Serpent and Storm (24 page)

“But how…” Sky Knife's voice was so low, he wasn't even sure Rabbit could hear him.

“How did I find you?” asked Rabbit. Sky Knife nodded once. Rabbit grinned. “I told you before, I have a lot of clients, and men talk to women like me. Sometimes, they even say something important.”

Sky Knife closed his eyes again as Rabbit moved away. She sawed at the bonds holding a wrist.

“So when Rat came back without you, shouting that something had to be done, I decided to do it,” continued Rabbit. “I approached one of Dark Lightning's people and offered him my services—for free, you understand, because I was grateful they were ridding the city of a royal family plagued by evil and bad luck. And afterwards, he took me to his commander, who took me to
his
commander. And eventually, I ended up here.”

“If they find you…”

Rabbit finished Sky Knife's right wrist. Gratefully, he folded his arm and let the wrist rest on his shoulder. His hand tingled and burned as blood rushed into it without hindrance. Rabbit started on his other wrist.

“I suppose they might kill me,” said Rabbit. “But, then, I might be able to buy my way out of it. I'm fairly wealthy, you know, and an army needs money to pay its soldiers. Dark Lightning is going to need to find some income quickly if he wins and plans on remaining king.”

Rabbit freed Sky Knife's other wrist and went to start on his ankles. “Almost there,” she said. “Don't worry. The Masked One will keep us safe.”

“That's what Dark Lightning says to himself,” said Sky Knife.

Rabbit made a rude noise that sounded much like a
colecab
buzzing. “Dark Lightning knows nothing about the Masked One. If he did, he wouldn't have claimed his sister for a bride. The Masked One will strike him down for such an affront to her laws. What I can't believe is that so many others have chosen to follow him when he's quite clearly mad. Marrying your sister? Abomination.”

“He's not behind it,” said Sky Knife. “I'm sure there's someone else. Dark Lightning isn't smart enough to have pulled this off alone.”

“He's got Mirror.”

Sky Knife sobbed in relief as Rabbit freed his ankles. “I don't think,” he said between sobs, “that Mirror is that bright either.”

Rabbit laughed, but covered her mouth with her hands so she wouldn't be heard. “That's funny,” she said.

“What?”

“Never mind,” said Rabbit. “A joke's never funny if you have to explain it. Besides, we need to get away, don't you think? You're scheduled to be executed at noon and it's almost noon now.”

Rabbit took one of Sky Knife's hands and pulled him up into a sitting position. Every muscle in Sky Knife's body roared in agony and threatened to cramp after so long in the same position on the ground. He winced and his wounds bled anew as he moved and the sliced skin parted. The pain from the design on his chest itched and burned.

Rabbit threw a robe over Sky Knife's shoulders and helped him to his feet. He leaned on her heavily, the pain making his head spin. Rabbit took his left arm and put it around her neck. “Come,” she said. “This way.”

Rabbit led Sky Knife to the edge of the pit. At one section, the wall of the pit had caved in, leaving a slope. With Rabbit's help, Sky Knife managed to walk up the slope. The rocks cut into his bare feet. Sky Knife gritted his teeth.

Rabbit led him, almost at a jog, behind an apartment complex. Sky Knife leaned against the wall and looked back.

The pit was in the center of an old apartment building that had fallen in. Sky Knife shivered. He understood what it was now—a grave. He had been tied down in someone else's grave.

Sky Knife groaned. Rabbit hugged him briefly. “Come on, not far,” she said. “We can find safety with a client of mine.”

Rabbit led Sky Knife in between and behind apartment building after apartment building. Sky Knife kept silent though his feet pained him terribly. He was sure Dark Lightning's people would be able to follow them by the blood trail he left behind him.

“Rest a moment,” said Rabbit. “We're almost there.”

Sky Knife leaned back against the wall of a building. Rabbit peered around the corner.

For the first time, Sky Knife noticed how little Rabbit had on. Her dress—if he could call it that—covered her from chest to mid-thigh, but no more. Suddenly, Sky Knife recalled his own nakedness. He grabbed the loose ends of the robe and closed it in front of him.

Rabbit turned back to him. Her dress was immodest by any means in the back, but in the front, it plunged so far her breasts almost popped out of it. Sky Knife blushed and looked away.

“All right,” said Rabbit. “Just a little farther.”

Sky Knife let Rabbit lead him around the corner and behind several more buildings.

“Wait,” she said.

Sky Knife wobbled but stayed on his feet. He listened. Footsteps approached. Rabbit motioned for Sky Knife to stay where he was. Then she strutted around the corner.

“Why, hello there,” said Rabbit.

“Good day,” said a man's voice. “Who are you?”

“Just a woman looking for a few brave warriors such as yourself,” said Rabbit. “You're one of Mirror's men?”

“Yes,” said the warrior. “But I still don't know who you are.”

“No one of importance, really. But I could be your friend.”

“Huh,” said the warrior. “A woman such as yourself must be very expensive. And I'm on duty. Though perhaps we could make arrangements for later—if I could find enough to pay you for your services.”

“Oh, I won't accept anything from any of Mirror's brave men today,” said Rabbit. “If you doubt me, you can ask Mirror himself. I personally attended to him only an hour ago.”

“And now you're sneaking around in the alleys? Seems to me you'd stay with the commander.”

“Well,” said Rabbit. She sounded like a young girl. She sighed deeply. “He was busy, you see. So I left to see if I could find any other companionship.”

The man laughed. “If that's the case, then you just found it.”

Rabbit laughed. “My place isn't far.”

“I don't have the time,” said the warrior. “I should think a woman of your profession could be a little more inventive than that.”

“All right,” said Rabbit. “Let's see…”

Sky Knife looked around, desperate for escape. But he dared not move. If he made a sound, the warrior would know Rabbit was hiding someone.

“Oh, my,” said Rabbit. “You are really quite impressive. Even more so than your commander, Mirror.”

“I'm pleased to hear it,” said the warrior.

Nothing more was said by either of the people in the alley for many minutes. But the grunts and groans they made left no question about what was going on. Sky Knife blushed furiously and tried not to hear, but neither Rabbit nor the warrior were quiet.

Eventually, the two finished. Sky Knife sighed, relieved not to have to listen to them anymore.

“If you're off duty sometime soon, come find me. I live in the fifteenth complex west of the Butterfly Temple. Ask for me—I'm Spider Silk. But bring something with you—I'm only free for today.”

“I certainly will,” said the warrior. “Come, that is, and bring you something fine enough to suit you.”

“I look forward to it,” said Rabbit.

Sky Knife heard footsteps retreating. After a few moments, Rabbit came around the corner, furiously adjusting her tiny dress.

“Slug,” she whispered under her breath.

Sky Knife looked away as Rabbit's dress slipped. “Masked One!” she said. “He didn't have to tear my dress.”

Sky Knife jumped as Rabbit touched his elbow. “Come on,” she said. “I'm sorry to keep you on your feet for so long, but I had to distract him. It's not far. Really.”

Sky Knife nodded and followed Rabbit down the alley. He limped painfully, the pebbles and shards of pottery that littered the alley biting into the soles of his feet. At last, he stumbled.

Rabbit came back to him. “Oh, I am sorry,” she said. “But it's right here—see?”

Sky Knife looked up into an open doorway and a courtyard beyond.

“We'll take care of you here, my friend and I,” said Rabbit. “Come. Come.”

Rabbit helped Sky Knife stand, though that forced her to forget about the tear in her dress and it flopped down to her waist. Sky Knife looked away.

“It took you long enough.”

Sky Knife looked up into the face of Talking Storm.

24

“Well, well,
you
do it next time,” said Rabbit. “I'd like to see what sort of plan you'd have come up with in the alley. But then, I'm sure he wasn't your type.”

“What?” asked Talking Storm.

“Never mind. Come on, we have to get him inside.”

“Interesting dress,” said Talking Storm. He stepped out and took Sky Knife by the elbow. “I don't believe I've seen that one before.”

“Nor will you again,” said Rabbit as she took Sky Knife's other elbow. “It's had it. That slug had heavy hands.”

“Tell me about it later,” said Talking Storm.

Sky Knife allowed himself to be led into the compound.

“Put him on the bench,” said Talking Storm. “And fetch some water.”

“I'll get some bandages, too,” said Rabbit.

“Fine.”

The two of them lowered Sky Knife onto a bench that had been covered in layers of blankets. It was soft and warm. Sky Knife relaxed, trembling at the pain in his feet, his leg, and his chest.

Sky Knife closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Someone opened the robe, exposing his nakedness again. Sky Knife jerked painfully, grabbing at the robe.

“It's all right,” said Talking Storm. “I'm just going to clean your wounds. It's not enough to repay what you did for me, but the Storm God does not give me the power to heal. You'll have to be satisfied with more mundane aid.”

Sky Knife nodded. “I don't have the power to heal, either,” he said, his voice low and hoarse. “I'm only glad that Itzamna answered my plea yesterday. I had no surety that he would.”

“Rabbit will bring water for you to drink,” said Talking Storm. “And tamales and fruit to feed you. I know the weakness that comes upon me after I do the god's work. I assume that is part of your problem now.”

Sky Knife nodded again. “There was … we went … to the Center,” he said. “The Guardian…”

“Rest,” said Talking Storm. “The story will keep. And you retrieved the king from a place it's said no man may enter and live. That was no small feat.”

Sky Knife closed his eyes again. He must have slept briefly because the next thing he was aware of was a wet stinging pain in his chest. He gasped and looked around wildly.

“Easy,” said Talking Storm. He laid a hand on Sky Knife's shoulder. “We're just washing out your wounds with water and
pulque.
You slept while we took care of your leg. I'm glad of that because the wound is deep. But it is clean now and we have bound your leg. We took care of your feet, too.”

Sky Knife looked up at the flat wooden ceiling while Talking Storm worked. The
pulque
stung in his cuts, but the pain wasn't bad now that he knew what it was. The throbbing in the soles of his feet pounded against the bandages wrapped around them. Sky Knife shifted uncomfortably.

“Almost through,” said Talking Storm. “Drink some water.”

Rabbit held out a cup to him and raised his head to it. Sky Knife drank deeply. The water revived him.

“Why?” he asked. “I thought you didn't care for me.”

Talking Storm grunted. “I didn't,” he said. “But you not only helped me, you saved the king when I couldn't.”

“Many men would find that more reason to hate,” said Sky Knife.

“Many men are fools,” said the priest of the Storm God. “If I am anything, I am loyal to the king. Anyone who aids him merits any help I can give.”

“But I didn't help—Deer was taken with me. Dark Lightning has him,” said Sky Knife.

“I know. But Rabbit found out where he is being kept.”

“I remember someone saying this morning that he was ill,” said Sky Knife.

“It would follow,” said Talking Storm. “He and the boy share a soul and they have been kept apart for a night and a morning. I'm sure the boy sickens as well. We must retrieve Deer before they get weaker.”

“We?”

“Rabbit and I,” said Talking Storm. “You'll stay here and rest.”

“No,” said Sky Knife. “I'm going, too.”

“You're too weak,” said Talking Storm. “Stay here and sleep.”

“No,” said Sky Knife. “Deer's my friend. I'm going.”

“I don't think we're going to be able to leave him behind,” said Rabbit from across the room. “So let's get some food into him and get going.”

“He can barely walk,” protested Talking Storm.

“Feed him and let him come,” said Rabbit. “Besides, he's got to return my jewelry and Dark Lightning took it from him.”

“And my knife,” said Sky Knife. “They took that, too. And I owe Dark Lightning a cut or two.”

“Fine,” said Talking Storm. “Fine. Eat something so we can go.”

Talking Storm gestured to a tray of tamales and fruit on the floor next to him. As soon as he saw the food, Sky Knife realized how hungry he was. He ate tamale after tamale and several pieces of fruit as well.

“You're too scrawny to eat like that all the time,” said Rabbit.

“He's done sorcery,” said Talking Storm. “He has to eat. He should sleep, too, but it doesn't look like he's going to.”

“Not yet,” said Sky Knife. Weariness still leeched into his bones, but it wasn't as bad as it was before. The water and the food had gone a long way to replenishing his energy, at least for a while. He could push back the sleep for a few more hours.