A Crucible of Souls (Book One of the Sorcery Ascendant Sequence) (29 page)

“
My apologies, sir,
”
he mumbled. The man’s hand went to his purse, and finding it still secure gave a curt nod before moving on.

Caldan followed Miranda’s weaving outline but had difficulty negotiating the crowded street. She edged ahead, her slight figure allowing her to twist into spaces his bulk couldn’t. She glanced over her shoulder a few times to make sure he was following. He increased his pace, despite the crowd, and saw her stop in front of a building.

She smiled as he approached.
“
This is it,
”
she said, gesturing to an orange door. Above her, a sign declared the place as
“
Camild’s House of Eels
”
in bold black letters.
“
Best eels this side of the River Sop.
”
On it, two eels twined around each other above a frying pan.

They entered, and Miranda nodded to a serving boy, who smiled in recognition. She followed the boy through a doorway into a large low room filled with dark wooden booths, seats padded with cloth. A single lamp suspended over each table gave the place enough light to see by but still left it in semi-darkness.

As they sat in a booth, a waiter wearing a black apron appeared, greeted them briefly and left a chalkboard on the table covered in script.

“
Ah, let’s see what the special is today,
”
Miranda said and grabbed the board. Her eyes roved down it, squinting in the dim light. She paused and frowned at Caldan.

“
Maybe not,
”
she muttered and turned back to the board.

“
What?
”

“
I don’t think you’d like that dish.
”

“
What is it?
”

“
Lamprey braised in ginger, vinegar and salt with a blood sauce.
”

That’s disgusting,
thought Caldan.
“
Blood sauce?
”
He thought a lamprey was a type of eel but wasn’t sure.

“
They chop its head off, squeeze the fluid out and use it to make a sauce. With chopped onions, red wine, that sort of thing.
”

“
Sounds… disgusting.
”

Miranda stopped reading and looked at him.
“
That’s why I decided you wouldn’t like it.
”

“
Can’t I choose my own dish?
”

Miranda shook her head and winked.
“
No. I’m paying, so I’m choosing.
”

Caldan fidgeted in his seat while Miranda deliberated. Muted conversations from other diners reached his ears, and another waiter passed close by their table carrying a tray of steaming plates. The aroma of freshly baked bread, garlic, wine and a spicy odor he didn’t recognize wafted past. He could hear Miranda humming to herself.

“
Ah, Miranda?
”

“
Yes.
”
She didn’t look up.

“
Are you sure you can afford this place? I mean, we can go somewhere less expensive, if you like.
”

Miranda waved a hand and shook her head.
“
It’s all right, I know the cook. I come here a lot when I’m in port.
”
She paused.
“
When I used to be in port,
”
she corrected.
“
Now shh. I’m trying to decide.
”

Caldan fingered the dark tabletop, tracing the grain. He looked around the room, but the high screens separating the tables didn’t allow him a view of the other patrons.

“
Will you stop fidgeting!
”
exclaimed Miranda.

“
Sorry, I was just… er… taking in the atmosphere,
”
said Caldan, ducking his head.

Miranda held the chalkboard in the air above her head for a few moments then placed it on the edge of the table. A waiter appeared and bowed slightly from the waist. He collected the board and waited silently.

“
We’ll have the spicy eels with noodles and the baked eel with bay leaves. Could we also have two glasses of Camild’s red wine please.
”

The waiter nodded and withdrew without saying a word.

“
Don’t they talk?
”
asked Caldan.

“
Actually, they do, just not usually to customers. Gives the place a reputation of privacy, somewhere you can be intimate and not be disturbed.
”

Caldan grunted.
“
How come you haven’t cursed yet?
”

“
Pardon?
”

“
On the
Loretta
, you cursed like a… a sailor.
”
Caldan grinned at Miranda’s annoyed frown.
“
Don’t tell me you were faking it?
”

“
I might have been.
”

“
Then who is the real you, the sailor or the lady in front of me?
”

“
Both, of course.
”
Miranda’s throaty laugh filled their booth.
“
On the ship, well, they expect a certain type of behavior. And it wasn’t a stretch for me to act it up. They wouldn’t have respected someone who didn’t curse like one of them.
”

Their waiter returned and deposited two pewter goblets on the table. The only sound he made was the rustle of his clothes. Miranda picked up her goblet, tilted it in Caldan’s direction then took a sip. She swallowed, eyes closed, and a smile spread across her face.

“
Excellent,
”
she murmured.
“
Cheap but still good. Go ahead, try it.
”

Caldan took a mouthful of the fruity wine. To him it didn’t taste too different from any other wine.

“
And now?
”
Caldan prompted.

Miranda twisted her goblet by the stem.
“
Like I said, that life wasn’t for me, so I don’t have to act.
”

“
Everyone acts.
”

“
Everyone?
”

“
Yes, no one shows their true self to strangers. Even to friends.
”

“
I guess that’s true, if you think about it. It’s sad, though.
”
Miranda took another sip from her goblet.

“
Sad? In what way?
”

“
That people don’t show who they really are to others, even friends and family. That’s sad. Can you ever know someone, then?
”
She shrugged.

“
If you trust someone you wouldn’t act with them. Like married couples.
”

Miranda scoffed.
“
Caldan, you have no idea. Sometimes married couples are the worst.
”

“
Why?’
”

“
Because they want to keep each other happy, or at least try and keep the relationship smooth. That means hiding more in some cases.
”

“
You’re too cynical.
”

“
Maybe. But I’ve seen a lot.
”

Caldan nodded, acknowledging her admission, but he thought now wasn’t the time to press Miranda further on what was obviously a painful subject.

“
What made you come looking for me? The last I knew, you were going to sail with the
Loretta
when she left, then you show up. How did you find me?
”

Miranda wrinkled her brow and gave Caldan a long, searching look.
“
After I decided to leave the
Loretta
, I spoke with Captain Charlotte. I didn’t want to go back to the city where I grew up for…well, for a few reasons. She gave me some good advice, but in a way that made it harder for me as well. Too many options can confuse you sometimes.
”
She paused and brushed a lock of hair over an ear with her fingers.
“
But staying in Anasoma felt like the right decision. There’s plenty of work, if you aren’t fussy, and plenty of opportunity, if you have some ducats and a plan. It’s a huge city and a good place to try and make a living in. Then I thought about you and that we are in similar situations, and two heads are better than one. In most cases, that is. And a friendly face and someone to share expenses with could make starting out here a lot easier. I decided to see if you wanted some help. We could work together, and settling in would be easier for both of us.
”
She lowered her eyes to the table and cleared her throat.

Caldan considered what she said for some time. The silence stretched on as she expected him to say something, but he didn’t have much to offer for his side of such an arrangement.

“
That’s kind of you. I mean, it’s a good idea, and normally I wouldn’t hesitate…but…
”

“
You don’t think we should help each other out?
”

Caldan’s smile slipped a little and he toyed with his goblet. He wanted to accept Miranda’s offer but… his decision to trace the origins of his t
rinket
and what he might unearth could be dangerous. As it had proved to his parents and sister. To bring Miranda into that without her knowledge would be unconscionable. Should he tell her… Was he ready to tell anyone yet? Perhaps it would deter her.

“
Look,
”
he said.
“
Miranda, I don’t have anything much to contribute. I don’t have any ducats, I have no idea what I’m doing with the sorcerers, and I don’t even have a room to stay in at the moment. I’m sleeping in a dormitory with apprentices years younger than me. And on top of this I have other business I need to conduct. Information I need… no, have to find out.
”
His voice had dropped to a whisper, and Miranda leaned forward to catch his words.

“
Caldan, what is it?
”
she asked, concerned.

“
I never really knew my parents. That’s why I grew up in the monastery. They… died… when I was young.
”
He shifted uncomfortably in his seat.
“
Recently, I found out they were murdered.
”

With an anguished gasp the blood drained from Miranda’s face. She reached her hand across the table and took Caldan’s hand in hers.
“
I’m so sorry, truly. That’s awful.
”

Caldan nodded slowly, eyes downcast.
“
All I have of theirs is a ring, which is… distinctive… and what the monks told me about their past, working for the empire. But it isn’t enough. I wish it was, but… I need to find out more about them. Who they were, where they came from. Perhaps it will lead me to understand what happened to them, or it could lead me into danger. I just don’t know.
”
He cleared his throat.
“
It could be dangerous, and I wouldn’t… couldn’t bring you into something that might lead to you being hurt or worse. Do you see?
”

Miranda gave his hand a gentle squeeze and nodded.
“
I do. I’m glad you felt able to tell me.
”

“
It wouldn’t be fair on you otherwise, and I wouldn’t do that to you.
”

“
No, you wouldn’t, and that’s unusual. You’re an interesting man, Caldan.
”
She released his hand and leaned back, giving him an appraising stare.
“
I agree.
”

“
Excuse me?
”

“
I agree to help you, unless things get rough. Then we can decide whether to continue or to run.
”

“
Ah… thank you, but I don’t need help—
”

“
No thanks needed,
”
interrupted Miranda.
“
I’m sure I’ll be able to help you. I know a few people who know others. Information here can be remarkably easy to obtain if you know the right people, and have the ducats.
”