The Alabaster Staff - Edward Bolme [53]
"See, here, like this," she said, stopping in the middle of the street. "Hold out your hand."
Demok hesitated, then held out his right hand. She turned his hand palm up and placed a copper in his palm, then turned his hips so his body faced her. Then she struck the heel of his hand with hers, snatching the coin from his palm.
He shrugged, unimpressed.
"The trick is distraction. While you were looking at your palm, I was doing my real trick. Take off your glove."
Instead, he felt the back of his right hand. Through the thin leather of his glove, he felt a coin. He dug in with his fingers and pulled out a silver. He pursed his lips and handed it back to her.
"Thank you," said Kehrsyn. "Since you're giving me my coin back, I guess I can return your dagger."
Demok's hand flew to his hip and found his scabbard empty.
"Impressive," he said, though his tone was one of displeasure.
"Thank you," Kehrsyn said again as she grinned and held out his dagger, concealed behind her left forearm. Her voice grew dim and her eyes dropped as she added, "That's how I've lived for the last seven years, doing tricks like that. I never hurt anybody, and I've never broken that vow. Until yesterday. I had a new life, but now it's gone."
She looked up at Demok, her eyes narrowed with anger and sadness.
"I'm going back to undo a theft that they made me do," she said. "They stole a staff from Massedar, and they stole my vow from me. And here Massedar treats me really good, he's a sweet man, and I've never met such a powerful guy who was so nice.
"So yeah, maybe that's a longer answer than you want, but I know what I'm doing. I'm going to hurt the people who robbed me of my new life."
Demok nodded and chewed on the corner of his mouth.
By silent consent, they began walking again. Kehrsyn scuffed along for a few moments, kicking at higher lumps of slush.
"Sorry," she said finally. "I didn't mean to drop all that on you. It's fine if you didn't want to listen to all that."
"Your father?" Demok asked.
Kehrsyn smiled to herself. He had listened. She was starting to wonder if anything escaped his notice.
She said, "I'd rather not talk about it just now."
Demok remained silent for some time as the two of them walked through the streets of Messemprar.
"Know where you're going?" he asked.
Kehrsyn stopped and said, "No, I guess I don't, but I know the name of the street, so I can find it."
"Ask me."
Kehrsyn laughed, and asked, "Do you know where Right Street is?"
"There isn't one," Demok said.
"There isn't? Maybe Right Avenue? Boulevard?
"No."
"But I know that's what Ei-what I heard him say," she said.
Demok rolled his eyes skyward and thought.
"Wheelwright's Lane," he said. "Near the north wall. Chariot Memorial. Try there."
He turned and started to walk away.
"Hey, thanks," Kehrsyn called after him.
She saw him wave in acknowledgment, a simple, efficient gesture as he moved off into the crowds.
Kehrsyn moved through Messemprar, the heat of her long, languid bath sticking with her as she walked the chilly, slush-filled streets. The slight tang of winter's snow still lingered despite the best efforts of the city's other smells, and Kehrsyn couldn't help but smile. She was warm, well fed, and out for revenge on those who'd wronged her. Best of all, she held the secrets over her so-called employers, and they were none the wiser.
Her brisk, confident gait, billowing cloak, and open sword parted the crowds before her, and she relished the sensation. Her entire life, she had been relegated to skulking in shadows, deferring to others, moving aside when persons of import passed