LITMIR.BIZ

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      Zane was back on his feet and standing next to Tad when the larger youngster rolled over. His face was flushed and he said, ‘You shouldn’t have done that!’

      Standing side by side, both boys were ready for a fight, and Zane said, ‘We’re not starting anything, fellow, but if you want to take us on alone, we’re ready.’

      With another evil grin, the young man on the ground slowly rose and said, ‘Who said I was alone?’

      The boys looked behind themselves and saw that a group of large boys gathered. ‘And who are you?’ asked Tad.

      A blond lad said, ‘We’re the apprentices of the Bakers’ Guild.’ He hiked his thumb over his shoulder to the four boys who stood behind him. ‘Arkmet is an apprentice baker.’

      Tad looked at Zane and rolled his eyes. ‘So he’s a friend of yours?’

      The blond lad said, ‘No, pretty much none of us can abide the slug, but we have a rule. You hit one Bakers’ Boy, you hit all of us.’

      Zane said, ‘Wish someone had told us that before we got here.’

      Until a moment ago, Tad and Zane had been lazing around the fountain, flirting with some approachable local girls. The plaza seemed to be frequented by young men and women from other parts of the Empire, youngsters who were far more amenable to speaking with two boys from the distant Vale of Dreams.

      ‘I don’t suppose there’s a Guild of Boys From Other Parts of the Empire around here,’ said Zane, glancing first one way, then the other. Several young men were giving the coming battle a wide berth, but one boy of roughly the same age as Tad and Zane came and stood beside them.

      ‘Six to two’s no kind of fair dust-up.’ He was large, with powerful shoulders, a red-headed boy with a preposterous amount of freckles across his face, green eyes, and hands the size of a smith’s hammer. With an almost demonic grin he said, ‘But six to three seems a little better.’

      One of the Bakers’ Boys said, ‘Ah, Jommy, not again?’

      The red-headed boy cocked his right fist next to his ear, and with his left hand beckoned the bakers’ apprentices to approach. ‘Always, mate. I love a chance to put your flour-dusted butts in a sling. Com’on!’

      The resolve seemed to leach out of the five apprentices, just as a bellowing shout came from behind. Zane and Tad turned, but nothing as fast as the redhead, who turned with stunning speed and with a straight punch caught Arkmet right in the face. The bully’s eyes rolled up in his head and he collapsed to the ground, blood fountaining from his broken nose.

      Jommy turned and said, ‘Five to three; even better!’

      ‘You’re a madman,’ said the blond baker’s apprentice.

      Jommy held up his hands palms out. ‘I realize you boys have your sense of honour and duty, but come on. Do you really want to bleed for that lout?’

      The blond lad looked at the four who stood behind him and just from the way they exchanged glances told Tad and Zane the fight wasn’t going to start. ‘Not really,’ said the blond boy. ‘The last time you hit me I couldn’t hear out of my left ear for three days.’

      ‘Well, you bully boys of the Bakers’ Guild should realize that you’re not bloody damn cocks-of-the-walk around here and start treating others with respect, mate. Now take your idiot friend here home and leave well-meaning strangers alone.’

      The five bakers’ apprentices helped the still groggy Arkmet to his feet and led him away. Zane turned to see the blonde girl had somehow vanished during all the trouble, while Tad stuck out his hand and said, ‘Thank you, my friend.’

      ‘No worries,’ said the affable redhead. ‘Name’s Jommy Kiliroo.’

      ‘You’re not from around here, are you?’ asked Zane.

      ‘Ha!’ said the boy. ‘Far from home.’

      Caleb walked up. ‘If I recognize that accent, very far,’ he said. ‘I saw what happened.’ To Tad and Zane, he said, ‘You boys managed to avoid a fair beating it seems.’

      ‘Probably would have taken one, if it hadn’t been for Jommy here,’ said Zane.

      ‘Ah, most of the bakers’ lads aren’t really too bad a lot, but that Arkmet is a real canted bastard, if you take my meaning. He’s going to end up hung for murder, mark my words.’

      ‘You’re from around Serpent River?’

      The young man’s face went alight. ‘You’ve been down there, have you?’

      ‘A couple of times. Where are you from?’

      ‘Mooree, little town a couple of days upriver from Shingazi’s Landing.’

      ‘How’d you come to Kesh?’

      ‘That’s a long story in the telling. The short of it is my mate Rolie and I got tossed out of our homes by our fathers, who told us to be on our way and start our own lives. We worked our way downriver to the City of the Serpent River and tried to get jobs, but if you’ve been there, you know everything is controlled by the clans. Not ashamed to say I took up a little thievery to get by. Ol’ Rolie and me got a berth on a Keshian ship, bound for Elarial. We had no better prospects, so we signed on and became sailors. Only one voyage for me to tell it wasn’t my kind of life, so when we berthed, we took our pay and left. Got jobs as teamsters and, well, one thing leads to another. Ol’ Rolie got himself killed in a brawl up in the town of Chigatha, and I just kept working the caravans, and here I am. Been stranded here for almost a year now.’

      ‘Where do you live?’ asked Tad.

      ‘Here and there. Weather’s warm most of the time so sleeping in an alley or by a fountain’s not a problem. Once in a while I find a girl who takes me home.’ He inclined his head to the fountain. ‘Most of the youngsters from other places come around here, so there’s less trouble, unless a bunch like those bakers’ lads show up. I’ve mixed with them before, and they remember.’ He grinned. ‘Now, how’d you find your way to Novindus?’

      ‘That’s a long story, too,’ said Caleb. ‘How’d you like me to stand you to a meal and a warm bed?’

      ‘Fine by me, but I’d rather find steady work. Truth to tell, this city may be the greatest in the world, but it’s a fair bastard on a lad without family or guild, and that’s the truth.’

      ‘Walk with us,’ said Caleb, ‘and I’ll tell you about my trips to your homeland.’

      Tad and Zane exchanged questioning looks, but said nothing. But they had an odd feeling that somehow they had let a stray dog follow them home and fed it. What they didn’t know is if the dog would bite.

      Zane stood quietly next to Caleb as he examined the religious, icons. Tad had been sent on a pointless errand with Jommy, who it seemed had attached himself to Caleb and the boys with no apparent effort. They had sat around the table at the inn the night before and exchanged stories, and Tad and Zane both had found the new boy likeable, amusing, and a reasonable companion. Caleb hadn’t told either of his stepsons why he had decided to keep Jommy close, but given how difficult this city could be, and how handy the large redhead was in a brawl, they were glad of the addition.

      Caleb examined and ordered a full half-dozen pieces before picking up the hawk. It was not the same icon as the one on the amulet worn by the Nighthawks, but it was close. ‘I don’t recognize this,’ said Caleb.

      The merchant, named Mudara, said, ‘It is strange to me, as well. I purchased it from a boy, a beggar or thief perhaps, but before that, its provenance is unknown. I have seen similar icons from time to time, but not one quite like this.’ He was a thin, nervous man, with a beak of a nose and a receding chin. His eyes, however, showed a man of shrewd judgment, an experienced businessman who should not be underestimated.

      Caleb shrugged, as if it was of little importance, and he looked at two others

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