Down the main road he went, this one named "Travaliz." As he walked over the muddy stones, the smell of spoiling fish became stronger. Children capered past, some bumping into him, screaming and shouting. Above him, women with eyes of coquetry looked down on him from the balcony of a brothel. One of them lifted her skirt to show him more of her legs.
Just then, a hand suddenly clapped him on the back. The arm it belonged to swung around his shoulder, and he was face to face with the pander.
"Swan's her name," said the man, dressed in lavish grays. He brushed an oily black lock from his pale face. "You like her?" The man smiled at him. "She likes you."
"Oh," said Vyncent, nonplussed, "I … I really cannot." The man had a strong scent to him. It was not foul, but the perfume, oddly heavy under the arms, had a sweetness that was too strong. Vyncent eased out from under the pander's arm. "I'm very sorry," he apologized, "I must—"
The pander took offense, and his sly smile turned to a scowl.
"Gah!" muttered the prickly pander, "I knew you didn't have coin!" He sauntered back into the brothel. "Away with you," he said throwing a hand up.
Above, Swan spat on the floor of the balcony and frowned at him. My, my, thought Vyncent as he adjusted his coat made askew by the pander's rough-handling, such strange people. Vyncent pulled out his map of the town: a little yellowing scroll the captain had given him. I must find Ebernathy, let me see here … Elbert Ebernathy was the man who knew a lot about both Greater and Lesser Voir. His dealings were less than licit, Dragoneater had told him.
He kept his way down Travaliz; his turn onto Opal street would come up soon. At the intersection, however, things didn't look good. Two crowds stood on opposite sides of the street: One group, whose men wore green bands and scarfs on their heads, shouted at their opponents; these folk more finely dressed, but just barely. These men, however, hid behind bigger brutes with clubs.
One of the greens shouted, armed with a butcher's cleaver. "Ashferth! Ashferth! Come out you son of whore," he howled, his voice straining, "We had a deal, but now my brother is dead! Why is that? WHY?"
The gathering spectators, rather than running for help this raffish town had to offer, all cheered and watched. The press pushed Vyncent, taking him to his turn whether he wanted to go or not. He tried to force his way down Opal Street. He had to cling to a building's corner to keep from being dragged with the current.
Opal Street was smaller and less crowded. It was more sordid, unfortunately. Two men brawled, faces and fists bloody; one demanded his pay from the other. A woman, old and skinny as a twig, sat on a dirty green blanket. On the cloth was an assortment of baubles and refuse. Vyncent decided to ask her if she knew Ebernathy
"Pardon me, madam," Vyncent said, smiling politely, "I'm looking for a man named Elbert Ebernathy. He has red hair, quite tall, and—" The woman didn't seem to be listening; all she did was rattle one of the baubles in his face, making utterances.
This poor woman, though Vyncent, perhaps I ought to buy one of these … things … first. The old woman didn't name a price, but when he pulled only one silver out, she threw it at him and snatched the coin from his fingers. His purchase, a wooden armless doll with green stains, had an awful smell to it.
"He's a friend of a friend," Vyncent continued awkwardly.
The woman didn't answer his question. Instead, she grinned widely, shaking more of her wares in his face. This is getting me nowhere, thought Vyncent sullenly, she may not know either way.
In the building behind the vendor, an argument was being had, getting louder as the talkers approached the upstairs window. The conversation was loud enough for Vyncent to hear.
"Where is he, hm?" an angry man bellowed from above, "where are you hiding him?"
"Calm yourself, Yosef," retorted a woman's voice, one that was lazy and unintimidated, "I see you with that Swan … yet you're upset because I found someone for myself, too?"
A man quietly swung a leg outside one of the windows. He had red hair and blue eyes. Ebernathy, thought Vyncent as he saw the man clamber out, eyeing a rickety wagon below him.
"Elbert Ebernathy!" Vyncent waved at him, "it's me! Vyn—"
"Shut your bloody mouth, boy," Ebernathy whispered harshly, loud enough for Vyncent to hear.
"Ah! There you are!" The man inside's voice got louder as he approached.
Shouldn't have yelled, Vyncent thought, sucking air through his teeth.
It looked like someone had a hold of his leg from within. "Got you!"
Ebernathy kicked at his attacker and leaped from the window, landing in the wagon's bed. Weak and old, the axel split, and Ebernathy spilled out of it when he tried to climb out. He was missing one boot.
"Sorry Yosef," Ebernathy shouted to the man, "but you know I still love her!"
Yosef threw the missing boot at him in response. "You wait there," Yosef growled as he pointed at him, "I'll make you sorry."
Not wanting the cuckold to make good on his promise, Ebernathy hurried away, hopping as he tried to put on his boot. Vyncent ran after him, calling for him to wait. Ebernathy didn't slow down and only stopped outside a jeweler's shop.
"Eber … " Vyncent uttered, catching his breath, " … nathy." He straightened himself and swallowed. "Pleased to meet you, I'm Vyncent Blackwood."
"Who?" Ebernathy said, confusion clear on his face.
Perhaps this is not even him, Vyncent realized. Before he could apologize and be on his way, however, the man nodded and waved his hands, gesturing him to stay.
"Yes, yes, yes," Ebernathy said as he scrunched his face in thought, "the half-prince. Yes, I remember. Xu said you were coming?" Before Vyncent could answer, Ebernathy answered himself quickly instead. "Yes, he did. It was raining that day. Well, come in. Come, boy."
Vyncent followed Ebernathy into his shop. It was a humble little place, it was. Rather than having a stall outside, all business was done within. Behind a wall of iron bars, there were wooden chests with locks.
"So, you're looking for the Lady in the Elms," Ebernathy said as he closed and locked his shop's door, "take care of that demon in you, yes?"
"Yes, that is right," said Vyncent as he followed Ebernathy, who was heading up a set of stairs. "Dragoneater says a cousin of hers lives here."
"The seerbreed have cousins everywhere," said Ebernathy, "leave it to Xu to send you to this cesspit." Ebernathy chuckled as he opened the door to his solar. "Go ahead, take a seat, young Vyncent."
There was someone else already in the room. It was a girl. Like him, she was about sixteen years old. Her silver hair was tied in a tail and her golden eyes were full of worry. Her wrists were bound with rope. She sat silently on a velvet couch.
"Is … " Vyncent said, taken aback by seeing her bindings, "Is this her?"
"No," said Ebernathy as he shut the door and locked it.
This doesn't seem right, Vyncent thought as he bit his lip.
"Will she help us find the Lady in the Elms?" As Vyncent asked, a man, who hid behind the door of the solar, walked up to him and grabbed his arms. The man was huge and putting up a fight was pointless. "What are you doing? Unhand me!"
Ebernathy only smirked as the brute took his sack of clothes and long gun from him. The silver-haired girl sat quietly, looking away.
"You won't be seeing her, boy. I've got better plans for you." As Ebernathy said this, he shifted his hands under his coat and filched the sack of Sweet Ilecks the captain had given him. "Ooooh," Ebernathy let out as he opened and sniffed the little bag. "Now that, that," he said as he waved the contents at his fellow who had begun to tie up Vyncent, "is good. Give it a whiff, Ben. Cazayan Spice … bloody strong … " He eyed the armless doll Vyncent had bought. "It's what drove Old Wilca mad, selling refuse on a blanket. Poor soul. Poor, poor soul. You have to be careful with such herbs." He tossed the toy out one of his windows.
As Ebernathy fished out the pipe from Vyncent's pocket, he finished telling him of his fate. "You won't be seeing her," the traitor repeated as he smoked the Ilecks, the fumes escaping from his nose, "what's already in you is far, far, too valuable to just get rid of."
The big man, this Ben, shoved him towards the velvet couch where the girl sat.
"Watch the door outside the shop," said Ebernathy to Ben as he unlocked the door and swung it open. He turned to Vyncent and the girl, smiling enigmatically. "Let the half-prince and Lady Snowvale have their privacy."
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