A Crucible of Souls (Book One of the Sorcery Ascendant Sequence) (67 page)

Elpidia looked chagrined, and a blush came to her cheeks.
“
Yes. I need to get some equipment, then. Excuse me.
”
Abruptly, she turned and left Caldan standing there.

He sighed and removed his shirt, splashing cold water from the bucket over himself and rubbing the soap on the wet cloth. He worked swiftly to remove the grime and sweat of the last few days then tipped the bucket over his head. The water felt refreshing, and for a few moments he pushed the stress of his capture and escape out of his mind. Senira shouldn’t have died. He should have been able to look after her.

He cursed under his breath and opened his eyes to find Miranda leaning against the doorway, staring at him, an appraising look in her eye. A guilty look came over her face. She held out a pair of pants.
“
Here. I was waiting until you finished.
”

“
Thank you. I’ll change inside.
”

“
Oh. Of course.
”

Amerdan was working in the front room, a cloth in one hand. He was methodically wiping the shelves and goods on display.

“
Ah,
”
he said.
“
Your friend left. I was wondering if you needed somewhere to stay? I have a spare room upstairs. It should be adequate for a night or two.
”

Caldan shook his head.
“
Thank you, but no. We’ll move on and not trouble you anymore.
”

“
Well then,
”
said Amerdan reluctantly,
“
I’m sure you want to change out of those ruined pants. Use the back room. I can keep tidying up while the young lady here keeps me company.
”
He smiled warmly.

Caldan slipped into the back room to change, leaving Miranda with Amerdan. She wandered around the room, looking at the merchandise, touching various items, not interested but unable to think of something to say.

“
How long have you known the lad?
”
asked Amerdan, breaking the silence. He picked up a bronze statue and gave it a wipe.

“
A few months. I met him on a ship I was working on. He was a passenger on his way here.
”

Amerdan nodded and turned his attention to dusting a set of weigh scales.
“
Yet you left that work and followed him?
”

Miranda gave a laugh.
“
No, it wasn’t like that. I was going to leave anyway. And Caldan, well, he was interesting, so we kept in touch. He didn’t have much experience with big cities, and I thought he might need some help.
”

“
Sounds like he made an impression. I had a feeling he was talented when he came in here to purchase some things.
”
Amerdan stopped wiping a shelf and looked at her.
“
With this invasion, I feel like I should be doing more to help. I know I’m only a shopkeeper, but it would be good to know where to find you, in case I can assist with anything.
”

“
I have a warehouse on Houndshark Street in Dockside we can use. It’s empty, except for some goods I have stored there. Probably a good place to stay until we work out what’s going on.
”

“
Excellent! Well, I know where to find you, but let’s hope it’s not necessary. I’m sure the emperor will restore order soon and get rid of these Indryallans.
”

“
I’m not so sure. There hasn’t been much resistance so far.
”

“
No, no there hasn’t, has there? I would have thought the Quivers would have reacted quickly to the threat, but… you’re right. Where did all our taxes go? I have to pay much of my earnings to the emperor, and this is what happens. Maybe the ships weren’t the first attack. If they planned well, they would have advance forces and spies in the city months before the main assault. It’s what I would have done.
”

“
That makes sense. Caldan said they must be after something.
”

“
I’ve no idea what, but—
”
He broke off as Caldan returned.
“
Ah, young Caldan. I see those pants fit well.
”

“
Er… yes. How much do I owe you?
”
Caldan held out a few ducats.

“
Nothing! It’s the least I can do for you. Someone has to resist these terrible invaders!
”

Miranda wanted to leave as soon as possible.
“
Caldan, come on, let Amerdan get back to his business.
”

“
Yes, sorry. We’ve troubled you enough already.
”

“
Not at all. It’s been my pleasure to assist you.
”

He shook Caldan’s hand, and Miranda gave him a smile and a nod. They exited the shop and headed towards Dockside.

Chapter Fifty-One

Miranda unlocked the heavy door of her warehouse and they slipped inside. On the way, she had taken the opportunity to retrieve some clothes and other belongings from her rooms, and while she was occupied Caldan purchased food, water, a flask of cider and a few necessities for his
crafting
. She hadn’t wanted to split up so soon after finding each other but Caldan had insisted.

The door opened into a large foyer with a scuffed floor covered in a thin layer of dust, except for a trail leading to a doorway ahead. The air inside was stale and overlaid with decay and old spices.

“
I haven’t had time to clean up,
”
apologized Miranda, gesturing at the floor.
“
I wasn’t expecting to use this place yet, but with the invasion I… thought I should stock up on some goods which will become scarce in a short while.
”
It’s not
so bad,
she thought, feeling a pang of guilt and giving Caldan a sidelong glance. She was only stocking up because of the invasion, and if people didn’t look to the future themselves she wasn’t to blame for that. She could help them out but with limited supply prices would rocket… She looked at the goods stored in her warehouse and half wished they weren’t there.
What will Caldan think of me?

To the left were three areas partitioned with cheaply constructed thin wooden walls, meant to be used as offices.

“
Sorry about the accommodation, but this is what the warehouse came with. We’ll have to make it comfortable enough while we hide out here.
”

“
It’s fine.
”
Caldan poked his head into all three rooms, sneezed at the dust and rubbed his nose with the back of his hand.
“
It won’t take long to clean them up, and we won’t be here long anyway.
”

“
We won’t? You can’t go back to the Sorcerers’ Guild.
”
The thought of him returning to where he’d been stabbed and imprisoned made her ill.

“
I have to. I need to find out what’s going on.
”

“
The Indryallans have taken over not only the Sorcerers’ Guild but the entire city! And the Quivers are nowhere to be seen, probably completely overwhelmed. These people are serious. Their whole operation was well planned and executed. What could you possibly hope to accomplish by going back to the guild?
”

“
I don’t know what I can do… but I need to try.
”

“
Try what? At best, what can you do? And at worst you will be killed. They stabbed you!
”

“
They weren’t going to kill me. From what they said, they were capturing all the apprentices, maybe to get them out of the way. They’re up to something and I have to know. I have to learn what’s happened to the Protectors.
”

“
But you’re risking your life. And for what? You’ve no idea what you’ll find there.
”

“
I… have to. Can’t you see?
”
Caldan wrung his hands and lowered his gaze.
“
When I was young, I lost my parents. Then a few months ago I lost the only life I knew at the monastery, and now… They took me in. I found a place with them. I can’t lose this too.
”

Miranda knew what it was like to feel lost. She’d grown up in one of the poorer sections of a large port town, the daughter of a dockhand who died when she was six, leaving his wife to manage as best she could with a daughter to provide for. Her mother had gotten work the only way an unskilled woman could at the docks. It had been enough to keep them in their one rented room and in food but that was all. She was nine when she realized her mother wasn’t like the other mothers. It was a hard truth for one so young.

She laid a hand on his shoulder.
“
Caldan, I’m sorry. I can see what this means to you, but we should try to get out of the city.
”

“
The Protectors… they’re important. They do essential work.
”

Miranda blew out a breath and paced the room, her footsteps stirring up low clouds of dust.
“
The Indryallans are imprisoning or killing sorcerers. They had to have done something to the Quivers or there would have been more resistance. They know you now and are probably looking for you. We should leave… We have to get out of here.
”

Caldan flashed her a sympathetic look.
“
You can’t keep running, you know.
”

Miranda stopped pacing.
“
I’m not running,
”
she replied firmly.
“
I’m not. When things get too difficult and there’s nothing you can do, then you move on. It’s not running.
”

“
Listen to me. People I know, I respect, that are good people are missing and in trouble. I can’t leave them.
”

“
Whatever’s happened, this city will not be the same. The Indryallans are powerful, and I don’t think they’ll be leaving soon, if at all. They are set to stay, and they’ll be looking for you. You probably killed some of them.
”

“
I have no choice.
”

“
Of course you do. We can leave the city.
”

“
How? The walls are barricaded, the city gates are closed and barred.
”

“
There are always ways out of any city. Smugglers’ tunnels and the like, if you can contact the right people.
”

“
For a price.
”

Miranda shrugged.
“
Of course. It won’t be easy, but I can make some enquiries.
”
She knew a few people who she’d dealt with before. They were shady but could be trusted, usually.

“
For me, the price would be too high. I have to find out what happened to the Protectors, or at least Master Simmon.
”
Caldan grasped both her shoulders and looked into her eyes. She met his gaze then turned away.
“
Give me a few days. If I can’t find out what’s happened to them, we can leave. I promise.
”

Miranda nodded.
“
Two days. Then we get out of here. Agreed?
”

“
Agreed.
”
Caldan dropped his arms to his sides and took a step back. He looked around the dusty room.
“
We’ll need somewhere to sleep, and I need somewhere to work. We can use one of these partitioned areas.
”

Miranda frowned at him.
He wasn’t suggesting that, was he?
“
Don’t think we’re sleeping in the same room.
”

“
I… I wasn’t thinking that,
”
stuttered Caldan, blood rushing to his face.
“
I just…
”

“
Why? Aren’t I attractive?
”

“
Yes… I mean, no. Ah… yes, you are attractive. I…
”

Miranda laughed.
“
I’m making fun of you. You’re too serious sometimes.
”

“
Oh. I would never do something like that.
”

“
Never?
”

Caldan blushed, eyes flicking to Miranda then back around the room.
“
I’ll use this front room to work in.
”

Miranda nodded agreement. She looked into the warehouse proper, empty except for a mass of crates and barrels close by the main doors to the street.
“
Do you need any more supplies?
”

“
We have the food I bought earlier. We should be fine for a few days.
”

“
Two days is all we have to last. But we should buy more just in case, and some bedding.
”

A rickety table and chair stood in a corner. Caldan dumped his sack on the table.
“
There’s only one chair.
”

“
I didn’t think I’d be having guests.
”

“
Funny.
”

“
I thought so. There’s a broom inside somewhere and a chair in the other room. I’ll tidy up, and you can go out and get some blankets for tonight.
”

Caldan nodded.
“
Sure.
”

“
Get me an extra one for the floor. I can’t stand a hard bed.
”

Caldan grinned at her.
“
I shouldn’t be long. If I’m not back soon, send out a search party.
”

“
Don’t joke about it. Please.
”
With the Indryallans patrolling the streets, possibly with a description of Caldan, she didn’t like the thought of him being out there in harm’s way.

“
I’ll try to be as quick as possible.
”
He hesitated then continued.
“
Don’t open the door for anyone you don’t know.
”

“
I’m not stupid. Get out and buy some blankets. I need to start tidying up.
”

After he left, Miranda made sure the latch was in place and the lock engaged before starting her search for the broom.

Caldan returned carrying a bundle of blankets. Miranda relocked the door and gestured for him to take them into the freshly swept back rooms. A faint peppermint aroma pervaded the air from a fired clay stove in a corner, on which sat a steaming kettle above glowing coals. On the floor next to the stove were two enameled clay cups.

“
You’ve been busy,
”
he remarked.

Miranda snorted softly.
“
Everyone needs to pull their own weight, like on a ship.
”

“
I wouldn’t dare slack off with you around.
”

Miranda gave him a stern look before laughing weakly.
“
Make sure you don’t.
”

Caldan couldn’t blame her for her lack of amusement. Their situation was dire, and he had more bad news to share.
“
I heard some news while I was outside.
”

“
It’s not good news, I take it?
”

“
No, it’s not.
”
Caldan poured peppermint tea into the two cups and handed one to Miranda.

“
What happened? What did you hear?
”

“
A few…quite a few of the nobles and some of the most powerful merchants are dead.
”

Miranda gasped.
“
The Indryallans killed them? Why? The nobles I can understand, but why the merchants?
”

“
The Indryallans didn’t kill them, they killed themselves. From what I heard, the count is around thirty and rising.
”