Books of the Elements 2 - Out of the Waters by Drake David

Author:Drake, David [Drake, David]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fantasy, General, Fiction
ISBN: 9780765320797
Publisher: Tom Doherty Associates
Published: 2011-07-19T04:00:00+00:00

***

"Who are you here to see?" Alphena demanded. She was tired and was feeling the strain besides, but she doubted she would have been able to sleep even if she hadn't needed to remain in the back garden with Anna.

The doorman and a carpenter's assistant held a wretched man who was clad in an uncertain number of layers. If they had been clean, he would have looked parti-colored; as it was, they were the uniform shade of filth.

He mumbled something. Alphena couldn't make out the words. "Speak up!" she said in frustration.

"Da noble Alpheno Saxo," the fellow said. He had a strong Gallic accent.

Alphena grimaced. She glanced over her shoulder toward Anna, but there was no need to bother the older woman with this one.

To the servants she said, "Beat him and throw him back into the street."

The carpenter pulled the maul from beneath his sash. Alphena snapped, "Don't kill him! Well, try not to kill him."

The beggar squalled as Alphena slouched back onto the garden bench. He was the third one who had tried to slip into Saxa's house with the steady trickle of delivery people, some of whom looked just as disreputable as he did.

Anna was busy with a growing array of paraphernalia. She had brought three small wooden chests from Corylus' apartment--members of Alphena's escort had carried them behind the litter--but she had sent a score of messengers out in the hours since they arrived here, to order more materials. Supplies, mostly in baskets or jars, arrived in response--sometimes with the messenger, but more often brought by unfamiliar men or women.

Some of the beggars living in the cul-de-sac had thought that gave them an opportunity. They had been wrong.

Alphena grinned at the recollection. At least the intruders had provided occupation for the considerable company of servants in the alley--footmen, messengers, watchmen. The deputy steward Callistus acted as paymaster, but he was under the observation of two clerks from the Accounts Division.

Alphena had directed a pair of servants to carry a bench just inside the open back gate. Though wicker, it would have been an awkward load for one person. Alphena had decided not to move it herself, especially while wearing the long sword. The servants could have lifted marble furniture as easily: it just would have required more of them.

There were scores lounging around nervously, after all. Nobody in the household seemed to have slept since Hedia was abducted.

Alphena stayed by the gate not so much because Anna needed help--she didn't--but so that anybody who arrived got a hearing instead of a blow. Several of the people bringing the old woman's orders would have been lucky to escape with their lives if they came to Saxa's door under normal circumstances.

Anna hummed quietly as she worked. Alphena didn't know whether the tune had magical significance or if Anna simply hummed while she was working. She seemed focused and content, if not exactly cheerful. Apparently her forebodings had been submerged as she lost herself in the activity.

Someone opened the interior door, peeked in, and quickly closed the door again.

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