Page 24

“A Scalvert’s Stone?” asked Tandri, returning Viv’s keys.

They sat across from one another at the big table the following morning, long before Thimble was due. Tandri had unlocked the door and slipped inside in the wee hours, not that Viv had been asleep. As promised, she was recounting the meeting, and she omitted nothing. “Ever heard of them?”

“I haven’t. I mean, I suppose I know what a scalvert is. Mostly from children’s stories.”

“They’re large and ugly and mean. Lots of eyes. More teeth than you’d like. Hard to kill. And the queen of a hive grows a stone, here.” Viv tapped her forehead.

“And it’s worth something?”

“Not to most people. But I came across some legends. Heard it in a song first, if you can believe it.”

Viv fished the scrap of parchment from her pocket and slid it across to Tandri, who unfolded it and read.

Her eyebrows rose. “The ley lines. No wonder you twitched every time Hemington mentioned them.”

“You noticed that, huh?”

“ Draws the ring of fortune, aspect of heart’s desire…. ” Tandri looked up at her. “So it’s, what, a good luck charm?”

“A handful of long-dead people thought so. I’m not sure that’s exactly what they meant, but the idea comes up again and again.

There’s a lot of old mythology around the Stones, but you don’t hear about them much these days.

Probably because there aren’t a lot of Scalvert Queens around and even fewer people willing to kill one. ”

“Well, you’ve certainly piqued my interest. Where does one hide a maybe-magical luck stone?”

Viv rose from the bench, motioned for Tandri to do likewise, and slid the big table aside a few feet. She squatted, dug sand from around the flagstone, and pried it up and out with the ends of her fingers.

She carefully scooped aside earth, revealing the stone, which glistened as though wet.

“Been here since the first day,” said Viv.

Tandri squatted to examine the stone. “I have to say, my mental image was a little more spectacular. And you think it’s responsible for all this?” She gestured at the surrounding building.

Viv thought it might be responsible for a lot more than the building but didn’t elaborate.

“I’ve had my doubts, but the Madrigal sure seems to think so.”

“But, she let you leave. Why hasn’t she already taken it?” Tandri’s expression was dubious. “In fact, why aren’t her men here right now tearing this place apart?”

Viv carefully set the flagstone back in place and brushed sand in around it. “I’ll get to that.” She slid the table back into place, and they both sat again. “You remember Fennus?”

“Difficult to forget. And….” She glanced at the scrap of verse on the table, brow furrowing as she thought back. “It’s obvious now that he knew you had it.”

“Yep. And it sounds like he made sure the Madrigal knew, too.”

“Why, though? Pure maliciousness? You left on terms that bad?”

Viv sighed. “My guess is that I made a stupid mistake, telling him it was all I wanted from our last job, which I had a hand in finding in the first place. He was probably suspicious afterward and did a little digging of his own. He must have figured I was trying to cut them out of something big. Or more importantly, cut him out.”

“If he wants the stone, I don’t understand why he’d tip off another interested party.”

“Why confront me over it, if he could leave that to someone I’m already striking sparks from?

Just like him, honestly, to stand back and let someone else bleed.

Maybe I’d panic, and he’d catch me moving it, saving him the search.

Failing that, it’s always a good idea to let your enemies soften each other up first. Wait until the dust settles, and poke through the ashes.

Could be he gets what he wants without a hair out of place. ”

“All right, but that doesn’t explain why the Madrigal hasn’t taken it.”

Viv chuckled ruefully. “Well, I can’t be positive it’s the only reason, but it sounds like he just rubbed her the wrong way.”

“That’s it?”

“I mean, he is an enormous dick.”

"I don’t get the impression he’s going to give up that easily, is he?”

Viv frowned. “Definitely not. In fact, he’s probably much more dangerous now.” She glanced at the door and couldn't help imagining Fennus with his ear pressed to the keyhole. “I’ll take care of it, though.”

There was a long silence while Tandri tapped her lower lip, her tail making lazy loops. At length, she said, “Setting that aside. What about the protection money? What about the Madrigal’s little enforcer squad?”

Viv spread her hands. “We came to an arrangement. Her idea.”

“An arrangement?”

“Well, there is going to be a payment, of sorts. Weekly, in fact.”

Tandri’s brow wrinkled in consternation.

“I guess she likes Thimble’s cinnamon rolls.”

* * *

When Thimble arrived at his usual time, he was laboring under the burden of a wooden box about two feet long and one foot wide. Viv took it off his hands, and he directed her with a paw to the pantry, where she set it down and removed the lid. Inside, packed in straw, was…

“Ice?” she asked.

The rattkin gestured at the cold-pit, where they kept the cream and several baskets of eggs. “ Colder. Keeps longer. ”

“Where did you get it, though?”

“Must be from the gnomish gasworks?” said Tandri.

Thimble nodded enthusiastically.

“I don’t know what that is?”

“It’s a big building on the river, steam- and water-powered. I’m not clear on the mechanics, but somehow they can produce ice.”

“Huh.” Viv glanced over at the coffee machine. “Guess I’m not surprised. How much did this cost you, Thimble?”

He shrugged.

“Well, from now on, we’ll pay for it. You hear?”

He nodded agreeably and began transferring the chunks of now-melting ice into the cold-pit.

She glanced across the room. “Actually… this gives me an idea.”

* * *

Viv slid into the booth across from Hemington, who looked up distractedly from his research. She pushed a mug over to him.

He blanched and then quickly mustered a smile. “Why, thank you. But as I’ve said, I don’t really like–”

“Yes, I know. Hot drinks.” She nudged it closer.

He pulled it the rest of the way, and his eyebrows shot up as he examined the contents. “Cold?” A few small chunks of ice bobbed in the coffee, and sweat pearled on the mug. He took a tentative sip, licked his lips, and gave the drink a considering look. “You know, that’s not bad.”

“Great,” said Viv, lacing her fingers together and leaning forward on the table. “I have a little favor to ask of you.”

His gaze immediately became suspicious. He made to slide the drink back, but then had another quick sip. “A favor?”

“Actually, it might help you . You’ve already set up your ward here, right?”

“I have. But I assure you, it’s–”

She waved a hand at him. “I’m sure it’s fine. Haven’t noticed. What I want to know is, can you set another one?”

“Another?”

“Yes. For a person. A specific person.”

Hemington pursed his lips. “Well, certainly. You understand, I’d need some very precise information and materials to manage that, but, yes, that’s something I could do. You have someone in mind?”

“I do,” said Viv.

By the time they’d finished talking, Hemington had drained his mug and was crunching the ice between his teeth.

* * *

Viv joined Tandri behind the machine. “So. I’m pretty sure we have a new drink to add to the menu. But we’re going to need regular deliveries of ice, I think.”

Tandri smiled at her. “Still room on the board.”

Then her smile fell away.

Viv glanced at the door, and there stood Kellin, again wearing an expression that begged to meet a fist.

He eased up to the counter and leaned on it in a familiar way that made Viv’s skin itch. “Hello, Tandri.”

Tandri didn’t respond, and Viv waited, unsure whether the woman wanted her to intervene or not.

Kellin didn’t seem to notice—or didn’t care about—Tandri’s icy glare and continued, circling one finger on the counter top. “It’s so nice to be able to see you whenever I want. I’d really like for us to see more of each other, and I think that now–”

“Please, leave,” Tandri said tightly.

He looked annoyed at being interrupted. “You know, there’s no call to be rude. I’m just making a friendly gesture. If you’re free this evening, then I could–”

“She asked you to leave,” said Viv. “Now, I’m telling you to.”

The kid glared at her with undisguised loathing. “You can’t tell me a shitting thing,” he spat. “Just try to lay a hand on me, and the Madrigal–”

“Oh, didn’t you know?” Viv interrupted him. “The Madrigal and I had a little meeting. She and I came to a bit of an understanding. Did nobody tell you?”

Kellin laughed, but he couldn’t help sounding—and looking—a bit unsure, especially at her special emphasis on the word she .

“Right,” continued Viv, “and one thing I remember particularly well from our little chat was how much she hated assholes . You know, some people might consider any of her crew to be assholes, just because of the nature of the business. But I don’t think that way.

” She gestured at Blackblood on the wall.

“I’ve got respect for people who have to get their hands dirty to get things done.

That’s just work . No, it takes something special to be a real asshole, and I think she and I are of the same mind. ”

She held his gaze, then crossed her arms.

“ You aren’t an asshole, are you, Kellin? I think she’d be pretty disappointed if that was the case.”

He opened and closed his mouth several times, tried to gather his dignity, and then turned and strode stiffly out of the shop.

Viv didn’t say anything to Tandri, and went right back to her work, but out of the corner of her eye, she caught the barest curve of a smile on the woman’s lips.

* * *

At closing, they took down the menu again, and Tandri revised it.

~Legends & Lattes ~

~Menu~

Coffee ~ exotic aroma & rich, full-bodied roast—⒈／⒉ bit

Latte ~ a sophisticated and creamy variation—1 bit

Any drink ICED ~ a refined twist—add ⒈／⒉ bit

Cinnamon Roll ~ heavenly frosted cinnamon pastry—4 bits

Thimblets ~ crunchy nut & fruit delicacies—2 bits

*

FINER TASTES FOR THE

~ WORKING GENT & LADY ~

As Viv watched Tandri chalk in some snowflakes with a flourish, she felt that old crawling sensation on her back and couldn’t help but glance over her shoulder. She half-expected to find Fennus’s humorless smile at the window.

An old saying came to her unbidden:

The poisoned cup foretells the poisoned blade.