Treachery of Kings

EIGHTEEN

Devius Lux, who didn't like surprises at all, especially those that included any form of bliss, stared in wonder and disgust at the joyous scene. Stared, but only for an instant, until a glitter, a gleam, an errant flash of silver in the shadows caught his eyes.

A shiver crawled up the old man's spine, crawled up and raised the half dozen hairs on his head. A monster, a demon, an unholy thing scuttled out of the alley, clacking its teeth and winking its ruby eyes.

“Gibido, Fibido, something-something Blik!” he said in a quavering tone, too frightened to remember the spell for such events.

Instead, he took careful aim, raised his pistols, and fired them both at once.

Twin explosions shook the street. Gouts of fire burst from the barrels, followed by a pall of black smoke. Devius Lux staggered back, stunned, his arms going numb. Bucerius grabbed the empty weapons, and cursed beneath his breath.

“Julia!”

Finn and Letitia shouted as one, loosing their grips on one another and rushing to the lizard's aid.

Finn gagged, waving smoke aside, certain he would find a horrid sight, a lizard blown to nature's basic bits, iron, copper, silver and tin, scattered about like dust. Ghostly hints of cogs, springs and golden gears.

“Julia,” he cried, with wonder and relief, “why, you're all right, you're perfectly intact!”

“On the outside, yes,” Julia said with a rusty croak. “Inside, I'm a'quiver, a total nervous wreck.”

“You don't have any nerves. That's all in your head.”

“Now you don't know that,” Letitia said. “I expect she's upset quite a bit.”

“I made her, my dear. I know what's inside. There aren't any nerves to quiver, just a bunch of wires, hardly the nervous system of a creature of flesh and blood. The animal brain has some activity, yes, but there are no nerves that extend any farther than that.”

“I feel better already,” Julia said, scratching a copper scale. “It's helpful to have someone who knows everything.”

“That old bastard couldn't be shootin’ hisself in the foot,” Bucerius said, bending down to stare at Julia Jessica Slagg. “You did a fine job on that fellow what bothered the Missy here in the Prince's courtyard. Like to see you have a go at one of them Bowsers sometime.”

“I think,” Finn said, knowing how flattery turned Julia's head, “I think we'd best be getting out of here. That noise could bring the yappers on again.

“Letitia, love, there's much we need to talk about. I left you and Julia safely on Garpenny Street. Now I find you wandering about Heldessia with a crazed old coot. I am eager to hear how this came about.”

“As you so wisely said, I don't think we have the time for that. I'll be happy to explain when I can. Perhaps you'll forgive my rash decision when you understand why I came.”

“Did I get it, did I kill that evil thing?”

Devius Lux peered around Bucerius’ enormous form, his face no more pleasing covered with flecks of black powder than it had been before.

“I'll have those weapons back, fellow, you've no right to take a man's arms-Great Stars, the horror's still there, somebody stomp on the thing!”

“I'd be taking a care, old man,” the Bullie said. “Us beasts has got primitive ways. Isn't no tellin’ what might set us on a spree… “

"I got frightened, is all, I truly did. You weren't gone a minute ‘fore I got to thinking about the Prince and his sly and lowly ways. What might he do? Would he dare molest me while you were gone?

“You know how he looked at me, dear, you heard what he said. And he is the Prince. I suppose he can do whatever comes into his head. At any rate, I recalled Miz Hammiter-Prin? The lady on Rattlebone Street who runs the little shop, the Doorstop Exchange? I knew she had a cousin who'd married a trader in Thistles and Weeds, and he sent goods by balloon all the time… “

“… And he just happened to know an old coot who carried cargo to Heldessia,” Finn added, “and, luckily, was leaving at dawn, with the rest of the merchant fleet. What a remarkable coincidence, Letitia. Not only to recall Miz Hammiter-Prin's relations, but to meet such a kindly, good-natured fellow as Devius Lux, who'd be most pleased to carry a lovely Mycer girl and a lizard in his balloon.”

“Well, it wasn't exactly like that, I don't suppose,” Letitia said, glancing off at the darkened sky.

“Not exactly.”

“No. Very close, though.”

“How close, indeed?”

“Not as close as that, I have to say. You know, of course, from his somewhat violent reaction that I failed to mention Julia was stowed safely in my satchel during the trip.”

“One might gather that. And the rest of it, love?”

“The rest is simply that I, ah-slipped away a moment after we returned from the palace, and began my arrangements then.”

“I see.”

“Yes, I feel you do.”

“You didn't waste a lot of time.”

“I didn't have a lot of time, dear Finn. And it was, truly, only good fortune and the hand of Fate that I was able to bring it all about.

“Oh, don't you see? I simply couldn't let you go on such a perilous voyage alone. I had to be with you. I had a most terrible feeling that if I didn't follow on your heels, I'd never see you again.”

Finn, though still not appeased by Letitia's tale, could not resist the tenderness, the caring in her voice, the very real concern in her dark and iridescent eyes.

“You could have been killed yourself. I could have lost you, Letitia. You must have witnessed the same tragedy and horror I did.”

“I did, yes.”

“I don't know what to say. Of course I'm glad you're with me, but I fear for your safety here.”

“Don't, love. Nothing will happen to me. We have shared adversity before. If need be, we shall share it in this far land as well.”

“Yes, well. I suppose we will.”

Letitia gave a grateful sigh and kissed him lightly on the cheek. “I must tell you, I thought I had taken this voyage in vain, when our airship fell dizzily into the street. Devius Lux did get me out before the thing caught fire, do give him credit for that.

“Then, when we heard someone approaching, we thought it was those terrible Bowsers, and the old fellow made me retreat into the alley, so he could fight them off. When I heard your voice-”

Letitia could say no more. Finn held her close, and had no desire to let her go…

Bucerius and Devius Lux stood beneath the high stone arch of a house a mere hundred paces from the entry to King Llowenkeef-Grymm's palace-a great, looming structure that betrayed no more light than the rest of this city in the small hours of the night.

It was Devius who had guided them the long way around the palace walls, avoiding the Bridge Gate, the Royal Gate, and a number of lesser gates, as well. And, finally, to a stout wooden door that sat within the base of a sentry wall.

It was not through any concern that he had done this deed, but his great desire to hold his precious weapons again. Bucerius had sworn he would grind them to dust beneath his boots if the old man couldn't think of some way to redeem himself.

Now, the two waited, without exchanging a word, while a guardsman went to wake a friend who had done a bit of business with Devius before. What sort of business, the oldster wasn't prepared to say.

At least, Finn thought, standing with Letitia some distance away, it was easier to see, now, why his love had shown less concern than he'd hoped for as they'd parted back in Ulster-East. Why, she could hardly say she'd miss him greatly, could she, when she knew she would be riding the very same Easterly winds across the swamp of Bleak Demise to Heldessia Land.

The thought brought a moment of relief, followed quickly by a pang of shame at his selfish need, when Letitia had shown her love in a clear, uncluttered manner by risking her very life to be at his side.

And, more shameful still, a thought he hurriedly banished from his mind, he wondered how many gold and silver coins Letitia had given the fellow to take her aboard.

I'm damned if I'll ask, he thought to himself, and it's better for future bliss I never know…