Chapter 180: The Blackcloaks (1/2)

The old man had wisps of grey hair that looked like they were stuck on his head. His back was never straight, and his shoulders hunched over his portly staunch. But despite his decrepit looks there was a sharp mind filled with knowledge hidden inside the haze of drunkenness.

He was sipping a hot liquid and I smelled coffee. Loctris was surely the centre of this world, it had coffee.

I sat opposite him. ”How old is Loctris?”

He sipped and then gulped the short black down his gullet. ”We've got a lot to do tonight. Do you want to sit here and ask questions or go?”

We weren't alone in the common room; it was for everyone after all. ”Maybe there's somewhere else we can sit and chat before we do whatever you have planned for this evening.”

”It's free here,” he said. ”And we're just two losers in a corner.”

”Do you know a discreet money changer?”

A low chuckle escaped his lips. ”Sure, but the more discreet the worse the exchange rate.”

”We should be very discreet it's better than complications later.”

He stood. ”That shall be our first stop and we can kill two birds with one stone.”

”You go first, I'll follow at a distance.”

He nodded. ”I'll head north.”

The person watching the campus across the street was still there. They never left; maybe they lived in that room above the cheese shop. I looked up and the room was dark, but they were there either standing or sitting on a tall chair. This time they did not budge, secure in the knowledge that I could not see them. Remembering Alejo, I added another question to the list I wanted to ask Leonell.

He wound his way to the edge of the merchants district and entered a smoke filled café. He waited for me at the door and nodded when I entered.

We walked through the café which was filled with patrons smoking long pipes and sipping from small glass chalices filled with dark liquid. He then went up a spiral staircase with a little difficulty, it was steep and narrow.

A woman sat behind a desk at the entrance to another lounge. ”Business or pleasure?” she asked. She wore a black cloak, the colour which Leonell had told me not to wear.

”My lady, it is both tonight, but business will come first. Can we get a walk-in with the money changer?”

She pursed her lips. ”Name?”

”Leonell the grey and a new friend.” His hand indicated me.

She peered at us. ”Take a seat in the lounge and someone will fetch you if he accepts. Next time make an appointment though one of the urchins.”

Leonell bowed. ”I will lady, my apologies.” He was awfully polite to a door woman, there was more here than met the eye.

She escorted us to a semicircular seat near the centre of the lounge. The lighting was dim and familiar smells filled the air. Tobacco and marijuana amongst other things met my nostrils. Both had distinctive smells, but the third was unknown to me.

I looked at the long pipes stretching up from the ornate bottle on the floor. ”Hashish?” I asked.

Leonell shrugged. ”I don't know what hashish is. You can smoke tobacco, cannabis, or lotus from the Argila. I do not recommend black lotus, but you can partake in the red or white. Can you pay?”

”After the money changer I can.”

He nodded. ”Then consume nothing unless we get a meeting.”

There were four doors other than the entrance with two on each side. There was a bar and behind it was a partition to another area. One which seemed invite only, in fact the whole building other than the ground floor appeared to be invite only.

On the odd occasion I saw a person wearing a black cloak and they always had adept sized cores.

”What's with the black cloaks?”

Leonell brought a finger to his lips. ”Although it's an open secret it's not polite to discuss – especially here.”

”Leonell the grey?”

”I am neither black nor white. I walk between the worlds.”

”So it's not a title?”

He chuckled. ”Nothing special and rarely mentioned.”

A short man dressed in grey robes approached us. ”The money changer will see you now. Thank you for waiting.”

We followed him through to one of the side rooms. A tall pale skinned man was standing in the corner and when we entered he put down the vial he was holding and turned to face us.

”Welcome,” he said. ”Long time Leonell. What brings you here?”

Leonell bowed shallowly. ”Thank you for seeing us Lafe. I would like to introduce a gifted student of mine.”

Lafe raised an eyebrow at the word gifted and he considered me. I didn't look like much, Gunt was an adventurer after all. Non-descript in size, strength with somewhat good looks. I mimicked the shallow bow Leonell gave.