She shook her head. “They will find it, they just won't find us in it. Trust me.”
The building we were in was two deserted flats next to an empty warehouse. The walled garden connected the two and the whole stood alone, surrounded by two roads and two alleyways.
“Then you can all go,” I told them, “as soon as we think of a good way for me to get out, I mean. We'll meet up once outside.”
Actually I had no intention of going anywhere. I was going to do my enemy as much damage as I could. I wanted Jocasta away from here, for her own safety, but also because her knowledge and the stone she carried were a threat to the city. I did not want to think about what they would do to her to break her will, or try and guess how quickly they would do it. I would be happier if she were escorted, and the perfect escort was available, so use it. Get them out of here, then make a mess, slowly but surely.
“Once outside, what?” Meran asked.
“Home,” Jocasta said at exactly the same time I said, “North.”
“Why north?” She snapped.
Damn. They could go home if they wanted but when I was done here, I was going north. “Well; two good reasons. One, anyone they want will head south. Any noble refugees will head south. If they are searching for me they will search that way. Two, I have a duty in the north.” I had not forgotten. Tahal Samant was a captive in the Eyrie. Awaiting the head of the Ensibi king as ransom, or probably some other task now that that was either redundant or achieved by other means. I would see it done because I had said I would and for no other reason. But first things first, first take down my enemy here. The men who had tortured me. Who had almost broken me.
“Tahal Samant,” Jocasta was on it in a flash. “Don't be a damn fool Sumto. You were with an army then, there was a chance. Alone? Forget it and go home. With us.”
“There is nothing to go home for.”
“What?” She looked genuinely puzzled and I wondered at her lack of political astuteness.
“Tul and I were in joint control of an army that has been destroyed; the last minute change of plan was mine, it seemed like too good an opportunity to miss.” I held up my hand as she looked as though she wanted to interrupt. “I will be prosecuted for raising troops without authority. A fine or exile. No one would ever follow me again, loan money to me in the expectation that I will win battles and have the money to pay them back with interest. I had my shot and I blew it.” I raised my beer. “Here's to fortune.”
“So you are going to throw your life away on a futile gesture? And ours?”
“No one has to come with me.” No one would, I would make sure of that. “And it is not futile. My only hope is an act of outrageous courage that succeeds and directly benefits all of the city. The award for such an act comes with immunity to prosecution, and money.”
Sapphire was frowning thoughtfully to himself. “What act would benefit the city entire?”
“The removal of the threat to the city.”
“The enemy is here.”
“The enemy is in the north.” But Kukran Epthel was here and I planned to kill him before I left. I didn't know how, yet. But I would get it done and make sure I had witnesses. I had natural allies. Everyone in this town who was not from the north. And I had a stone, and some magical ability although quite limited in extent. I would find a way.
Meran put plates on the table. Chicken, potatoes, vegetables. Way more than I could possibly eat. More than I even wanted to look at, in fact. Still, I tried.
“You think this Kukran is one of many? Not the leader but a lieutenant?” Sapphire said.
“Nothing exists in a vacuum. He came from the north, how can it be that he was alone there? There are more like him. If not here then there.”
“And how will you achieve this, with just us?” Jocasta wanted to know.
“They will have enemies, these Necromancers. The enemy of my enemy and all that. I'll find a way.”
“What will you offer your potential allies to gain their aid?”
“An alliance, exactly that, trade agreements, whatever it takes. I am a patron of the city, and if I succeed I will be in a position to make good on my promises, and if I fail I will be dead. Your sister's betrothed must have learned something in his time among them, for make no mistake they are the ones behind this rising, and everything he has learned will help me. That is what I am going to do, alone if need be.”
“You won't be alone,” Sapphire said without inflection.
“Jerek must have a champion. I will help you,” Dubaku said.
“I'm in,” Meran announced.
Jocasta seemed to consider the matter for a moment. “You are crazy. But you are right, it is the only thing you can do. I'll go with you and help make it possible for you to do this.”
“Then it's settled,” I lied with an easy smile, and raised my glass to it.
74
There comes a point in every one's life when they realize they are stupid. It's a bitter and crushing realization, but unavoidable.
We had been in no hurry, eaten at leisure and made our way down to the garden in good time; the bangs, shouts and crashes of doors being kicked open still in the distance and no immediate threat.
The garden was perhaps thirty yards by forty, the wall seven feet or so high. There was a gate that would lead onto an alley and a way through from the bottom of the two flats, through the kitchen; in fact, half the kitchen was outside.
“Hold hands and follow me,” Jocasta said.
We formed a line and followed as she walked through the beds of flowers, almost everywhere some were in bloom. Her hand was cool in mine, small and delicate, the stone warm by contrast. Both felt good. There were apple and cherry trees, a vegetable patch and at the far end of the garden a wicker screen covered in clematis, behind which was the usual garden paraphernalia of earth, tools, pots and seeds. Once there Jocasta let go of my hand, a little reluctantly I thought. Wishful thinking, maybe. Still she had traveled five hundred miles for me, stolen from her family, risked her life and ruined her reputation. Well, she couldn't feel nothing for me, could she? Even I'm not that dumb. It was a new thought and I drunkenly puzzled it out. She had nothing to go back for either. Her reputation was shot. No patron would wed her. Her family might disown her to save their own reputations. It wasn't nothing. Not by any means.
“Now what?” I asked.
“We wait,” she hissed, “quietly.”
It wasn't what I had meant but I let it go, for now. Sometimes, I decided, it was better to say nothing. She must know that she was as barred from going home as I was, and it struck me that she had not fought very hard against the idea of going north. I looked around for something to sit on and found a pile of sacks of compost. When she gave me a disapproving look I shrugged and raised an eyebrow. Might as well be comfortable, I tried to convey. Dubaku squatted, feet flat on the ground, leaning forward. To me it looked intensely uncomfortable but he seemed happy enough. Sapphire stood stock still. Meran leaned against the wall. After a while, Jocasta shooed me up a bit and I made room for her. I was intensely aware of her hip against mine. She wore thin trousers that put just two thin layers of cloth between me and her soft thigh. Her arm touched mine, shoulder just under mine. She wore a shirt and jacket. Man clothes but I found them enchanting. I could smell her, her hair seemingly just under my nose.
“You smell nice,” I whispered.
She turned slightly and glared up at me and breathed a word of advice. “Shush, stupid.”
Not exactly the words of endearment my fuzzy brain was hoping for. Still, she did blush a bit, though after I nodded she looked away.
The sounds of the search got closer. We waited, tense. At least I was tense. Everyone else seemed completely at ease. After a time we heard them in the streets about us, at our door, inside the flats. A head peered out a window at us and disappeared. A minute later a barbarian wandered into the garden, looked around aimlessly for a bit and left. A minute later another did the same. Then the search moved on.
