by Tina Hunter
She had painted on a scar across her face and dark stubble on her chin. She even added an eye patch, just in case she ran into the same soldier as the one guarding Simon earlier. She’d check on him before heading in for the night. A wig of matted hair and many layers of clothes added to her hunched-back old man character. That, plus walking with a limp would ensure that not even the Blades would recognize her in the dark.
It was getting troublesome keeping track of everyone she was hiding from. This job was turning into a giant, tangled mess. The Burnt Scroll was an out of the way Inn that appeared small and quaint from the outside, only two levels, but once she went inside the front door, she realized it stretched back so far that the hall was massive, so there could be many more rooms here than she thought. Finding Malack and Declan might be harder than she thought.
“Can I help you sir?” one of the serving girls came over to her holding a tray of beers. Her character, Mister Efran Jones, was an old war veteran who was normally drunk with no money to pay for anything. So, she stared at the tray of beers for longer than would be comfortable for the serving girl, then turned to look her in the eye.
“I’m meeting someone here,” she said in her gruffest voice.
The serving girl raised her eyebrow, skeptical of the statement, “Oh? And do you know the name of the person you are here to meet?”
Lynn didn’t know what fake name Declan was using, he wouldn’t use his real name, or even the name he commonly used with Malack and her. But Malack would probably use his real name, first and last to add legitimacy to whatever scheme they were pulling. Plus, people would check on his whereabouts when they found the Rusty Duck being run by Mildred, so he’d have a cover reason for being here.
“Malack Verta,” she mumbled out. The serving girl looked surprised and then directed her to a seat at the front of the hall. Closest to the door. No doubt hoping Lynn would leave as soon as possible. The serving girl disappeared somewhere and Lynn sat watching the people around the hall. It was pleasantly full, not overly crowded but enough to get lost in the crowd.
She grumbled loudly to herself about not having something to drink, being sure to slur her words, and everyone within earshot promptly ignored her. Worked every time. Then she saw them, coming out of a hallway at the far end of the hall with the serving girl leading the way. Malack would always come, he knew every one of her characters. But seeing Declan made her stomach jump into her throat. She was really doing it. She really wished she didn’t have to ask for the help. They both grinned when they got close enough.
“Mister Efran. It’s been too long, to what do I owe the pleasure?” Malack said graciously.
Lynn scowled, “You can tell this wench to get an old man a drink first.” The serving girl rolled her eyes and left before Malack or Declan could say anything. Once she left they sat down at her table. Smiles all around.
“So, who have you pissed off this time that you had to come like this?” Malack asked.
“It’s hard to keep track of, honestly,” Lynn said in her normal voice. It felt good to drop the gruffness. “Things have gone horribly on my end and I have a huge favor to ask,” she looked down at the table as she spoke. It killed her to have to do this. To call in a favor when she made such a big deal about being able to take care of herself.
Malack reached across the table and took her hand so she would look up at him. “If I can help you, I will,” he said with all sincerity in the world. It broke her heart that he wasn’t the one she needed. She forced the words out of her mouth.
“Unfortunately, it’s his help I need.” Lynn and Malack turned in unison to look at the surprised face of Declan.
“I thought you said you would never -”
“I know what I said,” Lynn said cutting Declan off. She let go of Malack’s hand, despite the strength it gave her and studied the table. She counted the lines of wood grain until she felt calm enough to speak again.
“I know what I told you, Declan, and I meant it. But this... this is an emergency. My team is either in the stocks, avoiding capture in the forest across the river, or a womanizing slacker.”
“That was you?” Malack asked with concern, but Declan held up his hand to forestall the conversation as the serving girl came back with drinks for all three of them. Lynn grumbled it was about time and the server left quickly.
“Look, Evie, I would love to help you but we’re on our own job here,” Declan said into his drink. “Malack told me about the bracelet but honestly I’m not sure how I can help.”
Gods this was worse than she feared. At least in her imaginings, he was insufferable because he kept making her say he was her knight in shining armor. She never thought he wouldn’t help.
“Tell me about your job,” she said quickly. “If I can help, I will. Please. You know I hate to beg but I can’t go back empty-handed. Not this time.”
Malack and Declan exchanged a look. Malack finally cleared his throat. “The Magistrate for this region is on the run from the Senate for corruption. He has everything with him. Money, magic, everything. He’s in town because there is a representative from Belalto coming to meet with him to discuss his plea for sanctuary.
“We’ve been trying to get close to him to find out where he is staying but he is very paranoid about a local group called the Blades. We could get close enough to provide security while meeting the representative but by then it’ll be too late to make off with the goods. So we need to come to him with information about the group...”
Lynn let out a sigh of relief. “I can definitely help you, then. I’ve already gotten involved with the Blades.”
“How...” “What...”
Malack and Declan spoke over each other in whispers and she held her hand up to silence them.
“Their leader is a crazy ex-military man, and the military might want him for some kind of crime. He is actually an Inborn going after magic for some messed up reasons I haven’t been able to figure out yet.” They both sat there with their mouths open and Lynn’s panic turned to pride for a moment. “They are planning something, but I’m pretty sure it has nothing to do with the Magistrate. Also, that representative is probably a princess from Belalto or at least traveling with her.”
“There she goes again. Better than us at everything.” Declan said with a grin. “Well, looks like my week just opened up,” Declan said with a sigh. “What did you have in mind?”
“Well, that certain Elven Princess is in town to pick up something from inside the fort. We need someone to go with her inside to get a layout.” She avoided looking directly at him as she spoke. She felt embarrassed and exposed and she wasn’t entirely sure why.
“And you need my charms to get in with the Princess Bard?” He whispered with a gleam in his eye.
Lynn rolled her eyes at the slang. They said that a Goa Elf’s voice was magical to hear, and it would have to be to produce the magic it did. She’d only heard stories, but apparently, they could sing buildings into being right out of the Thelodot crystal that made up their mountains.
“Well, you won’t get close to her by acting like that, now will you?” She said, giving him a stern look. She scratched at the eye patch, it was bothering her. “Can you do it or not?”
Declan’s eyes took on a far-away look, and his expression turned serious for a moment. At least she knew he was thinking about the job at hand. Suddenly he turned to her.
“The only way I could get close to someone of that rank would be....” he let the statement hang in the air. She knew exactly what he would say because she knew it too.
“... would be to use your real name.” She finished for him.
“Are you insane? What possible legitimate reason would I have for being here? Not to mention that I’ve already met a couple Belalto princesses...” Declan was visibly irritated and didn’t notice the slip even if Malack raised his eyebrows to show he did. Malack had to put his hands out in a shushing motion to keep him from raising his voice.
“As I said, I’m desperate
,” Lynn said quietly. Declan didn’t want Malack to know he was a prince so perhaps it would be best if she talked to him alone. “Malack, could you get us a refill?” she asked, even though her glass was half full. Hurt clouded Malack’s features for a moment but then he put on a cheerful smile and left. Declan was glaring at her but didn’t speak until Malack was out of earshot.
“If he figures it out because of you...”
“I’m sorry, Declan. I’m sorry. But I need to know the layout of the fort. Without it, I’m in trouble. Please, you are the only one this will work with.”
Declan ran his hand through his hair and took deep breaths to calm down. Lynn waited until his veins were no longer popping out of his neck before speaking again.
“I was thinking, you could say you were undercover. Trying to get information on the fort’s business practices for your father. Trade agreements between Iridan and Aguara are due for renewal in the spring, aren’t they?”
Declan looked surprised. She smiled, glad she picked up something of interest to him during her time in Iridan. Declan took a long sip from his glass, not looking at her. She let him have some time to think it over. It was a risk for him. She knew that. But she really didn’t want to be Darkan’s slave for 20 years. She’d rather die if she was honest.
He finally put the drink down and looked her in the eyes. “If I go through with this, you will owe me. It will be a favor I can call in at any time, any place. And you will do whatever it is I need. Agree?” he held his hand out, and Lynn took it without hesitation. This was a deal she could live with easily.
“Thank you, Declan.”
“I didn’t give you a guarantee it would work but I’ll do my best.” He still appeared worried but tried to cover it up with his charming, demons-can’t-touch-me smile. Why did she have to be in love with such a flirt? Malack must have seen the handshake because he chose that moment to come back to the table... without any new drinks in his hands.
“Well, since that’s settled,” he said, sitting down, “I’ll spend some time tomorrow dealing with our new friend. See if I can deliver this information and get our hands on what we need.”
“Um... about tomorrow...,” she said quietly. They both frowned in response. “Just wanted to see if you were still ok watching Dorothy. I’ve got a meeting tomorrow morning and I would much rather her be with either of you two than the skirt-chaser.”
Malack sighed with a smile. “I think we can manage that,” he said.
“Thank you both,” Lynn said again. She gulped down her drink and reached out and took their hands in hers. “I know that there isn’t anything we can’t do together.”
It was what she always used to say whenever they were about to do a job together and it seemed appropriate to say it now, even it if wasn’t entirely true. They’d failed a few of their jobs together, so their track record wasn’t perfect but it felt good today. Malack and Declan both seemed calmer for her saying it.
With all of that done, she set off into the night again. Backroads and alleyways. More soldiers were out and crossing her path. She avoided them when possible.
She ended up near the stocks, hoping she’d get a chance to talk to Simon, but there were too many soldiers in the square. They were milling about in clumps throughout. She’d complain that they weren’t doing their job protecting the town if she cared enough to do so. She made it back to the Corrupt Harpy quickly.
She went in through the back door and had just taken off her cloak and eye patch when a serving girl walked by.
“Oh, are you Edward Baker?” she asked innocently. Lynn nodded. “Mr. Bulrush was looking for you. He should still be at the front if you hurry.”
The innkeeper? That meant he had news for her and would need more payment. She hurried to the front desk and found him there looking through a stack of books on the counter.
“You were looking for me,” she said, channeling her Edward character. She didn’t know if the innkeeper knew she was both Lynn and Edward, but it was best to keep up appearances. Mr. Bulrush looked up from his stack of books and seemed grim. This would be bad news.
“A few things have happened tonight you should be aware of. First, a certain gentleman who is in the stocks will be released at midnight. I suppose you’ll want to let him stay here?” Mr. Bulrush rubbed his fingers together just below the edge of the counter. Hard for anyone else but her to see. She sighed but nodded. This wasn’t bad news at all, Simon wouldn’t freeze and she might be able to get some information out of him herself.
“Of course. Can’t have him out on the streets now can we.” She reached into her pouch, hidden underneath several layers of clothes to make her look bigger, and pulled out a single Crown. The Innkeeper didn’t even move to take it, instead he went back to looking at his books. She sighed again and pulled out another two coins, and as soon as she put them down he snatched them off the counter.
“Now about that other matter you had me watch out for. The soldiers have been asking about anyone suspicious in town. I, of course, would never cater to such people.” he said with a knowing grin. Lynn smiled politely and waited for the bad news. “Unfortunately, they asked for my ledger of names. So, you see they know you are in town. That by itself is perhaps not so grim, but they mentioned that Mister Simon Darkan would not be allowed to leave the inn except to board a boat heading out of town. Should I allow him to stay on here, of course.” He rubbed his fingers together again.
Lynn pulled out another three Crowns for him and cursed herself for letting the boys pick an inn. She was sure she could have found one just as close to the dock without being owned by a greedy innkeeper lining his pockets from her misfortune. Again, he snatched the coins off the counter as soon as she placed them down.
“Your patronage of my establishment is greatly appreciated. However, there is the final matter to discuss.” He knocked on the little door behind the desk and out came the little desk clerk who normally stood here. Without a word to the desk clerk, the innkeeper walked out from behind the desk. “Follow me please,” he said to her and then walked down a hallway towards the back of the inn normally reserved for the owner and staff. A quick turn led them to a set of stairs heading down. She didn’t think you could build a basement in the mountains.
They walked down into a space just high enough that she would hit her head if she didn’t duck down. It was filled with supplies, cold storage food, and boxes filled with cloth - though likely filled with something else considering the owner’s proclivities. It was chilly down here and the floor was plain dirt.
At the back of the small space was a wooden wall and fiery glow behind it. A furnace?
The innkeeper pulled on the wall and moved it out of the way and then motioned her forward. She walked ahead of him into the space, wary of what she couldn’t see.
Then she saw him, bundled up on a cot on the other side of a fireplace. Sweat dripping from his forehead, eyes closed, Brutus looked like he was on death’s door. She rushed to his side, wiping his forehead to rouse him. His eyelids fluttered, and a groan escaped his lips before he slowly opened his eyes. Pale and weak that’s what he looked like. She would need to get him healthy before she could get any information out of him. Like how did he manage to escape?
“How can I help?” she whispered to him. His lips quivered like he was cold, and that’s when she noticed she was kneeling on a pile of soaked clothes next to him. His clothes had been removed. He must have swum across the river and have hypothermia, she realized. Would magic heal that?
“Is there something in your room I can use to help you?” she whispered in his ear, careful to keep her voice as quiet as possible since the innkeeper was standing just behind her. Brutus nodded violently and went back to shivering under the warm dry blankets with his eyes closed. She’d have to figure out how to get a crystal from his room and back down here without the innkeeper realizing what they had in their rooms. Coins and crystals. For a man like Bulrush, he wouldn’t hesitate to steal from them.
>
She stood up and turned to the innkeeper, wary of him and what he wanted.
“As you can see,” he started with a greasy smile, “I’ve kept him comfortable since he showed up at our back door. Luckily only I and the doorman know about him being down here. But I’m afraid I can’t keep him down here long and of course, the soldiers will know his face now so he will not be able to leave the inn, either. It’s such a shame you can’t just go home.” He was hinting boldly. He would keep them here at an extreme cost but would be thrilled to see them on their way.
“We’ll leave on Saturday, as originally promised,” she said with her teeth clenched. “Until then I will need to go to my room and check on things there. Then I’ll spend the night down here with him. We’ll move him up to his room in the morning.”
“And for my troubles?” Mr. Bulrush moved to block the only exit out of this hot little room surrounded by dirt walls. It was time to get some things straight.
“For your troubles,” she said with the cocky smile she’d learned from Declan, “there will be many rewards in the coming days for someone who is loyal to me. I can’t be sure about the safety of those who are against me, of course.” She emphasized the words carefully and watched the innkeeper’s smile falter slightly. “Of course, you will be well taken care of, I will see to it personally, but you must know that at some point even the most generous of friends becomes... tired of a one-sided friendship. So, as long as you continue to be the helpful friend whom we can trust, I see that this friendship being very fruitful for everyone involved. Don’t you agree?”
“Of course, Mister Baker. Of Course. Can I help with anything else tonight?” Mr. Bulrush was stiff in his reply. The likelihood of him betraying her just went up. She fought the urge to roll her eyes.
“Not tonight. You have done wonderfully. Here.” She reached into her pouch and pulled out five Crowns and tossed them at him. “And I’ll move him upstairs myself in the morning.”
The innkeeper’s eyes took on a greedy shine, and he pocketed the coins immediately. “Of course, Mister Baker,” he gave her a small bow and then left. Well, she’d forestalled the betrayal for now. A groan from Brutus reminded her she had other things to worry about at the moment.