Free The Barrow by Mark Smylie

Stjepan was eyeing them, and they gave each other a slight nod; but the bravo went back to scanning the travelers entering the gates. “Nope, not us.”
    Erim scanned the rooftops. “Lots of birds,” she said with a bit of apprehension. Sparrows, pigeons, and doves perched on the rooftops, occasionally diving into the street after some morsel. More waddled past them; gulls and terns circled lazily in the air up from the docks and the shore of the bay.
    Stjepan glanced up, his eyes narrowing. Erim could hear him whispering under his breath. “Aye, some of them are rune-marked, and have the hint of a binding enchantment about them. Probably eyes and ears for the Brass Coven, and for Naeras Braewode, and the Sisters of the Scales,” he said after a moment. “And so news of our arrival will be spread far and wide through the underground of the city amongst those that trade knowledge for coin, if any should happen to care about it.”
    â€œIt’s funny that someone will make a bit of coin or earn a bit of bread just to tell someone else that we’re back in the city,” said Erim. “I mean, I’d be happy to tell them myself if they paid us. That’d be a fine play, to walk up to Jon Dhee and say ‘Hi, I’m back, now give me a penny.’”
    â€œDo you think . . . do you think the Nameless Cults will have someone here looking for us?” Harvald asked, licking his lips, his voice a low whisper. “I mean we did just raid a temple of the Rahabi .”
    Erim hadn’t thought of that, and she looked around with a bit more concern.
    â€œMaybe,” Stjepan said with a shrug. “Even if they don’t have a lookout here, one of this lot will sell to them, maybe without even knowing it. Some of this lot could even be from the Nameless themselves, serving two masters at once. The eyes and ears of the Hell-Prince of Intrigue are everywhere, and Amaymon the Spider takes many guises as he spies for the rest of the Forbidden.” All three of them spat to the side at the mention of the name of one of the Forbidden.
    â€œAnd on that note, I guess it’s time to split up,” Stjepan said cheerfully. “If you get followed, run.”
    Erim barked a laugh. “Fuck you, Black-Heart,” she said.
    â€œWe’ll meet at Gilgwyr’s tonight. Be there by midnight. Leigh should be there by then, assuming he manages to get into the city,” said Harvald.
    â€œAh, Leigh doesn’t need to walk through the gates,” said Stjepan with a cold laugh. “And if he does, he won’t look like himself. He’ll be there.”
    â€œAnd we’ll translate the map then, yes, once Leigh’s here. I think it’s important that he be there,” Harvald said to Stjepan, his voice straining.
    â€œIt’s fine, I already told you that I would wait,” Stjepan said, holding up his hands, much to Erim’s relief. “I’m even letting you hold onto the map, just so I don’t get tempted.” It had been the only real source of tension on the journey back to Therapoli; Stjepan had wanted to begin translating the map while they were still on the road, but Harvald warned they should only do so in the relative safety of the city, with its resources at their disposal, and with some exiled magus named Leigh that Erim had never met present to aid them in the deed. She’d seen a real fear in Harvald while she watched them argue, and so had Stjepan, who had finally relented with a puzzled look on his face.

    So they split up, Harvald heading due east up the High Promenade, intent upon the city house of his father, while Stjepan and Erim headed south down toward the Foreign Quarter. Stjepan let rooms over near the University Quarter, but he always stopped at the baths of the Foreign Quarter upon returning to the city.
    Stjepan paused at the Fountain of Ymaire, where he would continue down Sea Way toward Low Plaza and the