Feorae.”
“You’re that sure we will?”
“If not, it’ll take longer, or we’ll find a different Anvil. Is there an especial hurry?”
“Not as long as my money holds out.”
“If you need a loan, I have some names for you.”
“Thanks.”
“Where do you stay in town?”
“With friends. Why?”
“If you tell me how to reach these friends, I’ll let you know when we’re ready to start.”
He looked at Ibronka, who stared back at him; I suppose there was a fair bit of conversation I couldn’t hear, but then he said, “Ironstone Manor, home of the Lady Lewchin, House of the Issola.”
“I can get a message there.”
“We’ll be waiting.”
He and Ibronka gave us each a bow. I called Melestav to escort them out of the office, then went back to my flat, found the tiassa still wrapped in its cloth, and brought it back.
Kragar, having finished guiding Omlo, had returned. I gave it to him with instructions to write up a description and have a psiprint done. He said, “It’s a pretty thing, Vlad. Sure you’re willing to lose it?”
“It’s in a good cause,” I said. “Get the material to Omlo, then send him on his way.”
“Right.”
“You know what to do with the case?”
“Yep.”
“Good, then.”
“By the way, Vlad, I didn’t want to contradict you in front of the civilians, but the tags weren’t worn on the shoulders. Around the wrist like a bracelet.”
I stared at him. “You mean, I was right about where the term comes from? I was just making it up.”
“I know,” he said. “So am I.”
“Be funny if we were right.”
“Not that funny.”
“If you were in town after a successful robbery, where would you go to spark the dark?”
“Somewhere not in town.”
“Right. Failing that?”
“I don’t know. Someplace not too low, not too high. Big enough for a party, but—”
“Not in general. Name the place.”
“What do I win if I guess it?”
“Loiosh won’t eat you.”
“I don’t think you can guarantee—”
“Can’t pass that up.” He shrugged. “The Flagpole?”
I nodded. “Yeah, that should work. Good call.”
He glanced at Loiosh through narrowed eyes. “You heard that, right?”
“Tell him I think he’s really cute when he acts tough.”
“I think I won’t.”
Kragar left me alone. I laid out a map of the city, and drew circles over the two significant places, then a line connecting them. I studied the various paths until I had one that would work, then went back out onto the streets, heading for Malak Circle, feeling pretty happy about things. I knew what everyone was supposed to do, and we had even gotten started. The only things that were a little hazy were the consequences, and I’ve never especially concerned myself with those.
I took my time walking across town until I reached the Flagpole, a public house that overcharged for everything. I went in, received scowls because I was human or Jhereg or both, and studied the place.
First of all, yes, it felt right: if I had to bet on some particular place checking for tagged coins, I’d be willing to lay good odds on this one. From the look of things, its fortunes had changed a few times over the centuries. The main room was a big square, with a large bar forming a circle, with an island in the middle full of glasses and bottles. There were a lot of windows, all of them big and with the look as if they’d once had glass. The tables were of varying sizes and quality; same with the chairs. The floor was cracked and chipped marble, and the place smelled of ales and pilsners. There were nine patrons at six tables, Teckla except for a pair of Chreotha. All of them were old. It seemed about right for the middle of the day in a place that didn’t serve food.
There were two hosts—no doubt there would be more when the place was busier. One of them was kind enough to pour me a cup of stout. I found a table, sat, and pretended to drink the awful stuff while I looked around.
Yes,
“You’re that sure we will?”
“If not, it’ll take longer, or we’ll find a different Anvil. Is there an especial hurry?”
“Not as long as my money holds out.”
“If you need a loan, I have some names for you.”
“Thanks.”
“Where do you stay in town?”
“With friends. Why?”
“If you tell me how to reach these friends, I’ll let you know when we’re ready to start.”
He looked at Ibronka, who stared back at him; I suppose there was a fair bit of conversation I couldn’t hear, but then he said, “Ironstone Manor, home of the Lady Lewchin, House of the Issola.”
“I can get a message there.”
“We’ll be waiting.”
He and Ibronka gave us each a bow. I called Melestav to escort them out of the office, then went back to my flat, found the tiassa still wrapped in its cloth, and brought it back.
Kragar, having finished guiding Omlo, had returned. I gave it to him with instructions to write up a description and have a psiprint done. He said, “It’s a pretty thing, Vlad. Sure you’re willing to lose it?”
“It’s in a good cause,” I said. “Get the material to Omlo, then send him on his way.”
“Right.”
“You know what to do with the case?”
“Yep.”
“Good, then.”
“By the way, Vlad, I didn’t want to contradict you in front of the civilians, but the tags weren’t worn on the shoulders. Around the wrist like a bracelet.”
I stared at him. “You mean, I was right about where the term comes from? I was just making it up.”
“I know,” he said. “So am I.”
“Be funny if we were right.”
“Not that funny.”
“If you were in town after a successful robbery, where would you go to spark the dark?”
“Somewhere not in town.”
“Right. Failing that?”
“I don’t know. Someplace not too low, not too high. Big enough for a party, but—”
“Not in general. Name the place.”
“What do I win if I guess it?”
“Loiosh won’t eat you.”
“I don’t think you can guarantee—”
“Can’t pass that up.” He shrugged. “The Flagpole?”
I nodded. “Yeah, that should work. Good call.”
He glanced at Loiosh through narrowed eyes. “You heard that, right?”
“Tell him I think he’s really cute when he acts tough.”
“I think I won’t.”
Kragar left me alone. I laid out a map of the city, and drew circles over the two significant places, then a line connecting them. I studied the various paths until I had one that would work, then went back out onto the streets, heading for Malak Circle, feeling pretty happy about things. I knew what everyone was supposed to do, and we had even gotten started. The only things that were a little hazy were the consequences, and I’ve never especially concerned myself with those.
I took my time walking across town until I reached the Flagpole, a public house that overcharged for everything. I went in, received scowls because I was human or Jhereg or both, and studied the place.
First of all, yes, it felt right: if I had to bet on some particular place checking for tagged coins, I’d be willing to lay good odds on this one. From the look of things, its fortunes had changed a few times over the centuries. The main room was a big square, with a large bar forming a circle, with an island in the middle full of glasses and bottles. There were a lot of windows, all of them big and with the look as if they’d once had glass. The tables were of varying sizes and quality; same with the chairs. The floor was cracked and chipped marble, and the place smelled of ales and pilsners. There were nine patrons at six tables, Teckla except for a pair of Chreotha. All of them were old. It seemed about right for the middle of the day in a place that didn’t serve food.
There were two hosts—no doubt there would be more when the place was busier. One of them was kind enough to pour me a cup of stout. I found a table, sat, and pretended to drink the awful stuff while I looked around.
Yes,
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