Blade Singer

  After what seemed a long distance, the tunnel ran into a bigger tunnel, not quite so cave-like, with rounded smooth stone-lined walls. There was a channel down the middle of it, filled with rushing water that smelled even worse than anything else had so far.

  I bet that's the sewer, Manny thought. He didn't want to ask any questions, because Adriana looked worried. But it was what Manny had always imagined a sewer would look like. They went along the walkway next to it, then crossed a narrow bridge over to the other side. A little way down there was a rough hole in the wall, and they went through that into another dirty cave-like passage.

  Manny's feet were hurting from the rough rock, and he was trying hard not to ask how much longer this was going to take. Finally he couldn't stand it a moment more. "Adriana, are we almost there?"

  "Remy, you know—" she started to say impatiently, then stopped. "Or maybe you don't. Yes, we're almost—"

  A big shape suddenly lurched out of the darkness and loomed over them. Adriana jerked backward with a startled cry, nearly dropping the torch, and Manny froze in horror. It was a monster, with green wart-ridden skin, giant clawed hands, and a wide, gaping mouth full of horrid teeth. The name popped into Manny's head. Oh my God! It's a troll!

  The troll's piggish red eyes glowed like embers. Then it roared, flashing its sharp, yellow-stained tusks and a slimy, purple tongue and lunged for them.

  Chapter Nine

  A huge troll charging at him, claws clutching and slavering jaws snapping, should have frozen Manny in terror. But once again his otherworld instincts took over, so instead of being glued to the spot, he dove straight at the troll.

  He had just enough time for the panicked thought What the hell am I doing? before he tucked and rolled underneath the monster. Manny came to his feet behind the creature, crouched low and ready to spring away again.

  The troll spun around, its face a terrible grimace. And then it did something Manny didn't expect.

  "Oi! Ya slippery sewer rat." Its voice was a deep rusty growl that hurt Manny's ears, like Beto's old Harley Davidson motorcycle. "Stay still so I can eat ya!"

  Manny blinked in surprise. It can talk! And its breath smelled about as bad as the motorcycle's exhaust. Worse, actually. It made another grab for him and Manny leapt clear.

  "Blast ya!" snarled the troll, swinging around to face him. Then Adriana appeared in front of the creature, still gripping her torch. She hit it hard across the face, sending a shower of sparks into the air.

  "Ow! That bloody hurt!" The troll reared up to its full height, which Manny guessed to be around seven feet, and rubbed its squat nose with a huge warty hand.

  "Back off, Lothair!" Adriana brandished the torch like a club. "I don't have time for your stupid games!"

  Manny gaped at Adriana. She knows this thing?

  Lothair glared, and Manny thought he would charge again, but he bellowed out a guffaw instead. "Easy, darlin'." He chuckled in a particularly nasty tone. "Don't go gettin' yourself all in a tizzy. I wasn't gonna harm the little blighter." He turned and winked a red glowing eye at Manny. "After all, he'll be one of us soon. Won't ya, runt?"

  Oh no I won't, Manny thought. He'd almost rather be eaten.

  Adriana lowered her torch but kept her gaze on the troll. "All your roaring is going to bring the city watch down here. Wouldn't that make Morrigan happy."

  "Oh, I ain't the one's been drawing attention to myself," replied Lothair.

  Adriana tensed. "I don't know what you're talking about."

  The troll eyed her coldly. "No, I 'spose you don't." He turned to Manny. "You're unusually quiet, runt. What's wrong? Fae cat got your forked little tongue?"

  Manny darted to Adriana's side. "Stop calling me runt!" Then he froze, aghast. Who said that? Oh, it was me. He hadn't meant to say anything, especially not to a seven foot monster. His mouth was leading a life of its own.

  Lothair seemed less surprised but still took a few menacing steps forward, drawing his lips back from his impressive tusks. "What was that, runt? Did you just give me an order?"

  Adriana raised her torch again. "I'm warning you, Lothair!"

  "Now, now," said the troll, raising his hands in mock fear. "Is it my fault I'm just a tad on the intimidatin' side?"

  "The most intimidating thing about you is your smell," said Adriana, wrinkling her nose. "And given that we're in a sewer, that's saying a lot."

  Lothair sniffed his armpits, then waggled his eyebrows. "Perhaps you should give me a reason to wash more often."

  "How about as a kindness to your fleas," offered Adriana.

  "It touches my heart to hear you worry so about my fleas," Lothair said.

  "I feel sorry for the poor little things," said Adriana, her voice dry.

  "They ain't little." The troll snorted then turned and lumbered down the dark tunnel. "Hurry up, she's waiting," he called over his shoulder.

  Unclenching his aching fists, Manny sighed and leaned against Adriana. She cupped his chin and studied his expression. "Are you all right?" she whispered.

  Manny managed a nod and a smile. "I'm glad I'd forgotten about him."

  That drew a wry chuckle from Adriana. "See? Perhaps that bump wasn't entirely a bad thing. I wish I could forget that stinking monster. But you'll remember our agreement, won't you? Not a word when we see Morrigan."

  "My lips are sealed." Manny mimed closing an imaginary zipper on his mouth.

  Adriana tapped his nose, then followed the troll down the tunnel. Manny followed close on her heels.

  Lothair took them through a series of twisting tunnels, all of them leading farther down. The torchlight caught crumbled remnants of walls and strange formations of rock and even stalactites, all of it dripping with oily moisture. It was like Inner Space Cavern, where Manny's parents had taken him once, only it was more scary than pretty.

  The passage widened out and the ceiling vanished, as if they had walked into a much bigger space. Manny saw it was blocked ahead, and sneaked a wary look at Adriana, wondering if Lothair was leading them into a trap. She didn't seem more worried than before, though.

  As they got closer, the torchlight revealed that the obstruction ahead was a gate. A big wooden one, with the crumbling remnants of small stone towers to either side and the face of something dragon-like carved into the rock above it. Lothair pushed on one side and the heavy wooden door swung silently open.

  Adriana followed him through, and Manny trailed after her. He wasn't sure he wanted to see what was coming next.

  On the other side of the gate was a huge chamber, most of it cloaked in darkness. The remains of a wide set of stairs spiraled around the outer wall, leading down to a space that looked as if it had once been the great hall of a castle. Manny thought he could see a throne at one end. Torches threw leaping orange shadows on broken pillars and statues lining the stairway, their shapes so crumbling and stained with mold it was hard to see if they had been images of humans or Sidhe.

  "What is this place?" Manny whispered to Adriana. He remembered his promise, but they hadn't reached this Morrigan person yet.

  She whispered back, "This is part of the Undercity, an ancient Fae city that Lutetia was built on top of, hundreds of years ago. It's mostly abandoned now, although it's said that a few Fae creatures still live in the lowest levels." She squeezed his shoulder. "No more talking now."

  As they followed Lothair down the stairs, Manny saw a fire sputtered in the center of the vast chamber, with a haunch of meat suspended on a spit over the flames. The firelight cast shadows on a raised dais just beyond it. The throne Manny had seen stood there, a stone chair covered in furs.

  Several sinister looking Sidhe squatted around the fire, tossing dice, drinking, or fighting over scraps of food. Manny spotted a couple of fauns like Rabican, only these were larger and looked much more feral. Several short, twisted, black-skinned creatures shared a large mug of some sort of foul-smelling drink. But most disturbing of all were a trio of pale, willowy, snaggletoothed monsters
that wore dirty red berets, creatures that Manny thought could only have been goblins. They stopped their dice game to glare at him as he crossed the chamber with Adriana, their hungry, predatory eyes glittering in the firelight.

  As they reached the fire, Lothair grabbed the spit, the flesh of his hand sizzling where he gripped the blistering hot skewer. He tore chunks of flesh off the haunch, chewing noisily, the hot juices running down his horned chin.

  "Such carelessness," said a velvety voice from the darkness. "Caught picking someone's pocket, chased by the city watch, consorting with the King's Chevaliers. The Hands of Shadow cannot afford such attention."

  At the sound of that voice, Manny shivered as a bone-chilling cold blossomed in his chest. He managed a glance up at the ceiling. A dark shape hung in the murky top of the chamber. Glowing emerald eyes blinked to life in the gloom as the ominous shape spread inky wings and dropped.

  A hideous bat-winged Sidhe hag alighted on the dais in front of the throne. She locked a baleful gaze on Manny, with a smile so wide it seemed to split her long, smooth face in half. Manny could not look away, although he desperately wanted to. The hag wrapped her wings about herself like a tattered cloak and seated herself gracefully in the chair.

  Adriana stepped in front of Manny, breaking the hag's mesmerizing hold on him. "No harm was done, Morrigan. I made sure of that."

  Morrigan arched an eyebrow. "This time, perhaps."

  "There won't be a next time." Adriana sounded calm, though Manny could hear the tension in her voice. "You have my word."

  "You're quite correct," said Morrigan, scrutinizing Manny as if she were studying an interesting insect.

  Adriana pulled Manny closer. "Morrigan, please, you don't have to—" Morrigan laughed, a high-pitched, chilling cackle that echoed throughout the chamber like breaking glass.

  "Always so protective, my pet." Morrigan's voice was dry with amusement. "Your devotion is commendable. But we must keep our eyes on the prize. Soon, the Hands of Shadow will pass into legend, and I will finally get what is rightfully mine."

  Sliding an arm around Manny's shoulders, Adriana smiled, as if trying to make it seem everything was okay. "Of that I have no doubt. So when do you bring me into this secret scheme of yours?"

  Morrigan tut-tutted. "This is no ordinary job, my dear, it's the culmination of a life's work."

  Adriana lifted her chin. "I thought I was your best burglar."

  "Without a doubt, my sweet," Morrigan agreed easily, "you are a master of the craft. My finest pupil. And a human, at that."

  "So you don't trust me?" Adriana cocked her hip, planting her fist on it. Manny was still pressed against her and could feel her heart pounding.

  Morrigan's mouth split into another of her ghastly smiles. "That remains to be seen. This particular job will demand my personal attention. And you know I hate to be upstaged. If I bring you in, it must be for a good reason. And I must have your complete confidence."

  "Does this heist have anything to do with the secret meeting at Gassot's?" asked Adriana.

  The hag's eyes widened and she darted a scowl at Lothair. The troll shook his head vigorously. "No, no! I didn't say nothing to her! I swear!"

  "He didn't," agreed Adriana. "I'm afraid you're becoming predictable, Morrigan."

  "I prefer to see it as cleverness on your part, my pet." Morrigan flexed her claws. "Prominent figures lurk in the shadows on this job. Everything must be perfect."

  "Who did you cut a deal with now?" Adriana asked a little warily. "The chief magistrate?"

  Morrigan chuckled. "That's what I like about you, my delicate blossom, always thinking big. But it was ever my intention to share. After all, when have I not taken care of my beloved children?" She cocked her head at the Sidhe thieves, raising her brows. The ragtag group cheered her, lifting their dirty cups in a toast.

  The hag's gaze went to Manny. "Ah, but as all of you well know, I can't abide when my love is not reciprocated. Few things vex me so." She uncurled a long, bony finger and wagged it at Manny, beckoning him forward. "Come give Auntie Morrigan her due."

  Adriana slipped a pouch from her vest and began to step forward, "I've got our tribute—" She stopped when Morrigan held up a hand.

  "Give it to the boy," insisted Morrigan, her gaze locked on Manny. "I want him to present the tribute, by way of apology for the day's events."

  Adriana hesitated, then slowly handed the pouch to Manny. "Go ahead, Remy."

  Lothair suddenly tossed the spit aside and lumbered over to stand behind Adriana, his piggish eyes gleaming hungrily.

  Manny could sense more than see Adriana's body tensing again. He swallowed hard and took the pouch, uncertain what to do.

  "Everything will be fine," Adriana said, but her voice was tight. "Just give Morrigan the pouch and come back to me."

  Manny slowly walked toward the dais, keeping his eyes down, not daring to look at Morrigan's face. He stretched out his arm to offer the pouch, his heart thundering in his ears. The distant voice in his head yelled, Don't go near her! Don't let her touch you! Manny had to fight the urge to drop the pouch and bolt.

  With an explosive flutter of leathery wings, Morrigan lunged forward, caught Manny's wrist, and snatched the pouch from his hand. He cried out and tried to pull away, but the hag's grip was like iron. Adriana started forward but Lothair grabbed her arms, holding her back.

  Morrigan yanked Manny effortlessly onto the dais, looming over him. "You showed such promise, lad," she hissed. "Soon you would have joined the fold. But now you endanger us all and put my careful plans at risk. This is how you repay me for taking you in and raising you as a son?"

  "I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" Manny stammered, leaning as far away from the hag as he could. Her teeth were pearly white and as smooth and sharp as knives. Her eyes shone like ghostly green will-o-wisps. But despite all of that, there was something inexplicably attractive about Morrigan's features, as if once, long ago, she had possessed the face of an angel. It made Manny want to look at her, even though she terrified him.

  The hag sniffed at him, as if trying to identify spoiled meat. "What has happened to you, dear boy?" she whispered, her gaze searching Manny's face.

  "Morrigan!" snapped Adriana. "Can't you see he's sorry? He can make this up to you!"

  The hag held Manny at arm's length. "I think not, my sweet. He's a liability now, nothing more."

  "No!" cried Adriana, struggling in Lothair's grip. "No, he's not! He's still useful! Give me a chance to prove it to you!"

  "And how exactly will you do that?" asked Morrigan, turning to look at Adriana. She motioned for Lothair to release her. Adriana ran to the base of the dais.

  "The Dupre Estate," said Adriana, almost breathless. "I've scouted the hotel and discovered a way in. But I need Remy. I need his size and his stealth. I'll take him with me tonight and we can do the job. The haul will be worth hundreds of thousands of livres, Morrigan. And it'll all be yours. What do you say? Certainly a prize like that can buy a worthless pickpocket one night's reprieve? And if he doesn't prove useful, I'll take care of the problem myself. Do we have a deal?"

  Morrigan studied Adriana's face for several tense moments, then dropped Manny. He landed on his feet and scrambled to Adriana's side.

  The hag weighed the pouch in her hand before it disappeared into the dark folds of her wings. She smiled, her voice once again a purr. "Why not? I am in a magnanimous mood, after all. But this prize had better be everything you claim."

  "It will be, you have my word," said Adriana. "You won't be disappointed."

  Manny looked up at Adriana but she would not meet his gaze. She took his hand and pulled him toward the stairs, the Sidhe thieves sneering and snarling as she passed. They reached the steps and climbed as rapidly as they could toward the gateway that led out to the tunnel. Stumbling on the rough stone, Manny's skin felt hot and his stomach wanted to turn.

  Adriana said she'd take care of the problem if I didn't prove useful. That couldn't mean what it sound
ed like it meant. That his only friend in this strange new world had just promised a Sidhe hag that she would kill him if he failed to help her break into someone's house.

  Chapter Ten

  They made their way back through the dark streets to the rooms off the tavern courtyard. The pokey little place didn't feel like a homey refuge anymore; it felt like a trap. Manny dropped into a chair, warily watching as Adriana got the lamp lit and then paced back and forth. She looked frustrated and angry. He said, "Are you going to kill me?"

  "What?" She halted, staring at him. "Remy, of course not! I had to tell Morrigan that to buy us time."

  Manny wasn't sure he believed her. He said, stubbornly, "I'm not Remy. I told you, my name is Manny, I'm not from here, and I'm not the one she wants to kill. I didn't do any of the things she said, that was him."

  Adriana turned away, pushing her hair back. "Remy, I have to think, there's no time for this nonsense."

  "It's not nonsense!" Manny stood. "I'm not lying or crazy or anything else. Look, if you don't want to kill me, then help me. Help me look for a way to get out of here and go home."

  Adriana snapped, "Remy — Manny — whatever you want to call yourself, be quiet so I can think! Or we'll both be dead."

  Fuming, Manny folded his arms and stomped away, back into the little bedroom. He was a great liar; why couldn't he be as convincing when he was telling the truth? Maybe being such a good liar had somehow wrecked his ability to tell the truth. That would be just my luck.

  For a moment, Manny was so homesick he wanted to die. He could see his room so vividly it was like he could reach out and touch the wall. Feel himself lying in his own bed, practically smell the faint clean scent of the sheets. He blinked and it was gone. I want to go home, he thought miserably. He wondered what time it was there, if Licha and Beto were still up watching TV in the living room or if they had gone to bed.

  Then Manny felt a prickle on his neck, like something was staring at him. He looked worriedly around, then spotted a cat perched on a shelf, watching him intently. He guessed it had snuck in from outside. There were a lot of chinks and cracks in the walls, letting in cold air. And it wasn't exactly a normal cat, either. It had feathery silver fur that sparkled in the candlelight, and its eyes were an oddly bright crystalline blue. It had spikes of hair standing out from its ears that glittered like real silver. It's a faerie cat, I bet, Manny thought, distracted for a moment from his troubles.