“If nothing else, it will cleanse her soul.”
“Because she’s a whore?” Eirual spat out. Seregil reached to embrace her but she shook his arm away. “You think this illness is some punishment? Her soul is as pure as yours, Valerius, no matter what you choose to think of us!”
“I meant nothing of the sort,” Valerius rumbled, rising to gather his things. “It’s to cleanse her of illness, if that’s possible.”
“Has it helped anyone in the Lower City?”
“Not yet,” he admitted. “I thought it might give you some comfort.”
“Keep your priests, and find some remedy!”
“As you wish.” Valerius motioned for Seregil to come with him.
“Stay with her, Alec,” he murmured as he followed the drysian out into the corridor.
“Is there somewhere we can speak?” Valerius asked, closing the door behind them.
Seregil led him down the hallway to Myrhichia’s empty chamber. Candles were burning here. The silken bed had been turned down, and the room smelled of expensive oils and incense.
The drysian scrubbed his fingers through his unruly black hair. “I didn’t expect this. Not so soon.”
Seregil raised an expectant eyebrow.
“It’s broken out in the Ring, too, in that cesspit behind the Sea Market.”
“I suppose that’s less surprising than finding it here. Those few found near the Sea Gate might have been random wandering, but now it’s more likely someone infected with it must have escaped the Lower City quarantine and headed for somewhere they thought they wouldn’t be noticed.”
Valerius nodded wearily. “This is like no disease I’ve ever seen before, Seregil, and I’m beginning to wonder if it is one at all, or some form of poisoning. There are numerous decoctions that might escape detection.”
“Why would anyone bother poisoning the poor?”
“Who knows? I want you two to look into this for me, before the Ring and this street are placed under quarantine. I need someone who can travel in the Ring without getting themselves killed. None of my people have your talent for that.”
“This isn’t exactly the best time for us, Valerius. There’s something else afoot that we’re investigating for Thero and the prince, and it can’t wait.”
“And I’ve been tasked with this by Prince Korathan himself. He considers it a matter of civic security. Sooner or later this is going to spread farther in the city, unless we find the cause and stop it. If it does spread, there will be panic. I can only give you a few days before he seals the area.”
“We can handle it,” said Alec, stepping into the room to join them. “Kepi can pass in the Ring as easily as we can. Let him do the legwork and have him see if there’s anything or anyone unusual in there.”
“Yes, that will work,” said Seregil. “And we’ll do all we can.”
“Thank you,” Valerius said gruffly.
Time was no one’s friend and they all knew it.
Kepi didn’t bat an eye at their request, just pocketed the money and left. The following day the boy showed up in the middle of an afternoon thunderstorm. He was soaked to the skin and his ragged hair was plastered down under his sodden head scarf.
“Come in by the fire,” Alec said. The cook was out at the market and had taken Anat with her to carry the baskets.
“I’ll fetch a flannel,” said Seregil.
“I hope that’s something to eat. My belly thinks my throat’s been cut.” Kepi squatted down by the fire as Seregil went in search of a towel in the bathing chamber next to the kitchen. “Where’s that friendly cook woman of yours?”
“She’s off to visit her son,” Alec replied. “But don’t worry. We never send you away hungry, do we?”
Seregil came back and handed Kepi the flannel.
“Your clothes will dry faster if you lay them out by the fire,” Alec suggested.
The boy gave him a dark look and his hand went to the hilt of the knife at his belt as a loud crack of thunder shook the house. “None of that, my lord!”
“That’s
“I’m fine as I am.” The boy grabbed the flannel and vigorously worked it over his wet hair, still keeping a watchful eye on Alec.
Alec saw with some irritation that Seregil was suppressing silent laughter as he filled a plate with cold meat and bread from the larder. He added the remains of an apple tart and handed it to the boy. Kepi grabbed it and began wolfing down the food as if someone was going to take it away from him. In his daily life, that was most likely a common occurrence.
Alec leaned on the mantelpiece, smiling as he watched Kepi cram a handful of tart into his mouth.
“Do you have something for us, or are you just looking for a dry place out of the rain?” asked Seregil, pulling up a stool.
“ ’Course I do, my lord! You said to look for anything odd or out of place. You heard of the raven folk?”
“No.” Seregil took a few pennies from his purse and placed them on the floor in front of Kepi. “Suppose you enlighten us.”
“Nothing special about ’em, except they’re touched in the head,” the boy replied, quickly grabbing up the coins. “They’re queer folk, even for the Ring.”
“Why are they called raven folk?” asked Alec.
“Why, because they barter up for any damn thing you can think of! I know one boy who got a sack of sweets for a glass bead. Another one give Easy Lia a half sester for a lock of her stringy hair, and didn’t even want a tumble to go with it. Now she’s gone missing.”
Seregil exchanged a look with Alec at the mention of hair. “How many of them do you think there are?” The boy shrugged and bit one of the coins, as if doubting its make. Seregil flipped him another. “So? How many have you seen?”
“Just the one-a lame old man with a patch over his left eye. He offered me a yellow stone for my head rag, if you can believe it.” He glanced possessively at the greasy silk kerchief drying on the hearth. “I’da told him to go to Bilairy, but figured you might want to pay-I mean, see it, and so I give him a hank of my hair for it in the end.” He held up a short lock of his wet hair where it had been cut.
“Let me see the stone.”
Kepi gave him a chagrined look. “It got lifted.”
“Someone picked
“Folk are hard in the Ring!” Kepi exclaimed. “Some older boys seen me trade and went after me. It was give it over or get knifed.”
“It can’t be helped, but it would have been useful. Do you know of any other raven folk?”
“Three or four I heard of from some of the others about the
neighborhood. One of ’em’s a young fella on a crutch, and there’s a couple of women.”
“What do they look like?” asked Alec.
The boy shrugged. “The ones who seen ’em didn’t take much note, except for they was dirty, and making silly bargains for dross.”
“Which means they weren’t young or pretty,” Seregil noted. “So, a bead, locks of hair, and an attempt on your colorful headwear. What do you make of it?”
Kepi let out a scornful snort. “They’re loons.”
“When did they show up in the Ring?”
“Real recent, folk say.”
“Since the closure of the Lower City?”
“Maybe. It ain’t been long.”
“Does anyone know where they came from?” asked Alec.
Kepi bit off a mouthful of bread and shook his head as he chewed loudly. “If they do, I ain’t heard it.”
“Alec, I think our friend here could use a little beer with his meal.”
Kepi grinned, showing off a newly missing canine tooth and bits of bread stuck in his remaining teeth. “Much obliged, my lord!”
