Tan Skulks: A Wielders Novel Book 1 by Anthony James

Author:Anthony James
Language: eng
Format: epub

17

The night was well-progressed when Tan Skulks exited the four-story house that had been the abode of the former Lady Flamuscrax. In true burglar style, he had a large sack slung over one shoulder, which made a clanking and a clonking as his stride jostled the ill-gotten contents. He did vaguely recall Heathen Spout’s admonishment to him that he should try and restrain his thievery and he’d done his best, taking only a fraction of the goods he’d wished to abscond with. By the time he’d put a mere three streets between himself and the scene of the crime, he’d convinced himself that Spout would be proud of his display of control.

Back at the Filigreed Whore he dumped his sack of plunder carelessly in the corner. Skulks was something of a Glitter Bird. This was a feathered avian with an eye for anything with a bright or reflective surface and which stored such items in its nest even though they served it no purpose. Shiny things caught Skulks’ eye and he wanted them. Then, once he had them, he became bored with what he had, but wanted more of them. He was far more interested in the chase itself than the product of a successful hunt.

After three hours of deep slumber, Skulks was awoken by his belly’s urgent enquiry as to whether or not his throat had been cut. He rolled out of bed, stuffed his pockets full of coins from the sack and left his room.

On the street outside, a lucky baker found himself on the better end of a deal as he received twenty Slivers for three of the fresh loaves on the tray he was carrying to his nearby shop. When Skulks had plenty he became careless with his expenditure, which explained why he had no great wealth stashed secretly away in a Treads banking house, nor chests of gems and jewellery buried beneath a sandy beach somewhere.

He’d already finished the three loaves, his stomach juices converting them into energy quicker than his throat could swallow them, when he reached the Chamber Building intending to report to Spout that which he’d seen so far. It was early, but he expected to find her sitting at her desk with a tray of pastries for him to work his way through while they discussed matters.

As it transpired, events did not work out quite so smoothly. Outside the door of Chamber Member Spout there were signs of violence. Her two door guards were gone, but Skulks was able to discern a new gouge in the wood of her door, along with several splinters of metal on the floor. There had been no sounds of alarm so far. Cautiously, Skulks opened the door and looked in. The room was empty of life, though there was death present in the form of the door guards who had been chopped to pieces by objects of a sharp nature. Of Spout there was no sign.

Skulks dropped himself into the state of concentration required to hear what had happened in the room.

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