David Baldacci - The Finisher

“She won fair and square,” replied Delph. “No luck about it. Har!”

As we walked off, I said, “You bet on me?”

“Course I did.”

“I didn’t know you wagered.”

“Every Wug takes a flutter now and again and I ain’t no different, am I?” he said casually.

“What if I’d lost? Did you have the coin to lose?”

“I put it on credit. Besides, I knew you were going to win,” he said flatly.

“But what if I didn’t?”

“Well, then I might have had a wee problem with Roman Picus, mightn’t I?”

“Delph, you’re mental, you really are.”

“And we’re also winners this light, Vega Jane.”

We were winners, both of us. I hadn’t felt this good in a really long time.

Even with a bashed-in face.

LATER, DELPH USEDhis coins to treat us to a meal at a shop on the High Street called the Starving Tove. I had never eaten a meal in a shop before. It was not something that a working Wug like myself could ever have considered. To pay another Wug perfectly good coin to sit leisurely at a table and be served a fancy meal seemed barmy.

I absolutely loved it!

Before we went, Delph and I had cleaned up and I had put on the only other set of clothes I owned — a wool skirt that nearly reached the ground and a long-sleeved shirt made from amaroc hide that had belonged to my mother. I even found an old hat of hers from a pile of odds and ends in the corner. It was wide-brimmed and faded and looked, I’m sure, hideously old-fashioned. But I wanted to wear it that night more than anything I had ever owned.

I had run cold water from the pipes over my eye, but it was still so puffy I could barely see out of it. I had decided against using the Adder Stone to heal it. Wugs might get suspicious with such a speedy recovery.

We sat at a table in the back of the Starving Tove. Other Wugs sat at several tables nearer the front. I didn’t know if that was because we weren’t dressed as nicely, but it probably was. The other Wugs eating there — two of whom were members of Council — occasionally glanced over at us and then had whispered conversations. I tried to ignore it, but it wasn’t easy.

Delph, who had obviously noted this, said, “Everybody knows you now, Vega Jane.”

I focused on him. “What?”

“Beat a male, didn’t you? First female ever to do it in a Duelum. Famous you are.”

I thought about this for a sliver or two and looked around at some of the Wugs who were staring at me. A couple smiled and nodded encouragingly. Maybe Delph was right.

When our food came, I couldn’t believe the abundance of it. I didn’t even pick up my fork. I just looked at the heaping plate in front of me. I whispered to Delph, “Do we just take a bit and then pass it on to the other tables?”

“’Tis all yours, Vega Jane.”

“Are you sure?” I said incredulously.

“Yup.”

“But you’ve never been here, have you?”

“Once.”

“When?” I demanded.

“After I won a Duelum. Roman Picus took me here.”

“Why would that lout take you anywhere?”

“It was me first Duelum. I was the underdog. Picus bet many coins on me and won. So he treated me to a meal. Only thing I ever got from that great git, o’course.”

I looked down at the cornucopia of meats, vegetables, cheeses and breads, and licked my lips like a hungry canine. Which reminded me, I had to save some of this for Harry Two, who was patiently waiting outside.

Thirty slivers later, I set down my fork and knife. I had my berry juice topped off and took a last long draught and rubbed my full belly. I then let out a long sigh and stretched like a feline after a nap. Delph grinned at me.

“Good eating,” he said.

“You shouldn’t have, Delph. It cost a coin apiece. I saw the menu board out front.”

“Coins you won me, so there.”

Well, I couldn’t really argue with that. And I had the bruises and bloodletting to show for it. I got a small bag from the server and put the rest of my meal in it for Harry Two. As we were walking out, a well-dressed female Wug rose from her table and shook my hand. “I am very proud of you, my dear Vega Jane,” she said.

I had seen her before. Her mate was on Council. He sat there in his great black tunic and stared up at me with a disapproving expression. I imagined he might be one of Krone’s allies. He didn’t put out his hand for me to shake. But then again, he wouldn’t, would he? Some of my dirt might rub off on him.

Her mate pulled her back to her chair and looked at her reproachfully.

“Thank you,” I managed to mumble and then hurried on.

I heard them start arguing as we reached the door.

Outside, I gave Harry Two his meal right there on the cobblestones. As he gobbled it up, I turned to Delph.

“Thanks for the meal.”

He smiled. “It was a good light.”

“It was a great light. When will the next Duelum round be?”

“Two lights.”

I groaned. I thought there would be a longer interval.

“When will we know who we have to fight?”

“Next night.”

We walked back to my digs and sat in front of the empty fireplace.

It was night now and my eyes were heavy.

Delph noted this, rose and we said our good-byes. I watched him walk off down the Low Road until I could see him no longer. I closed the door and lay on my cot, Harry Two next to me. And then I did the only thing I could do. I closed my eyes and fell asleep.

THE NEXT LIGHTat Stacks began with Newton Tilt, a tall, muscled eighteen-session-old Cutter coming over to me to congratulate me on my victory. He was nice, very good-looking and I had always considered him quite slithy. In fact, I would sometimes snatch a glance while he worked away.

“I’m glad you beat that git Loon,” he said, dazzling me with a wide smile. He lowered his voice. “You have a friend in the Tilt family, Vega, never fear. Done me heart good to see you tell Krone off like that.”

I smiled and thanked him and watched him walk off, my heart growing warm.

The next round of competitors would be posted at the first section of night. I was both anxious and leery to know. If I had drawn Delph, I didn’t know what I would do. I thought about us making a run for the Quag now. That would prevent them from taking my punishment out on Delph. Yet something held me back. Well, it was quite clear what was holding me back. I had given my word that I would fight my hardest in the Duelum. That had been my deal with Morrigone. She was not my favorite Wug. But a promise was a promise. I didn’t mind lying occasionally, particularly when it helped me survive. To go back on my word, though, that was something my grandfather never would have done. And neither would I. It would be a taint on the Jane name.

I usually couldn’t care less what other Wugs thought. But this was different. I would never forget the look Thansius had given me when the marks were revealed on my skin. I just wanted to show him that, well, that I was an honorable, if not overly clean, Wug.

I looked up quickly when I spotted his shadow across my workstation.

Domitar was staring at me. I glanced up at him expectantly.

“You did well last light, Vega, very well indeed.”

“Thank you, Domitar.”

“I won twenty coins on you, in fact,” he added in a giddy tone, rubbing his fat hands together.

I was very surprised by this, and my features must have revealed that.

He waved this look off. “I knew you would win. Cletus Loon is an even bigger idiot than his father.” He toddled off, chuckling to himself.