met the markets, and a view of the Marina could be seen from the tiny windows. She was too old to be admitted, but Cery knew the owner - a kind retired merchant called Norin - and had promised a favor in return.
'The magicians really want to get this girl, don't they?' one of the girls said.
'They don't let anyone have magic 'cept themselves,' a stocky boy replied.
'Lot of people be looking for her now,' the newcomer said, nodding wisely. 'That's a lot of money.'
'It's blood money, Ral,' the girl replied, her nose wrinkling.
'So?' Ral replied. 'Some people won't care. They just want the money.'
'Well, I wouldn't turn her in,' she said. 'I hate the magicians. My cousin was burned by them, years ago.'
'Really?' another girl asked, her eyes bright with curiosity.
'It's true.' The first girl nodded. 'In the Purge. Gilen was playing around, though. He probably fished for it. One of those magicians got him with his magic. He was burned all down one side of his face. There's a big, red scar there now.'
Sonea shivered. Burned. A memory of a charred body flashed into her mind. She looked away from the children. The attic no longer seemed cozy. She wanted to get up and leave, but Cery had been firm about her staying put and not drawing attention to herself.
'My uncle tried to rob a magician once,' a girl with long, knotted hair said.
'You're uncle was stupid,' murmured a boy at her side. She scowled at him, and aimed a kick at his shin that he evaded easily.
'He didn't know it was a magician,' the girl explained. 'The man wore a big cloak over his robes.'
The boy snorted, and the girl raised her fist. 'You were saying?' he asked innocently.
'He tried to cut his purse,' the girl continued, 'but the magician had magicked it so he'd know if anyone touched it. Well, the magician turned around real quick and hit him with his magic and broke his arms.'
'Both arms?' one of the younger boys asked.
She nodded. 'Without even touching him. He just put up his hands like this ...' she raised her hands so her palms faced them, 'and the magic hit my uncle like someone had thrown a wall at him. That's how he told it, my uncle did.'
'Hai!' the boy breathed. The room was silent for a few minutes, then a new voice lifted out of the quiet.
'My sister was killed because of the magicians.'
Every face turned toward a skinny boy who sat cross-legged at the edge of the rough circle.
'We were in a crowd,' he told them. 'The magicians started their flashing lights in the street behind us and everyone began to run. Ma dropped my little sister, but she couldn't stop because there were so many people running. Da went back and found her. I heard him cursing them, saying that it was their fault that she died. The magicians' fault.' He narrowed his eyes and glared at the floor. 'I
Several of the heads around the circle nodded. A thoughtful silence followed, then the first girl made a satisfied noise.
'See,' she said, 'would you help the magicians? Not me. That girl showed 'em, she did. Maybe next time she'll get more of 'em.'
The children grinned and nodded at each other. Sonea let out a silent sigh of relief. She heard the creak of the hatch as it opened, and smiled as Cery climbed into the attic. He moved to her side and sat down, grinning.
'We've been betrayed,' he murmured. 'The house is about to be searched. Follow me.'
Her heart skipped. Staring at him, she saw that the grin did not reach his eyes. He climbed to his feet again, and she leapt up to follow. A few children watched her pass them, but she avoided their eyes. She could feel their interest growing as Cery stopped and opened the doors of a large cabinet at the back of the room.
'There's a secret door to the passages here,' he murmured, reaching inside. He tugged at something gently, then frowned and pulled harder. 'It's been blocked from the other side.' He cursed under his breath.
'Are we trapped?'
He glanced back at the room. Most of the children were watching them now. He closed the cabinet door, then moved across to one of the windows.
'No use in pretending now. How are your climbing skills?'
'It's been a while ...' She looked up. The windows had been set into the roof, which sloped down almost to the floor.
'Give me a leg up.'
Linking her hands, she grimaced as he stepped onto them. She staggered as Cery climbed up onto her shoulders. Grabbing a roof beam, Cery steadied himself, pulled a knife out of his coat and began to work at the window.
From somewhere below the attic Sonea heard the sound of a door slamming, then the muffled sound of raised voices. Sonea felt a stab of fear as the trapdoor sprang open, but the face that appeared was that of Norin's niece, Yalia.
The woman took in the children, Sonea, and Cery poised on top of her shoulders, in one glance.
'The door?' she asked.
'Blocked,' he told her.
She scowled, then looked down at the children.
'The magicians are here,' she told them, 'They're going to search the house.'
The children began asking questions. Above Sonea, Cery muttered a colorful curse. Sonea almost dropped him as he shifted his weight abruptly.
'Hai! You're not being a very good ladder, Sonea.'
His weight suddenly lifted from her hands. Cery's foot kicked out, hitting her in the chest. Sonea bit back a sour retort as she ducked out of the way of his swinging legs.
'They won't harm us,' Yalia was telling the children. 'They wouldn't dare. They'll see straight away that you're all too young. They're more interested in -'
'
She looked up to see that Cery had slipped his legs through the window frame and was dangling down, reaching for her.
She reached up and grasped his hands. With surprising strength, Cery lifted her up until she could grasp the sill. She hung for a moment, then edged around the frame until she held the high side. Swinging her legs up, she caught the edge of the frame with the toe of her boot, then stepped through.
Gasping from the exertion, she lay flat against the cold tiles. The air was icy and the cold immediately began to seep through her clothes. Lifting her head, she saw a sea of roofs. The sun hung low in the sky.
Cery reached out to close the window and froze. The sound of the attic trapdoor opening reached them, then the children began murmuring in awe and fear. Sonea lifted her head and peered inside.
A man in red robes stood beside the open trapdoor, staring with unblinking rage around the room. His hair was pale and combed back against his scalp. A small red scar marked his temple. She pressed herself against the roof again, heart racing. There was something familiar about him but she was not going to risk a second glance.
His voice reached their ears.
'Where is she?' he demanded.
'Who do you mean?' Yalia replied.
'The girl. I was informed that she was here. Where have you hidden her?'
'I haven't hidden anybody,' stated an aged voice.
Norin, Sonea guessed.
'What's this place then? Why are these beggars here?'
'I let them stay here. They have nowhere else to go during the winter.'
'Was the girl here?'
'I don't ask their names. If this girl you seek was among them then I wouldn't know.'
'I think you're lying, old man,' the magician's tone darkened.
