The Book of Maladies Boxset

by D. K. Holmberg

  She pulled him along with her as they made their way along the street. Tray remained silent, though Sam wasn’t offended by that. He seemed larger than the last time she’d seen him, though that had been months now. In that time, so much had changed for her—and obviously for him.

  When they reached the waterfront, the canals stretching out in front of her, she rounded on him. “What was that about?” she demanded.

  “It doesn’t matter.”

  “It matters, Tray. Those men were going to kill you.”

  “They weren’t trying to kill me. They were—” He shook his head, cutting himself off before he could say anything more.

  Sam could tell that he was careful about what he said to her and had to admit that she found it a little disconcerting that Tray would censor himself in such a way. He had always been the one who shared everything with her, and she had always been the one to resist telling him anything more than was necessary.

  “Well? Are you going to tell me what happened?” she demanded.

  “Are you going to tell me where you’ve been the last few months?” Tray asked.

  Sam leaned on her canal staff, shaking her head. “What’s there to tell you?”

  “Maybe you start with telling me how you learned to fight like that.”

  She shot him a hard look. “Fight like what? Like my brother’s life was in danger?”

  “I’ve known you my entire life. I’ve never seen you fight quite like that. That was something I’ve only seen from men who are soldiers. Have you become a soldier?”

  Sam glanced up the street, looking for any sign of movement, but there was none. “Why won’t you tell me who those men were?”

  “Because it doesn’t matter. And now that you beat them the way you did, it certainly doesn’t matter.”

  “You’re not going to tell me what that was about?”

  Tray stared at her, his face unreadable. “You’re not going to tell me what your sudden skill improvement is all about?”

  Sam began breaking down her staff, pulling the ends apart. “I’ve been learning how to defend myself, okay? Living on the streets in Caster, you have to learn how to protect yourself.”

  “It doesn’t have anything to do with that boy who likes you?”

  “Boy?”

  Tray shrugged. “Fine. Man. He’s still not all that old.”

  “This has nothing to do with Alec.”

  “The last time I saw him—”

  Sam jabbed a finger at his chest. “About that. The last time you saw him, it was at Marin’s home, and you were watching it for her. How many other jobs have you done for Marin?”

  She wasn’t ready to say anything more about Marin, or about the fact that they weren’t actually related, but maybe she wouldn’t need to. Maybe Tray would tell her what he knew about Marin.

  “Marin asked me to do a few tasks for her. You know that she wants only to help keep us safe. She knew Mother.”

  Sam clenched her jaw to keep from snapping at him. It wasn’t Tray’s fault that Marin had deceived them.

  An idea began to come to her. Marin had deceived both of them, but she had always worked on behalf of Tray, had always made sure that he was protected, even sometimes at the expense of Sam. Could Marin somehow be doing that now?

  “When did you last see her?” she asked.

  He shook his head. “I can’t talk about that, Sam.”

  “She’s doing something, Tray. I need to find her.”

  Tray stared at her, not saying anything, but she could see the look in his eyes, the one that seemed to struggle with how to answer.

  “What has she asked of you, Trayson? Is it something that’s going to end up getting you hurt?”

  He laughed, and there was a hint of bitterness in it. “She hasn’t asked me to do anything more dangerous than you ever asked.”

  “I only ever asked you to watch.”

  “Watch. And we saw where that got me, didn’t we?”

  Sam stared at him for a moment, wishing there was something she could say that would convince him she hadn’t been responsible for him ending up in prison, but there wasn’t. It had been her fault. Had she not asked him to stand guard, to watch over her as she broke into the highborn house, he would never have been captured, and never would have ended up in prison.

  Sam had spent only a short period of time in prison. She didn’t know what he’d experienced in the weeks that he’d been held captive. How awful must it have been?

  And Tray had not said anything to her. He had kept that experience to himself. It was almost like he’d done so to protect her, but she wasn’t the one who needed protecting, that was Tray.

  “I’m sorry you were captured,” she said.

  Tray shrugged. “That’s not what I’m getting at,” he said.

  “What are you getting at?”

  “Only that I’ve been in more dangerous situations before. You have to trust that I can take care of myself, Sam. I’m thankful you’ve always been there for me, but now, this is something I need to do.”

  “What does she have you doing?” Sam asked.

  Tray looked around, turning his attention up the street where they’d come from, before looking back to Sam. He crossed his arms over his chest, and she felt a sense of enormity from him. Tray had always been large, and muscular. He’d been that way since they were children, and she’d felt slightly jealous about that fact, feelings that only worsened as they grew older, and she remained the same size. Now when he crossed his arms, his biceps pressed against the fabric of his sleeves, and she was completely aware of how much larger he was.

  “I’ve told you. She has me watching.”

  “Watching what?”

  Tray shrugged. “It doesn’t matter.”

  “I think it does. I need to know what’s happened to her. Where she’s gone. Others will get harmed if we don’t find her.”

  “Others? Like you? Marin made it clear that you had abandoned her.”

  “I didn’t abandon her. I just…”

  She couldn’t tell him what she had done. If she shared, then she would have to explain more, and not only was she not ready to do that, she wasn’t certain it was the right thing to do in the first place.

  “You just what?” Tray asked.

  “I just—I just want you to be well.”

  “Then stop trying to save me.”

  “You’re my brother, Tray. I’m never going to stop trying to save you.”

  Tray watched her, and opened his mouth once, as if he were going to say something more to her, maybe object to what she’d said to him, but then he clamped it shut once more. He turned and started off down the street, without saying anything more.

  Sam blinked, watching him go before anger bubbled up within her and she stormed after him, stopping in front of him and smacking him on the chest with her canal staff.

  “That’s it? I haven’t seen you in months, and you decide it’s okay to just run off without saying even goodbye? Tray—I’ve been worried about you.”

  “I’ve been okay.”

  “At least let me know how to find you,” she said.

  “It’s not safe for you to find me.”

  “For who?”

  “For you.”

  She tapped him on the chest with her staff again. “I have proven that I can defend myself a little bit. And I’ll do whatever it takes to defend you, as well. Don’t… Don’t do something stupid.”

  “Like I said, I’ll do whatever is necessary to finish this job. That’s what Marin asked of me.”

  “I need to find her, Tray.”

  “I don’t know if that’s possible.”

  “Why?”

  Tray gave a half smile. “You haven’t said anything about Marin’s home, and I know that you were there.”

  Sam’s heart fluttered for a moment. Had he been there? Had he been watching when Elaine had fought the Thelns? She wanted to keep Tray as far away from them as possible and did not want him to learn about h
is connection to them, not knowing what he might do, or how he might react. If he’d been there, then he might even have seen Sam intervene, and might have seen her carry Elaine off to Bastan’s.

  “Have you been watching me?” she asked.

  Tray shook his head. “I haven’t watched you. I don’t think I could keep up with you even if I wanted to. I can’t get across the canals the same way you do. I have to find a different way across. Don’t you remember that?”

  Sam smiled to herself. Tray had never been especially skilled at jumping the canal, which was the reason he’d often stayed behind, watching from the other side as Sam did whatever task she needed to. Something had obviously changed though, since Tray was much farther from Caster than she’d expected him to be.

  “I remember you trying to chase me everywhere, Tray. I remember us running through the streets, knowing that we should be more careful, but never caring about anything other than where we went. I remember the first time I jump the canal, and you were there with me, watching, encouraging me.”

  “I’ll never stop encouraging you, but I don’t need you watching over me anymore. I need you to let me go.”

  The request hurt, especially considering what Sam had been through, things that she couldn’t share with Tray. But she had come to the determination that she wasn’t going to lose him. Regardless of whatever happened, he was still her brother. But she couldn’t force him to feel the same. If he was determined to have her stop watching over him, and if he wanted her to let him go, she’d already lost him.

  “Can you do me a favor?” she asked Tray. It pained her to ask like this, but then again, it pained her that he wanted her to leave him alone.

  “What’s the favor?”

  “I need to find Marin. I have a question for her.”

  “What kind of question?”

  Sam sighed. “It’s the kind of question I can’t talk about with you.”

  Tray watched her, and she worried that he would refuse, that he’d send her away, but he only nodded. “When I see her next, I’ll pass on word that you want to speak with her. Does that work for you?”

  If it worked, maybe she could figure out what Marin was doing before anyone else got hurt. Maybe she could find a way to keep the Thelns out of the city, away from her—and Tray.

  “Have her find me in Caster,” she said.

  “Where in Caster?”

  “Bastan has been offering me a place to stay. She can find me at his tavern.”

  Was that too presumptuous of her? If Marin came looking for her at Bastan’s tavern, there was a real possibility that Bastan—and people that he cared about—could be caught in the middle. That was the last thing that Sam wanted. She didn’t want anyone to get hurt as a result of her looking for Marin and seeking the answers she needed.

  “I can’t promise when I’ll see her next,” Tray said.

  “That’s fine. Just… Just let her know that I have a question for her.”

  “Don’t come after me again, Sam. This is something I need to do.”

  “I’m not going to stop caring about you,” she said.

  “That’s not what I’m asking.”

  “You know that I’ll always be here for you, Tray,” she said.

  Tray watched her and seemed as if he wanted to say something but didn’t. He only nodded and then started away from her, down the street.

  Sam watched him depart, and he sauntered off at a lumbering pace, one that picked up speed the farther he went, before practically turning into a run. When he disappeared around a street corner, nausea gnawed at the pit of Sam’s stomach. It took a moment for her to understand why. Watching Tray disappear down the street left her wondering if she would ever see him again.

  26

  The Dangerous Plan

  “You intend to use my tavern to draw Marin out?” Bastan sat at his desk, his arms resting on the table, his face a rigid mask. He wasn’t angry, but she had a hard time determining what emotion he was feeling.

  “I need to know what she’s doing.”

  “Considering that Marin has not been seen in the last few months, I think that drawing her out will only lead to a potential altercation, especially if she’s involved in bringing these Thelns back to the city. And now you have summoned her to my tavern.” He drummed his fingers on the desk.

  “What if I stay here?” Sam had been thinking about how to make this work, and it was the only solution that she could come up with. If she remained at Bastan’s tavern, and if she remained available to respond, then she might be able to counter Marin if she ever did show up.

  Sam wasn’t entirely certain she would come. Even if Marin did show, Sam still wasn’t certain what she would say to the woman who had so betrayed her. Would she open up about her concerns with what Marin had held back from her? Would she demand to know what Marin had done to her mind? Or, would she confront her about Tray?

  Probably none of that, Sam decided. She’d probably say nothing, and only try to restrain Marin, and take her to Elaine.

  “I didn’t think you wanted to remain in Caster. I thought you enjoyed your new access.”

  Sam grunted. “My new access is only to help me learn how to use these abilities, Bastan. If you don’t want me to remain here…”

  Bastan’s expression softened. “You have always been welcome in my tavern, Samara. I would not chase you away. That doesn’t mean I have to like what you’ve arranged. You’ve invited trouble into my tavern. The people who work for me our family.”

  Sam chuckled. “Family? They’re your employees.”

  Bastan met her eyes. “I may compensate them, but you of all people know that I treat those under my employ well.”

  “Bastan, I of all people have seen how you create obligations. These people remain with you because they have no other choice.”

  “And what of you? You have another choice, yet you returned. Have I treated you so poorly that you feel that is a mistake?”

  “You’ve been nothing but decent to me.”

  Bastan grunted. “Decent. And in spite of that, your greatest desire was to escape from me. I still haven’t decided whether I should be hurt or impressed that you managed to fend so well for yourself. Perhaps I should feel pride. I like to think that I had some small part in your development.”

  Sam shook her head. For so long, all she’d wanted to do was get away from Bastan, and keep her and Tray safe from his influence, and now that she had, she thought she understood a little bit more about Bastan, and what motivated him.

  He was right. Because of him, she had become the person she was. A thief. And now a Kaver. Her skills had developed because of Bastan, even if he hadn’t known what he was doing at the time… unless he had.

  Was it possible that Bastan was family to her?

  He sat motionless, watching her, almost as if he understood the emotions working through her as she tried to figure out what she should say, and what she should do.

  She’d spent the last ten or more years wanting her family, bemoaning the fact that her parents were both gone, and that she was forced to help Tray, but now that Tray had asked her to leave him alone, she thought that she understood Bastan a little better, and the fact that he perhaps saw her as some part of his family.

  “Bastan—”

  He raised his hand. “I’m not asking you to say anything here that would be out of character, Samara. Of course I will help. I don’t want anything untoward to happen to you, especially if Marin has betrayed Caster.”

  “There would be something else that I’d need,” she began. How would he react to her request for easar paper? If she and Alec had access to easar paper, she might be able to use it to augment her, and certainly could use it to keep them protected if Marin attacked.

  “You would like a supply of the paper.”

  “That would be helpful,” she said carefully.

  Bastan nodded. “I imagine that it would. But, as we have seen, that paper is quite valuable. What are you prepared to off
er me in exchange?”

  “I thought you said you weren’t interested in creating obligations.”

  “This has nothing to do with creating obligations. This has everything to do with the value of a property.”

  Sam took a deep breath. She had known that there would be some price. With Bastan, there was always a price. Regardless of the fact that he considered her some strange part of his family, that didn’t change the fact that he asked much of her. But then, he’d never asked more than what she was able to provide. He’d never placed her in any real danger.

  “What do you need from me in exchange for the paper?” she asked.

  “I can think of several uses for your particular talent, Samara.”

  “Are you going to force me to do these tasks before you will allow me to have the paper?”

  “Do you think you’ll need the paper to complete the tasks?”

  Sam wished she had her staff, but it was leaning against the wall. “Don’t make me hit you, Bastan.”

  “First you ask favors, then you threaten?”

  “Would you rather I threaten first?”

  Bastan sat back, a wide grin spreading across his face. “It will be nice to work with you once more, Samara. I’ve missed our banter.”

  Sam wished she felt the same. She appreciated all that Bastan had done for her but didn’t like the idea of getting deeper in debt to him. It wouldn’t surprise her to have him ask something of her that would place her new connections in danger.

  “What’s your request?” she asked.

  He smiled. “It just might be related to what you’re after. Besides, you have the necessary connections for this.”

  Connections. It was exactly what Sam feared. Bastan would have her use her connections to reach someplace that she did not want to.

  “First only the paper,” she said, “and then I’ll need to have you call Alec back to Caster.”

  “Why would I need to do that?”

  “If your task requires me to use the paper—”

  His smile changed, shifting from what had been nothing more than an amused grin to something a little more sly, and a little more devious. It was an expression that made her somewhat uncomfortable.