Marlo cleared his throat. “This is not the best place for this conversation.”
Askaro remembered to breathe. “Marlo’s right. We aren’t far from those guards at the gate. Let’s keep moving.”
Blin pulled away and stumbled. Askaro caught her. She met his gaze. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you. I just couldn’t.”
“It doesn’t matter right now.” He turned to Marlo. “Where are we headed?”
“Somewhere we can talk.” He turned to Zane. “Maybe we can go back to Bottoms Up. That brute has surely moved on by now.”
Zane blinked and focused on Marlo. “That’s a good idea. Master Apegio will be able to help us.” He began moving down the stairs.
Marlo held out his hand. “After you.”
Askaro encouraged Blin to move forward. There were very few people on Step Street. Once they left Step Tower and moved back into the shop district, the flow of pedestrian traffic increased. There were even a few wagons pulled by draft animals pushing through the people.
Zane paused at the corner of the building across from Rok Catering. “Askaro, I got the feeling that you figured something out back there.”
Askaro had been thinking about Blin. It took him a moment to pull his thoughts back together. “I think the part was a pulley. It would make sense that he would swap it out while the chandelier was down on the ground.”
Zane’s face wrinkled. “I don’t understand. What does changing a pulley have anything to do with killing someone?”
“While Blin and I were in the shop, the shopkeeper was sawing part of the way through a spindle. The rope that holds the chandelier passes over that spindle. I just don’t know how he can control when it fails.”
Marlo looked at Blin. “I’m guessing that large chandelier is heavy.”
“It takes several men to haul it back up.”
Marlo nodded. “And if that fell on anyone, they would certainly be crushed. I would say that fits with killing someone.”
Zane wiped his face. “It certainly does. Let’s go see what Master Apegio can do.”
They turned down the street that would take them back to the pub. Askaro glanced at the shop windows they passed. He didn’t recognize many of the things he saw. Blin was right about that. He didn’t know about many things in the city.
He heard the voices before he saw them. He grabbed Zane and Blin and pulled them toward an open shop door. “We’ve got trouble.”
There was a commotion ahead of them on the street. Marlo shouted. “Too late. I think they saw you. We can’t risk getting trapped here. Unless Zane knows a magic way to get us out of this shop.”
“Not here. These shops don’t have lower storage rooms.”
Marlo pointed back the way they had come. “Then I think we need to go back.”
They began to run, making their way through the slower moving people. Askaro could hear Bruvano behind them, screaming at the people to get out of his way. “They are closing the gap.”
Blin was struggling to keep up the pace. “We can’t go back to the castle. No one there would believe us.”
Marlo turned the other way when he came to the intersection. “Not planning to. We’re headed up Spiral Tower.”
Zane groaned. He was struggling as much as Blin. “We’ll never make it before they catch up to us.”
“Ah, but we’re going to get some help with that.”
They turned another corner and Spiral Tower came into view. Askaro could see people moving in both directions along a stairway that spiraled around the tower. He struggled to see the top of the stairway. “That’s a lot of stairs.”
Marlo came to a stop next to a man who stood by the entrance of the stairway. “We’re late for class! Can we get a lift?”
The man grinned and whistled. “I think he can take all four of you in one load.”
The quick clip clop of hoofs caught Askaro’s attention. He turned to see a slender draft animal pulling a narrow cart coming toward them. A man rode on its back. He stopped the beast at the foot of the stairs and saluted. “Reporting as requested.”
The man by the stairway pointed at Marlo. “These students need to get up to University for their class.”
“Hop on, kids. I’ll get you there in no time.”
Marlo pushed them toward the strange cart pulled by the draft animal. There was a narrow board suspended between two sets of tall, narrow wheels. He swung one leg over the board and turned to them. “Leg up and hang on!”
Askaro helped Blin and Zane get on then turned to Marlo. “We’re ready.”
The rider kicked his mount and they started up the stairs. The rider blew a piercing whistle to warn the pedestrians ahead of him. They jumped aside to allow them to pass. The animal trotted rapidly up the stairs.
As they came around the front side of the tower again, Askaro looked down and saw Bruvano and Fantori in the flow of people headed for the stairs. “They are still following us.”
Marlo grinned. “Don’t worry. This will give us an edge. They are probably as tired as we are. It will take them awhile to get up these stairs.”
They went around the tower stairs several more times. Askaro had recovered by the time they left the stairs. The rider kept going. They turned a few corners and a large red brick building came into view. He stopped by the pathway that led to the building. He looked back at them. “Here you go, kids. Good luck in your class.”
Marlo pulled his leg over and jumped down. He helped the others down and waved to the rider. “Thanks, chum. Good day to you.” He pulled them toward the brick building. The cart clattered away.
Zane rubbed his hands. “That was a neat trick. I’m guessing you’ve done that before.”
Marlo led them around the side of the building to a small courtyard where people sat in groups around tables. “Indeed I have. I used to live in a small flat down there. When you accidentally sleep in, it pays to know how to get to class on time.” He went to a basin on the side of the building. Water flowed into the basin. “Need a drink?”
They each took a turn at the small fountain. Zane opened the sack and handed out more of the meat-filled rolls. “They are better warm but they are still good.”
Blin bit into hers. “Food is good anytime.”
Marlo took a few bites of his. “We can’t stay here for long. Those two looked pretty determined. Where do we go now?”
Askaro was tired. He couldn’t remember when he’s slept last. “We need a place to rest. I don’t know where my family is now. From what Fantori told Bruvano, they have left the ship.”
Zane finished off his roll. “We need to stop these men. Blin’s right, no one is going to believe us. We have to find a way to get into the castle.”
Marlo turned to Blin. “That’s where you escaped from. Is there a way back in?”
Blin looked back toward the castle spires that rose above the nearby buildings. “Yeah.” She sighed and finished her food. “I guess we can get in the same way I got out.”
Zane pulled the strap of the bag over his shoulder. “Where do we go?”
“We head for the Boulevard. We can get in by the stairs.”
Zane grinned. “So that’s how you knew about the water storage in that bridge.”
Marlo pointed toward the street. “Your turn to lead, Blin.”
Her face creased. “I don’t know where we are. If you can get us to the Boulevard, I can take it from there.”
“Deal.” Marlo led them down the street. They passed more shops and came to a street that Askaro recognized. “We’ve just gone in a big circle today.”
Blin took the lead. “Fraid so. It’s not far. And there’s a place we can rest, too. A few hours of sleep will do us good.”
They faced the castle. The walls glowed red from the sun setting behind it. They went down the stairs toward the bridge. They left the street and moved toward the wall. Askaro could see
a door. He looked at the people passing above them. “Doesn’t it bother anyone that we are down here?”
Blin opened the door. “Doubt they even notice.” The water storage area was similar to the one Zane had led them through. They followed her to a wide ledge above a pathway that disappeared into the darkness. She collapsed on the rough ground. “We should sleep for now. The morning watch change will wake us.”
Askaro didn’t argue. He didn’t question how she could fall asleep so quickly on the hard, cold stone. He didn’t even remember falling asleep. He couldn’t recall if he dreamed.
Blin woke him with a gentle shake. Zane and Marlo were also rubbing the sleep from their eyes. The rumble of foot traffic above echoed through the chamber. She stretched. “Sounds like the morning shift.”
Marlo rolled to his side and propped his head up on his arm. “Can I ask now?”
Blin didn’t meet his gaze. “It’s no big deal. My mother was a servant in the castle. When she died, I left.”
“But you said you escaped and now a Seeker is after you.”
Blin didn’t answer. Zane pulled out the last of the rolls and passed them around. “At least there’s no shortage of water.”
Askaro could smell it. “To think my father worried about the cost of water here. There certainly is a lot of it.”
Zane finished his food. “No, he was right to be worried. There may be a lot of it here but it still costs a lot. The Throne controls all of the water in Rokathalon.”
Marlo plucked at the remaining strings of his lute. “Too true. Working the pubs, it’s one of the things you hear everyone complain about. The Regent doesn’t care about the people. He just wants to get rich. I’m sure he made quite a profit from the goods that your ship brought home.”
Askaro was surprised. “How would he benefit from our cargo? The proceeds go to the ship and crew according to the charter.”
Marlo got up. “But the Regent will get his share in the form of taxes. I’ve heard a lot of captains grumble over the high import taxes they have to pay.”
Zane let Marlo help him to his feet. “I’ve heard the same from the crews who ate at the pub where I was working. They got taxed when they got paid. The Regent’s tax collector was standing right next to the dock stairs as the airmen left the harbor.”
Askaro got up and offered a hand to Blin. She accepted it. He was quietly pleased that she didn’t complain. “Even more reason to stop the Regent from killing the Prince. Where to from here, Blin?”
She pointed down the walkway that ran along the basin. “We head for the castle.”
Dim light now filtered through the drains along the street. It was enough light to allow Askaro to see the dark water below. As they walked, he began to hear the sound of voices over the rumble of footsteps above them. He caught the movement and flicker of torches ahead. He pulled Blin to a stop and leaned close to her ear. “There are people ahead.”
Blin leaned against the wall. “What are they doing down here?”
Marlo came up behind them. “Who are they?”
“By the way they are dressed, members of the royal guard. I’ve never seen them down here before.”
Askaro was struggling to understand what the men were saying. Their voices were dulled by the distance. He turned to the others. “Stay here. I want to get close enough to hear what they are saying.”
Marlo frowned. “At least take Blin with you. He may understand what they are talking about better than you.”
“All right. Come on, Blin. Let’s go see what we can learn.”
They moved forward quietly. Askaro stopped when they got close enough to hear the men talking above the other sounds in the chamber. Blin leaned into his ear. “I don’t recognize any of these men.”
The men were clustered in a group, talking among themselves. Another man entered and they all straightened and faced him. His face was lit by the torch on the wall. A long scar ran down the side of his face. He stopped in front of one of them. “Is everyone here?”
“Aye, they be here.”
Scarface nodded. “Good. You will all be well paid for your loyalty. The Regent doesn’t want to take any chances. If things go wrong, you will be called in as reinforcements to the royal guard. The Queen won’t be any wiser.”
One of the men stepped forward. “What if a guest gets in the way?”
“Are you seriously asking? Kill them, of course. The Regent can’t have anyone around him that doesn’t support him completely.”
Blin chewed on her hand. Askaro tugged on her arm and pulled her back. By the time they got back to Zane and Marlo, she was shaking. “What are we going to do?”
“We need to find another way into the castle.”
Zane tilted his head. “What happened?”
“Those men aren’t real guards. They were hired to support the Regent.”
Zane gasped. “How do we know who to trust?”
Marlo fingered the stubble on his chin. “Surely not everyone supports the Regent in this endeavor. That man at the back gate sounded loyal.”
Askaro looked up, wondering about the people who lived in this city. “We have to do this ourselves.”
Zane’s eyes seemed to grow. “How? Just the four of us against a paid force and the Regent?”
“We’ll think of something but first we need to get in.”
Zane leaned against the wall. “Maybe we could get on with Rok Catering. If this is a really big banquet, they often hire extra servers.”
Marlo sighed. “Not that I wouldn’t mind serving food but I’m not sure that would be the best idea for either Blin or Askaro. They don’t have proper IDs. Any reputable business wouldn’t hire them.”
“Oh. I forgot about that.”
Blin wrapped her arms around herself. “There might be another way.”
Marlo leaned forward. “Might?”
“There’s a servants access to the lower garden. I used to help pick vegetables for the kitchen staff. The passage comes out in the kitchen.”
Askaro motioned for them to head back toward the door. “Let’s try it.”
As they walked along the pathway, the sounds from above increased. Zane looked up at the ceiling. “Wonder what that’s all about?”
Marlo stopped. “You noticed it, too? I thought it was my imagination. Askaro, maybe you and Blin should wait down here while Zane and I go have a look. It might be safer.”
Askaro agreed. He and Blin went back to the ledge where they had spent the night. He couldn’t see her well as the ledge was in darkness. “I’m sorry about your mother. Was she sick?”
“What?”
“When she died, was it because she was sick?”
Blin was quiet for a moment. “No.”
Askaro found her hand and squeezed it. He was surprised when she didn’t pull away but held his in return. He softened his tone. “What happened to her?”
“The Regent killed her.”
Blin’s whisper had been so soft that Askaro wasn’t sure he’d heard her right. “The Regent? Why would he kill your mother?”
“Because he thought she was keeping some secret treasure from him. It was stupid. My mother was just a servant. She didn’t have anything of value.”
Askaro put an arm around Blin’s shoulders and hugged her. “I truly am sorry. I know how much I love my mother. You must miss yours a lot.”
Blin buried her face in his shoulder and wept silently. She didn’t move until Marlo whistled quietly to announce their return. She pulled away from him then and wiped her eyes. “What did you discover?”
Zane snorted. “Just like the royals. They are having a parade! Can you imagine that?”
Marlo chuckled. “Well, it is the Prince’s birthday and, if what I heard in the crowd is true, he’s to be crowned King tomorrow. I’d think that would be reason enough to parade him through the streets.”
Askaro scooted forward far enough to dangle his feet over the ledge. “Please don’t laugh at me when I say this.”
Blin snorted. “Let me guess, you don’t know what a parade is.”
Zane coughed. “Well, all that noise is coming from a whole lot of people who are packing the side of the streets so that there will be just enough room for the royal carriage and a row of guards to get through. Needless to say, there are Authority officers everywhere, along with plenty of guards.”
Blin joined Askaro at the edge. “This could work in our favor. We could move through the crowd and it would be harder for the rats after him to spot us.”
Marlo pulled off his lute. “If you could actually move through the crowd, that might work. Right now, everyone is packed tight on the Boulevard. The only way to move would be down the street, which would put us in the open.”
Blin sagged. “Wonderful. So now what?”
Zane opened his sack and pulled out a package. Askaro’s stomach rumbled. Zane laughed. “Askaro, my boy, you have a good nose and a loud rumbler.” He began passing around the warm meat pies. “I still had some coin left. Figured might as well make use of it.”
They ate and listened to the crowds above them. Askaro dozed and woke with a start. The chamber seemed to be roaring. Blin had her hands over her ears. Zane and Marlo were grimacing. There was no way to even ask. It finally passed. Askaro’s ears were ringing. “What was that?”
Zane slid off the ledge. “That was a lot of marching feet, stomping hoofs, and cheering people. But the good news is that the parade has passed, which means we can now make use of Blin’s excellent plan.”
They went up the stairs and slipped out of the door. Askaro had never seen so many people in his life. “This is more than all those who turned out to see us at the quay.”
Marlo held his lute rather than slinging it. “I do believe the entire city must all be out and about.”
Blin looked toward the castle. “There’s no way to get to Flower Street now. We’ll have to go around on High Street and down through the gardens.”
Zane looked at the sun. “It’s already well past midday. It’s going to be tough getting through this with any speed.”
Marlo agreed. They joined the flow of traffic on the Boulevard. They were almost to High Street when Askaro felt the hairs of his neck rise. He leaped to the side.
Fantori’s grab missed. He growled. “No more disappearing acts!”
Askaro crouched and faced the Helmsmen. “Leave us alone!” His shout made everyone around them stop and stare. He hoped that there were Authority close enough to reach them.
Blin’s scream was muffled. Askaro looked back at her. Bruvano held her with his hand clamped over her mouth. His smile was twisted. “Either you surrender or I’ll squash your little friend.”