Origins: A Deepwoods Book - a Collection of Deepwoods Short Stories (Deepwoods Series 0) (21 page)

And Grae was completely oblivious.

Sighing, Tran lengthened his stride and caught the thief at
the wrist, yanking and twisting hard at an unnatural angle. Not hard enough to
break a bone but certainly enough to give the man a nasty sprain. The thief
caught back a cry behind his teeth and landed awkwardly on the paving stones
beneath their feet. He didn’t dare glare up at Tran—no thief would—but instead
held his injured limb to his chest and scurried off.

Yes, he had definitely made the right decision to follow
Grae. How had the man not noticed a thief right behind him? Shaking his head,
he once again looked for a dark head of hair. Ah, there he was, fifteen strides
ahead. Quickening his pace again, he tried to catch up, only to be cut short as
yet another pickpocket headed straight for Grae. Tran stared at the young boy
incredulously. Seriously? Two pickpockets in a minute flat? Were the guards of
this city a joke?

Tran didn’t hurt the very young, not unless he had very good
cause to do so, and this certainly wasn’t the case. He grabbed the boy by the
scruff of the neck and held out an imperious hand. “The purse. Now.”

The boy’s eyes were wide in his face and a fine sheen of
sweat started on his forehead. Tran had that effect on a lot of people and it
didn’t bother him. He just waited until the boy had found his wits to hand over
the purse he’d stolen and then he dumped him unceremoniously on the ground
before moving on.

Why hadn’t Grae heard him? Was he that lost inside of his
own head that he had tuned the outside world out completely? Shaking his head,
Tran moved on, this time going into a half-jog. Grae was barely ten steps
ahead, but if he didn’t catch up to Grae quickly and act as a deterrent, he’d
have to fend off every thief in this city. Did Grae wear some sign about his
neck that read ‘Easy pickings?’

He must have, as two other pickpockets went for him, almost bumping
into each other in the attempt. The only reason why they were foiled was that
Grae’s purse was still in Tran’s hand.

This was beyond ridiculous.

Tran was so focused on Grae that he almost missed it when
someone came up behind him, just on this side of being too close, and a light
pressure tugged at his vest pocket. Tran’s hand snapped around with lightning
speed, caught the offending appendage, and broke the bone without a second of
hesitation.

There was a scream of pain and Tran dropped him before
glancing back. Another thief, this one middle-aged. Surprised, he stared down
at the man for a long moment. Tran could count the number of times that someone
had tried to steal from him on one hand. People just didn’t think of him as a
handy victim, not with the way he looked. Were the pickings so slim in this
city that the thieves had become desperate?

If that was the case, he really had to get to Grae. Now.

Stowing Grae’s purse safely in an inside pocket, he tried to
run forward, but was quickly thwarted. The streets were just too narrow here,
there were too many pedestrians and street stalls, he couldn’t go five feet
without tripping over someone or something. The someones were mostly thieves
intent on getting at Grae.

Tran grew increasingly frustrated as he moved and people
blocked his path. He started shoving people to one side, no longer interested
in being thoughtful as he fell further and further away from Grae. Never mind
that he knew where the man was going, it was him getting there safely that was
the issue. Worried, he popped up on his toes to see better over the crowd. Ah,
there he was. Tran could catch him if he cut through that gap in between the
wagons.

At that moment, the unthinkable happened. Two beefy men with
more brawn than brains tackled him, hitting him hard in the stomach. Tran gave
an
oof
as all of the air left his lungs and staggered back a step. He
fell into a guard stance automatically even as he studied the two in open
confusion. These weren’t pickpockets, or the garden variety of thieves, so why
were they blocking his way?

They gave him no chance to ask questions, just came at him,
one of them aiming for the purse in his inner vest pocket. If they thought that
he couldn’t handle the two of them at once, they were dead wrong. Tran’s fists
lashed out, hitting them both in the solar plexus, driving all the air from
their lungs and sending them flat on the ground. They fell so hard they took at
least one other man with them, a baker who lost half of the bread on his tray
to the cobblestones.

Tran eyed them with a squinty glare. “You two are guildmates
with all of these pickpockets, I take it.”

One of them gave a groan that sounded like a yes. At least,
Tran took it as a yes, because there was no other sound reason for anyone coming
after him like this.

If that was the case, then Tran sent a prayer heavenward
that this was a small guild. Otherwise he was going to have quite the fight on
his hands.

Of course he had barely finished the thought when he heard
the two men he just felled talk to someone else in a loud voice. A loud,
whining voice. Daring a look over his shoulder, Tran felt his heart sink. The
guild was large enough to have even more enforcers and they had their eyes
trained on him, hands already flexing and reaching for weapons. It was no
longer a matter of him having two purses on him. It was a matter of revenge.

He was in for it now.

Tran returned to the inn an hour later sporting a few new
bruises and vowing up and down that he would never, ever, let Grae out alone.
He was worse than Sylvie. Sylvie, at least, realized what could happen to her
and took precautions. Grae was so lost in his own thoughts that the world
around him could explode and he wouldn’t notice.

His blood was up, partially because of the fight, partially
because of frustration, so of course he walked right into another vexing
situation. Two men were flanking Sylvie on either side, basically pinning her
against the bar. Tran could tell she had no idea what to do about this, as she
had a bundle in her arms but no weapon in sight.

“That doesn’t look good,” Grae said, sounding nervous and
worried.

He was inclined to agree, but it could be that it wasn’t as
serious as it looked. Sylvie wasn’t hurtling insults or screaming for help, so
it could be the men were just being determined flirts. Tran decided to test the
waters by calling out first, “Sylvie?”

Her head snapped around, eyes lighting up with relief.
“Husband!”

That answered that question. Tran put a hand on Grae’s
shoulder and ordered brusquely, “Go straight upstairs.”

“I’ll get Siobhan.” Grae immediately bolted for the
staircase.

That wasn’t at all what he’d meant, but Tran wasn’t about to
correct him, as someone would likely need to alert the guildmaster what was
going on. Weaving through the tables, he went directly to her side, extending
an inviting hand as he did so. “Come, wifey.”

Sylvie lost no time in accepting that invitation. She went
directly into the circle of his arm, her own wrapping around his waist,
nestling into his side like a kitten. Tran folded his hand around her shoulders
and gave the men a flat, unamused stare.

One of them looked crestfallen, the other suspicious. Before
they could think too hard on it, Tran flapped a hand dismissively at them.
“Shoo.”

Discouraged and disappointed, they turned and left, flinging
one last look at her as they went.

Sylvie huffed out a breath, sounding relieved. “Thank the
heavens you came in when you did.”

“How bad was it?” he asked, concerned.

“They were just reaching the point where they weren’t taking
‘no’ as an answer. Always bad when that happens.”

It was then that he noticed her hair was wet, and the bundle
in her hands was dirty clothes wrapped up with a towel. “You were in the
baths?”

“I was,” she confirmed. “Fei escorted me down, but I think I
got out too fast, as he’s usually waiting for me in the hallway. By the time I
realized he wasn’t out yet,
they’d
caught me, and I was stuck.”

Just a case of bad timing, then. Tran was loathe to let her
be until Fei was back out, as Wolf was still upstairs and probably asleep by
now.

Siobhan came thundering down the stairs, took them in at a
glance, and all of the tension abruptly left her shoulders. “It looks like you
have things well in hand here. No fighting?”

“They lost heart pretty quickly,” Sylvie explained then
beamed up at Tran. “Our signal worked wonderfully.”

“It did,” he agreed, returning the smile. “Siobhan-maee, I
have her. Go back to what you were doing.”

“Bless you, Tran, I will.” Siobhan promptly went back up the
stairs without a backwards glance. That action alone stated clearly just how
much she trusted Tran. It warmed his heart that not for a moment did she doubt
him.

“If you want to go up, I’ll take you,” Tran offered. “Or if
you want to sit down here, in front of the fire, we can wait for Fei to come
out of the baths.”

“That might take a while,” Sylvie warned. “Fei’s addicted to
soaking in hot baths. I think it’s a carryover of his culture.”

“I don’t mind.” He truly didn’t. “I haven’t had a chance to
hear about where you come from, or how you joined Deepwoods.”

“Oh, that’s true. Well, I have questions for you as well,
and it’s true that sitting by the fire will help my hair dry faster.” That
settled the matter with her, as she left his side and went directly for the
two-seater bench in front of the fire. Sitting sideways, she tucked one leg up
underneath her knee, placing her back to the fire.

Tran tentatively settled in next to her, ear cocked to make
sure that the wood would support his weight. When he didn’t hear any ominous
creaking sounds, he settled in more securely. “So how did you come into
Deepwoods.”

“You never did get the story on that, did you?” Sylvie idly
ran her hands through her hair as she talked, shaking out the locks to help
them dry a little faster. “I’m from Coravine, Orin. Do you know much about the
place?”

“Only rumors.” Not good rumors.

“It’s just as bad as they say it is. The economy has never
been good, and making a living there is very difficult, so I decided at an
early age that I wasn’t going to stay there. My parents were very, very against
it, but I got on a ship as soon as I turned eighteen and headed for the nearest
port out of Orin. That happened to be Converse. I was there in the city for
about two months, but in truth, it was difficult to get hired there. And I
didn’t like that there wasn’t a guild in control of that city. I’d heard good
things about Goldschmidt, and knew of several reputable trading guilds based in
the city, so I went there to try my luck.” She lifted a shoulder in a shrug as
if this story wasn’t anything spectacular. “There were several positions opened
on the job board, and I applied to a few places, but then I met Siobhan.
Deepwoods just seemed to have everything I was looking for. There was a female
guildmaster—rare in and of itself—and two men that were kind by nature. I don’t
think Grae could hurt a fly unless severely provoked.”

Tran grunted agreement on that one. In fact, even provoked,
Grae wouldn’t likely retaliate.

“Wolf was the one that scared me, at first.” The way she
laughed said plainly enough that she realized now her fear had been foolish.
“Like you intimated me at first. You’re just both so
massive
. What did
you eat as a child?”

“If I said whole cows, you’d believe me, wouldn’t you?”

Her eyes crinkled up in a charming way. “I certainly would.
At least you’re talkative and try to put people at ease, though. Wolf just
growls and stalks about most of the time. I really didn’t know how to react to
him the first month I was in the guild. And then one night, I was out later
than I expected doing a trade, and he came looking for me. He just looked
so…relieved, to see me in one piece. And then he scolded me, like he would
Siobhan, about being reckless and not taking precautions. I understood then that
he didn’t say much, but his actions spoke volumes. I fancy I’ve learned how to
read him a little better since then.”

 Tran could completely understand why Sylvie would choose
Deepwoods. But… “Did they really take you in without any questions asked?”

“Not quite. Siobhan had me work with them for a week while
we tested the waters with each other. I stayed in the Hall—I was grateful for
that, it was a safe place to sleep—and I brokered several deals for her in that
time. I think, really, she was relieved to have another woman in the guild.
Sometimes, no offense, but you men just don’t
get
things.”

“None taken,” Tran returned easily. “You women are
confusing.”

“Are not,” she sniped back, wrinkling her nose at him
playfully. “Anyway, Siobhan was happy to turn the trading side of the business
over to someone else. I was happy to join a small guild that knew how to look
out for each other. And frankly, Wolf and Fei’s protective natures were a
welcome surprise for me. They go beyond what most guildmates would do. And
Fei’s knowledge is amazing. I learned the first week that if there’s something
I’m uncertain of, to ask him first. He might not know the answer, but odds are
he’ll know where to find it.”

Tran made a mental note of that one. He knew Fei to be educated,
that was obvious from the man’s bearing and how he spoke, but he hadn’t
realized just how much so.

“Fei mentioned to me that you’ve been out of your home for
seven years. Why did you wait so long to find a guild?”

Rubbing at his jaw, Tran thought of how best to answer that.
“In all honesty, in my younger days I was young and stupid. I didn’t want any
constraints on me, which I thought a guild would do. So I went from one job to
another, anxious to see all of the world. About three years ago I realized that
doing this meant I had no steady income during the winter months, which is a
sore trial. I did find steady employment with a trader for a few years until
his health deteriorated and he went out of business.”

“And then you took a job that brought you into Goldschmidt?”

“Right. First time I’d been out this direction. I spent more
time traveling around Teherani and Wynngaard than Robarge. I count it as good
fortune, bumping into you.”

“You like Deepwoods too,” she said knowingly.

“They’re hard people to not like.”

“I know it. It’s why I stayed. That and with all of the
traveling this guild does, I can make a substantial amount of money.”

That was interesting to him. “We can do private trading in
this guild?” Some guilds didn’t allow that at all.

“Siobhan actually encourages it. Although she pouts if you
don’t let her know about the really good finds.”

This was good news. Tran’s pay for being an enforcer in the
guild was a nice salary, but it was expensive buying clothes and gear for a man
of his size, so he’d feel better if he had a side income as well. “Then, what
things are good to buy for trade?”

“Hmm, if you’re coming from Vellshire to Goldschmidt?
There’s actually several really good options. How much money do you have to
work with?”

They fell to talking about finances, and products, and the
possibilities. Tran was astonished at just how much Sylvie knew about the
market. So it wasn’t just her pretty face and charm that got her such amazing
deals, eh? There was a sharp mind to her as well.

“Are you thinking of private trading in Vellshire?” Fei
joined them at the fire, dropping down to rest casually on the back of his
heels, dirty clothes dangling between his knees.

“Why?” Sylvie grinned at him. “You want in on it?”

“Of course I do, Sylvie-jae. Don’t ask questions you know
the answers to.”

Her eyes narrowed in shrewd speculation. “How much money do
you have to add to the pot?”

“Fifteen kors, why? What are you aiming for?”

“Well, I have twenty, and Tran has six, so if we add in your
fifteen, then that gives me forty-one kors to work with. There’s two different
products that, if I bought them in bulk, we can sell for three times the amount
per unit.”

“Meaning I’d get eighteen kors back?” Tran liked the idea of
this.  A lot. “What are the products?”

“Black pepper and saffron are always sure bets. If we want
to be a little daring…?” she trailed off invitingly, waiting to see their
reactions. “Then we’ll split the money into two investments: saffron and wine.
Vellshire is famous for its dry white wines.”

Tran looked to Fei to see how the other man was taking this.
Fei was already nodding agreement. “I like the sound of this.” To Tran, he
explained, “I have seen saffron and wine both at the market in Goldschmidt.
They are not cheap to buy.”

“If we buy them ourselves,” Sylvie explained, “then we cut
out the middleman and we can offer it at a slightly cheaper rate than the other
merchants. We’ll sell out quickly that way. A quick turnabout for profit is
always the best way.”

Even if this didn’t turn out quite as well as she expected
it to, Tran couldn’t see how he had anything to really lose. Besides, nothing
ventured, nothing gained, as the saying went. “I’m in.”

“Good. Then when we get to Vellshire, both of you go
shopping with me.” Slapping her hands on her thighs, she said, “But for
tonight, if you want to go bathe, Tran, feel free. Fei will stay with me.”

Fei went alert at this. “Something happened?”

“Pushy flirts,” Sylvie summed up succinctly.

Tran took her at her word and went for a set of clean clothes
and a towel from his room. As he did so, he turned it over in his mind,
daydreaming. Now, what would he spend his eighteen kors on? A new coat,
perhaps? New straps for his sheaths? The possibilities were endless. Perhaps he
would set some of it aside to invest through Sylvie again. That way he would
have more options in the future.

Secretly he hoped that everything turned out the way he
wanted it to.