Each time it was carefully explained that they were searching for Baris and the Lady Ideena. Once they were found, this poking into every corner could stop. Anders gave a hard grin. His efforts were infuriating half the big criminal groups in the city. Once they were annoyed enough they'd start doing his work. After that Ideena and her man were as good as in an interrogation cell.
At the circus Baris and Ideena certainly felt as if they were prisoners. The hidden portion of the animal cage was barely six feet wide and ten long. It held two very narrow bunks along the far end from the entrance. There was no entertainment but themselves so they spent much of the time eating, sleeping, quarreling, and drinking. None of it was completely satisfactory. The food was usually lukewarm and bland. Dedran would give them only weakened cider. And with the narrow bunks sleeping was not as comfortable as usual.
The quarreling was dangerous. They allowed themselves to do so only when the alternative would have been a physical attack. Neither wanted to risk that. Not on each other or on those who, for the moment, sheltered them. But Ideena knew her partner was becoming uncontrollable. Baris had never reacted well to imprisonment. The few times he'd spent short periods in jail he'd had to be sedated much of the time. She'd timed the visits made to them with food and the longer periods when they were left alone. Now she spoke.
"Let's get out."
Baris stared. "I thought it was too dangerous?"
"Staying here while we both go crazy is just as bad. If we disguise ourselves as father and son again we could have a while outside this rat hole. Dedran doesn't have to know."
Baris was scrambling into his outfit before she'd finished speaking. Once Ideena was ready they drifted out of the cage alley and joined the crowd flowing along past the sideshows. They stayed out several hours, returning more relaxed to sleep well. After that they risked it again. Then again.
But apart from that, Baris wanted a decent drink. He'd have angrily refuted the idea that he was an alcoholic, and he never got really drunk, but he did like something strong and the fruit-juice-weakened cider which was all Dedran allowed them just wasn't enough to keep Baris happy. If he got his hands on that girl when no one was around he was sure he could scare her into finding him something decent to drink.
He hadn't seen Cregar and had no idea that the ex-beast master was watching any time the girl slipped away to take supplies to the fugitives. Cregar had seen them out however, and recognized them despite the disguises. He knew the risks they took. He was holding the information. If he had to stir Dedran to a decision he'd have the spur.
Baris lounged on the lower bunk. He heard the tiny click that was the latch and moved like lightning. Laris entered and his hands closed on her. One over her mouth, the other clamping her wrists together. But his victim hadn't grown up in the camps for nothing. Cregar would be waiting. Her heel slammed out. Not against Baris but against the door which was still ajar. It crashed open.
She kicked again through the opening. Cregar would see that and know she was fighting. Baris's hand gripped her wrists as he tried to kick the door shut again. From around the girl's neck a chain fell to dangle her ring against the rough tunic. Her attacker's eyes widened.
"Well, well. So that's who got this. Ideena, take a look. I guess I get a drink if I want one now." He swung Laris toward the watching woman. Cregar entered just as Ideena rose to her feet. She took one look at his face and sat again. Ideena knew when to back up.
"Let her go, Baris." Cregar looked bland and uninvolved until one saw his eyes. Baris wasn't looking.
"I do what I want an' right now I want a drink."
Cregar wasn't arguing. He placed a palm-sized needier against the man's neck and triggered. Baris slid heavily to the floor, eyes shut, body limp. Laris landed half under him with a gasp as his weight drove the air from her lungs. Ideena remained sitting as Cregar looked at her.
"Nothing to do with me," she said. He nodded acceptance of that as she continued. "If it was I'd mention a ring the girl has and I'd remember where it came from. Dedran won't hear about the ring if he doesn't hear about this." It was Cregar's turn to nod. "Soldier's oath?" He nodded again and Ideena relaxed. She'd never kept her word in her life if there was profit in breaking it. But she knew that those who'd been in the service prided themselves otherwise.
Cregar lifted the tousled Laris and helped her from the hidden room. She could stand, bruised and scared though she was. He surveyed her once they were safely outside.
"Did he hurt you?"
"Just bruises; he'd have hit me if you hadn't gotten there, though." The look she turned on him was honest gratitude and a deep admiration and it warmed him. He reached for the ring and dropped it back on the chain down her tunic neck. His hand patted her shoulder.
"Long as you're okay." Something stirred in Laris. Without thinking she turned her head to the side and, in a gesture old as the camps, kissed the hand which held her.
"Thanks to you. I won't forget. Camp oath on that." She shook herself. "I'd better get going." She accepted the light push he gave her, grinned at him, and hurried away. Cregar stood considering the past ten minutes. He'd sworn not to mention Baris and his actions just now. He hadn't sworn not to tell Dedran a few other things his boss didn't know as yet. Such as that pair's habit of running about the circus in disguise, and maybe bringing the peacekeepers down on the circus. Cregar would wait just a little longer and he had no doubt that the pair of fools would stray so far over the line Dedran would have no choice but to eliminate the dangers they posed to his plans.
After her escape from Baris and Ideena, Laris worked busily, trying to smooth from her mind the few moments of fear. The circus with its people was becoming dangerously unstable. If things continued that way she might have to run. Trastor wasn't a bad world on which to get out. Their bond-laws were easier than those on some of the other worlds. She could prove she'd been illegally bonded. She had enough to pay her way for two years with the credits Prauo had brought her and the cat's-eye the Quades had permitted her to keep.
Better yet, she could no doubt find a trade to learn here in the city and buy in on an apprenticeship for a year. Depending on the work she chose, her time of service would be from three to seven years. But after that she'd have a trade and a guild. Maybe she could find something where her liking for animals would serve her. There was also Prauo to consider.
Laris felt his attention. *I wondered where I fitted in, furless-sister.*
*You always will.*
*That is good. As for the ones whose minds I do not like.* There was the sound in her head which was his laughter. *I think they will be dealt with soon enough. Too many have plans for them. They will not elude all. You do well. Continue to play the men, one against the other.*
He was gone again. Laris worried as she swept. She didn't want to go near Baris and Ideena even once more. And Dedran would expect her to continue. He knew nothing about Baris. Cregar wouldn't spill. He'd oathed. She thought wistfully of Logan, and of riding over the vast acres of the Quade ranch. If only she wasn't trapped here, if only she and Prauo could be free. She'd like to see more of Logan if only she didn't have his beasts on her conscience. Her thoughts wandered back to the humans concealed in the secret section of the cage. Cregar would keep an eye on her when she went there again, she hoped. He liked her and he didn't like Baris and Ideena—or Dedran. She liked him too, although it was a pity he'd ever gotten involved with the circus. She didn't think he was happy here. It was good for her that he was here though.
Cregar was thinking about the same thing. Sure, the circus had given him a place. But maybe it was time to get out. Cregar knew Dedran's boss; the man was a Thieves Guild patron and in the guild there were factions. Nhara was likely to be hard-pressed to hold his patron status with an expensive plan which had yielded nothing so far. If Nhara went down so did Dedran—and the circus. Very possibly any of the staff the guild thought might know too much would also vanish. That definitely included Cregar.