Thraxas and the Sorcerers by Martin Scott

Author:Martin Scott
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: Fantasy, General, Fiction
ISBN: 9780748108992
Publisher: Hachette UK
Published: 2008-09-03T23:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twelve

Honest Mox’s bookmaking establishment is closed for the first time in living memory. The gambling fraternity of Twelve Seas are stunned. I’m standing outside in the snow with about twenty others, looking forlornly at the locked front door.

“What happened?”

“His son just died. From dwa.”

The frustrated gamblers shake their heads. It’s almost too bad to contemplate. We never thought we’d see the day when Mox had to close. There’s a general feeling that if we can make our way here through the bad weather, Mox ought to at least be able to keep his shop open.

People start drifting away, heading north towards the next bookmaker. It’s a frustrating occurrence. I was planning to lay off a little money on Ramius. As Lisutaris is likely to be slung out of the competition I really wanted to cover my losses with another bet. I’ve no time to visit another bookmaker. I need to see Coralex in a hurry. I curse. This job just gets worse and worse.

The wind howls down from the north. By the time I reach Coralex’s house in Golden Crescent, home of the richest merchants, I’m about as angry as a Troll with a toothache. The servant who answers the door tries to keep me out and I just walk over him. They don’t build many domestic servants that can stand up to me. Another functionary attempts to hold me back and I bat him out of the way. Coralex appears at the top of the stairs. I’ve encountered him before in the course of my work, though I’ve never invaded his home before. I march up the stairs and grab him by the throat.

“Coralex. I’m in a hurry. You got some dragon scales recently from a crooked merchant named Rezox. I want to know who you sold them to.”

“Throw this man out of the house,” yells Coralex.

An employee hurries into view, a more formidable specimen than the domestic servants. He’s tall and he carries a sword. I slam Coralex into him then grab him by the scruff of the neck and tumble him downstairs.

I turn back to Coralex.

“As I was saying. What happened to the dragon scales? Stop stammering, I don’t have time. I’m here with the backing of Deputy Consul Cicerius, and if I have to toss you downstairs, the Deputy will move Heaven, Earth and the three moons to see I don’t get prosecuted. He’s already very upset by what he just learned about you.”

The merchant hesitates. I touch my dagger.

“Spill it.”

Coralex spills it. At his age, he isn’t going to get off lightly from a trip down the stairs. A man of his wealth naturally has a very long staircase.

I leave the house with a lot of information, and curses raining down on me from Coralex, his wife, and a very pretty daughter who probably doesn’t know that her father deals in stolen goods. Outside the snow catches me in the face. I shake it off. Now that I’ve really offended someone, I feel like I’m working well.

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