Four years ago

  “The fuck do you think I am, some sort of scrowly banger?” the skag witch growled at Aelfredd.

  This wasn’t going well. No surprise given his recent run of luck.

  After ushering them quickly through her aromatic shop and into a back room equipped as an operating room. Aelfredd had merely questioned the purpose of the mundane medical supplies and equipment, given her known capacity for magical healing.

  “I just didn’t realize you would utilize non magical healing methods,” he attempted to mend fences.

  “The fuel isn’t cheap, and it’s hard to come by in Falkaria,” she replied as she unlocked a small cabinet tucked into the back corner of the room and removed a jar containing her supply of exactly that.

  “You’ve got syndicate connections, don’t they keep you supplied?”

  “I try to deal with them as little as possible, thank you. I’m not a criminal.” She gestured brusquely for Aelfredd to lay Guerten’s near corpse on the body sized table in the center of the room.

  “Here in Falkaria you are.” Great. She was getting him riled up now too.

  “Precisely why I try to avoid using magical means for healing as much as possible. Many of the sick and injured who see me are fine to treat with mundane medicine.”

  She snorted a small mound of the skag that fueled her magic and as the trance came over her she settled her hands above Guerten’s throat gesturing for Aelfredd to remove the cloth he had pressed in place to staunch the bleeding. The flow of blood had slowed considerably, Geurten had almost bled out and the cloth was soaked through. As Aelfredd stepped back from the body and let her set to work he realized he was covered in blood himself.

  “Sorry,” He made another go at warming relations, “Thank you for doing this.”

  The witch didn’t respond as she proceeded with healing Guerten. Her eyes rolled back in her head and she whispered under breath as her hands began to glow with the healing energy. Aelfredd watched as the glowing energy flowed down from her hands to surround the wound on the fence’s neck, like grasping fingers the blue and yellow strands reached and pulled the wound together.

  With a gasp the fence’s eyes shot wide open, then immediately closed as he passed into a deep sleep.

  “The wound is healed, but he’s lost a lot of blood,” the witch told Aelfredd. “If he survives, he’ll probably be out for a long while. You can’t stay here with him long, too many people saw and heard your arrival.”

  “Look –,” Aelfredd paused, realizing he still didn’t even know this woman’s name.

  “Melora,” she supplied after a moment of consideration.

  He nodded, “Melora. I’m Aelfredd. I’ve got nowhere I can take him where we can both be safe. Are you sure he can’t stay here? I’ll leave you in peace myself.”

  Melora scowled, clearly not interested in nursing Guerten back to health. But eventually she nodded, accepting that it was either that or this would all have been for nothing.

  *****

  A week later Aelfredd was tending the vegetable garden at the small farm where he lived with Turgeon when a messenger from Melora arrived. The note he brought was simple and succinct: He’s awake.

  Aelfredd knew his window might be short. The fact that Guerten had survived this long and was now conscious boded well for his health, but the witch wasn’t likely to keep him around for long and leaving her shop would probably be very bad for Guerten’s health.

  That night, after he had tucked Turgeon into bed, Aelfredd geared up and headed for the Flats.

  His last visit notwithstanding, he had generally had good experiences here and this trip proved to be more akin to his usual visits. Nobody troubled him on his way to Melora’s shop, and she let him in after just one quick knock.

  “You have to get him out of here tonight,” she began when he had barely crossed the threshold. “I can’t have him here any longer.”

  “I know he’s an ass hole sometimes, but surely he hasn’t been that bad…” but Aelfredd saw the look on her face. This wasn’t irritation, this was fear and she was deep in its grips. “What happened?”

  “Thugs came by two days ago asking questions. I lied, and they seemed to believe me, but they’ve been watching the street ever since. Probably saw you come in.”

  Well shit. That would’ve been helpful information before he arrived through the front door in view of the watchers. Melora clearly wasn’t cut out for clandestine operations.

  “Is there a back door we can use?” She nodded. “Do you know if they’re watching it too?” She shook her head. He’d have to take the risk it seemed, there was no other choice.

  “Ok. Give me an hour with him here. If we don’t make it somewhere safe there are questions I need him to answer.”

  Melora agreed and led him once again into her operating room in the back, then through a hidden door in the back of a tall cabinet and down a narrow flight of stairs into the cellar. He found Guerten on a low cot in a small and spartan cellar beneath the shop. One wall of the room contained a rack full of a variety of supplies, including food, spices for the shop and medicines for Melora’s practice.

  Guerten was indeed awake, fairly alert and looking surprisingly hale for how close to death he had come. “Aelfredd,” he rasped in greeting. So there were still some ill effects from having his throat slashed.

  Melora returned up the stairs, leaving Alefredd and Guerten alone for their conversation.

  Aelfredd took the only other seat in the room, a small stool, and sat in silence for a time just glaring at the recovering fence.

  “I suppose you’ll be wanting to know what’s going on,” Guerten eventually rasped.

  “Aye. We can start with what the fall you’ve gotten me into this time fence.”

  “I swear I didn’t know either. I told you what I was told, this isn’t my fault,” he sniveled.

  “I’m not interested in fault right now. We’re both in danger, and the only way either of us gets out of this alive is if you tell me what’s going on, including everything you know about whoever it was that cut your throat.”

  “That was the Illusionist. He was trying to get me to give you up, he wants the book.”

  The Illusionist. A fitting name for the gentleman thug smoke magic user who had assaulted Aelfredd the night of the heist.

  “What do you know about the book?”

  “I don’t know anything, I swear. Just that it’s rare… and that people are willing to kill for it obviously. I suppose that leaves very few options as to what it might be. Do you have it with you? Have you opened it?”

  “It’s not here, I’m not that stupid. But yes, I’ve looked at it.” Aelfredd paused to consider whether he should share what he knew, but in the end he concluded it didn’t make much difference. A plan was taking shape in his mind, and for it to work he would have to provide the fence with the book, and when he did Guerten was sure to look at it himself.

  “It appears to be a complete copy of the Klaaverius manuscript.”

  A low whistle escaped Guerten’s lips as his eyes shot wide and his skin went an even whiter shade of pale.

  “Well that sure explains a lot. I wonder where they got it in the first place? I thought every copy of it was accounted for?”

  Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

  “Well, the Falkarian throne has one, we know that. Klaav too, and Summor. There have been rumors that some of the more powerful nobles in the three kingdoms have their own copies, but pretty much everyone agrees what they may have isn’t complete and none of them are originals.”

  “Ko has claimed to have had a copy at one point, but there has been some confusion as to whether they had their own copy or were merely the designated protectors of Summor’s copy.”

  “That makes no sense. Why would a royal house relinquish control of the text to a vassal? Especially one that has changed hands so many times over the centuries?”

  “It was just a rumor I heard, I didn’t say it was a fact.”

  “Fair enough. Where do you think this copy came from?”

  “Can I see it?”

  “No. Not yet. I need answers, then maybe I can take you to it.”

  “Well, I’ve read descriptions of all the known copies. They all have differences, if I could see it myself I could probably tell you which one it is. But I have my suspicions already.”

  “And they are…” Aelfredd prodded.

  “Well, has there been any general uproar or increase in the seekers presence in the city in the past week?”

  “No.”

  “That probably rules out Falkaria’s copy then. They’d be turning the city inside out looking for it, and would probably have issued a general lockdown of the city or at the very least be more closely inspecting all inbound and outbound traffic.”

  That made sense. Aelfredd had neither heard nor seen any indications that any of that was happening. He nodded agreement.

  “The security protocols I’ve heard are in place around Klaav’s copy would make that one nigh impossible to steal. I’d say it’s at least unlikely this is the Klaavian copy.”

  “So, it’s Summor’s. Or Ko’s if you believe those rumors.”

  The fence nodded, and continued his out loud pondering. “A few years back there was a rumor that a northerner was in the market for a copy of the book. Some thought it was the Duke of Fjaarl, that he is tired of his heirs always being inferior fighters to the House of Falkar despite their … greater innate physical abilities.”

  “Are you telling me that you’ve gotten me mixed up in a tiff between Fjaarl and Ko?” he asked in a growl.

  “Well… technically, Summor and Fjaarl.” A pause. “Probably the Falkarian throne too.”

  Great. Now he just needed to figure out a way out of this that didn’t get himself killed and didn’t start the Fourth Summorian War.

  “Can you walk?”

  The fence nodded. Aelfredd took a bump of powder. It was time to go.

  *****

  The two of them exited the building through a rear entrance. Melora showed them out and took the opportunity to remind Aelfredd of his debt.

  “You owe me now quickman,” she whispered to him as they stepped out the door, “I intend to call in that debt someday.”

  “Of course, m’lady,” Aelfredd bowed, taking her hand and kissing it softly. She blushed deeply, and was even more beautiful. Keep your head, man, he thought to himself. “I am at your call.”

  She shut the door in his face, nearly knocking him off the step into the muddy alley. I hope that’s mud, he thought as he stepped down into the alley and was unable to avoid the grime in the narrow confines.

  Guerten wasn’t moving quickly, he practically hobbled down the alleyway. “Don’t be ashamed if I have to pick you up and carry you, fence. If we have to move quickly I won’t be slowed down by your pace.”

  The fence grimaced, but he nodded and kept moving slowly down the alleyway.

  Aelfredd was thinking quickly, trying to figure out where he could take Guerten. The book was stashed safely in the hayloft of the barn at the farm, but he couldn’t risk taking the fence there. It was also a very long walk from the Flats. Guerten’s shop was out of the question, the Illusionist’s thugs were definitely watching it.

  Which didn’t leave him with many safe options. As far as they knew, Guerten was still good with the Syndicate, assuming he was able to deliver the book as planned. They would’ve expected it a week ago but were probably aware of the troubles he had faced and certainly knew how to bide their time.

  Which meant that Cassie’s might be a safe option. Guerten could lay low there for a few hours or even a day while Aelfredd fetched the book, and if he was lucky his contact might even be able to meet him there for the hand off to minimize his risk. The pleasure house wasn’t far from Melora’s shop either, and the thugs that were after him had already proven unwilling to pursue their quarry into Cassie’s the night of the heist.

  By the time they reached the alley mouth Aelfredd had decided. “Left,” he indicated to the fence as he helped him stumble over a pile of refuse, “We’re headed to Cassie’s.”

  On the way their Aelfredd easily spotted the tail that picked them up once they hit the main street. It was one of the thugs that had assailed him in the street the night he stole the book. Given the man’s height he wouldn’t have been Aelfredd’s first choice for an inconspicuous tail. Perhaps the Illusionist’s resources were limited?

  While he followed them all the way to Cassie’s, he didn’t make a move on them and they arrived unimpeded. Likely they knew Aelfredd wouldn’t be stupid enough to bring the book with him to collect Guerten and were hoping he led them to it.

  The night was already winding down at Cassie’s place. The evening’s entertainment had ended, and there were only a few scattered patrons in the bar talking quietly and nursing their last drinks of the night. Despite getting on in years, Cassie was still beautiful to his eye. Her soft golden curls bounced in the lamplight as she laughed at a customer’s joke. Aelfredd knew her well enough to know the laugh was false, but she had the customer fooled and would be expecting a better tip for it.

  It didn’t take long for her to spot Aelfredd and Guerten as they settled at one end of the bar and she excused herself from the customer and made her way towards them.

  “Aelfredd, what’re you doing here at this time of night? And why are you with this ‘rupting bastard? He looks like shit.”

  “It’s nice to see you too, Cassie,” Guerten wheezed out. He was winded from the walk over, but at least Aelfredd hadn’t needed to carry him.

  “It’s a long story Cass, but I need a place to stash the fool for a few hours, maybe as long as a day. Do you have an open room? It doesn’t need to be comfortable.”

  Guerten took on an offended look, but Aelfredd ignored him and Cassie glared daggers at him. It seemed like she might have her own backstory with the slimy fence.

  “For you, Aelfredd, yes. He can stay in the cellar. There’s a cot down there.” The way she said it made it clear that had Guerten come alone even the cellar wouldn’t have been an option. “Try not to steal any of my wine y’hear?”

  Once more Guerten attempted to look offended, either at the implication that he was a thief or that the offered accommodations were so mean.

  “You must be getting used to sleeping in cellars by now, eh fence? You’ll be fine there for a day. One of those thugs did follow us here though, so I’d suggest you stay put where Cassie stashes you.” The last part was as much for Cassie as it was for Guerten, she deserved to know someone would be watching her establishment until the fence left. Guerten needed the reminder that he needed to stay put until Aelfredd returned.

  “You’ll have to sit here at the bar until I close up though, Bridan’s off tonight so it’s just me and I can’t leave the place unattended. Won’t be long. Something to drink while you wait?”

  “Not for me Cass, I’ve got to run an errand but will be back as soon as I can.”

  Guerten looked interested in a drink but obviously had no coin on him. Aelfredd wasn’t about to front him any, and it didn’t really look like a drink was a good idea for him at the moment. The brief walk over had left him winded and flushed, even more pale than before.

  With that Aelfredd left Guerten in Cassie’s care and headed home to grab the book. He left out the back door to avoid the tail, took a circuitous route to ensure he wasn’t followed and made it home safely.

  *****

  Hours later, as dawn was breaking over the city and the residents of the Flats were beginning to stir, Aelfredd returned and roused Guerten from his cot in Cassie’s cellar.

  “Did you bring the book?” the sleepy fence grumbled at Aelfredd while rubbing his eyes.

  “Of course I brought it, you daft fool. It’s what I went for.”

  Guerten yawned and nodded, accepting the reprimand for his ridiculous question.

  “Out with it then, I need to verify its authenticity before I take it to my contact.”

  Aelfredd unwrapped the book from the linen cloth it had been bundled in, handing it gingerly to the fence for inspection.

  With no small amount of awe and a delicate touch Guerten accepted the book and began his inspection. Starting with the cover, he examined every inch of the outside of the book before carefully opening it and leafing through the first few pages. All the while he nodded to himself constantly, and a smile grew on his face.

  “Well?” Aelfredd was forced to prod.

  “Aye, it’s legitimate.”

  “Which copy?”

  “Our guess was right, this appears to be the Ko copy. The Duke’s family seal is hidden in a watermark on the first page.” Guerten showed Aelfredd how to hold the page just so in the light, bringing out the hidden marking.

  “Now what?”

  “It would seem your role in this scheme is complete, quickman, and mine has begun. I will need to hand this off to my contact at the Syndicate so we can both get paid. Though the agreed upon payment does seem meager in light of what we’ve had to go through to deliver it.”

  Aelfredd had been thinking that since the night he had broken into the estate to steal the ‘rupting book, but he kept his thoughts to himself.

  “Luck,” was all he said as he turned to go.

  “Wait!” Guerten reached for Aelfredd’s arm to hold him back, “Maybe you should help me get it to the Syndicate? You know, the Illusionist isn’t going to stop trying to get this and it’s a long walk through the Flats to my contact’s safe house.”

  “You’re on your own now, fence. I’m washing my hands of this affair. Better clear out soon though, Cass won’t let you hole up in here all day. I’d suggest using the back door.”

  “If something happens to me you won’t get paid.”

  Aelfredd had thought of that, of course. He had a plan, just not one he intended to share with the fence. He did intend to get paid, but he also didn’t really care if the coin didn’t come through. He valued his life more than a few coins.

  Aelfredd shrugged and left the fence to his fears. He didn’t go far though, just to the roof of a building he knew provided a good observation point to watch the backdoor of Cassie’s place. Sure enough, when he got there one of the thugs was hunkered down and keeping an eye on the exit.

  Nobody was watching the thug’s back, and it was a simple matter for Aelfredd to drop him with one of his sleep magic infused darts. Aelfredd took his place and waited for the fence.