Guardians of Evil

by C. R. Daems

  “He cheated you, Liada. He cut less than the six yards you agreed to,” Tali said. She landed on Liada’s shoulder. The brush of her wings tickled. Liada looked around. There were several other customers looking at material.

  “I think I’d like your customers to see what you sold me. Six yards at two silvers,” Liada said. Once they knew he’d cheated her, they’d leave and the story would spread fast.

  “Maybe…I should give you a little extra.” He held the package tightly, tugging it out of her grasp.

  “For one silver,” Liada said, staring pointedly towards the people nearby.

  Liada left smiling. She’d gotten good quality cloth, worth close to two silvers, for one silver. She skipped around the market practicing her favorite pastime, guessing where people came from. Sometimes it was easy, but sometimes she had to follow them for a while. When all else failed, she asked. The sunshine was warm, and she hummed under her breath as she wandered through the crowd.

  Then she blinked and frowned. The sun had begun to set and the shadows from the tents were spreading across the grounds like spilled ink. It wouldn’t be long before she wouldn’t be able to see more than a few feet ahead.

  She scurried through the few people left at the market, still smiling. Reaching down, she patted the money pouch on her belt with the silver. It was gone…only the pouch strings remained. Someone had cut the strings and stole her silver. Heat flooded her face.

  She kicked stones and garbage she found in her path as she walked, head down. All she could hear was what mother would say when she got home and told she had been so careless.

  When she looked up, she realized that without thinking she’d retraced her morning’s route onto Cove Row. Her steps slowed, gaze darting in every direction. This was a dangerous neighborhood after dark. Only a thin line of light still showed on the horizon. The shadows from the buildings created patches of black where danger would await its prey. Prickles ran up and down her spine.

  “Tali, I’m in trouble,” she said in a whisper.

  “We will help if we can. However, we can’t use our power with lightning without alerting the priests and the Quag. Then you would suffer more—probably be killed—than the trouble here.”

  Liada walked as fast as she could without running and kept looking over her shoulder to see if anyone followed her. Voices of boys ahead made her stop.

  In the middle of the block, a half dozen raggedy boys clustered around a tall man dressed in black. She squeezed into the dark against the wall of the building and tried to ease by. She couldn’t hear what the man whispered, but Tali repeated his words in her ear.

  “He’s saying he’ll pay a silver to anyone who can tell him where the man goes who comes out that door,” Tali told her.

  The man gestured towards a ramshackle house with a brown door. A few seconds later, a small man in dark clothes and cap, and a scarf that covered his lower face, slipped out the door. He looked right and left as he scurried around a corner.

  “I’ll want the street and number of the house where he goes,” the man said.

  Before the last words had left his mouth, the boys ran off. Some looked to be following the man at a distance, others were more discrete and stayed on the other side of the street, and others took to the alleys. Two worked as a team.

  Liada walked a few houses down until she found an empty doorway and ducked into it. The sprite perched on her shoulder, brushing lightly against her neck.

  “Tali, can you follow that man for me? I need the money.”

  “Yes,” Tali said in her ear and was gone. Liada crouched in the shadows to wait, hoping the boys couldn’t follow the man. She had nothing to lose. An hour passed before Tali returned.

  “Sudew, number 31. House with a falling-down fence and a dirty green door. Opened by a big man with a black beard and a scar on his cheek,” Tali said in her ear. Tali spoke normal for her, but even someone standing next to Liada wouldn’t have heard. Liada stayed in the doorway and waited for the boys to return. Her only chance would be if none of them successfully followed the man. Even then, she would have to be careful. If they saw her paid, they’d come after her and steal it.

  Boy after boy returned. Some just shook their heads. She thought they hoped the man would give them something for trying. One lied, giving the man an address. The man shook his head and gave the boy a poke on the chest that sent him reeling. As the man started to leave, she sidled near him.

  “I know,” she said quietly. One of the boys was still idling nearby. She didn’t want him to hear.

  “What do you know?”

  “The address the man went to.” The man buying the information wore black pants and a jacket too large for his slender frame. His black cape had a collar that turned up and his floppy hat pulled down over his forehead. In the dark, she couldn’t make out anything about his face.

  “You can’t. You were standing in the doorway over there,” he said, reaching out and grabbing her by the shirt. “You think me a fool?”

  “I know the address,” she squeaked. He had her shirt twisted against her throat.

  “Where? If you lie, you’ll regret it.” His black eyes gleamed in the moonlight and bored into hers in a way that made her shiver.

  “What about the silver?” She wanted the money, but would this man pay her? He was scary and she didn’t trust him.

  “So you can run off with it?” His breath had a minty scent but his lips were closed and tightly set.

  “How can I trust you to give me the silver? You’re bigger and stronger than me. You might not have one,” Liada said. But from the way he was dressed, she thought he had plenty of silvers.

  “And how can I trust you?” A smile quivered on his lips.

  “I’ll give you the street, you give me the silver, and then I’ll give you the number.”

  The man thought while she waited. She shivered. But it was too late to back out, and she really wanted that silver.

  “All right, I’ll play your game, but don’t try what those boys did. They thought I was a mark.”

  “Sudew.” The man’s eyes narrowed and his grip loosened. He reached into his cape and produced a silver. Liada didn’t take it. “Walk me to Lansee Street and I’ll give you the number.”

  “Why?” His eyes narrowed again.

  She decided he didn’t trust her any more than she trusted him. “If the boys know I have money, I’ll be in bad trouble. Right now they know I don’t have anything worth taking.”

  “Why Lansee Street?”

  “I live at the Hideaway Inn and Lansee is close enough that I can run home.” She hated telling him where she lived, but they were at an impasse. He didn’t say anything, but started walking. His grip had changed from her smock to her arm. It took ten minutes to reach their goal where he stopped in the shadows of a doorway. He held the silver in his hand. Liada took it, and to her surprise, he released her arm. At least he did what he said. She took a deep breath of relief.

  “Number 31.” She darted down the street, looking over her shoulder. The man disappeared into the shadows. She had only gone a little way when she smacked into Zeph.

  “Oof?” He grabbed her shoulders.

  “Zeph, what are you doing here?”

  “You didn’t come home by sunset, so your mother sent me out to find you. Who was that you were talking to?”

  “I got turned around and ended up on Cove Row. He was nice enough to see me to Lansee Street.” She bit the inside of her cheek and hoped he didn’t see the lie in her eyes. Even a half-truth would be too complicated to explain. They walked in silence back to the inn.

  “Thanks, Zeph. Maybe I’ll see you tomorrow.”

  * * * *

  Two days later, she crawled along on her knees pulling weeds and trying to learn the song Tali was singing. It had a nice-sounding tune, but the words were strange, strange in an exciting way. She could imagine the people who went with the language. Tali helped her understand the words, and the song came alive in h
er mind along with the people who created it, happy people with flowing clothes and a carefree life.

  The sun had set a few minutes ago. The light was almost gone, but she still had half a row to weed so she kept going. At the end of the garden, she reached for a weed and touched the smooth leather of a boot. She yelped and jerked back her hand. The man leaned against a tree in its shadow.

  “You’re interesting, Liada. You didn’t lie. You really did know the address, and you didn’t lie about where you lived. That wasn’t smart, but I would have found you anyway.” The ends of his lips curled up. It was a little kind of smile that made her want to run. If she had somewhere to run, she would have, but where would she go? She couldn’t get to the inn fast enough. Besides then she’d have to tell her mother the truth.

  “I have another job if you’re interested. Two silvers.”

  Liada froze. What did he want that he was willing to pay that much? She didn’t really need the two silvers, but there were a lot of things she could buy with it—like the cloth for a real dress instead of a smock. Besides, her heart raced and her skin tingled. Another secret, but it went with an exciting adventure.

  “What do I have to do?”

  “I want another man followed.” His smile spread wider. “And you look much too innocent to be a threat.”

  “Why two silvers? You only offered one last time.”

  Does he think I’m stupid?

  If he offered more money, the deal had a catch.

  “This man is more dangerous. Last time, the man wasn’t nice, but not dangerous. If he’d realized you followed him, he would have changed locations, and he might have roughed you up. This man would kill you.” The mystery man watched her, his lips still with that little smile.

  Liada sat back on her heels and thought about it for a minute. Tali should be able to find out without any risk.

  “All right.”

  “I wonder, do you think you’re that good or desperate or just stupid?”

  “Maybe a little of each.” Liada smiled back at him. She wasn’t desperate but maybe stupid to work for someone as scary as him. But it was the most exciting thing she had ever done, besides finding Tali.

  “Meet me at Jute Street just after sunrise. I’ll show you the man so you can follow him. I think he’ll go to several houses. I need to know which ones.” The mystery man waited until she nodded before continuing. “One silver for identifying the first house, another silver for the address of each house after that.”

  “I understand.”

  After he slipped into the shadows, she sat quiet for a long time. “Tali, will you do that for me?”

  Tali appeared and settled softly on Liada’s shoulder. “Of course, young one. To follow someone is easy.”

  Liada walked slowly to the cottage.

  * * * *

  The next day, Liada snuck away just before sunrise. She got up early to finish all her chores so that she would be free for several hours, although her mother wouldn’t be happy if she knew where Liada intended to go.

  She made her way to Jute Street. The mystery man wasn’t there.

  “You’re being followed, Liada,” Tali said.

  “Who?”

  “My circle says it’s Zeph.”

  “Darn him.” She’d have to meet the stranger and make up some story for Zeph. But why had he followed her? Certainly, her mother hadn’t sent him to look for her this time. She stopped to try to reason it out.

  “I wasn’t sure you would come. Do you know you’re being followed?” said the mystery man from a dark doorway.

  “I think it’s a friend of mine. His father’s a blacksmith.”

  “I don’t like people playing games, Liada. I wouldn’t suggest you have him follow me. You and he would regret it.” He gave Liada a hard scowl. Then he looked away and pointed. “There, the man in the red cloak.”

  When Liada turned back, the mystery man had disappeared. “Tali?”

  “Yes, we will follow him. I am leaving one of my circle with you in case you need us.”

  Liada strolled casually back to where Zeph stood in the shadows, trying to stay out of sight.

  “Zeph, what are you doing?”

  “Who was that man? He looked like the man who walked you to Lansee Street a couple of nights ago.”

  “He’s the nice man who helped me get out of Cove Row the other day.” Well at least she told him sort of the truth. Liada managed to keep a straight face. “I went for a walk and just happened to meet him. He asked if I needed help again.”

  “Be careful, Liada. He might not be as nice as he seems.” Zeph gave her a suspicious look, narrowing his eyes. She knew he had more questions and didn’t buy the “I was just out walking” excuse. He seemed to think he should protect her. She liked Zeph as a friend but this was a bad time for him to get sweet on her. She hoped the betrothal party hadn’t given him ideas.

  They didn’t talk on the way back. Zeph waved goodbye and left her at the inn. A couple of hours later, Liada knew Tali had returned when her ear tickled. Her heart jumped like a rabbit. “What did you find, Tali?”

  “He is very clever. He arrived at number 2, Eddy Place. Shortly after he arrived, three people left the house. A man in a red cloak similar to the one he had worn, a servant, and a beggar. Without my circle, I would not have been able to follow all three. The original man left disguised as the beggar. When he left, he went to number 27, Orme Street, then to number 74 Cain Alley, and back to Eddy Place. He left an hour later dressed again in the red cloak he had arrived in earlier.”

  “Thanks. You earned me three silvers. I wish I knew who our mystery man is though.” Liada walked toward the cottage with Tali resting lightly on her shoulder.

  “I could follow him.”

  “I don’t think that’s a good idea.” Liada thought about it for a minute. “I think he’s dangerous. Very dangerous. I don’t want you to take the risk. What if he’s one of the priests in disguise?” She caught her breath with a spurt of fear. He knew where she lived, her parents, and her friend Zeph.

  That night, Liada twisted and tossed in her bed until her covers were in a knot around her legs. What had she gotten herself mixed up in?

  She’d been asleep for only a few hours when she heard Tali.

  “Wake, young one, someone is outside.”

  Liada hopped out of bed in time to see a shadow at her bedroom window—her mystery man. Not that it made the situation less scary. She slipped on a smock and tiptoed out of the house. If her mother or father found her outside, they’d think she was going to the privy back near the trees. She didn’t see him but knew he would find her so she headed in that direction.

  “It’s me,” the man whispered. “I’m glad you or your friend didn’t try to follow me. However, you obviously decided not to follow the man in the red cloak. Are you no longer interested in silvers? And worse, have you become undependable?” In the moonlight, his brows were together in a scowl.

  “Number 2, Eddy Place,” Liada said, trying to hide a smile as the man’s mouth dropped open.

  “What? How?” he stuttered, but quickly recovered his normal composure. “Never mind, I knew that. Do you know where he went afterward?”

  “Two other places. You owe me three silvers.” Liada couldn’t help smiling. They were even—he a mystery man and she a mystery woman. The man stared at her for a long while before reaching into his cloak and produced three silvers, which he tossed to her. She caught them and put them in her pocket. Three silvers and they were hers. She wanted to laugh.

  “First he went to 27 Orme Street, then to 74 Cain Alley. Afterward he returned to Eddy Place.” The man suddenly advanced toward her. And her heart skipped a beat.

  “How?” As he bent his head only inches from hers, he still had a minty scent, and she could clearly see his face in the light of the full moon. He had dark olive skin, a hawk-like nose, black eyes and eyebrows, and a smooth, clean-shaven face. Realizing his mistake, he jerked back into the shadows. “I don
’t pay for guesses or lies. He couldn’t have gone to Cain Alley without being noticed and talked about. If you are lying, it will be bad for you.”

  “He dressed like a beggar,” Liada said in a spurt.

  Darn.

  She hadn’t meant to tell him that, but he’d spooked her.

  “That makes sense…who notices a beggar? Well, Liada.” He smiled. “You’ll see me again. Let’s hope it’s because your information is reliable.”

  Liada took several deep breaths and clasped her trembling hands together to calm herself. She wasn’t sure the three silvers were worth dealing with him. Now she could recognize him, and he knew it. She went back to bed, but she jumped every time a limb scraped the wall.

  “Sleep, young one. We will keep watch for you,” Tali said in her ear. Liada eventually fell asleep, knowing she wasn’t alone.

  Chapter 3

  Ostono: Stonecross

  Tali spent most of her time on Liada’s shoulder or sometimes in one of her pockets. Tali talked about the many lands she knew, their people, and customs. She sang songs from strange places and taught Liada the meanings of the words. The languages of the Sporish and Gorlack empires bordering the Ostono Empire where Liada lived were fun to learn. And she could use them if she found some way to live her dreams of travel.

  Each sixday, if her mother thought she’d worked hard and had done well with her chores, Liada got a day free. With the silvers she received from spying and the coppers her mother gave her to spend, she treated herself to a skewer of garlicky meat and a pastry dripping with honey. She looked at a green dress that would look nice against her skin, but her mother would notice for sure if she brought anything new home. She browsed through countless stalls. Some had strange-looking statues, others spices with new smells, and cloth and clothing new to the eye and the touch. The merchants and shoppers dickered while she tried to decide who got the best deal.