“I’m twenty. I’m not a boy.”
“Sure. Tell that to your beardless face. And then thank Dathan, your rescuer!”
“What?”
Dathan shoved the bundle of cloth at him. “I had an extra costume – Lila Cherrylocks. You’re going to be the life of the party! Don’t take too long. I can’t wait to see their faces!”
He closed the door behind him and Tamerlan threw the clothing onto his small cot and pulled a chair from the wall to shove against the door.
He sat down on it, head in his hands. What if someone else burst in before he finished? He’d thought his heart might seize up when Dathan looked into the wardrobe.
With a shudder, he mentally pulled himself back together. If he was worried about being caught, his best option was to do what he had to do quickly and while everyone else was distracted. The sun was already setting outside.
Voices and laughter passed in the hall beyond his door, steps on the stairs and banging doors as the other apprentices and masters prepared for a night of fun, searching for treasure.
Tamerlan waited until the voices faded and the laughter stopped before standing up again on trembling legs and reaching for the illuminated page under his pillow.
It was now or never.
Second Night of Summernight
11: Bridge of Legends
Tamerlan
Tamerlan pulled out the small set of scales and the clay bowl he’d snatched from the workshops earlier that day and placed them on the tiny washstand in the corner of the room, chopping, weighing and mixing ingredients into the clay bowl. With no quantities written into the recipe, he was trying to add them by feel. But how did you get a “feel” for something you’d never done before?
He was working only on instinct, using less of the more potent ingredients, more of the less potent ones and hoping he was doing it right. When he had the ingredients arranged as he liked, he carefully lit a tiny fire in the grate in his room. It was for winter. No one would light a fire on a heat-clinging night like tonight which meant that if anyone saw the fire, they would be suspicious. Hopefully, the chimney wasn’t blocked by bird’s nests or the smoke didn’t alert someone to what he was doing.
Feeling guilty, he opened his paned window to the outside world. If there was extra smoke, maybe it could help to vent it. He was already sweating, and the fire was just a single licking flame. Sweat slicked his forehead and back as he worked over the fire, building it gently.
And now it was decision time. Should he try to light the ingredients in the bowl with some of the lit wood, or should he wait until there were proper embers to place in the bowl like the Smudgers did?
He should wait.
But as the seconds ticked into minutes, worry wriggled in his belly like an asp. Impatiently, he seized one of the fiery sticks and stuck it into the bowl. The flame went out. The ingredients were too wet – too fresh – to simply light from a small flame.
The fire popped and spat in the grate, mocking him.
But now the orrisleaf was smoldering in the bowl. If he waited much longer, that ingredient would be gone while the others still wouldn’t be lit. This wasn’t the right way to test a new recipe. He was working too quickly, too hastily. He’d lost his opportunity. And if he used the rest of the orrisleaf he’d stolen and it didn’t work, he’d have lost his chance tonight entirely and he might as well be out hunting in the scavenger hunt with the others.
Tamerlan bit back a curse. He could see himself losing the chance, being caught tomorrow for the supplies he stole. Or being caught by the Watch or by Master Kurond.
His breath was coming too quickly. He was panicking. He should grab a hold of himself and calm down.
But instead, he grabbed the bowl of ingredients and threw it into the fire, sticking his head into the fireplace over the grate and breathing deeply. That’s all it took for the Smudgers, right? A lungful of this stuff?
Tamerlan sucked in the acrid smoke. It stung his lungs, burning, irritating.
Gasping for breath, he scrambled back, coughing with lungs so raw he thought they would seize up. A sweet but bitter scent swirled around him.
This was a terrible idea.
Terrible.
He tried to straighten, but he doubled over in a fit of coughing, his fingers grasping at the floor, trying to brace himself against the heaving coughs, growing bloody as the nails tore on the stone.
Why couldn’t he get a breath of fresh air? The window was open. He should be able to breathe, but as he gasped, wheezing, his lungs couldn’t seem to take a full breath. They screamed in his chest demanding oxygen.
What’s this charming little hovel?
He fell to the ground, rolling to look at the bare beams of the ceiling as he sucked in shallow breaths. He must have almost blacked out.
It was the only way to explain the female voice that spoke in his mind.
Not the only way.
Tamerlan got to his feet, his movements smooth and graceful. Even his breathing seemed to slow, the hammering of his heart calming. He looked down at his shaking body, dirty from where dirt on the floor had stuck to nervous sweat.
This won’t do.
He was moving to the wash basin before he knew why, washing carefully.
Aren’t you a pretty man? I don’t think there’s enough fat to even pinch on this body of yours. And there are muscles besides. What do you do to build these lean muscles, potion-boy?
He craned his head as if trying to see himself from behind.
Oh yes, I like you. But as pretty as you are to admire, we can’t go out like this. Ugh. Those aren’t your clothes, are they?
Tamerlan looked at his clothing sprawled across the floor where he’d left them. The second set still wasn’t clean from yesterday’s river adventure. He spun, noticing the clothing on the bed and quickly picked them up, looking them over.
Good stitching. Nice fabric. Hmmm. I wouldn’t have expected someone as clearly down-and-out as you to be able to find these, but I do like them – even if they have a bit too masculine of a cut for me. And a long red wig? Really? Fake hair is never as good as the real thing.
He was dressing before he knew it. Why? He didn’t want to wear the Lila Cherrylocks costume or go on a scavenger hunt.
Is that what this is? I suppose I should be flattered, but honestly, you’re far too broad-shouldered to make a good female. And these trousers are going to be loose in all the wrong places and tight in all the right ones.
Tamerlan stopped dressing. Or at least, he told his body to stop dressing. And yet, his boots were slipping on his feet and the wig was going on his head. Wait! Help!
He was stuck inside his own body as the throaty, sultry voice in his head continued to dress.
I suppose we shouldn’t use the door. Too conspicuous. But that window looks tempting. Shall we?
And then he – they? – were out the window like a flash and climbing easily down the stone wall as if Tamerlan just scrambled up and down walls spider-style all the time. Instead of wanting to throw up at the very thought of it.
We are not throwing up. Get a hold of yourself. You’re riding with Lila Cherrylocks tonight!
Ha! That was a joke! Tamerlan might be dressed as Lila Cherrylocks – dressed like a woman! They needed to turn back before someone saw him like this! - but he was riding in his own head like a passenger while some horrific demon ran his body and chattered in his ears. Who knew what she would have him do?
Party? Steal a few things? Maybe win this scavenger hunt you’ve been telling me about. What are you looking for?
Tamerlan didn’t know and he definitely wasn’t going to take her to Master Juggernaut’s to find out. First, he needed to see if she really could break into locked buildings. Then, if she proved she could, they’d need to break into where his sister was being held. He could dress like a girl all night if he could do that.
I like the idea of visiting this Juggernaut. He has the list for the game? I haven’t been in a scaven
ger hunt in ages and I love a good chase!
No. Positively not. What a waste that would be! He’d done all this to save his sister, not to give a demon an evening of fun.
They were sauntering down the lantern-lit street almost as if the demon already knew which way to find Master Juggernaut. Tamerlan fought against the sway in his walk. He did not walk like that!
I’m no demon, pretty man. I’m who we’re dressed as – Lila Cherrylocks – and I walk with a sway in my hips.
It couldn’t be true. The real Lila Cherrylocks had been a famous thief and brigand.
Yes.
She’d made her fortune outsmarting the nobles of her time and taking every magical item in the city hostage to store in her haunted catacombs under the city.
Yes.
And then she’d died when a rival feigned love for her and seduced her into a deadly trap.
Indeed.
So, she couldn’t be here in Tamerlan’s head, controlling his body.
And yet I am. What did you think would happen when you opened the Bridge of Legends?
The what?
They sliced through the streets like a fish through water, Lila sniffing the air and taking in the sights like she was drinking in the city itself, eating its atmosphere, reveling in the excited squeals and hushed whispers of the huddled groups scouring the city with blue rolls of parchment in their hands.
The Bridge between this world and the next life? The Bridge to the heroes of Legend – to me. You opened it wide and called and it just so happened that I was nearby.
It was meant to help him. It was meant to be for times of great need.
Maybe it is. How would I know? I haven’t seen anyone use it in all the time I’ve been a Legend.
Why the smoke, though?
Don’t you know that the smoke ceremonies open you up to spirits?
Wasn’t that a figure of speech?
Nope. Isn’t learning fun?
But it was useless if Lila was just going to use it as a chance to have a night out. Worse than useless when Tamerlan only had a few days left until Summernight. They were wasting one of them.
Ah! Don’t you know that Festivals are a time when magic comes closer to the world? All that belief out there – all that hope! – it opens doors that don’t open at other times.
And it opened the chance to have my world end.
Are you always such a gloomy companion?
She’d found her way through the winding city streets to Juggernauts’ Alchemical Tonics as if she knew the way.
It’s in your memory.
The massive building, built of green jade pillars and steps inlaid with brass, polished to look like gold, had a wide-peaked roof with corners that turned up at the ends. Ruddy red roof tiles clashed with the green jade. Like Master Juggernaut, it was bold and eye-catching.
Its owner stood on the top step, holding his arms up for silence. They had arrived just in time for him to speak. Dragon spit! Dragon spit and the fires of the underworld! He’d been seen.
Dathan shot him a grin from the crowd, motioning Tamerlan over. Lila moved to join him and Tamerlan gritted his teeth – figuratively. He couldn’t even do that in his own body. He couldn’t even blush as every eye turned toward him with grins and snickers at his costume. Couldn’t even hang his head in shame. She was going to ruin everything.
Look, you’re spoiling this for me. How about a deal? You go along with my fun and I’ll break into something for you tonight as a ‘test’ just like you want. Then we both get something out of this. Deal?
What choice did he have?
Well, I could skip the part that makes you happy and just do what I want.
Deal.
Get ready, pretty man! This is going to get good.
I’m Tamerlan.
Like I need to know your name. Her mental snort made him want to weep.
“Alchemists!” Master Juggernaut roared.
Around him, cheers rose.
“Are we going to win this hunt?”
“Yes!” the answer soared from every throat, including Tamerlan’s.
Beside Master Juggernaut, even Master Kurond was grinning.
“It’s not going to be easy, boys and girls,” Juggernaut called out. He was loving the spotlight. “They don’t give you a list like this and expect it to be easy! Do we want easy?”
“No!”
Great. Lila was yelling, ‘no’ right along with the rest. She was loving this.
“Do we want to be challenged?” He made a fist. “Do we want to have to slug our way to victory?”
“Yes!”
“We have until dawn! Collect your parchment from Kaviness. Bring your treasures here at the end of the night. I expect to see every one of them when gold lights the horizon! Now, tell me, who is going to win this year’s hunt?”
“Alchemists!” we roared and then Juggernaut was joining Kurond and the other masters, patting each other on the backs and laughing and poor Kaviness who was balding at twenty-two and who jumped if you said his name too loud, was handing out parchment slips to everyone.
Tamerlan grabbed his as Lila made his heart race with anticipation.
“This is crazy!” Dathan said from beside Tamerlan. But he didn’t sound disappointed. He sounded eager. “There are hundreds of things on this list. How will the smaller teams even do half of this?”
“I don’t know,” Tamerlan said, reading the list. It wasn’t just common things on the list. There were also some things that could only be acquired illegally.
“A human hand?” Dathan asked skeptically. “Where would we even get that?”
Tamerlan shuddered. But it wouldn’t have to be taken from the living. There were crypts beneath the city. There were sarcophaguses above it.
“The Satyr’s Diamond? What is that?” he asked, amazement dripping from his tone. “A Grimoire? I don’t even think those exist! Are you reading this, Tamerlan?”
Tamerlan was. Lila was reading it, too. He hated how she clutched that scrap of parchment, like she wanted to keep it forever.
This is going to be great. We just need to lose this guy. I can tell you know where the libraries are.
Libraries?
For the grimoire, obviously.
If the libraries made you stamp your blood on the pages to take out a book, what would they do to someone who tried to take one?
Tamerlan clapped Dathan on the shoulder as Lila spoke with his tongue. “I’ll get the grimoire. You work on that hand. You’re friends with that kid who works for the crypt-keeper, aren’t you?”
Dathan looked as ill as Tamerlan felt.
Well, you are the one who wanted to break into something. Let’s go try out my lockpicking and theft skills, shall we? And maybe we can find a grimoire in the process!
12: Grimoire
Tamerlan
Tamerlan had expected the University District to be nearly empty at this time of night. The only district not to use street lights at all, and the district with the largest plazas and open spaces, the University District was wreathed in shadows made long by moonlight, but it was far from empty.
Groups of people – anywhere from knots of five to single individuals – roamed the streets, checking the doors and windows of the Libraries, seeking a way inside.
“Are you here for the Hunt?” A woman asked from a mysterious booth set up against the Queen Mer library.
The booth hadn’t been there yesterday. It didn’t look like something the Librarians would approve of. They liked things that fit their rules. The garish colors of the booth and the glowing green lantern set on the front table were not the kinds of things they would approve of. Neither was the young woman with hair pulled back under a high hat, her figure hidden under a floor-length black coat with a high collar. It was partly unbuttoned to show a golden waistcoat and a green scarf around her neck. I knew this legend. She was dressed as Grandfather Timeless.
“I might be,” Tamerlan answered, smiling. He should be avoiding at
tention, not speaking to someone who might remember him later. But Lila had other plans. “Can you help me with it?”
The woman smiled mysteriously. “Time knows no beginning and no end. No master and no friend.”
“And does ‘Time’ happen to know where I can find a grimoire?” Tamerlan asked, leaning in a little closer than he would have liked as a blush crept up on the woman’s face. She was young, he realized. Not much older than he was.
“All things are the same to time. What is a grimoire now was a sheep and berries before it was parchment and ink. What it will be hereafter is dust and then maybe brick or road or house. What it will be after that ... who can say? Perhaps a seed will sprout and pull from it enough life to rise into a tree. Perhaps a man will eat of the fruit. Perhaps what is a grimoire today will be a king tomorrow.” She held out a handful of dust on a velvet-gloved hand. “Grimoire for your thoughts?”
It was just religious talk. The Timekeepers were popular around here. And they all said the same thing – embrace the all. Everything is inside everything else. Time is timeless. Life is lifeless.
“Maybe I’ll be back,” Tamerlan said with a wink, hating himself for it.
The girl laughed and the dust was back under the counter. He wondered how many people had bought a handful of dust tonight. He didn’t care if Lila wanted to buy dust as long as she did what she needed to do and stopped wasting time talking to cultists as they swindled hopeful treasure seekers.
As Tamerlan turned away, another group of seekers strode up to the booth, laughing and jostling one another impatiently. One of the girls – dressed like Maid Chaos, winked at him as he sauntered by. She elbowed her friend – a laughing Deathless Pirate and they both doubled over in laughter.
Yeah, yeah. What was a guy doing dressed as Lila Cherrylocks? He knew he looked ridiculous.
So ridiculous that no one saw me swipe the lockpicks from that huckster selling dust.
She stole lockpicks? From a thief?
What did you think we were doing there? Flirting?
Ummm ... yes?
Ha! I like men with broad shoulders and not a pinch of fat, Tamerlan. I don’t like girls in Grandfather Time outfits.
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