Part 4 (2/2)
”I thought perhaps I could take a few smaller pieces you know, less valuable ones, easier to keep three, say.”
”I see.”
”And... well, perhaps you could let me have one now?”
”I've got something for you, Annie.” Kat produced the sparkling crystal statuette which Ty-gen had handed over without hesitation or comment. It was the image of an eagle or some other bird of prey, wings spread, feet clasping a rock which also formed the figure's stand. The rays of the sun globes twinkled from the bird's outstretched wings as Kat turned it slowly.
She watched as the old woman's eyes lit up with excitement and avarice; a look which was quickly replaced by a narrow-eyed calculating stare. ”And what would Annie have to find for you to get her hands on this lovely bauble?”
The encounter two nights ago with the aged apothaker had brought Annie to mind. Kat still had the phial the woman had thrust upon her tucked away in a pocket. She didn't know whether this 'luck potion' would work or not, but there had to be something something they could do to affect the Soul Thief, and she finally had a good idea what that might be. they could do to affect the Soul Thief, and she finally had a good idea what that might be.
”Demon dust,” she said simply.
”Demon dust?” Annie repeated the word slowly and nodded wisely. ”Why, you plannin' on invadin' the Upper Heights?”
”No, nothing like that. I saw some used once, that's all; it took out a demon hound in the blink of an eye.” At odd moments in the past few days Kat had found herself thinking of Tom and wondering what had become of him. She'd heard rumour of a boy with extraordinary power who had saved the whole of the under-City. She knew at once this could only be Tom. No point in dwelling on him though; by now he'd doubtless been whisked away up-City to live a life of pampered luxury. Out of her world for good, and, besides, she had more pressing concerns.
Annie had evidently been mulling over her words. ”Heard there were plenty o' reasons for folk to stay off the streets last night; the Tattooed Men among 'em.”
”We weren't the only ones out hunting, Annie,” Kat said quietly.
”Heard that, too. So, you and yer sister patched things up then?”
”I wouldn't exactly say that.”
Annie nodded and pursed her lips. She then skewered Kat with an intense gaze that seemed to strip away all her carefully built defences and pierce right through to the marrow. ”Only one thing I can think of that'd see the Death Queens runnin' side by side again. Yer lookin' to bring down the Soul Thief, aren't yer?”
Kat said nothing; she simply returned the old woman's stare with an intensity all her own.
Annie thought for a second and then said, ”I've heard of demon dust, yes, but I've never come across the stuff meself, nor even anyone who's actually seen it before, let alone who knows how to make it.” Kat's heart sank. ”For all that, I might know of someone who can help yer.
”Leave this with me. I'll ask around. You come back before globes out tonight, and we'll see what's what.”
”Thanks, Annie.” Not demon dust perhaps, but the hope of something at least. ”Here, take this.” She held out the khybul sculpture.
”You sure? I ain't done nuthin' yet.”
”I trust you, Annie.”
The old woman gave a curt nod. They both knew she wouldn't dare cross Kat, especially now that she was back with the Tattooed Men.
Kat walked away, leaving Annie to resume her customary perch on the step. She felt oddly buoyed by the encounter, as if there were now some genuine reason to hope.
Perhaps that explained her complete lack of alertness when she turned a corner and walked straight into the three men. They were were men, not boys, but in every other respect they looked like street-nicks on patrol. men, not boys, but in every other respect they looked like street-nicks on patrol.
”Well, what have we got here?” the lead lout asked, before answering his own question. ”A pretty little girl all done up in black.”
The three were dressed alike. Not leather as much of her own gear tended to be, but they wore uniform black and white. Gang for sure, but which gang?
”Aren't you a little old to be playing at street-nicks?””The street-nicks time has pa.s.sed, darlin'. The big boys are in charge now.”
”And you would be...?”
”The Fang.” She remembered the open-mouth motif noted earlier. ”And you're on our turf,” the man added.
Was that really the way of it? Were grown men taking over where the teenagers and kids had left off? Surely the Watch wouldn't stand for that sort of escalation. Hardly her problem, of course.
”Not for long,” she a.s.sured them. Kat stepped out to go around the trio, but as she did so the lead man, the one doing all the talking, moved across to block her path.
”What's yer hurry, sweetheart? I'm sure we could find plenty to talk about, you an' me.”
Kat stepped back, a little wearily. The last thing she wanted right now was a fight, but since when had her preferences counted for anything in the balance of things? Where were all the razzers when you needed one? Doubtless keeping their heads down until any hint of violence was past, in the time-honoured tradition of the under-City's law enforcers. Kat's hands came to rest casually on twin sword hilts.
”I'd let the lady through if I were you, gents,” said a voice from behind her. M'gruth; she'd know his rasping tones anywhere.
The lead Fang looked beyond her, and she could see the surprise in his eyes. ”And what if we decide not to?” The words sounded confident enough, but his two companions were already looking nervous.
”Well, then I guess we'd have to settle matters the oldfas.h.i.+oned way, and you wouldn't want that, I promise you.”
”Three against one; those odds don't sound too bad to me.””Really, and how do your two friends feel about that?”One of the other two Fangs had reached forward to tug urgently at the leader's arm, muttering, ”Come on, leave it. He's a Tattooed Man for Thaiss's sake.”
Perhaps realising the support he might have hoped for wasn't there, the man's gaze switched to Kat. He shrugged. ”Hardly worth the effort really, she's only a kid.” He looked back to M'gruth. ”We'll let it pa.s.s this time.”
”Good decision,” M'gruth a.s.sured him. He and Kat walked past the men and away, the lead Fang's surly gaze on them the whole while.
Kat was fuming, but waited until they were out of earshot before rounding on the Tattooed Man. ”What the breck do you think you're playing at, M'gruth? No need for you to get involved I could have handled them.”
”I don't doubt that for a moment,” he a.s.sured her. ”It wasn't you I was worried about.”
A sudden suspicion crossed the girl's mind, causing her to stop in her tracks. ”Were you following me?”
”No, I was just out stretching my legs and trying to keep out of Chavver's way. She's in a foul mood this morning.”
Kat snorted; since when was her sister ever in any other other sort of mood? She still wasn't convinced by M'gruth's claim of innocence but couldn't prove anything, so she was forced to let it go for now. The pair resumed walking. sort of mood? She still wasn't convinced by M'gruth's claim of innocence but couldn't prove anything, so she was forced to let it go for now. The pair resumed walking.
Annie wasn't on her usual step when Kat returned presumably even she had to stretch her legs and answer the call of nature occasionally but a quick word with the unruly-haired girl who came to greet Kat when she called soon brought the old woman shuffling out from the dilapidated building the step fronted.”That time already, is it?” Annie said, squinting at the pair of lamplighters with their hand-pulled cart and long tapers who were busily working their way along the street discharging their duties.
”Yes, Annie, it'll be globes out before you know.”
”And you an' yer bald-headed tribe will be off a huntin', I suppose.”
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