A Crucible of Souls (Book One of the Sorcery Ascendant Sequence) (52 page)

Chapter Thirty-Eight

Mist flowed through the streets. Soon the rising sun would burn off what haze remained, but while it was around, Vasile used it to cover his movements as much as he could.

As far as he could tell, one or more of his enquiries into the dealings of the Five Oceans Mercantile Concern had tipped someone off. And that someone was not pleased.

While visiting the magistrates’ court to see some friends and call in a few favors, he’d been told by Japir, an informant of his, of people asking after him. He knew of no one who would want to see him that didn’t already know how to contact him, and he hadn’t had much contact with women since his wife… for a number of years.

Yesterday, Vasile had waited for Japir in the usual spot by a fountain in the Deadhorse District, to no avail. When he’d failed to appear, Vasile went to visit Japir’s home with all possible haste. The door swung open at his touch, but only echoes answered his queries. Japir lay on the bed, throat slashed to the bone. Vasile covered his body with blood-soaked sheets before one last glance around the room, then scurried out the door in a rush.

Last night he had drunk deeply before going to sleep — water of course — then packed what few belongings he thought necessary for a short stay away from home. He slept badly, waking well before dawn with a full bladder. He relieved himself, gathered his belongings into a leather pack and slipped out the back door. The streets were empty, save for the rats and roaches. Crouching low, he slithered along and kept against the buildings.

He pressed himself to a brick wall and stopped, breathing heavily. Had that shadow moved? Peering into the mist, he squinted. No. Maybe it was his imagination. But they were out there, he knew it.

His purse contained a fair amount of ducats, enough to lay low for a while until the heat subsided. If he disappeared long enough they would think he had left the city or met some unfortunate end, and perhaps they would stop looking for him. During his time working for the chancellors, and through them the emperor, he’d had cause to visit some unsavory areas of the city. They were populated by citizens who skirted the edge of the law, people who’d sell their own mother for a copper ducat. It was to one of these people he was headed. Hopefully they were not dead or out of business by now.

Eyes darting back and forth, Vasile peered into the evaporating mist, back pressed against the wall of a butcher’s shop. His problem was that Luduss, the man he planned to obtain a bolt-hole from, was known to sleep late and wouldn’t look kindly upon being dragged out of bed at such an hour. Luckily, Vasile had a plan. Early opening eating houses catering to workers on a morning shift lay scattered about the industrial areas. As long as his ducats lasted, he would be free to secrete himself in one of these establishments among nondescript workers and while away the hours until midmorning.

Vasile glanced left and right down the street, then darted across the cobbles and into a long alley. A few turns later, he entered a modest eating house through a doorway in a brick wall, the likeness of knife and spoon scratched into the bricks above it.

Like many such places at this time, it bustled with the morning trade, and he had to squeeze past two workers in the corridor, on the way to start whatever job they had after their morning meal. Judging from the white dust on their clothes, and the smell as they passed, he guessed they were millers.

Aromas from fresh baked bread and tea drew him further in. He took possession of half a loaf, a platter of salted butter and a mug of tea, handing over the required ducats as payment. Looking around the windowless room lit by a few lamps, he found an out-of-the-way booth. Vasile stirred a spoonful of honey into his tea and tore off a chunk of bread. It tasted as it smelled, hot, fresh and delicious. He chewed with satisfaction.

A man slid into the other side of the booth. Sharing was common, so Vasile kept his head down, not in the mood for conversation. The man coughed politely and cleared his throat. Vasile pretended to ignore him and slurped his tea, softening the bread in his mouth.

“
Ahem,
”
the man said.
“
Vasile.
”

Vasile jerked his head up. Across from him sat Luphildern Quiss, a smile plastered on his thin face. It was all Vasile could do not to soil himself.
How had he found me?

“
Easy,
”
said Quiss.
“
You look like you’ve seen a ghost. How’s the bread?
”

Vasile tongued the mash of bread and tea in his mouth, no longer as appealing as it had tasted a moment ago. He glanced around the room but couldn’t see anyone who might be associated with the merchant. But how would he know?

“
Good,
”
he mumbled, swallowing the now tasteless pulp. With a shaking hand, he placed his mug of tea back on the table.

“
I must remember to come back here. One rarely gets the opportunity to mingle with such hard-working folk over a good meal.
”

Vasile eyed the dirty, hollow-eyed men around him gulping down porridge, bread and tea, mostly silently, fueling up for another day’s hard labor.
“
Yes,
”
he said hesitantly, and slid towards the edge of the booth.

Quiss shook his head slowly, obviously amused.
“
Anyway, I need to tell you you’re in great danger.
”

“
You don’t say.
”

“
Indeed, there are those who want you…silenced. Don’t move,
”
hissed Quiss.

Vasile stopped moving, terrified. These people hadn’t hesitated in killing before, and he was sure they wouldn’t hesitate this time. Inwardly, he cursed himself for the last few years of wasted life. The man he was before wouldn’t have quivered like a child in front of an angry adult.

“
Oh, it’s not me you have to worry about,
”
said Quiss, in a matter-of-fact tone.
“
Actually, I’m here to help you. If you’d run into the others first, well… let’s just say you would be floating in one of the canals right now.
”
He smiled grimly.

Vasile’s eyes flicked again to the door.

“
Not a good idea,
”
said Quiss.

“
What’s going on? What do you mean the others?
”

“
There are people that want you dead, and I don’t. Ultimately, they will fail and have to answer to the First Deliverer, but they have a number of followers. Until their threat has passed, we do what we can to contain them and thwart their plans. And that’s where you come in. They’ve discovered your attempts to find out more about us and want to stop you.
”

“
Us?
”
queried Vasile.
“
I thought you said you weren’t one of them?
”

“
We are all part of a… shall we say ‘family’, but we have opposing views about our… impact here.
”
Quiss frowned.
“
Forgive my pauses, but I have to choose my words carefully.
”

“
You aren’t here to kill me?
”

“
Goodness, no! Far from it. I’m here to save you. Without me, I fear your life would be… short.
”

“
Oh.
”
Vasile swallowed. He doubted it’ll be much longer with this man, but… so far Quiss has told the truth.

Quiss stood and straightened his jacket.
“
Come, you’ll have to trust me. That I haven’t harmed you yet should go some way to persuading you of our good intentions.
”
He tilted his head, as if listening to something.
“
The coast is clear, as they say. I can explain more when you’re in a safer place. Let’s get out of here, before something dreadful happens.
”

Vasile followed the mysterious Quiss to Dockside, where they entered the main office of the Five Oceans Mercantile Concern. The place was swarming with people rushing about, packing crates, filling bags and sacks with records and large lock boxes with ducats. Quiss appeared unconcerned by the activity. Teams of burly laborers carried the goods to the back of the building, where they were loaded onto carts and driven away with armed escorts. After a short wait, where Quiss consulted with a number of his colleagues, he approached Vasile.

“
Why are we here?
”
asked Vasile.

“
I offer you a choice. The city is about to be invaded, and we have to leave. I will not go into the reasons why, but I am authorized to tell you a few facts. I gather you will be able to determine whether I’m being truthful with you.
”
He gave Vasile an appraising look.

How he had come to know of Vasile’s ability didn’t matter. A number of people knew, and it wouldn’t have surprised him if one of them had sold the information for a few ducats. Human nature never surprised him anymore.

Vasile sighed heavily.
“
Yes,
”
he agreed.
“
I will.
”

Quiss nodded.
“
Confirmation then. Interesting.
”
He glanced around at the disarray of the offices.

He looks resigned,
thought Vasile.
Why?

“
Very well,
”
continued Quiss in his strange accent.
“
I’ll tell you a number of facts.
”
He paused.
“
As I believe them to be. If at the end you think I have lied or tried to deceive you, then you are free to go.
”

“
I thought I was already free to go. Am I a prisoner? You promised safety from your other faction. The ones who are after me.
”

“
I do. But there’s more to the story than opposing factions of a mercantile concern. Much more.
”
Quiss’s face remained expressionless.
“
We have to leave. My whole… company. The people who are coming to invade are after us. Anasoma, indeed their dissatisfaction with the empire, is merely a cover for their true purpose.
”

“
I… I don’t understand. Surely the Quivers could deal with an invading force?
”

Quiss’s face turned grim.
“
The Quivers are overmatched. Sorcery not seen before in this land has been and will be used against them. Once we escape, we’ll need your services to help us in the future.
”

“
Go on.
”

“
As I said, the invaders are after us, and unless we leave they’ll find us and we will be destroyed. Their sorcery is more powerful than that practiced here in the empire. They will be able to conquer this city, root us out like rats in a barn and kill us all.
”

Vasile swallowed and turned his eyes away. Quiss was telling the truth so far.
“
Why are they after you? Are you the reason they invaded Anasoma?
”

“
We don’t think we’re their main objective, just something to be tidied up as their other plans unfold. Disposing of loose ends, you could say. As you’ve probably guessed, we’re not just a mercantile company. That is a pretense, but a profitable one, to be sure.
”

“
Then who are you? What’s your purpose?
”

“
All you need to know is that we’re willing to help you, to shelter you from those that wish you harm. In this our goals align. Those that want you dead are those we are opposed to. In return we might need your help from time to time.
”

Though Quiss was truthful he was holding something back, but didn’t everyone? Nobody liked someone else knowing the truth about them, being privy to their innermost thoughts. He’d learned that the hard way.

“
Accept your protection and help you or be left for the wolves,
”
said Vasile.

“
That’s about the sum of it. I promise you won’t be asked to do anything beyond your ability or morals. And your unique gifts would be invaluable to us. There are projects we’re working on that could use good men.
”

“
Good men,
”
scoffed Vasile.
“
They’re in short supply.
”

“
Indeed, but we believe you’re one.
”

Vasile frowned.
“
Most don’t want to know the truth.
”