The Sigil Masters by Rick Duffy

Author:Rick Duffy [Duffy, Rick]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Indie Author Project
Published: 2020-08-14T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Thirty

“They want us dead?” Par’s tongue felt like it had been dragged through sawdust.

Enio pointed to another line. “They get a lot less money that way.”

“Great.” Par sensed Lani’s eyes on him. He couldn’t meet them. “Now what?”

Enio took back the parchment, crumpled it and tossed it over the rail. He began lifting Lani to her feet. “Come on. I found a room. I don’t think the guy recognized my face.”

“We don’t have any money.”

“Well, I don’t.”

Was his friend being thick? They’d lost everything escaping Agron.

Enio stared at Par’s chest, and Par remembered—his Lustering medal. He thumbed it through his shirt. It was the last thing he had of his home and his family.

“Hurry.” Enio reached out. “Before we get caught.”

There was no choice. With a heavy heart, Par lifted it over his head.

Enio grabbed it. “Let’s go.”

They supported Lani at every step. Enio led them to a building fronting the river where a worn sign read Rooms, then to an ugly line of doors. “Wait here.” He disappeared around a corner.

Lani rested against the peeling wooden wall.

Par watched the wharf from the corner of his eye. No one else came close. He touched his chest again.

“Was that pendant important to you?” Lani asked softly.

Par wanted to lie, tell her it was nothing, but he couldn’t bring himself to do it.

She seemed to understand. “I’m sorry.”

Enio returned with a rusty key and unlocked a door.

The tiny room smelled of liquor and sweat. They laid Lani on the narrow bed. Near its head was a wooden chair and a small table that held an empty washbasin and a cold, half-burnt candle. A cracked mirror hung on the wall, and the single window by the door was thickly curtained.

Par wrinkled his nose. “You couldn’t get anything better?”

Enio dropped the key and a few coins onto the table. “Not if we want to eat too.” He slumped to the floor, his back against the door.

Par checked Lani’s breathing. She’d passed out again—all he could do was let her rest. He dropped into the chair. “Dead or alive? Why would they want me dead? You’re the one who committed heresy.”

“So much for the Silver Sea.” Enio hung his head. “I should’ve stayed in St. Livius.”

“They’d have executed you.”

“What’s changed?” he mumbled. “Except the Sea Dog—I wouldn’t have had to…” He trailed off.

With all that had happened since they’d left the abbey, this was what Enio focused on? “Can’t you let that go?”

Enio’s eyes flashed. “I did let it go, remember?”

Par did remember, standing at the edge of the Urdel, watching Enio surrender the little canoe to the stream. But he didn’t want to get into that. They’d barely gotten Lani from the coracle to the room. How long did she have left? “We have to find Vex.”

“How?”

“I don’t know!” Par shouted, overcome with frustration. He caught himself and sighed. “If we’d gotten here quicker—”

“And that’s my fault?” Enio snapped.

“I didn’t say—”

“I broke my back rowing that damn boat—by myself.”

“Well, you’re the river guy. I didn’t think—”

“Par didn’t think?” Enio huffed and looked away.

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