Storm Glass (29 page)

  Unaffected, Zitora’s smile grew wider. “He’s rather handsome when he’s mad. All those tight muscles, and those sparks of anger shooting from his captivating eyes.”

  “Really? I hadn’t noticed.” A wave of heat flushed. I blamed the sensation on a lingering effect of the diamond and not on the mental image of Ulrick’s strong arms wrapping around me.

  She laughed, knowing I lied.

  I tried not to blush when I left Zitora’s office and spotted Ulrick waiting. He fell into step beside me as we headed toward the glass shop.

  “What did she say?” he asked, once we were away from the administration building.

  I decided to stick to the truth as much as possible. “She’s sending me on another mission.”

  “And?”

  “I’m going to be busy this afternoon, so you’ll have to work without me. And don’t worry,” I rushed to add, “I’ll be with a very powerful magician.”

  “Can you tell me what the mission is?”

  “Sorry, no.”

  “I was right. Secret magician stuff.”

  “You were right, but the way you say it…”

  “Flippant? Irreverent?” he asked.

  “Like it’s a big joke, something to sneer at.”

  He increased his stride, staring straight ahead. I hurried to keep up.

  Just when I thought the subject of my mission had dropped, Ulrick said, “I’m jealous. I want to be involved.” He swept his arm through the air, indicating the people around us. “I want to be a magician helping Sitia. Making your assignment a joke is so I won’t feel…” His hands flicked as he gathered his thoughts as if they were molten glass. “So I won’t feel left out. Growing up, I was always left out. The six-year age gap between me and my older brother was too big and, since my glassmaking skills were limited, I was excluded from many family activities.” He drew in a deep breath. “I shouldn’t vent my frustration on you. At least allow me to escort you to the meeting site.”

  His story echoed my years at the Keep as the odd woman out. Sympathizing with Ulrick, I agreed.

  It was too early for my rendezvous with Fisk so we wandered through the Citadel, stopping on occasion so I could explain the significance of a statue or fountain we discovered. Surrounded by the white marble wall, the interior of the rectangular Citadel had six districts, each with its own personality. The Keep occupied the entire northeast district.

  With the market in the center position between two areas, the north and south districts mirrored each other. Comprised mostly of businesses, warehouses and factories, the buildings and streets arched around the market and radiated out like rings around a bull’s eye. A confusing grid of narrow streets and dead ends could be found in the northwest and southwest residential districts. The labyrinth was a direct result of accommodating the Citadel’s growing population.

  The southeast district contained a number of administrative buildings and Council Hall, as well as the posh residencies of the Councillors. The Unity Fountain was also located in the southeast. By the time we arrived, Fisk was already there. He waited with his apprentice Jayella.

  Ulrick ignored the others to admire the fountain. Surrounded by waterspouts, an immense dark green sphere with holes rested on a pedestal. The jade sphere had been mined from the Emerald Mountains as a solid block. Inside the sphere were ten other spheres; each one smaller than the next. If the carving was sawed in half, the cross section would resemble a tree’s growth rings. All the layers had been carved from the one stone-through the holes and from the outside in.

  “Unbelievable,” Ulrick said. “I’ve learned about this. Each sphere represents one of the Sitian clans, but it’s more impressive than I imagined. The craftsmanship to carve this…”

  “Five years of hard work,” Fisk said. “A celebration of the clans uniting.” He cocked his head to the side, considering. “Interesting. If one of the spheres inside would crack, the others would hold it together.” Fisk met my gaze, and I wondered if there was a hidden meaning in his words.

  “We need to keep our appointment,” Fisk said to Ulrick.

  “Keep Opal safe,” he ordered, frowning. “Your business will suffer if rumors about a client being harmed in your care surfaced.”

  The friendly softness in Fisk’s demeanor hardened. “Are you threatening me?”

  No answer.

  “You know nothing about my business or about me. Do you?”

  Again no answer, just a stubborn set to Ulrick’s jaw.

  “In that case, your insult was inadvertent and due to ignorance. Opal, when you have time, please educate this
man
about loyalty and honor. Come.” He turned and strode from the fountain’s plaza.

  I sensed Ulrick’s molten anger, but couldn’t mollify him now. I hurried after Fisk. He led me down an unremarkable side street. About halfway, he turned into a narrow alley. The alley’s sole purpose appeared to be providing a shortcut to the next street, but Fisk disappeared. When I reached the same spot, I found a tight alcove. To a casual observer, it looked like a dead end. But near the back was a small door. We had to walk down a few steps and bend over to get inside the building.

  “Guild headquarters. We don’t like too many people to know where we are. Although-” he moved around the large room, lighting lanterns “-now that we’re getting older, we’ll need to get a bigger door.”

  As the light illuminated the room, I noticed several desks, a chalkboard and maps hanging from the walls. A detailed layout of the market spanned an entire wall. Letters and a few easy mathematics problems were written on the chalkboard.

  Fisk noticed my interest. “We teach the younger members how to read and do simple math. Also about money. What items cost and how to make change. Speaking of change, you need to get dressed. I have clothes laid out in the back room.” He pointed to the far wall.

  “What about Pazia? Wasn’t she supposed-”

  The headquarters’ door opened. Pazia stepped through and closed it behind her. “Supposed to meet you at the fountain?”

  “Did you read my thoughts?” I demanded.

  “I had to make sure there were no surprises in here. And no, I wasn’t planning on meeting you at the fountain. I know my way here. This isn’t the first time
I’ve
worked with Fisk on a mission for the Masters.”

  Her dig touched the weak spot in my heart, being deemed unworthy to participate in important missions. But not anymore. I found a measure of comfort in my present situation, amazing given the circumstances.

  “Why aren’t you dressed yet?” She sighed dramatically. “Bad enough I have to work with you. The least you could do is be ready on time.” Shrugging off her cloak, she flung it onto one of the desks. The material of Pazia’s clothes had been woven with an expensive linen-and-silk blended thread. Her tailor’s efforts enhanced her slim waist and petite stature. She pulled her long golden hair up and clamped it in place with a jeweled clip.

  I headed toward the back room, but her next words stopped me in midstride.

  “Fisk, are you sure we need her? I grew up in the mines. I can spot a fake ruby at twenty paces. She can’t be trusted.”

  “
I
trust her. Besides, rubies are not diamonds. And it would be suspicious for you to be alone. Rich ladies always go shopping in pairs.”

  I tuned out her irritated reply as I entered the back room. On a small cot lay a beautiful indigo-colored blouse and black skirt made from the same material as Pazia’s clothes. I fingered the lace trim on the skirt. Fisk had even provided a pair of high-heeled shoes and an assortment of jewelry and hair clips.

  Dressing as fast as possible, I squeezed a sapphire ring onto my finger, and covered my wrists with a distracting array of ruby-encrusted bracelets. The other gemstones throbbed when I touched them, but nowhere near the intensity of the diamond. I left my hair down. Just wearing the luxurious clothes and gemstones helped me to assume my role as Pazia’s friend. Of course her sneer of contempt quickly drove those feelings away when I joined them in the main room.

  She huffed and pointed to a seat. “Sit.”

  When I hesitated, she said, “
I’m
a professional, unlike you. I won’t hurt you.”

  I ignored her reference to the burning incident and sat. She combed my hair and twisted a section into a knot at the back of my head.

  “Clip,” she ordered.

  I handed her one and she secured the knot.

  “We are going to meet a number of diamond merchants. Fisk will introduce us, but won’t come with us to negotiate. As a rule, the Helper’s Guild avoids the black market. Since I’m a very good customer, he’ll bend the rules for me.” She pulled the rest of my hair back. “Clip.” When she finished, she examined the rest of my clothing. “Move the ring to your right hand, third finger if possible, and all the bracelets go on your left arm.”

  As I complied, she continued her lecture. “I’ll do all the talking. Your role is to let me know which diamonds are real by simply agreeing with me. I’ll ask your opinion on a certain stone and you’ll either like it or not. If you don’t like it, I’ll know it’s a fake. Understand?”

  “Yes.”

  “Good. Try not to do or say anything to jeopardize our mission. I’m not as
resourceful
as Liaison Yelena.”

  Another jab. Instead of bracing for the rest of the insinuation Pazia made whenever Yelena’s name was mentioned and ignoring it, I decided to beat her to the comment. “You’re right. You aren’t as powerful or as smart as Yelena. I never would have betrayed
you
the way I did the Soulfinder.
You
would have been dead in a heartbeat.”

  “Then you admit it!” Her eyes lit with triumph despite my insult.

  I shrugged, pretending nonchalance. “Facts are facts, Pazia. And it’s no big deal. If Yelena had felt so deceived, it’s doubtful she would still be my friend.” I turned away from her, not bothering to note her reaction. As I retrieved my cloak from the back room, I marveled over my bold comments. Did I believe them? I knew the truth of my actions and what had led me to them, and realized my guilt lay not in what I had done, but why I had done it. A step in the right direction? I hoped.

  “That ratty thing won’t do.” Pazia eyed my cloak, appearing to be unaffected by my outburst.

  “It’s all I have.” Plus my sais were nestled inside the lining, within easy reach.

  She removed a jeweled peacock brooch from her cloak. Sapphires and emeralds decorated the feathers of the bird. Pazia pinned it onto my garment. “There. If anyone notices what’s under that beauty, we’ll joke you wear the cloak for sentimental reasons. Blushing would help. And don’t cover your clothes.”

  I followed Pazia and Fisk from the Guild headquarters to the market. The black market sellers weren’t so bold to have stands, but their agents roamed the area, seeking customers. Fisk approached one man. Dressed as a farmer and acting as if he was in town for a shopping trip, the man regarded Fisk with surprise.

  He scanned Pazia and me with suspicion. She kept her look of bored impatience. Quite an accomplishment and, knowing I couldn’t match her, I settled for appearing nonthreatening.

  Too low for me to hear, Fisk and the agent talked for a moment and the conversation ended with a defeated shrug from Fisk, as if giving in.

  The man eventually agreed and led us to a thin building one street away from the market. The four-story structure was wedged between a warehouse and a shoe factory. He opened the door into a receiving room, introduced us to another man inside and left.

  “What can I do for you?” the new man asked us. He wore a well-made linen tunic cinched with a gold mesh belt. His brown pants complemented the tunic’s light sand color. A large emerald ring on his pinkie finger glinted in the sunlight.

  “I want to see your diamonds,” Pazia demanded, stepping forward. “The bigger the better.”

  “Why?”

  “Does it matter?” She jingled a bulging leather pouch.

  He flashed his teeth in delight. “No. Follow me.”

  Toward the back of the building was a showroom without windows. Lanterns blazed, illuminating the glass cases filled with jewelry. I scanned the items. Bracelets, rings and necklaces sparkled with every color stone from precious to semi-precious. No diamonds.

  The seller draped a black velvet cloth over the cases, disappeared behind the counter and retrieved a silk bag. He shook out an array of large diamonds, then arranged them on the velvet with tweezers.

  “These are the biggest I have right now. But if you need a particular size, I can always order more.” He picked up a thumb-sized round stone and turned it so the candlelight would reflect off the facets.

  Pazia seemed dazzled by the gem. She reached for it, but the man drew it back.

  “Ten golds. That’s two golds cheaper than what you’d pay in jewelers’ circle. I’ll even give you a companion stone-” he pointed to a pea-sized diamond “-for free.” He launched into a hard sell.

  Pazia shook her head, but eventually just interrupted him. “I’m not buying anything unless I can look at it closer.”