Free Handmaiden's Fury by JM Guillen

See if you are being followed.”
    He shook his head. “My people say
that Devariis is up to something. We have no time to wait. I need you moving
tomorrow.” He leveled his gaze at me. “We can’t be seen. It can’t be noted that
we are preparing. I don’t know why Lithia won’t move against him, but we have
to make certain she doesn’t try to stop us.”
    Therefore, I moved through the city
as an average woman might, stopping here and there, shopping. I kept a wary
eye, trying to note if anyone tracked my movements or watched from the shadows.
    I seemed alone, even in the busy
street.
    I checked twice more as I moved
toward Billows Street. Once there, I stopped for several moments, shuffling my small
packages while actually watching the street.
    Certain no one followed, I stepped to
the outer door of Gryn’s.
    The door had a glass window, but it
was smoky and dark. No sign hung above the door nor painted on the outside to
designate this shop.
    None knew of the alchemist unless
they had cause.
    Quickly, I opened the door and pushed
my way into shadows, mysteries, and strange, exotic scents.
    Gryn trafficked in exotic herbs and
bubbling concoctions. He was heavy-set but sharp witted. His entire shop brimmed
with drying herbs, musty books, and bottles of things strange and horrifying.
Gryn had tracked Devariis’ purchases of rare, delicate, and hard to find plants
and compounds.
    I stepped gingerly over the
discolored stone floor. Odd smells greeted my nose; sharp vapors that bit at
the nostrils and watered the eyes. I blinked rapidly around the crowded room.
It was close and poorly lit, the only source of brightness a hearth fire,
burning merrily as it gave off an oddly cheerful, orange smoke that hazed the
room.
    A large man hovered over a cauldron
suspended above the flames and upended a vial of teal-colored powder redolent
of incense into it. He cocked his head as he turned to face me. His face was
seamed and bore mottled red patches as if he’d been steam scalded, a horrifying
visage.
    He was also Sire Mattias’s man.
    I pulled the hood from around my head
and let my tresses shake free. Free of my persona, I could be the Handmaiden
again.
    “Lil’ late, aren’t you?” Gryn’s voice
was like gravel and broken glass. “The man said you’d be here at sun-up.”
    “I was careful. You’d prefer that,
I’m certain.”
    Gryn grunted and nodded. He reached
underneath his counter, moving an alembic aside. He set the alchemical still
carefully out of my reach. A whiff of something caustic wafted by as he moved
it, and I wondered what the connected bottles contained.
    “ Got a message for the Sire. I was gonna send a runner, but I reckon you’ll do as
well.” He gave me a heavy scowl. “Devariis sent his man last night. He had a
long tally-list. I had most of what he needed, but some of it was pretty rare.”
    My curiosity poked its head out.
“Like what?”
    Gryn shrugged. “Quicksilver,
draw-iron, that was easy enough.” He fixed me with his gaze. “But he wanted
more than I could give him. He asked about sanguine ink.”
    An oddity, that ink took much to
prepare and had few legitimate uses.
    “That seems like a foolish request.
The kind of request that would draw attention.”
    Gryn shrugged. “They trust me. Seem
to think I’m a man who can get anything.” He cracked a lazy smile.
    I pulled Sire Mattias’ coin purse
from my belt. “I only hope you have what my Sire requires.”
    The man grinned again. “I keep myself
stocked for Sire Mattias’ needs.” He pulled out a heavy box and opened it.
    I peered inside. Two vials of
essential salts in aqua atramentum, one of civet musk and another of lavender
essence, plus a gently glowing tumbler of ignis vitae.
    Perfect.
    I handed Gryn the purse and closed
the box.
    “Thank you, Gryn. Of course, if
anyone were to come asking—”
    He appeared offended. “I wouldn’t be
in business long if I couldn’t hold my tongue.”
    I simply smiled.
    Soon,