A Crucible of Souls (Book One of the Sorcery Ascendant Sequence) (36 page)

“
Expensive?
”

“
No, she has all the ducats she could need. She would ask for favors or keep you in her debt until you were of use.
”
Izak shuddered.
“
Not to my liking.
”

Caldan chewed a thumbnail, ignoring Izak’s questioning look. Did he dare approach this woman? He had hardly any ducats to offer, but if what Izak said were true, she wouldn’t be after coin. An opportunity like this was unlikely to happen again, and what could she ask of him anyway?

“
Well,
”
said Izak.
“
I need another drink.
”
He looked around the room.
“
Ah, there she is… Do you mind if I…
”
His voice trailed off, and he waved in the direction of the bar.

“
Go ahead.
”

“
I’ll join you in a bit.
”
Izak drew out a perfumed handkerchief and wiped his face, then with a wave disappeared into the crowd.

Turning back to the Dominion table, Caldan approached. Chances like these were few and far between. Best he took this one in both hands, if he could.

“
Excuse me,
”
he began. Lady Felicienne arched one eyebrow at him but didn’t speak. This close, Caldan could see small pocked scars on her cheeks.
“
I see you’re in need of an opponent, and I’d be glad to give you a match. If you would like… I mean… if that’s what you’re here for.
”

A number of the people around the table stopped their conversation to listen. Lady Felicienne toyed with an earring while she appraised him. Caldan had the feeling she didn’t miss much as her gaze took in his clothes and the stubble on his head, lingering on the scar on his cheek. He noticed her eyes flick over his shoulder in the direction Izak had headed then back to him.

“
Why not?
”
she agreed in an amused tone. She sat up and waved at the empty chair across from her.
“
Please, be seated. What are you wagering?
”

Caldan hesitated then reached into his coin pouch.
Best to be cautious in the beginning and not risk too much.
He withdrew two silver ducats and placed them on the table.

“
Two silvers… and I need information,
”
he said as firmly as he could manage, heart pounding.

Behind him, someone coughed, and he heard a snicker. Lady Felicienne looked at the coins, blinked, then looked at him.

“
I don’t know if I can cover such an amount,
”
she replied, deadpan.

He couldn’t be certain, but Caldan thought he detected a faint smirk. He swallowed, mouth dry.

“
Information on what?
”
she said, hand creeping up to fiddle with her earring again.

“
I’d rather not say here.
”
Caldan gestured to the crowded room.

“
Then how am I to judge whether what else you are offering is sufficient to cover it?
”

“
I haven’t offered anything yet.
”

“
Yes, that’s a problem. So you are betting unspecified services against unspecified information?
”

“
Er… yes. I don’t know what I could offer that you would be interested in. I guess you’d be a better judge of that.
”

Felicienne looked him up and down and smiled.
“
Indeed.
”
She sat back into her chair and tapped a cheek with a finger, eyes never leaving Caldan’s.

“
Tell you what,
”
she said eventually.
“
I’ll take up your challenge. These dullards loitering around waiting for someone better than them to take me on are boring me to tears.
”

Caldan glanced at the people standing about. A few glared at the lady, but some had smirks of their own as they politely ignored her rudeness.

“
Well… thank you. I’ll sit down.
”

“
Please do. It might make playing hard otherwise.
”
She leaned forward, placing two silver ducats directly on top of Caldan’s.
“
I don’t believe anyone has thanked me before for accepting a challenge.
”

Caldan could feel her eyes on him as he sat, scraping his chair on the floor when he moved it closer to the board. A woman tittered in the background.

Felicienne put a hand in the air and was soon approached by one of the spare attendants bearing two scraps of paper and writing implements. They each took a piece and scrawled their first seven opening moves, then handed it back.

The man studied both before placing each face up on the top tier for them both to see. Lady Felicienne smiled.

The first phase of the game had begun.

Lady Felicienne lounged in her padded chair, at ease with her progression in the game, a glass of bright green liquid in one hand. She barely glanced at the board, her main focus of attention the crowd gathered around their table — other players, patrons, even a couple of the serving staff on a short break from their duties.

Caldan knew she didn’t have to stare at the board as the pieces, positions and state of play would be foremost in her mind, as they were in his. He gathered her nonchalant pose was for the benefit of her reputation.

In the hour their game had progressed, he’d learnt a little about her from whispers reaching his ears, spoken in hushed and often awed tones by people in the crowd.

Lady Felicienne Shyrise, Third Adjudicator to the emperor himself. As one woman he overheard put it, shy by name but not by nature. She’d traveled from the capital to attend every Autumn Festival for the last four years to compete in the Dominion tournament. Caldan hadn’t heard anything else of value, unless what she liked to drink or eat was considered valuable information here.

He drew his attention back to the board. Something wasn’t quite right with Lady Felicienne’s last three moves, but he couldn’t put his finger on what bothered him. Her attempted feint then attack did nothing to improve her position, though the projected power of her pieces moved slightly to another direction. He scratched his head and shifted in his chair.

On his right, Izak shouldered his way through the crowd towards him, face flushed and glowing with a sheen of sweat. Half of his shirt was untucked from his pants. Stopping to apologize briefly to a couple he had barged between, he approached Caldan with a broad grin. He leaned close and whispered.
“
You could have found someone easier for your first game here, no?
”

Caldan half-smiled apologetically and spread his hands.
“
The table was free, and she was waiting for an opponent.
”

“
That might have told you something, if you’d thought about it.
”
Izak wiped his brow with his kerchief.
“
Still, an interesting game, from what I can see.
”

“
Are you all right? You’re a bit flustered.
”
What’s he been up to?

Izak grinned and winked.
“
Quite all right, thank you. I had a… chat… with the waitress. Perhaps a refreshing drink is called for.
”
He straightened up and signaled to a hovering waiter. Izak handed him a few coins and some instructions then leant back down to Caldan.

“
It might not be any of my business, but have you placed a wager on the game?
”

“
Yes, two silvers.
”
Caldan saw Izak’s eyes widen.

Izak coughed into his hand.
“
Two silvers. She must have been bored.
”

“
Pardon?
”

“
Nothing. You realize you’ll lose? I mean, she is one of the best players in the empire.
”

“
Is she?
”
Caldan frowned. Her play had been excellent, but he had seen better. And played better himself.
“
I wouldn’t say she has the upper hand.
”

Izak gestured at the board.
“
Of course she has. Look at the game. Are you blind?
”
Izak shook his head.
“
I’m sorry, that was harsh. Can you not see she is in a winning position?
”

“
It just looks like it. She is almost where I want her.
”

“
Forgive me if I sound skeptical.
”

A waiter appeared at his elbow bearing a wooden tray. Izak passed Caldan another glass of the pear cider and availed himself of his own drink, something that looked like mud with a spoon in it.

“
Ah! Just the thing to replenish the reserves,
”
Izak exclaimed.

Caldan watched as Izak swallowed a few spoonfuls of the thick brown substance. A comment from behind Izak made him turn with a laugh and hold the glass and spoon in the air. A few ribald cheers followed his display.

Caldan shook his head in confusion and returned to the game. He had much to learn about this place.

Lady Felicienne stared at him. Her eyes moved from the Dominion board to Caldan and back again. She placed her drink on a side table and leaned forward to study the game, hands clasped in front of her, eyes narrowed with concentration. She looked… annoyed.

She has finally sensed something isn’t right,
Caldan thought. He hoped she didn’t grasp his plan until too late.

Someone jostled Caldan’s right shoulder and his drink spilled. Izak.

“
Oh bloody… I mean… excuse me, my apologies.
”
He had found a chair somewhere and managed to drag it through the crowd and place it next to Caldan’s. He sat himself down with an audible sigh of relief, clutching his now empty glass with smears of the mud-like substance inside. A strong smell of herbs and spices reached Caldan, emanating from the glass.

“
Medicinal?
”
Caldan enquired.

“
Oh… yes. Good for what ails you, replenishing your strength, that sort of thing.
”

Caldan studied the board again but kept an eye on Lady Felicienne. Knowing your opponent and figuring out what they had inferred about your play was key.

“
You think you have the upper hand?
”

Caldan sighed softly. Izak was distracting him. He meant well, but it wasn’t going to help his game.

“
It depends on the next few moves, on whether she has worked anything out and can reorganize her defense.
”

“
If I made a modest wager of my own, I won’t regret betting on you?
”

“
Anything can happen, as well you know, but I think she won’t catch on in time. I wish I had wagered more now.
”

Izak stood abruptly.
“
Well, time for another drink. I can’t sit around here all evening distracting you.
”
He disappeared into the crowd.

Caldan’s opponent had played an outstanding game, and if she realized his plan in the next few moves, things wouldn’t go well for him. The pieces were in a delicate balance at the moment.

Felicienne moved three of her pieces. He held his breath as she used two of her extra moves. She sat motionless, not breathing, staring at the board. Caldan hardly dared breathe himself. She half-stood to move one piece on the second tier, paused, then moved another.

He let out a long slow breath. She hadn’t seen through his ruse to the heart of his plan. Her moves were logical, as she saw them, but in the end only served to destabilize her position further.

Caldan gathered himself but before making his moves studied the board and pieces. It was when you were your most confident things were likely to go wrong. Concentrate too much on your own game and you could miss vital aspects of your opponent’s.

A bump on his shoulder told him Izak had returned with another drink, a yellowish spirit in a bulbous glass. His face was still flushed, probably because of the alcohol he had consumed.

“
Here you go. Thank me later.
”
Izak handed him a piece of paper. On it was written
“
C. 2G, T7, LF 15-1
”
with a scribbled signature under a dark wax seal.