“—Jawego! —Freas! Are you ready or not?”
Mattias welcomed the distraction. He stepped away from Cleo, hunching his shoulder to block her view and shifted. When he turned back around, he met the huge eyes of a snow leopard.
He hadn’t been expecting that, but in his animal state his emotions were…not muted, but prioritized different things. His nostrils flared as he took in her new scent. They approached each other, noses brushing against soft fur. He was a lithe jaguar, and he'd always thought of it as his true form. He pushed his head against her jaw, partially a nuzzle and partially breathing in her scent glands.
"On your mark!"
No one called out to them specifically. It wasn't unusual for those in animal form to be distracted. But the call was enough to bring them back to the game. When Gambeson, who was refereeing the match, called "Gooo!", Cleo sprang toward Hitch, Mattias' teammate in human form. Mattias followed with an equally powerful push off his back legs. He crashed into Cleo, and they both rolled to the far side of the pitch.
Growling, Cleo tried to lunge again, but he had her cornered. This kept her at bay but meant he couldn't help his teammates without risking her getting past him. So he kept her penned there until a roar went up from the crowd.
The match went to Cleo's team. There were three to a full game, usually lasting five minutes each. They fell back into position as the ball was returned.
The snow leopard snapped her jaws at him. He bared his teeth. Her team was ahead, but she didn't like how he'd gotten the better of him.
The game began again, and this time Cleo surged toward him. Mattias had been expecting this, and he pounced in the opposite direction, tackling her team's human. Cleo realized her mistake. She skidded on the dry dirt, whirling into Yu, his team's smoke. Yu expanded into a great cloud, blocking her vision. Mattias bounded away from the human to cover Kia, who ran the ball into position.
The crowd roared. They were even now.
Cleo could barely stay in her starting position. She prowled, tail flicking.
The third match began. Surprisingly, her team's smoke leapt for the ball, descending over it and becoming a crackling ball of lightning. Yu descended on the other smoke, and a storm raged while Cleo, Mattias, and the two humans waited with bated breath.
Suddenly, the ball shot free.
And here it was clear why Cleo was the best at what she did. Her leap was magnificent, and perfectly timed. She caught the ball between her teeth as easily as if it had been handed to her, kicked off from the wall, and was at the far end of the pitch before Mattias had even a thought of catching her.
The crowd roared with an unknown emotion. Mattias didn't care. He shifted back to human form grinning, knowing he had outplayed Cleo Jawego 2-1. That was the only score he cared about.
She ran up to him in human form, the slightly scorched ball under one arm. She slung an arm around his neck. "Not bad, Freas!"
He flushed, this time with pleasure.
~*~
Yu bought them all a round after that. Mattias always liked the atmosphere after a few games of dice. Everyone was more relaxed, arguing about which moves were the best.
After a couple hours, Cleo came up to the table where he was arguing passionately about the best strategy for a match where all six teammates had rolled smokes.
"Aye, Freas?" Cleo said. "I'm off for the night. Are you free day after next? I'm off, I thought you could teach me some of those horseback riding tricks you claim to be so good at."
"Day after next? I'm not off for four days."
"Oh," she said.
"Sorry. I can teach you another time."
"Of course. See you around then."
As soon as she’d descended the stairs to the door, Piong punched him savagely on the shoulder.
“OW, Piong, what the hell—”
“Cleo Jawego just asked you to go out with her and you said you were busy?” Piong looked horrified.
Mattias rubbed his shoulder. “What are you talking about? That wasn’t—I didn’t—”
But Yu’s raised eyebrows and Kia’s grin told a different story. His heart dropped to his boots.
“You think so?”
“YES!” cried every person at the table, seemingly simultaneously shocked at their friend’s stupidity.
Mattias’ head sank into his hands. “Oh fuck.”
“You can still save this!” Kia said. “She’s just out the door!”
Mattias sat up. “But I really don’t have the day after next off.”
“Who has the day after next off?” Kia turned and shouted into the crowd of guards. “Who has the day after next off?”
“I do,” said Gambeson, who was seated at the far end of the table.
“There, you see—”
“I’ll trade you mine day off for two of yours,” Gambeson said with a shit-eating grin. The grin dropped and he had to duck a barrage of coins and cards being thrown at him.
“Booo!” jeered Yu.
“This could be true love—”
“—It’s Cleo Jawego, by the Great Eye—!”
“All right, all RIGHT,” cried Gambeson, shielding himself with one hand. “Freas, think of me when you’re having sex with Jawego.”
“Booo,” Yu said again, while Gambeson laughed.
Mattias didn’t have time to waste. He scrambled out between the bench and table. “Cheers, Gam!”
“Run, Freas!”
“Chase that tail, Mati!”
He was out the door and into the cool dark night. It was almost silent after the din of the bar. He prayed Cleo was on her way back to barracks, and hadn’t taken a turn somewhere. He ran along the streets until he finally spotted her, walking back with a group of her friends.
Mattias picked up speed, calling out her name when he was in range.
The whole crew of them stopped and turned. “Oh, I…” he panted, slightly out of breath from his run.
The older guards all stared.
Mattias cleared his throat. “I switched my day off, Jawego. That is, if you still want to go riding. I’m free now.”
“We were just making other plans, weren’t we, Cleo?” one of her friends said.
He ignored the friend and kept hopeful eyes on her.
Finally, she cracked a smile. “Yeah, all right Freas. Day after next?”
He tried not to look stunned that this was actually happening. “I’ll see you then.”
Moon & Renat
Moon lay in bed with her legs curled under her, her face in the mattress. She'd forgotten how extravagant her tastes used to run. The realization had not been any comfort, but the bed, at least, was comfortable linen and she could breathe easy knowing all the door locks worked. It had taken all of her effort to check for a back way out of the building. She sent for food, but that had been hours ago, and the tray had lain untouched since then.
She'd drifted in and out of sleep most of the day, but now it was evening. She was wide awake. No surprise, since she'd never kept regular hours. But her emotions had churned nonstop, and there was no lying to herself that that was what kept her awake.
Her fury had burned out, rising only every so often as she thought of all Renat might have kept from her. She remembered their first meeting with a smile. She hadn't expected him to look like that, to take up a room with his presence, even though she'd seen more fearful characters than him. She might be the only one in the city who had seen the Wolves of the Hji.
And yet that brief meeting had intrigued her, for she'd heard the name "Renat" over and over and had assumed he'd be an older man, perhaps lean and lascivious or fat and boastful.
But instead he'd been...calm. Steady, not arrogant. He wasn't scared of her and but he wasn't making any sudden moves either. He was guarded.
Her anger flared up. Guarded, always, always, always, guarded. Why had she been so surprised last night?
Unlike her anger, her guilt had burned steadily, and that, at least, she had control over. Whateve
r Renat's flaws, she had miscalculated, and her part in it could be fixed.
Her jacket hung over one of the bedposts. Moon rolled to her side and pulled the piece of paper she'd taken from Loviva out of her jacket pocket.
Loviva was planning something big. Her notes had not clearly identified the score, but there was something brewing.
Loviva had made a list of buyers. The list had been off to the side of her main charts, a thinner strip of paper scrawled with names. The list was of the rich and powerful, though this did not surprise Moon much. With the city under siege, the nobles still couldn't bear to go without their imported chocolates or linens. They were some of Arrowhead's largest single clients as well. But this list was different. It was distinctly magical. Even if she hadn't recognized any of the names, ‘Sorcerer Amadou’ was written clearly, though it was a scribble off to the side rather than on the main list of names. Perhaps he was a potential buyer, yet unconfirmed.
All of these easily pointed to one thing: Loviva was planning on a big, magical score.
Small magicks were commonplace, though fakes – amulets, charms, and the like – were common too because of the lack of people to validate them. But a big score, enough to interest the names on this list, wasn't common.
Moon didn't care where the score was coming from. She only needed to figure where it was going, and steal it.
She folded the paper and lay back on the bed, considering her options. Staking out Loviva's manor felt like the most reliable way to gain information. This list had been tucked out of sight, but that didn't mean Loviva wasn't going to bring it up again. If she was planning a high-stakes run, she'd need to communicate the details with her lieutenants.
Right now it was too early to go to Loviva's, for the whole crew was like to be out working. Moon still had some old contacts of her own though, and she was going to first set out feelers for whatever magical item Loviva had scored.
She swung out of bed, wolfing down the old food. As she took off her bracelets, she considered the possibility of tracking down one of the Arrowhead runs. But no, Renat would likely have already scrapped everything. He still had to deliver to clients, but the routes, times, crewmembers, and more would likely all have changed by now.
No, she'd stay on Loviva's trail first, and then she'd figure out how to work things out – or punish – her husband.
She set off, staying invisible until she'd made it into the busy evening street. If anyone saw her appear from thin air in the midst of the crowd, they probably blamed a trick of the light.
~*~
She'd left Renat's room after that first meeting with every intention of seeing him again, though he likely hadn't gotten that impression. She liked the look of him, and she liked what might be under his clothes even more. That he had offered her a job was interesting but not enticing. She had plenty of money. Sure, she'd had to run from her old life as her enemies closed in around her, but who hadn't at some point in their life? Being a Fade didn't make her invulnerable.
Only street rats needed gangs to protect them. For people like her, the advantages were equaled by disadvantages.
But a casual fuck wouldn't hurt anybody.
She'd returned to his rooms at the same time the next day. Upon seeing her, he'd drawn up sharply, then narrowed his eyes.
"You need a new location," she said.
"I hear you're the best there is," he said, only a little peeved, "so it's no surprise you can break in."
"Anyone could get in here, and I only had to ask the old ladies down the street to get them to point you out. Is it true you give them money each month?"
"They bake bread for us," he said, but she could see that was hardly the only reason. He was soft, she'd learned that from her investigations. Not stupidly so, but enough that she found herself warming up to him. She'd always found sex a little dangerous. Of course, she always chose people from the underbelly of the city, but it meant a potential reveal of her powers. That wasn't the feeling she got from Renat though.
"Can I help you?" Renat asked. He tossed a sack onto the bed and settled at the low table, apparently choosing to look casual. Her reputation preceded her, she knew, but Renat didn't know the half of it so he probably still felt like he could take her on. He did not yet know he couldn't win against someone he couldn't see, but that was neither here nor there. She didn't want a fight.
"Just curious what you're up to."
He gave her a suspicious look. "Nothing until evening. Are you reconsidering joining my crew?"
"I need more information," she said with mock-seriousness.
He sat back in his chair. “No, you don’t.”
He leaned on a black cane. (She wasn't sure if it was a weapon or not.) It served to give him a dignified air of an older, more established man. Perhaps he was that already. Despite the dingy office, his name was on the lips of every person in Carnate.
His eyes swept her form. She caught the look and smirked. She wasn't wearing her dark colors, this time opting for a batik shirt with purple designs, and a heavy silver necklace. Silver could be used to bind djinn, but she had no djinn blood, and could not even feel the heat radiating off it like another person might. They probably assumed she was one of the bold noble ladies, who padded their silver jewelry with velvet. More likely, they thought it was fake.
"Fine." She grinned broadly. Sliding her hip along the edge of the table, she approached him. "How much time, exactly, do you have?"
He reached out, grasping her thigh and looking up at from his position. Yes, she could get used to those eyes. They were dark and inscrutable, and she liked them focused on her.
She leaned forward, into his touch. He let the cane slip onto the floor, where it bounced lightly. Then he'd wrapped both arms around her, and she straddled him on the chair. Their lips met right after, the momentum of passion locking them effortlessly together. Moon wanted to laugh with the easy triumph of the moment, though there was still the awkward case of her not being able to shift. Djinn-blooded people often preferred another form, particularly the half-shifted state.
That wasn't a problem for the moment, as Renat seemed perfectly content to put human hands up her shirt and pull her breast band down. Her fingers gripped his collar as he began to pinch and tease her nipples.
She lowered herself more fully against the bulge in his trousers, and relished the gasp that came from him between kisses.
They never managed to move from the chair. The evening darkened around them as they had quick, anonymous, and passion-filled sex.
When they had finished, Moon allowed herself a self-satisfied smile, then rose and gathered her clothing briskly.
"So you're not coming to work for me?" Renat asked as she pulled her shirt over her head.
She smiled coyly as she pulled on her boots. "I might need more information."
"Oh really?" he asked, grabbing her arm and pulling her to him. He had only put on his trousers, and she braced herself against his bare chest. They kissed again, his hands tangling in her hair as the minutes wore on.
"Then come back any time," he said when they broke apart.
She looked over her shoulder at him as she exited through the window, grinning broadly, her breast band stuffed into her jacket pocket.
~*~
Moon arrived at the home of Xavier the Red just after the dinner hour. Unlike the low-class contacts she'd had dealings with in the past, Xavier had turned his business respectable over the years, and now he lived in a three-story stone building.
She wondered what would happen if the walls came down. This was why it was important to never own things. There was too much in the world that could be lost. She hoped the rest of his money was more liquid.
Just because Xavier had become respectable (or almost), didn't mean he had no fingers in the underground world. She rang the bell and waited while the footman took her name. Eventually he returned and led her to the study.
Xavier appeared moments later, calling for coffee and cigars.
>
"The most dangerous woman in Carnate," he greeted her with a toothy grin.
She took up the cigar offered to her, and would drink well of the coffee, too. Renat was altogether too reserved. Even if there hadn't been a siege on, he still wouldn't have indulged in the expense.
"Xavier the Red."
He waved aside the old street nickname, though he couldn't hide the pleased look. Xavier never wanted anyone to think he was going soft. He wasn't, and she wouldn't forget that, but he wasn't immune to flattery.
"I'm looking to make a purchase, Xavier, but it's too hot for my usual fences. In fact, I only have a rumor it's in the city at all." She made that part up. She was sure Loviva had something of value, and had come to Xavier or someone of similar status to connect her to the right buyers.
"You and the Arrowheads, you mean?" he asked her.
She gave him a raised eyebrow. "I've spoken for Renat for almost two years."
"Of course, of course. Go on. What makes this purchase special?"
"It's a magical object." That made it almost certainly illegal, since sorcerers controlled much of the magic coming into the city, even without Loviva's involvement. "It most certainly has interested buyers already, and I want to let them know Arrowheads are interested as well. And that our price can match any other in this city."
Xavier took a sip of his coffee, watching her over his cup.
"What is this object, exactly?"
He was hedging, but she wasn't sure why. "You do not know about it?"
"I wonder you know of it. For all that Renat battles for half this city, he has yet to involve himself in the traffic of magical wares."
Xavier paused again.
"Renat has been growing steadily for two years," Moon pointed out. "It's high time we expanded our operations."
"Our?" Xavier asked, and this time her eyes narrowed.
"Do you have something to say?"
He sighed and set his cup down with a clink. "Renat threw you out last night, Moon. It's not common knowledge yet, don't give me that look. You know my housekeeper's boy runs with Renat."
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