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Mara sat alone, high in the corner. Elbows on knees, hands on chin. Plenty of free space all around him. He looked as he had in Witswick, not as he did in the previous hallucinations.
Silas shook his head. Mara didn’t disappear. He isn’t looking at me or smiling like he was before. The look on Mara’s face matched the disinterest of the high-class. The strange feeling that resembled the return of a missing part stirred in Silas, just as it had in Witswick. Is it really him?
Silas felt sick to his stomach. Favian.
Favian sat next to Mara and took a swig from a bladder. Still a drunk, I see. Favian said something to Mara, then turned to look at the fight. The two men fighting had slowed dramatically. Favian looked to be shouting at them, then threw his bladder in the stage’s direction. Still has an awful temper too. Why have they sent the boy to him of all people? Why not me? Would I not train him well? All thoughts of fleeing the country were gone, like dust in the wind. Mara had been placed with the devil of assassination. Favian will corrupt the boy, not train him. He will turn him into an animal that resembles himself.
Favian’s head tipped sideways as Silas met his gaze. Favian smiled. Silas looked back toward the two men that writhed around on the stage floor. No, how would he recognise me? I’m stupid, why did I come here?
Silas needed to leave but couldn’t make it too obvious. Play it cool, and he’ll think he’s mistaken. He strained to not look back at them. What if Favian is on his way to me now? Or is fleeing with the boy? He looked back. Mara sat alone. Shit. Silas frantically scanned the crowd. I can’t stay.
Much to the annoyance of the crowd, he forced his way along the benches and outside. With Favian nowhere to be seen on the street, he made haste for his room.
Confident he hadn’t been followed, he paused in the tavern. There was no way he could go to bed without another drink, and with a shaking hand, he downed the first ale in one go, then gulped half of the next.
Do I try to take the boy with me? Save him from this life I have forced on him. He did not choose this. He did not choose Favian. He deserves better. Favian will have his goons scouring the city for me. It will be near impossible for me to travel through the city without being seen, day or night.
He’d have to come up with a plan, but not now. He couldn’t think straight. But what if the Gallinule leaves tomorrow? Then what will I do? Silas guzzled the rest of his ale and ordered another.
Silas swayed, scratching at the door with his key. Bloody things are always too small. He found the hole eventually, turned the lock, and opened the door. Candlelight shone through, and he quickly stepped backwards.
“Not coming to bed, love?” Favian said.
Fuck. Silas hung his head and sighed. That didn’t take long.
Silas entered the room to see Favian sat on the bed, his dirty boots up on the sheets, drinker’s nose more purple than ever. Favian smiled, then coughed hard, spat on his hand, and rubbed a line of slime on his trousers. Lovely. “Not sounding too healthy there, Favian.”
“Not looking too pretty yourself, Silas. What’s it been? Four years? Five?”
“Three.”
“Ha, close enough.”
“How are you?”
“Well, you know. Busy as ever. Came to find you for a drink in the arena. My boys saw you scuttle away. Not pleased to see me?”
“My target left, as did I. I’d wondered if I’d see you at some point. You still here permanently?”
“What’s permanent in our game? Don’t see the masked bastards too often these days, so mustn’t be doing too much wrong.”
Lucky you. “Overseeing the Mist import?”
“Yep, more coin than they know what to do with. Total control. All thanks to you, really.” Favian pulled up his shirt to reveal the long scar that ran across his mottled belly. “If you hadn’t stopped me guts flopping out when I caught this.” Favian picked at his nails. “You know, I wonder, why send you when they got me here?”
“I’ve tracked a woman across the country. Finally found her here.”
“Sounds like a slippery bitch. You always were the better tracker. That’s probably why they got you out there in the big wide world. Always thought out of the two of us, it’d be you that settled down, not me.”
Thoughts of Lucia flashed through Silas’s mind. “We all have our gifts.”
“You should stick around after you’ve done the woman, that’s if you ain’t…” Favian raised his eyebrows.
“Not yet, lost her. Getting out of the arena slowed me down. Don’t think she’s onto me yet, though.”
“Well, when you have, let’s see if we can’t get some meat back on those bones of yours. Too much time on the road, I reckon. Don’t be staying in this shit hole neither. I’ll get you put up somewhere nice, my treat.” Favian stood. “Well, lovely to see ya. Anything at all, you just let me know. Maybe a woman or three? Brown hair you like, ain’t it? Like that one you used to see. Unless you changed your tastes, of course, all sorts of options available.”
Silas pictured Lucia’s silky brown hair. “Thanks. My next assignment has me back to Bulov as soon as I get this tied up.”
