me.
“Thief?” I called softly into the darkness.
The shadow sprawled across the opposite bench lifted his head. “You called?”
“Yes, I just had a thought.”
“Savor that novelty. Some of us are trying to sleep.” Despite the words, his tone wasn’t unkind. Encouraged by that, I said, “I’ve thought of a way you could repay me for aiding you earlier.”
I heard his yawn. “Did you aid me? I’ve already forgotten. Besides, I think I remember you saying something about the joy of crossing the city guard was its own reward.”
I ignored that.
“I came to Selbius looking for a certain man,” I said. “He was supposed to be at the temple at the start of the Middlefest celebrations this morning, but I missed our meeting. If you care to repay your debt, you can do it by finding this man for me.”
I half expected a careless refusal, but he surprised me by remaining thoughtfully silent for a moment. At length he said, “Selbius is a good-sized city. What gives you such confidence in my ability to hunt this fellow down for you?”
“You’ve boasted that you know Selbius better than anyone. I’m giving you a chance to prove it.”
“How generous of you. I suppose I probably could find your lost man at that, but why should I want to?”
I was growing irritated. “Because you owe me a favor and you know it,” I said. “I’ve made enemies of the city guard, not a wise thing to do around here, in order to save your sorry hide. Already, I begin to regret it. Will you help me or not?”
He sighed and said, “Very well. I’ll set to work finding your precious friend in the morning. Now, will you stop nattering and let me rest in peace?”
Satisfied, I said, “Thank you, thief.”
He lifted his head again. “You can’t go around calling me that in public, you know. I might as well wear a thief’s brand on my forehead.”
“You don’t seem to want to give me a better name to call you by,” I pointed out.
“Well, I guess it doesn’t have to be my real name.” He thought briefly. “Fleet. I go by that one now and then. Yes, you can call me Fleet.”
“I’m Ilan,” I introduced myself.
I expected an acknowledgement from the thief, but Fleet remained silent, and after a moment, I decided he was already asleep.
I hadn’t enjoyed a real sleep, without the aid of the footpad’s blow to my head, since arriving in Selbius, and my weary mind and body were both begging for rest. I allowed myself the luxury of lying down and closing my eyes but tried to keep my ears open and my senses attuned to the night around me. Somehow, despite these efforts, I drifted into a light sleep and dreamed of death and blood, all the while vaguely aware of another consciousness nudging its memories into my mind. I tossed and turned until my hand came to rest on my bow.
CHAPTER SIX
I awoke at dawn’s first light. As soon as my eyes opened, I sprang upright on my stone bench. How could I have been careless enough to fall asleep? I looked around for my companion of last night, only to find he had deserted me while I slept. Rot that piece of street filth; he had promised to aid me! I immediately felt around for my bow and breathed a sigh of relief when I found it. At least he hadn’t taken that. Snatching it up, I scrambled to my feet and out into the gray light. The air held the chill of early morning and the sun was just rising to burn away the mists.
There, at the edge of the dew-streaked lawn, paced Fleet. He was tossing a pebble back and forth in his hands, eyes fixed on the ground at his feet, but was instantly aware of me the moment I stepped out of the pavilion. He ceased his pacing to watch my approach.
“Contemplating abandoning me in my sleep?” I asked suspiciously.
“Only a little,” he said. “But now you’ve taken that decision out of my hands. I thought you’d never be up. You sleep like a corpse.”
I snorted for answer and took the opportunity to study my new
A D Holland
Grif Stockley
D. W. Collins
Jane Rusbridge
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Gary D. Svee
Unknown