Thread Slivers (Golden Threads Trilogy) (18 page)

Nodding, she pointed to the inner door. “Now that we are all formally introduced, can we please proceed with getting to someplace safe?”

They made their way to the Temple’s inner door. Lebuin had to lean on Ditani a little to stay steady, and they were soon intercepted by an acolyte. “That way is not proper.”

Ticca looked at the acolyte sternly and said nothing, and after a moment the young man, looking more than a little nervous, decided it might be best to let a higher authority take care of the matter. “Please wait a moment, I’ll get a Healer.” He went through the door and closed it behind him.

Looking around near the door Ticca picked an empty cot and pointed at it. “Rest there while I make some arrangements.” She then boldly stepped to the door and opened it, stepping through. Lebuin sat down with Ditani’s help and they waited.

“Ditani what is a Knife, in the context that Ticca was using?”

Ditani looked at him, his eyes going a little wide.
Yes, I am totally ignorant, please don’t belabor the point.
Ditani seemed to read his mind. “Milord, a Knife is a professional assassin, just like a Blade is a professional soldier, and a Dagger is a warrior-specialist.”

Lord, she is killing professional assassins for me?! I might pay her a bit more just to keep her happy.

Ticca was back in about a half-mark, her arms loaded with the light green robes worn by initiates in the Temple. Ticca had already gotten rid of the fine cloak she had been wearing, and was followed by an older woman wearing the dark green robes of a priestess of Dalpha. Coming over to the cot, she tossed the robes on the end. “Here, get into these.”

Ditani stood and started picking through them quickly and efficiently, selecting one for him and another for his master. Lebuin looked at the robes he was handed in disdain. “You want me to wear this in public?”

Ticca stopped in the middle of stepping into a robe herself and gave him a look of disbelief. “Are you serious? Would you rather walk out on the street with that target spot already nicely laid open for the next Knife?”

Lebuin felt a little ashamed at his reaction.
What in the world am I thinking? Damn it! Something dangerous is going on and I am complaining about the clothes. I must look the total fool.
“Sorry, I am not thinking clearly; of course I’ll follow your lead.” He put on the new robes and found a way to fasten his pin on the inside so it didn’t show.
No reason I can’t at least stay clean and comfortable.

When they were dressed the Priestess checked them over. She made some minor corrections to their belt knots and then standing back, she nodded. “This will be just fine. You must wear the hoods up at all times; and you should not look around. Keep your hands loose at your sides. Stay in formation behind me. I will take you to Gold Street, about half a mile from here, where we have a small hospice. From there it would not make sense for us to travel this way.”

The priestess looked at Lebuin, concerned. “I want you to follow behind me. Should you find that you cannot continue, pull on the back of my robes. I will find an excuse to stop. Please don’t try to push through, let me know as soon as you begin to feel a little tired.”

Lebuin nodded. “I understand.”

“Good. Now you stand here, and you two walk side by side behind him; keep two steps distance between us and try to stay in step. I will go slowly, so this will take quite some time. No one will be able to tell that you do not belong here. Some priests think deeply while traveling from place to place.” The priestess opened the door. “Now, while in the Temple, it is practice. When we exit by the main door your lives will depend on looking the part.”

Gravely, they put their hoods up and fell into the measured step set by the priestess. From time to time she would glance at them as they walked and corrected them on various small points. By the time they approached the main doors, Lebuin felt like they might have a good chance at surviving this. In the main hall the priestess stopped. “Lebuin, are you well? Can you do this for a full mark more?”

This is no time to be boastful; our lives depend on me not falling on my face.
He looked within himself and considered what he had done since waking up in the Temple. “Yes, I can do this; I know our lives are on the line. Thank you, Lady, for your aid.”

“Service in the Lady’s name is my reward. The time for practice is done; Come.” And turning, she led them out of the main doors.

Lebuin’s heart raced as they stepped over the threshold.
No shields, only thin cloth between me and the world
, and then another thought occurred to him,
and this is how most people live every day.
He concentrated on staying in step and at the correct distance from the others. He found that while looking straight down, he could just see the front edges of Ditani’s and Ticca’s robes. Lebuin was surprised to see that Ticca had found time to exchange her boots for a different pair; they were made of supple leather, dyed a soft green that matched the robes very well.
That is an amazing lady. She must have spotted the boots when she found the robes. I can’t believe she would just leave those other boots.
He pondered the day’s events as they walked. He found that although he was tired, he could push himself further.
I have never had so much strain or trouble. This whole day makes all the troubles at the Guild silly in comparison.
For the first time he felt vulnerable and mortal. As they walked, he tried to find any time in the Guild that had threatened and frightened him so much, but no problem or slight — even by Magus Cune — compared.

After what felt like forever, they climbed the steps to another building. The smells of the herbs and incense found in a hospice were a welcome relief from the fear of attack. Lebuin was about to pull back his hood when the priestess quietly commanded, “Follow me, I must present the three of you.” Her tone clearly worried about something.

They stayed in step as they moved through the hospice room; they did not get very far before the priestess cried out, “You would dare attack inside the house of Dalpha?! Lebuin, get behind me!” and spinning, she lifted her staff high. As Lebuin pulled his hood back to find the source of the priestess’ alarm, the light in the room took on a greenish tint.

A simple workman dressed in smudged brown and worn clothes with a soft gray wool cloak was diving to the side as knife rebounded off a shield created by the priestess.

Ticca spun, pulling her robe open down the front. She pulled her dagger and another knife as she jumped between Lebuin and the man before his knife had a chance to hit the floor. “Lebuin, run! Follow the priestess!”

The man rolled to his feet, facing Ticca, and smiled. “You think you can best me, girl?”

The priestess repeated Ticca’s command. “Lebuin, come, now.” She grabbed Lebuin’s collar and tugged him away from the fight.
I can’t help, I’m powerless! Lord, help her!
Turning, Lebuin grabbed Ditani’s robe and pulled him along too. The priestess kept the shield up and backed them towards a doorway.

Ticca and the man approached each other cautiously at first. They said something to each other in low tones, which he couldn’t make out.

Lebuin didn’t see who moved first but their knives flew, filling the room with the ringing sounds of metal hitting metal. As he went through the doorway he saw the man entangle Ticca’s robe with one hand and yank her off balance. He heard Ticca yelp in pain before the priestess slammed the door closed. Turning, she pointed down a hall. “This way.” And she ran faster than Lebuin thought was possible in all those robes.

Although tired, he had no problem finding the energy to run after her. Ditani remained right behind them. At the far end of the hallway the priestess threw open another door and motioned them inside while she watched down the hall. Once inside she closed the door and locked it, leaving them bathed in a soft green light of her staff. Her staff shifted to glow with a brighter white light, and Lebuin saw they were in an alcove with a flight of stone stairs leading down. The priestess hurried down the stairs, and with no other instructions, Lebuin and Ditani followed.

The stairs led to a large cellar filled with shelves; the priestess strode over to one of these. “Ditani, help me with this, please.” She pointed at a shelf and then lifted one end; a soft click could be heard. Ditani moved where she indicated and helped lift and pull out the shelves. The shelves moved slowly to reveal a hidden door, and Lebuin heard the sound of water coming from beyond the door. They followed the priestess into the unknown.

In the soft light Lebuin was surprised to see that he was on a narrow ledge and there were boats attached to rusted rings sunk in the walls. Taking some sacks from a pile by the door, the priestess pulled a knife out of her robes and cut the sacks while talking. “Take one of the small boats. Go where the current will take you. You’ll come out near the merchant docks. Do not wait. Leave the boat tied if there is time.” She handed Lebuin and Ditani a pair of very rough shirts made from the old sacks. “Leave those robes here; they’ll just mark you now. Take these, they will make you look more like poor workers — and put some dirt in your hair and get some grime on your hands and face.”

Lebuin just looked at the sack in disbelief.
Poor-fitting robes, dirty sack shirts, grime! This is like the worst nightmare imaginable, hired assassins trying to kill me, people dying to protect me. There must be more than Magus Cune’s revenge here. Lord, what is this all about?
Ditani had already tossed his robes aside and was pulling the shirt over his head. Lebuin slowly took the robes off, remembering to take his clasp.

The priestess saw the clasp and asked, “What is that?”

“Nothing, just an artifact I made. It keeps my clothes clean.”

The priestess stared at it and then him in disbelief. “Keeps you clean? Why would you waste your time making something like that? Lady, forgive me, but that is completely useless!”

Lebuin puffed up. “It’s my choice to make what I like.”

“Lebuin, you cannot take that with you; it will ruin any chance you have of getting to safety.”

Sighing, he nodded. “Yes, I know. It’s just today was supposed to be very different.”

The priestess nodded in sympathy. “Yes, yes it was at that. Give it to me, you can have it back if we make it through this alive.”

Lebuin sighed again but handed over the clasp and then struggled into the rough shirt. The rough fabric scrapping his skin, Lebuin thought,
My Lord, this is harsh! I have seen workers dressed like this passing the Guildhouse. I never imagined I’d be dressed like one of them.
Lebuin looked at the priestess. “Holiness, how will Ticca find us?”

“Don’t worry about her. If she lives, she’ll find you.”

Ditani had selected a boat and was waiting for him. “Where should we go?”

The priestess thought for a moment. “I am not sure, where was Ticca planning to take you?”

Ditani answered, as Lebuin cautiously climbed into the boat. “She was taking us to the Blue Dolphin, Holiness.”

“Then I suggest you continue on that path. If she doesn’t make it soon, you will need another Dagger.”

Ditani found the oars and pushed off into the current. “Our eternal thanks, Holiness.”

The priestess waved. “May Dalpha bless and watch over you both. Good luck.” She turned and went back up the stairs with a purpose.

Lebuin rubbed an itch caused by the shirt. “Ditani, do you think we’ll live?”

Ditani was concentrating on the currents and answered absentmindedly, “Time will tell.”

Lebuin looked at his companion for a minute.
That was an odd inflection, it sounded like my dream. Was it Ditani I heard while I slept? Everyone keeps saying that today. Lord, can things get any worse?

Thankfully once they were in the broad current it was a leisurely trip. The waterway was lit by sunlight that came through a series of grates which were evenly spaced along the sides. Here and there were small ledges, unevenly spaced along the path. Most of the ledges had a stone staircase leading up and some had boats or barges tied to the same types of rusted metal rings. Above each stairway hung an engraved white stone, each carved in a language foreign to Lebuin. Some of the platforms had small wooden signs naming the establishment above. From time to time, workmen in boats would row past them, heading upstream, but most just used the currents to move their goods.

The canal soon joined with a larger channel, where traffic increased. Barges were poled and boats of various sizes maneuvered between them and the channel’s banks; there was an intersection and more of those white stone plaques, laid into the walls, one on each side of the intersection. Floating in the water below them was a buoy with a sign showing street names he was familiar with.

As they traveled, more and more of the boats had lanterns out, shining bright in the gloom. Seeing that all the boats, including theirs, had lantern or torch holders, he looked at Ditani. “What is this place?”

“Have you never heard of the Delivery Channel?”

“Yes, but I thought it was a tributary to the river?”

“Yes, and the whole city is built over it; the water flows gently towards the ocean. The western docks have an entry system, so large craft don’t have to fight the current. Most of the city’s deliveries and goods are moved through the channel.”

Lebuin looked at the construction and noticed that there were no seams except where the platforms were and where other tunnels intersected. “This looks carved from the rock itself.”

“Llino is one of the oldest cities; all old cities have features like this, and no one today understands how they were made.”