Moth

CHAPTER TEN: FISH IN A BASKET

CHAPTER TEN

FISH IN A BASKET

They scuttled through the night, shadows among shadows, racing down the alley toward the man.

Belly wide and jowls swinging, he trundled down the street, carrying a basket of purchased goods: truffles, mushrooms, sausages, salted bat wings, and more. He hummed to himself as he walked, already chewing on a skewer of roasted spiders. Crumbs covered his silken gown, marring the pricey embroidery that formed stars, moons, and birds across his generous frame.

Koyee hunched over and raced forward. She peered around an alley wall, narrowing her eyes to slits to dim their glow. Her sword hung across her back. Dirt stained her once-white fur tunic, filled her hair, and covered her bare feet, but she cared little for cleanliness anymore. She stared at the food ahead and her mouth watered.

She looked across the street. She saw the twins peering from the opposite alley, ready with their clubs and stones. Koyee looked up. Upon a tiled roof she saw Longarm, leader of the gang, watching the street. The young, one-armed woman looked down, raised her hand, and nodded.

Koyee tensed. It began.

It was young, scrawny Earwig who emerged into the street first. The filthy urchin, clad in rags, limped across the cobblestones. He placed himself before the corpulent shopper, blocking his passage, and reached out his hand.

"Please, kind master, spare a coin for a poor orphan?" the boy said, eyes large and pleading, hand trembling.

The man swallowed a spider, tossed down the skewer, and lifted his basket of food higher. He frowned down at the one-eared boy.

"Get out of my way!" he rumbled. "I have no time for beggars."

Koyee was already creeping along the street, slim and fast and darting from shadow to shadow. Other people moved along the cobblestones, returning to their homes with their purchases. As she moved between them, Koyee kept glancing from side to side, seeking soldiers, but none appeared. Should any emerge into the street, Longarm was supposed to hoot like an owl, but Koyee wasn't taking any chances.

"Please, kind master!" said Earwig. "I'll dance for it. See! I can dance."

The boy made a sad attempt to dance about, flashing dirty ribbons in his hands and hopping on one foot. He sang a little song, tottering around. The shopper tried to move around him, but Earwig darted from side to side, not letting him pass.

"I dance for money. Spare a coin?"

Koyee tiptoed behind the fat man. On cue, Earwig reached out to the basket.

"What have you here, dear master? Spare me a mushroom?"

As expected, the shopper tugged his basket farther back, bringing it out of Earwig's reach . . . and into Koyee's.

She reached out, grabbed a fluffy maitake mushroom, and pocketed it.

"Move out of my way!" the man demanded. "Move now or I'll summon the city guards."

Earwig only danced with more vigor. "Don't you like my dancing? I can juggle too." He pulled glass balls from his pockets and began to juggle them. "See me juggle. Spare me a coin."

Not daring to breathe, Koyee grabbed two truffles, a puffball mushroom, and a skewer of sea urchins. When she glanced at up Longarm, the young woman was motioning her back. The raid had ended.

Koyee glanced back at the basket, which the man was still holding away from Earwig, unaware of the second thief behind him. A string of plump sausages rested there, and Koyee's mouth watered. She had not eaten meat in so long . . .