Page 64 of Mistress of Bones
“Oh, they’ve tried, believe me. My employer is regretful that such measures must be taken to secure your brother’s cooperation, but there was no other way.”
Azul narrowed her eyes. “And if my brother refuses?” They hadn’t taken her dagger, though they could’ve. They hadn’t harmed her, other than by the nature of jostling her over a shoulder.
“Then I guess you’ll grow to enjoy these quarters.”
With that sentiment, they exited the room. Thesnickof the lock was loud in the following silence, and she had no doubt at least one of them would remain behind to guard the door.
Sancia, a land where who you were, what you could achieve, was nothing compared to what you could do for others. Azul massaged her forehead. She had no qualms in using others, but it was wearing thin that what Azul could do for others far outweighed what anyone was doing forher.
Once her head cleared and her stomach settled, she leaned back against the chair and closed her eyes again.
The woman had finished her repast and was now out of her house. The mouse followed, hungry and fearful of possible predators but stubborn in its pursuit, and Azul felt a pang of guilt. She hadn’t meant to impress her will quite so forcefully on the small animal. She had assumed it’d be fully its own after she had withdrawn from its mind. Something to be watchful for, and something she was grateful hadn’t happened with Isadora.
Isadora’s will was indomitable, her zest for life and adventure unparalleled. No one could control her mind.
Azul followed the mystery woman for as long as she dared, noting the streets she passed, distorted through the mouse’s sight, trying to memorize any recognizable spot.
Then, returning to her present predicament, she abandoned the chair and approached the window. She was on a second floor, facing a shadowed alleyway. Climbing down would be a tricky endeavor.
But no need for such extremes.
Taking out Nereida’s dagger, she went to the door and banged on it. “Open up!”
“Be silent, you screech,” was the response.
She kept up the banging, then stepped to the side. “Open up unless you want the whole town to hear!”
She heard the bolt sliding back. The door opened inward to reveal the man who had carried her, his expression irate. “Shut up, or I’ll make you.”
Azul slid into the opening and slammed into the man with her shoulder. He grunted in surprise and stumbled back. She used the opportunity to twist and bring the pommel of the dagger right intohis groin. And when he doubled over in pain, she brought it down on the back of his head.
The man dropped to the floor. She considered dragging him into the room not to arouse suspicion, but then, if this hallway had any visitors, they wouldn’t have chosen it for keeping her prisoner.
Hiding Nereida’s dagger, she stepped over the man and hurried down the corridor until she found a set of stairs that led into the streets.
It had begun to dawn on Azul that it wasn’t such a good idea that only her brother, Nereida, Enjul, and a mouse had any sort of vested interest in her existence.
Truthfully, Azul wasn’t sure how much her brother would give up for her safety, for all that he appeared happy to have her around. He wasn’t trying very hard to grant her wish to visit the ossuary. And although she was fairly certain Nereida would give finding her a try if Azul were to disappear, how long would that last?
And the emissary? Enjul would likely thank his god for saving him the effort of having to do away with her.
That knowledge somehow smarted the most.
No, better to have one more person, someone unrelated to her small group, who might find it curious if Azul were never to be heard from again.
Once she had put some distance between herself and the house, Azul picked one of the girls peddling wares and asked her to deliver a message.
“You’ll know he’s the correct one because he won’t answer you, no matter how much you ask, but he might look alarmed once you tell him who the message is from,” she told the girl. “And tell him to bring his boss along.”
The headquarters of the blue tabards was an elegant building forming an L around a small plaza. Situated on the west side of town, not toofar from the Temple, it was two stories tall and reminded her of the ambassador’s sprawling estate, only smaller and more concentrated. A handful of trees, such a rare sight in this crowded place, shadowed some tables on one side of the plaza. Blue tabards were making good use of them, while others lounged in what few other shadows they could find. Azul supposed most guards were inside with the cooler air, or performing their duties around the city.
Dusting the front of her skirts, she walked up to one of the tabards guarding the wide main entrance.
“What do you want?” he asked, not very politely.
Making sure her head was tilted just so, Isadora’s earring on full display, she answered with, “I am the Marquess de Gracia’s sister, Azul del Arroyo, and I seek an audience with Captain de Macia.”
The piece of Anchor did the trick, and she was ushered into the great entrance, where a few wooden benches had been provided for waiting visitors. She sat, tucked away against a wall, and studied the magnificent staircase leading up to the second floor, its faded rug silencing the noise of blue tabards’ boots as they hurried up and down the steps. A few other civilians milled around with worried visages, their mouths set in tight lines. Soon, she focused on the hardwood of the floor under her ankle boots. Such a strange thing for it not to be tile or marble or some other polished stone. It was beautiful, even if scratched and scuffed with use, but so odd. And Azul, so cowardly.
