Dangerous Gifts (8 page)

There were some thoughtful looks, but no one seemed too bothered.

“Too long since the last Migration, that’s what it is,” Flower said. “You get funny ideas building up when the place starts to get crowded, and too many people too close together... well, they get itchy.”

Migration’s another of Scalentine’s odd little attributes. About every seven years, a whole lot of people get restless. You can feel it in the air for months; a heady, unnerving sense of change. People mostly find good reasons to leave; they reconnect with family members on their home plane, they spot a business opportunity, they need a bigger place and property is cheaper elsewhere... but some just up and go, leaving behind whatever won’t fit in a knapsack.

And Scalentine empties out. Not completely, never completely; just enough to make the place feel a little thin and quiet for a few months. And gradually it fills up again.

But it had been a while. Maybe Flower was right.

“What do you think, Chief?”

A faint snore was all the answer I got.

“Hargur?” I nudged him.

“Mmm.”

“Bed.”

“Huh? Oh, right.” He got to his feet. “’Night, all.”

I ushered him upstairs to a chorus of ‘’Night, Chief’s.

“Long day?” I said.

“They all are.” He fumbled at his buttons, and I helped him out of his shirt.

“Sorry,” he said on a yawn. “I...”

“Shh. I can tell you’re exhausted. No demands tonight.”

He gave me a tired grin. “Wish everyone was as straightforward as you, beautiful.”

“Oh?”

“That party... I was being sounded out.” He rubbed a hand down his face. “It’s not the first time. But it always leaves me feeling as though... I dunno. Smeary.”

“If everyone doesn’t know you’re as honest as the day is long by now, Chief, it’s their own fault. Hope you smacked him down.”

“It wasn’t obvious enough for that,” he said.

“If it’s any comfort, someone was doing the same to me.”

Hargur mumbled something. I slid in next to him, and he wrapped around me.

“Don’t let m’oversleep,” he muttered. “M’on duty tomorr’.”

Next minute, he was asleep. Well, he was nice to snuggle even when he was unconscious. And I most certainly was
not
letting him oversleep. We had unfinished business from before supper.

I
N FACT,
H
ARGUR
was the one who woke me, sliding a hand around my breast and another between my legs, while I was still struggling my way out of a dream.

“You’re feeling better,” I said, reaching around behind me. “I have evidence.”

He laughed and gave a little gasp of pleasure as I grasped the evidence.

I slid around to face him, took hold of his cock again and ran the other hand over his chest. It wasn’t close enough to full moon for him to be completely furry, and when it got that close, we wouldn’t be bedding. But he was pleasantly hairy. I liked him whatever state he was in; I was rather afraid I loved him. A little scary, after all this time. I nibbled his shoulder and pinched one of his nipples lightly; his cock, warm and solid in my hand, jumped.

He started to stroke my neck, his gentle, nearly reverent touches somehow making it feel longer, more graceful; he touched my breasts and nipples as though they were something precious he’d just discovered.
The best gift of a pleasing lover is to make one feel desirable.
My first teacher in the sensual arts had said that, long ago. All the way down, he stroked, sliding his fingers over me, into me.

I loved his body, broad-shouldered and lean and long in the limb; I loved the way we seemed to interlock so neatly; I loved the way he felt so warm.

We paused, briefly, while he reached for a preventive. I drew a breath; should I tell him it wasn’t needed? But it wasn’t the time. Somehow, it never seemed to be. I rolled it on, bit by tiny bit, until he laughed with impatience and pushed me down.

I lay back and guided him inside me, loving the feel and fit of him, his hair brushing my shoulders, his hand on my breast, the deep delicious rub of him, the way he watched my face, serious, until pleasure started to take him and he threw his head back and growled deep in his throat. The way he wouldn’t let me up until he’d stroked me to a liquid quiver, warm lapping pleasure spreading out from his fingers.

The only things I didn’t love were that he was on duty, I had a job to do, and we couldn’t lie there all morning.

“Hargur?”

“Mmm, what time is it?”

“You’ve got time” – I poked him gently in the side – “
if
you don’t go back to sleep.”

“By the way, when are you going to Incandress?”

“Oh. I’m not.”

He propped himself on one elbow, looking at me. “You decided against it?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“Why? What, you
wanted
me to go?” It came out sounding more hurt than I intended.

“Of course not, woman, don’t be idiotic,” he said, tugging on a lock of my hair gently. “It’s just that you said you were. What changed your mind?”

I shrugged. “Combination of things, I suppose. It wasn’t just bodyguarding; Enthemmerlee’s guard need training up, too. I couldn’t see how to do both. Not in time. And... well. Things here... I just wasn’t happy about leaving.”

“You worried about the Builders?”

“Some.”

“We’re watching them. Is that all?”

“No. But nothing I could put my finger on. It feels hinky, that’s all.”

He frowned at the lock of hair, twisting it around his finger.

“Sometimes you have to trust your gut,” I said, not liking the note of pleading I could hear in my voice, but not able to stop it. “Don’t you?”

“Of course,” he said.

“But?”

“But nothing. It’s your decision, Babylon.”

“Yes,” I said.

He thought I was wrong. He thought I was breaking a promise. The fact that I agreed with him, and so did that hollow place in the back of my thighs, didn’t make me feel any better.

“So. Never mind Enthemmerlee, Babylon.” He leaned back, and put his arm round me, so that I rested against his shoulder. He was tall enough that I could do that; it was one of the things I liked so much. Just one. Of course, it also meant he wasn’t looking me in the eye when he said, “What about me?”

“What about you?” I said.

“Is there something I’m doing, that you don’t like?”

“I don’t... what? No!”

“You sure?”

“Of course I’m sure.” I pushed myself upright so I could look at him properly. “Hargur, why would you think that? You think I wouldn’t
tell
you?”

He glanced at me, and looked away. “No, ’course not.”

He’s good at hiding his thoughts. That’s part of his job. But he can’t hide all of them, not from me.

Of course he thought I wouldn’t tell him. Because convincing a man he’s pleased you is part of
my
job.

“Hargur...”

There was a flurry of knocks on the door. “Chief? Chief?”

Jivrais.

“What?” Hargur growled.

“There’s a guard at the door, he says there’s been another one.”

“I’ll be right there.” He pushed himself out of bed and was halfway into his uniform before I could catch my breath. Just for a minute, I hated both our jobs.

I threw on a robe and followed him down the stairs, where a guard, a middle-aged man with a face like a chewed boot, was flirting with Essie. The grin fell off his face as soon as he saw Hargur. “Chief, there’s...”

“Tell me on the way,” Hargur said.

“Chief.”

“Be careful,” I said.

He kissed me on the nose. “I’m always careful.”

I watched them walk off, deep in conversation. Whatever had been bothering him had already been put aside.

I wished I could put it aside as easily. It wasn’t like Hargur to worry that way; he’d not seemed like someone who needs constant reassurance that his performance is up to scratch. I went upstairs and dressed, half glad I had no client for a couple of hours, half wishing I did, in order to take my mind off things. I decided to go to Bressler’s instead, and train. With Previous gone, there wasn’t anyone at the Lantern, other than Flower, who could push me; and Flower didn’t fight for practice. I’d asked him. Once.

I
GOT BACK
bruised and sweating, walked into the kitchen for water, and found the whole crew gathered around the table, looking dishevelled and shocked as though they’d been blown there by a storm. The minute I walked in, everyone started talking at once, and it took me several minutes to work out what was going on.

Once I had... “You did
what?
” I stared at Laney in utter disbelief.

“But I thought you’d be
pleased!
” she wailed.

“Laney...” I turned to Ireq.

“How bad is it?” I said.

“Everything we had in the kitty. You hadn’t been to the bank for two weeks.”

“I was going to take it in this week.”

“I’m not,” Ireq said, “going to say I told you the takings should be banked daily. This is me, not saying I told you. That’s not the worst of it, though.”

“No, I know.”

“She mortgaged the Lantern. She mortgaged our
home.
”

“I know. Flower?” I said. He sighed, and foldedhis arms with massive patience. The chopper he’d been using for the meat spilled slow drops of blood onto the floor. “Oh, don’t ask me; all I know is I can extend our lines of credit with the butcher and the grocers only so far. After that...” He shrugged. “Basically, we can feed ourselves and the punters well for about a week. Or” – he closed his eyes and shuddered – “I can feed the
punters
well for two weeks while we eat whatever I can scrape in the last half hour of the markets. Then we stop feeding the punters, because I
will
not ruin my reputation, even for you.”

“I wouldn’t ask it.”

“Don’t forget the laundry bill,” Ireq said. “And the bill for coal. And the bill for...”

“All right,” I said. “I need to get the accountant over here. In the meantime, Laney, you need to sit down with Ireq and make a list of everyone you borrowed from, and at what rates of interest.”

Her perfect, pearly brow furrowed. “Interest? Oh... yes, a few of them mentioned interest. I thought that meant they were, you know,
interested.
”

I let my head drop until it hit the table. I lay there for a moment, with my eyes closed. It was nice like that. Peaceful.

“Babylon?” Laney said. “Babylon, darling, it’ll be all right. I mean, it’s Tesserane silk. Everyone
knows
it’s the best. That’s why everyone was willing to give me money, to buy lots of it. I don’t understand why you’re all so
cross
.”

“Because, Laney, investing money like that is for people who
understand
money. And markets, and trade, and things like that. Which you don’t. And neither do I. And now,” I said. “We not only have no money, we owe an awful lot of it to an awful lot of people who are going to be very, very unhappy if they don’t get it back.”

“Do you have any idea how many things can happen to a cargo of silk that has to come so far?” Ireq said. “Fire. Rats. Moth. Bandits. Civil war.”

Something at the back of my mind tolled an ominous little bell. At the same time, my gut, already clenched, clenched tighter.

“Oh,” Laney said. She looked at her nails, then sighed heavily. “Well, then. I shall have to talk to the family, I suppose. Daddy will...”

“
No.
” The chorus was unanimous, even from Jivrais. Laney looked up, startled.

“Laney,” I said, as gently as possible. “You don’t want to do that.”

“Well, no, I don’t, but...”

“Laney. Listen. I know things are... tricky, between you and your family. But that’s only part of it.” I was trying to think of a tactful way to put things when Jivrais forestalled me, only somewhat missing the tactful part.

“Laney, sweetie. You borrowed money from people who can walk through King of Stone at three in the morning, unarmed, and out the other end because even the Kingsters don’t dare touch them. And the only thing worse than being in debt to
them
is being in debt to Fey.” He shuddered theatrically. “At least your standard loan-shark only cuts bits off if you can’t pay. They don’t make them grow back a completely different
shape.
”

“Oh,” Laney said.

“Or fill your eyes with bees. Or make you serve them for the next two hundred years, wearing your pants on your head. Or someone
else’s
pants. Or...”

“Jivrais,” I said. “That’s enough.”

Laney’s eyes were glimmering with tears. “I’m
sorry,
” she said. “I thought it would solve everything.”

“I know, Laney. But next time you want to help, just... ask one of us first if it’s a good idea, all right?” That little warning bell at the back of my head was now ringing a loud, persistent alarm.

Civil war.
I looked at Ireq.
Silk route.

Fain’s voice.
‘Enthemmerlee... is the best hope for stability that Incandress has.’

“Oh, buggery crap,” I said.

“What?” Flower said.

“I think I’m going to Incandress.”

CHAPTER

FIVE

“Y
OU CHANGED YOUR
mind,” Enthemmerlee said.

It was a different room, but I could see the silvery dust of wards on the windows this time, as well as the door. Obviously things in the Section had got no better, as far as Fain was concerned.

“Yes,” I said. “I changed my mind.”

They were all looking at me; their faces were unreadable apart from Malleay, who was scowling fiercely. “Why?” he said.

“I have my reasons. If you still want me.”

I tried not to look at Fain, wondering if he knew about the mess Laney had got us in, and if not, how long it would be before he did.

“Enthemmerlee,” Malleay said.

“Yes?”

“‘I have my reasons?’ How do we know what those reasons are? If we can buy her loyalty, so can someone else.”

He had, although I hated to admit it, a point. Over the years I had developed my own set of rules about who I sold my sword to and exactly what loyalty that bought, but a sellsword I had been, and now was again. There’s a reason “mercenary” is an insult.