City of Towers_ The Dreaming Dark - Keith Baker [110]
“You would be Daine?” she said.
“That’s me.”
Daine stood up. He lowered his sword but not his guard. He had been expecting a courier, but after Jode’s death he couldn’t be sure of anything.
The courier’s eyes flicked down to take in the Deneith symbol at the pommel of Daine’s sword, and she nodded. Apparently that had been mentioned as an identifying feature. She produced two objects from her satchel—a small leather pouch and a sealed letter—both of which she handed to Daine. Opening the pouch, Daine dug out a double crown and pressed it into her palm. A moment later she had vanished.
“What was that?”
Lei said. She had just finished with Daine’s armor. The links were thinner than they had been, but at least it would cover his torso.
“Orien courier from Alina.” He shook the pouch. “We’ve got a purse of silver sovereigns. That should help buy the time of the goblins. I guess we’d better pay off Dassi as well.” He broke the seal on the letter and unfolded the parchment; the message was written in an elegant, flowing script.
With the passing of my former employee, you are to find the goods that he was carrying, regardless of what shape they may take. As these goods may be removed from the city, if you cannot resolve this matter within two days I shall have to consider our new partnership to be a failure, which would be a tragedy for both of us. Good luck.
“Anything?” said Lei.
“Not really. Alina wants the shards, ‘regardless of what shape they may take,’ and if we can’t settle the matter in a few days, she may get … upset.”
“And this is a concern?”
“She’s hired us for this job because she needs outsiders. I don’t think that the same restrictions would apply to disposing of ineffectual employees.”
“I see.”
“You said you’re about done for the day, right?”
Lei nodded. “I could perform minor repairs, but that’s about it. I need rest.”
“What about that wand—the one that destroyed that thing in the sewer?”
Lei reached into one of the side pocket of her pack and produced the wand. She tapped the row of dragonshards running along the shaft. “Lightning discharge, powered by the embedded shards. But it’s drained. It’s going to take time for the energy to build up again.”
“So if we’re looking for a fight,” said Daine, “we should wait until morning.” He paused, thinking. “A lot will depend on what we find out from Rhazala. For now … empty out your pack, Lei. I want to see what else we’ve got available.”
“All of it?”
“Yes.”
She shrugged. It took a few minutes to pull everything out. Daine had forgotten how large the central compartment really was. But his memory had been correct, and he smiled. “All right, Lei. Here’s what I want you to do.”
Ten minutes later, Pierce, Rhazala, and Daine were back on the streets of High Walls. The goblin and the warforged flowed across the streets like shadows. Despite his bulk, Pierce had been built for reconnaissance, and he moved with a fluid grace the bulkier warforged warriors couldn’t match. Next to his companions, Daine felt clumsy and loud, as if he were a bear hunting in the company of panthers.
After five minutes Rhazala came to a stop. “Somewhere near the center,” she said, pointing.
“You’re sure?” Daine said.
“Yes, yes. The tunnel comes up underneath. Runs through Khyber’s Gate, just like the tunnel of waste and water. And a bad place it is below there. The quiet folk have lost scouts in that region before. Usually they lose to eaters or the red jackals, but there are worse things in Khyber’s Gate, and I believe this is where at least one may live. The quiet folk, they won’t go near to it.”
“Very well. Good job, Rhazala. Here’s your payment.”
He had tied the pouch of coins around his neck, but when he reached up he found it was gone. Turning, he saw that Rhazala was holding it out to him. She showed him the two sovereigns in her left hand.
“I only