46 – Lucius Merinus

Ummi lurks in the shadows, in the unseen, in the unsaid. She deals in dirty secrets, terrible truths, and dissimulation.

Those who claim membership in the Brotherhood dedicated to her are but the most mediocres of her adepts. Those who got caught.

Where there is shadow, she is.

Excerpt from Demonology, by Alfred Dumries, Keeper of the Iron Ink.

Louis whistled a melody only he knew as he walked along the harbor, taking notes of the departure of the Katori ship. He spotted two Wardens patrolling along the docks, and took an alley into the city. It was narrow, covered in shadows blocking sun and heat.

His steps were relaxed, unhurried. He took the first turn right, then left. That street was larger. A cat was sleeping on a window sill, warming its fur under the sun. He petted it for a moment. The cat purred. He moved on, entering the next dark alley.

It was empty.

He breathed, and looked up. There was a belvedere on the rooftop of the nearest building. He activated his skill, and climbed up the wall.

From there, the harbor revealed itself below him, while most of Esmera was on the slope above. He closed his eyes, and let his senses extend outward.

There were too many shadows in this town. Finding the one he needed would take a while. The alley, the streets, merchants and workers walking together, a shop, a Hand healing a child.

He focused.

Alexandra. She was leaving the city through his hideout.

Louis paused on her shadow, and pressed his lips together. –

His attention shifted to the city gate. One, two, three Wardens.

Not the right place.

He went down the main street, then to the side. Three streets deep into the west-side, there was a tavern bearing the eye insignia. One man sat alone at the counter.

Louis smiled, and jumped down the belvedere. He landed in the empty alley without a sound, and started whistling again. It was a specific sprightly tune.

Soon, he stood before the tavern. A lonely street. An eye carved on the building facade, right above the door. He passed a hand in his hair, and pushed it open.

There were two people in the common room. Three, counting the innkeeper standing behind the bar in front of his target. The others were a man, half-asleep, lounging on his table with three empty mugs around him.

Nobody reacted to his entrance.

Louis walked to the bar, and stood on the opposite end from his target. It was Will. Merinus’ lieutenant. Silver, like him. Not the most competent one.

“Anyway, the boss called us in for a meeting at sunset,” Will grumbled. “I know it’s not good news. That alchemist fucker hasn’t delivered yet.”

The innkeeper eyed the drunkard as he dried a cup with a clean towel.

Will waved his hand. “Bah. He’s knocked out. Won’t remember it.”

“If you say so. Usual place?”

“No. This time, it’s at—”

The door swung open with a bang, and a woman stepped inside. She looked at the door, then at the innkeeper. “Sorry about that.”

The innkeeper nodded, and invited her inside.

Her gaze swept the room, ignoring the drunkard and stopping on Louis. He looked away. A little too fast. Then he came back to her. Their eyes met once more. She smiled, shook her head, and sat at an empty table.

“A glass of Talman,” she called.

Floral wine, not the cheap kind.

“I told you we had interesting company in town.” Will laughed. “What’s a Katori doing here? Your ship has already left, you know.”

“Sampling your alcohol, if you’d let me.”

“You want me to believe they don’t sell Talman in Kator?”

She shook her head. “Of course they do. It’s Kator. But local products always have an edge that gets lost in transport.”

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The innkeeper served her, and returned to his discussion with Will.

Louis tapped his foot on the floorboard. Their lips would be sealed with her here. He looked at her.

The woman was watching him with interest, legs crossed and glass in hand.

The fact that she had spotted him was grating on his nerves. His dissimulation skills’ levels were high enough that a Silver shouldn’t be able to see him if he didn’t want them to. Perhaps her perception was unnaturally high. Or she’d reach the Gold rank.

Either way, it was a variable he hadn’t accounted for.

At least, she hadn’t said anything.

Still looking at him, she brought the glass to her lips. “Not bad. You should try.”

The innkeeper nodded. “Thank you, miss. I’ve naturally tasted the things I sell.”