Masquerades - Kate Novak [26]
The girl's eyes were at the same level as the saurial's, but while his were encrusted with sleep, hers were wide-eyed with astonishment. Dragonbait repeated, "Murk?" and cocked his head in a manner that humans often found amusing.
The girl remained speechless, but had the wits to hold out a small serving tray bearing two letters. Her hands shook as the saurial reached for the letters. Dragonbait was tempted to smile and pat her on the head to calm her, but realized that might have the opposite effect
Dragonbait picked up the letters and turned away to fetch a gratuity, but when he turned back with a few coins, the child was gone, the hallway empty. Dragonbait shrugged and shut the door.
Alias had risen after all and was peeling off her chain mail. "I cannot believe you let me sleep in my armor," she said testily.
Dragonbait shrugged again. "You went out like a candle. I doubt I could have awakened you if I tried." Alias snorted, "The best bed I've seen along the Inner Sea Coast, and you let me sleep in a steel nighty. Ouch!" She stretched out the kinks in her back. "I wonder what a hot bath runs in a place like this."
Dragonbait held up the two letters.
"What's that?" Alias asked.
"I think you can afford a hot bath," said the saurial, throwing the heavier of the two letters on the bed. It landed with a satisfying thump and jingle. Alias snatched up the letter and ripped it open. A few magical sparks danced from the paper, and belatedly Alias saw that it bore Mintassan's sigil set into the blue sealing wax.
Four gold coins slid out from the letter's folds onto the bed. Alias leaned against a bedpost and read the letter aloud.
" 'Lovely Alias and stout-hearted Dragonbait,' " she began, then looked up at the saurial. "How come I never get to be stout-hearted?"
"How come I never get to be lovely?" Dragonbait parried.
"Hmpph," she said, and continued reading. " 'In the press of our business dealings last night, I neglected to thank you for aiding Jamal. She is an old and dear friend.' I'll just bet," Alias muttered this last. " 'I would be heartbroken to see her charred to coal. Thank you. We are greatly indebted to you. I have arranged with the hostler of Blais House to turn all your charges over to my account. Please, accept this hospitality as a token of my gratitude.
" I hope that your stay in Westgate lasts long enough to afford me the opportunity to speak with both of you at length in order to broaden my knowledge of saurials. Thank you once again for your courageous rescue. Yours sincerely, Mintassan the Sage. PS. Ask for the pan-fried prawns for dinner-they are a taste treat' "
"Sounds like you have a fan," the saurial said.
"Me? It's your brain he wants to pick. Probably trying to prove your people are related to tree frogs or something. He only wants me as a free translator."
"Alias, he's a spellcaster. He can use magic to speak with me. If he claimed to need you to translate, he would only be using it as an excuse to hear you speak."
Alias furrowed her brow, but could think of no solid argument. "Hand me that other letter," she demanded.
Dragonbait held out the second missive by the edges, as if it were a dead thing he did not want to touch. Alias plucked it from the saurial's grasp. The paper stock was far heavier than Mintassan's stationery, and the watermarks gave it the look of a very thin slice of granite. The purple sealing wax was marked with the coat of arms of the Croamarkh of Westgate, the elected leader of the city's council of noble and wealthy merchants.
Alias sniffed at it. "Smells like money," she joked.
Dragonbait harrumphed. "Smells like corruption."
"In this city, it's usually the same thing." Alias slid her