It was raining when Vaenuth woke up. A week had passed since her successful meeting with Ovoe the Keeper. While she knew—and had been told by everyone she spoke with about it—that she should be cautious, even scared, of the master spy and politician, he had succeeded in easing her worries and put her heart at rest. He was going to help her, in either case, and Vaenuth felt elated.
She sat up, and itched her sweaty skin under her linen torso binding. Beside her, Banno slept soundly in his own adjacent cot.
Vaenuth tried getting back to sleep, but she couldn’t. Today was the day. She stood up, quietly, and pulled on her trousers over her smallclothes. Iloli was lying across the room, on her own mat. Her shoulder was visible, though her hand rested on it obsessively. Her skin was bubbled and red still.
The other room had a bucket of water and a drain in the floor, along with a small pantry, since it was kept a little cooler by the liquid. Vaenuth swung the door closed a little, just for the noise, and scrubbed herself down with a washcloth.
Later, Banno and she followed the iron rail through the main streets until they reached the Palace once more. They stuck to the eaves, where possible, but were soaking by the time they reached the iron gate. For Banno, he had a hazy mist of drops on his course black scalp; for Vaenuth, her single curtain of brown hair become a little wavier and stuck to her cheek.
The courtyard was much emptier, but many people still demanded the attention of the Three Courts. Even in the rain, the vendors were still out in the streets, but none were permitted past that first line of the Aura in the opening to the Palace grounds. Vaenuth and Banno crossed the cobblestones without hindrance. Their sandals did not clap against the stones—the rain muted everything.
The Second Court received Vaenuth without delay. The oldest of them was not wearing beads this time, but what appeared to be a woolen shift dyed a darker blue than Vaenuth’s vest. He smiled at her. “We were expecting you, Vaenuth. Go ahead in. His Ascendance’s Aura will show you the way.”
Again, Banno was asked to wait. He found shelter under the edge of a market stall and flashed a bright smile at her as she watched him go.
She followed an old man in an orange robe and wondered what happened to members of the Aura who retired. Did they? She looked to their right, at the massive iron columns. Each had some text on it, though she did not stop to read the old script, while the rest was surrounded by patterned etch-work. The weeks of work that must have gone into each pillar astounded her.
To her surprise, Ovoe was not alone. He was close to a figure in a grey robe, very close. She realized they were kissing. The white-haired lord stirred as Vaenuth stepped into the space of columns they occupied, but he did not stop what he was doing. The other person had long dark hair.
The Aura left them alone. After a moment, Ovoe pulled away from his kisser and said, “Leave us.”
That’s when Vaenuth noticed it was a young man with dark hair past his shoulders and a tattoo of an arrow on the bridge of his nose. He smiled briefly at her, and then strode away into the shadows. Despite the distant rainfall, Vaenuth could hear the echo of boots on the intricate stone tiles. She glanced back at Ovoe.
“Vaenuth,” he said, turning to her. He paused, then asked, “Have I offended you?”
Vaenuth smiled. “No, not at all,” she said. There were very few things that did. “I didn’t think you were… interested in that kind after your comments last time.”
Ovoe bowed his head slightly. “Humans are of interest to me… It’s of no worry. I would have prepared more for your arrival, but you are earlier than I expected.”
Vaenuth bobbed her head. “I was eager, I must admit. Wine for my friend, please.”
“And water for mine,” Ovoe replied. Their drinks were brought without delay, and Ovoe produced a piece of parchment from one of the vertical pockets in his loose linen pants. The thick sheet was folded in half, and he did not give it to her; there was enough space on the small serving table for the page.
“Is that it?” Vaenuth asked.
Ovoe shrugged. “I did not want to keep you waiting, this time,” he said.
She put her fingers on the corner, but then his finger pressed it down again. “Vaenuth, I must advise you how dangerous your quest is. It will take you far away from this life you have built for yourself. I researched you as much as I did the matter you requested. You should stay; work for me or yourself or fat bastards like Kivrad.”
“I want to,” Vaenuth said. “But I cannot rest with that man out there…”
Ovoe sighed and turned away. He looked at the rain, falling a dozen paces nearby. The distant roof of the Palace kept the water from the open storey, but the endless water made the space feel more contained. He took a drink of his wine, as Vaenuth opened the page. Her slave brand was pictured in proper detail at the top of the page, followed by a quote and a list of names.
“It’s all I could find on short notice,” Ovoe explained. “No name. Just a mention of ‘a slaver and his henchmen ranging the east coast of Bellasa’ who use the brand upon your back.”
“How will I find them?” Vaenuth asked.
Ovoe turned back to her. “The Family of Gharo is a powerful crime syndicate in Sheld, with a fleet of ships and gangs all around the Grey Sea. For a fee or a favour, they, most certainly, will know the brand pictured. Seek out Gharo, his brother Vanci, or either of his sons.”
Vaenuth nodded. “Gharo,” she said. “Is he a slaver too?”
“Your journey will take you through lands more uncivilized than ours, but you must endeavor not to fight every wrong as your—”
“I care only about killing the man responsible for my… youth.” Vaenuth made her voice ice. She would kill this man, and wash her hands of the whole continent. She took a drink of her water, and looked into the shadows of the Iron Palace.
Ovoe nodded. “I’ll get back to my… business, then,” he said, quietly, and finished his wine.
“Thank you for your help,” she mumbled, forcing a smile.
Ovoe shrugged. “If you return,” he said, “come speak with me once more. I have many tasks suited to someone with your determination.”
“I will.” With that, Vaenuth strode past the nearest iron pillar and into the darkness. So much planning to do, and so much time to wait. Across the oceans, somewhere, the man who had sold her into that life of torture was still drawing breath. She swore to put an end to that.