The City of Towers

CHAPTER 8

I don’t know why I let you talk me into this,” Daine said as he and Jode walked back to the central lift. Nearby a merchant was haggling with a customer over the price of an iridescent doublet, while a tiny gnome girl with a bright red cap was playing with a shimmering ball of light woven from strands of illusion. The girl’s pointed cap was nearly as tall as she was. “We’re soldiers, not inquisitives. And I never planned to see Alina again, let alone work for her.”

“You know, we’ve never talked about what you did for her.”

“That’s right.”

“Daine, I know it’s not what you had in mind, but the war is all but over. And Cyre is gone. Nothing’s going to change that. We need a new start, and if you’ve got a better way to get four hundred dragons, I’d like to hear it.”

They walked a ways in silence.

“Extraordinary collection of birds, wasn’t it? Such beautiful coloring.”

“True,” said Daine. “I wonder who they were before.” Jode chuckled and let the matter drop.

Once they were on the lift along with a few other residents, Daine unwrapped the leather packet. There was a sheaf of parchment inside, covered with sketches and Alina’s neat handwriting. Daine and Jode split up the pages and began to sort through them. One page described the Khyber dragonshards. It was mostly arcane gibberish, and Daine resolved to have Lei look it over. There was a map of Sharn, with brief notes on a few highlighted districts. The last few pages in Daine’s stack concerned Rasial. One included sketches of his face from a few different angles, while the other was a brief biography.

“Rasial Tann …” Daine mused, studying the parchment. “Here’s something Alina didn’t mention-he used to be part of the Sharn Watch, a unit called the Gold Wings.”

“Yes, that fits,” said Jode, tapping the top sheet on his pile, a description of various sporting events. “Look over there. Those hippogriff riders? They’re Gold Wings. The unit’s trained for scouting and responding to aerial crimes, but apparently many of the riders also participate in the games.”

“And as a former guardsman, Rasial would know how to avoid the patrols searching for smugglers … assuming he doesn’t still have friends on the inside.”

“So a guardsman down on his luck turns to crime. A tragedy of our times.”

“Apparently he claimed the trophy in the Race of Eight Winds two years ago. Mean anything to you?”

“Yes, it’s all here. Annual event in … Dura Tower. Biggest race in Sharn. Brings spectators from across Khorvaire.”

“You’ll never see anything like it!” The new voice managed to be high-pitched and gravelly at the same time. Turning around, Daine discovered a small goblin girl just behind his legs. “All manner of beasts chasing and fighting, darting between the parapets.” Her red eyes gleamed. “Last year, the griffon turned on the eagle right after the bell was rung. You can still see the blood on Kelsa Spire.”

Jode spoke before Daine could chase the goblin off. “What’s your favorite beast?”

“The Gargoyle, of course,” the girl said, as if speaking to an even smaller child. “Malleon’s Gate used to be that Bat, but now it’s the Gargoyle. He hasn’t won yet, but he’s fast and quick and clever, and I’m sure this year is when things will change.”

“Who’s won the last few years?”

“The stupid pegasus. The hippogriff was going to win, then it died.”

“One of the others killed it?”

“No, that would have been more fun.” The little green girl gestured with her hand, showing a path of flight followed by a sudden drop. “It just died. Left a big stain on Rattlestone Square. My friend Galt has two feathers.”

The lift paused to take on two new passengers, both wearing the green and black uniforms of the Sharn Watch. The stocky dwarf glared at Daine suspiciously. His companion was a tall human woman whose face was a maze of scars. Daine absently ran a finger along the scar that ran down his left cheek, remembering past battles with Brelish soldiers. The lift began to move again, slowly falling the remaining thousand feet toward the ground.

“The Pegasus is really, really fast,” the goblin girl said. “But Carralag is clever, and I know he’ll get the best of it this year.”

“Did you ever-?” Jode began.

The dwarf guard grabbed the goblin by her hair and pulled her back, causing her to yelp with pain. “You again!” he spat. “What did I tell you about riding the lifts, girl?”

The girl tried to turn, but the grip on her hair was too strong. “Dunno! Just wanted to see the sky!”

“You know what I said,” the dwarf said. He put one callused hand around her throat and lifted her up into the air. Behind him, his companion smirked. “I said I’d throw you off the lift myself if I ever say you again. You should have stayed where you belong, girl.”

The dwarf moved to the railing, the goblin kicking and gasping in his grip. Daine planted his foot behind the dwarf’s knee and sent him tumbling to the ground. The girl darted behind Daine, huddling against the railing.

The dwarf rose to his feet. “Dorn’s teeth!” he swore, drawing a short sword with a well-worn edge. “You’ve just made a grave error, Mourner.”

The scarred woman was carrying a halberd, and she moved to flank Daine.

“I should watch you throw a girl to her death?”

“That’s no girl. It’s a goblin. The only reason she’s on this lift is to pick the pockets of fools like you. But I suppose you can identify with that. I can’t imagine a Mourner trash having any proper business in the upper wards.” He studied Daine carefully. “You just struck an officer of the watch. I think you deserve another scar for that.”

“I think I’ll pass.” Daine studied his opponents, shifting so his back was against the railing. He reached for his sword-and remembered it was gone. Damn Jode!

“Go ahead,” the dwarf said. “Draw your knife, boy. Give me a reason to run you through.”

The lift came to a stop and the other passengers scurried off, leaving only Daine, Jode, the two guards, and the whimpering goblin girl.

The dwarf walked toward Daine as the lift moved again. “Not so bold now, are you?” He stared up into Daine’s eyes, putting the point of his blade against Daine’s throat. Daine looked down. The halberdier watched as a tiny spot of blood blossomed on Daine’s throat, and for a moment she lowered her guard.

Daine was waiting for an opening, but help came from an unexpected quarter. The goblin girl cried out and threw herself at the dwarf, clawing and biting at his leg. As the guardsman glanced down, Daine smashed his hand and sent his sword flying. The halberdier brought her point in line, then suddenly gasped and fell to the ground; unnoticed in the chaos, Jode had stepped up behind her and pierced her knee with his stiletto. While he spent most of his time treating injuries, Jode had a keen understanding of pain. He knew where it hurt and how to hit it. The woman dropped her weapon and clutched at her leg, oblivious to her surroundings.

“Let it go,” Daine said to the dwarf. “This can end now. No more harm done.”

The dwarf responded with an incoherent howl. He charged, but Daine ducked out of the way. Spitting with rage, the guardsman snatched the fallen halberd and charged again, blade leveled at Daine’s chest. At the last second, Daine spun out of the way. He grabbed the upper haft of the weapon and threw all his weight into it. He meant to disarm the dwarf, but he overestimated his opponent’s weight and momentum. With a long cry, the dwarf went sailing over the railing and disappeared.

Daine ran to the edge of the lift, but there was nothing to be done. He turned around. “Jode!” he snapped. “Make sure that woman doesn’t bleed to death. Quickly! We’re getting off at the next stop.”

Jode seemed unperturbed as he bent to his task. “And here I thought I’d get to keep a feather.”

The goblin was crying. “You’re fine now,” Daine said, kneeling over her. “But you need to get up and get moving. You have a home?”

She nodded, brushing at her tears.

“Go straight home. Now. And don’t come back to this lift. Ever. Do you understand me?”

She nodded again.

A moment later, the lift came to the next stop. The goblin girl disappeared into the shadows of the street. Daine and Jode sauntered off as nonchalantly as possible, passing through the crowd waiting to board. Back on the disk, the semiconscious guard clutched her knee and moaned.

“What do you mean, you saw her take it?”

“You didn’t?” said Jode. “It was such an obvious lift, I assumed it was a gift. You’re a soft touch, and I’m sure she needed the money just as much as we did.”

“Oh, this day just keeps getting better. You pawn my grandfather’s sword, convince me to take a job from Alina, watch as a pickpocket steals the money we received for expenses, and the best part? I just killed a member of the city guard.”

“You don’t know that. This is Sharn. The city guard very likely carries charms against such happenings.” He smiled mischievously. “Or maybe someone caught him?”

“Against falling hundreds of feet?”

Jode shrugged. “This is Sharn.”

Daine closed his eyes and groaned. They were sitting at a table in the Manticore, and now that they only had Jode’s original stake money from the morning, they were drinking water.

It wasn’t long before Pierce and Lei returned. “Was your mission successful, Captain?” Pierce inquired. Lei seemed lost in thought.

Jode answered for him. “Aside from Daine being a murderer and getting robbed by a little girl? I’d say so. We need to track down a smuggler, return some stolen goods, and if we succeed we’re looking at more money than you’d have made in another thirty years in the army.”

“I wasn’t paid for my service.”

“Proving my point. How about you? Any news?”

Pierce looked to Lei. When she said nothing, he continued. “The accusation was true. Lei has been outcast. No member of House Cannith will speak to her. However …”

“There is someone,” Lei said quietly. “An uncle. Jura. I haven’t spoken to him since I was a child. But now … he may be able to tell me what’s going on or get a message to Hadran for me. I haven’t seen Jura for a long time. He’s …” She paused, but couldn’t seem to find the right words. Finally, she looked up at Daine. “I’d appreciate it if you’d come with me.”

Daine stood up. “All right, but if you don’t mind, let’s avoid the area around the Den’iyas lift.”