The Hidden City (21 page)

‘Well?' Talen asked. Talen had been around Sparhawk long enough to know the signs that the big Pandion was using magic.

They're out there,' Sparhawk replied. Three of them that I can pick up.'

‘Are they concentrating on us?' Stragen asked tensely.

Sparhawk shook his head. ‘Their attention's sort of generalized. They aren't Styrics, so they won't know I've gone looking for them. Let's just move along. If they start to follow us, I'll let you know.'

The Seaman's Rest was a square, tidy inn festooned with fish nets and other nautical decorations. It was run by a burly retired sea captain and his equally burly wife. They brooked no nonsense under their roof and they recited a long list of house rules to each prospective tenant before they would accept his money. Sparhawk had not even heard of some of the things that were prohibited.

‘Where to now?' Talen asked after they had stowed their sea-bags in their room and come back out into the muddy street.

‘Back to the waterfront,' Stragen replied. ‘The chief of the local thieves is a man named Estokin. He deals extensively with smugglers and with sailors who pilfer things from cargo holds. I've got a letter from Caalador. Ostensibly, we're here to make sure that he got his money's worth during the Harvest Festival. Arjunis aren't generally trusted, so Estokin won't be too surprised to see us.'

Estokin the Arjuni was a man who had clearly been destined for a life of crime from the day he was born. He had what was perhaps the most evil face Sparhawk had ever seen. His left eye peered perpetually off in a northeasterly direction, and he had a pronounced squint. His beard was sparse and straggly, and his skin was blotched with a scaly disease. He scratched at his face almost continually, showering white flakes like a winter sky. His high-pitched, nasal voice was very much like the whine of a hungry mosquito, and he reeked of garlic, cheap wine and pickled herring. ‘Is Caalador accusing me of cheating him, Vymer?' he demanded with some show of indignation.

‘Of course not.' Stragen leaned back in the rickety chair in the back room of the smelly waterfront dive. ‘If he thought you'd done that, you'd already be dead. He wants to know if we missed anybody, that's all. Were any local people particularly upset when the bodies started to turn up?'

Estokin squinted at Stragen with his good eye. ‘What's it worth to him?' he haggled.

‘We've been instructed to let you live if you cooperate,' Stragen countered in a cool voice.

‘You can't threaten me like that, Vymer,' Estokin blustered.

‘I wasn't threatening you, old boy. I was just letting you know how things stand. Let's get to the point here. Who got excited here in Beresa after the killings?'

‘Not very many, really,' Stragen's chilly manner had evidently persuaded Estokin to behave himself. ‘There was a Styric here who was fairly free with his money before the Harvest Festival.'

‘What was he buying?'

‘Information, mostly. He was on the list Caalador gave me, but he managed to get away – rode off into the jungle. I've got a couple of local cut-throats on his trail.'

‘I'd sort of like to talk with him before they put him to sleep.'

‘Not much chance, Vymer. They're a long way out in the bush by now.' Estokin scratched at his forehead, stirring up another snow flurry. ‘I'm not sure why Caalador wanted all those people killed,' he said, ‘and I don't really want to know, but I'm getting a whiff or two of politics, and here in Arjuna that means Scarpa. You might want to warn Caalador to be very careful. I've talked with a few deserters from that rebel army in the jungle. We've all heard stories about how crazy Scarpa is, but let me tell you, my friend, the stories don't even come close. If only half of what I've heard is true, Scarpa's the craziest man who ever lived.'

Sparhawk's stomach gave a lurch, and then it settled into a cold knot.

‘Father?'

Sparhawk sat up in bed quickly.

‘Are you awake?' the Child Goddess asked, her voice roaring in his mind.

‘Of course. Please lower your voice a bit. You're jarring my teeth.'

‘I wanted to be sure I had your attention. Some things have happened. Berit and Khalad got some new instructions from Krager. They're supposed to go to Sopal now instead of coming here to Beresa.'

Sparhawk swore.

‘Please don't use that kind of language, Father. I
am
just a little girl, you know.'

He ignored that. ‘Is the trade going to take place in Sopal?'

‘It's hard to say. Bevier's been in touch with me too. Kalten talked with an outlaw who's been selling beer to the soldiers in Natayos, and he says that Scarpa's gone back there. Then the outlaw told Kalten that Scarpa had two Elene women with him when he returned.'

Sparhawk's heart leaped. ‘Was he sure?'

‘Kalten thinks so. The fellow didn't have any reason to lie about it. Of course, Kalten's beer merchant didn't actually see them for himself, so don't get your hopes up too much. It could be a very carefully planted story. Zalasta's in Natayos, and he could be trying to lure you there or trying to trick you into giving away any secrets you might have tucked up your sleeve. He knows you well enough to know that you'll try to do
something
he doesn't expect.'

‘Is there any way you could find out for sure if your mother's in Natayos?'

‘I'm afraid not. I could slip around Scarpa easily enough, but Zalasta would sense me immediately. It's too risky.'

‘What else is going on?'

‘Ulath and Tynian have reached the Troll-Gods. Ghnomb's going to take them to Sopal in that frozen time he's so fond of, and they'll be there when Berit and Khalad arrive. Ghnomb knows another way to play around with time, so he's going to skip Ulath and Tynian from moment to moment. It's a little complicated, but they'll be there and watching and nobody will be able to see them. If Scarpa and Zalasta try to make the trade in Sopal, Tynian and Ulath will be right on top of them to rescue Mother and Alean.'

‘Zalasta can follow them into that frozen moment, you know.'

That wouldn't really pay him, Father. Khwaj was outraged when he heard about Mother, so he's going to be lurking in No-Time. If Zalasta tries to follow Ulath and Tynian, Khwaj will set him on fire – and the fire won't ever go out.'

‘I could learn to grow fond of Khwaj.'

‘Sephrenia and Xanetia are in Delphaeus,' Aphrael continued. ‘Edaemus is being tiresome, but the news about Klæl shook his tree, so I'll probably be able to coax him down out of the branches. He knows that Mother's captivity puts the arrangement you have with Cedon at risk, so he's agreed to help us rescue her. I'll keep working on him. If I can push him just a little further, he might agree to let the Delphae come out of their valley. They could be enormously helpful to us.'

‘Why didn't you tell me about all of this earlier?'

‘What would you have done if I had, Sparhawk? Jumped over the side of Sorgi's ship and swum ashore?'

‘I need to know these things when they happen, Aphrael.'

‘Why? Let me take care of the fretting and worrying, Sparhawk. All it does is make you foul-tempered.'

He let that pass. ‘I'll tell this to Bhelliom.'

‘Absolutely not! We don't dare open that box. Cyrgon or Klæl will feel Bhelliom instantly if we do.'

‘Didn't you know?' he asked her mildly. I don't have to open the box to speak with Bhelliom. We can talk with each other right through the gold.'

‘Why didn't you
tell
me?'

‘What would you have done if I had? Jumped into the sea and come swimming after Sorgi's ship?'

There was a long moment of silence. ‘You really enjoy turning my own words around and throwing them back in my teeth like that, don't you, Sparhawk?'

‘Naturally. Was there anything else you'd like to share with me, Divine One?'

But the sense of her presence was gone, leaving only a slightly huffy silence behind.

‘Where's – ah – Vymer?' Sparhawk asked Talen as the boy entered the room a few minutes later.

‘He's out attending to something,' Talen replied evasively.

‘Attending to what?'

‘He asked me not to tell you.'

‘All right.
I'm
asking you to ignore him – and I'm right here where I can get my hands on you.'

‘That's a crude way to put it.'

‘Nobody's perfect. What's he up to?'

Talen sighed. ‘One of Estokin's men stopped by – just after you came up to go to bed. He said that there are three Elenes in town who are letting it be known they'll pay good money for information about any strangers who seem to be settling in for a long stay. Vymer decided to look them up.' Talen glanced meaningfully at the walls of their small room. ‘I'd guess that he probably wants to find out just exactly what they mean by “good money”. You know Vymer when there's some profit to be made.'

‘He should have told me,' Sparhawk said cautiously. ‘I'm not any more allergic to a quick profit than he is.'

‘Sharing isn't one of Vymer's strong points, Fron.' Talen touched his ear and then laid a finger to his lips. ‘Why don't we go out and see if we can find him?'

‘Good idea.' Sparhawk quickly pulled on his clothes, and the two of them clattered down the stairs and out into the street.

‘I just had a religious experience,' Sparhawk murmured as they walked into the noisy area near the docks.

‘Oh?'

‘One of those Divine visitations.'

‘Ah. What did your Divine visitor have to say?'

‘A broken-nosed friend of ours got another one of those notes. He's been told to go to Sopal instead of coming here.'

Talen muttered a fairly vile oath.

‘My feelings exactly. Isn't that Vymer coming up the street?' Sparhawk pointed at a blond man in a tar-smeared smock who was lurching unsteadily toward them.

Talen peered at the fellow. I think you're right.' He made a face. ‘The ladies who changed things around may have gone a little far. He doesn't even walk the same any more.'

‘What are you two doing out this late?' Stragen asked as he joined them.

‘We got lonesome,' Sparhawk replied in a flat tone of voice.

‘For me? I'm touched. Let's go for a walk on the beach, my friends. I find myself yearning for the smell of salt water – and the nice loud sound of waves crashing on the sand.'

They went on past the last of the wharves and then out onto the sand. The clouds had blown off, and there was a bright moon. They reached the water's edge and stood looking out at the long combers rolling in off the south Tamul Sea to hammer noisily on the wet sand.

‘What have you been up to, Stragen?' Sparhawk demanded bluntly.

‘Business, old boy. I just enlisted us in the intelligence service of the other side.'

‘You did
what?'

‘The three you sensed when we first got here needed a few good men. I volunteered our services.'

‘Are you out of your mind?'

‘Of course not. Think about it for a while, Sparhawk. What better way is there to gather information? Our celebration of the Harvest Festival thinned their ranks drastically, so they can't afford to be choosy. I paid Estokin to vouch for us, and then I told them a few lies. They're expecting a certain Sir Sparhawk to flood the town with sharp-eyed people. We're supposed to report anybody we see who's acting a little suspicious. I provided them with a prime suspect.'

‘Oh? Who was that?'

‘Captain Sorgi's bo'sun – you know, the fellow with the whip.'

Sparhawk suddenly laughed. ‘That was a truly vicious thing to do, Stragen.'

‘I rather liked it, myself.'

‘Aphrael came by to call,' Talen said. ‘She told Sparhawk that Berit and my brother have been ordered to change direction. Now they're supposed to go to Sopal on the coast of the Sea of Arjun.'

Stragen swore.

‘I already said that,' Talen told him.

‘We probably should have expected it,' Sparhawk said. ‘Krager's working for the other side, and he knows us well enough to anticipate some of the things we might try to do.' He suddenly banged his fist into the palm of his hand. I
wish
I could talk with Sephrenia!' he burst out.

‘You
can,
as I recall,' Stragen said. ‘Didn't Aphrael fix it once so that you and Sephrenia talked together when she was in Sarsos and you were in Cimmura?'

Sparhawk suddenly felt more than a little foolish. ‘I'd forgotten about that,' he admitted.

‘That's all right, old boy,' Stragen excused him. ‘You've got a lot on your mind. Why don't you have a word with her Divine little Whimsicality and see if she
can arrange a council of war someplace? I think it might be time for a good, old-fashioned get-together.'

Sparhawk knew where he was before he even opened his eyes. The fragrance of wildflowers and tree blossoms immediately identified the eternal spring of Aphrael's own private reality.

‘Art thou now awake, Anakha?' the white deer asked him, touching his hand with her nose.

‘Yea, gentle creature,' he replied, opening his eyes and touching the side of her face. He was in the pavilion again and he looked out through the open flap at the flower-studded meadow, the sparkling azure sea, and the rainbow-colored sky above.

‘The others do await thy coming on the eyot,' the hind advised him.

‘We must hasten, then,' he said, rising from his bed. He followed her from the pavilion out into the meadow where the white tigress indulgently watched the awkward play of her large-footed cubs. He rather idly wondered if these were the same cubs she had been tending when he had first visited this enchanted realm a half-dozen years ago.