“I don’t think the letter of the law concerns him all that much,” Hanna said. She shook her head dejectedly. “And being licensed isn’t going to help much if he cries Chaos on us again.”
“He’ll have to prove it,” Rudi said stoutly, “in the temple courts.” Sergeant Rijgen had been called on to give evidence in the trial of a mage accused of necromancy a few weeks before and had held forth on the legal arguments involved at great length in the taproom of the Blind Eye afterwards. “If he tries that they’ll throw the case straight out again for lack of evidence.”
“If I can’t get this thing off soon, it’s all academic anyway,” Hanna said. Gerhard’s talisman continued to defy every attempt to remove or nullify it, and the faculty of the college was beginning to run out of ideas. She shrugged. “So I can’t run anyway. Besides, how would we get out of town?”
“I’ve an idea about that,” Rudi said.
Finding Shenk again wasn’t the most difficult thing to do. After leaving Hanna, with a few brief words of encouragement which completely failed to hide the concern he was feeling for her welfare, Rudi headed back to the barracks the long way round, through the Suiddock. This time the Draainbrug was open to traffic, so he was able to make his way north to Luydenhoek without hindrance.
Once there, it had simply been a matter of asking a few passers-by for directions to the Candle Wharf, where the Reikmaiden was still tied to the dock, surrounded by other riverboats which looked almost identical to Rudi. The boat he sought was easy enough to pick out, though—having left her in midstream, she would be hard to forget. And if he’d needed any further prompting, her name was emblazoned on her prow in neat, white letters.
Only one man was on the deck as Rudi approached, lounging against the rail with the unmistakable air of bored resentment peculiar to those left on watch while their friends enjoyed themselves ashore. He squinted through the gathering dusk as the young watchman approached the gangplank and sauntered across the deck to meet him.
“Rudi.” He nodded affably enough and stood aside to let him board, clearly unsurprised to see him. After a moment Rudi recalled the man’s name.
“Evening, Pieter.” The deckhand had been welcoming enough the last time he’d been on the boat, showing him the duties he’d been assigned in return for passage, until Shenk’s treachery had forced him and Hanna into fleeing again. Pieter brushed his brown fringe out of his eyes.
“Thought you might turn up before too long.” He shrugged. “You’ll be looking for the skipper, then.”
“That’s right,” Rudi confirmed.
“Try the Mermaid. I don’t know how pleased he’ll be to see you, but a lot happier than the last time, I’m sure.” Evidently the whole crew knew something of the circumstances of their captain’s foray into the Kleinmoot and his encounter there with Rudi. The deckhand looked at him sharply. “Unless you’re putting your hat back on, I suppose.”
“Wrong ward,” Rudi assured him. “Whatever he’s up to in Suiddock is no concern of mine.”
“Glad to hear it.” Pieter smiled, his reserve melting a little. “And I’m glad you didn’t drown. I hope your friend made it too.”
“She did,” Rudi said, and the deckhand nodded.
“Good. I liked her.”
“Pleased to hear it.” Rudi exchanged a few more pleasantries and set out in search of the Mermaid.
The tavern was identical to innumerable others around the city, being noisy, cramped and full of people. Most of them appeared to be riverboat crew, the sailors of ocean-going craft preferring to frequent the bars fronting the deep water docks, and most of the exceptions seemed to be there to part them from their money. Shenk was seated towards the back of the room, talking earnestly to a well-dressed halfling, who nodded in satisfaction at something the captain said and turned to go. As Shenk’s gaze followed his erstwhile companion towards the door, it fell on Rudi and he gave a small start of recognition.
Rudi smiled in return, bought two tankards of ale and made his way over to the table.
“Very kind of you,” Shenk said, a wary edge to his voice as he took the drink. “I must admit I hadn’t expected to see you again quite so soon.”
“Nor I, you,” Rudi said, sipping from his own mug. It was thin, sour stuff, but at least it was cheap. The gods alone knew what Bodun would have made of it. “But something’s come up. I might need that favour before long.”
“I see.” Shenk looked a little concerned. “This wouldn’t have anything to do with whatever your problem was when we met on the river, would it?”
“Not really,” Rudi assured him. “I may need to see some people in Altdorf before long, that’s all.”
“Well, you can always rely on the Reikmaiden to get you there,” Shenk assured him. “We’ll be back here in about a month, if you’ll be ready to go by then.”
“I see.” Rudi nodded, slowly. “And if my business turns out to be a little more urgent than that?”
“You could always go by coach,” Shenk suggested, with a tone which made it clear which alternative he’d prefer Rudi to take. “The roads should still be passable for another few weeks. Even longer if the rains hold off.”
“So you’re leaving soon?” Rudi asked casually.
“Dawn tomorrow.” He shot Rudi a narrow look. “I don’t suppose you’ll be ready to leave by then?”
“I doubt it.” Hanna certainly wouldn’t. Right now, it seemed, her life depended on remaining in the city and the hope that the mages at the college would somehow find a way to remove the talisman. Rudi sipped his ale, trying to mask his disappointment. The escape route he’d hoped to find here appeared to be closed after all, or at least unavailable for the time being. On the other hand, he supposed, the delay would give him another month to try and find Magnus. He couldn’t leave Marienburg now, not while some hope remained of finding his friend here, especially since the horned sorceress and Hans would undoubtedly kill the merchant if they discovered him first. He rose to his feet. “See you in a month, then. Maybe.”
“Maybe.” Shenk’s tone made it clear he hoped he wouldn’t. After a moment, curiosity won out over his reticence. “That night on the river. What were you running from, anyway?”
“A misunderstanding,” Rudi said shortly. He’d taken it for granted that the riverboat captain had been unaware of Gerhard’s accusations of heresy, otherwise he would have been a great deal more reluctant to deal with him. Shenk nodded wisely.
“Had a few of those myself,” he said.
“I don’t doubt it,” Rudi replied. Pieter had told him the first time they met that the captain would do whatever it took to keep his boat in work, and judging by his apparent involvement in a smuggling ring the deckhand hadn’t been exaggerating. Despite the disappointment he felt, he grinned. “Like taking a room in the wrong boarding house.”
“It seemed like a good idea at the time,” Shenk said. “Thanks for the drink.”
Lost in thought, Rudi began the long walk back to the Winkelmarkt. The sun was going down now, the first torches beginning to flare and the street traders starting to dismantle their stalls. As he left the warmth of the tavern, he shivered in the sudden cold. The air was bitter tonight and the scent of frost hovered in it.
His options were beginning to look limited. He had one further clue to Magnus’ whereabouts, the mysterious address in the Doodkanal, and if that turned out to be a dead end too he was out of leads. He doubted that Sam would help him again. He’d already provided the halfling with the information he needed and he had nothing else to trade. And the longer he remained in the city, the more likely it was that Gerhard and the mercenaries would find some way of tracking him down.
He adjusted his new woollen hat with fingers beginning to tingle from the cold. Had it not been for the sudden impulse which had made him purchase it that afternoon, his watchman’s cap would have betrayed his new profession in an instant and the witch hunter would have been able to find him easily.
As it was, he still had the ad
vantage of anonymity, and at least Gerhard and his cronies would now be concentrating their efforts in the Tempelwijk, on the far side of the city.
Hanna! He’d all but led the witch hunter to her door. Well there was nothing he could do about that now, he’d just have to hope that the college protected her. They should do. Once again he reminded himself that the law was on their side and that anyone claiming to act in the name of Sigmar would be less than popular in Marienburg. No doubt that was why Gerhard had continued to employ the bounty hunters; as any official help he could expect would be grudging at best.
“Walder.” A hand fell on his shoulder. Without thinking, he reached for his sword and turned, already grasping the hilt. Rauke took a step back, reaching for her own weapon, a flicker of concern visible in the brown eyes below the floppy brim of her uniform cap. “Woah, steady boy.” She grinned as he relaxed. “Good reflexes, I’ll give you that.”
“Sorry.” Rudi smiled sheepishly. “I was miles away.”
“Bad idea around here,” the Cap said, smiling. “Unless you want to lose your purse.” She glared at a couple of locals, who slunk into the shadows under her scrutiny. “Not that they’d get anywhere with you,” she added.
“I hope not.” Rudi nodded. “I lost it once before, on my first night in town.” Rauke lifted an eyebrow in polite enquiry, her expression disbelieving. “Long story. I got it back, got in a fight, got a job in the watch.”
“I’d like to hear it,” Rauke said. She smiled at him. “If you’ve got time, there’s a place round the corner I like. The owner’s Cathayan, does these little white tube things. Bit like Tilean spaghetti, but spicier.” Rudi had never heard of spaghetti, but the mention of food reminded him it had been a long time since he last ate.
“Sounds interesting,” he said. “When do you book out?”
“Just did,” Rauke said cheerfully, removing her hat. A cascade of glossy brown curls descended around her shoulders. “I was just on my way home when I saw you.” A quizzical expression crossed her face. “So what are you doing on my patch, anyway?”
“Just having a bon voyage drink with someone I know who works on a riverboat,” Rudi said.
“Bet he’s got some stories. Some of them go right up the river as far as Kislev, you know.”
“I’ll ask him the next time I see him,” Rudi said, following the young woman through the congested streets.
The Cathayan food, although strange, was plentiful, and accompanied by small bowls of some herbal infusion similar to the ones Hanna made, which Rauke called tea. To his surprise, he found that in spite of the turmoil of questions which continued to seethe in the back of his mind, and the apprehension induced by the knowledge that Gerhard was scouring the city for him, he felt relaxed in her company in a way he’d never experienced before. It was some time before they parted, with a promise to meet again later in the week, and despite the other matters which continued to weigh on his mind, Rudi returned to the Winkelmarkt with a smile on his face. That lasted until he reached the gate of the barracks.
“Walder.” Sam Warble detached himself from the surrounding shadows and shivered. “You’re lucky, kid. I was only going to give it another few minutes before I gave up on you.”
“What do you want?” Rudi asked.
“Same as everyone, I guess. A warm fire, six decent meals a day and the love of a good woman. Failing that, money. How about you?”
“A straight answer,” Rudi shot back. “What are you doing here?”
“Waiting for you.” Sam paused just long enough to make the point that his answer had been straight, though singularly uninformative, before continuing. “I’ve got a message from Kris. His girlfriend’s in trouble.”
“What kind of trouble?” After a moment Rudi realised the halfling was talking about Hanna. The sudden rush of concern was so strong it displaced all other emotions, even the pang of hearing her referred to like that.
“She’s been arrested. The watch are holding her for attempted murder.” He turned and melted into the shadows again. “Just thought you’d like to know.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
As soon as the halfling had disappeared, Rudi hurried back to his room. Events were moving too fast for his liking and it seemed they might have to take passage on the Reikmaiden sooner than he’d expected. He put his meagre possessions into his pack with a twinge of regret: he was beginning to enjoy the life he’d made for himself and would happily have remained in Marienburg indefinitely had things turned out differently.
Well, perhaps it wouldn’t come to that, but after having fled from Kohlstadt with virtually nothing, he wasn’t going to take any chances. He could always put the stuff back later if things worked out for the best. Last of all, he slung the bow and the quiver of arrows across his back.
“Rudi?” Gerrit stared at him curiously as he stepped out into the corridor. “Where are you going?”
“To see a friend,” Rudi replied, as casually as he could.
“Anyone I know?” Gerrit asked, clearly unconvinced. Rudi forced his features into a conspiratorial smile.
“One of the Caps from Suiddock. Rauke van Stolke. I met her the other day when I took that message across the water for the captain and I promised her an archery lesson.” He flushed, certain his friend would detect the lie, but Gerrit merely grinned at him, obviously mistaking his unease for embarrassment.
“The brunette with the freckles?” Gerrit nudged him in the ribs. “You’re a dark horse, aren’t you? I thought you were keen on that Anna whatsername.”
“I might be gone for some time,” Rudi said, deflecting the conversation as best he could.
Gerrit’s grin widened. “I should hope so,” he said.
Rudi left the barracks as quickly as he could, then hesitated, wondering which way to turn. He didn’t even know which ward Hanna had been arrested in, and cursed himself for not asking Sam for more details while he’d had the chance.
He couldn’t act without more information, and there was only one place he was likely to get it. Hurrying as best he could without attracting unwelcome attention, his breath misting visibly around his head, he made for the bakery and Kris’ rooms above it.
“Damn.” The apartment was dark when he got there, the windows shuttered, but he knocked anyway, feeling a curious sense of déjà vu. It was only as the echoes faded that the association fell into place and he recalled knocking on the door of van Crackenmeer’s office that afternoon. So much seemed to have happened in the interim that it seemed like an eternity ago, rather than a few short hours. He turned away, wondering where else the mage might have gone, and the answer came to him almost at once: the Dancing Pirate.
His guess turned out to be right. Kris was sitting at a table near the door and looked up as he entered, an expression of relief passing across his chubby features as he registered Rudi’s presence.
“Thank Shallya you’re here,” he said. Rudi nodded, joining him at the table. The inn was relatively empty at this hour of the evening, but he kept his voice low in any case.
“I got your message,” he replied, and then another thought struck him. “I didn’t think Sam was in the business of doing people favours.”
“Not as a rule,” Kris said. “But he has his soft spots. One of them’s for young women in trouble.” He shrugged. “Besides, I’ve done some work for him from time to time and he might want me to do some more. Why spend money when a sense of obligation’s so much cheaper?”
“Work like gimmicking the cards at Tilman’s, for instance?” Rudi asked.
“That sort of thing,” he agreed. “But right now we need to think about Hanna.”
“Right.” Rudi nodded his agreement. “What happened, exactly? Who did she try to kill?”
“Me,” Marta said heavily, dropping into a seat between them. “At least that’s what they’re saying.” Her voice was strained, her face redder than usual, and Rudi suspected she’d been crying. “It’s not fair! She was only trying to help!”
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“What happened, exactly?” Rudi asked. The landlady sniffed, wiped her eyes on her apron, and took a gulp of her nephew’s drink to steady her nerves. Kris didn’t seem to object.
“I just told her about my back. It’s not been right for years now, you know…” Kris nodded sympathetically, clearly having heard the details many times before. “All that heavy lifting I suppose. Anyway, she gave me some ointment for it.”
“That’s not a crime, is it?” Kris asked hotly.
Rudi felt his stomach sink. “Technically it is,” he said. “She’s not a member of the healers’ or physicians’ guilds. Who did you tell?”
“No one.” Marta stared at him indignantly. “Well, hardly anyone. Mrs. Angsteen over at the laundry’s been a martyr to haemorrhoids for years now and her niece, lovely young thing, always so cheerful, she’s had this rash on and off for ages. The apothecaries are all so expensive and Hanna said she’d be happy to help…” She trailed off, taking in Rudi’s expression of horrified understanding.
“In other words she’s been prescribing remedies without a licence,” he said heavily.
“It’s not as if she took any money for it,” he said. “You know what she’s like, she just wanted to help people.”
“And the remedies worked,” Marta added. “Everyone who took something got better!”
“That doesn’t make any difference,” Rudi explained gently. “The law classifies unlicensed prescribing as attempted murder. It’s stupid and unfair, but it’s what the statute says.” He shook his head. Originally it had been intended to protect the citizens from mountebanks peddling patent medicines which could have been actively harmful, at least in theory, but in practice the law seemed to exist purely to protect the lucrative monopoly of the physicians’ and healers’ guilds. “If it comes to court there’s no doubt she’ll be convicted.”
“Oh the poor lamb!” Marta dabbed at her eyes again. “Whatever will become of her?”
“Depending on the judge, between five and twenty years on Rijker’s,” Rudi said bleakly.
[Blood on the Reik 02] - Death's City Page 27