Obsidian Ridge - Jess Lebow [17]
"You're early." The words came from behind her.
"Am I?" she asked, recognizing the Claw's voice. "Or are you late?"
"Let's just say we're both right on time and leave it at that."
Princess Mariko turned around to look into the mask of the man she had fallen in love with. "Not in the mood to argue with me tonight?"
"Not in the mood to lose an argument tonight."
"You're a smart man."
"I have my moments. Where are you tonight?"
The princess grew serious. "I'm hearing about a lot of activity down near the docks again. I'm going to go check it out. See if I can get more than I did last time. And you?"
"I'm going south, to Ahlarkhem. I have business with Captain Beetlestone, of Lord Purdun's army."
"Be on the lookout for vampires. My Watchers tell me there is some recent activity near the ruins of Dajaan."
"I have heard that too, but it's not the undead that worry me. It's the threats on the king's life."
"That's the reason I'm going to the underbelly of Llorbauth-to see if I can uncover anything about the assassination threat."
The Claw opened his mouth to say something, but then shut it again and looked away.
Mariko put her hand to his mask, and turned him to look at her. "I will not let anything happen to him while you are out of the barony."
"I know you won't."
She leaned in and kissed the cheek of his mask. "Now go to Ahlarkhem, and hurry back."
The Claw nodded. "I will see you here again tomorrow night. Be safe."
"You too."
With that, the Claw headed south. The princess watched him go, until he slipped out of sight. For someone whose name struck fear in the hearts of evil men, the Claw was far more sentimental than she would have given him credit for.
The princess left the courtyard and headed down the road to the seedy parts of Llorbauth. For the most part, the city was a lawful, well-kept affair. But down by the docks, it was another story. The storehouses, workshops, and trading guild buildings had been constructed long before Erlkazar became an independent nation. Their foundations were built right into the piers and boardwalks, and there had been little if any oversight on the proper construction techniques.
When this region had been known as the Duchy of Elestam, then a part of Tethyr, there was very little in the way of rulership or order. Any organized band of thugs could operate without fear of reprisal, and the people did as they pleased, without regard for the well-being of other citizens or the future of the region. As the population grew and Elestam seceded to become the Monarchy of Erlkazar, the docks of Llorbauth became more and more important to the trade and economic health of the region.
The problem was that the entire area had been built on top of dangerously unsafe structures. Any part of it could collapse or move without warning. The whole port really needed to be torn down and rebuilt, but doing so would temporarily shut down commerce through the Deepwash. And that would be too costly for the merchants and indeed the Barony of Shalanar as a whole.
The king had tried on several occasions to come up with a plan that would revitalize the area and prepare it for the future. But many of the trading guilds employed small armies of their own-sellswords who provided security for the goods and their wealthy owners. The king's efforts had very nearly started an open civil war, and so he had relented. Storming the docks with his entire army was not part of his vision for ruling Erlkazar.
As a result, the waterfront had become a sort of independent state. The trade guilds kept to themselves and protected their own. Anyone who had business there was free to come and go, but their safety was their own concern. It became a place where ordinary citizens never ventured-a place where only criminals and toughs felt at home.
Stepping from the flagstones of the road onto the wooden planks of the boardwalk, Princess Mariko entered the seedy underbelly of the city. She had spent many