Mark Newton - Retribution

Putting those thoughts to one side, I lit the cressets and the other candles, allowing the queen’s ‘love nest’ to be seen in all its glory.

Leana woke Nambu and the two soon began to practise sword combat. It was the first time Nambu had done anything remotely like this. At first the fragile frame of the girl didn’t seem to cope with even holding Leana’s spare blade.

‘What if I hurt someone?’ Nambu said, holding the blade with uncertainty.

‘A chance would be a fine thing,’ I remarked dryly from one of the couches. The look Nambu gave me then suggested that there was some considerable spirit within her.

Leana was an incredible warrior and a superb teacher. She had helped refine my own skills over the years. Even after we battled petty criminals in the underworld of Venyn City, she would occasionally correct my technique and give me some inappropriately timed feedback. I watched her now in the light of last night’s revelation. A royal warrior educating another royal.

Leana guided Nambu through some basic moves — how to hold the blade, footwork, posture and so on — and Nambu appeared to take to Leana’s brisk instructions with considerable promise. I cringed the first time Nambu was knocked to the floor — this was a princess in our protection, after all — but the girl simply brushed herself down and got back on her feet again.

After the lesson I located suitable attire for Nambu from the belongings that the queen had sent down for her, in the end opting for a simple brown tunic, dark-grey cloak and military-style black boots — the garb of a boy. For the first time that she could remember, Nambu wore no make-up, did not style her hair as per the fashion and wore no jewellery.

She told us it was rather liberating.

We had managed to leave the palace at a decent hour. The sun had only just risen, so we had not yet lost much in the way of time. Being encouraged by the queen to not use the royal facilities, to keep Nambu’s new situation discreet, we dined out on cheap street food.

In the shadow of a towering statue of Astran, the princess of Koton munched her way through a cheap pastry with remarkable gusto.

‘This stuff is so much better than what we get in the palace,’ she mumbled with her mouth full.

‘It’s probably not as good for your constitution,’ I replied.

‘Don’t care. Can we eat this all the time?’

The three of us walked through the prefecture towards the market. I scrutinized the signs on the stores nearby, some of which were written in Detratan, others — which I had some trouble discerning — were written in Kotonese.

‘What are you looking for?’ Nambu asked, one of many questions that was about to come my way.

‘I’d like to locate a jeweller,’ I replied.

‘Why’s that?’

‘Because. .’ I sighed. ‘You heard me discussing the murders with your mother?’

‘Of course.’

‘So you think you know all the details?’

‘Yes.’

‘Well you don’t. There’s something we didn’t tell her.’

She gave me a look of smug satisfaction. ‘So this is a secret?’

‘Not exactly. I was merely. . managing the information.’

‘It sounds a lot like a secret to me. What is it?’

I reached into my pocket and pulled out the envelope containing the ring we’d found in the bishop’s mattress. I told her where we found it and of the similar stone in the missing amulet belonging to Grendor of the Cape. She examined it carefully before putting it back in the envelope.

‘So, in conclusion, the jewel could be important. But we don’t know what it is. And that’s why we’re here looking for a jeweller — to find out.’

‘Oh. I thought you agents and spy types got to kill people to get information.’

‘No. Well, sometimes she does,’ I nodded towards Leana, ‘but we generally try not to kill. Life is best preserved — there’s almost always a loved one who will be affected by the death, a life to be ruined. Take poor Grendor — his death has now left a wife in mourning and two small children without a father. Such an act is not to be done casually. It can echo down the years.’

Nambu shrugged. ‘You must worry about these things when you get to your age.’

‘I’m not that old,’ I spluttered. ‘Besides, being young is important — you should be enjoying things at your age and not worrying about death.’

She made a noise of dissatisfaction. ‘I don’t get to enjoy all that much, not with my mother around.’

We followed the instructions of a passer-by to locate the nearest jeweller. Even though we kept to the woman’s directions, it was still some time before we managed to find the place.

The shop was tucked down one of the older, more pleasant lanes of the city, one with cobbled surfaces and raised pavements that reminded me somewhat of Tryum. The frontage possessed no windows — or awning, since it was shaded by the surrounding buildings — merely a faded green sign with Vallamon’s Gems painted in a wonderfully esoteric script. Standing by the front door was a tall and muscular man, someone, by the look of him, who might have been familiar with military service. He wore a black tunic and heavy boots, and possessed a broad face, stubble and close-cropped black hair. The owner must have been doing rather well for himself if he could afford private security.

‘Good day, sir. I’d like to meet with Vallamon.’ I noted how the man stood with half his frame across the doorway, as if tempting people to try their luck.

‘Who’s calling?’ he grunted.

‘Lucan Drakenfeld, Officer of the Sun Chamber. We’re on urgent business sanctioned by Queen Dokuz Sorghatan.’

‘Who’re these two?’ With a tilt of his head he indicated Leana and Nambu.

‘My assistants.’

‘You need two assistants?’

‘Yes, I’m a rather busy man. So I’d appreciate it all the more if you hurried along and asked Vallamon if he’s free. This is the queen’s business.’

His dark eyes were drawn to my Sun Chamber brooch, the gold star pinned to my breast. He nodded and turned inside. Muffled voices discussed our presence.

A moment later and he stepped outside once again. ‘All right, you can go inside, one at a time. And you’ — he pointed towards Nambu, who froze looking up along his outstretched finger — ‘you keep your hands in your pockets at all times. We’ve had trouble with lads your age before. I broke the arm of the last one who tried to pinch something, then had their parents complaining afterwards. Law’s the law — you steal, we take it back in whatever way necessary. Saves us the bother of courts and having to pay lawyers.’

I rested my hand upon his forearm and met his gaze. ‘He won’t be any trouble,’ I said firmly, ‘I give you my word.’

He peered down to where I’d touched his arm and made it perfectly clear he didn’t appreciate the gesture, but he stepped aside and let us through.

Vallamon’s Gems was extremely small inside — perhaps a twelve-foot-square room — and lit warmly by dozens of candles. There was a counter to our right, and to the left was a wooden wall containing hundreds of parchments, on which various ink sketches had been made. The remarkably intricate drawings were of different gemstones, ranging in shapes and sizes, as well as the silver or gold in which they had been set, and illegible writing surrounded them that may have been detailing the designs.

From the workshop behind, a small man with slick black hair parted to one side stepped forward into the light.

‘Good morning,’ I said. ‘The jovial chap on the door said it was all right to enter.’

He nodded and said in rough Detratan, ‘Allius is a trustworthy man. I have known him for many years and his judgement has mostly been sound. He informs me you are a man of some standing in society. I approve of men of good standing.’ He grinned. ‘They tend to pay for quality and with purer coin.’