Moving Fast

I rested while Carver refreshed the runes on my sword.

“Why are you carrying such a simple steel blade? What about a proper rune blade? I could do all sorts of things with that.”

“It was a gift.”

“You could still keep it. You surely have acquired enough silver to have one made by a true master blacksmith.”

“Maybe someday.”

“The flashing light is useful, sure, but don't you want something other than two more wind runes? Isn't this sword already pretty light anyway?”

“Battles take their time. The question is always who will be the last man on his feet. The last one moving.”

After that, we practiced for a while in the courtyard before I set off.

I visited places from my first day in the city: Cray Market, Skinner's Hall, and the warehouse where the ward knights had returned my weapons to me.

Finally, I ran into one of them. Was it Olo or Yo? I couldn't remember.

“Do you know where I can find Frovis?”

“That ugly mutt isn't one of us anymore. Works for the Bureeve now. Still as a knight. But word is he might take over a ward himself.”

“Good for him.”

“Yeah. Maybe you'll have better luck at the castle, boy. I heard you've been there the other day. You'd fit right in there. But Frovis… a beadle... what nonsense, right?!”

I tried to find my way to the Twins. Tomorrow, I would have to go down into the sewers there anyway. But as I walked along, I noticed a shadow following me again. A shadow that readily revealed itself and motioned for me to follow it down an alley.

“It’s good to see you, Fion.”

The witch grimaced as if I had insulted her.

“Come with me, pig. We're going to meet Zalta.”

“Already?”

“You're definitely going to need some new friends, aren't you?”

“What do you mean?”

“Who cares what I mean? Come on!”

This time, the scarred woman was wrapped in a woolen cloak that concealed her body.

I followed Fion down to the harbor. The Black Hanse must have had its headquarters there. New friends. Yeah, I could use some of those.

“You healed my injury, didn't you?”

“I'll do whatever it takes to finish the job.”

“Maybe so. I’ll remember that regardless.”

“Ugh…”

Finally, we arrived at a large, old warehouse. The building was well guarded by men wearing chainmail and Seatish sabers. There were even archers on the roof.

This meeting would either give me an immense strategic advantage or lead to my demise.

Fion knocked and motioned for me to enter as the door opened.

“You're not coming?”

“No. My work is done. Forget about us ever meeting, pig.”

“I won’t, Fion. Thank you.”

“Dont... whatever… farewell.”

I followed one of the guards up a flight of stairs into a separate room. There, I took a seat on a bench as I was told to, and after a short while, three more guards and a well-dressed man entered.

“Inomar of some noble house, right?”

“And I have the pleasure of meeting the great Alderman Boyoung Zalta?”

“You know the name of a common trader like me?”

“I do.”

“How unusual for a thane—or a lord? There are quite a few rumors going around about you.”

“You Seates don't regard someone like me very highly, do you?”

“Well, our great league has overcome the need for the children of the blood. Even the Hallowed respect our peculiar ways.”

“Is that so? And what do you want with someone like me, then?”

“Someone like you. You come to this city and shed the blood of so many men in just a few days.”

“It was their own choice to challenge me.”

“To challenge you. Yes. The man who was supposed to secure our trade did so.”

“Do you want to grab a blade and point it at someone else so that it can't be turned against you? Is your grip strong enough to do that?”

“You will never reveal to anyone that it was anything other than an act of revenge. 1,000 silver coins. And a letter of recommendation that will allow you to travel freely among the Seatish Lordships of the Isles.”

“And if I have to leave Funa, you'll take me to a destination of my choice. No ifs, ands, or buts.”

The alderman held out his hand.

"And I want to know who you delivered all that steel to."

His hand remained open. I took it.

“In two days, Edo is supposed to report back to me. He will show up at this warehouse with his men—swordsmen who are loyal to him and cannot be bought. You'll face them with my guards at your disposal—guards—but no killers like Edo, his followers or you.”

I eyed the men, who had become quite nervous.

“It'll work out just fine, as long as they don't get in my way. But I have to ask for half the coins in advance.”

“A security deposit?”

“Sure. Whatever that may mean. I still have a few things to take care of and am in need of funds.”

"I'll await your return at dawn after tomorrow. However, I'll share the information about the steel only when all is set and done."

Zalta handed me 400 coins. Enough for what I had in mind. Enough to go on my way for the time being.

I hid my newly acquired wealth at the inn with my other coins and set off once again to find Frovis.

When I arrived at the Twins, I asked the burgh knights about him, and sure enough, he was there and came out to meet me.

Together we strolled down the street between the castles. What was it called again? Husting Lane. Yes, that was it.

“Did you come to congratulate me? We weren't really that close yet, lad.”

“I could use your help. You could earn quite a bit of fame. Maybe another step toward your own ward?”

“You come to this city and try to pit everyone against each other? I may come across this way, but I'm no complete fool.”

“You won't have to shed any blood.”

“What do you want?”

“Someone is spying on me. People knew stuff that they weren’t supposed to know.”

“Who?”

“I have a suspicion.”

“Who?”

“I'll know for sure tomorrow. Meet me back at the castle when the sun is at its highest. I won't have time, and I'll need your help then.”

“This isn't a promise that I'll have your back, but I'll be there and listen to what you have to say, lad.”

We parted ways. By then, it was almost dusk again, and my stomach growled.

After a hearty bowl of soup at the inn, I worked out a bit more and went to bed early.

Before dawn, I got up, got ready, inspected my blades one last time, and set off once more to the Twins, again down Husting Lane.

Along the canal, I found an old, rotten wooden door—the entrance to the sewer system, just as the Churls had described.

I arrived there on purpose well before the meeting time and waited at the intersection in question, had made arrangements, had asked Carver to do what he was best at, to prepare a welcome.

The smell was truly the worst ordeal I had to endure yet in Strandburgh.

And then it appeared. No informant, no ambush—no, the elfin light. Bones grinding against bones. The skull. The claws. It was back and wouldn't give me the time I thought I had.