Storm Glass

by Maria V. Snyder

  I didn’t let go of her until we reached the market. We paused to catch our breath and I put my sais away.

  Pazia’s flushed cheeks and the wild glint in her eyes meant either fear or excitement.

  Fisk appeared at our side. “What happened?”

  “They tried to use strong-arm tactics.” I tucked a few loose strands of hair behind my ear.

  “Not good. Did they have the required items?”

  “No. Except for Bloody Lip and Bex, they were just like the rest.”

  Fisk considered. “I’ll spread the word to my clients about the fake diamonds, but the seller who used the swordsmen will be out of business by tomorrow.”

  “I thought you didn’t work with black market dealers.”

  “I don’t. But I’ll make sure they know about Bloody Lip and Bex. The other dealers don’t want customers to be afraid to buy from the black market. It’s bad for business. I’ve no doubt when the others are aware of the situation, it will be taken care of in record time.”

  I mulled over the implications and decided I wouldn’t be upset to know Bloody Lip and Bex were run out of town. My thoughts then turned to the lack of real diamonds.

  “Do you think the rogue Moon Clan faction is funding their activities by selling these fake stones?” I asked Fisk.

  “Must be. We’ve run out of dealers to contact.”

  “They looked so real,” Pazia said. “I almost...” She sighed.

  “Someone is manufacturing them. Should we try and trace them back to the source?” I wondered if I could produce such high-quality glass. It would be an interesting challenge.

  “I can take you back to one of the dealers you met with today,” Fisk said. “Perhaps he’ll tell you his source.”

  “Let’s talk to Zitora first. See if she has any ideas.” I pulled my cloak tighter as an icy wind blew through the market, causing the lanterns along the street to pulse. A hint of moisture clung to the air with the promise of rain.

  We agreed to meet tomorrow afternoon.

  “Keep the clothes for now,” Fisk said, gesturing to my disguise. “And walk straight back to the Keep. The gossip is that two student magicians are looking to buy diamonds to enhance their magic. Play it up, so when you start asking for a big quantity of large diamonds no one is surprised.”

  Pazia and I headed toward the Keep. She had been subdued since we escaped from Bloody Lip. A few people walked along the quiet Citadel streets. I wondered how Ulrick’s day had gone.

  About a block before the Keep’s entrance, two men stepped from the shadows and approached us.

  20

  Pazia gasped as the men drew closer, but I reached for my sais, wrapping my hands around the hilts. The motion helped steady my frantic heartbeat.

  “Magic, remember?” I whispered to Pazia. “You’re powerful.”

  “I’ve heard you two are looking for sparkles,” the man on the left said. He wore the plain gray coverall of a factory worker. Tools hung from his belt. Any one of them could be used as a weapon. His companion also wore coveralls, although the larger man’s were covered with dark stains. Blood or grease, it was hard to discern in the lantern light.

  I waited for Pazia to speak. When the silence lengthened to uncomfortable, I said, “We’re looking for real sparkles. If you don’t have anything good, we’re not interested in doing business.”

  The man nodded. “Thought so. Watched you go to all those others. You’re looking for magical sparkles. Question is, can you afford it?”

  “My family owns the Vasko mine,” Pazia said.

  I tried not to show my surprise. After all, I was supposed to be her friend. But the Vasko mine was famous for the quantity and quality of rubies, making the owners the richest people in Sitia. And she just took one hell of a risk, telling two strangers about her family connections.

  “Care to see our wares then?” he asked, grinning.

  Remembering our run-in with Bloody Lip, I asked, “Where?”

  “Right here.” He glanced at the big man. “Egg?”

  Egg removed a pouch from his pocket and handed it to his friend, who opened it and poured diamonds into his palm. The four diamonds caught the light and held it. About the size of a teaspoon, they were the largest stones we’d seen all day.

  “May I?” I asked.

  He nodded. I picked up one of the diamonds and almost dropped it. The stone flashed cold, stinging my mind with a vision of an icy plain. Cold burned through my fingers then settled into a steady vibration. I had the same reaction with the other three, and I hurried to return them to him.

  The salesman had been watching me. There was frank interest in his light brown eyes.

  “What do you think?” he asked.

  “They’re adequate, but we’re going to need bigger stones. The larger the better.”

  “Big?” he asked with an incredulous tone.

  “If you can’t supply them, perhaps we could negotiate with your supplier?” When he just stared at me, I added, “We’ll pay you a finder’s fee, of course.”

  “But, you’re students...”

  “Come on, Pazia, he’s wasting our time.” I pulled on her arm, but the man hurried to block our path.

  “Pazia Cloud Mist?” he asked as if afraid of the answer.

  She gave him a cold stare. “I told you my family owned the Vasko mine.”

  Color leaked from the man’s face.

  She studied him with an intense alertness. Kidnapping and ransoming Pazia would bring in more money than selling a few diamonds, provided they could capture her. Curare would work, but it was near impossible to find.

  “Can you help us or not? I have a riding lesson.” I gestured with impatience.

  “I’ll hook you up, but we get twenty percent of the purchase price as our fee.”

  “Ten percent,” I countered.

  “Eighteen.”

  “Twelve.”

  “Sixteen, or it’s not even worth our time.”

  “Fifteen.”

  He sighed. “Agreed. Let’s go then.” He started walking down the street. Away from the Keep.

  “Go where?” I asked.

  “To our supplier.”

  We followed him back the way we had come. I wondered if one of the black market dealers had tried to sell us fakes first and we didn’t give them enough time to bring out the real stones. I kept alert for any signs of Bloody Lip and Bex.

  We approached the alley where the black market dealers had their showrooms, but instead of leading us to one of them, the man knocked on the back door of another building.

  The building’s front was on Jewelers’ Circle.

  A person opened the door and the man explained our reason for being there. We were taken to a small room. Lanterns on a single table blazed. Black velvet covered the top.

  A woman entered. I caught a glimpse of the room beyond her before she shut the door, confirming my suspicions we were in one of the legitimate jewelry stores.

  The woman’s hair had been pulled into a complex knot behind her head. She scowled at the two salesmen. “Why did you bring them here?” she demanded.

  “They wanted to purchase big stones. But we still get our fifteen percent.”

  “If they can pay,” she said, giving us a pointed stare.

  “I don’t think the daughter of Vasko Cloud Mist will have any trouble with payment.” The man grinned with a greedy glint in his eyes. “We’ll leave you girls to work out the details.” He left with Egg right behind him.

  The woman perked up at hearing Pazia’s name, but she eyed my clothing, clearly not impressed with my display of wealth. “Let me guess. You’re two seniors from the Keep and you want to buy a few diamonds to help increase your magic.” She sighed. “I’ll sell you all y
ou want, but let me warn you. The extra boost of power won’t help you to be assigned a cushy job when you graduate from the Keep.”

  I waited for Pazia to start, but again felt compelled to fill the lengthening silence. “We’re not interested in landing good assignments. We’re interested in obtaining diamonds of a specific size and quality.”

  “Why?”

  “Does it matter?”

  She considered. “No. Tell me what you want and I’ll find it for you.”

  “No. I have to see what is available. I can’t quantify our needs with numbers, but with feelings.” I waited for the inevitable disbelief.

  But her posture softened and she grew wistful. “I understand. I’ve been a jeweler all my life and there are certain gems that just...speak to me.”

  Unable to stifle my curiosity, I asked, “Why are you selling black market diamonds then?”

  “The Commander of Ixia gives us so few stones I can’t meet the demands of my customers. When I was offered a chance to bring in more, I jumped. If not, I would have lost business.”

  “Do the other jewelers sell them, too?”

  “I don’t know for sure, but I suspect they do.”

  “Does the Helper’s Guild know?”

  “We’ve been doing business decades longer than the Guild. If you need a Guild member to help you shop, then you’re not a loyal customer and not worth risking discovery.” She narrowed her eyes at me. “You’re asking a lot of questions.”

  “You’re not the only one taking a risk. For all I know you could be working with the Sitian authorities.”

  “The same could be said of you.” The saleswoman regarded me as if she were assessing the quality of a gemstone. “What’s your name?”

  “Opal Cowan.” I couldn’t think of any reason to lie and any hesitation would increase her suspicion.

  She cocked her head to the side. “The glass magician. No wonder you spotted the fakes.” She gestured to Pazia. “This is what you’re doing now? Making sure your friend doesn’t get conned? I thought the Master Magicians would have something better for you to do.”

  “I’m still in school.”

  The saleswoman nodded as if she understood. “All right. My supplier is delivering stones in the next couple of days. I’ll ask him about your request and we’ll see what we can do for you. Stop back in four days. Come to the rear door before the lamplighters get to the lanterns in the alley.”

  “Thank you...?” I stopped, realizing I didn’t know her name.

  “Elita Jewelrose.”

  Elita escorted us to the back entrance of her store. In the alley we heard the click of multiple locks. Pazia and I walked to the Keep. The hour had grown late. Only a few people hustled along the empty streets. For a while the silence hung heavy between us.

  A few blocks from the Keep, Pazia said in a churlish tone, “You can try to tell everyone I was surprised by the men who attacked us, and I was completely sucked in by the saleswoman. But no one will believe you.” She was right.

  I laughed. “You can pretend all you want, but without me you would be wearing a gaudy piece of glass on your finger. I know it and you know it. I don’t need to tell anyone else.”

  “You don’t have anyone to tell anyway. You think you’re so much better than the rest of us—we’re not worth your time.”

  I stopped. “Hold on. You’re the one who thinks she’s so powerful and special.”

  “No. I don’t think. I know. I am more powerful than all my classmates and teachers. But I treat everyone equally. I’ve made friends.”

  “Equally? What a laugh. You’ve been nasty to me since the first day!”

  “That’s because you thought you were too good for us. All you did was help the Soulfinder imprison the Warpers and you were lavished with special attention. And for what?” Pazia rounded on me. “One deed. One trick. No other talents and you just admitted to being a betrayer. You don’t deserve to be a student at the Keep. You’ve been given a free ride. And you didn’t even have the decency to be humble about your good fortune. No. You expected it and expected everyone to fawn over you. Well, I wasn’t going to do it.” With a grunt of disgust, Pazia strode up the street.

  I hurried after her. My thoughts swirled in my mind. I didn’t act as if I deserved special treatment. What did she expect me to do? Leave the Keep? She slowed and I almost ran into her.

  “Seems you have someone fooled by your noble routine.” Pazia pointed to a dark shape.

  A person waited by the Keep’s gates. As we came closer, his features and agitation grew clearer. I steeled myself for the unavoidable lecture.

  Ulrick shot Pazia a sharp look. “You trust her to keep you safe?”

  Agitated by Pazia’s accusations, I clamped down on a sarcastic reply. “I’m here aren’t I? Why are you here?” I immediately regretted my harsh tone when he looked at me as if I had slapped him.

  “It’s late. I was concerned when you didn’t return for dinner. Guess I shouldn’t have bothered.” He turned on his heel and stormed into the Keep.

  Pazia smirked. “You’re going to drive him away, too, and prove my point about you.”

  Her comment was one too many. My emotions knotted and I could no longer think straight. “Shut up, Pazia. You think you have me all figured out. You have no idea. Let’s just keep focused on the task at hand.” I headed for the administration building and didn’t bother to note if she followed me or not.

  Zitora waited in her office. Two lanterns burned on her desk.

  She sprang from her seat the moment she saw us. “Why have you been gone so long?”

  We alternated in telling her about our day. Pazia reported our findings in a factual manner, omitting the reason for Bex and Bloody Lip’s attack.

  “So all the black market diamonds are fakes? Interesting and surprising,” Zitora said. “Any guesses as to why?”

  “Elita mentioned having to keep up with her client’s demands,” I said. “Perhaps the illegal diamond seller is working both sides of the street. Sell real stones to the jewelers who can tell the difference and sell fakes to the black market dealers who can’t.”

  “A good scam,” Pazia agreed. “One that would pull in a ton of money.”

  “But do all the legitimate jewelers sell these illegal stones?” Zitora asked.

  Her comment reminded me about Elita’s agent. He and Egg knew we were searching for real diamonds. “Elita knows about the fakes. We don’t have any information about the other jewelers.”

  “Then we should find out.” Zitora settled into her chair. “You and Pazia keep your appointment with Elita. We’ll set up a watch on Elita’s back door to see if we can spot her diamond supplier.”

  A good plan. Yet I felt we had overlooked something vital. I reviewed the events of the day, searching for loopholes. “Fisk.”

  Zitora glanced up from her desk. “Fisk?”

  “We told him the black market diamonds are fakes. He planned to spread the word.”

  “Which might scare away the supplier,” Pazia said.

  “Go. Find Fisk. Make sure he keeps quiet,” Zitora ordered.

  “Now?” Pazia glanced at the darkness pressed against the window.

  “Yes.”

  We hurried from Zitora’s office.

  “Take off your jewelry,” Pazia said. “This time we don’t want to attract attention.”

  “Do you know where Fisk is?” I pulled the ruby bracelets from my arm, unpinned the brooch and shoved them into my pocket. My hair clips followed.

  “He lives above the Guild’s headquarters with his family. Come on, I have an early class tomorrow.”

  We arrived at Fisk’s place without incident. Fortunately he was home and joined us in the Guild’s common room. We explained what happened with Elita.

/>   “She’s well respected. It’s hard to believe she’s selling contraband,” Fisk said.

  “Have you heard any rumors about the other jewelers?” I asked.

  “No. But I’ll make a few discreet inquiries.”

  “Have you told anyone about the fakes?” Pazia asked.

  “Not yet. I’ll wait until we have identified the supplier.” Fisk stiffened and held a hand up for silence.

  The door to the alley opened and a small figure slipped inside. Appearing to be around six years old, the boy signaled Fisk with a series of hand and arm gestures.

  “Thanks,” Fisk said. He flipped a silver coin to the boy. The child snatched it from midair and disappeared in the same furtive manner as he had arrived.

  “You were followed.” He frowned at Pazia as if waiting for an explanation.

  “I was in a hurry.” She seemed unconcerned.

  Unlike me. I was very concerned. “Do you know who?”

  “A man. A little taller and muscular than average, according to Tweet.”

  My mind raced over potential attackers. Blue Eyes, Tricky, Sir, Tal, it was quite a list. Worry gnawed on my guts, chewing holes.

  “You learned all that from a child named Tweet?” Pazia asked.

  Fisk gave her an icy stare. “Tweet is the only sound the boy can make since his mother cut out his tongue for crying too loud. She actually did him a favor by abandoning him on the street. Even without parents, the boy understands better than you the importance of keeping the location of our headquarters a secret.”

  “Fine. We’ll corner this man and find out why he followed us.” She made to leave.

  “Can’t you just read his thoughts?” I asked.

  She shooed away my question. “Too many people around.”

  “He’s waiting at the end of the alley. Not far at all,” Fisk said.

  Pazia’s annoyance turned to anger. “My ability to read minds is very limited. Happy now? Are you going to help us trap him or not?”