Shed pulled his rig into the alleyway behind Sue’s place,
raced around front, pounded on the door. It was a class place for
the Buskin. A man guarded the entrance from within. Eight women
lived there, each in her own apartment. Each in the same business
as Sue. Each commanding a substantial premium for her time.
“Hello, Mr. Shed,” the door guard said. “Go on
up. She’s expecting you.”
Shed tipped him, something he hadn’t done before. The man
became obsequious. Shed ignored him, mounted the stair.
Now came the difficult part. Playing cow-eyed lover when he was
no longer blind. But he would fool her, just as she had fooled
him.
She answered the door, radiantly beautiful. Shed’s heart
climbed into his throat. He shoved something into her hand.
“This is for you.”
“Oh, Marron, you shouldn’t have.” But, if he
hadn’t, he would not have gotten past her door. “What a
strange necklace. Are these serpents?”
“Real silver,” he said. “And rubies. It caught
my fancy. Ugly, but the craftsmanship is superb.”
“I think it’s gorgeous, Marron. How much did it
cost?”
“Too much,” Shed replied, smiling sardonically.
“I couldn’t tell you. More than I should have paid for
anything.”
Sue did not press. “Come here, Marron.” She must
have had orders to play him carefully. Usually she gave him a hard
time before surrendering. She began disrobing. Shed went. He took
her rough, something he had not done before. Then he took her
again. When it was over, she asked, “What’s gotten into
you?”
“I have a big surprise for you. A big surprise. I know
you’ll love it. Can you sneak out without anyone
knowing?”
“Of course. But why?”
“That’s the surprise. Will you do it? You
won’t be disappointed, I promise.”
“I don’t understand.”
“Just do it. Slip out a few minutes after I leave. Meet me
in the alley. I want to take you somewhere and show you something.
Be sure to wear the necklace.”
“What are you up to?” She seemed amused, not
suspicious.
Good, Shed thought. He finished dressing. “No answers now,
darling. This will be the biggest surprise of your life. I
don’t want to spoil it.” He headed for the door.
“Five minutes?” she called.
“Don’t make me
wait. I’m a bear when I have to wait. And don’t forget
the necklace.”
“I won’t, dear.”
Shed waited nearly fifteen minutes. He grew impatient, but was
certain greed would bring Sue out. The hook was set. She was
playing with him.
“Marron?” Her voice was soft and musical. His heart
twisted. How could he do this?
“Here, love.” She came to him. He enfolded her in
his arms.
“Now, now. Enough of that. I want my surprise. I can
hardly wait.”
Shed took a deep breath. Do it! he yelled inside.
“I’ll help you up.” She turned. Now! But his
hands were made of lead.
“Come on, Marron.”
He swung. Sue slammed into the wagon, a mewl the only sound she
made. He hit her again as she bounced back. She sagged. He took a
gag from the wagon, forced it into her mouth before she could
scream, then tied her hands quickly. She began kicking when he went
for her ankles. He kicked her back, nearly let anger carry him
away.
She quit fighting. He finished binding her, then propped her on
the wagon seat. In the darkness they looked like man and wife about
some late business.
He did not speak till they were across the Port.
“You’re probably wondering what’s going on,
darling.”
Sue grunted. She was pale and frightened. He retrieved his
amulet. While he was at it, he stripped her of jewelry and
valuables.
“Sue, I loved you. I really did. I would have done
anything for you. When you kill a love like that, you turn it into
a big hatred.” At least twenty leva worth of jewelry, he
guessed. How many men had she destroyed? “Working for Gilbert
like that. Trying to steal the Lily. Anything else I could have
forgiven. Anything.”
He talked all the way up the hill. It distracted her till the
black castle loomed so large it could no longer be overlooked. Then
her eyes got huge. She began to shake, to stink as she lost all
control.
“Yes, darling,” Shed said, voice pleasantly
rational, conversational. “Yes. The black castle. You were
going to deliver me to the mercy of your friends. You made a bet
and lost. Now I deliver you to mine.” He halted, climbed
down, went to the gate. It opened immediately.
The tall being met him, wringing spidery hands.
“Good,” it said. “Very good. Your partner never
brought healthy game.”
Shed’s guts knotted. He wanted to change his mind. He only
wanted to hurt and humiliate Sue . . . But it
was too late. He could not turn back. “I’m sorry, Sue.
You shouldn’t have done it. You and Gilbert. His turn will
come. Marron Shed isn’t what everybody thinks.”
A whining noise came from behind Sue’s gag. Shed turned
away. He had to get out. He faced the tall creature.
It began counting coins directly into his hand.
As always, Shed did not barter. In fact, he did not look at the
money, just kept stuffing his pockets. His attention was on the
darkness behind the creature.
More of its kind were back there, hissing, jostling. Shed
recognized the short one he’d dealt with once.
The tall being stopped counting. Absently, Shed put the coins
into a pocket, returned to his wagon. The things in shadow swept
forward, seized Sue, began ripping her clothing. One yanked the gag
out of her mouth. Shed started packing his rig.
“For God’s sake, Marron. Don’t leave
me.”
“It’s done, woman. It’s done.” He
snapped his traces. “Back up, mules.”
She started screaming as he turned toward the gate. He did not
look. He did not want to know. “Keep moving,
mules.”
“Come again soon, Marron Shed,” the tall creature
called after him.
Shed pulled his rig into the alleyway behind Sue’s place,
raced around front, pounded on the door. It was a class place for
the Buskin. A man guarded the entrance from within. Eight women
lived there, each in her own apartment. Each in the same business
as Sue. Each commanding a substantial premium for her time.
“Hello, Mr. Shed,” the door guard said. “Go on
up. She’s expecting you.”
Shed tipped him, something he hadn’t done before. The man
became obsequious. Shed ignored him, mounted the stair.
Now came the difficult part. Playing cow-eyed lover when he was
no longer blind. But he would fool her, just as she had fooled
him.
She answered the door, radiantly beautiful. Shed’s heart
climbed into his throat. He shoved something into her hand.
“This is for you.”
“Oh, Marron, you shouldn’t have.” But, if he
hadn’t, he would not have gotten past her door. “What a
strange necklace. Are these serpents?”
“Real silver,” he said. “And rubies. It caught
my fancy. Ugly, but the craftsmanship is superb.”
“I think it’s gorgeous, Marron. How much did it
cost?”
“Too much,” Shed replied, smiling sardonically.
“I couldn’t tell you. More than I should have paid for
anything.”
Sue did not press. “Come here, Marron.” She must
have had orders to play him carefully. Usually she gave him a hard
time before surrendering. She began disrobing. Shed went. He took
her rough, something he had not done before. Then he took her
again. When it was over, she asked, “What’s gotten into
you?”
“I have a big surprise for you. A big surprise. I know
you’ll love it. Can you sneak out without anyone
knowing?”
“Of course. But why?”
“That’s the surprise. Will you do it? You
won’t be disappointed, I promise.”
“I don’t understand.”
“Just do it. Slip out a few minutes after I leave. Meet me
in the alley. I want to take you somewhere and show you something.
Be sure to wear the necklace.”
“What are you up to?” She seemed amused, not
suspicious.
Good, Shed thought. He finished dressing. “No answers now,
darling. This will be the biggest surprise of your life. I
don’t want to spoil it.” He headed for the door.
“Five minutes?” she called.
“Don’t make me
wait. I’m a bear when I have to wait. And don’t forget
the necklace.”
“I won’t, dear.”
Shed waited nearly fifteen minutes. He grew impatient, but was
certain greed would bring Sue out. The hook was set. She was
playing with him.
“Marron?” Her voice was soft and musical. His heart
twisted. How could he do this?
“Here, love.” She came to him. He enfolded her in
his arms.
“Now, now. Enough of that. I want my surprise. I can
hardly wait.”
Shed took a deep breath. Do it! he yelled inside.
“I’ll help you up.” She turned. Now! But his
hands were made of lead.
“Come on, Marron.”
He swung. Sue slammed into the wagon, a mewl the only sound she
made. He hit her again as she bounced back. She sagged. He took a
gag from the wagon, forced it into her mouth before she could
scream, then tied her hands quickly. She began kicking when he went
for her ankles. He kicked her back, nearly let anger carry him
away.
She quit fighting. He finished binding her, then propped her on
the wagon seat. In the darkness they looked like man and wife about
some late business.
He did not speak till they were across the Port.
“You’re probably wondering what’s going on,
darling.”
Sue grunted. She was pale and frightened. He retrieved his
amulet. While he was at it, he stripped her of jewelry and
valuables.
“Sue, I loved you. I really did. I would have done
anything for you. When you kill a love like that, you turn it into
a big hatred.” At least twenty leva worth of jewelry, he
guessed. How many men had she destroyed? “Working for Gilbert
like that. Trying to steal the Lily. Anything else I could have
forgiven. Anything.”
He talked all the way up the hill. It distracted her till the
black castle loomed so large it could no longer be overlooked. Then
her eyes got huge. She began to shake, to stink as she lost all
control.
“Yes, darling,” Shed said, voice pleasantly
rational, conversational. “Yes. The black castle. You were
going to deliver me to the mercy of your friends. You made a bet
and lost. Now I deliver you to mine.” He halted, climbed
down, went to the gate. It opened immediately.
The tall being met him, wringing spidery hands.
“Good,” it said. “Very good. Your partner never
brought healthy game.”
Shed’s guts knotted. He wanted to change his mind. He only
wanted to hurt and humiliate Sue . . . But it
was too late. He could not turn back. “I’m sorry, Sue.
You shouldn’t have done it. You and Gilbert. His turn will
come. Marron Shed isn’t what everybody thinks.”
A whining noise came from behind Sue’s gag. Shed turned
away. He had to get out. He faced the tall creature.
It began counting coins directly into his hand.
As always, Shed did not barter. In fact, he did not look at the
money, just kept stuffing his pockets. His attention was on the
darkness behind the creature.
More of its kind were back there, hissing, jostling. Shed
recognized the short one he’d dealt with once.
The tall being stopped counting. Absently, Shed put the coins
into a pocket, returned to his wagon. The things in shadow swept
forward, seized Sue, began ripping her clothing. One yanked the gag
out of her mouth. Shed started packing his rig.
“For God’s sake, Marron. Don’t leave
me.”
“It’s done, woman. It’s done.” He
snapped his traces. “Back up, mules.”
She started screaming as he turned toward the gate. He did not
look. He did not want to know. “Keep moving,
mules.”
“Come again soon, Marron Shed,” the tall creature
called after him.