Embers at Galdrilene (5 page)

“Please, Loki. I think he is in trouble and I need to know what’s going on so I can help him.”

He reached up, grabbed her arm, and pulled her into the mouth of the alley. He looked up at her, his eyes wide and serious. “I don’t think you
can
help him. He flaming killed a man today and he did it with magic.”

Serena felt numb. The boy only confirmed what she’d figured out for herself, but somehow hearing it only made it worse. “Are you sure?”

“I seen it myself. Some fire-brained, outland cut-throat got him bad with a knife. I never seen anyone in the Mallay try to hurt Kellinar.”

“Then what happened?” At least now she knew how he’d come by the wound.

“The man was thrown across the square and his neck broke when he hit the ground.”

“How was the man thrown?” Her voice sounded strange in her own ears, as if it came from far away.

“That’s the magic part, he was thrown by something invisible, like air or something. Kellinar turned white as a sheet when he seen what he done. Blood was everywhere and he was grabbing his head and yelling, ‘Get outta my head.’ Then someone yelled for the Keepers and Kellinar run outta there.”

The late afternoon sun pressed down in the street behind Serena. She couldn’t breathe. Fear for Kellinar, and for herself, filled her to the point of blocking everything out. Black spots swam in front of her eyes and she swayed back against the wall.

“You okay, Serena?” She heard Loki’s voice through the haze in her mind. Panic built deep in the pit of her stomach, it threatened to rise up and overwhelm her. How could this be happening and how was she going to get them out of it?

The low hum in her mind settled into a comforting croon that cut through the haze and panic, and helped her focus.

She pushed herself away from the wall and looked into Loki’s earnest face. “Yes, I’m okay for now. But if Kellinar and I are going to stay that way, I’m going to need your help. I need to find a way into Kellinar’s cave.”

“But Serena, you ain’t the right sort of lady. They’d never let you in.” Loki’s eyes were wide as if shocked that she would suggest such a thing.

Serena chewed her bottom lip for a moment while she thought. Everyone knew only whores were allowed into the Thieves’ Caves. She’d hoped that Loki would be able to show her a secret way in, but either he didn’t know or wasn’t willing to give up thieves’ secrets. She really didn’t want to involve the boy more than he already was, but she didn’t see she had much choice. “Can you do it for me?”

He puffed out his narrow chest. “’Course I can. What d’you need?”

“I need you to go to Kellinar’s cave and get some things for me.”

“What sorts of things?”

“The kind of things he will need if he won’t ever be going back,” she said gently.

Loki’s face lost the look of assured confidence and for a brief moment, tears swam in his big blue eyes before he scrubbed them away with his sleeve. “I understand.”

K
ellinar’s eyes fluttered open and he looked slowly around. Why was he laying on the floor of Serena’s room? Weakness washed through his body and his muscles felt like jelly as pushed himself into a seated position. He rubbed his eyes and glanced around, trying to sort through the confusion in his mind. Late evening shadows pooled in the corners of the room. It shouldn’t be late evening. The last thing he remembered clearly was heading to the market square…

Memories from the afternoon flooded him. His heart started pounding. He had to leave, had to get away. His hand went to where the injury should have been and found smooth skin. Pulling up his shirt, he looked down. Only a thin, faded, white line remained of the deep cut.

The door opened and he looked up. Serena stood in the doorway with a bundle in one arm and a bucket in another. Her dark blue eyes held a wary look and she seemed to hesitate as if unsure of him.

She looked away and closed the door behind her. “Your clothes are ruined, so I got you some more and I brought up some water so you can wash.” Her eyes on the floor, she crossed the small room and set her burdens down on the table.

He watched her pick the bundle up once more, only to set it on the table again. Her hands trembled as she fussed with the buckles that held it closed. She avoided looking at him. Why? Had she heard what he’d done? Had she turned him in? He glanced at the door. Maybe she was waiting for the Keepers to arrive and was afraid to be in the same room with him. But his injury was healed. Completely healed. That wasn’t possible unless she… A rush of adrenaline pushed him to his feet. He stared at her in shock. “You can use magic.”

Her hands froze. She took a deep breath and let it out with a sigh. “Yes.” She turned and her eyes met his for the first time since she shut the door. “From what I heard, so can you. I’m guessing from the smell you came here by the alleys.”

His breath caught. She admitted it. Oh Fates, she’d used it on him. She’d saved his life and since he could use magic too, he didn’t see how he could complain. Still, the thought made his skin crawl. What if she was just trying to draw a confession out of him? That didn’t really make sense. The whole market saw him use magic, they didn’t need a confession. He was still wary. “I don’t flaming know what happened today.”

Serena shook her head at his denial. “Yes you do or you wouldn’t have run. You may be able to lie to the city guards and worm your way out of most anything, but you can‘t lie to me, Kellinar.” She walked to the hearth and made a small pile of kindling. “Why did you come to me? I understand now why you didn’t seek a healer, but whatever made you think I could heal something like that?”

He watched her strike a flint and set a fire for the evening. When the wood was burning well, she lit a small taper and used it to light the two lamps on the wall.

Adrenaline still pumped through his veins. He started pacing back and forth across the small space in an effort to work out the nervous tension in his muscles. “You apprenticed under a healer. I figured you would be able to do something for it.” He gestured at his side. “But not
this
.”

Serena moved past him to put away the taper and he stopped and looked at her. “Besides, you’re my best friend. I hoped you wouldn’t turn me in. You didn’t turn me in, did you?” he asked softly. He wasn’t sure if he was really asking or just confirming what he thought he already knew. By the Fates, he was confused. “How did you get let go if you are cursed?” He paused. She’d never said anything about her time with the Keepers. “I’m sorry. I’m sure it’s not something you want to talk about.”

“No, I didn’t turn you in. Even if it didn’t draw their attention to me again, I wouldn’t turn you in.” She sank into one of the two chairs at the table. “And no, talking about it isn’t at the top of my want list, but you deserve to know.”

Several strands of dark hair had escaped the bun atop her head and she brushed them away from her face. He waited while she idly turned one of the loose buckles of the bundle in her hands.

She looked up at him and he was struck by the sadness in the dark blue depths of her eyes. “The Keepers had no real proof, only suspicion. Given my family’s position, they had no choice but to let me go. The embarrassment was enough to make my parents toss me aside, even though they were happy not to have the stain of magic use on the family name.” She looked away as a tear leaked out the corner of her eye. She brushed it away and looked back at him. “The Keepers will find out we are friends and search here, you know. I will be under suspicion again because of my past and what you have done.”

He hadn’t realized how much he would mess up her life by coming to her apartment. Of course since she was cursed, her life would already be messed up. Eventually she would go insane. Wouldn’t she?

“I’m sorry, Serena. I didn’t know what else to do. I’m not one to care about legalities, but thieving and magic using are two very different animals. Even so, I can’t turn myself in.” He started pacing again in agitation. “I thought about it, but there is something in my head and it wouldn’t flaming let me. I know it doesn’t make any sense.”

Serena studied him for a minute. “Something in your head? Is it a vibration or a hum? Low and hardly noticeable most of the time? Other times it’s as if you can feel…something else”

His eyes met hers. “Is it because of the magic?”

She shrugged. “I have no idea. It started at about the same time as the magic. I don’t know what it means, what it is, or why it’s there. I know if I focus on it, I can make my magic work better.” She looked at him. “So what are you going to do now?”

Kellinar sighed. “I can’t stay. It’ll be bad enough for you when they search here. If the Keepers actually find me in your apartment, you’ll be in even more trouble.”

“For now, why don’t you wash up and change clothes. You smell worse than rotting meat.” She crinkled her nose. “I’m going down to the main room. Dinner will be ready and I’m hungry. You get cleaned up and I’ll bring a plate back with me.”

“They won’t notice you bringing up an extra plate will they?”

Serena rolled her eyes. “Hardly. Salindra has ‘entertained’ so many different men–and not the kind that pay–that Mistress Enita has started charging her for the extra plates of food.”

Guilt for the predicament he had put her in settled over him as the door clicked shut. She used magic. Somehow, that fact calmed him. Maybe because now he wasn’t completely alone. She had been using magic for over a year. How long did it take to go insane?

The city gates closed at sundown. Weakness replaced the adrenaline and he didn’t think he could make the climb across the rooftops that night. Escape would have to wait until morning when the gates reopened. Maybe he could think of a way to slip past them by then.

The Thieves’ Exit offered a slim chance at escape, but for that he’d have to go through the Thieves’ Cave. He was the unofficial leader of the thieves, but that wouldn’t stop them from throwing him at the feet of the Keepers. Not even thieves would harbor a magic user.

Kellinar removed the various knives he carried tucked about his person. He laid them on the table and set his coin purse next to them. He peeled off his clothing and stuffed the smelly bundle down the small shaft in the wall that slanted toward the alley.

He scrubbed away the grime. When he picked up a dipper full of water to rinse with, his thirst overwhelmed him and he raised it to his lips instead. His eyes closed as the cool liquid slid down his throat. The dipper of water did little to ease his thirst, but he resisted drinking more. There needed to be enough to rinse with.

He was careful to stand near the wall where the floor was made to funnel liquids down the shaft. All household waste went down similar shafts all over the Mallay. He tried to keep his thoughts away from what he might have walked through as he dried off with a thin towel.

Kellinar opened the bundle and pulled out the clothes, surprised to see they were his own. Even the boots were his. How did she manage it? Did Loki play a part? He thought about the child as he pulled his clothes on. Kellinar genuinely liked the boy and was going to miss him. He worried about him, but he would do Loki more harm than good now.

He tied on his money pouch, glad it remained relatively unscathed from his trip through the alleys, and replaced all of the knives in their various holders. His hands shook as weakness washed through him and he sat heavily in one of the chairs. Folding his arms on the table, he laid his head on them and closed his eyes.