[Blood on the Reik 02] - Death's City

by Sandy Mitchell - (ebook by Undead)

  “Are you sure it’s him?” Fritz asked, pausing to throw a copper coin into the fountain. It was apparently a custom of the place, to ensure good luck, and Rudi followed suit. Right now he felt he needed all the luck he could get. Privately, though, he suspected that the only good fortune the fountain provided was reserved for the beggar’s guild. “There are plenty of other witch hunters in the Empire.” Rudi nodded and looked around to make sure none of the other passers-by had wandered close enough to overhear their conversation.

  “Pretty certain,” he said. “He knew Magnus had a house in Marienburg. I found it myself a couple of days ago.”

  “Was he there?” Fritz asked.

  Rudi shook his head. “No. I think Hans and the witch he works for frightened him off.”

  “Hans is here?” Fritz asked, looking really concerned for the first time. “If Gerhard’s around he’s in real danger!”

  “We all are,” Rudi said. Unbelievably, it seemed, Fritz was still incapable of grasping the full extent of his brother’s transformation.

  The half-wit nodded. “True. But you’re in the watch, Hanna’s a registered student of magic now and I’ve got the boss to hide behind. Hans doesn’t have any protection at all.”

  “I don’t think any of us will if Gerhard starts throwing accusations of Chaos worship around again,” Rudi said. Fritz nodded.

  “Good point.” Fritz lowered his voice a little, with a furtive glance around them to make sure no one else had drifted into earshot. “Someone should warn Hans, though. Where can I find him?”

  “I haven’t a clue,” Rudi said. “The only time I’ve seen him, he found me.” Reluctant to go into details he added, “he seems quite capable of looking after himself.”

  “That’s true,” Fritz said. He shrugged. “Well, it’s a big city. Gerhard ought to be easy enough to avoid. It’s not as though he’s got any definite proof that we’re here, is it?”

  “I suppose not,” Rudi said, trying not to think of his name scrawled in the dust of the von Blackenburg mansion.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

  By the time he returned to the Winkelmarkt, hiring a boat to take him to his destination in order to save time and avoid the possibility of meeting Shenk on his way back through the Suiddock, Rudi was exhausted. The trip across the river had been unexpectedly relaxing despite the non-stop monologue of the water-coachman, who had an apparently inexhaustible fund of stories about the notable citizens of Marienburg, most of whom appeared to have been in the front of his boat at some time or other.

  “So I says ‘I don’t care if you’re Manann himself, I’m not going south of the river at this time of night,’ and he says…”

  “Thanks, this’ll do.” Rudi interrupted the torrent of words and gestured at a landing stage which looked vaguely familiar. Lulled by the rocking of the tiny craft, he yawned widely.

  “Suit yourself, governor.” The boatman pulled in smartly to the dock and watched Rudi disembark with the weary amusement of the water-dweller at the unsteady gait of the landlubber. “Fourpence to you and cheap at half the price.”

  “Keep the change.” Rudi dredged a sixpenny piece out of his purse, and the boatman smiled with the first show of genuine warmth since the young watchman had hailed the little craft.

  “Very decent of you, squire. Mind how you go.” He pushed off and Rudi climbed the steps slowly. At the top he glanced around, orientating himself, and realised with faint surprise that he’d disembarked at the landing stage Artemus had told him to make for if he got lost on his first day in Marienburg. The barracks weren’t far and his bed seemed almost infinitely attractive. It was well past noon already and he was due back on duty in a few hours. Nevertheless, moved by an impulse he couldn’t quite explain, he turned the other way, towards the Dancing Pirate.

  “Rudi.” Nikolaas looked up as he entered, a broad smile on his face. “I was beginning to think you’d forgotten us.”

  “How could I forget Marta’s cooking?” Rudi asked, feeling immediately comfortable in the familiar surroundings. “We don’t eat half so well in the barracks, I can tell you that.”

  “Well sit down and get some proper food inside you,” Marta said, bustling over to welcome him. Despite the meal he’d eaten with Fritz a couple of hours before, Rudi found the suggestion appealing. The cuisine in the Gull and Trident had been tasty enough, but hardly filling, and the substantial breakfast he’d enjoyed at the Blind Eye seemed a long time ago. He nodded gratefully. An early supper here and he would sleep all the more soundly until his shift started again, a disturbingly low number of hours from now.

  “I’ll do that.” With a thrill of quiet pride he realised he could now read the menu chalked up at the side of the bar, albeit slowly. “Lentil broth, please.”

  “The reading’s coming on then,” the landlady commented, turning to enter the kitchen.

  Rudi flushed. “I didn’t know anyone else knew about that.”

  “Hanna told me,” Marta said. “She still comes in with Kris once or twice a week.” Rudi frowned, stilling a faint flutter of jealousy. He knew the wizard had rooms over a baker’s shop in the next street, but hadn’t realised Hanna was visiting him quite so often. It was hardly surprising, though, when he came to think about it. Apart from whoever she knew at the college, himself and Fritz, she had no other friends in Marienburg. The landlady shook her head dubiously. “I can’t help wishing you’d found yourself a more respectable teacher, though.”

  “Artemus is all right,” Rudi said. “Once you get to know him.”

  “I know him a lot better than you, laddie.” She put a steaming bowl of broth on the table in front of him and sighed. “Granted, there’s no malice in him. But don’t take his word for too much, and don’t lend him money.”

  “On my pay?” Rudi asked, savouring the food. It was warming, wholesome and, if he was honest, far more to his taste than the gourmet meal he’d shared with Fritz. Marta laughed and went back to the kitchen.

  “Mind if I join you?” Sam hauled himself up onto the human-sized chair opposite and waved to Nikolaas. “Fish pie, carrots, turnips and a bowl of what he’s having on the side.”

  “Be my guest,” Rudi said.

  The halfling smiled sardonically. “I was about to say the same.” He raised his voice again. “Put his meal on my slate, will you?”

  “That’s very kind of you,” Rudi said. He caught Nikolaas’ eye as the landlord was about to turn away. “I’ll have an ale to wash it down then, too.”

  “I’m hoping you’re worth it,” Sam said. He glanced up as his meal arrived, along with the ale Rudi had ordered. After Koos had gone and he’d taken a mouthful of pie, he nodded thoughtfully. “After your trip across the bridge this morning.”

  “Word gets around,” Rudi said.

  “It has a habit of doing that.” He plied his spoon energetically for a moment. “The question is, has it got around to you?”

  “Von Eckstein’s been meeting an elf called Lamiel Silvershine,” Rudi said, coming straight to the point. “He’s a merchant of some kind, I don’t know what.”

  “He’s a smuggler,” Sam said. “And the River Watch would very much like to prove it. But that’s their problem.” He shrugged. “Good luck to them. The connections he’s got with the Lianllach clan, he’s pretty much fireproof.”

  “With who?” Rudi asked.

  “The second-biggest trading cartel in the Elfsgemeente. They’d very much like to be the biggest, and if they weren’t split into so many competing factions they’d be well on the way. Silvershine’s the mouthpiece for one that’s not too particular how they manage it. Which doesn’t explain why von Eckstein’s playing footsie with him, or why he’s been looking at old navigational charts down at the college.”

  “Maybe he’s doing it for Riemaan,” Rudi suggested.

  The halfling stopped chewing and stared at him. “Who did you say?”

  “Riemaan.” Rudi took a gulp at his ale. Something in the intensity of the
halfling’s gaze was subtly unnerving. “Any idea who that might be?”

  “I might. Why did you bring up the name?”

  “I didn’t,” Rudi said. “It was just that Fritz mentioned he’d heard it during one of the meetings with Silvershine.”

  “That makes sense,” Sam said, nodding thoughtfully. He must have noticed Rudi’s perplexity, because he smiled then. “Riemaan was an Imperial speculator, about fifty years ago, who thought it would be a good idea to bypass Marienburg and trade directly with Lustria and Cathay. He persuaded a lot of wealthy people to develop a couple of ports in Ostland and Nordland.”

  “What happened?” Rudi asked. Marienburg was still the gateway to the Empire, so presumably the scheme had failed.

  “We outspent him,” Sam said. “Offered the traders better deals than he could match, even though every single one of them made a loss. Marienburg’s pockets are deep. He went bust, the ports he built are now derelict and life here went back to normal.”

  “So von Eckstein’s planning to revive them,” Rudi said.

  Sam nodded. “Maybe. What really sunk Riemaan was that the elves stayed with us, and they’ve got the Lustrian trade pretty much sewn up. Even now, the humans just get the leftovers the clans can’t be bothered with. If he can persuade one of the Lianllach factions to start dealing directly with the Empire, things could work out very differently next time.”

  “I’m sure you’ll find a way to deal with it,” Rudi said. “I hear you’re very resourceful.”

  “You hear right,” Sam acknowledged, pushing his plate aside. “Which is how come I can help with your problem too.”

  “I’m glad to hear it.” Rudi drank again, afraid to get his hopes up too much. Good as Sam’s contacts were supposed to be, he doubted that the halfling would have been able to track Magnus down this quickly. Sam nodded, accepting the implied compliment.

  “Cornelius van Crackenmeer. He’s a lawyer, represents von Blackenburg’s interests while he’s out of town. If anyone knows where your boy is, it’ll be him.”

  “I see.” Rudi nodded his thanks. “Where do I find him?”

  Sam grinned. “About this time of day? With a streetwalker, probably. Your best bet’s his office. Halfway along the Deedsalee in the Tempelwijk. Know it?”

  “Yes.” Rudi nodded. The narrow thoroughfare was only a couple of streets away from the Scrivener’s guildhall and he’d passed it several times on his way to visit Artemus. Sam nodded.

  “Good.” He slipped to the floor, his head just visible beyond the table. “See you around.”

  “Maybe,” Rudi said, his head spinning with fatigue and confusion. He couldn’t deny though that the halfling had given him the best lead he’d had so far. He stood abruptly, on the verge of heading over to the Tempelwijk on the spot, then paused, common sense reasserting itself. He was in no condition to go after the lawyer now, and even if he was he would never make it over to the far side of the city and back before his shift began. He shoved the fly-cloud of buzzing questions resolutely to the back of his mind, waved goodbye to the landlord and his wife and headed out into the street.

  The way back to the barracks took him past the bakery where Kris lived, and as he turned the corner of the street he caught a glimpse of blonde hair in the distance. Though he dismissed it as a coincidence, he couldn’t help increasing his pace a little, and as he neared the shop the milling crowd parted enough for him to realise he’d been right after all. It was Hanna, the blue scarf over her forehead as usual, her arm linked through Kris’. He was still too far away to call out a greeting by the time they reached the side door leading to the wizard’s apartment and Kris turned aside for a moment to unlock it.

  As the mage turned back Hanna moved to face him and they kissed, with an easy intimacy which made it clear it was far from the first time. Rudi stopped moving, a hammer blow of mixed emotions stilling him dead in his tracks.

  “Mind out the way,” someone said irritably, barging into his back and starting him moving again. Snapping out of his momentary stupor, Rudi looked at the bakery again, but the door was already closing. Unsure what to think, afraid of what he might feel, he hurried back to the barracks without a backward glance and sought the refuge of his bed. Exhausted as he was, though, he still took a long time to get to sleep.

  The night shift was uncharacteristically quiet, which Rudi was grateful for. Word of the previous night’s raid in the Kleinmoot had evidently got around and most of the petty criminals in the ward were keeping a low profile. He and Gerrit had little more to do than round up their usual quota of drunks, and he wasn’t too inconvenienced by the lack of sleep, which he would otherwise have felt far more keenly.

  “Thank Verena for small mercies,” Gerrit said, as they booked out at the end of the shift. He glanced curiously at Rudi. “Planning to get any sleep today, or are you hoping to keep going entirely on that Lustrian muck?”

  “Sleep,” Rudi replied, yawning loudly.

  Gerrit grinned. “Me too. But breakfast first.” He turned the corner of the street leading back to the watch barracks. “I’m not sorry to be rotating today, I can tell you.” Rudi nodded. They were switching to the morning shift the next day, which meant for the next couple of weeks the nights would be just for sleeping again. This afternoon he was due to meet Artemus and, with a tingle of excitement at the thought, he realised he could swing by the Deedsalee on the way and talk to van Crackenmeer. By this evening, with any luck, he would have found Magnus.

  Lost in thought, it took him a moment to realise that someone was calling his name.

  “Rudi!” Hanna was waving to him across the street, her other arm linked with Kris’ again. He forced a smile to his face and waved back.

  “You’re up early.” It was a long walk here from the Tempelwijk. She must have set out before dawn.

  Hanna flushed slightly. “I could say the same.”

  “I’ve been on duty.” Despite himself, a yawn escaped him and the girl nodded sympathetically.

  “You must be all in.” She glanced at Kris for confirmation before continuing. “We’re just on our way to the Pirate for some breakfast. Care to join us?” Something in her manner seemed oddly defensive and he couldn’t help noticing a faint flicker of relief in her eyes as he shook his head.

  “Thanks, but I’m dead on my feet. I’m just heading back to the barracks for some sleep.”

  “See you later, then,” Kris said, seeming oddly relieved as well.

  “We’ll be at the college all day. This is your afternoon for visiting Artemus, isn’t it?”

  “Yes.” Rudi nodded in response, then hesitated. “I’ve got something else to do as well though. I’m not sure when I’ll be free.”

  “Well, suit yourself,” Kris said, and after a few more reflexive pleasantries he and Hanna moved away in the direction of the inn.

  “Are you all right?” Gerrit asked, gazing at Rudi curiously. Rudi nodded and resumed his march back to the barracks.

  “Of course I am,” he replied shortly, although part of him wondered if that was entirely true.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

  Rudi slept until shortly after noon, then breakfasted in the mess hall feeling fully restored. To his relief, Gerrit had already woken and left the premises, so he was able to eat without having to deflect any well-meaning questions about his errand that afternoon, or about his relationship with Hanna. The latter topic was something he didn’t want to think about too much. The feelings stirred up in him by her apparent closeness to the young mage were too raw and confusing to contemplate, and he took refuge in anticipation of finally coming within reach of getting the answers he so desperately wanted to the questions which continued to torment him. Assuming the lawyer really knew where Magnus was, of course, and could be persuaded to tell him. In a fever of impatience he pushed his empty plate away and stood abruptly—there was only one way to find out.

  The streets outside were as crowded as ever and the wind from the Manannspoort sea even k
eener than before. He shivered, resolving to buy some warmer clothing before the autumn advanced much further. As a compromise, he stopped at a market stall for a woollen cap, which kept his head warmer than his uniform hat. The Black Cap of his calling disappeared once again inside his shirt.

  Impelled partly by his impatience to get the answers he sought, and partly by the need to stay warm, Rudi kept up a brisk pace, passing through the shabby gentility of the Oudgeldwijk almost without noticing. As he entered the precincts of the Tempelwijk, the great bell in the temple of Manann tolled the hour and he slowed down, becoming fully aware of his surroundings again for the first time since leaving the barracks. He was far too early for his appointment with Artemus. So much the better. He turned aside from his usual course and wandered down the Deedsalee, a diffuse sense of anticipation fluttering in the pit of his stomach.

  The narrow passageway was lined with lawyers’ offices and an air of self-importance hung about most of the passers-by. Many wore black gowns and almost all of them carried document cases. Rudi stared at the plethora of signs lining the narrow alleyway, all depicting symbols of Verena, and wondered for a moment how he could possibly find the right one. Once again, his new-found literacy came to his rescue, and he discovered on closer inspection that the names of the lawyers appeared to be written by the doors of their premises. A few of the more prosperous ones had theirs engraved on brass plates screwed to the walls, while the majority were simply painted there in ornate, flowing script which he found hard to puzzle out. Nevertheless he persevered, despite the curious glances he attracted as he laboriously decoded the more lavish renderings, eventually discovering the name he sought about halfway along as Sam had promised. Cornelius van Crackenmeer, Attorney at Law.

  He paused in front of the offices, suddenly unsure of what he was going to say, then dismissed his doubts with a surge of resolve. He had no doubt that Magnus would be delighted to see him and that he could convince the lawyer of that without too much difficulty.