by M. Gregg Roe
The captain’s terse but heartfelt speech had been touching. And she thought her brother had made a pretty nice speech of his own in response. Battling the dragon and then repairing the ship afterward had brought them all together.
Back in Hamsa, she went straight to her room at the inn and slept until mid-morning the next day. She still felt sleepy when she headed downstairs after cleaning up, but maybe part of that was how gloomy it was. It looked like it had rained quite a bit overnight. She found the common room empty, aside from Alzi who was wiping down a table.
“Marryn!” she said, breaking into a friendly smile. “You missed breakfast, but I can fix you something.”
“Don’t go to any trouble. Maybe just some bread and fruit?”
“Coming right up.”
Marryn seated herself as she waited for Alzi to return. She wondered what the others were doing. Had they gone out? Maybe they had just gone back to their rooms to start packing. She was going to need to do some of that herself.
“Here you go.” Alzi seated herself on the other side of the table.
The two slices of dark bread were already buttered, and the fruit was cut into chunks, so it didn’t take Marryn long to finish. She still felt a little hungry, but it would be lunch time before long.
“Are you going out with Gabriel again tonight?” she asked. Her brother had refused to talk about his date with her.
“No, but I’m planning to dance with him at the party tonight.”
“Party? You mean for us?”
Alzi laughed. “Of course. We’re having a going-away party for the six of you. Albert’s already here in town, and Oljot is going to go get Xlee and his family later. And at least half of Hamsa will be here. Actually, we could use some help to prepare.”
Marryn’s muscles still ached from yesterday, but she said, “I would be happy to help.”
Alzi clasped her hands together. “We won’t start on the food until mid-afternoon. You can rest until then.”
That was good because she still felt sluggish.
“You’ve inspired me,” said Alzi. “Next month I’m going to go to Kannaka and then take a ship to Lancia. Maybe even the very same one.”
“By yourself?” Alzi was a spell-caster and former adventurer, but that still sounded dangerous.
Alzi shook her head. “Mina and Bjarni are going, and maybe one or two others. And yes, we could just ask Oljot to teleport us there. But where’s the fun in that?”
Despite her seasickness, and nearly being bitten by a wolf, Marryn had enjoyed herself. And she certainly had some stories she could tell people now.
“That’s partly why I want to go,” Alzi confessed after Marryn mentioned the things they had “found” in Lancia. “Eventually it will all be gone. But I also want to see more of the world.” She leaned forward slightly. “Next year, I’m going to move to the Witch’s City for a while. That was one of the things I talked to Gabriel about.”
That was a surprise. She wondered if Alzi was planning to continue to pursue Gabriel romantically.
“I was actually there once before,” said Alzi, sitting back and dropping her hands into her lap. “Oljot took me there to get my leg healed. Otherwise I’d still be limping around in constant pain. But I was only there for a day.”
That did sound familiar. Alzi had been injured badly during an adventure. Even with magical healing her right leg had been a mess. But the LifeStaff had dealt with the issue.
“So,” she said, suddenly looking sly, “what can you tell me about this Kora woman?”
Marryn burst out laughing; Alzi was still interested in her brother. She spent the rest of the morning telling Alzi all about her rival.
Midway through the party, Saxloc went outside to clear his head. It was remarkably noisy inside the crowded inn, and not just from all the conversation. Mina’s rather vivacious mother was a skilled lute player. She played song after song, with many of those from Hamsa joining in. It was something they did regularly for entertainment.
“Excuse me.”
The voice from so close that it startled him. Just to his left was Xlee’s adopted daughter, standing with perfect posture and a serious expression on her moonlit face.
“Hello, …” For the life of him, he couldn’t remember her name.
“Soko. And you’re Saxloc. We met once, but it was a long time ago.”
“Right.” He did have a vague memory of that. “Did you want something?”
Emotion suddenly showed on her face. “I want to hear about the ship and the ocean and the dragon. This is the only place I’ve been outside of home, and we never stay long.”
“You want to eventually live somewhere else?”
“Maybe. Will you tell me?” she pleaded.
“Of course I will.” He gestured with his right arm. “Let’s walk while I tell you about it.”
They must have walked two miles while he related everything. He knew he wasn’t much of a storyteller, but she didn’t say a word, simply listening with a rapt expression. Back outside the inn, the music had stopped, but it was still noisy from inside.
“Thank you,” she said, then disappeared inside.
He soon followed. After one more drink, he headed up to his room to finish packing. Tomorrow they were leaving early. Tomorrow they were going home.
29
‡ Desires ‡
It was certainly convenient for Gabriel. Oljot returned them, not to the mansion, but to an unused room in the Witch’s Castle. He and his sister were home minutes later, but the news his mother delivered after welcoming them home greatly concerned him. That such a thing could have happened at Desires was horrifying. Kora could have been killed! And Cinda nearly had been, from the sound of it.
After quickly changing clothes, Gabriel set out for Desires at a rapid pace. It was late afternoon, and the streets were fairly crowded, but he still made good time. There were guards standing to either side of the building’s front door, which he knew was the courtesans’ entrance. They were the type whose services were for hire, but to his practiced eye they looked capable, with weapons and armor that appeared well-maintained. Another sign was the suspicious way that they eyed him as he approached. They recognized the warrior in him despite his simple clothing and only having a dagger.
They asked his name and purpose before calling out to someone inside to unbolt the door. Inside the entryway was a handsome young man with short brown hair and a neatly trimmed mustache. From the way he held himself, he was one of Grasapa’s students, and probably an advanced one. He not only asked Gabriel’s name, but then consulted a list before waving him through.
After ascending a short flight of stairs and turning right at the top, Gabriel found himself in the common area. There was no obvious evidence of the violence that had taken place there only five days earlier, but the furniture and rugs all looked new, the wood floor had clearly been recently sanded down and refinished, and he could smell fresh paint. Four courtesans—two of each gender—sat around a square table playing Sparrow, while two other female courtesans sat on a small sofa drinking tea and talking quietly. It was one of those who promptly rose to her feet and strode over to him.
“Master Gabriel,” said Cinda, both looking and sounding tired. “I am pleased by your safe return. Did all go well?”
“Well enough. Where can I find Kora?” He couldn’t disguise his impatience to see her.
Her answering smile was unconvincing. “In the main office. I will show you.”
As he followed her out, he said, “How are you faring, Cinda?”
“Not well. None of us are. We have been violated.”
It was an apt description, and he said nothing further as she led him around a corner and then onto a landing where stairs led down to the left. She pointed at the door to the right and walked away with her shoulders slumped and head down. Cinda clearly wasn’t herself.
Kora answered his knock promptly, and her face lit up with joy as she threw herself into his arms. �
��You’re finally back,” she said, with her head resting against his chest. For a long while, they simply held each other. After sharing one kiss, they sat down on opposite sides of a table that was strewn with books and papers.
“I basically live here at the moment,” she said, clearing a spot to rest her arms. “Lilina is a nervous wreck, especially after what we found out.”
“I was not given any details.”
She blinked in surprise. “The attacker’s name is Manfred, and he was actually one of Lilina’s clients years ago, back when she was just a regular courtesan. Apparently he begged her to marry him, not that that’s unusual.”
“So it was a long-standing infatuation?” he asked.
Kora shrugged. “He only hired her four times, over about three months. Since then he obviously developed a hatred of prostitutes in general, or at least courtesans. They’re still investigating, because they couldn’t raise him from the dead. I’m still not sure how to feel about that.”
Gabriel decided that he would look into the matter later when he reported in. “You have never killed before,” he stated, worried how that might affect her.
“No, but Captain Hagen said that even if they had been able to raise him, he would have eventually been executed because he committed murder. That made me feel better.” She waved at the messy table. “I’m working on security upgrades for the building. It’s going to be expensive, but we can afford it. Desires is insanely profitable.”
Gabriel suddenly noticed a piece of paper with familiar handwriting. “Was my father here?” he asked in disbelief.
She flashed him an amused look. “Mardan showed up here the day after … the incident. Lilina and I spent all morning getting his recommendations for improving security. He helped us find those guards we’re using at the moment.”
That was unbelievable given his father’s feelings about prostitution, but maybe it was a positive sign. “I will be certain to thank him.”
“I assume that everyone made it back safely from Kaldir,” she said.
“Yes, but there were some close calls. Marryn has sworn off adventuring.”
“I wish you would too, but I know you won’t. It’s part of who you are.”
He hadn’t thought of it that way, but he couldn’t disagree. He enjoyed both the challenge and the travel. And it was an indication of just how well she understood him.
“What about your teaching duties?” It sounded like she had been neglecting them.
“People are covering for me at the moment, but I’m going to resign. They really need me here full-time.”
“I see.” He wasn’t sure how to feel about that.
“I’ll still be teaching Shorinken, but I’ll be teaching the courtesans. I think that will help rebuild their confidence. Two are threatening to quit, but we think we can convince them to stay.”
It was a wonder they hadn’t all quit, but then again they both lived and worked in the building. He also suspected that their contracts included penalties if they broke them.
“Piran stopped by and volunteered to teach us knife-fighting, which is something I’ve always wanted to learn.”
Gabriel frequently encountered the man within the Witch’s Castle. Piran was effectively Ermizad’s husband now, even though he still had his own house, and the two had not officially wed. The man was also a former courtesan, so it wasn't surprising that he had offered assistance.
After briefly describing his trip, Gabriel took his leave. In the common area, he found Audrey and Cinda sitting on a sofa deep in conversation. He simply nodded at them as he passed through.
At the Guard headquarters, he told Sergeant Ilia that he would resume his duties the next day, but she told him not to report until the first of the month which was three days away. His inquiries about the incident at Desires then landed him in Lieutenant Eomera’s office.
“It keeps getting more complicated,” she said, leaning back in her chair and waving at her messy desk. “After Lilina spurned him—not that I blame her—he apparently left the city for years. He has family here, but they haven’t seen or heard from him since he left. He arrived here on a ship from Zardis that morning, but there’s no evidence he actually lived there. He boarded the ship in Rohoville, but he doesn’t seem to have lived there either.”
“What was his occupation?” asked Gabriel.
“Here he was just an accountant—a mediocre one, from the sound of it. But he was fit, and he knew how to use that sword.
“The sword’s another mystery. It’s old—maybe centuries—and the sapphire on the pommel is worth a fortune. Oh, and it’s got some kind of enchantment that Daragrim still hasn’t figured out.”
Perhaps the sword had carried some type of curse. “And he could not be raised?”
Eomera sighed loudly. “He didn’t want to be raised; his spirit refused to return. And there’s something else: He was carrying two flasks of highly flammable oil. We think he was planning to use them on both himself and Lilina, but don’t mention that to her.”
“I will not.” Had Kora not been there, Manfred might well have succeeded.
After departing her office, he ended up going to lunch with Captain Hagen and telling him about his trip. That, at least, was enjoyable.
As soon as Audrey departed, Cinda went back to her room and laid down for a long while. She hated to lie to her best friend, but even though Audrey still worked for Desires as a seamstress, she was not one of them. The courtesans were a family in a sense that no outsider could ever comprehend. And that didn’t necessarily end when a courtesan completed their three-year contract. Each day former courtesans came by to offer sympathy and commiserate, and they were an eclectic group to say the least.
Despite still having no memory of what she had done, Cinda was wracked by guilt. She had apparently shown up clutching her knife in both hands. Then, according to Lilina, she had simply stood in shock after entering the room. The man promptly ran her through and shoved her off to the side, resulting in her hitting her head as she fell. Despite nearly two years of studying unarmed combat, she had simply become another victim. That was disheartening. She had already decided to avail herself of the opportunity to learn to properly wield a knife, and she was giving serious consideration to studying sword-fighting after that.
After a cursory knock, Brigitt entered the room carrying a wooden tray. “You missed lunch, so I brought you something.”
Cinda’s reply was automatic. “Thank you, but I am—” Her growling stomach made Brigitt laugh and ruined her lie. The food’s pungent aroma was also causing her to salivate. It was well past noon, and she had eaten little for breakfast. “I am hungry,” she confessed, climbing out of her bed. “Thank you.”
“You’re not eating enough,” scolded Brigitt, her hands on her bony hips. “I’m staying until you’re done. And there’s gonna be a meeting right after dinner. You’d know about that if you’d been at lunch.”
They had given up on trying to teach Brigitt the formal speech that all courtesans were required to learn (and which Cinda had been raised speaking). The girl was hopeless in that respect. Fortunately, there were clients who found Brigitt’s homespun manner of speaking to be appealing.
“Was the subject matter of the meeting mentioned?” inquired Cinda, eyeing the food.
Brigitt spread her arms wide, smiling to show her somewhat crooked teeth. “Reopening for business.”
Cinda had mixed feelings about that. What if one of her own clients eventually did something similar? All clients, especially new ones, would have to be viewed with suspicion, would they not? She feared that it might affect her performance.
“Eat up,” ordered Brigitt, pointing at the desk.
Cinda complied. She ate slowly, savoring every bite of the spicy mixture of rice, chicken, and carrots. Seated behind Cinda in the room’s sole upholstered chair, Brigitt began to prattle, but Cinda paid her no mind. They were all accustomed to it now. When Cinda finished her meal, she carefully wiped her mout
h before turning the chair around.
“Brigitt, are you truly not bothered by having been slain?”
“Not really,” she said, shrugging. “I was the first one, and he stabbed me right in the heart. It didn’t hurt long at all. It wasn’t nearly as bad as the time I got raped and then beat something awful. It was hours before anyone found me. I kept wishing I’d just die.”
“When was this?” asked Cinda in shock.
“When I was fourteen. I was kind of stupid then.”
Brigitt was still rather scatterbrained in Cinda’s opinion. “I assume that he was caught and punished.”
“There was two of ‘em, but they only ever caught one. They think the other one left the city.”
That should probably be worrying Brigitt as well.
After Brigitt left, taking the tray with her, Cinda spent some time tidying up her room. Then she went to the shared bathing area and spent time tidying up herself. If Brigitt could move on after experiencing something so terrible, then she should be able to get over something that she didn’t even remember.
Dinner with her colleagues was pleasant. There was more laughter and more smiles than there had been in quite some time. Their home had been rudely invaded, and great harm rendered, but they were resilient. The dead had been raised, the wounded healed. Mentally they still weren’t fully recovered, but they would be in time.
They assembled in the common area afterward. Kora spoke first. She detailed the many ways that security was being improved, and it was a lengthy list. Cinda glanced at the others from time to time, noting expressions of approval and even some of relief. The armed guards outside were temporary, but there would always be two present inside. Despite looking much the same, the building would become a fortress. The courtesans would no longer be easy prey.
After Kora sat down, Lilina rose smoothly to her feet. Her smile was radiant as she cooly surveyed the room. “Tomorrow,” she began in her lilting voice, “we will begin to contact clients whose appointments had to be cancelled. They will be offered free sessions as reparation. When rescheduling is not possible, such as for events that have already passed, we will offer apologies and future discounts. Our clients are our lifeblood, and we must do right by them.”