Beneath the Precinct: Reprise (To Walk the Path 19)

by Paul Smith



  Beneath the Precinct: Reprise (To Walk the Path 19)

  By Paul Smith.

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  Beneath the Precinct: Reprise (To Walk the Path 19)

  Paul Smith

  Copyright 2014 Paul Smith

  This is a work of fiction. Any similarity to people, places or events is purely coincidental, and bears no malicious intent.

  ISBN: 9781370822195

  For more information on my work, and to keep up to date with new releases please follow me on Twitter @tattooloverboi or check out one of my galleries:

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  Blog: https://paulsmithauthor.wordpress.com/

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  'If the pen is mighty as the sword, then it follows that the scholar might be courageous as the knight.'

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  Author's note:

  gladefaun.deviantart.com

  Thank you.

  19. Beneath the Precinct: Reprise.

  Kelsaro was beginning to remember why she didn’t wear dresses.

  Stunning though she was forced to admit the gown looked on her (it had been worth the effort getting into it for the expression on Tomen’s face alone) you simply couldn’t do anything in it. Nothing practical or useful, anyway. The skirts weren’t voluminous, just... constraining.

  They arrived at the culvert that led down into the canal network which eventually linked with the Precinct’s undercroft only to discover their first problem: it was all but impossible to navigate a ladder in said skirts. She’d ended up removing her shoes and hiking the bloody thing up round her waist with one hand and performing a very awkward hop-step down the rungs with the other that almost saw her land on her back more than once.

  Her patience with the situation was not helped by the fact Rina seemed to manage the task with almost no trouble.

  “Some of us have just got it,” the other woman offered with a smug smile. Tomen had wiped the grin from his face quickly when he spotted the scowl on Kel’s face, turning sharply to lead them away down the raised path that lined the waterway. Kelsaro looked up to raise a hand in thanks to the post mistress, who’d met them there. The elderly woman nodded, grunting quietly as she shoved the circular cover back into place. Kel shook her head, smiling at the thought of the ancient woman tottering back to her counter at the post office beneath the Arch.

  Revolution takes all sorts.

  Sighing, she returned her shoes to her feet and followed the others, heels clicking on the stone.

  They reached the gate without mishap, which in itself was reassuring. Part of her had begun to harbour creeping doubts about Ms Durz’s obvious confidence that she had matters in hand within the Precinct. You heard stories of crime bosses who ran their networks just as successfully from captivity, but this was the Soones they were talking about. A more paranoid, back stabbing group of blue bloods the Arc had not seen since the days of the Houses. Kelsaro found it difficult to credit them with being completely blind to what the former Consort was up to.

  As they neared the iron bars her misgivings were finally given form as she noted the figure stood on their far side.

  “Unless I’m quite mistaken you are not Caitlin Durz,” Kel growled, eyeing the silhouette before her. “Not with those shoulders.”

  “There’s been a change of plan.” The man’s voice was polite but firm, with just the slightest hint of concern around the edges. “Miss Durz sends her apologies but she has been otherwise detained.”

  “Oh, and who might you be to carry her word?”

  “Kanon.”

  “Kanon eh? What’s a strapping Torsman like you doing aiding a dissident like Miss Durz?”

  “How do you know he’s with the Tor?” Tomen chimed in, suddenly nervous.

  Kelsaro stepped forward to pluck a red feather from the folds of his dark cloak, holding it up to the others. Tomen recoiled slightly as she turned searching eyes Kanon’s way. “Where’s the rest of your helmet?”

  “On a side table, next to my sleeping partner and the empty wine skin he’s finished.”

  Kel raised an eyebrow at this.

  “There have been a lot of ‘dismissals’ lately: Sarista Soone’s not the most trusting.” His expression was grim. “Lot of good lads chained up or worse, and most of them knew nothing. That story good enough to buy your trust?” His eyes were hard, chin and chest thrust out in challenge.

  “It’ll do for now,” Kel conceded, glancing at the others.

  “Come, we don’t have much time.” Kanon gestured behind him into the bowels of the Precinct. “I need to be back at my post in time for shift change so I can bad mouth Rican to the others.”

  “Well then, we’d better get moving.” Kelsaro gestured for him to lead the way. There was a quiet screech of metal on metal as Tomen swung the gate shut behind them. Only she would have heard the gate’s seferik lock engage.

  And wouldn’t we like to know how Miss Durz got past that one…

  She shelved the thought for another time, as they followed Kanon’s broad back into the belly of the beast.

  There was no definable transition, but suddenly they were stepping out into chambers that were recognisable as the halls of government, as opposed to an extension of the sewer (albeit a very opulent sewer). They’d left the canal itself behind some way back, but the succession of passages Kanon had taken them down still held that echoing, slightly damp chill associated with underground waterways.

  The Torsman looked both ways before ushering them out through the doorway, pushing the drape that hid it back into place. From here they made a swift beeline towards a set of double doors at the far end. Again he motioned for silence as he peered through. Kelsaro saw him shoulders relax as he motioned them past. The reason for his caution became evident as they stepped out the other side. Kanon’s partner lay slumped on the floor, snoring loudly.

  “You really did a number on him,” Rina observed, as the three of them looked about.

  They were stood in one of the Precinct’s ubiquitous broad thoroughfares, this one bearing a section open to the night sky where it fronted a courtyard twenty yards away. According to the rough map they’d managed to cobble together Kel estimated they’d emerged at one of the entrances to the cool store housed beneath and to the west of the Senate itself. Indeed, when she moved down the corridor to investigate she could see the curve of the Senate’s imposing walls rising into the night on the courtyard’s far side.

  “Hush, someone’s coming!” Tomen cast about wildly, pointing to one of the doors opposite that stood slightly ajar. They dove in, Kel turning as she pulled it too behind them to see Kanon bent over his partner. She glanced at the others, taking in their surroundings as she did so. They were in some sort of conference chamber, obviously intended for meetings to judge from the long table and chairs at its centre. The windows opposite looked over a gently sloping garden that took in the sweep of the main avenue through the Precinct. The Imperial Apartments would be off to the right, but tonight they had another goal.

  The Myson Mission.

  The building stood almost directly opposite them, paths radiating away from it like the spokes of a wheel. One such connected with the avenue this room opened out onto, whilst another headed back towards the dark shadow of the plaza that served as the Precinct’s foyer, opposite the law courts.

  So, there’s our goal. Now how to reach it…

  “You can come out.”

  Tomen glanced at the two women. Kel and Rina exchanged a look. Rina nodded, stepping forwards to peer round the door frame, glancing back to offer a tight nod before stepping through. Kel and
Tomen followed and found Rina clasping wrists with a second man in the clothes of a wealthy merchant. Certainly the Isklarian-style duelling jacket was authentic, if she were any judge. Rina turned, gesturing to the new comer. “Tom, Kel, this is Raeph. My husband has worked for him in the past, hauling wine casks down from the Summer Residence.”

  Raeph smiled, stepping forward to clasp wrists briefly with each of them, nodding to their greetings. “It’s a small world,” he offered, glancing at Rina.

  “That, or the League are less popular than even we thought,” Tomen suggested.

  The new comer chuckled. “I gather Kan has already filled you in on the situation.”

  “He wasn’t overly forthcoming,” Tomen replied, “but we got the general idea.”

  Raeph glanced at the Torsman, who shrugged, pointing at the prone figure of his colleague.

  “Yes, well...” Raeph glanced about “...explanations on the way perhaps. We’ll have to take the scenic route, so we don’t run into their relief.” He gestured down the corridor in