage, but Natalia was his co-worker, friend, and occasional lover. Seeing what had happened to her body sickened him, and the flickering blue illumination wasn’t helping.
Hankin couldn’t bring himself to go back inside. He knew that he should, but he didn’t want to leave what was left of Natalia. He watched as Alec quickly spoke to Gaston and the two of them went inside. He felt sick, but also angry. Buris was behind this and Hankin was determined to make him pay, preferably slowly and painfully. And ideally with Natalia’s assistance.
The blue flames were rapidly spreading up the walls, even reaching the roof in one area. They were alchemical, not magical, for Hankin could detect no magical emanation. And they produced almost no heat. He had never seen anything like them before. They had undoubtedly come from an alchemist in Zardis, possibly even one who worked for the Guild.
