Clarke, Cassandra Rose The Witc

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.""This was not meant to be an involved operation.""And it won't be.It should be completed by tomorrow evening."Zahir snorted into his glass."Do you have any idea how many times 'tomorrow evening' becomes 'two months from now'?""I've already begun my investigation.I don't foresee it taking two months.""Let's hope not." Zahir set his glass down and looked at me -- looked at my shade.He seemed bored, sleepy, irritated.Which was fair: he was an old man.I imagine he didn't appreciate staying up all night waiting for me to bring word."I'll give you until tomorrow's sunrise.If it takes any longer than that, expect punishment."I shivered."Yes, of course.Thank you, Zahir."He snorted again and waved me away.Five heartbeats later I was back in the inn room, weak gray sunlight filtering through the window.Tomorrow's sunrise.One full day.I could find the most dangerous man in Lisirra in one full day.#I only allowed myself to sleep for four hours.When I woke up, the sunlight was a bright, sparkling mass choking out the air of my bedroom.It hurt my eyes.But I couldn't allow myself the luxury of sleep right now.Before I left, I cast a tracking spell to double check.According to my magic, Sarr was still nestled safely in that house in the desert.I muttered a few profanities, directing them at Leila.Then I set a ward on my room and went downstairs.The inn's main room was empty save for the innkeeper, who wouldn't look at me.Outside, the pleasure district was just beginning to stir.It was nearly noon.I bought a meat pie from a street vendor and ate it as I walked down the street, keeping my eyes out for street girls.Since the innkeeper had mentioned they sometimes spoke of Sarr, I thought they were the best place to begin my investigation.Without magic, I would have to track Sarr through the trails all people leave, through his connections and relationships.And right now, the only relationship I had uncovered was with the girls who prowled the pleasure district's streets after dark, providing it with its name.However, uncovering street girls during the middle of the day proved more difficult than I thought.I wound up at a dancehall after half an hour of wandering.It had only just opened, strings of magic-cast lanterns blinking red and blue and gold, washed out in the sunlight.I went in.Most of the tables were empty and the air was thick with pipe smoke.Magic jangled in the background, emanating from an unenthusiastic band in the corner.A few women danced onstage, looking as bored as the band.A woman came to ask if I wanted anything to drink.She wore a spangled dress that caught the light and threw dots of color across the floor.Her eyes were made-up with same dark shades that Leila favored.Like Leila, and unlike most people in the city, she didn't act frightened of me."I don't need anything to drink," I told her, making sure to smile, to put her at ease."But I do need your help."She looked at me warily."I'm looking for someone," I said."Lisim Sarr."Her eyes went wide when I said his name.She glanced over her shoulder, toward the door, then back to me.The music played on."Are you going to kill him?" she asked."What?""You're an assassin, aren't you? Is that why you're looking for him?" She slid into the chair next to me and put her hand on my arm, her touch feather-soft.I smiled at her again, and her eyes sparkled a little -- with excitement, I thought.Interest."I'm not allowed to tell you that," I said."Then why are you looking for him? Do you want to help him?"I hesitated.I really didn't like tracking people this way.It was too nuanced, too dependent on understanding the network of human connection.But I was astute enough to notice a flicker of fear when she asked if I wanted to help him.My being Jadorr'a, that didn't scare her.But the thought that I might be helping Sarr --"No," I said."I just need to talk to him.""You won't be able to.He's mad." She pulled her hand away from me and slouched in her chair.Her hair fell across her face.The band finished their song and desultory applause scattered across the room [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

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