"He failed," Aeron said.
"At that scheme, yes," said Kesk, "but if you let him go free, he'll simply start over with a new one."
"He must be a prominent member of the Council of Nine himself," said the guide. "It would be useless to accuse him without evidence, or at least a witness more reputable than the leader of the Red Axes."
"I can tell you where to look for proof," said Kesk. "I can give you the name of the spy in Heldeion's house. Squeeze him, and he's bound to sell out the wizard to save his own skin."
Aeron sneered and said, "Just like you."
"The coward betrayed me first," said Kesk, glaring back at the thief. "He ran out on me."
"As you betrayed Kerridi, Gavath, Dal, and me," Aeron replied. "And you know what, Pigface? I'm tired of hearing you oink."
Aeron extended his arms straighter. A blue spark popped on one of his knuckles, and the smell of ozone filled the air. Kesk held himself steady. They could kill him, but they'd never see him cringe.
"Aeron," the ranger said, her voice troubled.
"No," he said.
"If he's right, if we do need his help to give this sordid place a chance at a decent way of living…"
"Are you both deaf?" Aeron spat "I said, I don't care about that. He tortured my father. He killed my friends."
"I killed your friends," said the ranger.
"I blame him, not you. Anyway, I don't dare let the vengeful bastard live. Father and I would never be safe."
"I vow by the War Maker," said Kesk, "that I won't come after either of you."
"Liar," Aeron said.
The ranger reached as if to take her companion by the arm, then, to Kesk's disgust, thought better of it.
"All right," she sighed, "I won't argue any further. It's your right to kill him if you want. In your place, I'd probably do the same thing."
"Of course you would." Aeron glared down the length of his leveled arms until Kesk's nerves positively screamed with the waiting, then made a sour face, lowered his hands, and said, "Damn you, Miri, why did you have to prattle at me? Now I can't do it, and I don't even know why. Maybe I'm just sick of killing."
Kesk felt lightheaded with relief. With nothing to lose by trying, he'd argued for his life, but had never actually expected his foes to heed him.
Most likely the scout would never have cause to regret it. She'd vanish into the wilderness, never to return. Aeron, however, was a different matter. When the time was right, Kesk would avenge this humiliation on the lone-wolf rogue and his father, too. Surely offering up a pair of human hearts would appease the War Maker for a false oath sworn in his name.
CHAPTER 19
Miri was aching and bone-weary by the time she and Aeron reached the riverfront. Despite her rudimentary training in the mystic arts, she didn't truly understand how Sefris's bolts of darkness could cause genuine harm without breaking the skin, but it was obvious they had. Otherwise, she wouldn't feel so punchy and weak.
It didn't matter. The fighting was over, and the long search, nearly so. In another hour, she'd deliver The Black Bouquet to Master Heldeion, then she could return to Ilmater's house for healing and the use of a bed.
With his wounded arm and head, Aeron would benefit from the priests' attentions as well. She turned to tell him so, then gaped in horror. The rogue was no longer walking at her side.
She spun around. Except for herself, the narrow, trash-choked alley, foul with the stink of rotting fish and produce, was deserted. Aeron hadn't simply lagged a step or two behind. Somehow, he'd slipped away.
She cursed herself for a dunce. Once Nicos was safe, and Sefris dead, she should have known better than to take her eyes off Aeron for so much as an instant. But it was her nature to trust a comrade with whom she'd faced so much peril, and thanks to that gullibility, she'd probably lost the formulary forever.
She snatched an arrow from her quiver to hold ready in her hand, then started to run back the way they'd come. She knew how unlikely it was that she'd spot the liar skulking through the dark, but she had to try.
He called out to her, "Hold on."
She whirled back around, and Aeron stepped from the shadows.
"I'm right here," he said, "and so is this." He hefted a heavy, black-bound volume. "I kept it behind some loose bricks in a wall down thataway."
She peered at him quizzically and asked, "If you meant to give it to me, why did you disappear?"
"I don't know," he said with a smile. "A joke? Maybe I wanted you to know I'm turning it over because I want to, not because I'm afraid of your bow and sword. That I do keep my promises to the right people."
He placed the book in her hands.
When she opened the cover, a sweet scent wafted up. Holding the book close to her face, squinting against the gloom, she was just able to make out Courynn Dulsaer's handwriting. It was the real Bouquet, not simply another decoy. Aeron chuckled to see her check the book.
"I said you were learning to think like one of us Oeblar," he said.
"Thank you," she replied. "For the Bouquet, not that remark. It's still an insult."
He smiled a crooked smile and said, "From that retort, I take it you're still eager to go back to the woods. I'll miss you… at least a little."
It seemed the perfect opening for Miri to propose the notion she'd been mulling over.
"You don't have to," she said. "You could come along. I'd sponsor you for membership in the Red Hart Guild, and train you, too."
"Now you're playing a joke on me."
"No. I've seen the better side of your nature, and you're too good a man to live out your days as a sneak thief in this wretched place."
"This wretched place is about to reform, or so I'm told."
"Over the course of years, maybe, if everything goes according to Master Heldeion's plan," Miri replied. "I'm offering you the certainty of a new life, a useful, honorable one, right here and now."
"I can't abandon my father."
"He can come, too. The guild provides a home for those of our kin who can't take care of themselves."
He stood mute for several heartbeats, seemingly pondering the offer.
At last he said, "Thank you. I'm flattered you asked, but no. I just don't see myself sleeping on the ground."
Though it was the response she'd expected, it disappointed her nonetheless.
"So be it, then," said the ranger. "I guess you'll have to settle for a bag of Master Heldeion's gold as a reward."
"For recovering The Black Bouquet?" Aeron said with a snort. "Not likely. Remember who lifted it in the first place, triggering disturbances across the city that even left some Gray Blades dead. You may have a high opinion of Heldeion, but I don't know him, and I don't trust him not to string me up. He's a merchant and one of the city fathers, in other words, an outlaw's natural enemy."
"Well, as you pointed out yourself, he doesn't ever have to see you or know your name. I promised you gold when we sealed our pact, and I'll fetch it to you."
"Again, thanks, but no. I only asked for a reward to persuade you to trust me. I took the same tack when I talked to Kesk in Slarvyn's Sword. People are usually inclined to believe you're speaking honestly when you say you want coin.
"The truth is, I don't take rewards from fat burghers for returning what's rightfully theirs. That's not my trade. If Heldeion gives you a bonus, keep it for yourself."
"Then you come out of this with nothing."
"I've got my father back, that's what matters, and these lightning gloves are worth having as well. Come on, I'll walk you to Heldeion's house before we go our separate ways. You may find it difficult to believe, but some people think the streets of Oeble are unsafe."