Never (Prequel to The Amber Isle)

by Ashley Capes

Never paused before The Water Petal, standing in the shade of a fruit vendor as a pair of white-cloaked Imperial Guard half-pushed, half-carried a limping beggar out of sight. The woman’s face had been a little smudged with dirt but her clothes were cleaner than many – and she’d had a pleasant enough voice that she hadn’t used to badger passers-by.

  The city’s blasted vanity was growing worse if they were moving beggars along.

  He’d left Temilo before the jail, directing the lad toward the old guild of performers with wishes for luck, and while the boy’s face had not grown much more confident, he did walk with more of a spring in his step.

  “If you aren’t planning on buying something, go away, will you?” a voice demanded. A small man with a pinched face waved a hand at Never from behind the counter of the fruit stall. “You’re bothering my customers.”

  This early, few people were about.

  “Very sorry,” Never said, and spun to walk away, knocking peaches to the ground as he did. Cries of outrage followed but he ascended the steps before the inn without looking back. The Water Petal offered a broad roof of canvas, sheltering its open doors from the sun. A painted sign revealed a lily pad floating in a pond, and the words ‘Welcome Wayfarer’ were written boldly.

  Instructions for sweeping and other chores – someone wanted the windows cleaned too – echoed from inside. Was it Vento’s voice?

  Within, Never bypassed rows of tables and chairs with their floating candles in central bowls, each dark now, to approach the long bar where two figures spoke. One was a young woman in an apron. “She never does any real work around here, you need to –” She lowered the cloth she’d been waving when she noticed Never.

  “We’re not yet open, my good fellow,” the barman said, then paused to squint. “Never? I can hardly believe it.” There was more white in the man’s dark hair than when Never last saw him, but it was Vento – his crooked nose and rough voice unchanged.

  “I missed your nose,” Never said as he took the man’s hand. “Who is your lovely assistant?” he asked.

  “Serni,” the woman replied with a raised eyebrow. “And part-owner is more like it. Are you here for work then?”

  “For help, actually,” he grinned.

  Vento laughed. “That’s no surprise. Serni, would you wake Lina and have her bring us something to break the morning’s fast?”

  “Only if you agree to talk to her – give her a piece of your mind for a change.”

  Vento sighed but nodded before waving Never around the bar where they took a door into a corridor lined with more doors. Vento passed them all, turning to an alcove where a heavy, oaken door with an ornate lock waited.

  “This looks new,” Never said.

  “It is – I wanted more room.” He produced a key and admitted them, gesturing for Never to take a table beside an open window. It looked out to a walled garden, shadows cast by tall trees.

  The scent of fresh-cut flowers lay heavy across the room, which was dominated by a large painting of Pacela. Never studied it while Vento rummaged around, removing a stack of books from a chair. In the painting, a beautiful woman rose from a field of grain, her golden robe matching that of the field, blonde hair flowing as if in a breeze. The Goddess, watching over the land.

  “Here, take this,” Vento said as he placed the chair at the table and sat across from it. Never joined him as the man continued. “You look like you’ve travelled around the world twice.”

  Never shrugged. “Maybe just the once. I spent a lot of time in Vadiya, dancing with Steelhawks.”

  “Your search?”

  “Right.”

  “And that’s what you’re here about? You think I can help you?”

  “I do. You hear things, Vento – you’d know if anyone was planning to steal something really valuable. Like ancient relics visiting from Lord Firmita’s estate? I think I’d like to get a look before that happens.”

  Vento grinned. “I haven’t heard anything like that. But if you want to speak to someone who might, I can see if they’ll meet. It’d take a few hours.”

  “How about I go for a stroll around the markets?”

  “Then I’ll arrange it. And if you want a room, you should know I’ve raised my prices.”

  Never sighed. “I’ve heard.”

  Vento barked a laugh, slapping Never on the shoulder as he stood. “Come, let’s go see about breakfast.”