The Rebel Assassin

Chapter 41: Blood in the Snow

I led the way, being the only one who knew exactly where we were going. "There's a messenger service in the Golden Heights," I explained to Joshua. That was the name of the business-oriented streets of the wealthy part of the city. "It has exceptionally fast birds and is discreet about its clients. I'm sure it keeps birds that go to Maenar."

"You're sure it's trustworthy? We don't know anything about this city or its businesses."

"The Protector uses it. If it's good enough for her, it's good enough for me." After all, a shrewd political leader who had demonstrated a perfect willingness to engage in not-strictly-legal alliances would need a good, secretive messenger outside government channels, which happened to be the same thing we needed.

I jerked my head to Joshua, indicating the alley we would turn into. Once we had slipped into it, avoiding some other miserable person who was plodding down the main street, he whispered, "You sneaked out in the middle of the night for this. You clearly don't want the Protector to know what you're doing. You think using her preferred service is smart in that case?"

"And here I thought you all were convinced my cleverness is the only thing I have left — apparently you don't think I've even got that. She doesn't know that I intend to send a letter; I didn't ask her for directions. I asked one of her maids which place the Protector goes to."

"Sounds reasonably safe," Joshua conceded, "but a place good enough for the Protector won't be cheap. How much money do you have?"

I pulled a heavy pouch from my coat. "However much a very rich-looking man was carrying when he walked through the antechamber of the Protector's Hall this afternoon."

Joshua groaned.

"What? He was probably there to try to bribe the Protector or someone who works for her. I did a public service."

"How altruistic of you. I hope when that man figures out where his money went missing, no one remembers the infamous thief currently residing in that same building."

"I hope so too. Come on, there's the place." As I had expected — or at least hoped — this service was expensive enough to be open all hours of the night. One low light in the window indicated someone was in the store.

I knocked on the door as a polite wakeup for the clerk who was groggily sitting up when we walked in, stamping snow from our boots.

"Welcome," she muttered, rubbing her eyes with the heels of her hands. There were prints of fabric folds on the side of her face where she'd been sleeping with her cheek on folded arms. "Gidiel's is open for your most urgent needs."

"My most urgent need is for a drink," Joshua said under his breath.

The girl gave us a baleful look, then slung her arm under the counter and withdrew a half-empty bottle. "I've got that too."

That startled a laugh out of him and slightly more friendly expression from her. It was always surprising how immediately likable Joshua was to people other than me.

I dropped the money pouch on the counter. "I need to send a letter to Maenar. You deliver there?"

She blinked. "Uh... yeah."

"Is it a problem?"

She shrugged. "No. It's just that most people who come in the middle of the night need to get a message somewhere quick, or hear back quick — that's the point of staying open all night. If your recipient is as far away as Maenar, a few hours doesn't much matter in the long run. You may as well come at a decent hour instead of... now."

Most people didn't have to hide the fact that they were sending messages from powerful political allies who were currently housing them, but I couldn't say that. "A few hours matters to us."