The Yellow silk r-4

by Don Bassingthwaite

  And yet for the first time since he had heard Brin's name mentioned in Telflamm, he didn't want Brin.

  He flexed his left arm and felt the reassuring tightness of the hidden Yellow Silk, token of his father's trust and testament to the desperation of his journey. Soon, he promised himself. It would all be over soon. He closed his eyes.

  Lander stared morosely at the floor of the Eel's gambling room. Brin had ordered the room closed as soon as they had returned from the Wench's Ease. Lander and his men had found themselves waiting on the halfling's pleasure while he took Black Scratch out to the sty. The boar's snout had been scorched by whatever magic had prevented the animal from pursuing Tycho and Mard Dantakain's daughter out of the Ease. He glanced around at his men. Ovel was trying to stretch around and rub ointment onto his burned back. Serg winced every time he flexed his abdomen. Nico was surreptitiously touching his groin as if making sure all of his bits were still there. And Bor… Bor was holding a rag filled with snow to a blackened eye-Lander had inflicted that on the idiot himself for staying outside the Ease when he should have had the brains and guts to get in and join the fight.

  And a black eye is going to be nothing compared to what Brin will do to us all, he thought. The halfling couldn't be happy that Tycho and Li Chien had slipped through their fingers. A happy fantasy flitted through Lander's mind: kill Brin and seize control of his operations. He shook his head to dislodge the idea. Not that he didn't like it. He just didn't like the thought of what might happen if he failed.

  A door banged closed and a moment later the curtains across the gambling room entrance twitched aside. Brin walked in. Lander-and Ovel and Serg and Nico and Bor-stared at him.

  He was smiling. He was happy.

  Lander swallowed. "Uhh… Brin?"

  "Something worrying you, Lander?" Brin sauntered over to a comfortable chair and sprawled across it. He nodded sharply to Bor. "Get me a mug of ale." Bor dashed away, grateful for the moment of escape. Brin's gaze settled on Lander again. "You should be worried. That was clumsy."

  Lander held back the observation that Brin had been no more successful himself. "Tycho said something about knowing where the beljurils are, Brin. He has to bring them to us tomorrow. We can get him and the Shou then."

  "After tonight, / wouldn't bring anything to me." The halfling waved his hand. "Never mind Tycho and the beljurils. I want Kuang Li Chien."

  "Why?" grunted Ovel.

  Brin fixed him with a harsh stare. "Because I do." His fingers flicked and suddenly a knife stood between them. "Reason enough?" Ovel swallowed and nodded. A grin spread across Brin's face and he sat up straight. "We'll keep looking for Tycho and Li Chien tomorrow morning- and deal with the Wench's Ease, too. More important, I'm going to need messages waiting at three places uptown first thing in the morning."

  "Where and who for?" asked Lander.

  Brin held up a pinky finger. "Hanibaz Nassor at his home in Burned Street." Ring finger. "Mosi Anu at the Sil-verbell Inn." Middle finger. "Thaedra Korideion at Nelka Marsk's home near the citadel."

  Lander said nothing. Brin raised an eyebrow as if daring him to comment, and after a moment Lander could hold back no more. "Two Red Wizards and a Chessentan mage," he said softly. "The same customers you were going to sell the beljurils to."

  "Exactly." Bor came brushing through the curtains and handed Brin a mug of ale that was only slightly smaller than his head. The halfling raised it to Lander. "I'm going to offer them the chance to bid on something even better than beljurils. Something completely unique, very kindly brought west by Kuang Li Chien. An artifact of Shou Lung that contains the power of the sun itself-" Brin gave a calculating grin so cold it made Lander shiver. "-the Yellow Silk of Kuang!"

  CHAPTER 9

  Something not quite right brought Li's eyes open sharply. White light filtered into the shed through the gap under the roof-the light of early morning reflected off new snow. Around the sound of Tycho's snoring, he could hear the ocean and the wooden creak of boats at their moorings, the sounds of a port coming to life.

  He could hear the heavy tramp of feet in new snow, a curse on the ocean weather, the slap of flesh on flesh as someone took a sharp cuffing.

  The sounds of men about no good business.

  He turned swiftly, reaching out and clamping a hand over Tycho's nose and mouth. The bard's eyes shot open. He sucked air against Li's palm and might have struck out if Li hadn't grabbed his hand.

  "What was that? " came a voice from outside.

  "Nothing, Bor. Nico just broke wind."

  The second voice was Lander's. Tycho froze and his eyes went wide. Li took his hand away. For a moment, they both lay very still, listening.

  "Damn snow."

  "For the last time, keep your mouth shut. You'll draw the Bitch Queen's ire!"

  The sound of another cuffing and a whining grunt of pain. Serg's voice. "Damn sailor superstitions! I'm not cursing the sea. I'm cursing the snow! "

  "Sea, sea weather-same thing."

  "I'm no sailor!"

  "I guess you've got no plans to ever go anywhere on a boat, then, hey?"

  The bickering voices drew close to the shed. Underneath them, Li could make out another sound: a kind of wet snuffling accompanied by heavy breathing. Tycho went pale. Li gave the bard a puzzled look. Tycho pushed the end of his nose up and crinkled his face in imitation of a pig.

  Of Black Scratch. Lander had the boar with him. In parts of Shou Lung, some types of pigs were used like dogs to sniff out things. Brin must have set Black Scratch to the same task. Li swallowed and silently blessed the snow as enthusiastically as Serg cursed it.

  The snuffling sound receded, though the voices were still close. Li rose silently and stepped up to the wall. Raising himself on his toes, he could just peer out through the mesh that covered the air gap under the roof. As he had guessed, a layer of wet new snow covered the ground outside, though the day was warming and it was already showing signs of melting. Lander and his men-Serg still wearing his waitao! — were taking their time sauntering up the street. In spite of the insults they tossed at each other, the five men looked about sharply. Li froze as Lander's gaze swept over the shed, but from his distance and angle, the man must not have been able to see anything through the tight mesh. His gaze moved on.

  Black Scratch was across the street, trotting along like a big, ill-tempered dog. His tracks marked a crisscrossing pattern in the snow, though. Only moments ago, the beast had passed within a few yards of their hiding place. Li let out a thin sigh. A narrow escape, he thought.

  Tycho nudged him. The bard was standing at his side but even on his toes was too short to see out. He mimed peering outside. Li nodded curtly and gestured in the direction Lander and his men were headed and motioned for Tycho to remain calm. The thugs were moving on. They hadn't been discovered.

  Out on the street, Lander stopped abruptly, looking ahead sharply. Li stifled a curse and twisted his head to try and see what he was looking at.

  More men were coming along the street. This group, however, wore the uniforms of city guards and they were looking around just as intently as Lander's men were. Li stifled another curse. Walking at their head was Mard Dantakain.

  Tycho's face was twisted in frustration but Li waved him down. Outside, Lander and Mard were eyeing each other mistrustfully as the two groups met. Lander spoke first. "Captain Dantakain."

  "Lander." The captain glanced distastefully at the men before him and at Black Scratch. "What are you doing out from under your rock so early?"

  "Out for a stroll."

  Mard didn't seem fooled. Or interested. "So are we."

  "Fine day for it."

  "I won't keep you standing, then. Olore." He strode forward, forcing Lander to hop out of his way. Lander grunted and snarled at his men-they all moved aside. Thugs and guards separated, each group moving a little faster now, eager to put distance between themselves. Within moments, the street outside the shed was empty.

  Li droppe
d down from his toes and leaned against the shed wall. He glanced atTycho. "You heard?"

  The bard's eyes were squeezed shut. "I heard."

  "Is the guard looking for us, too?"

  Tycho snorted. "Because of what happened at the Ease? I doubt it. The guard doesn't care that much about dockside." He opened his eyes and exhaled. "It's Laera." He looked up at Li. "Mard is looking for Laera. She didn't make it home last night."

  "You sent her to a guard station."

  "I know."

  "Could Brin have her? He had Lander's man hold her hostage last night."

  "Maybe, but I don't think he does. If Brin were holding her hostage to use against me, he wouldn't have Lander walking the streets. He'd just put the word out and let me come to him." Tycho clenched his jaw. "Not that it would work." Li looked at him and he scowled. "I got her out of the Ease last night. I sent her on her way. She's a stupid girl and she's on her own. I'm not going to be responsible for her."

  "Tycho…"

  The bard held his hands over his ears. "No. I'm not going to listen-I'm not going to worry about her. We don't know she's in danger. Her father's the captain of the guard. If he can't find her, there isn't much we could do to help. And we've got serious problems of our own." He lowered his hands. "Brin hasn't given up looking for us.

  Or at least for you. What was so special about Yu Mao that Brin would hunt you like this?"

  "I don't know," said Li smoothly. "It's something to ask him-once we have the beljurils."

  "Be careful, Li," Tycho sighed. "That's starting to sound like a desperate measure. I'm not even sure Brin's going to want to see me when… "/we get the beljurils back."

  "We're desperate men, Tycho." Li stood and stretched up to peer out of the air-gap once more. "You said last night you couldn't think of a better plan. Have you thought of one this morning?"

  "No."

  "So how do we find the Hooded?"

  Tycho sighed again. "That's not so simple. Brin is easy to find-unless you're a complete stranger to Span-deliyon, of course. But the Hooded…" He rubbed his eyes. "Nobody goes looking for the Hooded. Usually the Hooded finds you." He leaned back, hands behind his head, and frowned in thought. "Jacerryl Dantakain might know something, though. We know he's done business with the Hooded once or twice. After last night, we're not likely going to be able to talk to him anytime soon, though."

  Li's eyes went wide as he watched a tall figure with carefully groomed hair and two very full packs creep out of an alley across the way and turn down the street. "I wouldn't be so sure!" he said sharply, pushing himself away from the wall and leaping for the shed door. He wrenched it open and charged across the street.

  Jacerryl Dantakain barely had time to look up and yelp. He tried to run, but Li had his hands on him before he managed to take a step. Quick as a wet cat, Li hustled him back into the alley and snapped a fist across his jaw. Jacerryl spun around. One of the packs that he carried slipped off, falling to the ground with the jingling rattle of many coins. Li kicked it aside and pinned Jacerryl against the wall. "Going somewhere?" he asked him. He punched him sharply in the belly.

  "Li!" Tycho skidded to a stop inside the alley. For a moment, his mouth dropped open at the sight of Li's captive. Only for a moment, though, then it turned up into a crooked smile. "Olore, Jacerryl," he said pleasantly. Jacerryl groaned. Li wrenched him upright and held him there.

  "Look in his bag," he told Tycho. The bard knelt and opened the fallen pack. His hands dug through hastily crumpled clothes and emerged with a heavy pouch. Two heavy pouches. Tycho caught his breath and stood up. He held the pouches out in front of Jacerryl.

  "You walking, talking bucket of chum." His smile didn't waver. "You were running."

  Jacerryl spat out a mouthful of blood. He didn't do a very good job of it, though. Bloody spittle streaked his chin and the front of his coat. "Why shouldn't I?" he gasped. "There's a ship in the harbor. You think I'm going to wait for Brin to come and get me? You'd do the same if you could. I know it!" He flicked his head at the pouches. "Keep one and let me go." Li tightened his grasp on him. Jacerryl's eyes shrank in pain. "Keep both!"

  "Both? That's a generous offer. What would you use to buy passage? "Tycho stepped in close and pulled Jacerryl's coat open. Another pouch hung at his belt. Tycho ripped it free. "How much is in your other pack?" Jacerryl closed his mouth tight.

  Li opened it for him with a slap across his face.

  "Bastards!" snarled Jacerryl.

  Li slapped him again before Tycho caught his arm. The bard gave Jacerryl a hard glare. "I don't care if you run, Jacerryl. There's nothing I'd like better than to see you squirming in the muck of Brin's pigsty, but you tell me one little thing and I'll let you go." Jacerryl blinked and Tycho's smile crooked higher. "How do I find the Hooded?"

  Jacerryl stared at him, looked to Li, and looked back again. "That's it? That's it and you'll let me go?" He stood a little straighten "Go to Crown Alley on the east side of middle town. There's a cellar entrance to a leatherworker's shop. Knock and say you've come about a saddle."

  "A saddle?" growled Li. Suspicion was sharp in his mind. He twisted the hand that held Jacerryl and the man gasped. Tycho elbowed him.

  "Easy," he said. "I think he's telling the truth. Spandeli-yon is a port town. There are only a few horses anywhere. No one would normally ask for a saddle around here." Tycho looked back at Jacerryl. "One other thing-what about Laera?"

  Jacerryl groaned but raised his head. "Laera? She's run away. Mard's in a fury. He thinks you had something to do with it."

  "Of course he does." Tycho stepped back. He dropped the three pouches at Jacerryl's feet and nodded to Li. "All right," he said, "let him go."

  Li looked down at the man in his grasp. He was going to have the chance to get away while Tycho suffered? Li's eyes narrowed.

  His fist jabbed against Jacerryl's jaw twice. When he released his grasp on him, Jacerryl fell back against the wall and slid down to sprawl in the snow. Li looked up at Tycho. "What?" he asked innocently. "I let him go." He stooped down and scooped the pouches into Jacerryl's fallen pack, tugged the other pack off his body, and shoved it at Tycho. The bard turned his smile on him.

  "Thanks," he said.

  "If you can't go anywhere, it didn't seem right that he should." He straightened up. "I'll get my dao and we can go find this Crown Alley."

  Tycho grabbed his shoulder. "Notyet," he said. "There's someone I want to see first."

  Standing on top of Li's shoulders made it easy to stretch up to the window and rap a rhythm on the shutters. One-two-three, pause, one-two. Pause. Repeat. Pause. Repeat.

  "Hurry up!" hissed Li.

  "You're not waiting on me," Tycho murmured back. He knocked on the shutters again, a familiar pattern that he and Veseene had arranged as a code years ago. She would come-if she could. Tycho bit his lip. What if Brin had hurt her when he came last night? What if he had come past again later, seeking retribution for what had happened at the Wench's Ease? What if Veseene wasn't alone? What if There was a slow shuffling and the sound of hands fumbling with the shutters. Tycho ducked as they swung open and Veseene looked down at him. "You could have stopped knocking!" she rasped. "It takes time for me to get around!"

  Tycho grabbed the windowsill, hauled himself into the cold and dark second chamber of their rooms, and swept his friend up in a hug. "I was worried, Veseene."

  In spite of her harsh words, Veseene sagged against him. "So was I. You heard my warning?"

  "Yes, but too late. Brin was already waiting for us at the Ease." Veseene drew a sharp breath. "Don't worry," Tycho assured her. "We got away." He moved farther into the room. A quick glance down into Bakers Way had revealed the watch being kept on the door of their building. Fortunately, Brin hadn't thought to set a similar watch on the alley behind it, the alley thatTycho's bedroom window overlooked. A chest yielded a stout rope. He knotted one end of it around a bed post and flipped the other out the window to Li. "Veseene," he asked as th
e Shou tied Jacer-ryl's packs to the rope, "how did you manage to cast that warning spell?" Li tugged on the rope and Tycho began to pull up the packs.

  The old woman flushed. "I tripled the strength of my tea."

  "You did what?" Tycho flinched and the rope slid back between his fingers. He hissed in pain and closed his hands, though not before Li let out a little curse from down below. Tycho glared at Veseene. She looked at him and raised her eyebrow.

  "You're going to say it was stupid," she said stubbornly. "If it was, at least I'm not the only one who's been doing stupid things lately."

  Tycho winced. "Brin," he said. He heaved the packs over the windowsill, untied them, and dropped the rope back down. Veseene looked at the packs in astonishment. "I'll tell you all about them," said Tycho, "but Brin…" He sighed and confessed. "To make extra coin, I've been running packages between Brin and Jacerryl Dantakain."

  There was a squeak of surprise, but not from Veseene.

  Tycho looked up sharply. Peering through the open door to the front room was Laera Dantakain.

  "Bind and tar me!" yelped Tycho-just as Li put his weight on the rope. Tycho stumbled forward and slammed against the wall. This time, Li's curse from down below was louder and accompanied by angry instructions for Tycho to brace himself. The bard did, but through clenched teeth, he managed to hiss out, "What's she doing here?"

  "That," Veseene said darkly, "would be one of the other stupid things you've done, wouldn't it?"

  Tycho groaned and only partially at the strain of holding the rope for Li. Once the Shou had his arms over the windowsill, he let go of the rope and staggered into the warm front room. Laera backed up before him. Her eyes were defiant. Her face bore an angry red mark on one cheek where he had slapped her last night. Tycho's gut twisted. He turned away, but just came face to face with Veseene as she and Li emerged from the back room. "I sent her to a guard station," Tycho protested.