City of Lies - Lian Tanner [44]
“It does not smell sleepy.”
“No, it doesn’t.” Sinew paused. “Do you think it’ll fight when it sees us, or will it keep running?”
“It will run. And then it will fight.”
Sinew unslung his harp. “Well then, we’d best get on with it. Are you ready?”
The brizzlehound stiffened. His great shadow swooped up the walls, as black as a nightmare. His eyes glowed.
“I am rrrready!” he growled.
And he and Sinew leaped out of hiding and raced toward the slommerkin.
“Gunna be a warm night,” muttered Pounce, poking at the fire. “Don’t reckon we’ll need no more wood.”
He pushed past Toadspit and disappeared down the tunnel. As soon as he had gone, Toadspit turned to Goldie. “So how do we get out of Spoke? And don’t lie, it’s just us.”
Goldie looked at the nest of quilts beside the fire, where Bonnie and Mouse were sound asleep with the cat curled up between them. “I’m not sure,” she whispered. “I don’t know who we can trust. The man who had you imprisoned—”
“Harrow?”
The cat’s ear flicked as if it had been stung. “Shhhhh!” said Goldie. “He’s got people everywhere.”
“Not here,” said Toadspit.
“Maybe not, but—” Goldie remembered the bandmaster’s terrified face. “You’ve signed my death warrant, and that of all my fellows!”
She shivered. Harrow was like a black shadow hovering above the city. She wished—oh, how she wished she could catch one of the Big Lies, and use it to take her friends to safety.
“Did you see him?” she whispered.
Toadspit shook his head. “I heard Cord say that he was busy on another job. The woman in the green cloak seemed to be running things.”
“Who is she?”
“All I know is that her name’s Flense. She stayed away from us most of the time, and when she was there she wore a mask. I never even heard her speak.”
“Did Cord say why they stole Bonnie?”
“No. Not a word.”
Goldie lowered her voice even more. “I found out something. Harrow’s a murderer. He’s killed at least a dozen people. And you know the bomb that destroyed the Fugleman’s office? That was him! Or his men, at least.”
Toadspit stared at her. “Are you sure?”
“N-no. But I think it’s probably true.”
“Why would he bomb the Fugleman’s office?”
“I don’t know.”
Silence fell between them. Goldie chewed her knuckles, wondering how on earth they were going to get back home without being caught.
Presently Toadspit said, “Look, we’re going to have to trust someone.”
“Are we? The fortune said we’re going home by sea. If we Concealed ourselves and stowed away on a ship—”
“You and I could do it easily enough, but what about Bonnie? If Harrow’s—if his men caught her—”
He stopped as the blanket that covered the tunnel was pushed to one side and Pounce entered, his arms piled high with fence palings.
“Don’t worry ’bout me,” said Pounce. His mask glared at Goldie and Toadspit. “These old things is light as a feather.”
He unloaded the palings into a corner, then sat down and poked at the fire. Toadspit leaned forward. “Listen, Pounce. If we didn’t want to go to Jewel—”
Goldie shook her head at him, but Toadspit ignored her. “If we didn’t want to go to Jewel, and we didn’t want to go soon, really soon, what’s the worst way to get there?”
Pounce jabbed at the fire. “This your job?” he said to Goldie. “The one that don’t pay?”
Goldie didn’t answer. She didn’t trust Pounce, and wished that Toadspit hadn’t asked him for help. But it was too late to do anything about it now.
“Anyone else involved?” said Pounce. “Like, anyone who might want to stop ya gettin’ to Jewel?”
“No,” said Toadspit, meaning yes.
“Yes,” said Goldie, meaning no.
“Make up yer minds,” sniggered Pounce. “Someone chasin’ yez or not?”
Goldie leaned forward fiercely. “Stick your nose in our business as much as you like, Pounce. Can you help us, or can’t you?”
“All right, all right,” said the boy, holding his hands up. “I reckon—I reckon maybe I can’t.” He hesitated. “Any money in it?”
Goldie shook her head. “Definitely not. Not if we get home safely.”
“Mm,” said Pounce. “That’s nasty. Maybe I won’t go and talk to someone.” He stood up and slouched toward the curtain.
“Pounce,”