Part 34 (1/2)

Rath nodded quietly.

”Good. I hate to waste my time.”

”So do I.” Rath looked out the windows. He had grown so used to his dwelling that he had almost forgotten how much he liked sunlight. ”The meeting is not for some few hours yet.”

”And where will it take place?”

”Radell's.”

Andrei raised a brow. Rath cleared his throat. ”Avram's Society of Avealaan Historians.”

Andrei nodded, although half of his attention had already wandered. ”Will it not, at that time, be closed for business?”

”Radell is never closed for business when vast sums of money are involved. He is always willing to accommodate any customer who has spent thousands of crowns in his establishment.”

”And you have something to sell?”

”Of course. Antiquities,” he answered, before Andrei could ask. ”Two bowls that were, I believe, used for household offerings. No, I'm not certain to which G.o.d. But I believe them to be genuine, and I will offer them to the Patris for his inspection this eve.”

”Good. If things go well, we will not meet this eve.”

”And if they do not?”

Andrei's smile was marked and cool. His gaze grazed Rath's daggers, and he added no words to his meaning. There was no need.

Had Rath been a prouder man, he would have refused Andrei's oblique offer. But pride he had left behind, when he had left Handernesse, and in truth, Andrei was more competent than most of the men Rath had met, or fought beside, in his life.

”I'll see to the bill,” he said, rising.

”I wouldn't advise you to pay it,” Andrei said, lip curling as he plonked the gla.s.s down on the table. ”This is almost sour.”

”I'm not of a mind to have a loud argument with the establishment's owner on this particular day,” Rath replied. ”Had I been alone, it would be different.”

Andrei's smile was unexpected. ”You've grown cautious, Ararath, if not wise. Good.” He rose. ”I will make my report to your G.o.dfather, if I have no cause to meet with you again.” Andrei retrieved the stone he had placed on the table. ”There are things at work here,” he said softly, just before he pocketed the stone, ”that I do not fully understand. Be wary.”

Rath nodded and watched Andrei depart. With him went what little Rath retained from his life in Handernesse, and for a brief moment, he missed it. But brevity in such longing was always wise, and he shunted it forcefully to one side. He would sit here alone for another hour before he once again made his round of the Common.

He knew Andrei would already be out in the street, watching. Suspected that Andrei could identify all five of the men who served the Patris AMatie; if they were present, Andrei would know.

If they were dangerous? He would know that as well.

Rath almost regretted Jewel's absence. Her sight was so skewed and so unreliable he could not direct it or force it-but when it came upon her, when she had what she called her feeling, he learned much.

Jewel, he thought, be ready. Be careful.

”But where are you going?” Lefty stood in the frame of her door. Arann was on his feet, but he didn't look exactly comfortable; the doctor had said he would be in pain for some time, and he was to do no heavy lifting or work.

”Out,” she said curtly. Which was not entirely true, but in had connotations which she was unwilling to share with anyone.

”Jay.” Arann's voice. Arann, who had abandoned his bedroll, and who walked, slowly, to stand behind Lefty. Who, in fact, gently shoved Lefty to one side. Lefty threw him a mutinous glance, but held his peace. She had seriously misjudged Lefty, and was coming to understand how much only now. He had slowly accepted her presence, which she expected; he had started to meet her eyes, and there were whole hours that went by in which he now forgot to stick his three-fingered right hand in his left armpit.

But with this slowly growing trust came a sharpness of tongue which she would have bet money was beyond him. Given that it was her own money, she was just as glad she hadn't. Rath, the sonofab.i.t.c.h, would have taken the money anyway.

If she could ignore Lefty-and that was arguable-it was impossible to ignore Arann. When they were out together, Arann did all their talking, but Arann actually spoke very little.

”I can't talk about it,” she said. Which was true. ”Rath will kill me.” Which was less true, although she had her suspicions.

”Your nightmare,” Arann said. He, too, could surprise her. He was big, yes, and because he was often silent, because he was honest whenever he could be, it was easy to think of him as stupid. Well, okay, not stupid, but not perceptive.

She shrugged. ”I'm sorry. It was just a nightmare. I have them all the time.”

His brow rose. G.o.ds, she was such a bad liar.

”This 'out' that you're going to,” Arann continued, when she lost even the will to try to maintain a lie, ”has something to do with that girl? Finch?”

”What makes you say that?” she asked, stalling. She had some time to kill. Not a lot, but some. She and Rath had gone to Taverson's every day, and had eaten there. Rath had introduced her to everyone, and they had taken note of her. She was to eat there, a late meal, and alone. Alone in Taverson's at night was not the place Jewel wanted to be-but Rath said she'd be safe enough there because they now felt as if they knew her.

”Sky's clear,” Arann replied.

She frowned.

”You said the sky was wrong, that you could see the moon.”

”Did I?” She honestly didn't remember. The nightmares did that to her. Then again, Arann had hardly been awake; it was unfair that he remembered more than she did.

”Jay.”

”You can't go with me. Not where I'm going.”

He met her gaze and held it. ”You took your daggers,” he said softly.

She changed tactics, a Rath word for fighting. ”I want to keep you both here,” she said, voice low and as intense as she could make it. ”Do you understand? I want you both to live here. With me. With us.

”You try to follow me, and I can't even guarantee that I'll be able to stay when Rath finds out. And he will.”

”I don't think Rath's as bad as you think he is,” Lefty told her, meeting and holding her gaze.

”Doesn't matter what you think. Or what I think. Only what Rath thinks.” She paused, and held out a hand, palm out. ”I need you both to stay here. I can't say it clearer than that. You decide.”

Lefty looked at Arann. Arann looked at Lefty. Neither spoke for a long moment, and when someone finally did, it was Lefty. ”It's up to her,” he said, shrugging awkwardly. ”Rath's not here either, and I'd bet he's out doing something to help Jay.”

Mostly, Jewel hated stupid people. But she realized at the moment that they had their advantages. She gazed down the hall at the storage room, and shrugged. The rope was in place. All she had to do was get to Taverson's, eat-and her stomach wasn't up to much in the way of food-and get to Finch before whoever was following her did.