A young child, bony and barely covered by rags, dashed out of the brothel behind them and ran ahead into the street. Talis pursed her lips. Likely the madam inside sent the street rat ahead to warn Jasper of their approach. That was to be expected in Subrosa, but today it added to the prickling sensation on her neck. She didn’t let it slow their steps, but she did cast a glance at Dug. He nodded slightly. She sensed Sophie move in closer behind her.
The façade of Jasper’s shop was a masterpiece of Breaker artisan wood carving, crafted by the proprietor himself. Abstract twisting cords, trailing ivy, and gracefully sweeping reeds were a testament to the planning and care that had gone into the design. That the whole thing hadn’t been pried off by thieves and relocated to the illicit art markets was a testament to the respect Jasper commanded within the community. Then again, Talis noted that there were a few recent chisel marks around the frame of the door, bright pocks against the dark-stained wood, made since her last visit. Someone was always willing to try.
A cart overloaded with rugs and pulled by two ailing goats forced them to pause before they could cross the street. A short, sour-faced man with a switch shouted obscenities at the animals, whacking their rumps to urge them along. The goats trundled on without seeming to pay him any mind.
When that obstacle moved out of the way, five new ones stood between Talis’s group and the entrance to Jasper’s shop. Cutter men. Lean and mean, combat-ready.
They were dressed well enough for the city in cotton and leather. Their clothing was free of any patches, or at least had been patched by someone who knew what they were doing. Three of the five brandished blunt weapons: a bat, an iron bar, and a well-notched fighting staff. The fourth had a large flat blade, designed for utility but certainly well suited to damaging flesh. The fifth, front and center of the group, wore a gray felt hat with a rounded crown and a golden grosgrain ribbon. He held a pair of barreled six-shot revolvers leveled at them. An expensive set of guns, well above the station he otherwise represented.
Dug’s knives were in his hands with the barest twitch. Sophie tensed, elbows bent and hands neutral, ready to draw any of her weapons.
“Trust you had a prosperous voyage, Captain,” said the man with the pair of sixes. His hungry gaze lingered on the pouches at her hips.
Talis crossed one arm over her stomach and rested the other elbow on its hand, then made a show of examining her fingernails. “Sorry, boys. Haven’t got time for fun today.”
He hadn’t addressed her by name. It was possible this robbery was of the standard Subrosan variety, innocent in its way. If so, the place and timing were an unholy coincidence.
But he only brought four men with him. Dug had a reputation here, and not just for throwing punches in the bars. If they knew who they were fighting, if they were Subrosan natives, there would have been twice as many of them.
“Market values being what they are,” the man said, pulling back the hammer on his guns, “you won’t find anyone willing to pay more than we’re offering for that little item.”
Chapter 10
Talis felt her eyelid twitch. They were here for the ring.
She let her hand fall to rest on the butt of her holstered gun. Casual, largely posturing. The real threat was Dug. “And who can I thank for the courtesy?”
The man chuckled. “Got so many friends in Subrosa, haven’t you?”
Could be Talbot. Could be Cormack. Could be Ellanis. Perish the thought, it could be Jasper.
“Always happy to make a few more.”
Then she rushed him.
When guns are leveled at someone’s head, generally the expected response is that the target will be subdued, act slowly, avoid any sudden movements. Those who do the leveling, as a result, tend to get a little overconfident. This man’s hands were relaxed, his eyes still scanning her person for the most likely hiding place of the trinket in question. Talis had wagered on his inattention. The hammers were cocked but, in response to her unexpected advance, the man actually brought his hands up a smidge. By the time he thought to pull the triggers, he was pointing high. And Talis had dropped low. She aimed a shoulder at the tender space beneath his sternum as she barreled him over.
Dug and Sophie were right behind her, and Talis could hear the grunts of the other men as they clashed with her crew.
She had enough concern left for Jasper to feel a brief twinge of remorse as the wood of his shopfront cracked under the impact of their two bodies. Then she was wrestling the man for his revolvers. They’d landed hard, him crumpled against the wall and her on top. She got her knee up and onto his right forearm. She worked the gun in that hand loose as he fought for breath against his malfunctioning diaphragm.
He got off a second shot from the other gun, which went high over her shoulder again, but it was close enough to her ear that all sound was replaced with ringing. In the brief instant when light flared in her eyes, he got his empty right hand up and pushed it up under her jaw, forcing her head back.
They were still a tangle of limbs, so aiming for his chest with the appropriated six-shooter was no issue, even as he switched his grip to her larynx. She had just inhaled, so she held her breath. The crushing pressure on her
