The Palace Job (14 page)

"Yes, sir, I've seen them," Merigan said to Pyvic as they walked the freshly-laid streets of Woodsedge. "They passed through a few weeks ago." He looked back behind them. "Does your assistant need help? We could get him some soothing herbs."

"Your
assistant?"
Orris shouted from behind them. "I'm the warden for Heaven's Spire! I'm in charge of—"

"He's in charge of assisting me, at the moment," Pyvic said mildly. "And he's not accustomed to hard riding. Can you tell me where they went?"

"Yes, sir," Merigan said promptly. "They asked where the largest and wealthiest temple in the nearby area was, and then left for the regional temple of Ael-meseth on the westward trail."

"My thanks, Mayor Merigan," Pyvic said. "I appreciate your help." The young man ducked his head, and Pyvic looked curiously at the massive humanoid figures at the edge of town. "And you really made peace with the ogres?"

Merigan smiled. "Yes, sir. Just have to show them you're not going to back down. I think they'd rather talk than fight, too, when it comes down to it."

"Glad to hear it." Pyvic chuckled. "Good day, Mayor." He gestured for Orris to follow.

"Pompous little... he thought I was your assistant!" Orris shouted once they were a safe distance away. "That little boy should have been taught a lesson!"

"More flies with honey, Warden," Pyvic said, not turning. "It seems the young mayor learned that. Perhaps you should, too."

When the shouting died down, Loch finished off her catfish, pushed her plate away, and said, "Questions?"

"Are you
insane?"
Hessler's eyes actually opened all the way, he was so excited.

"Not as of yet," Loch said calmly. "Tern?"

"Why Heaven's Spire?" The tinker cleaned her spectacles with a soft rag produced from one of her dress's many pockets. "The Voyants might be the most powerful men in the Republic, but they're not the richest, at least not in terms of things we can carry out. And I
know
they've got the best security."

"Captain's got a plan," Kail said. "She's always got a plan." "Do they always work, Little One?" Ululenia asked. It
looked
like she was asking innocently.

Loch decided not to field that one.

"I can't help you," Father Bertrus said shortly, adjusting the neckline of his vestments. "We've seen no one like that here. Other, more pressing matters have demanded our attention."

"What
has
demanded your attention, Father?" Pyvic asked shortly. "We know that the prisoners came this way after asking about wealthy temples in the area."

Father Bertrus stiffened. "Perhaps they were with her," he murmured, and then a grim smile lit his face. "It is good news for me if the woes of my temple involve you, though it may not be good news for
you,
Justicar."

"I'm listening, Father." Pyvic kept his tone polite and formal.

"Our temple was attacked by a death priestess." Orris lowered his voice to a grim whisper. "The temptress attempted to entice us with her unholy wiles, and when we were not swayed, she used dark sorcery to steal several priceless relics from our vault."

"Do you know which way she went when leaving town, Father?"

Bertrus gave him a sour look. "South, much good it will do you. The road hits a major crossroads a day or two out of town. She could be anywhere by now. Now, if you will excuse me." He stalked back into his temple without waiting for Pyvic to reply.

"Looks like we're out of luck now," Orris said with a snicker. "Bet you're wishing you'd paid a bit more attention to what
I
got us from Alms."

"I know where they'll be," Pyvic said. "Come. We're headed south."

"But you heard the man!" Orris grabbed Pyvic's shoulder. "We don't know where she's going! She could be anywhere!" He flinched as Pyvic took the hand off his shoulder, then sneered. "Get as mad as you like, you wanted to be in charge, and now you'll have to go explain why you didn't get the job done."

"Think for a minute." Pyvic glowered. "We don't need to know where Loch and Kail went if we know where they're going." Orris stared at him blankly, and Pyvic sighed and started ticking off points. "Wherever Loch went, something strange has happened—either a crime, like robbing the temple or cracking the dwarven safe, or this sudden peace with the ogres in Woodsedge."

"But Loch didn't do any of that." From Orris's mouth, it sounded more like a whine than an argument.

"Exactly, Warden. So what does that tell us?"

Orris thought for a minute, and then it hit him. "She's recruiting."

"That she is. She's going around with Kail to make contact, and she's asking them all to meet her somewhere. We don't need to know where
she's
going. We just need to know where the death priestess was headed, because that's where Loch will be."

Orris frowned. "I don't see it, Pyvic. That's pretty justicar thinking, there, but we still don't know where the death priestess was going."

Pyvic reached into a pouch and withdrew a small but serviceable folding map of the province. "Here we are," he said, pointing, "and here's the road south from town. Here's where it intersects the East-West merchant way. The death priestess can go in four directions. But going north brings her right back into town here, so she wouldn't do that." He crossed off that direction with a slash of his finger. "East takes her back to RosAelafuir, which is unlikely, since they've already attracted attention in the area."

"That leaves Ros-Sesuf to the south and Ros-Uitosuf to the west." Orris grunted. "Even odds."

"Not really. They'll be in Ros-Uitosuf." Pyvic gave Orris a frosty smile. "Do I have to remind you, Warden, what your prisoner was in for?" When Orris gave him a blank stare, Pyvic grimaced. "She was in for attempting to infiltrate Heaven's Spire. Once her group is gathered, they'll eventually head for the port-city of Ros-Oanki to try to steal an airship. And the only major town on the way to Ros-Oanki is Ros-Uitosuf."

"Fine. Whatever you say, Justicar." Orris turned and spat as he walked away. "We'll see if you're just blowing smoke soon enough."

"What is the target?" Desidora asked, pulling her auburn hair out of her face. Of all of them, she looked the least perturbed. "Also, can we get any more of that bread to soak up the sauce?"

"Archvoyant Silestin," Loch said, and the room went quiet, "fancies himself quite the collector. He's come into possession of an ancient elven manuscript that once belonged to my family. If we get that, the elves will pay enough that we'll never need to work again. It's high-risk, but I believe the reward is worth it. If you want out, let me know now."

Everyone looked at each other, guilty or appraising or frustrated. Kail passed Desidora a loaf of bread.

"Right." Loch gestured with the fork. "The elven manuscript is an original copy of
The Love Song of Eillenfiniel,
signed by the three poets and with an intact enchantment of the fairy song that inspired them, recorded as they were composing." Desidora's jaw dropped. Tern nodded, lips pursed. Everyone else looked politely ignorant. "It's worth at least seven million to the elves."

"How did your family get such an heirloom?" Hessler asked.

"My father was a baron," Loch said shortly. "Minor nobility, with this as our most prized possession. My parents died during the war, and Silestin took guardianship of the land until my sister comes of age."

Hessler squinted. "Aren't
you
of age?"

"The captain was off fighting during the war," Kail said. "It's hard to keep track of who lives and who dies in the big battles." He grinned sourly. "The captain's efforts to reclaim her family's title have been..."

"Problematic," Loch finished, smiling thinly, "and irrelevant. But I know the book exists, and I know Silestin has it in his vault."

"Which we can't get into," Tern said, "since it's impossible to crack one of those vaults even if I had time to study one. And since we
don't
have that—"

"We will," Loch said, "once we get up to Heaven's Spire. I've got a friend who will help."

"So you don't
know
how to beat it right now?" Hessler asked acidly.

"No, Magister, I don't. Much as you didn't know how you were getting out of that jail cell."

"That's not fair!" Dairy leapt to his feet. "Mister Hessler was going to escape! And he was going to help me escape, too! You're... you're nothing but
thieves!"
Red-faced, he ran from the room, slamming the door shut behind him.

"Well... you don't set up a heist with non-thieves," Tern commented. "That doesn't work as well."

"Did you really have a plan to escape?" Desidora asked Hessler.

"Oh,
hell,
no. I had nothing."

"So that's the plan," Loch cut in. "We steal an airship, get up to Heaven's Spire, and meet my contact, who can get us into Silestin's palace. I don't know what we'll need, which is why I've got a wide range of skills at the table. When we've got a solid plan, we lift the book and contact the elves."

"The dew is as constant as the spring mornings," Ululenia said, "and the zephyr is as unchanging as the afternoon sun. But the elves are fickle, flighty, infrequently found. What means have you, fair maiden, to bend their gaze to the world of men?"

"The elves were always interested in buying the book from my father." Loch shrugged. "They told him how to contact them if he ever changed his mind. I'm assuming it's still valid, and that they're still interested. My contact can get us down to earth whenever we're ready. Even split, we all retire. Or purchase a large tract of forest. Or... whatever it is that unicorns do."

"Frolic, primarily." Ululenia frowned. "When will my virgin return to me?"

"Oh, lay off the lad," Hessler said with a sour look.

"In sooth, I had planned—"

"Even split?" Tern asked. "The kid and the warhammer each get as much as I do?"

"I'm sure Ghylspwr and Dairy will both prove their worth to the team," Loch said calmly. "Even split. The math is easier."

Hessler sniffed. "That assumes that this plan, and I use the word 'plan'
extremely
loosely, actually works."

"Those safes don't crack themselves, Loch. That's all I'm saying."

"Unlike your plans, Magister," Kail said brightly, "Loch's plans come together without complications."

The door crashed open.