Home is a Treasure Beyond Price

Chapter 7

The market was already in full swing when Nick set foot in the city square. It was a cacophony of criers calling their wares, the buzz of conversation, and the laughter and shouts of children as they ran through the crowd. He was almost at the first stall before anyone noticed him. Whispers started up, spreading like a wildfire, as the people nearby backed away from him. Children were grabbed and held close. He heard shocked voices, and some fearful ones, and caught someone making a warding sign in his direction.
Nick frowned and looked about him. Whatever reception he'd been expecting, it hadn't been this—he'd only been gone four days, after all. He may have been considered odd all his life—too sickly, too argumentative, too unwilling to ignore the little problems he saw in daily life—but no one had ever been afraid of him before.
While he was still trying to gauge whether the fear would turn into something uglier, he became aware of a change in the tone of the market square. There was a rising tension that didn't seem to have anything to do with him, as the crowd's attention was caught by something behind Nick.
He turned in time to see Gordon, the head policeman of the town, emerging from the crowd, flanked by Ruiz and Gomez. Unlike most of the men in the square who were dressed in some variation of T-shirts and jeans, Gordon wore a custom uniform. His clothes were made from rich fabrics in black and navy blues, a subtle example of Gordon's wealth.
"Nick," Gordon said, with the patronizing air that always set Nick's teeth on edge. For all Gordon's kind friendliness, the flatness in his eyes showed his Cold personality. Nick suspected there was a deep fault line of cold ruthlessness that ran through the man.
"Gordon," Nick said, as he tightened his grip on his basket and nodded in acknowledgment. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Antonio pushing his way through the crowd towards him.
"I'd like to speak to you," Gordon said.
"In private." He nodded at Ruiz, who took a step forward.
"Here is fine with me," Nick said, loud enough for everyone to hear. He set his jaw and tightened his fists. If he wanted a private chat, they would have to drag him kicking and screaming through a crowd of onlookers. He was not going to make it easy for them.
"You told us the dragon took him," Antonio said as he reached Nick's side, accusation clear in his voice. Antonio must have rushed over from the workshop—he still had on his leather apron, and there were little curls of wood shavings caught in his hair. "You told us Nick was dead." A mutter ran through the crowd at this and several people turned to Gordon and his men with doubt in their eyes.
"Took me?" Nick said, not above playing to the crowd to help his cause, and breathing a little easier with a friend at his side. "You mean when Ruiz and Gomez ambushed me at my cottage, tied me up, and then left me for the dragon to eat?" Murmurs of surprise and dismay ran through the crowd at Nick's words.
Gordon frowned at Nick, then studied the watching crowd, assessing their mood. He waved Ruiz back with a subtle movement of his hand. "That was also what I was told," Gordon said to Antonio. A look of distaste crossed his wrinkled face, either because of the kidnapping or because their discussion was being played out in front of everyone. "I wish I'd been consulted before certain actions were taken."
As always, there was the feeling that Gordon's words obscured more than revealed. Nick wasn't sure if Gordon meant he would have stopped Ruiz and Gordon, or helped them plan it better.
"I've spoken to them," Gordon continued. "They've seen the error of taking matters into their own hands." Gordon glanced at Ruiz. "Isn't that right, Ruiz," he said mildly.
Ruiz's gaze flicked to the watching crowd. "Yes," he rasped, but the look he gave Nick was far from remorseful.
"However it happened that you ended up at the dragon's cave," Gordon said, brushing aside Nick's being left for dead, "I can't help but notice that you've not only emerged unharmed, but in need of supplies." Gordon raised his eyebrows and gave Nick's empty basket a meaningful look.
Nick shrugged and gave in to the petty impulse to wait for a direct question from Gordon. This earned him a narrowing of the eyes and a slight pursing of the lips.
"How are you still alive, Nick?"
"I'm in the dragon's employ," he replied, careful to hide his satisfaction at Gordon's carefully enunciated words. Some part of him resisted disclosing his bargain with Cadenza, since it was a private matter between the two of them. He had even less desire to share the things he'd learned about Cadenza; that she was kind, that she had a sly sense of humor, even that she could read. But when he looked at the people surrounding them, saw their worry and fear, he added, "The dragon doesn't mean the village any harm. she does her hunting elsewhere."
There was a silence broken only by the shifting sounds of the crowd as Gordon studied Nick for a long, uncomfortable moment. "And just what is it that you do for the dragon?"
Nick stiffened. "That's between the dragon and I."
"Well," Gordon said, with a slight smile that didn't reach his eyes, "if the dragon requires any other assistance, we would be happy to answer his requests."
Even if the dragon wanted more tributes? Nick noticed that Gordon didn't place any limitations on his offer. "I'll be sure to pass along your message."
"In fact," Gordon continued, "if the dragon would prefer someone more... capable in his employ, we could arrange that as well."
Nick drew himself up to his full height at Gordon's insinuation that he was less than capable. "I'll pass that along as well."
"Good, good." Gordon looked as though all was right in his world once more. It was probably the thought of gaining some form of influence with a dragon that pleased him. "I won't keep you any longer, then," he said, lips curved in a fake smile. He turned away, Nick once more beneath his notice. With one last flat-eyed stare in Nick's direction, Ruiz followed behind Gordon, Gomez falling in next to him. The crowd parted to let them through.
He was still glaring after them when Antonio pulled him into a hug that left him gasping for air.
"I thought you were dead, Nick." Antonio held him at arm's length and looked him over. The emotion in Antonio's voice took Nick by surprise. He hadn't given much thought to how his sudden disappearance would be viewed by those left behind. "Hells, man. Chris and I drank to your memory. And if Theo had been around, he would've gone to fight the damned dragon. And then we'd have to go save him."
"I'm sorry." Guilt burned in his gut. "I should have—"
"Hey, it's alright." Antonio slapped Nick's shoulder. "You've got your hands full, working for a dragon. What in the hells must that be like? I'd be terrified."
"It's not so bad. Cadenza is..." he paused. When he thought about how to describe Cadenza, 'unexpected' was the word that sprang to mind; unexpectedly kind, unexpectedly mischievous, unexpectedly funny. "She's alright," he said finally. This earned him a doubting look. "she is." Nothing Nick had seen so far gave him reason to fear for his life.
Antonio didn't look all that reassured, but he dropped the issue. "I wish we could sit down and talk, I mean, it's like you came back from the dead, Nick." Antonio blinked and cleared his throat and continued, "But I need to be getting back." His smile was regretful. "The boss doesn't know I left the workshop."
The carpenter Antonio was apprenticed to was not a forgiving sort. "You should go," Nick said. "And Antonio, thank you."
Antonio gripped Nick's shoulder for a moment. Nick could feel relief in that tight grip, and it made him realize how much he'd missed the closeness they'd shared as children.
"You should stop by the apothecary's before you go. Chris won't stop swearing for a week if he knew you were here and didn't go and see him."
Nick could already picture Chris, standing behind the counter of his father's shop, dusty bottles behind him because he hated dusting, cursing like the cranky old man he was deep down. "I will," he said with a smile.
With a last wave, Antonio disappeared into the crowd. When Nick looked around, he saw more welcoming faces. People still eyed him with suspicion, but that was nothing new, so it was much like every other market day.
Or at least it was, until he went to pay for his eggs. The cashier's eyes widened at the sight of the shining gold coin, and he stammered out an apology to Nick as he checked his purse for change. Nick flushed and tried to ignore the speculative looks thrown his way.
While Nick waited for him to count out his change, he noticed Gomez watching him from where he was slouched against the tavern wall. Nick's skin crawled at the memory of rough hands grabbing him from behind, a gag being tied over his mouth, and a hood pulled over his head. He remembered being sightless and powerless in the back of a black van, and the sting of rough rope against his skin as he struggled to free himself.
To disguise the sour taste of fear in his mouth, he sank himself into the memory of his anger; at Ruiz, at Gomez, at being abducted, anger that still simmered close to the surface. It was an old and familiar trick, because every time he fought, he feared, but he refused to let that stop him.
Nick hung the heavy coin purse back on his belt and continued through the market, all the while aware of a prickling sensation on the back of his neck. When he decided to stop by at his house on the way back to the cave, it was partly from necessity and partly from a stubborn refusal to give in to his fear. It wasn't altogether a surprise when he got there and found his cupboards empty.
He felt very alone in the secluded cottage as he packed up his things from his hidden safe and boarded it up, putting his phone in his pocket.