A Crucible of Souls (Book One of the Sorcery Ascendant Sequence) (28 page)

They strolled through an opening at the end of the garden and down a wide corridor. As they exited through a large doorway onto a crowded street, she continued.

“
I have some ducats saved, and I want to settle down, maybe open my own business, if I can.
”
She let out a throaty laugh.
“
But you probably think that’s silly.
”

“
No, not at all.
”
He squeezed her arm briefly in reassurance, and she smiled.
“
What sort of business?
”

“
Trading. It’s what I know from my time on the
Loretta
. In truth, I may need to find a job and earn some more ducats before I have enough. Rent in Anasoma isn’t cheap.
”

They wound their way down a main street, Caldan directing them to Dockside in the general direction of Elpidia’s house. As they passed through the Barrows District the houses and shops grew less salubrious. Food stalls stretched along one side street teeming and noisy with an early evening crowd.

Joining the Highroad, the walk to Dockside still took some time, though the wide street allowed ample room for pedestrians, carts and overburdened donkeys. The city was so big. Caldan still couldn’t believe the size of it.

The transition into Dockside was noticeable. Where the large buildings and warehouses lining the docks themselves were in relatively good condition, further back and down the side streets worn and putrefying houses were in abundance. Stretched multi-story wooden buildings leaned over alleys, and makeshift walkways connected their roofs.

“
Inside isn’t usually as bad as the outside,
”
Miranda remarked.
“
People don’t care about appearances, especially when they are renting. It’s inside where they take care the most.
”

“
What about the bridges?
”
Caldan pointed to a walkway spanning an alley.

“
Another Highroad, in a manner of speaking. Sometimes it’s easier to go over the buildings than come down to the streets.
”

“
A thieves’ road?
”

“
Sometimes. Not everyone here is dishonest or a thief.
”

“
I know, I just… The place is confusing for me. I’m not used to it.
”

Miranda patted him on the arm.
“
Don’t worry. It’ll grow on you.
”

A while later, after a few wrong turns, and after asking for directions from a passing matron with four children in tow, they stood before Elpidia’s red door. Following his polite knock, Elpidia ushered them inside, frowning at Miranda, and gestured for Caldan to sit with ill-concealed impatience.

“
Why are you back so soon?
”
she asked as Caldan settled into the chair with a creak. Elpidia frowned at the chair.
“
Don’t break it,
”
she said, then turned the knob of an oil lamp and its flame brightened, pushing back some of the shadows. She moved to her fireplace and struck a small stick against the stone. Light flared and she used the flame to ignite a stack of kindling on which sat two logs. A faint phosphorous odor penetrated the room.

“
Now,
”
she said.
“
What’s the problem? Did…
”
She broke off and peered at his cheek.
“
What happened? Where did your bruises go?
”
She leant over Caldan, one hand turning his cheek to the light from the lamp. She brushed a finger over his scar.
“
Hmmm,
”
she murmured thoughtfully and stepped back.

The bruises have gone already? Either Elpidia was a miracle worker or something strange was happening.
“
I heal quickly,
”
he said.
“
And the herbs you gave me must have helped.
”

“
Those stitches need to come out. The cut has closed already. It’s much further along than usual for such a wound.
”

“
I told you,
”
Miranda chimed in.

“
Wait here. I’ll need some instruments.
”
Elpidia disappeared behind the thick curtain into her back room.

Miranda leant against the side of the fireplace and held her hands out to the fire.
“
It’s been a while since I’ve been able to do this,
”
she said longingly.
“
Fire on a ship isn’t a good idea. I didn’t realize I missed it so much.
”

“
The monks didn’t allow themselves any heating in winter,
”
he said without emotion.
“
They thought some sacrifices hardened the body and the mind. Of course, the paying students were allowed fires whenever they wanted.
”

Miranda gave him a curious look then returned her gaze to the flickering flames.
“
They have to survive, the same as everyone else. You can’t blame them for choosing to teach what they are good at rather than fade into poverty. It’s helped them survive, and from what you have said they haven’t lost their identity.
”

“
True. Sometimes I wish I was back there.
”
Miranda gave him a prickly look he couldn’t interpret.

Elpidia returned carrying a bottle of colorless liquid, a cloth, a sharp knife and some tweezers. She dragged a low stool close to Caldan.

“
Hold still,
”
she said in a flat professional tone. She dampened a corner of the cloth with the colorless liquid and wiped both the knife and tweezers.

Caldan felt sharp pains in his cheek as she pulled the stitches out enough to slip the knife under to cut them. With sharp jerks pulled out the thread. As the last one came free, she used the damp cloth to wipe the cut.

“
Ow!
”
Caldan exclaimed as the alcohol stung his cheek.

“
Don’t be a baby,
”
both Miranda and Elpidia said at once. Miranda laughed, while Elpidia only gave a tight smile. Caldan scowled at both of them.

Elpidia examined the scar as she continued to wipe his cheek with the cloth.
“
The wound looks well on the way to healing. I don’t know if it’s because you are young or my herbs are better than I thought, but it looks like there won’t be much of a scar soon.
”
She pursed her lips thoughtfully then gave a slight shake of her head.
“
Anyway, I’ve got work to do. And I’m sure you both have something better to do than wait around here.
”

Caldan stood and the chair let out another creak.
“
Thank you, Elpidia. For your help and time. I hope I won’t be back here soon.
”

“
I’m sure you mean that in a nice way,
”
Elpidia said.

“
Um… yes. I didn’t mean it the way it sounded. I meant…
”

Elpidia cut him off with a wave of her hand.
“
I know what you meant.
”

Miranda moved from her position by the fireplace and headed for the front door.
“
Come on, Caldan, we need to be going,
”
she said.

“
Thanks again, Elpidia. Farewell.
”

Elpidia watched as they left through the door into the narrow cobbled street. Outside, the sun had disappeared behind the buildings to the west at the highest point of the city, and the street was noticeably darker. She slid a bolt home and a clicked a lock into place. Tapping a finger on her chin, she moved to stand over by the fire, holding her hands to the flames.

She mumbled to herself, starting when she realized she’d lost track of time and didn’t know how long she’d stood there.

She picked up the cloth used to wipe Caldan’s cheek and held it up to the lamp. Streaks of scarlet stained it: Caldan’s blood.

Would this man’s blood hold a secret she could unlock?
she wondered.
Could this be another avenue of experimentation?
It seemed impossible, but she’d read some disturbing truths from books she shouldn’t have access to.

Elpidia used her knife to cut the bloodstained section of cloth from the larger piece. Carrying it in her palm, she entered her back room. There she placed the scrap carefully into a clean glass vial, poured a clear liquid from another bottle to cover the cloth and screwed a stopper on to secure the sample. She peered at the cloth in the vial, using the light of a lamp to illuminate it from behind. Slender trails of red leached from the cloth into the liquid, which turned a pinkish hue.

Seating herself beside the fire, she sat back and placed both legs on the low stool, still clutching the vial in her hand.

“
Well,
”
remarked Miranda with a depreciating look at the door.
“
She wasn’t too friendly. For someone who makes her living helping sick people, you’d think she would smile more or make small talk.
”

“
Ease up on her, Miranda. She did good work on the stitching.
”
Caldan nudged her with his shoulder to soften his words.

Miranda sniffed.
“
I suppose she has to deal with a lot of ill and wounded people. It would probably make me unfeeling as well. Why don’t we have something to eat? Daylight’s fading now, and I’m famished.
”

Caldan nodded in agreement before he could stop himself. Empty pockets meant he couldn’t afford to pay for a meal for himself, let alone for two, and the two copper ducats he should receive after his first week wasn’t a fortune either.
“
Ah… I can’t. I… don’t know anywhere. I’ve been eating at the meal hall where I am now. And…well… I have to admit that all my coins were stolen a few days ago.
”
He hung his head in shame, not daring to look her in the eye.

“
Everything?
”
asked Miranda in an incredulous tone.
“
Were you carrying it all with you? Didn’t you take what you needed and leave the rest safe in your room?
”

“
Yes, everything. I wasn’t thinking… It was stupid of me.
”
He found himself blushing again.

“
All right, what about this idea? I’ll buy you dinner, but you have to promise to return the favor when you come into some coins. Deal?
”
She looked expectantly at Caldan, who thought for a moment.

“
I guess so.
”
He didn’t like the idea of being in someone’s debt, but he liked Miranda, so the idea of another future dinner with her was enticing.

“
Good.
”
She squeezed his arm again.
“
I know where to go, a place that’s clean and serves a good menu, if you like eel.
”

“
Eel?
”

“
Yes. You know, the wriggly kind.
”

“
Sounds… interesting.
”

Miranda directed him down a side street using pressure on his arm to guide him. Earthenware products stretched the length of the road, spilling out doorways of shops still open, despite the late hour. A girl with ragged hair watched them pass from her position sitting atop a large urn, chewing what looked like shiny grasshoppers skewered on a stick.

Miranda sniggered at him and smacked her lips.
“
Roasted grasshoppers covered in honey. Crunchy and sweet.
”

The girl looked to be enjoying them, but Caldan wasn’t convinced.
“
If you say so.
”

“
I do. Hang on.
”
Miranda stopped at a corner and peered down the cross street to the right. The pottery gave way to crowded food stalls, which lined the buildings on either side. Fragrant smoke drifted from low burning braziers cooking the various foods on offer.

“
This is the place. Come on.
”
Miranda strode ahead down the middle of the street, shifting her hips to avoid the many people at the stalls. Caldan moved his eyes from Miranda to watch where he was going after he bumped into a thin man.