The Collarbound by Rebecca Zahabi

Author:Rebecca Zahabi [Zahabi, Rebecca]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781473234406
Publisher: Orion
Published: 2022-05-12T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eight

Isha, Kilian and the other apprentices bumped into Tatters as he was leaving the Coop. He was pushing a small barrel in front of him, which reached up to his knee. He greeted them with one hand, using the other to stabilise the cask.

‘Where are you going?’ asked Isha. There was little point staying at the tavern if she couldn’t train.

‘To see Arushi,’ he said.

Kilian was on the tavern’s threshold. The friends they had come with went inside, but he lingered.

‘You coming?’ he asked Isha.

She glanced from him, in the golden light of the inn, to Tatters, who already had his back to her, and was bent awkwardly to pivot his barrel.

‘Go in, I’ll join you later,’ she said.

Kilian pulled a face. He stayed, scuffing his shoes on the doorstep; for a moment, it looked as if he was about to offer to come with them, but Tatters was leaving, and Isha couldn’t wait for Kilian to make up his mind.

‘See you soon,’ she promised.

She ran to catch up with Tatters. She could see him smiling.

‘I’m flattered,’ he said.

She walked alongside him. The beaten ground wasn’t too difficult to navigate, but once they reached the cobbles the barrel either got caught in the irregular stones or bounced out of control. Isha leant over to help Tatters. The cask was heavier than she had expected, and she had to use all her weight to roll it. They each held one end as the alcohol sloshed inside.

‘They invited you again?’ Isha asked, in part to make conversation.

‘No, I’m inviting myself.’ Tatters guided them towards the Pit. They had to avoid people on foot, carts pulled by horses, kids who kicked their barrel as they pushed past. ‘You still need a present, though. And it still can’t be food if it’s khers.’ When folk spotted Isha’s robes, they moved out of the way. A few cart drivers called out to Tatters as he went past, and he waved back without breaking his stride. ‘Can’t be the same present as before. Beer is always popular. Plus, the innkeeper gave me a good price for it.’

Isha spotted the mudbrick walls of the Pit, then the two kher guards. They weren’t the same ones as before. As before, however, they lurked in the shade of the wall, arms crossed, heads lowered so their horns pointed towards the humans ambling past.

The city is full of locks, thought Isha. Locks and doors.

‘I get stopped by lawmages at the Nest and by khers here,’ she said.

Tatters smiled again. She could tell he was in a good mood.

‘Power is the number of thresholds you can cross,’ he said.

As they got within earshot, the khers shuffled towards the entrance. The nearest one called out:

‘You with them?’

He shoved his chin, indicating something behind them. Tatters and Isha turned.

A group of humans were drawing closer – nearly ten of them, including one lawmage. His undyed belt stood in stark contrast to his rich outfit. They walked three-by-three, in rows, surrounding one man at the centre.

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