Valor frowned and glanced at Finn quickly before turning his attention back to the darkened alleys they were riding past. “Isn’t Breaker street part of the old Slave quarter?” he asked.
“I really couldn’t tell you. I had no dealings with Merro when the country still existed. I hated Merro. In truth, I wouldn’t even buy anything made by their craftsmen,” Finn replied with a shrug.
“Life is ironic isn’t it?” Valor said with a snort of amusement and glanced at Jala.
“Why are there so many children here and no sign of parents? They can’t all be orphans can they?” Jala asked as she watched yet another child disappear into an alley.
“Gutter rats. The streets are thick with them. Most of the time they are unwanted children of whores but occasionally it’s a case of their parents simply dying and they had nowhere else to go. All of the poor districts are filled with them. It’s not just Merro,” Finn explained.
“There are too many orphans in Sanctuary. Our world is a dangerous place and it’s far too easy to die here, especially for the commons,” Valor said with a sigh.
“I want to build them a place to go, somewhere they can sleep and get food and feel safe,” Jala said, her eyes already searching for a building that would serve.
“I doubt there is anywhere you can make them feel safe, Jala. They have grown used to living on the streets. They will never feel safe,” Finn said gently and motioned toward a child with wide eyes watching Marrow pass. “That one is trying to decide if the Bendazzi is going to eat him, or if he can eat the Bendazzi.”
“Run Marrow,” Valor urged quietly gaining a low growl from Marrow.
At the noise, the boy disappeared back into the alley and their group fell silent as they rode. The district grew progressively worse as they neared the center, with the rambling buildings gradually giving way to burned out ruins and shacks built from whatever the occupants could find available. She could feel eyes on her as they passed and Marrow paced with a continuing growl echoing from him. Glancing at Finn, she saw his hand resting lightly on his sword and frowned. Flicking her gaze to the right, she saw Valor rode in the same posture with his hand loose over his long sword.
“We can go. I’ve seen enough. Whatever is left to see, Sovann can tell me about,” she said quietly and both men wheeled their horses with obvious relief.
“So glad to hear you say that. I’m not a coward but I don’t want to be here when evening falls,” Valor said quietly.
“It will be different soon,” Jala said, the words more of a promise to herself than any reassurance to the men she rode with.
“It will be,” Finn agreed and gave her a smile.
“Because it certainly can’t get worse,” Valor said with a nod. “I need a drink or a bottle. I can’t decide which. I think the bottle. Gods above, but this place is wretched. Makes you glad for what you have, doesn’t it?”
“This could have been my fate,” Jala said quietly, fully aware of how close she came to living in filth and squalor. If not for Victory and Havoc she likely would have starved or been a gutter orphan in Brannaford if she had made it that far alone.
“But it wasn’t, and now you can improve theirs,” Finn said and took her hand gently in his own.
She glanced at him and smiled weakly at his attempts to cheer her and noticed that he had dropped his reins rather than release his hold on his sword. Nodding slightly, she squeezed his hand and forced herself to smile wider. “Thank you, Finn,” she whispered.
“There is a man on the roof watching us, Finn, to your left,” Valor whispered, his voice barely carrying over the steady thump of the horses hooves.
“Don’t look, Jala. He has been watching us since we got here. I’m amazed he let you see him, Val,” Finn said, not turning his attention anywhere but the road ahead of them.
“You knew he was there?” Valor asked incredulously.
“It’s Hemlock. Just keep riding,” Finn said and Valor urged his horse into a faster walk.
“Why is he watching us?” Jala asked quietly. Even she knew who the leader of the Nightblades was.
“Most likely he is curious or he has a contract on one of us. Regardless, if he was going to do something even I wouldn’t have noticed him,” Finn said calmly. “Still, it is never a good idea to look directly at him. He takes it as an insult or a sign of disrespect.”
Nodding, she continued to ride and prayed to Fortune it was simple curiosity. She had read and heard stories about Hemlock. In every tale, when he had a contract the victim didn’t live or return to life through magic. What Hemlock killed, stayed dead.
Chapter 4
Fionahold
“I’m pleased you could make it,” Symphony said as she fell into step beside the large red haired man. He was dressed in dark colors as always, with a flowing cloak concealing most of him. The hood was down allowing her to see the dark expression on his handsome face. “The council waits in the next room along with two scouts that have just returned from Eldagar. I believe you know one of them,”
“There aren’t many Fionaveir I don’t know,” Kiernan Morcaillo said with a faint smile. He always had a way of making his smiles seem anything but friendly. No matter the occasion, there was always a faint coldness to the expression.