Free Fire of the Soul by Flora Speer Page B

to
him.”
    “Good,” Garit said. “I’ll want a cabin large
enough for my grandmother, her companion, and a maid. Then, another
cabin for myself and my squire, and space for six men-at-arms. And
the horses, too, of course.”
    “Ye’ll have to share yer cabin with Lord
Durand,” Pyrsig said, and named a price that Garit knew was high.
But he wasn’t inclined to argue. He’d expected to share the cabin.
He and Durand had counted on that.
    “Done,” Garit said. “When do you plan to
sail?”
    “In two days,” Pyrsig told him. “‘Tis a waste
of money to sit tied up here when I could be sailin’ and makin’ a
bit of gold. Where’s yer grandmam?”
    “Still at Saumar Manor. I’ll send someone to
tell her to start out at once. She won’t object, and she’ll not
delay you. She’s eager to be on her way.”
    His arrangements completed, Garit strolled
for a short distance along the waterfront, looking at the
established shops and the temporary booths, watching the men and
women who gathered eagerly around the goods being unloaded from
newly arrived ships. Commerce was brisk and the area was crowded,
so he needed a while to locate his fellow agent. Their gazes met.
That was signal enough.
    Garit moved away from the waterfront, turning
onto a street that led to the center of the city. A lithe young
man, well dressed, with auburn hair that was neatly clubbed off his
face into a tight knot fell into step beside him.
    “You are two days late,” the young man said
without looking directly at Garit or pausing to greet him. He moved
a pace or two ahead of Garit, still not looking at him, as if they
were strangers who just happened to be heading in the same
direction.
    “My grandmother detained me.” Garit spoke
without seeming to take note of the young man. “But the delay was
worthwhile. She has provided a credible reason for me to return to
Kantia. I am conducting her to Kinath, and I’m sure I can find an
excuse later for us to continue on to Kerun.”
    “Excellent. I assume you’ll be aboard The
Kantian Queen as we planned?”
    “We will be. In fact, you and I are sharing a
cabin with Anders. Have you received any new information?”
    “No, and that worries me. Rumors abound about
where the Emerald is and where it may be taken, but no one knows
for certain. All we can do is follow Serlion’s orders to visit
Kerun City and make contact there with Queen Laisren. I have no
idea what The Great Mage expects us to do after that. I confess, I
prefer to know more about any mission I undertake.”
    “So do I,” Garit agreed. “Perhaps the queen
will have orders for us. Or perhaps your sister will have more
information. On a different subject, my stepmother has married one
of King Dyfrig’s nobles.”
    “Never say so.” Durand slowed his steady
pace. “Shall we consider that arrangement good fortune, or
bad?”
    “Don’t stop here, and don’t look directly at
me,” Garit warned. “Three men just turned onto this street from a
side alley.” Even as he spoke, Garit could see the advice was
unnecessary.
    The men coming toward them were talking among
themselves, gesturing and laughing as they discussed the charms of
a tavern wench in loud voices. Still, they could have been
dissembling. Garit and Durand fell silent until the three had
passed by and continued on to the docks.
    “What do you know about your new stepfather?”
Durand asked when it was again relatively safe to speak.
    “His name is Mallory and he joined Dyfrig’s
company while Dyfrig was still Prince of the Northern Border. To
all appearances, he is just one of the group of young nobles who
are making their fortunes as Dyfrig’s friends. And like others in
that group, he seems to have had no past before he reached the
Northern Border.”
    “Interesting, but probably not significant
for us.” Durand took a step away from Garit, preparing to turn into
a cross street. “As you said, Dyfrig has a large group of similar
men gathered about