Bloodhound

  "Your friend is lucky, to be able to give such gifts," Sir Tullus said. I looked him in the face, startled. He held up a hand. "I meant only that plainly he has gotten you to smile."

  "Tullus, you're terrifying Cooper," Lord Gershom said.

  Sir Tullus grinned at him. I wondered if I was having fever visions. I had never seen that expression on the magistrate's face before. "I assure you, Gershom, Cooper has proved she is well able to withstand anything I might tell her." I ducked my head at that, but it was a nice thing for him to say!

  Others came in while Sir Tullus spoke to me and to my lord. Jewel and Yoav were among them. So was Sergeant Axman. The working Dogs stood against the wall as knights took seats at the other tables. A group of scribes entered laden with parchment, ink bottles, and reed pens. They set up at two of the tables so they would have plenty of room. One of them I knew as Lord Gershom's scribe for his most important Dog work, the writer of all the documents that went out under his seal as Lord Provost. Had I not known this was serious unto death, seeing her would have corrected my thinking.

  I bowed to Sir Tullus and returned to my chair, but I did not sit. I clutched my opal pendant in one hand and waited, sweating. I was going to have to talk before all these strangers, and this time I did not even have the lie of the pretty, flirty Dog to hide behind.

  "While Corporal Guardswoman Goodwin reported the state of affairs to me three days past," my lord said, his voice loud enough to be heard by all, "Guardswoman Cooper remained here. She has information that we require before we proceed. Cooper, report."

  I gulped and thrust my free hand into my breeches pocket to wrap it around my fire opal. Then I spoke as if I was in Sir Tullus's courtroom, reporting all of a crime from beginning to end.

  When I fumbled, my lord Gershom would lean forward, waiting for me to find my thread. My mouth got dry. With my first cough Goodwin was there with a tankard of cider twilsey Achoo leaned against my right leg to steady me.

  So I told it all, from Master Finer's visit on Monday the seventeenth to Nestor's capture of the cole-making materials last night. Then, because Lord Gershom knew of my dealings with the dead who rode on pigeon-back and would expect me to include that information in any report I made, I repeated what Hanse had said. The mages looked offended. Some of the magistrates acted as if I played a very foolish joke. It was hard to guess what Sir Tullus thought.

  The questions came after that. The magistrates, mages, and knights wanted to see Okha's maps of the Rogue's courts. I took them from my pack and handed them over. I felt like I had betrayed Okha's trust in handing his dangerous and hard-won work to strangers, but at least I did not tell them his name. I would not get him into trouble with Nestor if I could help it.

  One knight demanded I give up the names of the lad and gixie who had been my guides to the colemonger's works. I had to swear on Mithros's shield that I'd gone all that time without learning them a-purpose before he would believe me.

  The magistrates wanted me to give a full count of Pearl's court. Nestor finally told them it was nonsense, that Rats came and went at any Rogue's court. There was no keeping count.

  Some of them were vexed that I accused a noble of cooperating with his city's Rogue. I nearly told one suspicious, pinch-faced mot that I was sorry to ruin her pretty daydreams of what a noble might and mightn't do. I was opening my mouth to say it when I saw Goodwin tug one of her ears. I shut my mouth quickly.

  At last my lord held up his hand. "Enough," he said wearily. "You have seen that her report does not change. Sergeant Axman, you and your folk know Sir Lionel best. Do you believe what she says of him?"

  Everyone looked at the sergeant, who leaned against the rear wall. "It's why we got Cooper out o' Guards House, milord," he said, coming to attention. "Sir Lionel was good enough for the work once, but losin' his oldest lad to the Sweatin' Sickness five year back broke somethin' in 'im. When Pearl threatened his family, Sir Lionel cracked like a sheet o' salt. Plenty of us try to fight the Rogue, but when your own Provost's against you..." He shook his head. "It's just too hard, milord. The common folk trust the Rogue more'n the Crown. Pearl Skinner is worse than most, but still folk believe she'll help 'em where the Crown won't. They'll fight us if we go after her."

  "So we must let her roam freely, destroying the realm's coin?" demanded a magistrate. "The realm will be fit only for Chaos if the common folk believe that we fear one lowborn thief!"

  "No, milord," Axman replied. "But we'd best make curst sure the common folk know she's at the root of their money troubles."

  "Enough. We're losing the element of surprise," Lord Gershom said. "Mistress Scribe, are the writs complete?"

  "They need but my lord's signature, a magistrate's signature, and then my lord's seal." My lord's chief scribe took two parchments to one of the Port Caynn folk, a magistrate, seemingly. She looked them over, then brought them to my lord, who signed both. When she melted wax onto each one, my lord stamped them with his seal ring. She added her seal after his. Now the scribe brought one more writ for signatures and seals.

  "These writs are for Sir Lionel at Guards House, the Rogue's person, and to lock the harbor against all outgoing traffic save for those vessels with passes," my lord announced. "Those to the Harbormaster and Sir Lionel must be delivered by knights and mages in addition to the standard forces." With that he began to make his assignments. Sergeant Axman and his folk would escort the knights and mages chosen to go to Guards House to have, as my lord put it, "a word with Sir Lionel." As I understood it, they would nab and hold Sir Lionel until my lord chose to speak with him. If Sir Lionel imagined all manner of cruel fates while two mages held him as he had magicked me, my lord Gershom would not cry so much as a single tear. Nor would I.

  Beyond that, I lost interest in Sir Lionel's fate. He'd doubtless get away with a slap on the nose. Trebond was a rich, powerful house. What had he done, other than turn a blind eye to the work of Port Caynn's Rogue?

  I was glad not to have the harbor assignment, too. Who wanted a basket of screaming ship captains in her lap, demanding special passes? And it wasn't going to be the Harbormaster who would get the job of searching each vessel for runaway Rats, either. It would be Dogs assigned to that task.

  My interest lay with that greedy scummer snake Pearl. I wanted to be in on that kill.

  A small group of Dogs was going to track down the Finers and get them to safety. Another group was sent to hobble leaders in the Gold- and Silversmith's guilds and bring them here, to answer my lord's questions when he had time for them. I didn't feel bad for them, either. Withholding knowledge of colemongery was a crime of its own. The guildmasters would wish they had been slower to shield their bums and quicker to notify Lord Gershom.

  "Doubtless they'll bribe some Crown official to say they knew of it all along. They were trying to look into it when we made a mess of their inquiries," I muttered to Goodwin.

  "Money talks and walks, but it does not bark," she replied. It is a favorite saying of Dogs.

  I was appointed to the largest force, along with Goodwin, Nestor, and my lord Gershom. We were destined for Pearl's Riverside court, where she was supposed to be today. As soon as we got the nod, I sought out a small room. I left my priest's robe there and put on my arm guards, iron cap, and weapons belt. I was sad not to have my chest and back armor and my gorget, all sitting in my trunk at Serenity's, but it did no good to pout over what was missing. My weapons belt was enough for most Dogs. My arm guards, with their eight thin blades, and my hideaway knives left me better prepared than many. With those knives, my sap, and my baton, I had lived this long. I remembered to remove my jewelry before slinging my pack over my shoulders and going in search of a privy. With that taken care of, I returned to Achoo, Goodwin, and the rest of the main group as it mustered.

  While I had armed, Serenity and thirty hard-faced mots had come to the countinghouse. Those women looked as tough as any Dog. They all wore long cloaks to hide the moon-stamped breastplates, back plates, a
rm and leg armor, and short leather skirts of women soldiers who guarded the temples of the Great Mother Goddess.

  "I saw your arrival in my scrying glass, my lord," Serenity was telling Lord Gershom as I returned. "I knew you would need help. I have trusted these women with my life, and continue to do so. They are expert in street fighting."

  "Your help is most welcome, lady," my lord said. "And from Goodwin, I know the weapon that you bring is your magical Gift. I thank you."

  "I also bring two messengers," Serenity told him. She waved forward a lad and a gixie. They wore undyed wool tunics and light sandals. "When you give the word, they will carry news to the temples. The sisterhood will tell the people that Pearl Skinner's false coins have driven up the cost of food."

  "Surely that will cause unrest," said a mage.

  "If they don't know the truth, the common folk will be against us," Nestor argued. "We need to tell them something, or we'll have to fight for every foot of ground."

  Standing close to my lord, I whispered, "Would it help to tell the people that Pearl's got a fortune in gold?" He looked down at me, one brow raised. Still keeping my voice very soft, I explained, "It's why she did all this, my lord. She changed coles for gold weeks ago, afore anyone knew there was a colesmith in town."

  "We'll keep that between us," my lord murmured. "I don't want treasure hunters tearing Pearl's haunts to pieces looking for it before our mages can claim it for the King." He turned to Serenity and nodded. "Send your messengers, Daughter Serenity. And you and your women shall come with me. I do not expect Pearl Skinner to submit easily."

  Serenity gave her messengers the word, then spoke with the mages. Lord Gershom went to give orders to the scribes and the magistrates. Gnawing on my lip, I took Achoo and sought Goodwin. She was with Jewel, Yoav, Birch, and Ersken. They greeted me and shared out some pasties they had gotten, including one for Achoo. I had the dreadful fear that I might weep, so glad was I to be among them again.

  Goodwin eyed me with scant approval. "Cooper, you look like you slept in that uniform."

  "I wish I had but slept in it." I felt like a sloven in my wrinkled clothes. "Goodwin, what does he mean to do about the city? He plans to nab Pearl, but what about after?"

  Jewel grunted in agreement. "Take away Port Caynn's Rogue without leaving another ready to take her place, and it'll be a Chaos pit."

  Yoav winced. "Food riots, money panics – "

  "And no Rogue to keep a grip on the Rats? Goddess's mercy we'll be safe back in Corus," Birch said. "We'll have our own headaches, come winter."

  Ersken's eyes, like mine, went from face to face.

  "Rats will fight it out," Goodwin said, but she frowned. "They always do."

  "Not if we nab all the best candidates," I heard Nestor say. I turned. He had come up behind us.

  Sergeant Axman stood beside him. "Curse it. Why can't a problem ever be simple?"

  "Festering, pox-rotted – I always hated this town," Goodwin muttered. She went to my lord and spoke quietly to him. He frowned, then came to our group with Goodwin at his side.

  "What's this Goodwin's telling me? You think we should let some of the Rogue's top rushers go?" he asked, his heavy brows knit together.

  Jewel spoke first. "Dogs don't admit to it, mostly, but we're too thin on the ground, everyone knows it. Without a Rogue, we'd never keep order."

  "Have you any suggestions?" my lord demanded. "Is there anyone who won't make this worse?"

  Everyone else looked at their boot tips. They didn't want to risk offending their master. It would have to be me who said it. "My lord, there's a mot – a woman, Fair Flory. She leads the flower sellers and orange girls. If she becomes Rogue, she'll keep order, or she'll do her best."

  Nestor rubbed his chin. "She knows how things work, sure enough. And if Flory knows we're to thank for her freedom, she'll remember she owes the Dogs a favor."

  Lord Gershom crossed his arms over his chest. "Can one woman do what's needed just now? These Rats will require an iron hand to knock them into line if we bring down a sitting Rogue."

  Nestor coughed into his fist. "My lord, Flory has her own gang. She may not be a muscle-bound rusher, but Pearl isn't, either, and she took the throne. Flory's got more wits in her head than Pearl ever did."

  Lord Gershom sighed. "Spread the word," he told us. "Fair Flory and her cohorts are to be allowed to escape, unless they kill Dogs. I can't allow that," he said, looking each of us in the eye. "My people come first. Those who are choosing the parties to strike the Riverside court, be certain you choose Dogs who can identify this Fair Flory."

  "Yes, my lord," they said, and we all bowed.

  "My lord, how do you propose to get us in position unseen?" a mage called across the room. We all looked at him. "Even if I place a spell of invisibility over us, folk will know a large group of something shoves them aside."

  "Sergeant Haryse knows a secret way," my lord replied.

  My gut lurched when Nestor grinned at everyone. I knew what he would say afore he said it. "We don't go on the streets, Master Mage," he said cheerfully. "We go under them."

  There was an entrance to the sewers in the cellar of the countinghouse. Quickly we were sorted out and given our positions. The company charged with the attack on Pearl descended the broad staircase that led down below the streets. Achoo, walking at my side, whuffed softly when she smelled the chilly breath of the sewer.

  "You have to expect everyone on Riverside has a finger or two in smuggling," Nestor told Goodwin and me as we reached the sewer's stone ledges. "That's why they make it so easy to come down here. Even if they don't handle smuggled goods, they turn a blind eye to whatever passes through."

  "What happens when the tide comes in?" Goodwin asked.

  Ahead and behind us, folk cursed. Someone called for Goodwin to shut her gob. Nestor told them to quiet down, then answered Goodwin. "The Rats of Port Caynn know the tides from the cradle. Anyone as gets caught?" He shrugged, our torches making his shoulders seem even broader. "They had no business down here, then, did they?"

  "Tides?" I asked.

  "The sewers flood for blocks when the tide is high," a mot said.

  "Seems curst risky to use the stinking things at all," I grumbled.

  "You're not a waterfront mot," Nestor said with a quiet laugh. "The sewers are the city's veins. Ask Dale, he'll tell you."

  "She best keep her mind on Dog work, not canoodling," another Port Caynn Dog muttered.

  Nestor started to answer, but I shook my head at him. Truth be told, the thought of Dale warmed me all over in this curst cold place.

  Soon we left the sewer to climb out into the cellar of a burned-out wooden building. To my surprise, a cart drawn by a sailor waited for us on the street level. As we climbed up beside it, Nestor pointed out four pairs of Dogs and sent them to the cart. They lifted the canvas that lay over the contents of its bed and picked up four sturdy wooden rams.

  Ersken came to stand beside me. "Didn't Ahuda teach us to never take a Rogue on his own ground?" he asked softly as the Dogs set the rams on end. The devices were made of heavy wood, wrapped in iron with iron grips at the back and at midpoint. The iron rams' faces stared blankly at the sky as the Dogs who held them waited for orders.

  "She also says there's a first time for everything," I reminded Ersken. "Jewel?" I called. The old cove looked at me. "Why do we need rams?" I asked. "Unless they've word we're coming, the doors won't be locked."

  He grinned a Dog's grin that showed all of his teeth. "Nothin' spooks 'em worse than a ram comin' through their doors, Cooper," he explained. "They feel all safe and cuddle-some with they doors shut. The Rats panic when we make the big noise and smash up the doors."

  I nodded and stepped back. That was when Slapper found me. He lit on my shoulder and nearly slid down the front of my tunic before I caught him with one hand. Achoo leaned against my legs.

  "What's this nonsense?" I heard Hanse growl. "Why are you standin' here with a crew of strange Dogs?
My murderess walks the city alive!"

  "These Dogs are delivering the bill to your murderess," I snapped, keeping my voice low. "The accounting for Steen, and Amda, and all your folk."

  Ersken looked at me sidelong. "Still talking to the dead, Beka?" he asked.

  "It's not something that goes away when I leave Jane Street," I told him. "How's Kora?"

  "Missing you. So's Aniki. Rosto's heard you made a good, um, friend here. He's as mad as a bear with a thorn in his... paw." Ersken changed the part of the bear he meant to name, seeing that the fighter closest to us was one of the Goddess warriors. "Not that he's pining. He's gone through mots like ducks through water. But he's not happy."

  "There's naught between us, even if I hadn't made a... a friend here," I replied. Was that what Dale was to me? Friend seemed like such a wrong word.

  Slapper pecked my ear. "Will you stop talking of sweethearts!" Hanse bellowed. "I want revenge!"

  "He'll still be glad to see you alive," Ersken said.

  It took me a moment to remember we'd been speaking about Rosto. "I'm glad of it myself, so far," I replied. As Jewel waved us out, I told Ersken, "Lately it's been like living on the knife's edge, never knowing which side I'll fall off on."

  Ersken clapped me on the shoulder as we stepped into the street. "Cheer up, Beka. Maybe you were going to fall off that razor's edge before, but not today," he said, as good-humored as always. "Today we're going to jump."

  Nestor and Jewel formed us into columns with two rams each, our numbers mixed from Port and Corus alike. I ended up with Jewel and Goodwin, Ersken with Nestor. Watching Goodwin as she walked down our line, setting the column in order, I felt a weight come off my chest. This was where I needed to be, at last. The world was solid under my feet, not sand running out with the waves.

  Jewel raised his baton and led us at a Dog trot down a side street. Slapper and Hanse took off, Hanse cursing as they flew away. Achoo ran alongside me, tongue happily lolling, tail a-wag.

  I eyed windows and rooftops as I ran, but this part of the city was given over to the countinghouses and warehouses that served both river traffic and sea shipping. All of the shutters were closed, the day bidding fair for rain. Our street was too narrow for carts or wagons. Few persons were here to see us on the move.