Chapter Four

  Part Four

  They were back in The Back Flow. Even though the streets were quieter since the sky had darkened, the lack of sun and the thick fabric above them caused an even darker atmosphere. The multi coloured paper lanterns were trying even harder to dispel the darkness that surrounded them. Line didn’t need light to see, her other senses were attuned to night fall. So the lack of light didn’t bother her, Ali on the other hand, seemed to be walking a lot closer to Line.

  “When night falls, the seedier people start coming out of their holes. They generally sell under the counter medicinal herbs or stolen goods. So keep an eye out” Ali explained.

  They walked for a short while, until indeed, people in thick cloaks and coats appeared out from nowhere and started merging with the stragglers that have yet to leave The Back Flow. Some even began setting up their own stalls, all offering different services and goods.

  Something caught Line’s ears and turned to Ali “Ali, is this where The Sect usually set up their assassination contracts?”

  Ali nodded “yes. Kidd would be here at this time, he was the one to gather the contracts and distribute them between his subordinates”

  “how many contracts could he collect?” Prince Vax’dian asked.

  “umm...maybe around one or two a month. You have to understand, sure we’re a big organisation but our services cost a lot. We are really good assassins”

  “you speak like you’re still apart of The Sect. Should we have you arrested?”

  “no. Sorry, it’s a force of habit. I forget sometimes”

  Line listened to their conversation as she glanced across the various items being sold. She also took close attention to the people selling them, making sure to remember their faces. When she got back to the monastery, she would look into them further.

  Line’s eyes stopped at a delicate looking golden hairpin, it was current being placed into a display cabinet. The man doing so stood behind a stall with other expensive looking trinkets. Line moved forwards him, and picked up the hairpin.

  “where did you get this? Did someone sell this to you?” Line questioned.

  The man in front of her looked too big to fit through that small tunnel “who’s asking?”

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  Line knew they monastery token probably wouldn’t work here, so she had to think of something else “The Sect is asking” a lie it is then.

  The man’s eyes widened “oh, I-I’m sorry for being rude. A man sold it to me, not too long ago now. He comes through here often with goods to sell. I buy a lot from him”

  “do you know where he went?”

  The man pointed further down The Back Flow “I think he had a few more things to sell, so he headed further in”

  “I’m keeping this” Line said, taking the hairpin with her and completely ignoring the man’s pleads.

  She followed the man’s directions, leading the group further down The Back Flow. It didn’t take long before Line spotted the person she was looking for. He wore a thick black cloak, that still had small traces of dusty cobwebs. Line could even see a few splotches of red at the ends of his sleeves.

  Line moved to cut him off while Ali positioned herself behind him, blocking his escape route. Prince Vax’dian and Hyde stood to the side, watching the scene play out in front of them.

  “Sir” Line began “I think someone stole this” she raised the hairpin.

  The man immediately turned to flee, but bumped into Ali “where do you think you’re going?”

  Line closed the distance between them “let’s talk”

  *

  Line had pushed the man against the wall, pinning him there. She showed him the hairpin “why?”

  “w-why what?”

  “Murder”

  The man faltered “you-you must be mistaken. I n-never killed anyone”

  “no?”

  The man shook his head vigorously “no. No, not at all”

  Line tugged on his sleeve “then what’s this?”

  The man glanced at the splotches of red “...umm”

  “Umm?”

  He winced “it’s sheep’s blood”

  “Sheep’s blood?”

  “yes. I’m a butcher”

  “A butcher?”

  He nodded “yes, a butcher!”

  Line nodded along with him, but started to shake her head instead “no. No, you’re not”

  “I-“

  “listen. If you don’t start telling the truth, I’ll have my friends break you”

  He hesitated “you don’t have any proof, no evidence!”

  “True. Alright then, let’s start with the murder weapon”

  “wait-“

  “Based on the width and depth of the stab wounds, the weapon is likely a dagger. Even the angle of the wounds, suggests someone of your height and build. But of course, in the inn and even on our way here, I didn’t see any such dagger. So if I searched you, what do you think I’ll find?”

  “You can’t just search me! You need some kind of warrant to do that!”

  “I don’t” she began searching through the man’s clothes.

  “hey-!”

  Line pulled a still bloody blade from the man “what’s this?”

  “I, I can explain that”

  “There’s no need. Because I am placing you under arrest”