The surrey pulled to a stop in a narrow cobblestone road between Fourth and Fifth avenues, a street away from the main strip of the Old City shopping district.
Residents from New Nashville and travelers from the Outer Zones and the smaller villages of Nash usually preferred to shop in the large public market and rarely crossed the river into the heart of Nash City. The resident’s of the City, however, liked to be able to get goods and services close by. Another plus was most shops in the shopping district had hours that catered to vampire clients, the public market did not.
This road and block of buildings were new, in Nash City terms. They were all post-cataclysm, only about a hundred years old and built after the large building that had once been there was demolished. Pinky had told me it had been a large theater where people had come to listen to music but it had been destroyed during the Dark Days. Walled in and protected from the outside wars and natural disasters, the citizens of Nash had had to make use of every bit of space they could. Large public buildings that could not be easily re-purposed into housing or to meet other needs were demolished by mages or vampires and new buildings built in their place.
This particular block of buildings was mainly shops and businesses. There were seamstresses, laundresses, a bathhouse, a cloth shop and, the one they were looking for, a crystal shop.
I located it quickly the lettering barely visible on the grimy windows said Fegley’s Crystals. I knew the shop and the area well. I lived on the next street and the Blade Headquarters was only a few blocks over. Though it wasn’t where I normally bought crystals, I knew the Blades’ had an account with the shop.
I didn’t wait on Ian. Instead I climbed over him, trying to ignore the warmth that spread through my when my hand brushed his knee, and jumped out of the surrey. The quicker we got this over with, the quicker I could get home and away from this man.
I knew it was irrational to have such a violent reaction to him. But, damn. He was so damned arrogant! Being driven around town by a hired servant! He probably didn’t even pay the man enough to take care of his family. That is how the rich stayed rich, off the backs of the poor and struggling. Ian probably hadn’t done a real day’s work in his life. He hadn’t had to. He’d grown up rich in a family of Necromancers and con artists that got rich by cheating people.
So what if he’d founded the Necromancer’s Guild? It didn’t matter that many of the Necromancer’s registered with the guild worked with the City Guard to solve crimes. At its heart, it was just a guild of thieves and cheats, and Ian Barroes was the head thief.
I shook my head to clear it and focus on the job at hand. As I drew closer to the door I noticed loud voices coming from inside the crystal shop. I swung open the grimy wood and glass door and entered the dimly lit crystal shop and a swirl of emotional energy. I didn’t even have to focus my power to see feel the anger and despair flying off the young girl standing in the middle of the room.
“But you can’t fire me! My family needs the money!” She shouted at the squat bald man behind the counter.
“You should have thought about that before you closed up the shop three hours early and sent customers away.” The man said in a nasal voice.
I disliked the man instantly.
“But, you know why I did! You gave me permission.” The girl replied indignantly.
The man rubbed round, wire rimmed spectacles with a cloth then placed them on the tip of his nose.
“I recall giving you permission to close early so you could go take the Mage-Level test. I don’t see any results before me, so you obviously lied.”
The man huffed out a breath and leaned forward, planting his hands on the counter that stood between him and the girl.
“The only reason I let you leave early is because I thought you would finally become of some use to me. You and that mother of yours keeps touting how powerful you are. I kept you around all these years figuring when you got old enough to put to work as a Charger you’d finally be worth having around. I’ve paid you way more than you are worth for more than three years waiting for you to make me a little money. How do I get repaid? You lose me more than three hours worth of income, you worthless twit. You lied about going to take your test. Now you expect me to keep you here another six months while you wait for your tests, knowing I can’t have you charging crystals until you have passed a mage-level test. You are nothing but a liar. I can find another worthless slum-row kid to work for half of what I pay you.”
The girl, dressed in clean but worn brown hemp pants and a hem tunic that was similar in color to the dried mud in my hair, turned the color of a radish took and a deep breath.
“More than I’m worth?” the girl shrieked. “Five bucks a week is more than I’m worth? You pompous…”
“Uhmmm.” Ian cleared his throat behind me, interrupting the girl and causing the two arguers to turn and stare at them in shock. It was then that I saw the tears running down the girls cheeks. Something in my heart pinched.
The bald man’s face transformed instantly from nasty condescension to an ingratiating smile. “Good folks. Welcome to Fegley’s Crystals. How may I help you this fine day?”
I held up my arm, showing my tattoo, my tone brisk and official.
“I’m Fiona Moon with the Black Blade Guard. I need to speak with Miss Millie Linton.”
The man hissed at the girl.
“I knew you were trouble! I can only imagine what wickedness you’ve been up to that has the Blades looking for you.” He turned to me, his smile accommodating and pointed to the girl, “That’s her.”
I ignored him.
“Are you Millie?” I asked the girl.
“Yes,” the girl answered timidly. “Am I in trouble for that man last night?”
I didn’t want to discuss it in front of this man, I knew the type. Anything said in his presence would be spread through the community in less than an hour.
“Can you come speak with me outside?”
The girl nodded and moved toward me, but Ian moved from behind me and stopped her.
“Just a second Miss Linton. I have some business first.” He turned to the man behind the counter. “You are Mr. Fegley?”
“I am.” Fegley eyed Ian suspiciously. “And you are?”
“I am Ian Barroes.” Ian said simply.
Recognition flashed across Fegley’s face and he gave a slight bow.
“Master Necromancer. Welcome to my store. How may I be of service?”
I rolled my eyes at the title.
“Well, I have just a couple of questions. This girl works for you?”
“No, sir.” The old man shook his head emphatically. “Well, she did, but I fired her this morn.”
“I see.” Ian replied, his tone neutral. “But she had worked for you for a while?”
“Yessir. About three years. Came to work for me when she turned of legal work age. 14.”
“She isn’t your apprentice? She doesn’t have a contract to work with you and take over your shop when you become infirm?”
The man looked appalled. “Apprentice a no-good from slum-row? No sir! I have a nephew who will apprentice to take my shop. He’ll be turning fourteen next week and will begin apprenticeship then.”
I was amazed with Ian’s ability to get this man to talk even if I had no idea why he wanted him to. Though, the little bit about the nephew gave a little insight into Millie’s newly unemployed state. A shop this size couldn’t afford a worker and an apprentice. Fegley had obviously been counting on putting Millie to work charging crystals to bring in more money, but I doubt he’d planned to pay her much, if any, more than he had been.
“I see.” Ian’s tone was still quit neutral. “If you will excuse me a moment.”
He turned from the man to what seemed like a empty space. I felt a slight disruption of energy as Ian focused his power.
“Good morning to you madam. You had something you wished me to know?” he said to the air. He stood silent for several minutes, occasionally nodding or saying “Hmmm.”
Finally he said, “Thank you so much for letting me know. I will make sure things are taken care of. I bid you a wonderful day, Madame.”
He turned back to the shopkeeper. “Mr. Fegley, did you know that spirits are attracted energy? And that crystal shops, with all of their charged, and even uncharged, crystals are full of magical energy and that makes them a haven for spirits?”
“Umm, no, I did not know that.” Fegley stammered.
Ian’s smile was a bit feral, but his tone was still neutral and professional. “It’s true. You have several spirits that have taken up residence here. One of those, a very pleasant lady, has taken it upon herself to tell me a bit about your shop. Now, enough with that. On to the business I need to attend to. I believe the Necromancer’s Guild has a standing account with you?”
“Oh, yes sir.” His greedy smile was back. “I have an order I am currently working to fulfill, as a matter of fact.”
“Cancel it.”
“Umm, excuse me?” Fegley asked nervously.
Ian’s tone dropped from cool to chilly. “I said cancel it. I will have official paperwork and any pending payments sent over this afternoon, but you can, as of this moment, consider the account canceled. I should also inform you that you shop will officially be added to the list of shops and merchants which all registered necromancers are discouraged from doing business with.”
Fegley’s florid complexion went so white I thought he might pass out. “I, I, You…” He spluttered and slammed his hand on the wood countertop. “You can’t do that.”
Ian calmly planted his hands on the counter and leaned forward, much like Fegley had earlier during his tirade at Millie. His voice was low and deadly. “I assure you Mr. Fegley, I certainly can. And though I cannot stop the Black Blade Guard, The Senate, the Healer’s Guild, or the City Guard from procuring their crystals from your shop, however, I can let their procurement agents know the tactics you use in your shop. I’m sure they will be as horrified as I am that you have taken advantage of a poor girl who needs to help her family by forcing her to work six days a week, sixteen hours a day for a measly five bucks, when she should have been working half that and earning at least twenty times that.
“If that doesn’t appall them, I’m sure they will be disturbed by the fact that you weed out the most inferior and cracked crystals to put into to your weekly bulk orders, like those for the organizations I named. You can be assured they will all be informed. The city-guard will also be informed that black-market smugglers often deliver crates to your back door. I’m sure they will be interested in inspecting your stock to identify where some of your higher end crystals originate. Good day Mr. Fegley.”
Fegley went from pale white to beet red. He sputtered, but no coherent words came out.
Ian turned to me and Millie. Millie’s tears had dried up and I was staring at him with shock and amazement. “Now, ladies, I believe we have some business ourselves?” He made a dramatic sweeping, bowing gesture towards the door.
I saw the corners of Millie’s mouth quirk into a half smile as she quietly exited the shop, not even looking back at Fegley. I shot Ian a quick quizzical look as I followed the girl out the door, but his face was completely blank.
I knew from the look on Fegley’s face everything Ian had said was true, so I knew there had obviously been a spirit there speaking to him. I didn’t know why it was my immediate reaction to believe a necromancer was making things up. I had worked with so many during my years as a Blade and had never found fault with the information provided by any of them, even Ian. Especially Ian. His reputation was beyond reproach. But there was still that little part of me that always jumped to disbelief. The lies of one so-called necromancer had jaded me. I didn’t know how to get beyond it.
Out on the street Ian led them both to his surrey. He spoke something in the driver’s ear I couldn’t hear and the driver climbed down from his seat and walked down the block and disappeared inside a small cafe. Ian motioned to the two bench seats in the front of the carriage that faced each other.
Looking a little reluctant, Millie took his hand and let him help her up into the surrey. I, like before, ignored his hand and lifted myself up. I settled on the seat across from Millie and Ian sat next to me. The street was anything but private so Ian reached up and let down the cloth curtains on each side of the carriage, keeping any prying eyes out.
He glanced at me. “Can you do a sound ward?”
I shot him a look that questioned his intelligence. Of course I could do a sound ward. Anyone with a modicum of power could do one on a space as small as the surrey. Without responding to him directly I chanted a basic soundproofing spell.
When I was done I nodded to him then looked at Millie. The poor girl was sitting as stiff as a board on the cushioned seat. She looked scared to death, yet defiant. Her eyes were filled with unshed tears, but she looked like she’d rather die than let them fall. The girl had spirit.
I realized no one had ever answered the girl’s earlier question.
“Millie, you aren’t in trouble. We just have a few questions for you.”
She looked skeptical. Her voice shook as she said, “But, the man was dead. I know he was, I saw them take him away in the morgue wagon. I killed him.”
“Yes, he was dead.” I kept my voice low and soothing. “But you have every right to defend yourself when attacked.”
“If I’m not in trouble, why are you here?” Millie said, drawing herself up straighter.
Ian spoke this time, surprising me with how calmly soothing his voice was. “Like Agent Moon said, we have a few questions. I know you had to tell the guards what happened last night, but it would really help if you could go over it again with us.”
“Ok, but I don’t know what I can tell you I didn’t tell them last night. I was walking along and this man grabbed me. I kicked him and he fell. Dead.” Her voice trembled on the last word.
I opened my mouth to speak, but lost my words when Ian reached over and took Millie by the hand. He rested his elbows on his knees and leaned towards the young girl, his eyes intent on her face. “It’s okay, Millie. Take a deep breath. Now, close your eyes. Go back to last night just before the attack. Walk through it slowly and tell us. Where were you? What were you doing? What did you see?”