Free Thieves of Islar: Book One of The Heirs of Bormeer by James Shade Page A

all those aboard lost at sea. Since weather reports had not been unusually bad and there were no recent news of pirate or sea elf attacks, the blame for the loss was placed on the navigators, which allowed the trading company to make a case for paying a fraction of the normal widow’s fees. Taxes on the house increased yearly and by the time Coatie came of age, his mother was forced to sell their house for a modest apartment.
    When Coatie was not admitted to the Navigator's College, his mother must have felt she was out of options. She turned to her brother for help. Coatie’s uncle responded by introducing Coatie to Victor Ortelli, explaining that he needed accounting work for his complex business organization.
    Coatie found that in comparison to the mathematics required for navigation by sand clock and astrolabe, the accounting bookwork required by Ortelli was simple. He also found that Ortelli was the leader of a criminal organization involved in everything from smuggling to blackmail.
    As it turned out, Coatie had the skills and personality for quick advancement within Ortelli’s guild. Within two years, Coatie had become Victor’s personal assistant and had remained so ever since. He never told his mother, but he made sure her bills were paid, her apartments were maintained, and a monthly stipend of dozecs were delivered to her accounts.
    The job certainly had its rewards, but was thankless in some ways as well. Victor expected a lot from Shaels, perhaps because he trusted him or perhaps it was because he needed an assistant without the normal thief’s propensity toward greed and advancement. Victor demonstrated special favors to Shaels privately, but publicly made his hours long and inconvenient. Coatie suspected that Victor’s main goal was to avoid unnecessary internal competition for the position. Early morning summons were one of the ways in which Coatie was protected.
    ~
    The guild master’s in-town residence consisted of three apartments on the second floor of a bakery that had been owned by Ortelli’s sister. Surprisingly, Victor had sold it to a civilian when she passed away, and the new owner was not involved in the Guild business at all. Coatie enjoyed his visits to the Ortelli’s apartments as the scents of fresh bread and pastries were intoxicating. As he made his way up the stairs that ran alongside the bakery, Coatie made the decision to drop into the shop after the meeting and buy a pie or two for his trip home.
    As soon as Coatie knocked on the door, he knew Ortelli was in a bad mood.
    “My office, Shaels!”
    Coatie followed his guildmaster’s voice and found Ortelli pacing behind his tamarind desk. Ortelli was a wiry man of medium height. His silver-gray hair was cut short and blended into a finely trimmed beard that accented his shallow cheeks and narrow chin. As usual, Ortelli was impeccably dressed in polished leather boots, woolen socks, and embroidered cotton pants and shirt. Today it was a rust ensemble with a touch of gray that matched the color of Ortelli’s eyes. Despite his age, Victor Ortelli was strong and vibrant. This morning he also seemed to be suffused with a deadly energy.
    Shaels knew better than to interrupt and waited patiently for his guildmaster to lead the conversation. Ortelli made one more pass behind the broad desk and then stopped behind the matching wood chair, placing his palms on the backrest.
    “Sit down, Coatie,” he instructed.
    Coatie complied. Teichmar’s balls. The old man is pissed.
    The anger was reflected in his pacing, the set of his face. But it was undeniable in the rare use of Coatie’s first name.
    Victor Ortelli waited for Coatie to take his seat and then crossed the room behind him. He spoke briefly to his butler giving instructions that they were not to be disturbed. Then he returned to his desk and sat down.
    Coatie waited a few seconds and was about to ask what Ortelli wanted, but his guild leader finally broke his silence before he could