The Ambassador's Mission

Cery nodded. They spoke polite farewells, parted and headed in different directions. After all the effort I have to put into getting here, these meetings always feel too brief. But sitting and chatting to Skellin doesn’t appeal either. I’m not sure why. Probably because I’m always waiting for him to try getting me to sell rot for him.

Gol joined him and they set off into the city. Sunny House was several streets behind when a figure stepped out of a doorway and walked toward them. Cery tensed, then relaxed as he recognised Anyi, then tensed again as he realised she was disobeying his orders. She wasn’t supposed to approach him until they were back at the hideout.

Maybe she needs to warn me of something.

Anyi nodded to him politely, her expression serious, then fell into step beside him.

“So,” she said, her voice low. “You got a good reason to be working with the King of Rot?”

Cery glanced at her, amused. “Who calls him that?”

“Half the city,” she replied.

“Which half?”

“The lower half.”

“I’m from the lower half, so why haven’t I heard of it?”

She shrugged. “You’re old and out of touch. So. Have you got a good reason?”

“Yes.”

They walked in silence for several paces.

“Because I hate that man,” she added suddenly.

“Oh? Why is that?”

“We had no rot here until he came along.”

Cery grimaced wryly. “If he hadn’t brought it, someone else would have.”

She scowled. “Why don’t you sell it?”

“I have standards. Pretty low standards, but that’s to be expected. I’m a Thief.”

“There’s a big difference between what he does and what you do.”

“You have no idea what I do.”

“That’s true.” She frowned. “And I’m not in a hurry to find out. But … why don’t you deal in rot?”

He shrugged. “Rot makes people unreliable. If they lose interest in making a living they don’t want loans. If they can’t work they can’t pay back the loans. If they’re broke, they can’t buy things. If they die they’re no good to anyone. Rot isn’t good for business – unless it is the business. And if it was no worse than bol I’d be lining up to trade in it.”

Anyi nodded, then let out a long sigh. “It sure does make people unreliable. There was … I had a friend. We worked together, were going to … do things together. My friend helped me out when you told me I had to hide.

“But we started to run out of money a lot faster than we should have. I knew my friend took rot, only enough to relax and sleep. When it ran out, my friend disappeared off to get more. I went next door to talk to the neighbour’s wife, so I was out when my friend returned. With two thugs. I heard them talking. My so-called ‘friend’ was going to sell me out.”

Cery cursed. “Did he know why you were hiding?”

“Yes.”

“So the thugs know, too.”

“I guess so.”

Cery glanced at Gol.

“They probably wanted to sell Anyi on to someone better positioned to use her against you,” the big man said. “Her boyfriend will have only wanted fast money.”

“So there are two thugs out there who know too much,” Cery said. He turned to Anyi. “Would you like this former friend killed?”

She looked at him sharply. “No.”

He smiled. “Would you mind if I had the thugs killed?”

Her eyes widened, then narrowed. “No.”

“Good, because I would have them killed whether you minded or not, but I’d rather be certain we got the right ones, and that’ll be easier if you can pick them for us.”

She nodded. Then she looked at him sidelong. “You know, nobody uses that old slum slang any more. ‘Pick’ is so old-fashioned.”

“I’m an old-fashioned kind of man.” They turned into a wider street, which was full of vehicles and people and noise. He lowered his voice. “Just so you know, the reason for today’s meeting is to find the person who you were hiding from.”

Anyi paused in scanning the street to glance at him. “Guess that’s a good reason to be talking to the King of Rot. Can I watch when you kill the murderer?”

“No.”

“Why not?”

“Because I won’t be killing her. I doubt I could if I tried.”

“It’s a woman? Why can’t you kill her?” She sent him another quick look, this time full of confusion. He chuckled.

“Don’t worry. I’ll explain when the time is right.”

I bet Regin wishes he was here, Sonea thought as the young female Healer was led to the front of the Guildhall. The woman wasn’t one of the Healers who worked at the hospices, so Sonea did not know her well. Lady Vinara had explained that she was from one of the city’s less powerful Houses – a younger daughter sent to the Guild in order to gain prestige, and Healing for the family without charge.