Shed was still rattled two days after his capture. Each time he
looked across the common room and saw one of those Black Company
bastards, he started falling apart again. He was living on borrowed
time. He was not sure what use they had for him, but he was sure
that when he was used up, they would dump him with the garbage.
Some of his babysitters clearly thought him trash. He could not
refute their viewpoint in his own mind.
He was behind his counter, washing mugs, when Asa walked through
the door. He dropped a mug.
Asa met his eye for only an instant, sidled around the L and
headed upstairs. Shed took a deep breath and followed. The man
called Pawnbroker was a step behind when he reached the head of the
stair, moving as silent as death. He had a knife ready for
business.
Shed stepped into what had been Raven’s room. Pawnbroker
remained outside. “What the hell are you doing here, Asa? The
Inquisitors are after you. About that Catacombs business. Bullock
himself went south looking for you.”
“Easy, Shed. I know. He caught up with us. It got hairy.
We left him cut up, but he’ll mend. And he’ll come back
looking for you. I came to warn you. You’ve got to get out of
Juniper.”
“Oh, no,” Shed said softly. Another tooth in the
jaws of fate. “Been considering that anyway.” That
would not tell Pawnbroker anything he could not guess for himself.
“Things have gotten rotten here. I’ve started looking
for a buyer.” Not true, but he would before day’s
end.
For some reason Asa’s return restored his heart. Maybe
just because he felt he had an ally, somebody who shared his
troubles.
Most of the story poured out. Pawnbroker did not take exception.
He did not make an appearance.
Asa had changed. He did not seem shocked. Shed asked why
not.
“Because I spent so much time with Raven. He told me
stories that would curl your hair. About the days before he came to
Juniper.”
“How is he?”
“Dead.”
“Dead?” Shed gasped.
“What?” Pawnbroker bulled through the doorway.
“Did you say Raven was dead?”
Asa looked at Pawnbroker, at Shed, at Pawnbroker again.
“Shed, you bastard . . . ”
“You shut up, Asa,” Shed snapped. “You
haven’t got the faintest what’s happened while you were
gone. Pawnbroker is a friend. Sort of.”
“Pawnbroker, eh? Like from the Black Company?”
Pawnbroker’s eyebrows rose. “Raven been
talking?”
“He had some tales about the old days.”
“Uh-huh. Right, buddy. That’s me. Let’s get
back to Raven being dead.”
Asa looked at Shed. Shed nodded. “Tell us.”
“Okay. I don’t really know what happened. We were
clearing out after our mix-up with Bullock. Running. His hired
thugs caught us by surprise. We’re hiding in some woods
outside of town when all of a sudden he starts screaming and
jumping around. It don’t make no sense to me.” Asa
shook his head. His face was pale and sweaty.
“Go on,”
Shed urged gently.
“Shed, I don’t know.”
“What?” Pawnbroker demanded.
“I don’t
know. I didn’t hang around.”
Shed grimaced. That was the Asa he knew. “You’re a
real buddy, fellow,” Pawnbroker said.
“Look . . . ” Shed motioned for
silence.
Asa said, “Shed, you’ve got to get out of Juniper.
Fast. Any day a ship could bring a letter from Bullock.”
“But . . . ”
“It’s better down there than we thought, Shed. You
got money; you’re all right. They don’t care about the
Catacombs. Think it was a big joke on the Custodians. That’s
how Bullock found us. Everybody was laughing about the raid. There
was even some guys talking about getting up an expedition to come
clean them out.”
“How did anybody find out about the Catacombs, Asa? Only
you and Raven knew.” Asa looked abashed.
“Yeah. Thought so. Had to brag, didn’t you?”
He was confused and frightened and starting to take it out on Asa.
He did not know what to do. He had to get out of Juniper, like Asa
said. But how to give his watchdogs the slip? Especially when they
knew he had to try?
“There’s a ship at the Tulwar dock that leaves for
Meadenval in the morning, Shed. I had the captain hold passage for
two. Should I tell him you’ll be there, too?”
Pawnbroker stepped into position to block the doorway.
“Neither one of you will be there. Some friends of mine want
to talk to you.”
“Shed, what is this?” Panic edged Asa’s voice.
Shed looked at Pawnbroker. The mercenary nodded. Shed poured out
most everything. Asa did not understand. Shed did not himself,
because his chaperones had not told him everything, so there
was some sense missing from the picture he had.
Pawnbroker was alone at the Lily. Shed suggested, “How
about I go get Goblin?”
Pawnbroker smiled. “How about
we just wait?”
“But . . . ”
“Somebody will turn up. We’ll wait. Let’s go
downstairs.
You.” He indicated Asa with his blade. “Don’t
get any funny ideas.”
Shed said, “Be careful, Asa. These are the guys Raven was
scared of.”
“I will. I heard enough from Raven.”
“That’s a pity, too,” Pawnbroker said.
“Croaker and Elmo aren’t going to like that. Down,
gents. Shed, just go on about your business.”
“Somebody’s liable to recognize Asa,” Shed
warned.
“We’ll take a chance. Git.” Pawnbroker stood
aside and allowed both men to pass. Downstairs, he seated Asa at
the shadowiest table and joined him, cleaning his nails with his
knife. Asa watched in fascination. Seeing ghosts, Shed figured.
He could get away now if he wanted to sacrifice Asa. They wanted
Asa more than they wanted him. If he just headed out through the
kitchen, Pawnbroker would not come after him.
His sister-in-law came from the kitchen, a platter balanced on
each hand. “When you get a minute, Sal.” And when she
got the minute: “You think you and the kids could run the
place for me for a few weeks?”
“Sure. Why?” She looked puzzled. But she glanced
quickly into the shadows.
“I might have to go somewhere for a while. I’d feel
better if I knew somebody in the family was running the place. I
don’t really trust Lisa.”
“You haven’t heard from her yet?”
“No. You’d have thought she’d turn up when her
father died, wouldn’t you?”
“Maybe she’s shacked up somewhere and hasn’t
heard yet.” Sal did not sound convinced. In fact, Shed
suspected, she thought he had something to do with the
disappearance. Way too many people had disappeared around him. He
was afraid she would do her sums and decide he had had something to
do with Wally disappearing, too.
“There’s one rumor I heard said she got arrested.
Keep an eye out for Mom. She’s got good people taking care of
her, but they need supervising.”
“Where are you going, Marron?”
“I don’t know yet.” He was afraid it might be
just a way up the hill, to the Enclosure. If not that, then
certainly somewhere, away from everything that had happened here.
Away from these merciless men and their even less merciful
employers. Have to talk to Asa about the Taken, Maybe Raven had
told him something.
He wished he could get a moment with Asa to plan something. The
two of them making a break. But not on the Tulwar ship. Asa had
mentioned that, damn him. Some other ship, headed south.
What had become of Raven’s big new vessel? And
Darling?
He went over to the table. “Asa. What happened to
Darling?”
Asa reddened. He stared at his folded hands. “I
don’t know, Shed. Honest. I panicked. I just ran for the
first ship headed north.”
Shed walked away, shaking his head in disgust. Leaving the girl
alone like that. Asa hadn’t changed much after all.
The one called Goblin came through the door. He began to beam at
Asa before Pawnbroker said anything. “My, my, my, my,
my,” he said. “Is this who I think it is,
Pawn?”
“You got it. The infamous Asa himself, home from the wars.
And does he have stories to tell.”
Goblin seated himself opposite Asa. He wore a big frog grin.
“Such as?”
“Mainly, he claims Raven is dead.”
Goblin’s smile vanished. In an eye’s blink he became
deadly serious. He made Asa tell his story again while staring into
a mug of wine. When he finally looked up, he was subdued.
“Better talk this over with Elmo and Croaker. Good job,
Pawnbroker. I’ll take him. Keep your eye on friend Shed.”
Shed winced. In the back of his head had lain the small hope
that both would leave with Asa.
His mind was made up. He would flee at the first opportunity.
Get south, change his name, use his gold pieces to buy into an inn,
behave himself so thoroughly nobody would notice him ever
again.
Asa showed a spark of rebellion. “Who the hell do you guys
think you are? Suppose I don’t want to go
anywhere?”
Goblin smiled nastily, muttered something under his breath. Dark
brown smoke drifted out of his mug, illuminated by a bloody inner
glow. Goblin stared at Asa. Asa stared at the mug, unnerved.
The smoke coalesced, formed a small, headlike shape. Points
began glowing where eyes might be. Goblin said, “My little
friend wants you to argue. He feeds on pain. And he hasn’t
eaten for a long time. I’ve had to keep a low profile in
Juniper.”
Asa’s eyes kept getting bigger. So did Shed’s.
Sorcery! He had sensed it in the thing called the Taken, but that
had not upset him much. It had been removed, not experienced.
Something that had happened to Lisa, out of sight. But
this . . .
It was a minor sorcery, to be sure. Some slight trick. But it
was sorcery in a city which saw none other than that involved in
the slow growth of the black castle. The dark arts hadn’t
gained any following in Juniper.
“All right,” Asa said. “All right.” His
voice was high and thin and squeaky, and he was trying to push his
chair back. Pawnbroker prevented him.
Goblin grinned. “I see Raven mentioned Goblin. Good.
You’ll behave. Come along.”
Pawnbroker released Asa’s chair. The little man followed
Goblin docilely.
Shed sidled over and looked into Goblin’s mug. Nothing. He
frowned. Pawnbroker grinned. “Cute trick, eh?”
“Yeah.” Shed took the mug to his sink. When
Pawnbroker was not looking, he dropped it into the trash. He was
more scared than ever. How did he get away from a sorcerer?
His head filled with tales he had heard from southern sailors.
Bad business, wizards were.
He wanted to weep.
Shed was still rattled two days after his capture. Each time he
looked across the common room and saw one of those Black Company
bastards, he started falling apart again. He was living on borrowed
time. He was not sure what use they had for him, but he was sure
that when he was used up, they would dump him with the garbage.
Some of his babysitters clearly thought him trash. He could not
refute their viewpoint in his own mind.
He was behind his counter, washing mugs, when Asa walked through
the door. He dropped a mug.
Asa met his eye for only an instant, sidled around the L and
headed upstairs. Shed took a deep breath and followed. The man
called Pawnbroker was a step behind when he reached the head of the
stair, moving as silent as death. He had a knife ready for
business.
Shed stepped into what had been Raven’s room. Pawnbroker
remained outside. “What the hell are you doing here, Asa? The
Inquisitors are after you. About that Catacombs business. Bullock
himself went south looking for you.”
“Easy, Shed. I know. He caught up with us. It got hairy.
We left him cut up, but he’ll mend. And he’ll come back
looking for you. I came to warn you. You’ve got to get out of
Juniper.”
“Oh, no,” Shed said softly. Another tooth in the
jaws of fate. “Been considering that anyway.” That
would not tell Pawnbroker anything he could not guess for himself.
“Things have gotten rotten here. I’ve started looking
for a buyer.” Not true, but he would before day’s
end.
For some reason Asa’s return restored his heart. Maybe
just because he felt he had an ally, somebody who shared his
troubles.
Most of the story poured out. Pawnbroker did not take exception.
He did not make an appearance.
Asa had changed. He did not seem shocked. Shed asked why
not.
“Because I spent so much time with Raven. He told me
stories that would curl your hair. About the days before he came to
Juniper.”
“How is he?”
“Dead.”
“Dead?” Shed gasped.
“What?” Pawnbroker bulled through the doorway.
“Did you say Raven was dead?”
Asa looked at Pawnbroker, at Shed, at Pawnbroker again.
“Shed, you bastard . . . ”
“You shut up, Asa,” Shed snapped. “You
haven’t got the faintest what’s happened while you were
gone. Pawnbroker is a friend. Sort of.”
“Pawnbroker, eh? Like from the Black Company?”
Pawnbroker’s eyebrows rose. “Raven been
talking?”
“He had some tales about the old days.”
“Uh-huh. Right, buddy. That’s me. Let’s get
back to Raven being dead.”
Asa looked at Shed. Shed nodded. “Tell us.”
“Okay. I don’t really know what happened. We were
clearing out after our mix-up with Bullock. Running. His hired
thugs caught us by surprise. We’re hiding in some woods
outside of town when all of a sudden he starts screaming and
jumping around. It don’t make no sense to me.” Asa
shook his head. His face was pale and sweaty.
“Go on,”
Shed urged gently.
“Shed, I don’t know.”
“What?” Pawnbroker demanded.
“I don’t
know. I didn’t hang around.”
Shed grimaced. That was the Asa he knew. “You’re a
real buddy, fellow,” Pawnbroker said.
“Look . . . ” Shed motioned for
silence.
Asa said, “Shed, you’ve got to get out of Juniper.
Fast. Any day a ship could bring a letter from Bullock.”
“But . . . ”
“It’s better down there than we thought, Shed. You
got money; you’re all right. They don’t care about the
Catacombs. Think it was a big joke on the Custodians. That’s
how Bullock found us. Everybody was laughing about the raid. There
was even some guys talking about getting up an expedition to come
clean them out.”
“How did anybody find out about the Catacombs, Asa? Only
you and Raven knew.” Asa looked abashed.
“Yeah. Thought so. Had to brag, didn’t you?”
He was confused and frightened and starting to take it out on Asa.
He did not know what to do. He had to get out of Juniper, like Asa
said. But how to give his watchdogs the slip? Especially when they
knew he had to try?
“There’s a ship at the Tulwar dock that leaves for
Meadenval in the morning, Shed. I had the captain hold passage for
two. Should I tell him you’ll be there, too?”
Pawnbroker stepped into position to block the doorway.
“Neither one of you will be there. Some friends of mine want
to talk to you.”
“Shed, what is this?” Panic edged Asa’s voice.
Shed looked at Pawnbroker. The mercenary nodded. Shed poured out
most everything. Asa did not understand. Shed did not himself,
because his chaperones had not told him everything, so there
was some sense missing from the picture he had.
Pawnbroker was alone at the Lily. Shed suggested, “How
about I go get Goblin?”
Pawnbroker smiled. “How about
we just wait?”
“But . . . ”
“Somebody will turn up. We’ll wait. Let’s go
downstairs.
You.” He indicated Asa with his blade. “Don’t
get any funny ideas.”
Shed said, “Be careful, Asa. These are the guys Raven was
scared of.”
“I will. I heard enough from Raven.”
“That’s a pity, too,” Pawnbroker said.
“Croaker and Elmo aren’t going to like that. Down,
gents. Shed, just go on about your business.”
“Somebody’s liable to recognize Asa,” Shed
warned.
“We’ll take a chance. Git.” Pawnbroker stood
aside and allowed both men to pass. Downstairs, he seated Asa at
the shadowiest table and joined him, cleaning his nails with his
knife. Asa watched in fascination. Seeing ghosts, Shed figured.
He could get away now if he wanted to sacrifice Asa. They wanted
Asa more than they wanted him. If he just headed out through the
kitchen, Pawnbroker would not come after him.
His sister-in-law came from the kitchen, a platter balanced on
each hand. “When you get a minute, Sal.” And when she
got the minute: “You think you and the kids could run the
place for me for a few weeks?”
“Sure. Why?” She looked puzzled. But she glanced
quickly into the shadows.
“I might have to go somewhere for a while. I’d feel
better if I knew somebody in the family was running the place. I
don’t really trust Lisa.”
“You haven’t heard from her yet?”
“No. You’d have thought she’d turn up when her
father died, wouldn’t you?”
“Maybe she’s shacked up somewhere and hasn’t
heard yet.” Sal did not sound convinced. In fact, Shed
suspected, she thought he had something to do with the
disappearance. Way too many people had disappeared around him. He
was afraid she would do her sums and decide he had had something to
do with Wally disappearing, too.
“There’s one rumor I heard said she got arrested.
Keep an eye out for Mom. She’s got good people taking care of
her, but they need supervising.”
“Where are you going, Marron?”
“I don’t know yet.” He was afraid it might be
just a way up the hill, to the Enclosure. If not that, then
certainly somewhere, away from everything that had happened here.
Away from these merciless men and their even less merciful
employers. Have to talk to Asa about the Taken, Maybe Raven had
told him something.
He wished he could get a moment with Asa to plan something. The
two of them making a break. But not on the Tulwar ship. Asa had
mentioned that, damn him. Some other ship, headed south.
What had become of Raven’s big new vessel? And
Darling?
He went over to the table. “Asa. What happened to
Darling?”
Asa reddened. He stared at his folded hands. “I
don’t know, Shed. Honest. I panicked. I just ran for the
first ship headed north.”
Shed walked away, shaking his head in disgust. Leaving the girl
alone like that. Asa hadn’t changed much after all.
The one called Goblin came through the door. He began to beam at
Asa before Pawnbroker said anything. “My, my, my, my,
my,” he said. “Is this who I think it is,
Pawn?”
“You got it. The infamous Asa himself, home from the wars.
And does he have stories to tell.”
Goblin seated himself opposite Asa. He wore a big frog grin.
“Such as?”
“Mainly, he claims Raven is dead.”
Goblin’s smile vanished. In an eye’s blink he became
deadly serious. He made Asa tell his story again while staring into
a mug of wine. When he finally looked up, he was subdued.
“Better talk this over with Elmo and Croaker. Good job,
Pawnbroker. I’ll take him. Keep your eye on friend Shed.”
Shed winced. In the back of his head had lain the small hope
that both would leave with Asa.
His mind was made up. He would flee at the first opportunity.
Get south, change his name, use his gold pieces to buy into an inn,
behave himself so thoroughly nobody would notice him ever
again.
Asa showed a spark of rebellion. “Who the hell do you guys
think you are? Suppose I don’t want to go
anywhere?”
Goblin smiled nastily, muttered something under his breath. Dark
brown smoke drifted out of his mug, illuminated by a bloody inner
glow. Goblin stared at Asa. Asa stared at the mug, unnerved.
The smoke coalesced, formed a small, headlike shape. Points
began glowing where eyes might be. Goblin said, “My little
friend wants you to argue. He feeds on pain. And he hasn’t
eaten for a long time. I’ve had to keep a low profile in
Juniper.”
Asa’s eyes kept getting bigger. So did Shed’s.
Sorcery! He had sensed it in the thing called the Taken, but that
had not upset him much. It had been removed, not experienced.
Something that had happened to Lisa, out of sight. But
this . . .
It was a minor sorcery, to be sure. Some slight trick. But it
was sorcery in a city which saw none other than that involved in
the slow growth of the black castle. The dark arts hadn’t
gained any following in Juniper.
“All right,” Asa said. “All right.” His
voice was high and thin and squeaky, and he was trying to push his
chair back. Pawnbroker prevented him.
Goblin grinned. “I see Raven mentioned Goblin. Good.
You’ll behave. Come along.”
Pawnbroker released Asa’s chair. The little man followed
Goblin docilely.
Shed sidled over and looked into Goblin’s mug. Nothing. He
frowned. Pawnbroker grinned. “Cute trick, eh?”
“Yeah.” Shed took the mug to his sink. When
Pawnbroker was not looking, he dropped it into the trash. He was
more scared than ever. How did he get away from a sorcerer?
His head filled with tales he had heard from southern sailors.
Bad business, wizards were.
He wanted to weep.