Apprenticed to Pleasure

by Brandon Fox

  He shrugged off Sorel’s arm and sprang up, shaking with agitation. “We’ve got to help her! Where were they taking her? Was she all right when you saw her?”

  Nicolai rubbed at his eyes. “She looked all right. As much as you can, after spending a few days in a dungeon.”

  “Did you see where they took her?”

  “All the prisoners were being taken to the prefect’s citadel,” Nicolai replied. “Across the plaza from the basilica. An old woman in the marketplace told us the citadel’s dungeons and the basilica’s crypts are connected by tunnels.”

  “I have to get into the citadel, then. Before they have a chance to hurt her.”

  “Stop!” Thane shouted. His eyebrows were drawn down, his hands balled into fists. “We can’t act until we understand what’s happening. And we need to bolster our defenses here. If the threat is as dire as Sorel seems to think, there’s no room for mistakes.”

  “But what about Lady Tayanita? If they put her in that leech, she’ll—”

  Thane strode over to Ander and grabbed him by the shoulders. “Listen to me! I know how much she means to you. But we can’t act recklessly. There’s too much at stake.”

  “He’s right,” Sorel said. “You have no idea what it’s like. There’s no way to break into the citadel. I’ve never seen such a heavy guard. You’d just be captured yourself. It wouldn’t do Lady Tayanita any good.”

  Ander hung his head. He gulped, then raised his eyes and met Thane’s gaze. The mage released him and stepped back as his comprehension of their predicament sank in.

  “I understand,” Ander said. “But isn’t there something we could do?” He turned to Nicolai. “You said the citadel and basilica are connected by tunnels. Could we get in through the basilica?”

  “No. It’s as heavily guarded as the citadel. Priests are telling everyone a purification ritual is being done. They’ve closed the building for a week.” He shrugged. “The populace is happy about it. They were allowed to skip their tithes this week. It’s getting them in a festive mood for the zamindar’s visit.”

  Ander sank to the cushion in front of the other three, pulling up his legs and wrapping his arms around his knees. He looked at Nicolai thoughtfully.

  “You said they’re already holding banquets in preparation for the zamindar’s arrival?”

  “That’s right. The prefect’s entertaining nobles and wealthy merchants. There are many visitors in Fochelis for the event.”

  “Where are the feasts held?”

  “At the prefect’s citadel, of course. The prefect and his guests won’t go anywhere that isn’t well guarded.”

  Ander nodded. “And you said they’re looking for entertainers. What kind?”

  Sorel glanced up, already catching Ander’s drift. “Everything. Dancers, musicians, actors, companions. I heard they’ve found a juggler who can keep five balls in the air while blindfolded.”

  The gleam in Ander’s eye brightened. “I can play the guitar well enough for most. At least the customers at Lady Tayanita’s House of Companionship never had any complaints. If I got hired as an entertainer, they’d let me into the citadel.”

  “Stop and think,” Thane said. He knelt on the cushion next to Ander. “What would you do if you make it inside? Getting past the guards is only the beginning. They’ll have cantrips and hexes everywhere. You’d never sense them. You don’t have the training. You wouldn’t have a chance.”

  “He’d never make it on his own,” Sorel agreed. “But what if he had help? From someone who’d sense magical threats and be able to deal with them?”

  Thane rocked back on his heels, glaring at Sorel. “It’s too dangerous. And even if Ander could get hired as an entertainer, that wouldn’t get you into the citadel. He doesn’t yet perceive the kei. It’ll be weeks before he’ll be able to defend himself from magical attacks.”

  Sorel cocked his head to the side, lifting an eyebrow. “He doesn’t perceive the kei? I thought you two were going to continue the testing yesterday. And I know he’s sensitive enough. Didn’t you go through with it?”

  A flush spread from Thane’s neck to the top of his forehead. Nicolai and Sorel watched him intently, their curiosity plainly aroused.

  Thane’s acute embarrassment pulled at Ander’s heart. He realized the mage didn’t want to let them know he had lost control. “I had a problem,” he blurted. “We started the test, but I couldn’t restrain myself long enough. He’s going to give me another chance, though.”

  Sorel looked dubious, but Nicolai was instantly full of sympathy. “Don’t worry, I’m sure you’ve got the skill. Like I told you before, just think about something else when you get too close.”

  Thane looked at Ander gratefully, and it was his turn to blush as he felt the unspoken thanks. But a sidelong glance revealed Sorel watching them with feline concentration.

  Sorel shook his head impatiently. “I don’t understand your resistance to this. Aside from Lady Tayanita, who Ander has every right to be concerned about, there’s the leech. It’s the most powerful magic we’ve seen the zamindar’s sorcerers use. Nowhere is going to be safe if we don’t learn how to defeat it. Remember, they almost penetrated your own workroom. I’d be willing to help Ander make an attempt.”

  Thane sat on the cushion and leaned against Ander, putting an arm around him. “No, it won’t work. I need you here, Sorel. You’re the most sensitive initiate I’ve got. I’ll need your help working out defenses to the zamindar’s new magic.”

  “There’s another option,” Nicolai offered. “I could go with Ander. It might help him get hired. I could do an acrobatic routine to his music. We’d get hired as a team and both get inside. After all, there are banquets every night this week. The prefect will want fresh acts for his guests.” Nicolai beamed, obviously pleased with himself for coming up with the idea.

  Thane shook his head, his expression determined.

  Nicolai looked surprised. “Why not? It’s a good plan. And Sorel’s right about needing to learn more about the leech.” He shifted his gaze to Ander. “What do you say? Still want to try?”

  Thane pleaded silently, with his eyes and his almost desperate embrace. Ander felt his resolve weakening. But a memory of the man being tortured to feed the leech flashed through his mind. He couldn’t let it happen to Lady Tay.

  He lowered his eyes, unable to face Thane, feeling like a traitor. “I have to try,” he whispered. “I hope you understand.”

  There was no reply. Hesitantly, Ander looked up. His heart ached when he saw the mage’s woebegone expression.

  “I knew you wouldn’t be deterred,” Thane said miserably. “You’re too much like someone else who always stood up to me.”

  “I’ll be back,” Ander promised. “I’m sure Nicolai can keep us out of magical traps.”

  Thane nodded, sadness giving way to resignation. “I trust his abilities. But you’re still facing bad odds.”

  “We’ll be careful,” Nicolai said. “I won’t let him do anything reckless.”

  Rising from the cushion, Thane went to a workbench and started rummaging through a cabinet filled with small drawers. “I’ll hold you to that. But you two are going to need more than good judgment. Let’s see what else I can find that might help.”

  THE zeal with which Thane pursued their mission to Fochelis left Ander exhausted. Once he had accepted the decision, he spared no effort helping plan the dangerous journey. He continued working, single-minded, after Nicolai and Sorel left to get a few hours’ rest.

  Ander held a glass ampule up to the window, swirling the container and letting light filter through its murky blue contents. He removed the stopper and sniffed the fluid’s pungent juniper fragrance.

  “Is this what Nicolai and Sorel used in the cave, when they made a wall to block the passage?”

  Thane snatched the ampule from his hand and put it back on a rack.

  “Yes. But stay away from it. You need to be trained before using anything this powerful. It could kill
you.” He inserted a stopper in the small container, then turned and raised a small knife.

  “For now, you’ll have to rely on caution. And a talisman. I need some of your hair.”

  “My hair?” Ander eyed the knife cautiously.

  “Just a bit.” Ander turned his head, and Thane cut a few strands from the back. Returning to the workbench, he dropped the hairs onto a small patch of leather. Ander stood beside him to watch.

  “You can’t deal with the kei yourself, at least not yet,” Thane explained as he pulled a series of drawers no bigger than his hand out of the cabinet. “But there’s a way to store anima for a time in the heart of certain stones.” Carefully removing shredded cotton packing from one of the drawers, he uncovered a red crystal the size of a robin’s egg. He held it up for Ander to examine.

  “I knew I’d find some of these around here. Students make them all the time, as an exercise. Here, feel it.” He dropped the crystal into Ander’s palm.

  Ander yelped as prickly heat raced from his palm to his elbow. He dropped the crystal onto the table and shook his hand.

  Thane seemed pleased as he picked up the gem. “Once again I’m impressed. Most people wouldn’t feel anything if they touched this.” He placed the gem on the center of the leather patch, in the midst of the black hairs. After adding dried herbs that smelled peppery, he sprinkled the curious pile with a few drops of green oil. A wisp of purple smoke puffed up from the herbs as they absorbed the oil. Looking satisfied with his efforts, Thane pulled the edges of the patch together and tied them with a long leather thong. The bundle was smaller than a walnut.

  He turned to Ander and held the talisman between them. A solemn expression made him seem older than his body’s nineteen years. “I wish I could go with you. But I can’t leave until the lyceum is shielded from this new threat.”

  “You want to go with me? I thought you were against the whole idea.”

  Thane’s chest heaved in a deep sigh. Looking at the talisman in his palm, he curled his fingers around the leather sack and stood motionless. When he finally looked up, there were tears on his cheeks.

  “That was fear talking. Fear for you. And… for me too. You’ve made me feel things I haven’t felt in a long time. I still don’t understand it.” He held the thong in both hands and hung the talisman around Ander’s neck.

  Ander wrapped his arms around Thane, and they embraced with fierce strength. A minute passed before the mage stepped back. His eyes were filled with yearning.

  “This will hide you from seeker spells. And the talisman reacts to strong disturbances in the kei. If it feels hot, be on your guard. And hope the jaws of a trap haven’t already snapped shut.”

  Ander fingered the small leather sack, feeling a mild mental buzz from the jewel in its center. “Won’t this alert the zamindar’s sorcerers? If I can feel it, I’d think any sorcerer would sense it immediately.”

  “You feel it because you’re linked with the crystal. And I’ve shielded it. Sorcerers won’t suspect anything unless they see it. Just keep it under your shirt.”

  Wrapping his fingers around the talisman, Ander pondered his somber friend. He couldn’t help wondering how badly Thane was hurt by his decision. But helping Lady Tayanita was his duty, just as protecting the lyceum was Thane’s duty. Nothing he could say would change that, or make it any less painful.

  Chapter 14

  DAWN still painted the horizon when they arrived at the pass. Fochelis lay below them, nestled in foothills at the sea’s edge. Morning light fell on the onion domes atop the city’s highest towers, making their gold-plated curves shine brilliantly. The sounds and smells of an awakening city drifted up from the ancient port. Fog rolling in from the sea was tinted lavender by the early light. It hung over the city and obscured the sprawling slums, making everything appear beautiful.

  “At last.” Ander was exhausted. He’d never ridden so hard in his life. He looked at the sun’s position. “I think we’ll have five or six hours to rest before it’s time to try selling our act.”

  Nicolai swept an arm toward the city. “Lovely Fochelis, whore of the Drinian Sea! You’ll love it. It’s much more cosmopolitan than tired old Pella.”

  “That’s not saying much,” Ander muttered.

  Nicolai prodded his horse back into motion. “You’ll feel better after some food and rest. Then if we get ourselves hired quickly, I’ll have time to show you around. They even have a museum. It’s full of war relics. And jars of alcohol with the heads of the zamindar’s political rivals. It’s quite a large collection.”

  Ander made a face. “I’d like to see the city, but let’s skip the heads. Maybe we could find some music instead?”

  “Whatever you’d like,” Nicolai agreed amiably.

  Tired as he was, he had to admit the trip with Nicolai had been pleasant. They had traded stories and agreed on music to be used for the acrobatic routine. The young northerner’s blend of courage and gentleness was remarkable. Ander already regarded him as a true friend.

  The road turned from dirt to cobblestones as they descended. Whitewashed cottages with thatch roofs gave way to stone buildings hung with red and gold banners—the zamindar’s colors. Narrow streets were already crowded with merchants setting up stalls and children chasing each other, excited dogs barking at their heels. The smell of sizzling sausages, baking fish, and fresh bread made Ander’s stomach rumble. He looked around, wide-eyed and impressed. Buildings larger than any in Pella already surrounded them, and they were still on the city’s fringe.

  “Where are we going to stop?” Ander asked.

  “We’ll find an inn near the docks. That’s where the cheap rooms are, the kind entertainers would rent. Besides, with the zamindar visiting, all the good rooms are likely taken.”

  Ander noticed the strong military presence as they neared the heart of the city. Even at this early hour, there were cuirassiers patrolling the streets on their imposing steeds. He pulled up his cloak’s collar and kept close to Nicolai. The reminder of the zamindar and his sorcerers was enough to dampen his excitement at finally seeing Fochelis. He was relieved when Nicolai stopped at a dilapidated two-story inn. A board cut in the shape of a tankard hung precariously above the door, one of its two supports rusted away.

  They left their horses in the care of the inn’s ostler and went inside. Ander brought his guitar, a fine instrument Thane had loaned him, both to add credence to their story and to avoid taking any chances with it. Nicolai carried only a small pack with the few items they might need for their short stay.

  Half a dozen surly-looking guests were at their breakfasts. Within seconds a mountainous woman wearing a tent of a dress and a leather apron confronted them. She eyed them suspiciously, glaring at Ander’s guitar case. “We got no need for singers here, boys. And you’re a few hours late if you aim to sweet-talk your way into somebody’s bed and purse.”

  Ander glared at the woman, but Nicolai put a hand on his shoulder and kept his expression calm.

  “A pleasure to meet you, madame. You’re the keeper of this establishment?”

  She turned her head and squinted at him with one eye, then nodded. “Aye. What’s your scam?”

  “We’re honest entertainers. I’m an acrobat, and my friend is a well-known musician. We heard there’s work to be found in Fochelis.”

  “Maybe,” she said grudgingly. “But I ain’t hiring.” She scowled again. “You got money?”

  Nicolai extended his hand, palm up. Two bronze coins glistened ruddily in the weak light. “Would this buy us a meal and a room for tonight?”

  Despite her size, the woman could move as fast as a mongoose. Before Ander could blink, she had snatched the coins out of Nicolai’s hand and made them vanish in one of the apron’s pockets. “This’ll do, I reckon.” Having concluded they had money, her demeanor warmed considerably. “My name’s Helga, gents. Anything else I can do for you?”

  “As I said, we’re looking for work. Have you heard who’s hiring and where
they might be looking?”

  Helga grimaced and put a hand to her chin. “I believe I heard something about that. But I hear so damn much. It’s hard to remember. Let’s see….”

  Impressed by Nicolai’s demonstration of the power of money, Ander pulled a smaller coin out of his pocket. He held it in front of Helga and raised an eyebrow. The coin vanished as amazingly as Nicolai’s had.

  “I remember now,” Helga declared. “The prefect’s steward has been hiring. At the eatery in the main bathhouse. It’s on the plaza, near the citadel. If you need a guide, I could arrange—”

  “Thank you,” Nicolai interrupted. “But we know where it is. You’ve been most helpful, Helga.”

  She grinned for the first time, showing crooked yellow teeth with several gaps. She reached into one of the apron’s pockets and drew out a tarnished key. “You’ll have the room at the end of the hall, on the left.” She handed the key to Nicolai. “I’ll have your breakfast in a trice. If there’s anything else I can do—”

  “We’ll let you know,” Nicolai assured her. He turned to Ander and handed him the pack along with his cape and the key. “Why don’t you put our things in the room while I see to the horses? I’ll join you for breakfast in a few minutes.”

  Ander found their room and was pleasantly surprised to find it clean and warm. A bed with a thick red blanket filled most of the small space, and a window covered by thin mica filtered golden light into the room. He put the guitar, pack, and capes on the floor next to the bed, then went downstairs to wait in the dining room for Nicolai.

  Helga had brought mugs of tea and bowls of grits from the kitchen by the time Nicolai returned from the stables. He took a seat and picked up his spoon, looking at the grits with distaste. Though he had been cheerful and alert during the long ride, keeping Ander’s spirits up during the cold hours before dawn, he now looked weary.

  Ander watched him with concern. “Are you going to be able to do your act this afternoon? And are you sure we don’t need to rehearse?” Nicolai made a face while chewing a mouthful of grits, then took a sip of tea before answering.