Blue Fire. Janice Hardy

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СКАЧАТЬ posters are all over the city,” Aylin said, tossing her hat on the front table of carved wood with onyx inlays. Worth a fortune, perhaps enough to pay the bribes we’d need for passage to the mainland if we ran. Running would be harder now with the reward out there.

      “Soldiers are putting them up,” added Danello. “A lot of people aren’t happy about it. We saw one of the shopkeeps tear it down right in front of the soldiers. He called you a hero.”

      Hero and murderer, all in the same day.

      “They nailed the poster up again and he ripped it down again.” Danello shook his head. “You should have seen him.”

      “That’s when they beat him up,” Aylin said. “We got out of there fast after that.”

      People I didn’t even know were getting hurt defending me. Some hero. No matter what I did, someone suffered.

      “You OK?” Danello asked, taking my hand and rubbing his thumb across my knuckles.

      “I didn’t expect this.”

      “You knew the Duke was looking for you.”

      “No, not that. The shopkeep. People sticking up for me.”

      Aylin huffed. “You saved the lives of thirty Healers, stopped the Luminary from stealing Geveg’s pynvium, and basically spat in the Duke’s eye. Of course they’re going to stick up for you.”

      “I’d be happier if they didn’t.” I had more responsibility than pockets already. I’d got everyone into this, so I had to protect them. Grannyma used to say, a life saved was a debt owed.

      “Well, you’re a hero now, so get used to it.”

      Or a murderer, depending on who you asked.

      A heavy knock shook the front door.

      “Are you expecting anyone?” Danello said in a low voice.

      “Soldiers trying to arrest us?” I joked, though it didn’t sound at all funny. Danello motioned me to stay back. I ducked behind a doorway with Aylin while he peeked out the window.

      “It’s the rent collector,” he whispered.

      My stomach tightened. We’d paid for the whole month just last week.

      “Maybe she’ll go away,” I said.

      Another hard bang.

      “Or maybe not,” said Aylin.

      Danello held out both hands. “What should I do?”

      More insistent banging. She’d start to draw attention if she kept it up. Soek left the kitchen, a dripping wooden spoon in his hand. He held it like a weapon, and with good cause. He’d been in the spire room with Tali too.

      “I know you’re in there,” the rent collector shouted. “Open up and talk to me.”

      For the love of Saint Saea, I didn’t need this today.

      “Open it,” I said, stepping into the hall.

      She didn’t wait to be invited in. Just marched right past Danello and over to me. “Rent’s due.”

      “We already paid it.”

      “It’s due again. And it’s gone up.”

      I folded my arms and tried not to scream my frustration. A handful of jewellery had convinced her that Aylin, Tali and I were Zertanik’s daughters. She’d doubled the rent, probably planning to pocket the extra, but let us stay. She could throw us out if she wanted, and we had nowhere else to go. “How much?”

      She grinned and handed me one of the reward posters. “Five thousand oppas.”

      Chapter Two

      I didn’t know whether to scream or shiver.

      Danello scowled. “How could you turn her in? She’s Gevegian, same as you.”

      “Look, I could have gone to the Governor-General and gotten the reward money from him. I didn’t. But I can’t let five thousand oppas pass me by.” She glanced around the town house, her eyes shimmering with greed. “None of this is yours anyway, so what do you care if I get some? We all win.”

      Not if she took so much that it drew attention at the alley market. That was the only place in Geveg to sell stolen goods, and even though the soldiers were bribed to look the other way, if enough riches hit the market at once, people noticed, so they had to report it. We could both benefit if she didn’t get too greedy. She needed us to pose as tenants for the Baseeri owner. If he discovered Zertanik was dead, he’d claim everything in the town house for himself.

      I looked at Danello, red-faced and shaking his head behind her.

      “Can I offer you something in Verlattian teak?” I said, waving at the sitting-room furniture. If she wanted money so badly, let her haul it away.

      “No, I think those blue crystal decanters are more my style. And maybe these statuettes?” She brushed past me and ran her fingers over the goldstone figures of the Seven Sisters. “These will cover it.”

      And then some. “Help yourself.”

      “A lot for one person to carry.”

      I gritted my teeth. “I’m sure we can find you a pack of some kind to carry them. Aylin? Could you check upstairs, please?”

      Aylin slapped the banister, muttering something about finding a bag big enough to stuff her head into, and disappeared.

      The rent collector pursed her lips and looked around the room. “More than just the three of you living here now.”

      I crossed my arms. “We have guests for dinner.”

      “Oh, I’d say longer than dinner.” She leaned over and looked up the stairs. The Takers fled into their rooms. “What are you all doing here anyway?”

      “Trying to survive, same as you.”

      She nodded absently. “Nice place. Wish I could move in myself, but the Baseeri scum who owns it would get suspicious, and then all these trinkets would go to waste, eh?”

      I kept my face still. She kept scanning the room, the walls, and I pictured her totalling up the oppas. The neighbours would also get suspicious if they saw her carrying out load after load of items. As Grannyma used to say, wealth can make the wise weak, and I doubted the rent collector was all that wise to begin with. She could ruin everything.

      Aylin clomped down the stairs and threw a heavy canvas bag at her. “That should hold them.”

      “Nothing to wrap them in?” She frowned. “What if they chip?”

      “Goldstone doesn’t chip. That’s why it’s so valuable.”

      Her eyes lit up. Saints, did she even know the value of what she was taking?

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