The Black Stone (29 page)

Zaara-Kitar had decided they would be able to observe better by moving to another window. Cassius looked on – Hyakinthos and his slobbering friend still behind him – as she and her sons exchanged comments on the unfolding events in the garden. Cassius had little doubt they were enthusiastic attendees at gladiatorial contests; he wanted to be far, far away from this vulgar house and its repellent residents.

‘Oh look, there’s another one, see him?’

‘Ah yes, that’s the big fellow who killed one of the others. He can be especially nasty – keeps biting until there’s no venom left.’

‘I don’t think that branch is going to do our friend much good.’

Ulixes had given up on pleading and was channelling all his energy into survival. He had been moving around the courtyard to avoid getting trapped and had snapped off a short branch from one of the bushes. Pathetic though the weapon was, he held it out in front of him with both hands as if it were a sword.

But now he
was
cornered, with two of the serpents closing in on him and two more lurking behind them. Their eyes resembled dull grey marbles and were fixed on the interloper. The smaller of the first two kept its head off the ground as its coils propelled it forward to within five feet of its prey.

Ulixes swatted at it with the branch. ‘Gods save me!’

The tortuous advance suddenly seemed too much for him and he kicked out.

‘Bad move,’ said Kushara. His mother stepped forward, fingers gripping the grille of the window.

The snake had retreated momentarily. But as Ulixes threw himself backwards into the corner, the coiled body suddenly unwound. Cassius glimpsed a pair of long white teeth as the snake lunged.

Zaara-Kitar craned her head to see into the corner. ‘Did it get him? Did it get him?’

Once it had struck, the snake withdrew.

Cassius and the brothers moved closer to the window. Ulixes gripped his stomach and looked down. All the remaining colour had drained from his face. But then he touched the thick, military-style belt he wore and a slight grin appeared.

‘Lucky bastard,’ said one of the younger brothers.

Reinvigorated by his close escape, Ulixes lashed out with the branch once more. This was enough to deter the smaller snake but the larger one showed no fear as it raised its head and slithered across the stone. Still stuck in the corner, Ulixes had nowhere to go.

‘Don’t think he’ll get that lucky again,’ observed Kushara.

Zaara-Kitar pressed her face against the window grille, desperate to see the next attack.

‘This is barbaric,’ said Cassius. ‘And stupid.’

‘Careful, Master Crispian,’ said the moneylender.

‘My friends will be here within minutes. What will you have gained?’

She kept her eyes on the garden. ‘As you can see from my home, I want for nothing. This is really about the principle. Oh look – I think your friend’s time has come.’

Ulixes seemed to be trying to push his way back through the wall. He had turned side-on to the snake, which was just inches from his feet. Hissing loudly, it continued to sway and bob its head, apparently choosing the best place to bite.

Cassius heard shouts from outside, then quick, heavy footsteps.

‘Sir! Sir! I’m here!’

‘That’s Simo,’ said Cassius. ‘That’s your money. Let Ulixes out of there. Do it!’

Simo ran in, satchel jangling.

Zaara-Kitar made no attempt to hide her disappointment. She waved at Hyakinthos, who handed over the dog again, then unbolted and opened the door. He took the stone off the pail and deposited several small rats onto the ground. They scurried off in different directions, closely followed by the snakes. All except the one in front of Ulixes.

Hyakinthos picked up the cane and struck the ground as he walked confidently towards the snake. Once he’d driven it off, Ulixes scrambled along the wall and threw himself into the atrium. He tripped and landed face down on the floor.

Cassius turned to Simo. ‘Where’s Indavara? And what kept you?’

The attendant didn’t have the breath to reply; he was doubled over, sweat pouring from his face.

Cassius took the satchel from him and looked inside. ‘It’s all here.’

Zaara-Kitar told Kushara to count it. He took the bag from Cassius and deposited it on the table.

The lady was twirling her hair again. She looked down at Ulixes as he got to his knees. ‘You’re a very fortunate man.’

‘Why can’t you just break people’s fingers like a normal moneylender?’

Kushara stopped counting. Cassius and the others looked at Zaara-Kitar.

But she smiled. ‘Nobody remembers broken fingers. I imagine you will remember the garden until the day you die.’

Indavara reached the top of the roof then slid down the other side, knocking off yet more tiles. By moving across to the right he was able to lower himself onto the wall enclosing the rear courtyard. This too was covered with glass and he had to step carefully as he tiptoed along it. He had almost reached the rear wall when a door banged open.

‘You! You!’

An elderly woman came across the courtyard at surprising speed, a broom in her hand. Indavara had to negotiate the last few feet of the wall with the sharp bristles raking his calves. He jumped down into the adjacent alley with the old woman still yelling. He could hear the labourers too; they weren’t far away.

He ran in the opposite direction.

Zaara-Kitar looked up at Cassius. ‘What did you say you do, Master Crispian?’

Her perfume was excessive and up close he could see the wrinkles under the powder. But even though the woman’s behaviour disgusted him, Cassius conceded to himself that – in the right circumstances – those smoky green eyes might be hard to resist.

‘Merchant.’

‘Really? Most of the merchants I know are fat and old and easily panicked.’

Kushara turned from the table, where he had stacked the coins in neat piles of ten. ‘It’s all here. Thirty aurei.’

Zaara-Kitar was still looking up at Cassius. ‘I must admit, you intrigue me, Master Crispian. Perhaps if your friends leave us I can put back my appointment and we can take lunch together.’

Cassius had recently altered his views on the merits of older women but, whatever her other attributes, he felt sure that Zaara-Kitar was quite mad.

‘What’s on the menu?’ he asked, tilting his head towards the garden. ‘Fresh rat?’

‘Whatever you want – my chef can prepare anything.’

Kushara observed this exchange with a neutral expression; presumably it wasn’t unusual for his mother to throw herself at men younger than her sons.

‘Thank you for the invitation, but I’m afraid I’ve rather lost my appetite and it appears our business is concluded. However, before we leave I expect you to return our weapons.’

‘A bold demand.’

‘Your sons didn’t even give me a chance to speak. It’s hardly a surprise that my friends and I defended ourselves.’

Kushara’s hand drifted towards his knife. ‘You—’

‘Oh, calm yourself, Kush,’ said his mother. ‘Master Crispian has a point. You’re just angry because that bodyguard got the better of you. Fetch the weapons.’

Kushara departed, fists clenched.

Cassius reclaimed his satchel.

‘You’re not a merchant,’ said Zaara-Kitar with a final smile.

‘All right, I admit it, I’m not a merchant,’ said Cassius. ‘But sometimes – days like today, for example – I rather wish I was.’

After Indavara had recounted his misadventures back at the inn, Cassius slumped down on his bed. ‘Gods, the sooner we get out of Petra the better.’

‘Fine by me.’ Indavara looked down at his hands; they were heavily grazed and coated with orange dust from the tiles.

‘We should clean you up,’ said Simo, who was at last recovering from his exertions.

Indavara was more interested in grabbing figs from a bowl and washing them down with wine. ‘Don’t fuss, Simo.’

The pair of them were also resting on the beds, while Ulixes sat against the wall by the window. The ex-legionary had barely said a word on the way back but now nodded at the jug of wine. ‘Servant, pour me some of that.’

‘He is not
your
servant,’ said Cassius. ‘But go ahead, Simo. And fill mine up too.’

‘So when do I get my coin?’ asked Ulixes.

‘We’ll see.’

‘What’s that supposed to mean? I had an agreement with Pitface. One hundred aurei.’

‘You’re getting fifty,’ Cassius told him. ‘Minus thirty now.’

‘Twenty? A measly twenty – after what I’ve been through?’

‘That’s your own stupid fault – what about what you put
us
through?’

Still chewing on a fig, Indavara glowered at Ulixes, who pretended not to notice.

‘So you want to know where this stone is, then?’

‘Keep your voice down.’ Cassius sat up to check that the sentry Mercator had left behind was nowhere near the window. ‘Go on.’

‘Town called Galanaq – about a hundred and twenty miles south of here.’

Cassius reached for his map.

‘It won’t be on there,’ said Ulixes. ‘Very remote. Deep in the Hejaz mountains.’

‘How long to get there?’

‘A week, maybe.’

‘And what about this chief? This religious sect?’

‘I don’t know. My contact was just passing through. I already told Pitface everything. Anyway, that’s your problem now. I’ve done my bit – where’s my coin?’

‘You’re not getting it now.’

‘What?’

Ulixes was halfway to his feet when a fig bounced off his nose.

‘Stay there,’ said Indavara.

‘Yes,’ added Cassius. ‘Stay there and drink your wine.’

Ulixes reluctantly sat down and took the mug from Simo.

‘You’ve given a location, yes,’ Cassius continued. ‘But as I pointed out to Abascantius, that doesn’t prove a damned thing. You’ll get your money when I see the stone.’

‘When you …’ Ulixes gulped down some wine before continuing. ‘I’m not going down there, you lot are liable to get yourselves killed messing with the desert folk.’

‘I don’t expect you to accompany us for nothing,’ said Cassius. ‘Taking into account your time and the factor of risk, I shall double your fee to forty aurei.’

‘Fifty.’

‘It’s forty. Take it or leave it.’

‘And if I leave it?’

‘I’ll still have the name of the town and you’ll have nothing. And judging by the state of your clothes I’d say you’ve had nothing for quite a while. No offence.’

Ulixes drank more, then gaped thoughtfully at the wall. ‘Don’t really have much choice, do I?’

‘Glad you’re seeing sense. There’s not much space but you’re welcome to stay here tonight. Do you have a mount?’

‘Sold it.’

‘You’ll need one – Simo will give you the money. And you’d better go now – there’ll be no time tomorrow.’