31

Money Talks

Thissraelle

Thissraelle walked beside Granthurg, looking at the ground. He was carrying a large load across his back, a couple of large sacks of grain tied together. She thought that would have been very difficult, but he seemed to be hefting it without straining. He was taking in the early afternoon of the city as he looked for the destination of the delivery.

Even though she had not met a Giant before, she saw a lot more of them on the Riverfront today. A lot of them seemed to run the barges like Granthurg did. They mingled with the populace, mostly humans, but with more than a few wood elves as well. Each was scurrying to get where they needed to be.

"Well, here we are!" He said and turned quickly to his left. He ducked his head low to push open the door of a building. From the looks of the sign, it was a baker's shop. The smells outside confirmed this. It was a small stucco hut, braced with huge wooden beams in the corners, and across the roof. She could see behind it a few large chimneys where the ovens were.

Moments later, he came back out with a smile and two large loaves of crusty, brown bread. He offered one to her. "Freshly baked!"

She took it and tore off a piece to eat, and they started walking back toward the RiverFront and the barge. She was silent as she walked, wondering what her next move was to be. Suddenly having all the freedom also meant too many choices. It was a bit dizzying. There was one thought, however, that had kept coming back to her. Finally, she spoke.

"How could I get to Emberfire?"

Granturg stopped, surprised, then smiled, "Ah, she speaks!"

"Yes, I can, in fact, speak." Thissraelle said. "Do your many maps say how to get there?"

They started walking again. "Emberfire is a city built into a mountainside some ways north of here. You could just get a horse and go through the Umbrawood Forest. It wouldn't be easy, but that would be the shortest way."

"Wouldn't that be dangerous?"

"Well, sure, Umbrawood is full of animals. Some are big and fierce, I suppose. But still, the wood elves travel to the city frequently, so I suppose you could take a ride in one of their caravans."

Thissraelle didn't like that option. "I think I'd be more afraid of the elves than the monsters in the woods!" That comment brought a sideways look from Granthurg.

She sighed. "The wood elves and the high elves don't get along very well, I'm told. I'm not entirely sure why. They fought each other in some historic war, maybe. I don't think they would take to kindly to helping me through their forest."

Granthurg considered that. "Well, you could travel east around the forest, through the grasslands of the felician tribes."

The thought of all that walking didn't appeal to her, but she didn't want to seem rude, either. She remained quiet.

"Or, you could sail west up the Lesser Wynne River to the towns on the north of the Umbramoor, and then hire a guide to take you along the base of the mountains eastward to Emberfire City."

Her bread was done about the same time that they stepped onto the pier where the barge was docked. She hesitated, looking down at the pier. "What if I hired passage on your barge up the Wynne? Would you take me to Umbramoor?" After a breath she added, "I'm sorry I got your master mad at you. I don't mean to be a burden. But, he did say that I could pay passage, didn't he?"

"He did say that." Granthurg helped her onto the barge. "But it's pretty expensive. It can cost a couple of gold pieces to go all the way upriver."

Thissraelle reached into a small pouch and pulled out three gold coins. "Well, then, this should about cover it, then!" She dropped them into Granthurg's hand and stepped past him and took a seat on the steering platform. "When do we leave?"

"Well, we'll want to pick up some cargo that will be going that way as well, so it might be another day or so."

"No matter. I'm not in a hurry." She smiled. "Now that we're here, would you show me those maps again?"

32

Back at The Chapel

DeFrantis

DeFrantis threw open the door behind the altar in the small chapel and began scattering the small boxes and other debris stored there. She pushed blankets and old sacramental robes aside until she cleared a corner of the bare floor. She looked at the tiles for a moment, trying to remember which one held her prize.

Antonerri came in behind her. "What are you doing?"

She ignored him, but simply began tapping lightly on the floor tiles. At random, at first, but then, when she got no results, she started on one side and methodically moved from one to another.

"I've figured some things out in the few days I've known you, but if you want my help, it might be useful to tell me what's going on."

"You don't need to come with me." She said, in a brusque tone. "They are in grave danger and they need me."

"Who are 'they'? What are you looking for?" He stepped forward. In that moment, she started clawing at a dusty tile, but she couldn't get under it.

She grunted in frustration, then looked around. Seeing Antonerri standing near, she said, "Give me your sword!" She held out her hand.

He flipped it around, holding it carefully by the blade, and placing the hilt into her open palm. She grabbed it and, using both hands, easily wedged it under the tile and pulled it up. She flipped it aside, revealing a hole underneath. Setting the sword down, she leaned over the hole and reached deep into it. She came up with a small pouch.

"What's that?" Antonerri asked.

She stood up and climbed over the clutter past Antonerri to exit the small room. He followed her out into the main hall.

"DeFrantis!" He called out. She was already halfway through the door when she stopped and turned.

"What?"

"What's the big secret?"

"It's not a secret! I'm just focused. I'm worried."

"About the kids?"

Her shoulders, at first held back in defiance, slouched. "Yes."

"Who are they? Where are they?" He stepped toward her, off the dais of the altar. When he reached her, he said, "Look, you don't know me, but in the tower you saved my life. You could have left me there to rot once you got the key. But you brought me out."

"Well, you took the blasts from the priest that were meant for me! I couldn't leave you there."

He put his hand on her shoulder. "OK, then. Let me help you now."

She sighed and sat down.

"I've lived on the streets of the OuterWall most of my life, since I was barely 12 winters old. I learned to live off of scraps and how to avoid trouble. Gradually, I teamed up with other kids my age. As I got older, most of them left off on their own, but more young ones came to me. I took care of them, taught them to protect themselves, to beg, to survive.

"There was one boy who was with me most of those years. He was mean and hard, but he did his part to help take care of everyone.

"One day, not long ago, he told me that someone had offered him money to take the children off to the Umbrawood forest to the west. He tried to talk me into doing it. He said they'd be safe and they'd be out of our way. He said they'd offered a gold piece a head."

Antonerri looked shocked.

"I was appalled! How could he even think of that? I told him there was no way I'd sell these kids out. How can I sell what I don't own? Plus, they were probably slavers or worse. I couldn't do that."

"Then, when the rains came these last few days, and there was nobody to beg from, I set out to see if I could scrounge a meal. I ended up being captured and held under the tower with you."

Antonerri finished the story. "And now, it seems that your friend has sold them away."

She stood up. "I have to find them! I have to help them!"

"What's that in your hand?"

"Some silver pieces I've saved. Hopefully, we can connect with a caravan or a barge travelling west to get us to the forest to search for them." She held it out so he could see the bulging coins. "You don't have to come. This isn't your problem."

He gestured to the chapel above him, and said, "The Church that once gave me purpose and belonging now considers me a criminal heretic. I have nowhere to go."

She nodded, and they walked from the chapel.

33

Lost and Found

Karendle

By the time she was tired of looking for her quarry, the sun was hanging a bit low, tinting the building-tops of the InnerWall with orange.

The night before, she had seen them escape the guard tower, and even managed to knock them to their knees with an ill-planned explosion of magical power from her oculus. That woke the soldiers on guard as well as the neighborhood. She tried to rush off after the two fugitives, but the soldiers saw her move and began to pursue her, instead. This was only made worse by the people who heard the bang and came running out of pubs and homes to see what was going on.

In the unfamiliar city, it hadn't been easy for her to lose the soldiers. Fortunately, there were many roads and alleys for her to disappear into. She spent the night in fitful sleep under awnings and behind storage barrels, waking and moving frequently.

As the morning sun was starting to show a faint glow in the sky, she finally found a stable with a pile of straw and sank into exhausted slumber.

She awoke just before midday, and slid back out into the street. It was busy enough and she managed to blend her way along, still avoiding any contact with soldiers or constables.

After a meal at an inn, she had wondered what her next step was. She could keep searching for the same wizard and her soldier friend, or try to find another wizard to capture. For now, she decided to resume her search. She would retrace her steps of the night before. It was difficult at first to find the same guard tower, and, after following the direction of everyone's flight into the depths of the city, it became clear that she had lost any real chance of finding the wizard. It was as if the girl and her friend had blended into the city's shadows.

Unwilling to give up, she had spent the afternoon wandering the the streets of the InnerWall and finally found herself on the northern wharfs of the RiverFront.

By that time, it was getting to be early evening, and she sat down on a public bench, weary and needing a rest.

This is much harder than I thought. There are so many ways for someone to vanish. I'm quite hungry as well, but I need to be careful with my coin. She opened up her purse and reached in, shifting the oculi aside to find a few gold pieces remaining. I guess I'll be OK. I just want to bring back a wizard. I want to make this happen!

As the sun began to lower, she stood and walked upriver, only casually glancing around her. A fried fish at a pub here on the river would be pretty nice, right about now.

As she stepped toward a pub she walked past a couple of open air tables by the side of the river. Around them were seated giants, river runners, and barge steersmen, talking and sharing ale. While most were talking among themselves, a few were talking with others, non-giants. As she passed she could hear them talking about cargo rates and passenger fares. A lady seemed to be booking passage to the west.

She walked on, then paused. That woman's voice. I've heard it before. Karendle turned to look back at the table. One of the giants, bulky, with a shaved head and a vest, was walking down the pier toward the barges. With him walked a man in white soldier's livery, with a diminutive woman in a black cloak. In an instant, she recognized them! That's her! I can't believe my luck!

She quickly reached for her purse, and rushed back. Before she got to the table, she paused. Oh no. There are a lot of people here. I'm not making the same mistake twice!

She watched as they all boarded one of the barges. I'll just take my time and watch. Maybe tonight the situation will be better.

She backed away and found a small barrel to sit on, and waited.