Obsidian Ridge - Jess Lebow [18]
Slipping into a dark alley, Mariko climbed the tall side of a decrepit wooden building and crept onto its shingled roof. Most of the storehouses down here were owned by individual groups. There were a few larger guilds that had blocks of buildings together, but for the most part it was a patchwork of different businesses all shuffled together.
Reaching the top, she could hear the faint rumbling of conversation passing by in the opposite alley. Crossing the roof, she crouched down and listened.
It was two men, and they were speaking in a language that Mariko didn't immediately recognize. Closing her eyes, she placed her fingers on her temples. "Reveal to me," she said quietly, casting a quick spell.
The sounds rising from the alley below transformed from gibberish into words.
"Old Korox is going to get one real good this time, he is," said the first man.
"Get what he deserves if you ask me," replied the other.
Mariko lifted herself up and craned her neck. She could just see the men's heads as they traveled down the alleyway. Neither wore a helmet, but she could hear the jangle of chain mail as they walked. Turning the corner, the two men headed east, toward the water and out of earshot.
Getting quickly to her feet, Mariko looked over the edge. The ground was three stories down-a long drop, and one she couldn't make silently. The roof of the storehouse across the alley was probably twenty-five, maybe thirty feet away. It was a shorter building than the one she was on, which would make the jump a little easier.
Turning around, she crept back to the opposite side of the roof. Then, spinning with the grace of a stage dancer, she faced the storehouse across the alley. The edge of the building blocked her view of the landing spot. For that matter, it blocked the view of the docks and other buildings as well. All she could see was the open sky and the waters of Shalane Lake in the distance. Steeling herself, she bent her knees and took off at full speed.
Planting her foot squarely on the edge of the roof, she pushed off into open space.
The princess hung for a moment, suspended over the alley by nothing but the dark of the night. She stretched, spreading herself out to reach across the emptiness. It seemed a long time, but was no more than two heartbeats-and she came down on the edge of the storehouse. Her toes touched the bricks that formed the outer wall, and she crouched as she hit, rolling forward into a ball and tumbling once before coming to her feet already at a run.
The landing had been a little noisier than she had hoped. Sliding to a stop at the easternmost wall, the princess cautiously crept up to the edge. The two men were passing just below. They were still talking, apparently so engrossed in their topic that they hadn't heard her leap.
"That'll teach him to go messing with our livelihood and all," continued the first. "Say, when do you think it'll happen?"
"Don't know. But I'll bet the Matron does."
Mariko's heart skipped a beat. The Matron? This was much bigger than she had first thought. If what they said was true, it could only mean one thing: the underworld planned to start an all-out war with the throne.
The men continued down the road, and Mariko followed. The storehouse was nearly side-by-side with the slaughterhouse, and the princess simply hopped over the intervening space to continue her pursuit. She was much closer now and could see them more clearly. Both men were cleanly shaven and quite well equipped. Each had a long sword on one hip and a dagger on the other. They wore chain mail tunics, which were covered partially by sleeveless white robes. She couldn't quite make out the symbol they carried on their chests, but from the short glimpse she did get, it appeared to be the profile of a woman with long golden