Neither Elias nor Jeremy had actually seen the contents of any folios sent out to select scriptoriums. The whole project was hushed and secret, and only guild masters and domins were directly involved. Yet Master a'Seatt, mere owner of a private scriptorium, had the presumption to correct work he knew nothing about.
"That is all," Pawl a'Seatt said, and he lifted a more worn collection of sheets from under the counter. "Now for your corroborating count."
Teagan paged quickly through the first crisp stack. "All of our work is present."
"And the guild's note sheets?" Pawl asked.
Teagan reviewed the second stack more slowly, its sheets wrinkled and creased by repeated handling. He accounted each against the inclusions list sent with the folio.
"All present," he confirmed.
The old master scribe began wrapping both stacks in a larger sheet of russet paper, but he stopped as Pawl a'Seatt held out his corrections list. Teagan blew an exasperated snort, but he took the sheet and placed it upon the stacks before wrapping them all.
Master a'Seatt brought out a blue wax stick and the shop's heavy pewter stamp, and he sealed the package closed. He then slipped it into the same leather folio in which the sages' work had been delivered that morning.
"Finally," Jeremy whispered.
Elias was no less eager to be on their way. Elvina was waiting.
Pawl a'Seatt held out the folio, and his brilliant eyes settled coldly on Elias. But as Elias took hold with both hands, Master a'Seatt didn't let go.
"You will return immediately to confirm delivery."
Elias slumped in dismay as Jeremy groaned.
They were going to be very late to the Bang-Tankard inn. For an instant he thought to argue, but a'Seatt's hard gaze made him quickly reconsider. He nodded again.
"Come on," he grumbled, and pushed past Jeremy for the door. "We'll have to hurry."
He was already trotting the wet cobblestones by the time he heard Jeremy close the shop door.
"Wait up," Jeremy called.
Elias had no more patience. When he came to the first side street, he skidded to a stop. Only then did Jeremy catch up. Elias could barely make out the crossing alleyway at the side street's end.
"No, you don't," Jeremy warned.
"It'll be faster," Elias countered. "We can cut through to Galloway Street, then the main alley behind the northwest market, and out to Switchin Way."
"No!" Jeremy snapped. "We're supposed to stick to the main streets, where it's well lit."
"Damn you, I'm not missing the whole evening. Elvina's only—"
"Elvina this, Elvina that… Blessed ink and sand! Are you going to let that girl run your life?"
Elias stammered for a few breaths. "Well, at least I have someone I'm leaving behind when we finally get our assignments!"
Jeremy flinched as if slapped, and his face clouded over.
"Fine!" he growled. "Go bumble around in the dark. I'm not slipping and sliding on chamber pot leavings in some alley. Not for some girl… when you don't even know her name!"
Elias slumped, the folio dragging down in his arms.
Jeremy had never been any good at holding a girl's… a woman's attention—not counting Imaret. Either tongue-tied or babbling about whatever he was currently studying, he was lucky if any companion lasted through a whole meal. But Elias wished he could take back the low blow he'd struck his friend.
Someone moved beneath a shop awning down the way. The indistinct figure halted and seemed to be looking their way.
Oh, that was all they needed—to have the local constabulary set on them for disturbing the peace with all their shouting in the street.
"Just this once, trust me," Elias urged. "It'll be worth it; you'll see."
Jeremy didn't answer.
"We'll stop at the inn on the way back," Elias offered. "You can wait with Elvina and her friend… and I'll go give Master a'Seatt his damn confirmation."
"Fine," Jeremy mumbled.
Elias turned into the side way, but he glanced once down the main street.
Whoever had been standing outside that one shop was gone. Hopefully the constable had simply moved on. But the sooner he and Jeremy were away from here, the less likely they'd have to deal with another on patrol. At the side street's end, he turned southeast into the alley. And Jeremy followed, muttering the whole way.
"Stay clear of the center gutter," Elias advised, "and keep your robe up. You won't have time to change if it gets soiled."
"Yes, yes," Jeremy grumbled.
They made their way past the back doors of shops, around crates and ash cans and less identifiable shapes in the dark space. Three side alleys passed by before Elias heard a sharp snap of cloth. Jeremy had stumbled again, and he paused.
Jeremy came up short to keep from running into him. Elias could barely make out his friend's face.
"What?" Jeremy asked.
"Nothing," Elias uttered. "I thought you slipped."
"I'm fine!"
Ready to press on, Elias started to turn, but Jeremy back-stepped, his eyes popping wide.
"What was that?" he whispered.
Elias froze, staring at him. "What are you talking about?"
"Ahead," Jeremy whispered, "between us and the light of the far street… something crossed."
Elias looked down the alley. At the far exit into Galloway Street, a lantern around the corner spilled light across the opening. But he saw nothing more.
"A stray dog scavenging garbage," Elias assured him. "Come on."
A shadow filled the alley, blotting out the far light.
Elias backed up one step, bumping into Jeremy.
"Who's there?" he called.
The shadow shifted slightly, hesitant movements beneath a voluminous cloak. The far avenue's light rendered only its silhouette filling the narrow space. It was so black he could barely make it out. And the wide hood's opening was only a pocket of night.
"We've no coin," Elias called, trying to sound forceful as he clutched the folio to his chest. "You'll gain nothing by robbing sages… Be off!"
But the figure didn't move.
"Come on!" Jeremy whispered, tugging the shoulder of Elias's robe.
Elias retreated three steps. As he turned, Jeremy bolted. They were halfway to the side street's entrance near the scribe shop when Elias glanced over his shoulder.
The alley was empty. The dim glow upon Galloway Street was plain to see in the distance.
Jeremy squealed sharply.
Elias barreled blindly into his friend's back, and they both stumbled. Still trying to right himself, he looked ahead.
A shadowed silhouette stood at the alley's head, where it spilled into the side street. Light from the street barely reached it, but its full form showed clearly.
It was so tall that Elias would've had to reach up to grab the neck of its hood. And still he saw nothing within it. Its cloak wafted softly, though the night air was still and breezeless. Beneath those flexing wings of the black cloth, there was nothing but night's darkness.
"Come on!" he hissed.
Jeremy only whimpered.
Elias snatched the back of his friend's robe as he fled down the alley. He'd almost made it past the final side alley when the distant light of Galloway Street suddenly winked out.
Elias shuddered, sliding to a halt.
Jeremy snatched his arm and pulled him into the side alley. He didn't even have the wits to pull back nor to realize their mistake, not until they swerved two corners, straight into a dead end.
Someone else tried to grab him from behind.
Elias whirled away and heard his robe sleeve tear as he stumbled deeper into the alley's end.
"We have a few coins!" Jeremy shouted. "Take it… take it all!"
A tinkle of scattering coins filled the blind alley. But Elias kept his eyes on something else as his back met a brick wall. He couldn't see it clearly at first, that black fist gripping a piece of his gray robe. Then it opened, and the scrap of gray fell.