The Spider's Lair

2. The Murder

Chapter Two

The Murder

The following morning, he and Jane met within the Red Maiden's Garden. She was relentless in her desire to see him following his attempt to talk to Pyro. Theo reclined on the grass, watching a patch of shade retreat at his feet while the sun moved along its curved path high above. The heat was already climbing providing Theo with the bleak anticipation that it was going to be another scorching day.

"Well?" Jane asked, breaking her fast with a pomegranate fruit. Theo studied the way she used a hair pin to meticulously pluck at the fruit's seeds, sending the needle back and forth from fruit to mouth almost monotonously. "Tell me how your talk with Pyro went." She asked shrewdly.

Theo had to admit, the conversation with Pyro had become far less important after the encounter with the man he now suspected was some Imperial spy. The spy who had handed Theo a small fortune on the principle he become his eyes and ears. The mark itself was currently in a pocket, which is where it would remain while he told his story to Jane.

Theo had pondered what to do with the coin; how best to spend it. His first consideration was to pay off some of his enormous debt to Margret before he realised that using the mark in such a way would raise too much suspicion. The Matron would undoubtably pry into how he came to obtain such a treasure seen as she paid all his wages herself. She certainly wouldn't believe his story and would be quick to think he stole the coin, which she would simply steal it back and call it the Emperor's justice. He had thought about breaking the mark into electrum, then handing some over to Margret. A safer option, sure, but still one that would garner some curiosity given Theo seldom received many tips. In the end, he'd submitted to the idea of just breaking the mark down and treating him and Jane somehow.

While recounting his tale, Jane listened like a person bracing for some terrible news. It was no secret she condemned Theo's attempts to join Pyro's crime syndicate, especially since Theo had to have known that's exactly what it was. He had no false pretences that it was in anyway some brotherhood or official guild. It was simply a means for him to make some real coin.

Theo continued, insuring to include all the details he could recall including the magi's woman who he remembered Pyro taking a great interest in.

"Before I could recover, Leo turned up and pulled me away. He seemed to know Pyro by name too."

"Well," Jane interrupted. "Leo grew up in Redbank, didn't he. It's not surprising he knows who this thug is. Especially if Pyro's been part of a gang for a while, Leo knew all the crime syndicates when he was younger."

A sudden wind caught Jane's hair, imbuing its scent to coalesce with the many flowers surrounding them before she continued, "I'm glad Leo came when he did. Sounds like Pyro wasn't interested. Maybe his guild--if you can call it that--simply isn't recruiting."

Theo knew a 'no' when he heard one. He should just give up and abandon his pursuit. He knew Jane did this out of compassion for him, but he still felt a brewing irritation at her constant dismissal.

"Any idea how he got those scars?" Theo asked, as much to divert his own rage at her rather than generally being curious. He was, after all, doing this to save them both from a life at the Red Maiden. Jane shook her head placing another pomegranate seed on her tongue. The thin cobalt bracelet on her wrist matched the clear blue sky above.

"Probably from trying to burn down some warehouse on the docks." She guessed, "It still makes me wonder why he was so interested in the Magi's mistress though?"

Theo thought he knew exactly why Pyro had taken an interest in the red woman but decided to keep it to himself. It didn't interest Theo and, if anything, a part of him silently cursed the red woman for distracting Pyro in the first place. Maybe if he had captured Pyro's full attention, maybe if Leo hadn't shown up when he did, he would instead be discussing with Jane how he's meeting up with Pyro for his initiation into the Guild this very day. Theo began to recount the part with the Imperial spy while the birds above tweeted their morning songs.