Loren stared at the scout. She did not think she had heard the Mystic woman speak so much in all the time they had ridden together. “I thought you were a woman of Dulmun.”
“I am, but I was stationed in Bertram for a number of years,” said Shiun. “In that time I learned something of its history.” She bowed her head and tore another hunk of rabbit from the bone, looking slightly embarrassed.
They reached the city just after nightfall. Loren feared they might find the gates closed, but they stood open. The war with Dulmun was far away, and Bertram had no reason to fear any attack. A constable at the gatehouse asked a few questions, but when Uzo and Shiun flashed their Mystic badges, the woman quickly waved them on.
“You should have a badge,” Gem told Loren as they rode through the gate.
Loren frowned. “What sort of badge?”
“A mark of office,” said Gem. “You are not some simple traveler. You are the Nightblade.”
She gave a quick glance around in case anyone was close enough to overhear, but the street was mostly empty. “I have a writ with the High King’s seal,” she said in a low voice. “That is good enough.”
Gem lifted his chin. “It is not as impressive, certainly.”
To Loren’s surprise, Uzo snickered aloud at that. Gem beamed for the rest of their ride through the city.
They found an inn with good stables for the horses. In the common room, Loren bought dinner and a few bottles of passable wine. They had not had the opportunity to eat well since leaving the city of Dahab in Feldemar, and that seemed a lifetime ago. Loren thought a decent meal might be good for the others’ mood—and mayhap hers as well. It took half the coin left in her purse, but she tried not to think of that. Once they found Wyle in Bertram, she hoped she could sell some of her magestones to replenish her reserves. And if nothing else, she could find a presence of Mystics in the city. Her identification from the High King would be as good as a bank note to them, and they would fill her purse to bursting. They would send word to Kal, but Loren could leave Bertram far behind before he found her.
In the middle of their meal, she turned to Annis. “How might we go about finding Wyle?”
Annis thought hard, and then gave a quick glance at Uzo and Shiun. “The only thing we know about him for certain is that he traffics in certain goods beyond the King’s law. But we cannot simply walk into a jeweler and ask for such a man.”
“A jeweler? Why a jeweler?” said Gem.
Annis arched an eyebrow. “They are familiar with the transport and safekeeping of small but very valuable objects. It makes them particularly suited to smuggle similar goods.”
“Can we not simply ask for Wyle by name?” said Chet. “He does not need to know what we wish to speak to him about.”
Gem and Annis rolled their eyes in unison—then they each saw the other doing it, and there was a moment of uncomfortable silence.
“That is not quite how it works,” said Annis, a flush in her cheeks. “Smugglers do not like strangers who ask about them. Too often, such people are the King’s law in disguise.”
“How does one meet a smuggler, then?” said Loren.
“By personal introduction,” said Annis. “A friend who knows the smuggler brings in a new contact. If Xain were here, he might be able to help us, but he is not.”
“So we must find someone with whom we can establish trust quickly enough to get such an introduction,” said Loren. “That seems a tall order.”
Annis sighed. “It is. These circles are carefully guarded even in the meanest of towns, and Bertram is a grand city. Still, if we promise—or at least hint—that there may be a considerable amount of gold available to our contact as a reward …”
“Very well,” said Loren. “We will rest well tonight and start tomorrow.”
They went to bed soon after their meal, and rose before dawn. In the morning, Loren faced a dilemma. She had to leave someone in the room to guard their possessions. During their travels so far, that person had been Annis, but now she needed Annis for the negotiations. Gem was streetwise beyond compare, and could be of great use in the city. Shiun knew something of Bertram already, and Loren wanted Uzo in case things came to a fight. That left Chet, and she did not think he would enjoy being left behind. But when she proposed it to him, he accepted quite easily.
“I am the best choice,” he told her, giving a small smile. “Besides, how could I complain about being allowed to rest? We are all road-weary. If anything, I feel guilty that the rest of you must remain on your feet while I sleep the day away.”
With the matter settled, the party moved out into the city. Loren had not been able to see much of Bertram during the night, but now its splendor was laid before her in the dawn. It was nowhere near as grand as the High King’s Seat, but it rivaled Dahab for both its size and its proud history. The buildings were crafted with exquisite care, with solid white walls and glistening red tile roofs. Contrary to many cities she had seen in her travels, this one seemed to have been laid out with careful consideration. Streets did not twist and turn with the land, but had been laid out in a careful grid that made navigation easier. The roofs peaked the same as many in Dorsea, and very similar to the ones she had seen in Danfon in her dream.
Shiun led them towards the part of town where the jewelers lay. All the crafters’ shops clustered near to the river, where the workers could easily dispose of the refuse and rubbish of their daily work. Annis carefully considered the jewelers one by one, and stepped into only the ones that seemed exceptionally fine.
“Would it not be better to try the poorer ones?” said Loren. “Surely the less reputable shops would be the ones to associate with someone like a smuggler.”
Annis arched an eyebrow. “Do you think so? There is a great deal of coin to be made in dealings beyond the King’s law, at least until you find the noose around your neck. Those who walk such dark roads know it, and they like to spend their coin while they have the chance.”
Loren smirked and deferred to Annis’ judgement. But though they entered many shops, and while Annis dropped many broad hints that they had “very valuable gems” to sell, they did not seem to have any luck. The shop owners did not seem to take the hint, except for one or two who vigorously denied dealing in cargo they called “too valuable.” When Annis pressed the point, they asked Loren’s party to leave, no matter how much coin was offered.
After their fifth such attempt, Loren was beginning to grow nervous. “Some of these jewelers almost certainly understand what we are talking about,” she told Annis. “But they are nervous to speak to us for some reason. Do you not think they might send word to Wyle that we are searching for him?”
“There is little we can do about that,” said Annis. “We must hope that we find someone more amenable before Wyle catches wind of us.”
Loren sighed and nodded—but then she came to a sudden stop in the street. The others paused, looking at her curiously.
“Loren?” said Annis. “What is it?”
Only a few paces away was a building. It had a plain wood door and a blue sign with a yellow hammer. It was the smithy she had seen in her dream, and in miniature on the map—and now it stood before her in Bertram. Loren felt a sensation that had become too familiar, a wild churning in her stomach and a disorientation that made her dizzy.
“I think we should look here,” she said, pointing to the smithy.
Annis looked at it and frowned. “This place? It is a smithy. If I read its sign right, a steelsmith, though they may deal in silver as well. But they do not traffic in gems, and that is where our interest lies.”
“Yet I think we should investigate,” said Loren. She gave Annis a look. “Something about the place looks familiar.”
Annis’ eyes widened slightly, and she glanced at Gem. He looked from her to Loren, and the three of them nodded at each other.
“If you are finished passing messages back and forth with your eyes, mayhap we should go inside?” said Uzo. His tone was caref
ully neutral, but Loren thought she heard an air of exasperation behind his words.
“Very well,” said Loren. “Annis, lead the way.”
They went in. The smithy was larger than it looked from the outside, for the room stretched far back, mayhap twice as large as most of the other buildings. On the other end of the wide workroom, Loren saw another door leading to the street on the other side. With such an impressive presence, she guessed this place had a great deal of business.
Near the room’s center was the smith. She leaned over a bench in conversation with a young man—one of her apprentices, Loren assumed. But when she looked up and noticed Loren’s party, she came to them at once. Her arms and chest were bare beneath a leather apron that covered her front, and every bit of her bristled with muscle. Her black hair was long but bound up in a folded ponytail—no doubt to keep it free from the heat of the forge while she worked. She spent a moment sizing the party up, considerable arms folded over her chest. Loren was reminded of Niya for an uncomfortable moment.
“Good morn,” said the smith. “Or near enough to afternoon, I suppose. I am Kanja, and master of this place. Are you here with business? I hope you do not wish to apprentice with me, for I have help enough, as you can see.”
“Not at all,” said Loren. “We are travelers who have come far on the road. Some of our possessions require repair. Bits and bridles, and things of that sort.”
Kanja nodded, her eyes roving over the group. They seemed to linger for a moment on Uzo, and her cheeks reddened. “I can be of help there. But you should know that my shop’s craftsmanship is famous. My apprentices and I do good work, and my prices reflect our quality.”
“We would expect no less,” said Annis smoothly. “Indeed, an artisan who takes pride in their work is a treasure beyond the value of mere gold. If that is how you feel about quality, could we beg a recommendation?”
The smith dropped her gaze from Uzo to Annis. Her eyes sharpened as though she was surprised to hear such careful words from such a young girl. “I am not fond of begging. But what sort of recommendation do you seek?”
“While we are in Bertram, we have certain goods we wish to sell,” said Annis. “We have been searching among jewelers all morning, but none of them seemed quite right for the sale, you might say. It is as you just said—our goods are very valuable, and we price them in equal measure to their quality.”
Kanja’s nostrils flared. “I may know someone who could give a fair price for such valuable jewels.”
Loren leaned forwards and dropped her voice. “I have heard of a man in Bertram who is just such a friend to many people. Mayhap you know the name?”
The steelsmith looked over her shoulder to ensure none of her apprentices were close enough to hear. “What name would that be?”
“I was told it was Wyle.”
Kanja gave a very slight nod. “I know him. And if you seek to trade in certain very fine goods, there is no one better. I would know.” Her gaze rose to Uzo again, and she gave him a little smile. “Indeed, it is something I pride myself on. I have an eye, and a taste, for only the finest things in life.”
Uzo’s brows rose almost imperceptibly. Loren looked back and forth between him and Kanja, and she almost burst out laughing as she realized what the smith was saying. Just to be sure, she cocked her head as if curious. “And do you have a husband who shares in those fine tastes?”
The smith’s cheeks reddened slightly, and she dropped her gaze from Uzo demurely. “Who would want such a thing as a husband? It would be only a denial of other, mayhap better opportunities that present themselves.”
Loren almost guffawed out loud, but she restrained herself. Instead she met Uzo’s gaze and raised her brows. He glared back at her, and she could almost see him withhold a groan. Loren tilted her head and smirked.
Uzo gave a great sigh. Then he stepped forwards, flashing Kanja his widest smile. It was so bright, it even dazzled Loren.
“I myself have never thought to deny any of life’s pleasures,” he said, voice almost a purr.
Loren thought the steelsmith might bounce on her toes like a child. Behind them both, Gem looked between Uzo and Kanja with a scowl on his face. A little pang of guilt struck her, but she dismissed it. Gem looked more annoyed than devastated.
“I am glad to hear it,” said Kanja, grinning at Uzo. “Mayhap I could arrange an introduction, then—after a fine meal spent together? I promise you that my tastes extend to wine as well. You look like a man of Feldemar, so you may not know fine Dorsean wine. We make it with rice, and it is clear and sweet.”
Uzo inclined his head. “I shall look forward to … a new taste, then.”
Loren and Annis turned away suddenly, both hiding their mouths behind their hands to stifle a laugh. Gem only snorted.
Kanja shifted on her feet. “I cannot wait. Come and see me before the sun goes down.”
“It would be my pleasure,” said Uzo. Then he actually drew her hand up and bent his lips to kiss it. Kanja shivered.
They left the shop and made their way through the streets back towards their inn. All were silent for a long moment. Annis and Loren kept sneaking glances at Uzo, who stared stoically ahead. But at last he growled through his teeth.
“If you mean to say something, you may as well get it over with.”
The girls burst out laughing, and even Shiun could not keep herself from a grin.
“I thought she meant to have you on the spot!” said Annis. “I wonder if she would have, if the apprentices were not in the room.”
“What sort of dastardly woman is she?” grumbled Gem. “Why, she only just met you. Is no one else suspicious that she agreed to give up the secret so easily?”
“I, for one, am not,” said Annis. “In the backroom dealings that take place between smugglers and thieves across the nine kingdoms, such transactions are neither rare nor frowned upon. Indeed, many welcome them, for there are darker deeds that can pay for goods and services.”
Gem glowered in evident disagreement. Loren forced her smile away. “But of course, Uzo, you know you need not do this if you do not want to. It would be an aid to the mission, but we can find another way.”
He heaved a sigh. “I do not prefer women, but neither do I loathe them. You are not asking anything I am not willing to give for the sake of our quest. But may I speak freely?”
Loren nodded at once. “Always.”
Uzo stopped walking and caught her gaze. “Soldier to commander, I expect you to get me very, very drunk before you send me out to my doom.”
Loren could not stop a single loud bark of laughter, but she forced herself back to solemnity at once. “You have my word—commander to soldier. And when the bards sing the tale of our adventures, I will see to it that none of them forget the great sacrifice of Uzo the Spearman.”
Annis doubled over and screamed with laughter while Shiun chuckled. And even Uzo and Gem wore reluctant smiles as they set off towards the inn again.
LOREN DID HER LEVEL BEST to fulfill Uzo’s request, doling out precious gold to fill him with fine Calentin wine during their midday meal. Uzo drank deep and often, while Annis tittered and Gem shook his head ruefully. Uzo had not often complained during their journey, but as the wine set in, he began to make long-suffering remarks about his fate.
“Am I to blame for the way I look?” he said, the words slurring slightly. “I only ever sought to be a warrior. Yet all my life, lechers have eyed me like a mountain to be climbed.”
“That is, mayhap, an unfortunate metaphor,” said Shiun. “But come now. I know you had lovers on the Seat. You have never wanted for fine company.”
Uzo slumped over the table and shrugged. “I suppose I have had my share of good companions in my time, yes.”
“There, you see?” said Shiun, smiling as she sipped her wine. “Do not look so morose. We all honor your great sacrifice in the name of the High King.”
Loren and Annis chuckled. Uzo’s scowl deepened, and he pushed his chair ba
ck from the table.
“I suppose I have had enough fun poked at me. I shall go and get this over with.”
“Fare well,” said Gem, who had not looked up from his food in some time. “Be safe.”
Uzo gave the boy a small smile. He ruffled Gem’s hair before walking away. “I shall. Best to put the matter from your mind, little master.”
Gem’s head came up, and he watched the Mystic go. Then he lowered his chin to rest on his folded arms again, looking a little less forlorn.
There was little to do until Uzo’s return. They went to their room after they had finished eating, and there Loren and Annis sat discussing the map while the others rested. Annis read the names of various cities to Loren and explained some of her thoughts about them, the pieces she had been trying to put together in their search for Damaris.
“As we traveled, I sometimes wondered if she might be making for Bertram,” said Annis. “But I thought that would be folly. Bertram is not the capital, but all the same, the King’s law has a strong presence. She would attract notice here, no matter how stealthily she traveled. It might have made sense as a brief waystop before some other destination. But when she began to cut back and forth across the northern countryside, I thought that possibility had vanished.”
“Could it still be possible?” said Loren. “We lost her trail in Sidwan. What if she evaded us long before that? What if we pursued her retinue for the last week or so while she made for Bertram and beyond?”
Annis frowned. “Anything is possible. But if that is the case, we have almost certainly lost her.”
Yerrin: A Book of Underrealm (The Nightblade Epic 6) Page 6
