“Another tavern,” mutters the Sorceress. “The Mermaid. Do you know it?”
“I do. And it’s probably bad news. The Mermaid is run by the Brotherhood.”
“So?”
“Getting a jewel back from that organisation is a lot harder than getting it back from a petty thief. Still, there’s always the chance that they really don’t know what they’re handling. If it’s just ended up there as a result of some argument among thieves rather than been taken there as an item of great value, I still might be able to retrieve it. Might mean making a larger payment, but if I pretend it’s a family heirloom which the owner is desperate to get back, there’s no reason for them not to believe me. I know Casax, the local boss. He might be willing to sell me the jewel. He knows I’m not going to report the matter to the authorities.”
Lisutaris summons another servant and instructs her to bring me a bag of fifty guran pieces.
“Get it back. No matter what it costs.”
I notice that some workers have arrived in the garden outside and are putting up a large marquee.
“Preparations for the masked ball?”
Lisutaris nods.
“I must have the pendant back before the ball. I am certain that the Consul will ask about it. Did Makri get her invitation?”
“What?”
“Her invitation,” repeats Lisutaris.
“You invited Makri?”
“Yes. After all, she did excellent service for me as my bodyguard at the Sorcerers Assemblage. I felt she deserved some further reward. In addition I have promised to introduce her to the Professor of Mathematics at the Imperial University.”
“What for? Nothing is going to make the University take Makri as a student.”
“Probably not,” agrees Lisutaris. “However, she will enjoy the ball.”
I stare out at the huge marquee. The workers, efficient in a way you rarely see in Twelve Seas, have already got it into shape and are carrying in tables, chairs and candlesticks. The servant returns with my bag of gold coins. Another servant leads me out to the carriage Lisutaris is providing for my journey.
The situation with the pendant is now extremely serious. It’s going to take some clever work to retrieve it. However, I’m not thinking about this. I’m thinking about the gross injustice of Makri, Barbarian gladiator who hardly knows how to use a fork or a spoon, being invited to Lisutaris’s smart party. No sign of an invitation for me, of course. Don’t worry about Thraxas. He’ll slog his way round town, fighting criminals and facing danger to get you out of a hole. He’ll sit around in a Guards’ cell for six hours, protecting your good name. Doesn’t mean you have to invite him to your party. I’m quite happy drinking in the Avenging Axe in Twelve Seas with the rest of the struggling masses. Damn Lisutaris. I never liked the woman.
South of the river, my driver starts getting nervous. His duties for Lisutaris don’t normally take him to this sort of place. In the sweltering heat it seems to take for ever to work our way through the heavy traffic of wagons on their way to the harbour. When he finally offloads me in Twelve Seas, he spurs his horses and departs as swiftly as he can, pleased to be on his way.
“Thanks for the lift,” I mutter, and head into the Avenging Axe. Urgent business or not, I can’t visit the Mermaid before eating something. I could do with a beer as well. Lisutaris broke out the wine for me, but these fine Elvish vintages don’t satisfy a man.
Outside the tavern I again run into Moxalan. He’s in conversation with old Parax, the shoemaker.
“Was there much of a bloodbath?” asks Parax, which is quite an odd question.
I shrug.
“Many deaths?”
“That’s private business. And what do you care?”
“We’re concerned about you,” says Parax.
If old Parax is concerned about me, it’s the first I’ve heard about it. I wonder what the bookmaker’s son is still hanging around for. He must have got his architecture notes by now. Possibly he’s come back to see Makri again, poor fool that he is.
Suddenly violent shouting erupts from inside the tavern. I hurry in to find the place in chaos. Makri, axe in hand, is attempting to leave while Gurd and Tanrose are trying to hold her back. Several tables are overturned and the lunchtime drinkers are cowering in the corners. From the look of things I’d say it’s been quite a struggle. Makri is a demon in a sword fight, but Gurd’s a strong man and he’s managed to drag Makri to a halt. Not wishing to actually kill her employer, she twists round to face him.
“Gurd, I’m warning you. Let go of me now.”
Despite her skinny frame and Gurd’s immense strength, Makri is quite capable of beating him in combat if she gets angry enough to use her weapons. Gurd knows this. He doesn’t let go. I hurry forward and force my way in between them.
“What the hell is going on?”
“She’s going to kill everyone at the Guild College,” explains Tanrose.
I blink.
“What?”
“You heard her,” snarls Makri, and wrenches herself free to head for the door. I hurl myself after her.
“Makri. Come back. It’s only an examination. Don’t take it so personally.”
“It’s not the examination,” growls Makri, and disappears through the door.
I look to Gurd for an explanation.
“She’s been expelled for theft,” he says.
I rush out into the street. In these circumstances Makri really will slaughter everyone. Damn the woman and her temper, I don’t have time for this. I catch up with her on the corner, trampling over a beggar who picked this unfortunate moment to accost her.
“Makri, instead of marching up Quintessence Street waving your axe, how about telling me what’s going on?”
Makri halts. There’s a look of murderous rage in her eyes I haven’t seen since the last time I insulted her ears.
“Some money went missing from the students’ common room. Professor Toarius says I took it. He’s expelled me. Now get out of my way while I go and kill him.”
“What do you mean, he says you took it? Was there an investigation?”
“So he claims. Get out of my way.”
“Stop telling me to get out of the way. Don’t you think it might be better for someone to sort this out rather than you just killing the Professor? They’ll arrest you and hang you.”
“No they won’t. I’ll kill everyone who tries and then I’ll leave the city.”
“Well, that would be an alternative plan.”
A dog starts sniffing round Makri’s ankles. She kicks it. It goes away whimpering. The way Makri is brandishing her axe it’s lucky to still have its head.
Despite the fact that Makri is barbaric, annoying and unreasonable, not to mention part Orc, she’s one of the very few friends I have in this city. And while I’m not going to come out and admit it in public, she’s been a lot of help in some of my recent cases. I’d possibly regret it if she was hanged.
“Tell me what happened.”
Makri screws up her face. Not hastening to kill someone who’s accused her of theft is taking a lot of effort.
“I went in to college this morning. For my class in rhetoric. I had to go to the common room to leave my bag because I had two knives with me and they don’t let me take them into class.”
“Why did you have two knives with you?”
“Why not?”
“Foolish question. Go on.”
“There are some lockers. I have a key. I locked my knives away then I went to my class. We were learning how to make a speech in court. About halfway through the lesson a student came in and said the Professor wanted to see me. Which was unusual. Normally he tries to avoid me. So I went along to his office and he said that another student had lost some money from the common room and I’d been seen taking it! And then he expelled me!”
Makri’s voice has been rising throughout this and as she finishes she’s almost overcome with emotion. People stare at us, though not as much as they would have a year or so ago. The sight of Makri walking along Quintessence Street heavily armed is something the locals have become used to. As a woman with Orcish blood she’s not exactly popular, but people know better than to get in her way.