The Boatman lifted his chin as he considered what he knew, then turned back to Amri with his golden grin. “I can get you into Esper, but the King-Regent has increased security, so it won’t be cheap.”
“I came from Verta, I don’t have much to give.” Amri answered, all too aware of the Browen’s dwindling supply of coins.
“Too true.” The Boatman crossed his arms behind his back. “But you survived that wretched city, so you must have some skills. I have a job that needs to be done, if you pull it off successfully, then you can be in Esper tonight.”
Amri looked to Buris, hoping to gain some insights from his expression but his face was oddly neutral. “What’s the job?” She asked.
“The crown has been trying to put an end to my underground empire, and their latest attempt at this has been to send one of their precious Demon Commanders.”
Amri resisted the new instinct to cringe at the slur and waited for the Boatman to continue.
“I wasn’t worried at first, we’ve had Demons nesting in our city since that Queen took it for herself, but this Demon has become quite the thorn in my side. He’s cleared out two of my warehouses since arriving and arrested much of my pickpocket network. He also seems immune to bribery and so, as I see it, we have only one solution remaining. You need to kill him.”
Amri froze at the assignment. She was a thief, not an assassin.
“I can give you all of the information I have acquired on him. Then once you’ve murdered him, in whatever way you’re most comfortable with, I will provide you with safe passage into Esper. After I get confirmation of course.”
Amri turned to Browen and they shared a wide-eyed expression of concern.
“Are we in agreement?” The Boatman asked as he held out his hand to her.
Her gaze locked onto the many rings that decorated the Boatman’s hands. She was not a murderer, the one death that was on her hands had been in self-defense, more than a month ago when she had saved Miri in Verta. Even during the conflicts at Snow’s End, she had never killed anyone, only hurt them enough so that she and her friends could get away.
She felt the colour leech from her skin, but knew that no matter what decision was made, their passage into Esper would come at a heavy cost. Certainly, the Na’tyr Commander was far from innocent. She tried to remember Commander Illian and his wicked smile. She would be killing someone like him, not like Ralis or Raigh. She also thought of Miri, perhaps she could do the deed. She didn’t seem to share the same remorse that Amri had felt upon the Na’tyr’s death, but that was before.
Amri matched the Boatman’s gaze with determination. “We have three more friends that need to cross with us, no questions asked.”
The Boatman’s eyebrow perked at the comment and he considered for a moment. “Make sure that the Demon’s death is clean and cannot be traced to me, then we have a deal.”
Amri nodded and took the Boatman’s hand in hers.
“They call him Commander Atton and he lives in the Gold District. I’m sure your old friend Buris the Rat can show you.”
Buris nodded emphatically.
“Good.” The Boatman resumed his seat in the pile of pillows. “He usually returns to his home around 5pm, and he leaves for barracks just after dawn, around 5am. I imagine, attacking him at his home will be the easiest for you, but if you like a challenge, Buris can show you to the Sword District.”
“Anything else?” Amri asked as the Boatman was distracted by the naked woman feeding him slices of apple.
“No.” The Boatman waved her away, clearly bored by her presence. “Return once the deed is done.”
The festivities began again, as if the pair had never interrupted them. Music played and nude forms returned to their dancing while their spectators resumed their food and drink. Buris the Rat whispered something to the naked ladies on his arms to make them disperse, and he moved to join Amri and Browen.
“Let’s be quick about this ugly business shall we.” He whispered as he led them back the way they came.
As they made for the exit Amri’s eyes were drawn towards an Elven woman who had not returned to the revelry. She had ashen white skin, blacker than night hair and eyes that matched. In a strange way she reminded Amri of Ezra but colder. Her hair had been tied back into a tight bun and she wore skintight black wrappings that would make slipping into the shadows easy work. Strapped to her back was a long sword whose hilt was made of smooth obsidian. The shadows seemed to coil around her body, pulling her towards the darkness of the room.
She was like a statue, she didn’t even blink as they stared at one another. Amri felt nervous as she walked past the woman and could feel her eyes follow Amri out of the room. Even as the door closed behind her, blocking out the light and sound from the main room, Amri felt as if the woman’s eyes were still locked on her.
Chapter Eighteen
Browen
The pair followed Buris the Rat out of the Boatman’s den of pleasures and returned to the alleyway above. The rain had temporarily stopped but everything was still drenched from the downpour. The rain had cooled the summer air and Buris popped the collar of his thick coat to warm his neck as he continued towards the alley’s exit.
Browen fiddled with his signet ring as they followed. The whole experience was surreal, and it had been a challenge to keep his mouth shut, especially as the Boatman’s eyes lingered upon Amri. He wondered how normal the interaction was and if Verta had its own lord of thieves. He wanted to know, not for the first time, what exactly Amri’s life had been like growing up in that world. His heart ached as he wished that she had taken up his offer from years ago, to live in the comfort and safety of his family home rather than that twisted world in the basement.
She had agreed to murder someone. Sure, he was a Commander for the Queen, but it was still murder and his head spun at the idea. Since joining Miri and her cause he had killed a couple of soldiers, but that was always in self-defense, it was them or him. This was different. It bothered him that she had barely hesitated. Sure, they needed to get into Esper, but there were other ways. Even if this Commander Atton was an evil man who did terrible things, Browen knew that he could not be the one to kill him. Not unless they were on an even footing, a battle to the death, that was the only way he could do such a deed. He wasn’t even sure if he could allow someone else to do it either, it simply felt wrong.
“You’re a long way from home Amri.” Buris the Rat finally spoke once they left the alleyway behind, he stopped and looked hard at her. “You disappeared during the raid; I thought the worst.”
“I got out.” She answered coldly, then looked up with a fearful knot in her brow. “How bad was it?”
“Bad.” His voice was just as icy. “Anyone who didn’t get out was killed or captured. And those poor fools who were captured were publicly hanged. I bet the streets still smell like the dead.”
“You got out.” She replied pointedly.
“Got lucky, like you I guess.” He shrugged.
Amri looked down and heaved a heavy sigh before asking. “Do you know what happened to Kirra and the others?”
Buris shook his head. “Didn’t see them hanging from a lamp post, so that’s something.”
Browen looked down the street and was glad to see Miri, Ezra and Ralis still safe under the awning. They watched curiously, not sure if they should join or keep back.
“Who’s your friend?” Buris asked, drawing Browen’s attention back to the conversation around him.
“A friend, what does it matter?” Amri snapped.
“It don’t.” Buris smirked. “Told you learning the old Thieves Cant would be useful.”
“Yeah, thanks.” Amri crossed her arms. “And thanks for calling me Mouse back there.”
“Eh, I figured why not. We go way back, honor among thieves and all that.” Then Buris sighed and ran his fingers thro
ugh what was left of his hair. “You really gotta get into Esper that bad?”
Amri nodded.
“The Boatman isn’t the only one with connections round here.” Buris looked cautiously up and down the street. “You still have those daggers I see.”
Amri rested her hands on their hilts protectively and scowled at him. “You can’t have them Buris.”
“You’d rather try and kill a Demon then sell me your daggers?” He shook his head.
“You can get us into Esper?” Browen asked, his voice muffled from the facemask.
“He speaks!” Buris laughed. “Yeah I can get you there, but like the Boatman said, it ain’t easy, therefore it ain’t cheap.”
“I have some money.” Browen pulled out his coin bag and opened it to show Buris the contents. “Would this be enough?”
“My, my, you are a well-spoken young man. That’s a start, but I’d need something more.”
Browen noticed the man eyeing up his signet ring with a greedy eye. Like Amri, it was one of the few pieces of his family, or his old life, that he had left. He remembered the day his father gave it to him; he had felt like a proper member of the household and was so proud that he showed it to everyone. Since then it had been resized several times to keep up with him growing.
He saw Amri out of the corner of his eye and imagined her murdering someone in cold blood, the thought made him sick. He couldn’t let her go through with it. He had followed her into that den of thieves to protect her, if it cost him his family signet ring, then it would be worth it.
He pulled off his ring and presented it to Buris. “This too? It’s genuine gold and silver, the stone is lapis lazuli.”
“He’s just trying to scam you Bro… Brown Bear.” Amri only barely caught herself from calling him by his real name. “Buris just show us where this Commander lives, so we can get this over with.”
Buris the Rat did not seem interested in anything that Amri was saying anymore as he inspected the ring with rapacious eyes. “The ring and the gold, then I’ll get you across the river.”
Amri grabbed Browen’s arm roughly as he opened his mouth to speak. “No deal Buris. They don’t call you the Rat for nothing.”
“You don’t think I can do it?” Buris asked feigning offense. “Give me an hour to get my setup ready, then I’ll show you how I’ll get you across. You can pay me the gold now and the ring on the other side once you’re safe.”
Browen tried to speak again but Amri quickly cut him off before he could agree. “We don’t pay you until after we’re in Esper.”
“Fine.” Buris smiled and held out his hand.
Amri shook it, her mouth a thin line of doubt. “Show us where the Commander lives first, then you can go get your setup ready.”
“You really have such little faith in your old friend?” Buris put a hand over his chest although his face displayed amusement.
“We were never friends, Buris.” Amri replied with a hiss.
He shrugged. “And you really think that the Boatman won’t try to screw with you the second he can? Things are different outside of Verta Amri, there ain’t no helping each other without some sort of profit here.”
“You’re a bigger idiot than I thought, if you think that I trust either of you.” Amri rolled her eyes at him.
Buris laughed. “Good, it’s better to not trust anyone rather than trust the wrong people. Will your little friends be joining us, or are they going to continue pretending that they don’t know you?” Buris gestured to Ezra, Miri and Ralis with a sneer.
Amri sighed and waved the others over. “I trust you’ll be at least somewhat discreet about this?”
“Like I said before, we go way back. Your secret is safe with me.”
Buris the Rat escorted the five of them through the city and towards the Gold District while Amri and Browen explained what the plan was to the others. Ralis seemed to be the only one who shared Browen’s concerns about killing someone just for passage into Esper. Ezra seemed to think it was a fair transaction, and Miri seemed to share no reservations for killing servants of the Queen. All the while, Buris insisted that he was the better option, and Browen was inclined to agree, despite the man’s nickname.
The Gold District was aptly named. The very air felt more expensive as they found themselves surrounded by massive white buildings with gold trim and beautifully sculpted wrought iron fences around well-maintained yards. It reminded Browen of his home, the Castle District of Verta where the nobles and loyalists lived. Everyone here was well-dressed and walked without a care between destinations. If there was any of the Boatman’s corruption here, it was invisible to Browen’s untrained eyes. Not only did the District house the elite of the Madarian side of Endar but it also housed the cultural district. They passed a gallery that made Browen pause in curiosity and they could hear the echoes of some grand play escape a golden theater further down the street. Small shops that sold things too expensive for the common person were nestled between more cultural buildings.
They turned down another street and found themselves walking along the riverfront. Unlike the city south of the bridge, these docks only had private boats and were connected to the largest of the Gold Districts homes. It was here that Buris paused, looking very uncomfortable surrounded by so much splendor.
“This is it.” Buris stuffed his hands into his pockets. “Shouldn’t linger long, some of these nobles have soldiers in their pockets if you know what I mean.”
The house looked empty; no light flickered through any of the windows. The iron fence that surrounded the home was tall with sharpened spikes at the top. Browen wondered how they would get in, if this was the course they decided to follow.
“You have a few hours before that Demon’s expected back here. I’ll get my things ready and can meet you under the bridge in an hour from now. You can get there through the sewers. If you don’t like what you see you should still have time to do the thing for the Boatman. Sound good?” Buris looked between each of them as the question hung in the air.
Finally, Amri responded with a sigh. “We’ll meet you under the bridge in an hour. If we don’t like what we see we’re leaving though. And you don’t get paid until we’re in Esper.”
“Make sure you take the sewers.” Buris noted as he turned to leave. “You won’t be seen that way.”
“Sewers.” Ezra grumbled in disgust once Buris was far enough away for them to talk without being heard.
“We should find somewhere more subtle to plan.” Amri looked nervously over her shoulder.
“There was a park back there.” Browen suggested.
“Yes, I would be more comfortable among trees and grass than these cold stones.” Miri said as she pulled her hood tight against her unruly red hair.
Together they hurried down the street and found the small park that Browen had spotted earlier. It was small and seemed out of place, squished between the towering manor houses on either side of it. Browen wished that Verta had such pockets but even the massive yard he had enjoyed growing up with was nothing more than dust and dead trees. Nothing grew near Verta, not since the Chaos Gate opened.
The park was mostly soft green grass with a single dirt path that wound towards the small beach at the waterfront. Several trees, bushes and patches of flowers had been aesthetically placed along the path and around the narrow space of the park. Deeper in a couple sat on a bench and seemed thoroughly distracted with each other’s presence. They did not notice the five strangers slip into the park and gather behind one of the larger trees.
“Can we trust either of these men’s promises?” Miri asked, somewhat more relaxed around the plant life.
“No.” Amri answered flatly. “But if we don’t want to be spotted going into Esper then we need to do something.”
“I would rather not have to kill someone.” Ralis withdrew into his cloak. “Not if we don�
��t have to.”
“I agree.” Browen nodded, finally pulling the facemask down. “All Buris wants is my ring and the last of my gold, that seems more than reasonable.”
“Browen, did he look at your ring?” Ezra asked, her expression dark.
“Yes.” He answered with a grimace as he realized what she was thinking.
“And Amri he knows your name.” She continued with a concerned shake of her head.
Amri nodded in confirmation. “He said he would keep my secret. He may be a rat, but he is an honorable rat.”
“How do you know that?” Ezra questioned. “He knows your name, saw Browen’s ring and there are five of us travelling together. If he’s seen any of those wanted posters, we can’t trust him.”
Amri considered the implication. “We don’t need to trust him. We can follow through with the Boatman’s task instead.”
“And you’re sure he didn’t figure out who you were?” Ezra challenged.
Amri shook her head. “I don’t think so… but there was this one Elf woman. I don’t know what it was but… it’s probably nothing.”
“There was an Elf woman?” Miri tilted her head curiously.
“There were a few Elves, but this one was different. Not like any of the Elves I met in your clan.” Amri answered.
“How so?” Miri pushed.
Amri shook her head. “It… it was more of a feeling, I guess. I don’t know.”
“So, what is our plan then?” Ezra redirected the conversation, arms crossed.
“Let’s go back to the Commander’s house and find a way in. I think working for the Boatman is the safest option right now.” Amri answered.
“Wouldn’t it be safer to work for someone you know? Even if his motives are uncertain.” Browen asked, determined to not let Amri commit such a vile deed.
“Browen you saw how much money the Queen is asking for each of us.” Amri shook her head. “You don’t understand. That kind of money would change a normal person’s life.”
Sunken Wind Page 18