The Lure of Fools

by Jason James King

  Ezra cut him off. “We’re sure.”

  “How about when you’re finished with business you and– ”

  “Quite sure,” Ezra repeated in a polite but firm tone.

  Varin shrugged and said, “Suit yourself,” before finding another target and moving off to introduce herself with the same overbearing lasciviousness she had used on Ezra.

  “This is killing me, Argentus!” Irvis hissed.

  “Then take off the damned blindfold!” Ezra snapped.

  “I can’t!” Irvis said. It almost sounded as if he were about to cry.

  Divine Mother! “Do you want to be celibate or not?”

  “Want?” Irvis asked, but before he could answer, another voice caught his attention.

  “Well by Rasheera’s breasts! Argentus!”

  Ezra looked over to see a squat, stern-looking woman standing behind the bar. She had a round face, was chubbier than Varin, and wore her hair in an iron-grey bun. In an odd juxtaposition with the setting and its other players, her dress was overly modest, long and made of plain wool with sleeves that covered her arms to the wrists, and a high neck that precluded the possibility of showing any cleavage.

  Ezra caught the woman shoot a glance down at his hip where he once had carried the sword. He’d worried about how one of his old subordinates would react to seeing him without it. Would they still fear him?

  “Graelle,” Ezra replied. “You are still as enticing as any of these younger girls.”

  Graelle snorted. “And I thought he was the blind one!” She waved at Irvis. “Don’t bother trying to flatter me, Argentus. You were never good at it, anyway.”

  Ezra smiled what he hoped to be a charming smile.

  Graelle glanced around the room, looking as if she had only just noticed it was full of staring people. “Why don’t we move this reunion somewhere more private.” She waved for them to follow her as she disappeared through the door behind the bar.

  “Is she really as gorgeous as the young girls?” Irvis asked as they walked around the far corner of the bar and then slipped behind it. Before Ezra could answer, Irvis tripped on a crate and stumbled into him.

  Laughing came from the group of men and whores, and even Mulladin was chuckling. “Take that off!” Ezra hissed as he swiped for the blindfold. Irvis resisted at first, but then let him remove it. Ezra made sure to pull it off extra hard and was satisfied when Irvis exclaimed, “Divine Mother, that hurt!”

  “Come on!” he demanded before leaving the laughing crowd of the common room behind.

  Both Irvis and Mulladin quickly followed him down the hall to a room where Graelle sat behind a wooden table. This was it. If she were going to capture or kill Ezra, it would happen now. He took a deep breath, remembering when others used to fear being in his presence. He caught himself wishing that were still the case and then ground his teeth. I am not that man, anymore, he told himself. I am Jek’s uncle.

  “Well I didn’t know I’d hired you on as a trio of traveling jesters,” Graelle quipped.

  “We had a– ”

  “I thought he was blind.” Graelle waved at Irvis.

  He turned to see Irvis standing frozen in the doorway, mouth hanging open like a country fool seeing an Apeira well for the first time. Mulladin made sharp, frustrated noises as he pushed passed him.

  Ezra turned back to Graelle ready to make a snide remark about his friend when Irvis spoke first. “Not blind, my lady, although if today Rasheera took my sight I would be satisfied that I had seen the most of beauty this world has to offer after beholding thy face.”

  Ezra stared at the chubby monk, and now it was his turn to gape.

  “What’s wrong with him?” Graelle demanded.

  Ezra turned back to Graelle and flashed an apologetic smile. “He is– ”

  “Smitten!” Irvis almost shouted as he took a quick step toward Graelle.

  She was out of her chair in a flash, her right hand suddenly holding some kind of rod-shaped talis. She had been just about to use it–Ezra was certain–when Irvis dropped to one knee before her. Graelle’s angry look fell away replaced by wide eyes and a furrowed brow.

  “My name is Irvis,” the man said still with that absurd poetic cadence. “You may smite me if you wish, but know that even death will not stop my heart from beating for you.”

  Graelle didn’t say anything. She looked up at Ezra with utter confusion in her blue eyes. That shook him out of his surprise, and Ezra shot an arm down and seized Irvis by the scruff of his robes. He pulled the portly man to his feet with an effort, and then slapped him hard across the face.

  Irvis stared at him with wide eyes for a long moment before finally raising a hand to his reddened cheek. “What was that for?”

  “Whatever your game is, it isn’t working!” Ezra hissed.

  “Game?” Irvis repeated incredulously.

  “Stop making an ass of yourself and let me do the talking!”

  “If Kaul hadn’t been killed right here in Imaris just two days ago, I’d have both of you in chains by now!” Graelle loudly interrupted. Then her gaze settled on Ezra. “But you would know that, wouldn’t you, Argentus?”

  Ezra shot Irvis one last warning glare before focusing his full attention on Graelle, who appeared to relax a bit. She made her weapon talis disappear with as deft a hand as a stage magician and then pointed at chairs placed opposite her desk. “Sit,” she ordered.

  Ezra pulled one of the chairs over to him and sat. Then he motioned for Irvis and Mull to do the same. Graelle tapped a small, crystal rock that was lying on her desk as a paperweight. It was smooth, making it look like a glass pebble, and there was a small shard of amethyst embedded in the center–a speaking stone.

  “Varin, bring me wine and four glasses.”

  “Yes, mother,” the disembodied voice replied in such a clear tone Ezra could actually hear the repressed irritation in the other woman’s tone.

  A moment later Varin walked in with a bottle and four pewter mugs. She set them down on the table, deliberately putting her ample cleavage in his line of sight. She winked at Ezra, but he ignored it. He quickly shot a glance at Irvis, fully expecting the man to be shamelessly gawking, but he wasn’t. Incredibly, the chubby monk appeared oblivious to Varin’s attempts to entice them. In fact, his eyes were locked on Graelle’s face?

  Before Ezra could ask Irvis what was wrong with him, Graelle said, “I apologize for the quality of the wine. We’ve been watering it down lately to cut costs.”

  “And adding passion root to increase business,” Varin chuckled wickedly.

  Ezra hesitated as he was about to pick up his mug for Graelle to fill.

  “It’s not in this!” Graelle snapped and she looked up at Varin while filling his mug. “Don’t you have work to be about?”

  Varin sighed theatrically and let her fingertips gently trace Ezra’s left cheek as she walked away.

  “And close the door!” Graelle called, to which Varin responded by slamming the door. “That girl,” Graelle said apologetically. “I’d fire her, but my older clients seem to favor her for some reason.”

  Ezra expected a comment from Irvis as to why that might be, but the man said nothing.

  Graelle raised her mug to him, and then proceeded to throw it back and drain its contents. She took a deep breath when she was done, and unabashedly wiped her mouth on her long sleeve. Ezra took the cue and drank some of his own wine, albeit a bit more reservedly.

  “So, you’re back,” Graelle said. “Just like that? One would think you had something to do with Kaul’s untimely demise.”

  “He was killed by my nephew.”

  Graelle nodded. “Well, I have to say that I’m not sorry Kaul is dead. The man was unhinged. My girls dreaded it anytime he came to collect guild tithes in person because he’d usually want some free services. He was a cruel bastard that one. You coming back might bring stability, something the Rikujo hasn’t had for a few years. That is if they don’t kill you.”

  �
��I am not coming out of retirement, Graelle,” Ezra said carefully. “I am here to ensure that my nephew, Jekaran, is accepted by the other Rikujo bosses as my successor.”

  Graelle snorted. “Well, my watchers tell me that your successor was captured by some minor lord who sailed away to goddess-only-knows where.”

  “Aiested,” Ezra said simply.

  Graelle was about to pour wine into the other two mugs when she stopped. That evoked a displeased noise from Mulladin, who was looking on and licking his lips in anticipation of a drink.

  “He’s being taken to the king?”

  Ezra nodded and took another drink.

  Graelle finished pouring the wine, and Mulladin snatched his mug off the table so fast that half of his drink slopped onto the floor in the process. “Then this isn’t just a visit to announce your taking back the guild. You’re here for my help.”

  Ezra nodded. “I need your slipgate to get to Aiested, and a handful of your enforcers to help me mount a rescue.”

  Graelle stared at him for a long moment before finally sighing. “I can’t.”

  “Not even to help free the new lord of the Rikujo, your liege?” Ezra added in a menacing tone.

  “You don’t intimidate me anymore, Argentus, not without that sword,” Graelle said in a steely tone. “In fact, it’s at my forbearance that you live. You know what the law says about deserters.”

  “Of course I do,” Ezra fired back. “I wrote it!”

  “Then you of all people know that I should’ve put a bolt through your brain the moment you walked into my house!”

  Ezra inhaled deeply to calm himself before continuing. “Jekaran killed Kaul. That gives him the right of succession. That is also in the law.”

  “It’s not that easy anymore, Argentus. Kaul made a real mess of things. He was so obsessed with finding you that he mostly neglected running the Rikujo. While all the other bosses outwardly supported him, we all secretly hated him for his erratic behavior, cruelty, and liberties with our resources. We were of one mind in this.

  “But now that he’s gone, everyone will be scrambling atop each other to seize control. They’re not going to let the uninitiated nephew of a traitor lead, especially when they blame Kaul’s rise to power largely on the opportunity you gave him by leaving us.”

  “How is Kaul’s takeover my fault?” Ezra shouted incredulously.

  “Don’t play stupid with me, Argentus! While the invincible shadow was leading us, Kaul was checked. The day you disappeared you effectively unchained that rabid dog.”

  Ezra wilted. He’d known Kaul’s seizing the Rikujo in his absence had been a real possibility, but always tried to deny that it would happen.

  “And even if the other bosses did recognize your nephew, how long do you think it would be before one of them assassinated him?”

  “He has my sword,” Ezra said, and his voice was quiet.

  Graelle arched an eyebrow. “Well, even so, it’s too late. I sent word to the others the moment I learned of Kaul’s death. They’ve already planned a meeting to choose an interim head while they sort out where the right of succession really belongs.”

  “When are they meeting?”

  “Tomorrow night.” Graelle stared at him for a long moment, a startled look on her face. “You really didn’t know, did you,” she finally said. “And I thought your showing up was deliberately timed. You’re not really trying to win my support for your nephew before the Rikujo meet in council, are you? This isn’t about clever political maneuvering, is it?”

  Defeated, Ezra dropped his head and with it all pretense of his former self; though he hadn’t really succeeded in capturing The Invincible Shadow’s arrogant charm–Graelle’s challenging him was evidence enough of that. For some reason, not being able to portray his former self comforted him. “I lied about my nephew. He has no intention of ruling the Rikujo.”

  “Then why– ”

  “I needed help to save him,” Ezra cut in. “The king will have him executed for being caught wielding a weapon talis.” He looked up at Graelle, meeting her eyes. Not sure why he was so honest with her. She was, after all, a Rikujo crime boss. Not the safest or most trustworthy of confidants. But somehow, telling her the truth felt like the right thing to do.

  “Jekaran accidentally bonded my old sword. He’s a good and honest boy, not a hardened criminal like us. He didn’t even know who I really was until a few weeks ago when Kaul found me. I left the Rikujo to raise him when my sister died and he’s become like a son to me.”

  Graelle’s face was ashen and she looked as shocked as though Ezra had just proven to her that she was really the goddess Rasheera in human form. “You’ve really changed,” she whispered, more to herself than to him.

  Ezra smiled wanly. “I’m a farmer now, Graelle.”

  After a long, uncomfortable moment, Graelle finally spoke. “The most I can do to help is pretend that our meeting never took place. You can leave and I won’t say anything to the other bosses.” Her grim look and solemn tone made him think of a midwife telling a woman her child was born dead.

  “Please, Graelle, let me use your slipgate.”

  “I don’t have one!” she snapped. “Neither do I have any enforcers, so don’t even bother begging for those.” She sighed. “I told you Kaul was abusing our resources. He had the gate moved to another city.”

  “And your enforcers?”

  Graelle shook her head. “Kaul took them too. He said that if my girls couldn’t defend themselves when things got out of hand, then they deserved whatever they got. He also said that if a man was paying for the girl, he had the right to beat her.”

  “So the meeting is here in Imaris?”

  Graelle shook her head. “No, Erassa.”

  Ezra furrowed his brow, feeling confused. “That’s over fifty miles away. How are you going to…” he trailed off when Graelle shook the bracelet on her right hand. It was in the shape of a thick gold chain with an amethyst stone embedded in the center on top where the chain met. Ezra laughed. “Jaris said he never was able to get his hands on that. He said that he aborted sneaking into Lord Grenlan’s keep because they’d been discovered.”

  Graelle smirked. “Well, it sounds like Jaris lied to you.”

  Ezra barked a laugh. “That old bastard.”

  “What is it?” Irvis asked, his voice shaking for some reason.

  “A shift bracelet; the most powerful portable displacement talis,” Ezra answered. “Very rare.”

  “And don’t even think of asking to use it. It wouldn’t get you to Aiested, anyway. Too far, especially for all three of you. In fact, I’m going to have to take a ship to sail back here just to keep it charged.”

  “But Erassa will have a slipgate,” Ezra said.

  Graelle stared at him, an incredulous look on her face. “My bracelet won’t take four that far.”

  “I’d only need you to take three.” Ezra thumbed his earring. “This is full and should be able to manage the distance for one.”

  Graelle shot him another incredulous look. “Argentus,” she said emphatically, “they will kill you!”

  “Not if we convince them that I’m the envoy of my nephew, the slayer of Kaul and the new Invincible Shadow!”

  “Please, that story didn’t work on me and I–” Graelle’s eyes widened. “We? No, no, no, no, no,” she said shaking her head. “If you want to get yourself killed that’s one thing, but I’m not going to risk my neck for you! If I support you and you fail, the best that I could hope for would be to lose my territory and my girls.”

  “Please, Graelle. I can’t rescue my nephew without the resources of the Rikujo, and I can’t get access to those resources without your support! I’ve been away too long. I’ve forgotten how to act like a crime lord. I can only sell this lie if I have your coaching and support.”

  “You haven’t even offered to pay for my help! I’m not some celibate old Handmaiden of Rasheera doling out penance for the poor!”

  “I will pa
y you.”

  “What could you possibly offer that would be worth me putting my life on the line?””

  “The Rikujo,” Ezra answered simply.

  Graelle eyed him suspiciously. “How?”

  “You help me convince the other bosses that my nephew is their rightful leader, and I will make certain you are appointed his successor when I disappear again.”

  Graelle snorted. “Because that worked so well last time.”

  Ezra ignored the jibe and said, “Think about it. You wouldn’t have to pander to anyone else or pay guild tithes. You could set up in whatever territory you wished, and most of all,” Ezra paused for effect, “you would be able to protect your girls.”

  That last part was pure inspiration, it appearing to strike Graelle in the heart. She furrowed her brow, dropping her eyes to the side as she considered his offer. A beat later she met his eyes again and nodded.

  “Fine, I’ll help you. But if this doesn’t work, I will put a bolt through your brain! Understand, Argentus?”

  He smiled. “Actually, it’s Ezra now.”

  Graelle’s steely stare bore into him. “Not if you want to convince the other bosses you’re still a ruthless crime lord.”

  “I’m Irvis!” Ezra’s chubby friend blurted out.

  What was wrong with him? Why was he acting so odd?

  Graelle didn’t even spare Irvis a look. Instead, she rose to her feet. “We’re going to have to get you a set of decent clothes. If I remember, the Invincible Shadow always did favor Tolean green.” Graelle walked to a painting on the wall, a scandalous thing depicting an image that would make even a jaded sailor blush. She removed the painting and set it on the floor. It had not been just a profane decoration to arouse potential clients, but a way to conceal a square metal safe embedded in the wall.

  Ezra glanced at Irvis to see if his friend’s attention would shift to the obscene painting, but it didn’t. The chubby monk’s eyes were still fixed on Graelle. Divine Mother, he sighed. This would have to happen now.

  The safe had no keyhole or opening mechanism of any kind. The only thing Ezra could see on its smooth, metallic face was a square cut amethyst. “You’re going to need proof that Kaul is really dead.” Graelle leaned in close to the safe and said, “Open.” Ezra’s eyes widened as the metal of the safe transformed into a translucent liquid.