The stable doors were closed now. To anyone passing, it would appear that the custom was over for the day. The only reason the stable would be reopened was if some late night traveler appeared and sought a place at the inn and a stable for his horse.
Closing his eyes, Levron tried to breathe through his nose. It wasn’t the most pleasant way to draw breath, but it was all he had left. Not being able to see anything, his sense of hearing was acute. He could hear Kanton moving around. He was trapped in the stable with no apparent way to leave without being noticed.
The town wasn’t a large one and, when he and Perran had arrived yesterday, Levron had noticed that there were few residents out after sunset. Those that were generally assembled in the common room of the inn to have a few drinks and an evening meal. Aside from that, the streets were quiet. Perhaps this was the reason Kanton had not left the stable. Who would see him?
The authorities would. Levron was certain they had not given up trying to find him. After all, he had attacked his partner, and that act was certainly enough to take him into custody. How did Kanton contemplate making it unnoticed from the stable? Even if he was uncommonly lucky and no one was near, the inn was situated toward the center of town. It would take some doing to make it to the open roads for escape.
Levron stirred against the beam he leaned against and opened his eyes. The glimmer of a candle shone to his right, leaving Kanton’s face in stark relief. Something about the man was different. When he had stood before Perran at trial, he was well dressed, but now he had shed his fine jacket and was clad in only a shirt and breeches. No longer the prosperous jeweler, he appeared to be just one more citizen of the town.
Kanton set the candle in a sconce and lit a second. The increased light allowed Levron to see that the stable hand was bound and gagged as well only a few paces away.
By now, Levron was certain Perran would be alarmed at his assistant’s absence. No doubt he was in contact with the town’s authorities. So now they would not only be searching for Kanton, but for him as well.
Levron leaned his head back against the beam and winced at the pain. If he survived, he would suffer a tremendous headache in the morning. At this stage, he didn’t know whether Kanton was desperate enough to kill. It was one thing to attack his partner and another to up his crimes to murder.
Or so Levron hoped.
• • •
Perran’s evening meal sat untasted on a table at one end of the room. He had no desire to eat, even though his stomach rumbled in hunger. Too much time had passed since he expected Levron to return. A cold feeling warred with the pangs of hunger, elicited by a burden of fear. He had voiced his concerns regarding Kanton’s desire for vengeance being acted upon if he had encountered Levron. Now, as time passed, he felt certain that something akin to his worries had taken place.
When a knock sounded on the door, Perran jumped.
“It’s me, Lord,” came Timar’s voice. “I have news.”
And not good news, Perran thought as he opened the door. Timar entered, closed the door, and leaned up against it.
“No one has seen Levron, Lord. No one has seen Kanton. It’s pitch black out, and there are numerous places someone could hide.”
“Are the authorities still searching?”
“Aye, Lord. But their efforts have come to nothing. I talked with the constable, and he said he isn’t giving up. He’s a worried man right now. With Kanton on the loose, it reflects badly on him and his men.”
“He didn’t have any responsibility for Kanton’s attack on Danti,” Perran said. “Nor on the fact no one has seen the man since. Or Levron, for that matter.”
“I know, but he still feels responsible for the whole mess. Also—” Timar made a face, “—it’s a black mark on the town. Not only do they have a criminal on the loose, but the assistant to one of the Son of the Sun’s judges has gone missing. I’m sure you can understand.”
Perran nodded. “If you see him, have the constable come to me. I’ll need to reassure him that there won’t be any retribution leveled on his town.”
“Aye, Lord. Ferrid has never left his post by his door in case you called. As long as you don’t go out or open the door to anyone but me, I think you’ll be safe.”
“I imagine I will.” Perran attempted a slight smile. “It’s Levron I’m worried about now.”
• • •
Levron closed his eyes, feeling dizziness along with the pain in his head. A feeling of hopelessness swept through his mind. What could he do? Nothing. He was bound and gagged. Kanton was armed with at least a knife. Even in his wildest speculation, he couldn’t see any answer to his captivity.
Kanton was pacing now, up and down in front of the stalls. The horses were beginning to nicker and move restlessly. Levron supposed they had missed their nightly feeding, and were trying to get the attention of the stable hand.
As for the stable hand, he watched Kanton’s pacing with wide eyes. Levron was close enough to see a large lump on the side of the boy’s head. He felt sure he sported a lump of equal size on the back of his own head.
“You!” Kanton stopped in front of the stable hand. “Stand up.”
The boy made an attempt, but fell back against the stall. Kanton cursed, shifted his knife to his left hand and grabbed the boy by the front of his shirt, jerking him to his feet.
“You can’t talk, so don’t make the attempt. Do you know me?”
The boy nodded.
“Did you hear what happened in the trial?”
Again, the boy nodded.
“Do you want to live?”
The stable hand tried to speak, but all that came out was a garbled noise.
“Then you’re going to help me. If you do, you’ll live, and this so-called assistant to the judge will live also. Do you understand?”
Once more, the boy nodded, more forcefully this time.
Levron watched the exchange, his eyes narrowed. So. Obviously Kanton had hatched some kind of plan to escape. What it was he couldn’t imagine. But events were beginning to move forward, and only time would tell what would occur once Kanton’s plan was put into action.
• • •
“Lord?”
Perran opened the door and Timar entered the room, glancing behind as he did.
“What have you heard?” Perran demanded.
“Nothing much. However, there are a few strange things to report. One of the constable’s men was approached by the stable hand’s mother. She said she hadn’t seen her son for the evening meal. She admitted that sometimes he would take his meal at a friend’s house, but no one there has seen him. She went to the stable, but the doors were locked. This is normal once night falls. Though she called his name, there was no response. But she did notice something odd. There’s a big ginger cat that lives in the stable and he was sitting outside, staring at the doors and meowing. That cat generally sleeps inside with the stable hand. He keeps the mice away from the store of grain and mash.”
“The cat does,” Perran said. “And no one’s seen the boy either?”
“No one.”
Perran drew a deep breath and let it out slowly. “But everything else seems normal?”
“Aye, Lord. Aside from the absence of the boy and the cat waiting outside the stable, the town’s quiet.”
“Dammit!” Perran slapped one fist against an open palm. “This has gone on too long! We have to do something!”
“I’m not sure, Lord, what we can do that hasn’t been tried. The watch isn’t giving up hunting for Kanton and Levron.”
“And now, with the stable hand, we have a third person missing. This is getting out of hand.”
“I agree. The problem is, no one has any idea what to do.”
“There has to be an answer to this,” Perran said. “Kanton can’t have vanished from the face of the earth. Nor has L
evron, or the stable hand. We’re missing something here.”
“The cat and the boy,” Timar acknowledged. “There has to be some connection there.”
Perran straightened his shoulders. “Bring me the constable. I might have an idea that could help find Kanton.”
• • •
Levon watched Kenton prod the stable hand toward the back of the stable. The ropes around the boy’s arms had been removed and he was rubbing his wrists together.
“Do you have a cart here?”
The boy nodded and tried to say something. Again, all that came out from behind the gag was a muffled sound.
“What are you trying to say?”
The boy made a futile gesture with his head toward the back of the stable, moaning at the pain the gesture caused.
“All right,” Kanton said, and lifted the knife in his hand. “I’m going to remove your gag. Don’t even try to yell for help because then I will have to kill you. Do you understand?”
The stable hand nodded, and Kanton tugged the gag down around the boy’s neck. The stable hand gasped for breath, coughed several times, but remained still and silent.
“Now what were you trying to say?” Kanton asked.
“We have a cart was brought in for repair,” the boy said, his voice trembling. He glanced toward the back of the stable. “Owner hasn’t picked it up yet.”
“Good. You and I are going to fetch that cart. Then you’re going to fill it with hay. Do you understand?”
“Aye.”
Levron watched the two of them walk toward the back of the stable, fading out of the feeble candlelight. Was Kanton planning to make an escape on a slow cart? He bowed his head. Desperation could bring about odd thinking.
The cart rumbled forward, pulled by the stable hand. Kanton’s knife still poking the boy’s back, the stable hand began filling it with hay.
“Now, find me a horse that can pull this cart,” Kanton said, “and hitch it up. I’m going to be right behind you, so don’t think you can scream or run.”
Levron watched as the stable hand led a small horse from a stall. Gathering tack, he began hitching the horse to the cart. When he was finished, he looked up at Kanton, his eyes still wide as saucers.
“Good lad,” Kanton said. “Now, you’re going to help me load this judge’s assistant into the cart and cover him with hay. Understood?”
Levron was jerked to his feet and all but dragged to the cart. Between Kanton and the stable hand, they hoisted him into the cart and covered him with hay. Now, not only could Levron not breathe easily, the hay covering his face made it even more difficult, and his head ached as if it would split apart. Then, Kanton and the boy tied Levron’s feet to the side of the cart, making certain he couldn’t jump out and run.
“Good lad.” Kanton reached out and yanked the gag back up over the boy’s mouth and led him at knifepoint to the tack room. “I’m going to shut you in here and bolt the door. Don’t think anyone can hear you pounding to try to get out.”
Levron tried the rope that bound his feet, but it was tied securely. So much for that. He was trapped beneath hay in a cart that would be driven by Kanton in an attempt to flee the town.
Kanton approached the cart and Levron willed himself into immobility. Something sharp and pointed jabbed him in his right leg.
“Feel that?” Kanton rasped. “That’s a pitchfork and I’ll stick in you if you so much as move.”
Levron fought a sneeze and sniffed loudly, trying to keep quiet as possible.
Then something brushed against his leg, accompanied by the ring of coin. Money stolen from his partner? Levron couldn’t understand how this plan might work, but stranger things had happened in his life. Vkandis grant that once he gained freedom, Kanton would abandon the cart and try for the Rethkellan border.
• • •
Perran had never in his illustrious career contemplated what might happen next. Guarded closely by Timar and Ferrid, he stood with the constable and five of the town’s authorities in the shadows across the street from the stable. There was hardly any light shed by a few lamps lit a distance away, but the constable’s face was drawn with worry.
“Do you think Kanton’s in the stable?” the constable asked.
“Where else could he be? You’ve all but turned the town upside down and not found him. And you haven’t found my assistant, or the boy who keeps the stable. And look—” He pointed to the closed stable doors. “—that cat hasn’t moved. He’s waiting for the stable hand to let him in and feed him.”
The constable sighed. “So we wait?”
“Kanton has to make a move shortly. It’s late, and he knows nearly everyone has gone home. What better time for him to try to escape? He probably thinks the search for him has ended for the night.”
“Damned fool!” the constable growled. “We don’t give up that easily.”
“Hsst!” Timar gestured toward the stable. “Did you hear that?”
Perran froze. The constable and his men drew their swords. The sound of the stable doors being opened seemed loud in the nighttime silence. Immediately, the ginger cat slipped inside, meowing loudly. For a long moment nothing happened, and then a cart pulled by a small horse emerged. Sitting on the cart’s bench was Kanton, one hand on the reins and the other holding a pitchfork. The constable held up one hand, silently ordering his men to hold their ground.
Kanton looked around and urged the horse forward. Perran hardly dared to breathe, his eyes fastened on the approaching cart. As it drew near, the constable lifted his hand and brought it down in a slicing motion.
Suddenly, he and his men surged forward.
“Stop where you are, Kanton!” the constable roared. “You’re surrounded!”
For a long moment, no one moved. Then Kanton lifted the pitchfork and held it above the back of the cart which appeared to be full of hay.
“Stand back!” he yelled. “If you want the judge’s assistant to live, don’t come close. He’s right behind me and I’ll fill him full of holes if you come closer!”
“You bastard!” the constable said. “You’ve sunk to this, Kanton? Theft, assault, and now you threaten murder?”
“Get out of my way! I’m riding out of here, and you’re going to stay away from me!”
Perran reached out and grabbed the constable’s arm. “Levron’s in the cart. Don’t be hasty. Let’s see how this plays out.”
“Damn fool! He’s going to try for the Rethwellan border.”
“That’s what I think. Be careful. I don’t want Levron hurt.”
The constable nodded, but his eyes narrowed in thought. “I’ll do my best, Lord, but I think we can stop him. And keep your assistant from being injured.”
A swift signal to a man standing a few paces away sent the fellow slowly around to the back of the cart. Kanton was so intent on the men on either side of the cart in front of him he didn’t notice until it was too late.
The constable’s man jumped up from the shadows and wrestled the pitchfork from Kanton’s hand. The disgraced jeweler backhanded the fellow, whipped the horse forward, and turned the cart sharply to his left, intending to run down anyone in front of him.
Two things happened at once. The left wheel of the cart wobbled and worked its way off its axle, causing the cart to lurch onto its side. Kanton was thrown to the ground and the constable’s men surrounded him, holding him down on the street, their swords pointed at him. And at the same moment, the hay fell out of the cart, revealing Levron hanging all but upside down, a bag of something caught between his legs.
Perran ran forward, tossing what was left of the hay off Levron and pulling the gag down. Timar and Ferrid cut the ropes binding him to the side of the cart and lifted the bag.
“Lord!” Timar called, shaking the bag. “I think there’s money in here!”
The constable
stood to one side, a satisfied look on his face. “Caught the bastard red-handed!” He motioned one of his men into the stable. “See if you can find the stable hand. He’s probably locked up somewhere inside.”
Perran breathed a sigh of relief. From all outward appearances, Levron appeared unharmed, though he coughed, shut his eyes against the pain he must have been feeling, and passed out.
• • •
From his position in the bed, his head propped up by two pillows, Levron opened his eyes. His head hurt abominably, and he knew his legs and body were bruised from the fall from the cart. But apart from that, he judged himself fortunate to still be alive.
His eyes sought Perran who sat in a chair beside the bed. “How did you know Kanton would be in the stable?”
Perran smiled. “There was hardly anywhere else for him to go. The bag between your legs contained quite of bit of the money Kanton had stolen from his partner. As for the gems, that’s still a mystery. And here’s a bit of news for you. The stable hand was released; thanks to him, events turned in our favor. The cart Kanton tried to escape with had been brought in for repairs. The left wheel was loose on its axle. When the boy gave the cart to Kanton, he knew the wheel would eventually come off.”
Levron rubbed at the knot on his head, wincing at the pain. “I supposed it was revenge on the boy’s part. He was abused and terrified by Kanton for sure.” He closed his eyes, trying to will the headache away. “And thanks to Vkandis, you, the constable and his men, I’m alive.”
Perran laughed. “It’s a good thing, too. I’d hate to have to train a new assistant.”
A Trip of Goats
Elisabeth Waters
:STOP THAT!:
Lena knew the goats could hear her perfectly well, but having Animal Mindspeech didn’t mean she could control them—especially when there were evergreens in the offing.
She dragged one goat back down to all fours and away from the high wooden gate it had been leaning on. The wreath, unfortunately, came down with it and promptly disappeared into its mouth. She hip-checked another goat away from the fence—really, who puts Midwinter decorations in their back alley?—thankful she was wearing the simple sturdy robe of a Novice of the Temple of Thenoth, Lord of the Beasts, rather than court finery.
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