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.And, in turn, knowing they felt that way made eating atValabar s all the more pleasant for me.But I didn t care to explain all of that to Telnan.* * * * How you doing, Boss? Better.It was good of her. It doesn t scare you that she found you? Not as much as it should So, what now? I m thinking about sending you to the Imperial library to continue my research. That s really funny, Boss. Okay, then how about you find out everything you can about Triesco and Terion. Sure, Boss. Okay, then.Skip that.You ll just keep guarding me when I step outside, and I ll. Yes? I haven t worked that part out, yet.Fortunately, however, I m hungry and tired, so I can getsome food, then sleep, and put off the decision for a while. I knew I could count on you to have the answer, Boss. Having made a plan, I promptly put it into action.It worked perfectly.The next day I returned to the Imperial library albeit a bit more worried thanks to Kiera and spentanother day with Deleen.I didn t expect him to turn up anything new, but I couldn t think of anything elseI should be doing instead.In fact, he didn t turn up anything new.As the long day drew near its end, he said, I m starting to thinkwe ve found what there is to find. I imagine you re right, I said. And I d like to thank you It s what I do, he said. I ve enjoyed the challenge. Good.It s helped. Helped? I mean, you ve found some information that will be of use to me. He frowned.I think it was just entering his head for the first time that I wanted that information for areason.For a moment he looked at me, as if seeing me for the first time.Then I could almost see himmentally shrug, dismissing the notion as having nothing to do with him or his life. Well, he said, Good, then. If there is anything I can do for No, no. He nodded and turned away, off to be about whatever business he had.I think he d forgotten I existedbefore I left the building.On my way out, I gave one nervous glance at the gray slate Jhereg Wing of thePalace, rising over my head.No one seemed to be looking for me.Kiera did have a point though.I was glad I wouldn t be coming back this way.Just to be safe, I tookthe Five Mile Bridge.Most likely it didn t make me any safer, but it gave me a few extra hours to walkand think.The streets of Adrilankha, even South Adrilankha, were first dug out, I suppose, from whatever pathspeople happened to make, so long ago that I can t conceive of it.They were paved with stone, and thentrampled down farther into the ground, and new stories laid on top of the old ones.They tell me that theentire city has sunk several feet since it was first established; the streets sinking farther than the buildings,but both of them dropping.I don t know if that s true.I do know that by the time I got back to SixCorners, my feet hurt more than they had from walking hundreds of miles across the continent.It s funnyhow, after being cut, stabbed, and beaten by professionals on both sides of the line of justice, one canstill be deeply annoyed by a pair of sore feet.I was certainly grateful for my new boots, though, or it would have been much worse.Eventually I reached Devon s House, a public house about a quarter of a mile east of Six Corners.I wasearly, so I sat in the corner and drank a white wine that was too sweet and not cold enough.My feetappreciated it.The place began filling up mostly workers from the slaughter-houses, to judge from the smell thataccompanied them.There were a few tradesmen as well.And all Easterners.I felt safe, maybe safer thanI should have, in disguise and surrounded by Easterners.I cautioned myself not to let myself feel too safe,especially when I didn t have Loiosh and Rocza in the room to watch for me.An hour or so later my man came in.It took him a while to spot me, which gave me a certain amount ofpleasure.He was a stocky guy, not unlike Ric, balding, with thin lips and a nose that looked like it hadbeen broken. Sandor. I nodded. And you re Vincent, as I recall. He nodded. Please, I said. Sit down.Wine? Sure. I poured, and passed him the glass, along with a pair of gold imperials.He nodded and said, I ll give you what I have. That s all I can ask. He gave me a list of three names, Easterners, who ran small operations and paid off the Left Hand.Nothing surprising, and not exceptionally useful.Then he said, You know about the guy they re looking for, right? I frowned. No.Tell me. The word is to keep an eye out for a guy, an Easterner, who walks around with a pair of jhereg on hisshoulders. Is that right? It s worth a hundred imperials to whoever spots him and gets word back. That s a lot. You don t seem interested in the news. No, actually, I am.It s good to know, and I m glad you told me about it. He nodded. You seen him? No.How are they spreading this, uh, word? The runners were told.The guy who mentioned it to me said if I spotted him, he d split it with me. Generous of him. Vincent shrugged. I haven t seen the guy. All right.Anything else going on? Nothing that would matter. What does that mean? He shrugged. The Ristall Market was closed, but that doesn t have anything to do with It was? When? I was just there yesterday. Today.I went by there to pick up something to eat, and it was shut down.The whole market.Cartsgone, tarps over the stalls, everything. Why? Did you hear a reason? Just gossip. I love gossip. Well, they say someone threatened to beat anyone who opened up. Someone? And you say it doesn t have anything to do with what s going on? This is some local thing. What do you mean? There are, you know, gangs here, that like to collect from the merchants, and when the merchants don tpay Yeah, I know. Well, I ve never heard of the Jhereg operating like that. What, you think the Jhereg wouldn t muscle in on mer-chants? Not on this scale, no.And they wouldn t be so clumsy about it
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