Moon's Artifice (25 page)

Overhead, a pair of seagulls resumed the screaming calls she’d had to put up with all morning. Synter glanced up and scowled, resisting the urge to fetch a crossbow and put a bolt through each bird’s tiny brain. Instead, she shifted in her seat and continued to work her knife over the carcass before her while the seagulls peered down at the bloody mess on the table.

‘Needed to get your hands bloody today ?’ Kodeh commented as he joined her. To one side of Synter was a battered brass samovar, polished as lovingly as any temple effigy, and he helped himself to a tall cup of black tea.

‘I can’t sit out here all day without something to do,’ Synter replied, putting the slim knife down a moment to re-roll one sleeve up again. ‘The cook’s not much of a butcher anyway.’

Kodeh looked past her, through the open window into the empty eatery beyond. It wasn’t open for business yet so they were safe to talk.

‘We all use our Blessings in different ways, I guess,’ Kodeh muttered, wrinkling his nose at the half-dismembered pig carcass.

They were considered low-caste beasts, pigs, and not fit for any noble table, but that was one detail the low-born Synter was glad to put up with. Kodeh drained his cup and set it down before sitting with his back against the wall so he could look both ways down the canal with minimal effort.

‘Good news, I take it ?’ she said.

Kodeh nodded with a grunt. ‘Building’s intact, guards still there – your watchers likewise. If it’s under surveillance, it’s by someone better’n me.’

‘Or more unnatural,’ Synter muttered. ‘And that’s saying something, so the whores of Arbold tell.’

Kodeh grinned wolfishly. ‘Never trust a whore,’ was his only reply.

‘Uttir was here not long ago, said Father Pallasane reported the same,’ Synter commented. ‘Though what that truly means, buggered if I know.’

‘That stunted fuck’s about as unnatural as I ever saw,’ Kodeh said, ‘including the soldier-demon we took down a few nights back. Not much’ll slip past his paranoia.’

‘So it’s time to commit – throw the bones and see what happens.’

‘Aye, sir,’ Kodeh confirmed, gaze still roving up and down the late-morning passersby. ‘Waiting on your order.’

The weather had become overcast since morning, a chill in the air that hadn’t been there earlier. It came from the mountains to the north-east, Synter knew – she’d lived in this city long enough to taste the cold air off House Eagle’s icy heart. A promise of heavy fog to come, she guessed.

‘A good omen, for them who believe in ’em,’ she said, tilting her nose up to the sky. ‘Cold air coming in.’

‘Aye, fog tonight – thick enough for Mischief Night itself,’ Kodeh agreed. ‘What tricks do you fancy playing on our betters, then ?’

‘Quiet ones,’ she warned. ‘The An-Goshe just claimed last night was an isolated incident. We don’t want to contradict that if we can help it.’

‘When the fuck do they order us around ?’

She shook her head. ‘They don’t – they got their orders just as we got ours. Too many eyes on what we do right now, it’s not our way.’

‘Nor was being betrayed by our own,’ Kodeh growled, fingers tightening into a fist. ‘What do we do about him ?’

‘We’ve got a handful of slaved minds left from the Moon District Shure – only three, but enough to justify the An-Goshe sending a message to the Lawbringers later today. If they’re warned a few remaining rogues are out for Irato’s blood, we mebbe get another throw of the bones before they realise we’re cheating.’

‘You think they’ll get to him ?’ Kodeh hawked and spat noisily on the cobbled ground beyond the eatery’s decking. ‘Nah, you’d need dozens to kill Irato now.’

‘Mebbe they get lucky, mebbe it’s cover for us to act instead.’ She shrugged and finished her work, casting one final glance at the seagulls in case they risked grabbing a piece. ‘Either way, he’s not given away our locations yet. He’s no fool, seems he’s playing his own game and buying us time. Mebbe forcing us to act – Father Jehq’s been worrying like an old woman this past year, bad as the rest of them.’

‘Time to push new blood through ?’ Kodeh said with a gleam in his startling eyes. ‘Give the old blood a bit of an airing ?’

Synter put her knife down and dragged over a bucket to scrub the blood from her forearms and hands. ‘Don’t underestimate them,’ she said, ‘they gave us the Blessings – you can bet they held some back for themselves.’

‘Then what ?’

‘We lead them. None of us have the knowledge to perform the ritual, but they’re too timid to do anything ’less we force the issue. Might be I could turn some to our side, but you want to risk getting it wrong ?’ She shook her head. ‘No, for the moment the Detenii remain the sharp end we’re meant to be. Be as the seagulls,’ she added with a theatrical flourish.

‘Eh ? Seagulls ?’ Kodeh glanced upward where the gulls watched the bloody remains with hungry eyes. ‘What about ’em ?’

Synter smiled. ‘Too spiteful even for demons to try and possess, so the stories go ; and bold enough to snatch food out o’ your hand if you’re not paying attention, but these two haven’t moved. They’re watching me sure, but they’re not stupid enough to risk it and nor should we be. Enough blood’ll be spilled before this is over, but I’ve got other work planned. So track down the team leaders. I want them all here at dusk for orders.’

‘You’re the commander,’ Kodeh said with a note of scepticism as he heaved himself up out of his seat. ‘You’re the one the teams are loyal to, though, so when you give me the word …’ He let the suggestion of treachery and murder hang unspoken.

She nodded. ‘I know. We’re just not there yet.’

‘And the artefact ?’

‘We keep watching. Send someone into the building come nightfall ; they go in and report back to somewhere neutral. If there’s a higher order in this game, we need to know. Someone expendable, though. I don’t know about you, but I don’t fancy having my soul ripped out through my eyes and flayed by some demon-prince with a grudge.’

When Narin was finished, Teike remained silent and very still. He watched her process his words, unsure what else to say and painfully aware he’d been of little comfort. He’d been careful not to tell her everything, not to share Enchei’s secrets or anything else that could only prove dangerous for all concerned, but she still knew more than the Lord Martial of the Lawbringers now.

‘What now ? Fanatics, demons, poisons that steal a man’s mind … What now for Kesh ?’

Narin didn’t speak at first. She looked up, unashamed of the tears lingering on her cheeks, and waited for a response. Her scarf hung loose around her neck, the length of white cotton a mark of her caste as much as something to tie her hair up with.

‘Now we find a way to get her to safety,’ he said and tentatively reached out to put a hand on her arm. ‘I’ll protect her with my life,’ he added with conviction. ‘That is my oath.’

He pointed at the standing tablets around the statue of Lord Lawbringer, arranged in the shape of the God’s constellation – points on the stone floor connected by a groove that described the pattern of the stars.

‘“Protect the innocent”,’ he read from the first of the tablets, ‘“punish the guilty”. That is what my life’s devoted to. Lawbringer Rhe’s too, and he will be beside me in all I do.’

‘“Weigh in judgement the souls of the accused”,’ Teike said in response, pointing at another tablet. ‘Do these goshe even have souls ? Are they no better than demons – worse indeed, worse than those fox-spirits who seem to have a claim on my daughter ?’

‘“Seek truth in all things”,’ a new voice declared, prompting them both to flinch and look up to where Rhe had silently approached. ‘“Fear nothing bar failure”. “Embrace pain as the price of service”. “Carry the Emperor’s light into dark places”. Soulless or not, Madam, they will be held to account.’

Rhe stopped and fixed Teike with his stern, unblinking steel gaze. ‘Mistress Hinar – you have my sympathies for the loss of your daughter.’

‘Thank you, Lord Lawbringer,’ Teike said in a choked voice, even her proud bearing affected by the man’s regard. ‘But sympathy won’t bring Emari back,’ she added, ‘and I don’t even have a body to bury. See my other daughter safe, Lawbringer. Stop these murderers and see Kesh safe.’

Her last words were spoken as nothing more than a whisper, but Narin felt them drive home like icy needles into his heart. If Rhe was similarly affected he gave no sign, but the Lawbringer bowed to her in response.

‘Come, Narin.’

Back at his home, Narin and Rhe greeted the Lawbringer overseeing the compound’s guards. Hetellin was only a year or so older than Narin and the two knew each other well, having almost grown up together in noviciate dormitories and classrooms. Tall and slim, such was the newly-raised Lawbringer’s pride in his position that he never removed his hand from the pristine sword hilt at his hip, even as he bowed.

‘Lawbringer Rhe,’ Hetellin said formally.

Narin bowed to his superior, knowing Hetellin was a stickler for such details, but his attention was caught by something else entirely. On either side of the gate, watching the street while Hetellin and Rhe spoke, were a man and a woman in Investigator grey – both tall with pronounced features, one dark haired, one silvery-blond. They each carried staves in their left hand as one might expect, but each also wore a double-holster strapped across their belly – a pair of slim pistols nestling inside.

Noble-born,
Narin thought to himself.
The goshe aren’t the only ones who can deploy their high-caste members.

‘Lawbringer Hetellin,’ Rhe acknowledged. ‘All has been quiet ?’

‘Just so, Lawbringer,’ Hetellin said. ‘The only movement has been that tattooist friend of Investigator Narin’s, leaving and returning not long ago.’

He spoke with such a note of distaste that Narin had to force himself not to smile. Of course Hetellin would not like Enchei’s attitude, the vague disregard he had for authority that bordered on disrespect.

‘Did he say where he went ?’ Narin asked. Given he was heading in to talk to his friend, it hardly mattered, but he knew Enchei would have delighted in needling the dour Lawbringer and Narin found himself adding to that instinctively.

‘He declined to.’

‘Oh – declined ? So he wasn’t just out fetching supplies ? He does like to pick over the morning catch at the markets.’

‘He brought no food,’ Hetellin confirmed frostily, ‘and was not gone long enough to be at work.’

Narin nodded, his best expression of understanding on his face. ‘They don’t give him many shifts ; the poor man can barely earn an honest living. His work is excellent, but of course he came late to the House of the Sun and his status is low.’

‘One would not know it by his attitude.’

‘Narin, perhaps you should go inside and speak to your charges ?’ Rhe suggested pointedly. ‘I will deal with matters out here.’

‘Of course, Lawbringer,’ Narin said, mentally cursing himself. He bowed low to the two of them and advanced on the gate.

In his way was the dark-haired woman, a House Raven warrior caste, and she gave him an unfriendly look as she stepped out of his way. He inclined his head to her, careful to be polite having already earned Rhe’s disapproval, but relishing the sniff of distaste at moving for a lower-born man.

Once inside, he saw several doors were propped open despite the cool afternoon and faces peered out at him from them – more guards, he realised – but it was a woman’s voice that called to him before he’d crossed to the steps leading up to his room.

‘Narin – Investigator !’

He whirled around to see Mistress Sheti hurrying over, a thick shawl wrapped tight around her shoulders and a look of relief on her face. ‘I heard what happened at the Shure, are you hurt ?’

He shook his head, realising a smile had crept onto his face at the sight of her. After a morning of goshe, Imperials and stern-faced Lawbringers, it was a pleasure to speak to someone normal for a change.

‘I’m fine,’ he reassured her, ‘they were no match for Rhe. How are you ?’

Sheti frowned. ‘How do you think ? Men tried to kill you last night. There were dead bodies out in the courtyard half the morning !’

‘I know, I’m sorry about that – I never really expected it to happen, in truth.’

‘And what now ? Has Kesh’s mother been found ?’

‘She’s safe and at the Palace of Law.’

‘Oh thank the Gods,’ Sheti gasped. ‘That poor girl’s grieving enough – go tell her the news.’

Narin nodded. ‘I will. Are you sure you’re okay ?’

‘I’m fine, my boy – shaken up is all. We all are. I think you’ve forgotten not every resident here is an Investigator !’

‘I’ve not forgotten,’ he said, feeling a pang of guilt all the same. ‘How many are left ?’

‘Just me, bar the Investigators who were woken and put straight to guard duty. The rest were escorted out with their heads bare so no one could mistake them for your friends upstairs – a strange precaution, that. I heard the Lawbringer say they’re not allowed to return tonight, not unless Rhe gives permission. Do you think he will ?’

Narin shook his head. ‘Tomorrow, I hope.’

‘You’ve something planned ?’

‘We need to do something,’ he said with a nod of agreement. ‘We can’t just sit here and hope it’ll all work out.’

‘So, what ?’ She raised a hand. ‘No, wait ; I don’t want to know – I’ve heard enough already. If it’s all the same with you, I think it best I keep clear unless you need something of me. Go explain matters to your new friends up there ; they’re the ones without a choice here.’

Narin gave a weak smile. ‘You’ve got a point there. I should be trained for this sort of thing, but even I’d prefer it to be someone else’s problem. I’m far enough out of my depth as it is.’

‘Rubbish,’ Sheti said, only then remembering they were not alone in the courtyard. She blushed and lowered her eyes, adding, ‘if you don’t mind me saying, Master Narin. You’ve told me often enough – being a Lawbringer’s all you ever wanted. You’d never walk away from them even if you had the choice.’

‘Doesn’t mean I’m happy with the choices I’ve got,’ Narin said in a glum voice. ‘Ah, you’re right. This is all I’ve ever wanted – the chance to prove myself as a Lawbringer. I’d just hoped for an even chance when the time came. I can’t even tell my superiors everything, for fear of what trouble that might bring !’ He shook his head. ‘But to let murderers win ? No, I’d rather die than turn away.’

Sheti caught his hand and squeezed it, giving him a warm smile then nodding towards the stair. Narin left without a further word, but he was heartened by the strength of the resolve inside him. He took the steps two at a time and, with one look at the guards squatting on the shallow sloped roof on the opposite side of the compound, went to his own door and rapped his knuckles on it.

‘It’s me,’ he called, feeling foolish as he did so, ‘it’s Narin.’

‘So it is,’ Enchei said from behind the door, accompanied by a scraping sound as some sort of bar was removed. ‘Fresh from your latest escapades I hear.’

‘Gods, has the whole city heard ?’ Narin wondered as he slipped inside the dimly lit room. The air was thick, with the doors and windows barred ; too many people in close confinement, too many men and women killed in there the previous night.

‘Ripe in here, eh ? And yes, most of the city will’ve heard by now – the news has reached the markets and everyone knows how gossip goes through this city like bad shrimp.’

Narin wrinkled his nose. ‘Smells like gossip in here, then.’

‘Was worse before we cleaned,’ Kesh said with a grimace.

‘Aye, never got used to it myself after years of soldiering,’ Enchei said darkly. The grey-haired man seemed lost in his memories for a moment then shook the mood off. ‘I guess cleaning ain’t why you’re here.’

‘No – but I’ve got some good news at least,’ Narin said, brightening as he turned to Kesh. ‘Your mother’s alive and well, Kesh – demanding to see you of course, but I’ve persuaded her the Palace of Law is the safest place for her at the moment.’

‘You spoke to her ! She got my message ?’ Kesh jumped out of her seat, delight spread across her face. ‘When can I see her ?’

‘When your life isn’t in danger !’ Narin said, almost laughing at the change in her manner. ‘Soon, just as soon as we can get you out of here.’

‘Well ? What’re we waiting for ?’ Kesh demanded, looking round at the three men. ‘Can’t your Investigators escort us there ?’

Narin’s smile wavered. ‘No – I don’t know, but I don’t want to risk it.’

‘What ? Even now, in the middle of the day ?’

Enchei put a restraining hand on her arm. ‘Kesh, lass – he’s right. You’re at your most vulnerable out in the street. These goshe don’t care if they die getting to you and Irato. You know they’re slaves to the will of others.’

‘Oh, so suddenly you’re an expert in assassination too ?’ Kesh snapped, rounding on him. The look on Enchei’s face was stony but it barely blunted her anger at him.

Enchei didn’t rise to the provocation and kept his voice level. ‘Why don’t we listen to Narin’s plan ?’

The Investigator nodded. ‘They’ll be watching us – not too closely I guess, but enough to see anyone leaving this place. There’ll be an ambush ready somewhere on the road to the Palace of Law, ready to spring when it’s clear what route we’re taking.’

‘So, what ? We run and take our chances ? You fetch a team of horses ?’

‘We do it on our terms. I’ve been thinking – the leaders of the goshe came to the Palace of Law to deny having any part in this. They said it was just a rogue temple-leader with a grudge against Irato,’ Narin nodded towards the former goshe who was silently watching them all, ‘making vague claims that you two were having some sort of affair.’

‘Us ?’ Kesh spluttered. ‘Me and him ? Are you insane ?’

‘They needed something half-plausible to buy them time,’ Narin explained hurriedly. ‘No one believes them, but they needed to say something in their denial – that’s all. Their real reason was to show us the faces of their leaders, a nobleman and an Imperial amongst them. They’re threatening us with what we might find as we investigate their Order – who we might end up having to arrest, but two can play that game.’

‘What’re you on about ?’ Enchei asked in a wary voice. ‘Oh, I don’t like the sound of where this is going.’

Narin glared at him. ‘I’m not saying it’s perfect, but they’re scared – so why shouldn’t we take advantage of that ?’

‘They’re scared the Great Houses are going to get involved,’ Enchei said carefully. ‘
We
don’t exactly want to encourage that either, do we ?’

‘What threat do we have over them ? Nothing – they’re not worried about us killing their enslaved soldiers, all they fear is exposure of their secrets !’

‘Exposure, yes – and we all know whose scrutiny they want to avoid,’ Enchei growled. ‘The same attention I don’t need, you don’t need – none of us do. There are Stone Dragons on standby in this city all year round, more than any of us can handle and reinforcements likely just a day or two away.’

He pointed in the rough direction of north. ‘You bloody Lawbringers. You don’t get it, do you ? You operate on sufferance, only so far as it pleases the Dragons ! The Imperial City’s inside House Dragon’s sovereign territory ; they’re the power here and they’ll bloody do as they like if they get a sniff of what’s going on.’

‘No reason we can’t use fear of them to direct the goshe though, is it ?’

‘Isn’t it ?’ Enchei grabbed Irato’s arm and dragged the big man forward. ‘Show him ; show Narin what you found you could do this morning.’

Irato scowled at being dragged into the argument, but didn’t say anything as he obliged. Blue-white sparks began to dance around his fingertips then became jagged, writhing lines twisting and curling malevolently all over his palm.

‘Just like the one that attacked Kesh,’ Enchei added, ‘and we’re working on what else he can do. What else he might have to help keep the rest of us alive. But if any Astaren see that, they’ll take him and cut him open like a dog on an altar – me too. You and Kesh, you’ll get taken for interrogation and have a short, painful life before you disappear into the sea.’

‘You finished ?’ Narin asked quietly.

‘Hah. What’s happened to you today, boy ?’ Enchei exclaimed. ‘Been spending too much time around bloody Lawbringer Rhe ? Suddenly fearless of consequences, are we ? Or did you just lose your soul same way Rhe must’ve ?’

Narin scowled, shook his head, trying not to think of the woman he’d killed. ‘I’ve lost nothing, but either we take control and make them play on our terms or we lose. That’s what today’s taught me. There’s no way out of this except by winning, so that’s what I intend to do.’

‘How exactly ?’

‘I’ve one final card to play – I think now’s the time for it. I think this Father Jehq, or whoever he reports to, is really in charge of the goshe. The leadership they sent to us are simply their influential members, useful just for that purpose and there to take the blame if anything goes wrong.’

Enchei hissed with realisation. ‘So you’re going to reach out to an influential friend of your own and hope that doesn’t blow up in your face ? Boy, that’s clever and bloody stupid all in one tidy little package.’

‘Right now I think we’re running out of options, don’t you ?’

‘And if your friend ain’t so friendly ? These lords of Wyvern can be like that, I’m told.’

‘I saved the man’s life, remember ?’ Narin said firmly. ‘I’m sure he could do me this one favour and if there’s any time to ask it of him, the sooner the better, no ?’

‘And you’re just off to ask him that, eh ?’

Narin shook his head. ‘No, my friend – I need someone to check I’ve not got the worst luck in the world. That he’s not another nobleman under the influence of the goshe. Right now we’ve no idea just how far their power spreads.’

‘What’re you saying ?’

The Investigator smiled. ‘I’m saying I’m not going to ask him for help –
we
are.’

With Enchei dressed as a servant, grey hair tied back so his face was clearly visible to any watchers, he and Narin left the compound without incident. They took a direct route to the Crescent and hired a boat to take them across, circumventing the Tier Bridge and its cramped markets on either shore.