Blood of Innocents (Book Two of the Sorcery Ascendant Sequence) (48 page)

Keeping to the side of the street, and ready to hide her face and pretend to look at the stalls if Amerdan should glance back, she kept her head down and tried not to lose sight of him.

Stay back, she admonished herself. Don’t get too close.

He continued through the market for a ways, not hurrying, but not slow enough to be looking at the stalls for anything else to buy. She realized he had bought what he’d come for and was likely on his way back to where he was staying.

Amerdan turned and passed between a stall selling bolts of cloth and another displaying various hats. He entered a side street.

Sidling up to the stalls, Elpidia darted her head forward to peer down the opening. There he was, walking nonchalantly away.
Good.
There was no chance he’d seen her in the crowd. Now all she had to do was stay far enough back he didn’t sense someone was following. She hugged her basket close and made her way along the street, skirt swishing. If she’d known this was going to happen, she’d have worn pants, but it had been such a lovely day outside, and she was in such a good mood, she couldn’t bring herself to.

She shook her head. Stupid thoughts. She needed to concentrate. Following someone without them noticing couldn’t be too hard, and she was sure it would be over soon. Before long, she’d be back at the Protectors’.

Amerdan turned into a street to the right. She tugged her skirt up and broke into a jog as fast as she could, stopping just short of the corner. Taking a deep breath, she poked her head around.

Again, Amerdan was strolling along, none the wiser she was there. Breathing a sigh of relief, Elpidia pulled her head back and counted to ten. Looking as calm as she could manage, she turned the corner and kept after him.

As they progressed, the buildings to the sides started to look the worse for wear, and a number of beggars and dirty street urchins watched her pass. She almost stopped, torn between handing them a few ducats and following Amerdan, but no… she could come back when her plans with Caldan materialized and they had plenty of ducats to spare. He would see reason, he had to.

Amerdan had turned another corner, and engrossed in her thoughts for the future, Elpidia absentmindedly followed—and almost bumped into a man in front of her.

“Sorry,” she muttered. “Excuse me.”

“Hello, Elpidia,” said Amerdan, smiling.

One of his hands covered her mouth, while another gripped her throat. She couldn’t breathe. Frantically, she clawed at his arms and hands, trying to pull them off her, scrabbling for purchase. But his arms were as hard as steel, his grip far stronger than hers.

Amerdan pushed her back against a wall, hand still clamped around her throat. The hand covering her mouth dropped and then reappeared holding a gleaming knife.

“Puhl…” she managed to squeeze out.

“Please what?” hissed Amerdan. “You are not worth taking.”

His knife flashed, and again. Pain exploded in her chest. More agony than she’d ever felt before.

Amerdan released his grip, and she slid down the wall, slumping to the cold ground. Amerdan’s booted feet loomed large in her sight. She tried to inhale but couldn’t. She heard a wet sucking sound.

No, she thought. I’m cured. This can’t be happening.

Tired, she was so tired. Her thoughts evaporated. Elpidia closed her eyes to sleep.

•

A squad of Protectors filed inside as Caldan emerged into the fading light. This was the third time he’d visited the courtyard searching for Elpidia. He half-hoped she’d walk through the gates at that very moment, but he’d had the same thought the last two times someone had appeared, only to be disappointed.

He watched as Master Annelie exited the building with Master Mold, and they approached the weary Protectors. One of them shook his head and handed Annelie something: the compass, surmised Caldan. So, still no sign of Bells, and the compass remained useless.

Where was Elpidia? She’d left in the morning to go shopping, saying something about needing more herbs and wanting to get out of the confines of the Protectors’. Almost overnight, she’d become a changed person, smiling more and decidedly less grouchy. He supposed having such a great burden lifted would change anyone’s outlook.

Caldan chewed a thumbnail. Elpidia had been gone the whole day, and he was worried. Riversedge was still under the control of the Quivers, and there wasn’t much violence or crime, but it still happened. The emperor’s harsh penalties for criminals were enough to deter all but the stupidest, or smartest, lawbreakers. He couldn’t envision someone risking their life to waylay Elpidia, which meant it was far more likely she’d been delayed for another reason. And that could only mean Bells.

“By the ancestors,” he cursed under his breath.

He couldn’t wait around for Elpidia to turn up anymore. Hastening back to their rooms, he searched her belongings. From her hairbrush, he plucked a few of her hairs, then made his way to his own room and took out a sheet of paper.

As fast as he could, he made another compass, beginning with scribing runes on the paper. Without using metal and semi-precious gems, it was hard, but it didn’t need to last for long. It was the direction that was troubling. For a while, he stared at his sheet of paper as the runes dried. In the end, he decided on a bird. If he placed it on the palm of his hand, it could balance on a point, and its beak could lead the way.

A short time later, it was finished, Elpidia’s hairs folded carefully inside his creation.

Glancing out the window, he took a few of his sorcerous crafted globes and shoved them in his pocket. What else? Fearing the worst, he buckled on his sword. It might mean being delayed by the Quivers when they questioned him, but if he could persuade a master to come with him… perhaps Master Mold.

Rushing down the stairs, he ignored the startled looks from apprentices and journeymen alike. Mold wasn’t in the courtyard anymore, and Caldan didn’t want to spend time searching for him.

Over in the corner, Joachim was in his usual spot. Though he was sipping from a mug and apparently oblivious, Caldan could feel his attention. Joachim didn’t miss much, was Caldan’s guess. You wouldn’t rise to become a warlock in the emperor’s inner circle without being intelligent. He wondered whether he was up to the task of deceiving him. What he and Elpidia had figured out about the blood of the Touched sat uneasily with him. Joachim couldn’t be trusted, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t be used.

Pushing his thoughts aside, Caldan approached Joachim. There wasn’t time; Elpidia might be in danger.

Joachim stared at him, taking another sip from his mug.

“I need your help,” Caldan stated bluntly.

“More than you know,” replied Joachim. “With what? I told you I can’t do more for Miranda.”

Liar, thought Caldan. Though he had no evidence, he was sure Joachim could do a lot more, perhaps even heal her completely.

“It’s Elpidia. She left this morning and hasn’t been seen since.”

“And you think…” Joachim’s voice trailed off.

“I think she may have run into Bells. She’s no match for the sorcerer, and it wouldn’t have gone well for her. She could be captured or… worse.”

“Your compass hasn’t been able to find Bells yet. But I presume you need me, as you’re not confident of facing her again?”

Caldan nodded. A bead of sweat trickled down his brow. Time was wasting. “She couldn’t face us both together. I’ve made another compass using hairs from Elpidia’s brush.” He held out the paper bird and placed it on an open palm. As if blown by a light breeze, it jerked minutely, then swiveled to point in a northwesterly direction.

Joachim smiled. “This could be the break we’ve been waiting for.”

“Not if it means Elpidia gets hurt.”

The warlock waved away his concerns. “Yes, yes, of course.” He drained his mug and stood, adjusting his belt. “What are we waiting for?”

Together, they exited the Protectors’ headquarters, following Caldan’s makeshift compass to the northwest.

Joachim followed a pace behind. At first it, made Caldan nervous. With Elpidia’s discovery regarding his blood, and the sketchy information he’d gleaned from Joachim, it was obviously a secret many people had died for, including his parents and sister. Had Joachim been involved? He was certainly old enough to have participated, if nothing else.

Caldan developed an itch between his shoulder blades, but after a few hundred yards, he shrugged it off. Joachim wouldn’t realize they knew anything unless they were careless. He needed to still ask questions, as if curious, but at the same time project the air of a person who had no idea what was at stake. Not hard to do, as he still didn’t know the full story, but the pieces were falling into place.

Shaking his head, he pushed his thoughts to the back of his mind. Elpidia was what concerned him now. Anything else could come after she was safely back with the Protectors.

“Is something wrong?” asked Joachim.

“No, I was just… hoping Elpidia is safe. My mind can get carried away sometimes.”

“If you’re right, and she’s been captured, she’ll lead us straight to Bells. But I’m sure she’s well. It’s a big city; she may have gotten lost.”

Caldan could tell he hoped Elpidia had been captured. Joachim didn’t care for Elpidia, which highlighted the fact he was only concerned about what affected him and his mission, whatever that was. Caldan suspected it was to bring him back to the emperor by any means necessary, in chains if needed.

Again, Caldan pushed his thoughts aside. There would be time to think later, after Elpidia was safe.

His bird led them in a steady northwest direction. The streets became dark as the light faded. While the main thoroughfares were still crowded, side streets became almost deserted as people partook of their evening meals. A few curious onlookers stared at Caldan and Joachim as they passed. Caldan strode through the streets with a crafted paper bird balanced in his hand, followed by a warlock. Seeing Joachim, people stepped aside and knew better than to ask questions.

Soon, the bird led them down a market street, stalls mostly deserted for the day as the vendors had packed up. Only a few remained open for the evening, most selling foodstuffs, from bread to ready-to-eat meals.

The bird swiveled in his hand, pointing to the left. For such a marked movement, Elpidia had to be close by. Caldan stopped, and Joachim came to his side.

“It just moved to the left,” Caldan explained, pointing down a side street. “That way.”

He didn’t wait for Joachim to respond, and broke into a jog, careful not to drop his bird. As he ducked around corners, the compass swiveled.

Close. She must be close.

He sped up, Joachim’s footsteps echoing his in the early night. Another corner.

Three Quivers stood around a pile of clothes on the ground. No. A clothed body, unmoving. A pool of blood spread from underneath the corpse.

“Elpidia,” moaned Caldan, and rushed ahead.

As he approached, two of the Quivers moved to restrain him. “Back away, young man. This isn’t something you want to see.”

“Let me past,” Caldan hissed. “I have to know.”

“Let him go.” Joachim’s command rang out around the street.

The Quivers, seeing who he was, reluctantly released Caldan.

Immediately, he rushed forward, sliding to a halt beside the body. It was Elpidia. Blood covered her chest in two dark patches.

“No, no, no,” he whispered. Tears rolled down his cheeks, and he cradled her head in his lap. Behind him, he could hear Joachim and the Quivers talking, but none of their words registered.

What had happened? She had lived for so long looking for a cure, and when she’d finally found it she’d been killed. Following Caldan had likely led to her death. He should have protected her, but here she was, cold and lifeless in his arms.

“She was…” he began, and stopped himself.

“She was what?” asked Joachim.

Healed, he’d been about to say. If he let that slip, Joachim would know he knew.

Choking back sobs, Caldan gently rested Elpidia’s head on the cobblestones. He stood and turned to the Quivers.

“She shouldn’t be lying here.”

One of the Quivers spoke up, a bearded man. “We’re waiting for a wagon. It’ll arrive soon, and we can take her to the closest physiker.”

“A physiker? What good would that do?”

“The body will be kept in a cold room for a few days until we identify the woman. Then we’ll decide what to do from there.”

Caldan wanted to tell the Quiver more, but the words couldn’t move past the tightness in his throat.

Joachim stepped in. “No need. She’s a physiker from Anasoma, traveling with this man. He’s with the Protectors and enlisted my help to search for her when she didn’t return. We know who she is, and that should be enough for you.”

The Quiver made a few notes in a small notebook. “Ah. We’ll still need to question the young man. Do you know if she had any enemies? People that would wish her ill? We don’t have many violent deaths around here, and we’d like to catch the culprit.”

Before Caldan could speak, Joachim replied. “None that we know of. It may be she wasn’t careful flashing her ducats around at the market and drew the attention of some unsavory types. It looks to me like she tussled with them when they tried to rob her, and they panicked.”

For a moment, the Quiver hesitated, glancing toward Elpidia’s body then back to the warlock. Caldan saw Joachim raise his eyebrows, and the Quiver swallowed nervously.

“Right you are, sir. That’s what it looks like to me, and that’s what’ll go into my report.”

“Good. See that it does.” Joachim turned to Caldan and took him by the arm. “Come. These men have a job to do, and we’re in their way.”

Caldan wrenched his arm from Joachim’s grip. “I don’t want to leave her lying in the street.”

“They’ll take care of her. There’s nothing else we can do to help.”

Caldan turned to the Quiver. “When will she be buried? And where?”

The man glanced at Joachim before replying, as if expecting directions on how to reply. “As the body was found here, the northern cemetery. It’s outside the city gates a ways. We can… schedule her in for tomorrow, if you’d like. On account of, well…” He nodded at Joachim. “She can move to the front of the queue.”