Free Legends of Dimmingwood 02:Betrayal of Thieves by C. Greenwood Page A

much?” Fleet demanded impatiently. “And something else I know is what stones like these are worth, so don’t think you’re getting the better of me on this deal. If you want them, I expect you to meet my price, or I can easily take them elsewhere.”
    Davin snorted. “Methinks you’ve an overblown opinion of yourself and your find, street thief. We both know you haven’t the contacts to unload these gems in a market where they won’t be recognized, and I don’t think you want to be caught with them in your hand either. You’re as eager to be rid of them as I am to purchase them, so I’ll give you exactly what I gave you last time and you’ll have the sense to take it.”
    The big man nodded at me. “Tell our friend here to think things over before he makes any hasty decisions.”
    I had no opportunity to respond, as Fleet climbed to his feet to glare down on the other man. “You’re a filthy snake, Davin,” he accused. “A sloppy eel with the brains of a—”
    “Now, now,” the heavy man interrupted. “I take it by the abuse you’re leveling that you’ve come to see the light of reason. You can leave off the litany and just thank me for taking the rocks off your hands.”
    “I want the money inside the week,” Fleet said sullenly.
    “Of course you do,” Davin agreed, gathering the other jewels from the kerchief. “Come now. Drink another round with me before you go and let’s put this nasty bargaining business behind us.”
    Fleet said, “You know, considering how you’re robbing me on this deal, the least you could do is seal our bargain with a gesture of good will. You might, say, throw in a pair of daggers for my friend here. She’s lost her old weapons, and we all know how unpleasant it feels to go without.”
    Davin shrugged, saying, “I’m sure I can find something lying around that will suffice.”
    Fleet tipped me a wink when the heavy man wasn’t looking and I realized he wasn’t displeased with the outcome of our visit but had probably planned all along for it to end as it did.

 
     
    CHAPTER SEVEN
     
     
    The old docks were nothing more than their name suggested, rickety structures outside the city walls, hiding beneath the shadow of the spanning bridges leading into Selbius. It was obvious at a glance the stone and timber structures hadn’t stood up well to the effects of time. What decades of lapping water had been unable to erode, sun, weather, and woodborers were not far from finishing. There were great gaping holes in the wooden planks and even the sturdier parts of the dock creaked so alarmingly beneath our feet, I half expected the timbers to give way at any moment and Fleet and I to be plunged into the green waters below. It was an unpleasant thought because I’d never had a chance to practice swimming in anything deeper than Dancing Creek.
    Fortunately, the grey chunks of granite undergirding the walk continued to do their task for a little longer, holding fast despite alarming creaks and groans. A cool breeze blew in off the water, thick with the mingled scents of fish and lakeweed, a combination that soured my stomach this early in the morning. I resisted the urge to cover my nose and focused on my surroundings. It was strangely peaceful here, despite the distant rumble of wagons rolling over the bridges above. The lake lapped gently against the dock’s pilings. Gulls clamored in the distance.
    I looked across the green expanse and realized for the first time how noisy and cloying the city streets were. The thought of abandoning these open spaces again to enter the stifling city walls at day’s end seemed unendurable, but I told myself I didn’t need to worry about that yet. I could handle only one problem at a time, and right now my concern lay with finding the priest. But looking around me, I couldn’t help thinking this appeared an unlikely place to accomplish that goal.
    To my left sprawled an array of decaying and abandoned warehouses that looked like