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.Made the hair stand up on my neck, it did.”“And then they just left?”“Aye, m’lord.”Owain nodded.It was a stroke of tremendous luck—luck the lad had survived and luck that had brought him and his men to the little village.Damn the duke of Vomaro.If the incident had been followed up when it had happened, then such details might have made their way to Hearne months ago.At any rate, at least it was known now.“One last thing, m’lord.I know this might sound strange—”“Nothing’s strange anymore, lad.”“After they were gone, an’ I was sitting there in the water, I realized something.”“What’s that?”“It’d been a nice, warm summer night, but everything’d gone cold.Real cold, like close on to ice, an’ my bones were chilled so they ached.”CHAPTER FIFTEENAN UNEXPECTED ALLIANCELena kicked at the door, but it was locked and made of much harder material than her foot.She scowled.Her luck usually wasn’t this bad.True, the time she had tripped the bakery ward in Highneck Rise had been extremely unlucky—unlucky enough to mark her for life with the livid scar on her face—but that had been the exception.Wasn’t she the one who had lifted seven purses in a single afternoon in Mioja Square, one of which had contained a perfectly cut ruby as big as a quail’s egg and a second that had held a handful of unused guardian wards—wards woven by none other than Bredan Gow, the most expensive ward weaver in all of Hearne? The Juggler had been pleased at that.And hadn’t she beaten Taggity at dice just last week and won a whole jug of ale off of him? Him boasting there wasn’t a die in all of Hearne he couldn’t roll as crooked as a hanged man’s neck.She certainly had set that straight.A dozen rolls and three pairs of eyes.Served him right to boast, the smelly rotter.She went through her pockets for the third time.Two coppers left over from the swoop Jute had given her the other day, a hunk of stale bread, one handkerchief, and a rag doll she had stolen off a barrow months ago.Not that there was any value to the doll, as far as she knew, but it gave her an odd comfort to have it in her pocket.But nothing suited for picking locks.She thought it would have been safe.Surely there wouldn’t be harm in asking the other children.After all, they had grown up together, playing and fighting and stealing together on the streets of Hearne.So she had asked.Had they ever heard the name Nio before? Did they know anything about the old manor down on Losian Street, the one with the tall garden wall and the stone tower? They had all said no—no, never heard the name—no, never been near that house.Why would any of us go there? High walls and wards.No.Never heard the name.But someone had gone and spoken to their new master.The old man.Someone had whispered.They had been pitching pebbles at the blackbirds perched on top of the stable roofs behind the Goose and Gold when she had heard him call through an open window on the second floor.“Lena!”The old man had smiled all fatherlike—at least, that’s how she imagined fathers would smile like—and she had trotted inside without a second thought.Down the hallway at the top of the stairs.He had held the door open for her, and she had assumed she was going to hear about a job.Perhaps a certain someone to be followed.Someone’s pockets to be swooped.But all she had heard was the door slamming behind her and the key turning in the lock.She had yelled and kicked the door until her toes ached.The only response was a whisper from the keyhole.“Some questions shouldn’t be asked.”The room had one window set high in the wall.It was barred, and she grabbed hold of the bottom railing and hoisted herself up.She had enough strength in her skinny arms to hold herself there for a while.The sun was going down and there were afternoon shadows slanting across the yard behind the inn.The rest of the children were gone.She growled in frustration to herself, wondering who had told the old man.The ostler slouched across the yard and disappeared into the stable.Her grip was weakening on the railing and she let go.She would teach them a lesson or two when she found out who squealed.Her hands balled into sharp little fists, but then she slumped in the corner and cried.Some questions shouldn’t be asked.She wished Jute weren’t gone.It would’ve been all right if he hadn’t gone and gotten himself nabbed.There was no one else she could trust.Certainly not any of the other children.Not even the twins.If only Jute were here.Don’t be silly.He can’t help now.You’re trying to help him, so pull yourself together.She wiped her nose on her sleeve and investigated her pockets yet again.Stone and blasted shadow! Next time, she would be sure to carry some wire.But then she remembered she didn’t know how to pick locks in the first place [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
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.Made the hair stand up on my neck, it did.”“And then they just left?”“Aye, m’lord.”Owain nodded.It was a stroke of tremendous luck—luck the lad had survived and luck that had brought him and his men to the little village.Damn the duke of Vomaro.If the incident had been followed up when it had happened, then such details might have made their way to Hearne months ago.At any rate, at least it was known now.“One last thing, m’lord.I know this might sound strange—”“Nothing’s strange anymore, lad.”“After they were gone, an’ I was sitting there in the water, I realized something.”“What’s that?”“It’d been a nice, warm summer night, but everything’d gone cold.Real cold, like close on to ice, an’ my bones were chilled so they ached.”CHAPTER FIFTEENAN UNEXPECTED ALLIANCELena kicked at the door, but it was locked and made of much harder material than her foot.She scowled.Her luck usually wasn’t this bad.True, the time she had tripped the bakery ward in Highneck Rise had been extremely unlucky—unlucky enough to mark her for life with the livid scar on her face—but that had been the exception.Wasn’t she the one who had lifted seven purses in a single afternoon in Mioja Square, one of which had contained a perfectly cut ruby as big as a quail’s egg and a second that had held a handful of unused guardian wards—wards woven by none other than Bredan Gow, the most expensive ward weaver in all of Hearne? The Juggler had been pleased at that.And hadn’t she beaten Taggity at dice just last week and won a whole jug of ale off of him? Him boasting there wasn’t a die in all of Hearne he couldn’t roll as crooked as a hanged man’s neck.She certainly had set that straight.A dozen rolls and three pairs of eyes.Served him right to boast, the smelly rotter.She went through her pockets for the third time.Two coppers left over from the swoop Jute had given her the other day, a hunk of stale bread, one handkerchief, and a rag doll she had stolen off a barrow months ago.Not that there was any value to the doll, as far as she knew, but it gave her an odd comfort to have it in her pocket.But nothing suited for picking locks.She thought it would have been safe.Surely there wouldn’t be harm in asking the other children.After all, they had grown up together, playing and fighting and stealing together on the streets of Hearne.So she had asked.Had they ever heard the name Nio before? Did they know anything about the old manor down on Losian Street, the one with the tall garden wall and the stone tower? They had all said no—no, never heard the name—no, never been near that house.Why would any of us go there? High walls and wards.No.Never heard the name.But someone had gone and spoken to their new master.The old man.Someone had whispered.They had been pitching pebbles at the blackbirds perched on top of the stable roofs behind the Goose and Gold when she had heard him call through an open window on the second floor.“Lena!”The old man had smiled all fatherlike—at least, that’s how she imagined fathers would smile like—and she had trotted inside without a second thought.Down the hallway at the top of the stairs.He had held the door open for her, and she had assumed she was going to hear about a job.Perhaps a certain someone to be followed.Someone’s pockets to be swooped.But all she had heard was the door slamming behind her and the key turning in the lock.She had yelled and kicked the door until her toes ached.The only response was a whisper from the keyhole.“Some questions shouldn’t be asked.”The room had one window set high in the wall.It was barred, and she grabbed hold of the bottom railing and hoisted herself up.She had enough strength in her skinny arms to hold herself there for a while.The sun was going down and there were afternoon shadows slanting across the yard behind the inn.The rest of the children were gone.She growled in frustration to herself, wondering who had told the old man.The ostler slouched across the yard and disappeared into the stable.Her grip was weakening on the railing and she let go.She would teach them a lesson or two when she found out who squealed.Her hands balled into sharp little fists, but then she slumped in the corner and cried.Some questions shouldn’t be asked.She wished Jute weren’t gone.It would’ve been all right if he hadn’t gone and gotten himself nabbed.There was no one else she could trust.Certainly not any of the other children.Not even the twins.If only Jute were here.Don’t be silly.He can’t help now.You’re trying to help him, so pull yourself together.She wiped her nose on her sleeve and investigated her pockets yet again.Stone and blasted shadow! Next time, she would be sure to carry some wire.But then she remembered she didn’t know how to pick locks in the first place [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]