A Crucible of Souls (Book One of the Sorcery Ascendant Sequence) (39 page)

Miranda gave him a scornful look.
“
You wouldn’t stay in business long if you did things to be deliberately difficult.
”

Back with the bespectacled man, Miranda handed over the receipt, and after signing the contract he stamped the document and moved it to a different pile.

“
I’m here to see Sir Quiss as well,
”
said Miranda.
“
The lady over there said she would have word sent to him.
”

The man nodded and gestured to a group of padded chairs around a highly polished table.
“
Be seated, and he’ll be out shortly. I’m afraid your gentleman friend here will not be able to join you, unless he also has direct business with Sir Quiss.
”

“
No, he doesn’t.
”
She turned to Caldan.
“
You’ll be all right waiting here?
”

“
Of course.
”

“
Good. Let’s sit down and wait.
”

In the middle of the table sat a bowl of sweets individually wrapped in waxy brown paper. Caldan helped himself to a couple and popped one in his mouth. Miranda sat next to him and rubbed her hands together.

“
Good,
”
remarked Caldan.
“
Like solid honey and spices. You should try one.
”

“
I’m too nervous. My palms are sweaty, and I can’t very well rub them on my dress.
”

Caldan chuckled at her.

She glared at him, then her expression softened.
“
This is important. If it goes well… let’s just say I will have done well. And Sir Quiss, he is also the contact I mentioned to you. Merchants such as these have access to a great deal of information and have vast resources to be able to find almost anything out.
”

“
You think they could help me trace my
trinket
?
”

“
I believe so. They have… leverage… with most of the nobles and other merchants. There isn’t much they couldn’t do if they turn their mind to it. I didn’t mention
trinkets
, just that you were after information.
”

A figure emerged from a door behind the counter.

Caldan saw a man, who was not quite a man. He looked denser than ordinary men, as if he didn’t fit in the space he occupied. Harder. His hand squeezed Miranda’s arm unconsciously.

“
Ow! Don’t do that!
”

He blinked and the man appeared normal this time, as if Caldan’s eyes had played a trick on him.

The strange man spoke briefly to the bespectacled man, who motioned in their direction.

“
Miranda, I don’t think this is a good idea.
”

“
What? Why? I won’t be long.
”

He pulled her close and whispered.
“
I… don’t have a good feeling about this.
”

“
Pish,
”
she said, rejecting his inept explanation.
“
Don’t have a good feeling. I need this.
”
She broke free from his grasp and stood, smiling as the man approached.

Caldan stood as well, eyeing the man, who stopped and bowed curtly to Miranda and nodded to Caldan.

“
Luphildern Quiss,
”
he announced in a curious melodic accent Caldan hadn’t heard before.
“
Head Trader for the Five Oceans Mercantile Concern, and before you ask, one of many.
”
A fleeting smile crossed his face.
“
And you are Miss Miranda, I believe.
”

She held out her hand.
“
Yes, I am. Pleased to meet you.
”

Sir Quiss looked at her hand for a moment before extending his own. Caldan sucked in a breath between his teeth. They shook hands.

Nothing happened.

“
And I’m pleased to meet you, Miss Miranda. Please, come with me. I’m afraid your gentleman friend will have to wait here.
”

Quiss locked eyes with him, a look of such intensity and startling penetration that left Caldan feeling stripped bare.

He ripped his gaze away, breaking contact in reflex. Quiss half-turned and gestured for Miranda to precede him through the door from which he had appeared.

“
Thank you,
”
she said and turned to Caldan.
“
I shouldn’t be long. Don’t eat too many sweets.
”

Caldan shook his head minutely.
Don’t go!
His look shouted at her, as though he could communicate his urgency with one expressive glance. Sweat prickled his skin.

She frowned at him and her expression became annoyed.
“
I won’t be long,
”
she said again and turned to walk across the room and through the door, followed closely by Quiss, whatever he was.

Caldan blinked, and again the man looked denser, harder. His eyes burned and he rubbed them quickly. Quiss remained the same this time, like a stain on the fabric of reality, rent and twisted. The scent of rotten fruit reached Caldan’s nostrils.

Caldan swallowed a mouthful of honeyed spice. By the ancestors, what was going on? He glanced around the room. Everyone else looked normal. Maybe he was seeing things, or perhaps he was too tired. No, something was wrong. Quiss wasn’t a man, or was a man but something else as well.

Caldan sat and folded his arms, staring at the door Miranda had disappeared through. She’d better come out soon, he thought or… or what? Rush in and rescue her? Miranda obviously couldn’t see anything different about the man, so why could he?

The padded chair felt uncomfortable, and he squirmed while chewing a fingernail. The wait dragged on. Something strange was happening here, and while he had no idea what it was or where to start looking, Quiss had to be the key. He growled in frustration and half-stood before sitting down again. It was likely the security here would stop him from going through the door.

It felt like hours passed before eventually the door opened and Miranda walked through followed by Sir Quiss. She looked normal, with a smile plastered on her face. Caldan sighed heavily in relief, though he didn’t know what he had expected to happen. He’d just felt that something was wrong.

They joined him by the table, Miranda looking pleased with herself and Sir Quiss hovering expectantly.

“
I believe our business is concluded, Miss Miranda,
”
stated Quiss.
“
And your escort is the gentleman you told me about, the one looking for information?
”

“
Yes, of course. Caldan… um, do you want to explain to Sir Quiss?
”

Caldan froze for a moment. This wasn’t good. He couldn’t bring himself to show his
trinket
to this man. He thought furiously.
“
Ah… yes…
”
he managed to say.
“
Actually, I find myself in an awkward position. The Lady Felicienne has been good enough to agree to assist me. I’m afraid I didn’t have a chance to let Miranda know. I apologize for the misunderstanding.
”
By the time he was finished, Miranda was glaring at him, red-faced and tight-lipped.

Quiss bobbed his head in a short bow.
“
I know of her. She should serve you well. Then, if that is all, I bid both of you good day.
”

“
Yes, again I apologize. It was thoughtless of me.
”

“
Yes, it was,
”
growled Miranda.

Quiss shook his head.
“
No harm done. Farewell.
”
He turned and strode away.

Caldan grabbed Miranda’s arm.

“
Are you all right?
”
he whispered.

“
Of course. Why wouldn’t I be?
”

“
Didn’t you see the way he looked?
”

“
What do you mean? He was… normal.
”

Caldan stuck his hands in his pockets and hunched his shoulders.
“
No, he wasn’t. He was different. I could see he didn’t belong. That’s why I didn’t want to ask about my
trinket
.
”

Miranda frowned at him then laughed.
“
Don’t be silly, there’s nothing wrong with him. Just a senior merchant doing business.
”
She looked at him with worry.
“
Are you coming down with a fever?
”

“
No. I’m not.
”
Caldan shuffled his feet, unsure how to explain to her what he had seen. Maybe it was a trick of the light. He shook his head.
“
Never mind,
”
he said reluctantly.

She looked at the empty bowl, which had been full of sweets.
“
Hungry, were you?
”

Caldan went red.
“
I thought the other apprentices might like some.
”
He patted two full pockets.
”

She gave him a disappointed look.
“
You don’t do things like that. They are for people who are waiting.
”

“
I was waiting,
”
he protested.

“
But… oh never mind.
”
She made a show of massaging her temples, breathing out heavily through her nose.

“
This place is unsettling. Can we leave soon?
”
He wanted to get out as soon as possible. He needed time to think on what he had seen.

“
Well, I guess we’re both finished. We can go now.
”
She latched onto his arm and pulled him towards the door to the street, but Caldan didn’t budge. His eyes were glued on the door.

“
Oof! You’re heavy. I couldn’t move you an inch. Come on.
”

He fell into step beside her. She clutched his arm and drew close to him.

Caldan hurried along with her, feeling a palpable sense of relief after they exited the building. Miranda continued at a fast pace he was only too happy to keep up with, since it meant more distance between them and Quiss.

After he arrived back, Caldan made a quick detour to the apprentices’ dormitory. To their delight, he emptied his pockets of sweets, leaving a few for himself, since they were delicious. Begging off from a surprise overture to stay and spend some time with them, he trudged back to his room, feet dragging and distractedly using the rails on the stairs where he would normally step up them two at a time without pause.

Caldan lay awake, running through the day’s events over and over, the meeting with Quiss foremost in his mind.

Sleep was a long time coming and when it did was fitful.

He woke to twisted sweat-stained sheets, bleary-eyes and a headache.

Chapter Twenty-Six

Far from a genteel man, Bees, a purveyor of information, as he called himself, likened the information trade to venereal disease. Rumors churned through the streets, winding their way down alleys, across rivers, to markets, into homes, snaking their insidious ever-changing forms through the ears and mouths of the populace. Clamor and noise, their ability to arouse and titillate, to exhort their chosen victims, ensured their transfer.

And though the masses delighted in gossip and innuendo, he knew that some could scratch an itch without realizing the import, while others knew exactly what the itch portended. They knew whether to scratch and curse, or head for a physiker.

Fortune had been with Bees. Information on the ship docked in the harbor from Indryalla had netted him a tidy sum. As luck would have it, another source confirmed the ship carried an important envoy offering an alliance. A foreign alliance with a country so far away hardly anyone had heard of it. No doubt the nobles would make much of it, preening and strutting about the glorious empire while everyone else scratched in the dirt to make ends meet. Bees sniffed. Useless diplomatic nonsense.

He dug a thumbnail into an orange and began to skin the fruit, dropping the peel at his feet. The pungent scent made him smile; it never failed to delight him, unlike most of his fellow city dwellers. Midmorning sun bathed him as he sat in his usual spot near an old fountain in Cabbage Town, warming his hair and giving it ‘sun smell’ as his ma used to say.

Positioned on a step in front of a closed shop with a basket of oranges at his feet, Bees could be found here a few days out of every seven, or if not him, someone in his employ. Street urchins sold him information for a coin and an orange, while housewives and servants filling various containers with water from the fountain could stop by for a chat. With any luck, a few coins might change hands if what they knew was of value to him. More often than not he sent them on their way with a shake of his head.

A shadow fell across him, and he looked up to see a cloaked figure, head covered by a hood. He squinted at the face for a moment before recognizing her.

“
Ah, Elpidia. Come to check on me after all this time? I can say with no measure of doubt the unguent you provided me has worked a treat.
”
He popped an orange segment into his mouth and chewed. It was good, sweet and juicy.

Elpidia folded her arms across her chest, hood turning left and right as she checked to see if anyone approached.
“
As I knew it would,
”
she said at last.
“
A common complaint for men who visit whorehouses.
”
Her tone was derisive.

“
Come now, you wouldn’t begrudge a single man one of the greatest pleasures in life now, would you?
”

She scowled at him.
“
No,
”
she said reluctantly.
“
Not a single man.
”
She scratched her neck.

“
Well, that’s cleared up. No pun intended.
”
He grinned at her. She remained impassive. Sensing he would have to draw out of her why she was here, he continued.
“
A lovely day, isn’t it? Clear skies, a warm sun, and oranges, of course. Would you care for one?
”
He retrieved a fruit from the basket and held it out. She hesitated then took it with a nod of thanks. A rash covered the back of her hand.

Surprisingly, she sat on the step next to him and began peeling. He popped another segment into his mouth. He let her peel her fruit and finish a couple of segments. She chewed methodically, staring out at the square and fountain.

Something was on her mind, perhaps valuable information concerning a client she was hesitant to share.

He cleared his throat.
“
What brings you out here on such a fine day?
”

“
I don’t have any information for you, and even if one of my clients said something, I wouldn’t tell you.
”

“
That’s disappointing. I think you’d have a lot to sell me.
”

She scowled at him again.
“
I would never do so. But I do need a favor.
”

“
A favor, is it? Like we are old friends, helping each other out, is that it? Free of charge. I would never do so,
”
he echoed.

“
Don’t be difficult. I can pay and pay well. It’s not like I’m destitute.
”

Bees chewed another segment.
“
So,
”
he said through a mouthful of orange,
“
what can I do for you? And before you say anything, let me tell you I can’t determine a price until I know what’s involved.
”

Elpidia nodded.
“
I need information on someone.
”

“
Is that all? You’ve come to the right person.
”

“
You won’t know who this person is, and I don’t know much about them. I can give you little to go on.
”

“
What do you suspect they are up to?
”

“
Up to? Nothing.
”

“
Then why do you need to know about them?
”

“
Let’s say I’m curious. I treated him a while ago, and he intrigued me.
”

“
Elpidia, if you are enamored of him there are easier ways to go about it! Perfumed letters, sweet gifts…
”

The fierce look she gave him stopped his next joke. Her jaw clenched.
“
It’s nothing like that.
”

He held up his hands.
“
What’s important about this man?
”

She glanced at him then away towards the fountain.
“
As I said, I’m curious. He intrigued me.
”

“
I’ll need to know more about him before I can say how much it’ll cost.
”

“
His name’s Caldan and he’s an apprentice in the Sorcerers’ Guild.
”

Bees whistled softly.
“
Not easy to get in there, with the sorcerers.
”
Though actually it was. Every organization or business needed servants and staff. And all of the guilds had apprentices from all walks of life, some of whom were willing to earn a few ducats on the sly.

“
What exactly do you need to know?
”

“
Everything, really,
”
Elpidia said with a depreciating laugh.
“
How he is doing there; what do the masters think of him? Where he is from, who his parents were. Everything. I’d do it myself, but my…research is too important. I can’t spare the time.
”

Bees sucked the juice out of another segment and considered. An easy job, and he could charge her well, except she had done right by him before. But it didn’t add up. Elpidia knew something she wasn’t saying, he could feel it, and it was obviously important to her. What was important to one person was also important to others. That was how the world worked.

“
Three silver ducats to start. It’s a good offer,
”
he added. He finished the last segment of orange.

She removed a purse from under her cloak and counted coins into his hand.

No argument, no bargaining,
thought Bees.
Intriguing.

“
Meet me back here in a few days,
”
he said.
“
I should have something by then.
”

“
He’s well-educated on a number of subjects, including alchemy. And he once spoke of lessons with monks. I would hazard a guess that means he was raised at the monastery in Eremite.
”

“
That would fit, from what I know. That helps as well, though if I have to send someone there to gather information it’ll be costly.
”

“
I hope it doesn’t come to that. My funds aren’t sizeable.
”

Though you handed over three silvers with no complaint.
“
A week, then. I’m afraid you might be scaring away business sitting there.
”

Elpidia stood abruptly, the remaining orange in her hand. She looked at it then around for a refuse pile to place it in. There were none.

“
Take it and enjoy,
”
said Bees.
“
You’ll be glad you did.
”

She gave a thin smile and strode off, hood still covering her hair.

Bees picked up a fresh orange and raised it above his head. A few moments later, a ragged little girl stood in front of him.

“
Ah, sweetling. Can you take a message for me?
”

She nodded eagerly, eyes all the while on the orange out of her reach.

“
Good.
”
He spoke to her for a few moments then handed her the fruit. She scurried off.

Wheels were in motion. There was more to this than Elpidia let on, and whatever information he ended up with needed to be examined carefully. He leaned back against the door and shielded his eyes from the sun. In the square, life went on.