Duncan looked uncertain a moment; then his face lit up with a smile. “A Quegan trader in Sarth can mean only one thing.” He lowered his voice. “Contraband.”
Roo held up a finger indicating silence. “Something requiring discretion.” To Jason he said, “After I’m gone, send word to Karli, telling her I’ll be gone for a week or so.”
As the newly serviced wagon was fitted, and food and waterskins loaded aboard, Roo speculated on what it was that Vinci wanted to sell him. He kept wondering as they rolled out of the yard into the city and started their way north.
The trip to Sarth had proven uneventful. Roo felt a strange discomfort listening to Duncan rattle on about this barmaid or that game of dice. He couldn’t put his finger on it, but he felt as if there was something back in Krondor left unattended, and that vague uneasiness was growing into full-blown worry by the time they reached Sarth.
They arrived at sundown and went straight to the shop of John Vinci. They pulled up in front and Roo jumped down. “Let me talk to him a moment,” he said to Duncan, “then we’ll head for the inn.”
“Very well,” Duncan agreed.
Roo went inside, and Vinci said, “Ah, it’s you. I was just about to close. Would you like to dine with my family?”
Roo said, “Certainly. Now what is this mysterious note you sent me?”
Vinci went to the door and locked it. He motioned for Roo to follow him to the back room. “Two things. As I said in the note, a Quegan trader arrived here a little over a week ago. The captain was . . . anxious to dispose of an item, and when I saw it I thought of you.”
He took down a large box and opened it. Inside, Roo saw a very elegant-looking set of rubies mounted in a display case, as if for presentation. He had never seen anything like it, but Helmut had mentioned such displays to him, and he didn’t need more than a moment to know what it meant. “Stolen.”
“Well, the trader seemed ready to take whatever I agreed to give him before he returned to Queg.”
Roo thought a moment. “What did you pay for it?”
John looked at Roo askance a moment. “What matter is that to you? What is it worth?”
“Your life, if the Quegan noble who ordered it to present to his mistress finds out you have it,” answered Roo. “Look, I’m going to have to ship that to the Eastern Realm if I take it off your hands. No noble in the Western Realm is going to give those to his wife, have her wear them to a reception, and encounter some Quegan envoy who recognizes them for what they are.”
John looked uncertain. “How would they know?”
Roo pointed at the stones. “It’s a matched set, John. There are five brilliant matched stones, and a dozen smaller ones, but all are cut in identical fashion. The case is . . .” He took it, closed it, and turned it over. “Look, here.” He pointed to a line of symbols cut into the wood.
“I don’t read Quegan,” said John.
“And I can fly,” said Roo. “Don’t lie to a liar, John. Vinci is no Kingdom name. What is it, short for Vincinti?”
John grinned. “Vincintius. My grandfather was an escaped Quegan slave who kept his master’s surname.” He glanced at the mark. “So this was made by commission from Lord Vasarius by Secaus Gracianus, master jeweler. Get a new box.”
Roo said, “Because that gem cutter will know these rubies like he knows his own children, he has certainly let it be known they are gone. If they show up anywhere west of Darkmoor, he will know within a month who has them, and who they were purchased from. The hunt will be on. The only way you’re going to keep your throat intact will be to stop pulling my finger and tell me what you paid.”
John didn’t look convinced. “Ten thousand sovereigns.”
Roo laughed. “Try again.”
John said, “Very well, five thousand.”
Roo said, “I’m sorry. I can’t hear you. What was it you said?”
John said, “I paid a thousand gold sovereigns.”
“Where did you get a thousand sovereigns?” asked Roo.
“Some I had saved, and the rest in trade. He needed to refit.”
“On his way to Kesh or the Free Cities, was he?” said Roo.
“In something of a hurry,” said John. “He stole the box or had it stolen before he realized how difficult it would be to dispose of the booty.” He shrugged. “His loss; our gain.”
Roo nodded. “Here’s what I’ll do. You can have either two thousand sovereigns gold, now, or I’ll give you . . . a third of what I can fetch in the East, but you’ll have to wait.”
John considered only a moment. “I’ll take the gold now.” Roo said, “I thought you would.” Reaching into his tunic, he pulled out a heavy purse. “I can give you a hundred now, and a letter of account. The gold is in Krondor.”
“That’s not ‘gold now,’ Roo.”
Roo shook his head. “All right, make it twenty-one hundred: a hundred now, and two thousand on a letter.”
“Done. I’m heading to Krondor next month and I’ll present the letter then.”