He turned back just as a lanky, blond haired stable hand came running from around the corner of the inn. The boy looked exhausted. He handed Fael’wyn’s reins over. “Take good care of him and see he’s well-fed,” he said, flipping the boy a coin he had won in a game of cyn with Darius. Best use of the rogue’s coin I can think of, he thought.
The boy looked at the silver coin as if it were dark magic. “I’ve never see coin quite like this before,” he said, his voice the reedy whine of adolescence.
“It’s real, I assure you,” Gray said.
“Where are you from?” the boy asked.
Gray debated lying, but at last he saw no harm in it—the King would find out soon enough. “Far away. A place called the Lost Woods. It’s a long ways south from here,” he answered.
“So it’s true,” the boy whispered, “The others said it was so, but I didn’t believe it.”
“Others?” he asked.
“Ah, just the other stable hands and some of the waitresses. And I thought they were teasing me again, but they looked mighty shocked themselves. Then you’re with that scary lookin’ crowd that just came in? How in the light’s realm did you get pass the great gap?”
“It’s a long story, perhaps another time.” Gray moved towards the inn’s door.
“Wait, hold on,” the boy said.
“Yes?”
“Then you’re here to see the King?”
Gray nodded. “What of it?”
The boy bit his lip nervously as he eyed the nearest people, waiting for them to pass. “A word of warning then,” he said, lowering his voice, “be wary of the king’s advisor— Tervasian. It’s well known that he has the ear of the king. Both of them. If you plan to get anywhere with Katsu, you will have to convince Tervasian first.”
Gray remembered that name—it was the same one the guard had uttered. Councilor Tervasian… “Thanks for the advice.”
“Sure thing, and thank you,” said the boy with a wink, pocketing the coin, and with that he took Fael’wyn away.
As Gray turned toward the inn’s door, he heard a sudden commotion and the door slammed open. A body came barreling out and crashed into him. The two fell, toppling head over heels into a pile. Gray hit his head and something sparked—a vision flooded him.
Baked sand filled his nostrils, his lips parched. Before him was a dark castle, rising from the tan desert. The vision shifted and he was in a vaulted room of black stone. He was not alone. A slender woman stood confidently before a mirror, dressed in scarlet red robes. Her hands glided over her form. Gray looked down and saw his own coarse brown robes. He looked back up. The woman eyed her reflection with pride. She had just done something… something noteworthy. She turned to look at him and called his name. But it was not his name. Her delicate wrist stretched towards him, but there was something else in her grip. As he reached out to touch her, smooth fingertips brushing his, she screamed. Suddenly she was on her knees and blood was everywhere. There was a scream and he gasped and the room plunged into darkness—thick feelers crawling up the walls and consuming everything they touched. The bloodcurdling cry continued. Gray wanted to tear his ears from his skull if it would stop the sound.
As quickly as it came, the vision vanished. Gray took a sharp breath. It couldn’t have lasted more than a few seconds. His head throbbed as he regained his senses, and the white paved street of the Shining City settled familiarly around him. Nightmares from my past…
An angry voice shouted, “And stay out you lout! For the last time, keep yourself to the Commoner’s District!” The door slammed shut.
Gray sized up the man before him. Lines creased the corner of his eyes and deeper lines ran from his nose past his mouth. His drab clothes identified him as a laborer like the ones Gray had seen at the docks, but his clothes had a touch of finery. He spotted flared cuffs with a bit of dark embroidery. Gray guessed the man was perhaps Mura’s age, but he wore his years with less grace than the hermit, like an ill fitted coat.
The man turned towards him, a woozy smile through his scruffy beard. “Yes? What do you want?” he grumbled. “I am not for sale, you know.”
“What? You ran into me…”
The man belched, raising a fist to his lips. His words came out heavily slurred, “You find me handshome. Why else would ya’ be giving me that come hither look, lass?”
Looking around, Gray saw there were other people on the street, but they were all too far to hear.
“Shhh, no no,” the man said, overriding him. “There’s no need to be coy!”
“Uh…”
The man raised his fist to the sky, “But alas, it cannot be. I am woefully sorry, you have to understand, my dearest madam. I am betrothed only to my work!”
Gray put his hand in his hair and shook his head, this time with a laugh. He bent down and grabbed the man by his clothes, pulling him up. All the while the man complained. “I’ve never seen anyone as drunk as you,” Gray laughed. “First off, I’m not a woman. And second, what has got you in such a state that you’re this drunk by midday?”
The man rubbed his eyes, peering through his heavy lids and then rose to his wobbly feet. “First!” he said, raising a finger and then paused to belch. “My apologies. You are definitely a man…”
“I’m glad we got that settled.”
“…But you are a very pretty man, so you are to blame as well. Second!” He raised his third finger, interrupting Gray. His expression became deathly serious. “I am no ordinary drunk. Though I am very drunk, right now. I am Balder, chief of the Stonemason’s Guild.”
“Stonemason’s Guild?” Gray asked.
“You do not know of it?” Balder said in shock, “Everyone knows us! Where have you been? You do have an odd accent.” He dismissed it with a gesture. “No matter, I will inform you then. The Stonemason’s Guild is the most powerful of all the guilds in the Shining City, and I was its chief!”
Gray narrowed his eyes, “You said you are its chief before.”
“What? Oh that’s right! Am, its chief, am. What did I say? Never mind that! I have an idea, what say you and I go for a drink. So you know, my apprentices always pay for the first round. It’s custom, but I’ll get the next one, of course.”
Gray tried to interrupt, but there was no opening in the man’s ranting.
“—You know, it used to be free for me. All the innkeepers clambered to give me a drink. Sometimes I’d repay them with a bit of the finest touchups on their establishment. Of course, only after racking up a wee little tab,” he nudged him confidentially. Balder’s eyes flickered to his wrapped sword. “Say, what’s in the wrapped bundle on your back? Mind if have a look?”
Gray ignored the comment. “Why did you get kicked out?” he asked, looking to the inn before them.
“I just made a remark, nothing big, just a simple observation about the innkeeper, Hitomi, and her own guild The Tavern and Inn. I’d be careful of that one if I were you,” he said and then reached for something in his jacket, extracting a flask and bringing it to his pursed lips.
He grabbed Balder’s hand, “No more.”
The stonemason’s face turned beet red. “Who are you to…” he said and paused, clasping a hand to his mouth as he twisted and threw up.
Gray groaned. “What am I to do with you? You’re much too drunk to be wandering the streets.”
“No no, I feel much better now,” Balder muttered, wiping his mouth.
Gray eyed the stonemason. If the man was truly the chief of the stonemason’s guild, he would surely know the layout of the Shining City. Perhaps even know of a way out…
Balder was now appraising the stonework of the nearby planter where he had just vomited, ranting really at the bricks. “No, this is all wrong. Not vertically staggered, and… what is this, a saerian bond? Who built this? Were they blind? Or perhaps it was done at night, with a blindfold, and a spoon instead of a chisel. This is practically rubble!”
Am I really planning on leaving? Gray wondered. When he saw Balder reach for the flask again he dragged the man to his feet. “I can’t have you wandering into some dark alley and getting robbed, or worse.”
Balder harrumphed. “I am the chief of the Stonemasons’ Guild! I built this city from the ground up! Anyone who robs me will find justice at the end of a sword. Now enough of this nonsense, let’s find another tavern. Do you know of the The Green Hoof or the Red Maid? The Red Maid is good, but the The Green Hoof is better.” Agreeing while Balder talked, Gray led him to the door of the inn. “Wait wait, not there!”
“Keep your mouth shut and stay behind me, it’ll be fine. My friends and I are under the king’s protection.”
“Hogsfeet! His majesty’s protection? Who are you?”
Gray grumbled, “The name’s Gray, now are you coming or not?”
“All right all right, no need to get upset,” Balder said and gave a suddenly impish smirk, looking not at all drunk. “Say, you sure you aren’t a woman? Because you’re just as pushy.” Gray shook his head wryly, shoving the man through the door and leaving the cold streets behind.
The Dipping Tsugi
A
S SOON AS
G
RAY OPENED THE
door, a burly voice bellowed, “What’s he doing here?” Gray noticed the speaker who stood on the other side of the room. He was a bear of a man with a huge, blocky frame and a face like misshapen putty from too many bar fights. He had a hooked nose that crooked one way and then the other. A thick scar made a jagged line across his trunk-like neck, from where someone had obviously tried to garrote the behemoth and failed. “I just kicked that laggard out!” The shout cut through the noise of the common room. Balder tried to duck away, but Gray held him in place. The big man pushed his way through the tables.
Gray stepped in front of Balder.
“Tell me why I shouldn’t knock the two of you flat,” growled the brute, raising his meaty fist.
“Relax,” Gray said with a gesture. “He’s with me, just let me explain.”
“Relax, he says,” a silken smooth voice spoke, ringing with authority. Gray turned and saw a woman who stood behind the counter. She had shiny black hair pulled back in a twisted bun, and held in place with a stick. Her face was mature, not old, with smooth skin and hard eyes. The only lines she bore were those of sternness around her lips and eyes. He recognized them because it was just like Mura. The woman continued, “I am quite relaxed. Now answer quickly or I’ll let Dorbin have his way. Who are you and why do you bring this man back into my establishment?”
All eyes in the room were now on Gray. Even the harpist stopped playing and watched. The room was dead silent. He swallowed and approached the woman with the heat of eyes upon his back. Dorbin put a huge hand on Gray’s shoulder, stopping him. The woman nodded and Dorbin withdrew it.
“My name is Gray, and I’m here under the protection of the King,” he said and gave a nod, behind him. “If you don’t mind terribly, I’d rather not draw this much attention.”
The innkeeper smiled thinly, a show of politeness. “You are with the others then?”
“I am.”
“Chrissa,” the woman called prompting the harpist to play. The band took up their odd stringed instruments and Gray glanced over his shoulder. The strange but pleasing music drew the crowd’s attention once again. The woman flicked her eyes. The hulking Dorbin backed away, stepping into the shadows of the common room. “I apologize. We are not use to such esteemed guests.”
Gray hid a breath of relief. “No apologies needed…” he paused, searching for a name.
The woman gave a small bow. “You may call me Mistress Hitomi, Gray-sama.”
Gray noticed Hitomi did a good job keeping her eyes from the stonemason, but he saw the fire in her expression was still there. It was evident she hated Balder. The stonemason, however, was oblivious. His eyes danced from the harpist to the slender and fast-paced barmaids and Gray hid a sigh—the man was beginning to remind him of Darius. “If I promise he will cause no more trouble, can he stay?”
“Strange company you keep, but if you insist,” she answered.
“Thank you,” he said sincerely, “And the others?”
“The rest of your company has been seen to. Your rooms are upstairs.” She pointed to the polished banister of rosewood that led to the second floor. “Yours is the second door on the right with the honorable Darius-sama. Your friends are in the library, waiting for word from his majesty. It is quiet there and you can talk. If it would please you, you may join them, I will have dinner brought in.”
“Sounds perfect,” he said, hoping to smooth their rocky start.
Mistress Hitomi motioned to one of the young barmaids and the girl approached. Gray took in her form fitting red silk dress and she flashed him a less-than-coy look. His cheeks grew hot. “Come with me,” she said and Gray followed, dragging Balder. They entered a short hallway, which led to a simple oak door. “Your friends.”
“Thank you,” he replied.
She smiled and bowed away.
Gray put his hand on the smooth knob and paused, realizing the others would likely question his new friend and wonder why he had brought him. Gray couldn’t let them know he was contemplating leaving. He turned to Balder. “Listen, the others are a bit choosy when it comes to company. If they ask, tell them I invited you along because you know something about the king and his councilors.”