“Try it next time we’re at a party.”
“I doubt anyone would be interested.”
“You never know.”
Maya grinned. Her own skin was feeling a bit warm, partly from the press of the crowd but partly because the two of them had remained arm in arm for some time now. It was just to keep them from being pulled apart, of course, but she couldn’t help but feel a thrill whenever Beq’s hip bumped hers. Focus, Maya, or you won’t get anywhere.
“Time for a break,” she said, spotting a tavern sign on a building jutting between stalls. “Come on.”
There wasn’t much to the tavern, once they’d pushed their way inside. A bartender served up cheap clay mugs of wine and beer to patrons at a scattering of tables and chairs. Business was light this early in the day, which was a welcome respite from the crowds outside. Maya ordered two cups of watered wine, tossed down a couple of decithaler coins, and led Beq to the nearest table.
Beq looked down at the mug mistrustfully. “After last night, I’m not sure I’m up for more alcohol.”
“Wine’s safer than water if you don’t know the water’s clean,” Maya said, sipping from her own cup. “That’s what Jaedia taught me. And down here …”
“True.” Beq took a drink and made a face. “Eugh.”
“Honestly I just needed to get off my feet.” Maya shook her head. “And maybe rethink our approach. I’m not sure we’re getting anywhere.”
“We’ve only covered about half the stalls,” Beq said. “Give it time.”
Maya grinned at the arcanist’s transparent eagerness to finish examining what the market had to offer. She sipped again and scanned the crowd. Conversation filtered in from neighboring tables, mostly mundane, but a familiar pair of names focused her attention.
“—Yora and Halfmask got raided last night.”
“A hundred Auxies, I heard.”
“But they got away clean!”
“How do you know?”
“Don’t be an idiot. If Rottentooth had caught them, you don’t think he’d have told everyone by now?”
The rebels. Or just bandits, depending on whom you asked. Are they tied to this, or—
“Do you mind if I sit down?”
Maya blinked and looked around. A short, plump woman in a long coat stood by their table, waiting politely in front of an empty chair. Beq peered at her, twisting dials on the spectacles. The lenses clicked and shifted, and the woman leaned closer.
“Ooh, I’ve heard about these, but I’ve never seen one intact!” she said. “Is it true you can see in the dark?”
“A … a little bit,” Beq said, unnerved. “One of the lenses has the same intensifier coating used on the Legionary masks, but it washes out most of the color—”
Maya cleared her throat. “I’m sorry, do we know you?”
“Oh! No, you don’t. I’m Sarah.” She gave a slight bow. “I’ve been looking for you.”
“Can I ask why?” Maya said.
“Because I heard you were asking about the Core Analytica, and you were willing to pay for information. That’s true, isn’t it?” She smiled. “Word spreads fast in this place.”
“It’s true,” Maya admitted. “And you have something?”
“No, but I know someone who does,” Sarah said. “I can take you to him.”
“For a price, I assume.”
“Just a half thaler. And I’ll knock off a decithaler if your friend will let me look at her spectacles.”
Beq recoiled protectively. Maya said, “Half a thaler will be fine. Where are we going?”
“It’s easier to show than to tell,” Sarah said. “Come with me, if you’re ready.”
Maya looked at Beq, who gave a tiny shrug. It’s the best lead we’ve got so far. She pushed her wine away and got up. “Then, let’s go.”
Sarah, judging by the expert way she elbowed a path through the crowd, was clearly a native of the tunnels, though she looked better-off than most. As they cut through the market, she chattered about the stalls, a running commentary of which Maya caught only snatches.
“… old Perses Ironjaw used to sell there, until he got caught in a blizzard, so now its Polarc. And this is Snipwillow; he loves those little flower-mushrooms you find in ghoul caves sometimes; you can use them—”
“Maya,” Beq whispered. “I think someone’s following us.”
“Who?” Maya said.
“Not sure.” Beq adjusted her spectacles and looked over her shoulder. “There’s at least three of them, though.”
Friends of Sarah’s? Maya reached back to touch her haken, just to make sure it was easily accessible. We’ll see.
Sarah turned down a side street and then went through an arch into a smaller tunnel. This one curved away from the market, branching into a number of other passages. Apart from a few sleeping forms huddled against the wall, these were almost empty of people. One archway was partially collapsed, half-blocked by a chunk of broken rock, and this was where Sarah stopped.
“Can you climb over this?” she said. “It opens up once we’re past.”
“It doesn’t look like anyone lives down there,” Maya said.
“It was abandoned after a cave-in,” Sarah said. “Which makes it a good place to meet if you don’t want to be seen.”
Maya glanced behind them, but if there had been someone following, they’d stayed far enough back to be out of sight. She shrugged. “Lead the way, then.”
Sarah nodded cheerfully and hoisted herself through the gap left by the fallen stone. Maya followed, with Beq bringing up the rear. As Sarah had promised, beyond that initial squeeze the tunnel opened out, with chunks of broken rock and debris scattered around a larger space, dark except where torchlight filtered in through the archway. Sarah got out a glowstone and shook it to life, beckoning them to follow.
“So who is this person we’re going to meet?” Maya said, walking cautiously in the rubble-strewn street. Broken rock mixed with scraps of wood and other more human debris underfoot. “Another arcanist?”
“Funny thing about that,” Sarah said. “It’s actually me that wanted to talk to you. Although I am an arcanist.” She hopped up on a large chunk of curved stone and turned to face them. On either side of the rock, another figure loomed out of the darkness, glowstone light gleaming blue on the point of a crossbow. “And I’m really sorry about this, but I’m the one who’s going to be asking the questions.”
*
“Look,” Sarah said. “I really am sorry about this. If it helps, these two are just a precaution.”
Sarah’s “precaution” consisted of a wiry older woman and a bald-headed man, both armed with swords and crossbows. After Maya and Beq hadn’t shown any sign of immediate resistance, they’d raised their weapons so they weren’t exactly pointed at the pair, but weren’t pointed away from them, either.
Maya thought she could get to her haken before they could shoot. She might be able to raise her panoply field in time. But where does that leave Beq? She bit her lip and waited.