"Look," he said to her quickly, "we're just trying to find out what happened to some gems. If you could help us out-"
"I don't know anything about any gems."
"They belong to Brin," Li growled. Tycho winced and shot the Shou a foul glance. Desmada just snorted again, this time with laughter.
"You lost gems that belong to Brin? No wonder you're desperate." She eyed them both carefully. "You walk away now and I won't pass that little bit of news on around dock-side. Fair?"
"Desmada-"
The guard drew out a few inches of her sword. "Walk away, Tycho," she said harshly. "I don't know anything about your gems."
Tycho sighed and shrugged. "You know, I'd like to believe you, Desmada, but you should just cooperate and answer all my questions truthfully".
He let the command roll out of him in a baritone wave of almost-song, the music carrying the magic of a subtle spell. Desmada's face went slack for a moment as the enchantment sank into her mind. Li glanced at Tycho with an impressed expression. "Will it work?"
Desmada glanced between them. "Will what work?" she demanded.
"Never mind." Tycho flicked his fingers at Li, waving him to silence. The magic was potent but also delicate. Desmada would obey his suggestion, but the magic wouldn't stop her from attacking them or simply walking away. He kept on smiling at her. "Please, let me ask you again, Desmada: What do you know about the beljurils that were stolen from me at the guard station?"
The same slack expression of a moment before rippled across Desmada's face. "Nothing," she said.
Tycho blinked and glanced at Li. The Shou seemed startled, too. "Nothing?" Tycho asked. "You really know nothing about the stolen gems?"
"That's what I told you, isn't it?"
"Do you know of any other guard who would have tampered with my things while I was locked up?"
"No," Desmada snapped irritably. Tycho sucked on his teeth. It had to be the truth-his spell compelled her. At least, it compelled her to answer with what she thought was the truth.
"Did you see my things at all?" he asked. "Did you see a tin tube tied with green cord?"
"Yeah, I saw them. And I saw the tube." She shrugged. "I saw it before I saw you, actually. I didn't even know you'd been arrested until Jacerryl told me."
Tycho stiffened. "Jacerryl? Jacerryl Dantakain?" Des-mada nodded. "When did you see him?"
"When he brought your things to the guard station. He said Mard had rushed on ahead with you two under arrest and left him to bring your belongings along afterward."
Jacerryl.
Tycho took a deep breath as everything came together in his mind. Unlike Desmada, Jacerryl had known there were beljurils inside the tube. And he'd already passed the tube off, so if the beljurils went missing, it wouldn't be his fault. All the gems had been accounted for when the tube left his possession. He even had the perfect cover in the form of his brother's law-abiding honesty! Tycho could almost hear Jacerryl's voice whispering in his hood-covered ear again: Mard sticks to the law like honey. They'll be safe. Why had he been so close? A second breath turned into a hiss. It had probably been Jacerryl's hands that had taken the tube in the first place!
The perfect opportunity-all Jacerryl had needed to do was act quickly.
Tycho squeezed his eyes shut. The white gravel that Brin had shaken out of the tin tube. He'd seen that, too. It filled the pots of evergreen branches in Mard Dantakain's entrance hall, the pots he'd stood beside while Jacerryl gave him the beljurils. He cracked his eyes open again. Desmada was staring at him. "Get out of here," he spat at her. "We're finished."
"Lunatic. Good luck with Brin-you're going to need it." Desmada slammed her sword back into its sheath and grinned viciously. "Think maybe I'll start up a pool. How long will Tycho last after Brin gets hold of him?"
She turned and swaggered away. Li turned red and reached out to grab her shoulder, but Tycho stopped him. "She'll tell people that you're in trouble!" the Shou protested.
"Gossip is probably already flying," Tycho spat. "The magic will fog her mind, though. In a few minutes, Desmada will only barely remember talking to us." He curled his hands into fists and smacked them into his forehead. "Bind me! It was Jacerryl!"
Li looked at him, puzzled. Tycho shook his head. "I'll explain on the way. Come on-we're going back to hightown." He stomped off along the street, forcing Li to scramble to catch up to him.
It was like the goddess of fortune had stepped down from on high and kissed him.
Lander stepped out of his hiding place at the top of the street and watched the pair vanish into the gloom. Unbelievable! After a long while tracking Desmada down, he had been just about to hail her when a call from the other end of the street had drawn her attention. Tycho's voice, but it was the sight of the tall man with him that had made Lander's jaw drop. He had ducked into a doorway and watched as Tycho and Li Chien-alive after all-spoke with Desmada. The bard and the Shou were working together!
He couldn't be sure what they had said-he was too far away to catch anything other than the occasional word when voices rose-but Tycho was after Brin's beljurils, that much was clear. What Kuang Li Chien was doing with him… He cursed under his breath. The alley off Gold Lane where he had left the Shou lay between the Wench's Ease and the building on Bakers Way where Tycho lived with his doddering old teacher! Tycho must have found Li Chien last night and rescued him.
What now? Lander bit his lip. They were going somewhere-should he follow them? His hand dropped to the handle of the stolen saber, but he hesitated. Two of them, one of him, and Li Chien fought like a demon. The Shou had managed to get some of his clothes back-Tycho must have guided him to Giras. He had a weapon, too. Lander let go of the saber. It would be safer to catch up with Des-mada and ask her what had happened. Safer, but probably unnecessary. He could talk to her any time.
Li Chien was the one he wanted. Searching Spandeli-yon for him without any clues to his whereabouts had been like gambling at a crooked table. But knowing he was with Tycho… that changed the game. Lander knew Tycho. He knew the places the bard frequented and where he slept at night. Lander cracked his knuckles and turned back toward the Eel. Brin was finally going to get some good news today.
There was a knocking on the other side of the door. "Natala?" called Jacerryl sweetly. "Folco tells me you've come to see me." The latch jiggled and rose and the door opened a narrow crack. Light speared the darkness. Jacerryl's head followed, turning from side to side as he looked around. "No lights? What are you up to, my saucy little minx?" He stepped inside and closed the door behind himself. "A little game of wolf and rabbit? Or is it blind man's bluff?" Footsteps and the rustle of clothing being shed. "Give me a hint, darling-hot or cold?"
"Oh, very cold." Tycho unclenched his fist and let the light of a glowing coin shine out. Jacerryl, doublet off and caught in the act of pulling open his shirt, froze. His mouth dropped open. He stumbled back. Li stepped out from where he had hidden behind the door and gave him a firm push forward. Tycho, perched on the foot of the man's bedstead, smiled down at him. "Olore, Jacerryl. Expecting someone else?"
"You!" Jacerryl stood straight, trying to act firm and dignified as he hastily began to rebutton his shirt. "What are you doing here? How did you get in?"
He shot a glance toward the door. Tycho gestured and Li moved to stand between him and it. "You're not the only one I know in this house, Jacerryl. One of your servants-and I'm not saying which one, so don't ask-owed me a favor." He tossed the glowing coin to Li and shifted his strilling around on its strap, positioning the instrument against his arm. "We need to have a little chat about Brin's beljurils."