Authors: Scott Lynch
It turned out the woman was quite pleased to let them in. Not, of course, without
an embarrassing full-body search, or their marks on parchment, or an inventory of
their purses, or a forty-minute wait. But that was all for the best, Locke thought.
Only prisoners were ever granted easy passage into a prison.
FOR THE
second time that day Locke and Sabetha found themselves in a chamber cut in half
by a physical barrier, but now it was bars of black iron. The audience room of the
Weeping Tower had smooth stone walls and a rough stone floor, with no windows, no
decorations, no furniture. The guards locked the door behind them and remained at
attention in front of it.
They were made to wait another few minutes before the door on the opposite side of
the room slid open. Two more guards brought in a man, manacled at hands and feet,
and clipped a chain to a bolt in the floor. They attached this to the prisoner’s leg
irons, giving him a range of movement that ended about two feet from the iron bars.
The prisoner’s guards withdrew to a position mirroring that of the ones on Locke and
Sabetha’s side of the room.
The man in chains was tall, with skin like polished boot leather
and hair scraped down to a gray shadow. He was heavyset but not ponderous. The weight
of his years and appetites seemed to have spread evenly, settled in all his joints
and crevices, and there was still a hint of dangerous vitality to him. His eyes were
wide and bright against the darkness of his face, and he fixed them hard on Locke
and Sabetha as though blinking were somehow beneath his interest.
“An opportunity to walk down two flights of stairs and be chained up again,” he said.
“Hooray. Who the hell are you?”
“Your new actors,” said Locke. “Your very
surprised
new actors.”
“Ahhhhhhh.” Moncraine’s seamed jowls moved as though he’d tasted something unpleasant.
“Weren’t there supposed to be five of you?”
“Weren’t you supposed to be at liberty?” said Sabetha. “The other three are trying
to hold your troupe together at Gloriano’s.”
“Too bad you didn’t come sooner,” said Moncraine. “I’m afraid there’s nothing to look
forward to but packing for your return. Tell your master I appreciate the gesture.”
“That’s not good enough,” said Locke. “We were sent here to go on stage. We were sent
here to learn from you!”
“You want a lesson, boy? If you find yourself being born, climb back in as quick as
you can, because life’s a
bottomless feast of shit
.”
“We can get you out of here,” said Sabetha.
“If you cooperate,” said Locke.
“Oh, you can spring me, can you?” Moncraine knelt and ran one manacled hand across
the floor. “You have an army of about a thousand men hidden outside the city? Let
me know when they’re storming the tower, so I can be sure to have my breeches on.”
“You know our master,” said Locke, lowering his voice. “You can surely guess the nature
of his students.”
“I
knew
your master,” said Moncraine. “Years ago. And I thought he was sending me actors.
Is that what you are? Is that where the gods have reached down and touched your little
Camorri souls, eh? Given you the gift of silver tongues?”
“We can act,” said Sabetha.
“Can you? But are you
lions
? There’s no room for any but
lions
in my company!” He turned his head to the guards at his door. “Lions, aren’t we boys?”
“Only if you don’t lower your fucking voice,” said one of them.
“You see? Lions! Can you roar, children?”
“Onstage and off,” said Sabetha coolly.
“Hmmm. That’s fascinating, because from where I’m sitting, you look about what, sixteen?
Seventeen? You’ve certainly never been wet for anything but dreams in the night, have
you? Well, you might pass onstage, love … let your hair down and fly your tits like
flags—you could certainly keep the groundlings awake. But
you
,” he said, turning to Locke. “Who are you fooling? Small-boned sparrow of a lad.
Got fig seeds in your sack where men should have the full fruit, eh? Do you even shave?
What the hell do you mean by coming in here and trying to shove good cheer up my ass?”
“We’re your only chance to go free,” said Locke, fuming, considering saying a number
of less productive things.
“Go free? Why? I like it here. I’m fed, and my creditors can’t reach me for at least
the next year. The state of Espara will stop at one hand. Hells, that’s a bargain
compared to what I might get when my markers are called in on the street.”
“What’s the name of the noble you struck?” said Sabetha.
“Why do you care?” said Moncraine. “How can it possibly be of aid to you as you SCURRY
BACK WHERE YOU FUCKING CAME FROM?”
“Keep your voice down,” said one of the guards. “Or you’ll have to be carried into
court tomorrow.”
“You know, that might be pleasant,” said Moncraine. “Can we give that a try?”
“Jasmer,” said Sabetha sharply. “Look at me, you stupid ass.”
Jasmer did indeed look at her.
“I don’t care what you think of us,” she whispered. “You know what kind of person
our master is. What kind of organization we come from. And if you don’t stop braying
like a jackass, this is what’s going to happen. We’ll
leave
.”
“I love this plan,” said Moncraine. “Take this plan
all the way
!”
“You’ll spend your year and a day inside this tower. Then they’ll cut your gods-damned
hand off and throw you out the door. And do you know who’ll be standing there?
More Camorri than you’ve ever seen in your fucking life
. Not just us, or the other three currently
toiling
on your behalf
on the other side of this pimple of a city. I mean big, unreasonable, cross-eyed
motherfuckers straight out of the wombs of hell, and they’ll take you for a ride.
Locked in a box, ten days, all the way to Camorr sloshing in your own piss.”
“Now, wait a minute,” said Moncraine.
“You don’t have any other fucking creditors, get it? We’re the front of the line now.
We’re all you need to worry about. You made a deal with our
garrista
. You know what that word means?”
“Of course—”
“Obviously you don’t! Our master sent you five of us, free and clear, ready to get
your troupe back on its feet. All you had to do was teach us about your trade. You’d
rather break the deal and insult a
garrista
. So, you have a comfortable year, you stupid clown. As soon as it’s over you’ll see
us again. Come on, Lucaza.”
She turned sharply, and Locke, supporting her act wholeheartedly, favored Moncraine
with a sour smirk before he did the same.
“Wait,” Jasmer hissed.
“What’s the name of the noble you struck?” Sabetha didn’t give him any more time to
think or plead or stew; she whirled on him just as quickly as she’d pretended to leave.
“Boulidazi,” said Moncraine. “Baron Boulidazi of Palazzo Corsala.”
“Why did you do it?”
“I was drinking,” said Moncraine. “He wanted … he came down to Gloriano’s. He wanted
to buy out my debts, install himself as the company’s patron.”
“For this you punched him in the teeth?” said Locke. “What are you going to do if
we get you out of here, try to cut our hearts out?”
“Boulidazi’s an ass! A stuck-up little ass! He’s barely older than you, and he thinks
he can buy and sell me like gods-damned furniture. A theatrical company with his name
on everything, wouldn’t that be sweet! It took me twenty years to build my own troupe.
I won’t be anyone’s hired man again. I’ll take the Weeping Tower to that, any day,
any year.”
“How was
assaulting
him preferable to letting him save your troupe?” said Sabetha. She sounded as incredulous
as Locke felt. “He doesn’t
care
about the troupe,” said Moncraine. “He wants it
mounted on his wall like a fucking hunting trophy! He wants some charity project he
can dangle at whatever gilded cunt he’s chasing to show what a sensitive and artistic
fellow he is. I refuse to sell my good name to help rich puppies dip their wicks!”
“What good name?” said Locke. “Even the members of your own company want to see you
get eaten by a bear.”
“And I’d be glad to supply one,” said Sabetha. “Unfortunately for everyone, we’re
still going to rescue you. So I want you to sit quietly in your cell and bite your
tongue.”
“Tomorrow,” said Locke, “this Baron Boulidazi will forgive your insult and decline
to make charges.”
“
What?
” said Moncraine. “Boy, listen to me. Even if Boulidazi had a thousand cocks in his
breeches and you blew every last one like a flute from sunrise to sunset—”
“He’ll forgive your insult,” said Sabetha through gritted teeth, “because that is
the
only possible salvation
we can arrange for you. Understand? We have no other cards to play. So this is how
it’ll be. Once you’re out, we’ll discuss what you need to get your
Republic of Thieves
back into production.”
“The trouble with this fantasy, girl, is that it requires both of us to not be mad,”
said Moncraine softly.
“All it requires is that you shut up and behave,” said Sabetha. “And my name isn’t
‘girl.’ Most times you can call me Verena Gallante. But when I’m onstage, you’ll call
me ‘
Amadine
.’ ”
“Will I?” Moncraine laughed. “That’s a presumption a few steps ahead of my grasp.
You show me your mythical thread of kindness in Boulidazi. Then we’ll chat on the
matter of plays.”
“Go back to your cell,” said Sabetha. “I guarantee we’ll speak again tomorrow.”
“
EVEN IF
we get him out,” said Locke, “we’ll need to put that man on a leash.”
“He’s a menace to himself and the rest of us,” said Sabetha. “When we spring him,
we should crowd him. Make it clear that he’s being watched and judged at all times.”
“By the way, who’s Amadine?”
“The best role in
The Republic of Thieves
,” said Sabetha, grinning. “I haven’t read any of it yet.”
“You should, before all the good parts get snapped up.”
“Someone kept it to herself all the way here!”
“Moncraine’s got to have more copies of it somewhere in his troupe’s mess. Jenora
might know. But first, we’ve got our miracle to deliver on.”
“Miracle indeed,” said Locke. They were moving back down the Legion Steps, through
the still ranks of the marble soldiers. The drizzle had let up, but there were soft
rumbles of thunder from above. “We need to reach this Boulidazi, more or less as we
are, and convince him to forgive one of the craziest assholes I’ve ever met for a
completely unjustified drunken assault.”
“Any ideas?”
“Uh … maybe.”
“Spit them out. I managed to shut Jasmer up long enough to make our point; I’ve earned
my day’s pay.”
“And you were a pleasure to watch, too,” said Locke. “But then, you’re always—”
“You do not have the time to be charming,” said Sabetha, giving him a mild punch to
the shoulder. “And I certainly don’t have time to be charmed.”
“Right. Sure,” said Locke. “We need an angle of approach. Why should he open his door
for us? Hey, what if we were Camorri nobles going incognito?”
“Hiding in Espara,” she said, clearly liking the notion. “Trouble at home?”
“Hmmm. No. No, if we’re not in favor at home we can’t offer him anything. We might
actually be a risk to him.”
“You’re right. Okay. You and I … are cousins,” said Sabetha. “First cousins.”
“Cousins,” said Locke. “So many gods-damned imaginary cousins. You and I are cousins.…
If we have to show Jean and the Sanzas, they’re family retainers. We are, uh, grandchildren
of … an old count that doesn’t get out much.”
“Blackspear,” said Sabetha. “Enrico Botallio, Count Blackspear. I
was a scullery maid in his house a few years ago, that summer you spent on the farm.”
“A Five Towers family,” said Locke. “Would we live in the tower ourselves?”
“Yeah, most of his family does. And he hasn’t been out of the city in twenty years;
he’s as old as Duke Nicovante. I’ll be the daughter of his oldest son … and you’re
the son of his youngest. He has no other children. Oh, your father’s dead, by the
way. Fell off a horse two years ago.”
“Good to know. If we need any real details of the household, I’ll pass the game to
you whenever I can.” Locke snapped his fingers. “We’re in Espara because you want
to indulge your wish to be onstage—”
“—which could never be allowed under my real name in Camorr!”
Sabetha had never finished one of his thoughts before, in the way that Jean did all
the time. Locke felt a flush of warmth.
“That’s great,” she went on, heedless. “So we’re incognito, but with our family’s
permission.”
“Thus whoever helps us makes himself a powerful and wealthy friend in Camorr.” Locke
couldn’t help smiling at the improbable thought that they might have found a way out
after all. “Sabetha, this is great. It’s also the thinnest line of bullshit we’ve
ever hung ourselves on.”
“And we haven’t even been here a full day yet.”
“We need given names.”
“There we can be lazy. I’m Verena Botallio, you’re Lucaza Botallio.”
“Hells, yes.” Locke glanced around, affirming that they were still within the limited
corridor of Espara he’d managed to half familiarize himself with. “We should head
back to Gloriano’s and see how they did with the horses. Then we can go visit this
Boulidazi and beg him not to think too hard about where we’ve come from.”
“
ALONDO
’
S COUSIN
was as good as promised,” said Jean. He waved at a young man, a bearded and heavier
version of Alondo, who
was sitting against the wall at the back of Gloriano’s common room, accompanied by
Alondo, Sylvanus, the Sanzas, and several half-empty bottles. Nobody else new or unknown
was in the room. “He got us just over a royal apiece for the horses. All it cost us
was a couple bottles of wine. And, ah, I promised we’d give him a part in the play.”