Marie Brennan - Doppelganger

So they made do. Vilardi did not have enough inns to house everyone, but the shipping families didn’t care; they were accustomed to living in their wagons and tents, leaving the much pricier hotels for the silk men. Mirage and Eclipse, approaching the town from the west, encountered the perimeter of the tent city long before they reached Vilardi itself.

“Looks like most of the major overland shippers in the east,” Mirage said to Eclipse as they drew closer. The large wagons at the heart of the tent circles had sprouted poles from which an assortment of banners flapped. “What do you want to bet there are at least three Wind-blades in there?”

“Might be some other Silverfires, too,” he replied, scanning the area.

“Marell would’ve mentioned it if there were. Most of them are probably hiring bodyguard specialists.” That might very well be why the Silk Consortium had gone for Avalanche; Hunters were dedicated to their employers above their schools, but not everyone believed that. “Let’s go ask a few questions. Vilardi’s not large, but they could save us some searching.”

The perimeter guard eyed them suspiciously as they approached; Mirage belatedly wished that she had covered or dyed her hair. Then again, maybe that wasn’t what was putting him off. Neither of them was in uniform, but it didn’t take a genius to recognize Hunters, or to at least guess that they were dangerous. She relaxed her posture and held both hands out wide; beside her Eclipse did the same. The guard did not seem reassured by this indication of goodwill.

“What’re you after?” he muttered, flexing his hands on the grip of his pike. The man was thick around the middle, but he still looked like he meant business. “What business do you have here?”

“None in your camp,” Eclipse said. “We’re not trying to enter. We’re just looking for where your leaders are meeting with the Consortium’s men.”

Mirage knew it was the wrong thing to say the moment the words came out of his mouth. The guard’s eyes narrowed further, and he stretched the pike forward threateningly. “I’m not telling you that. Get gone, before I call more guards on you! And if you show your faces around here or near any of our people, it’ll be more than a warning!”

Swearing inwardly, Mirage nevertheless composed her face and bowed in her saddle. “We apologize for bothering you.”

“Get out of here!”

They wheeled their horses and left the camp’s entrance it a fast trot. Once they were a safe distance away, they pulled up and eyed each other wryly.

“Stupid of us,” Mirage said. “They’re so nervous they’re hiring bodyguards, and we ask them where they’re meeting?”

“Not the brightest idea we’ve had,” Eclipse agreed.

They veered south, giving the encampment a wide berth, and circled around to the eastern side of the town. Mirage fumed at the delay, and at their own foolishness, tat there was no help for it now. They’d just have to hope the shipping guards didn’t cause them any trouble in the town itself.

Inside Vilardi’s walls, the streets were packed. Not only had the Consortium and the shipping companies brought their people, others had flocked to the town in hopes of parting the visitors from their coin. The result was a madhouse.

“We’ll be lucky if we can find a room anywhere !” Eclipse called over his shoulder, his tone sour. Mirage silently agreed. She had forgotten how small Vilardi was. Had there been a Silverfire agent here, they might have had a hope, but the town wasn’t usually important enough to merit one.

The day had grown old and Mirage’s patience had fayed to the breaking point before they found a place to stay. Tiny, with only one bed to split, and with more than a fair share of vermin. Her lip curled, but she said nothing. We’re lucky we’ve got even this much. However little it is. You’ve slept in more disgusting places—that flop-wise in Liak, before you got the first commission and had enough coin for something better .

Her wrist tingled at the reminder. This assignment was definitely important enough to be worth enduring a few lice. Or even an army of lice.

A handful of men in the common room made lewd comments to her every time she walked through; she smiled and returned them in kind, although she had no intention of following through. It was the safest way to handle this type of thug; if she looked intimidated, or too defensive, she’d identify herself as an easy mark or a target in need of taking down. As it stood, they grinned, and winked, and left her alone.

As soon as their things were settled, with the bill paid in advance, of course, Mirage and Eclipse took to the streets once more. Their innkeeper had no more idea of where the Consortium and the shippers were meeting than how to spell his own name, so they’d have to search for it themselves.

A second tour of the town brought no more results than the first had; despite the cramped quarters, the leaders involved were doing a remarkable job keeping things secret. Mirage would have been impressed, had it not irritated her so much. I’m not here for their Void-damned meeting. I just want to find Avalanche, talk to him, and get on with this job .

The Warrior, it seemed, heard her prayers. When they turned onto a street they’d walked six times already, they found a procession coming from the other direction. Guards formed a thick wall, shoving the crowd back, keeping a protective space around the core of their ring. At the heart of it all was a palanquin, richly hung with embroidered silks. That was, no doubt, the leader of the Consortium. Mirage could have cared less about him, though; it was the riders that interested her. One of them, dressed to match the rest, was nevertheless recognizable.

“Follow him,” Eclipse said in her ear.

They tailed the procession discreetly; it went straight to the richest inn Vilardi boasted. The grounds were swarming with more guards, which didn’t surprise Mirage in the least. If they were to get Avalanche’s attention, they’d have to do it out here.

The two Hunters quickened their pace accordingly, working their way ahead of the slow-moving procession until they were as near the inn wall as they could safely get. Then, as the riders around the palanquin approached, Eclipse gave a piercing whistle.

It caught Avalanche’s attention, of course; he was watching everything, from the rooftops to the windows to the beggar children in the alleys. In a crowd like this, his nerves had to be hair-triggered. The whistle brought his head around with a snap. He spotted Mirage and Eclipse and gave them one curt nod. Then he was through the gates and into the courtyard.

Mirage and Eclipse settled down to wait.

Avalanche was quick; he was back outside before a quarter of an hour had passed. The three Hunters withdrew to a nook not quite as exposed to the watching eye.

“Make it fast,” he said, still scanning the crowd. “It’s supper soon, and I have to be there to taste everything.”

“The joys of bodyguarding,” Eclipse said wryly. “We need to talk with you, though. Can you come meet us? We’re in—What’s the place called?” he asked Mirage.

“The Barmaid’s Bosom,” she said, keeping her face bland.

Avalanche grimaced. “I wouldn’t visit you there even if I could. But I can’t leave him alone for that long anyway. You’ll have to come here; I’ll tell the guards. What do you need to talk about?”

“We’ve been blood-oathed to investigate Tari-nakana’s assassination,” Eclipse said.

The words made Avalanche go pale. Mirage would have been more subtle about it, but after all, Eclipse knew the other Hunter better than she did. “Do me a favor and don’t mention that too loudly around here,” Avalanche said. “It doesn’t look good if they know the last person I protected ended up dead.”