like you and my brother to protect
us, we womenfolk have nothing to worry about.’ And she turned and made off up
the path. Jezal had to hurry once again to catch up.
‘And is that the House of the Maker?’ Ardee nodded
towards the grim outline of the huge tower.
‘Why, yes it is.’
‘Does no one go inside?’
‘No one. Not in my lifetime anyway. The bridge is kept
behind lock and key.’ He frowned up at the tower. Seemed strange now, that he
never thought about it. Living in the Agriont, it was always there. You just
got used to it somehow. ‘The place is sealed, I believe.’
‘Sealed?’ Ardee moved very close to him. Jezal glanced
around nervously but nobody was looking. ‘Isn’t it strange that nobody goes in
there? Isn’t it a mystery?’ He could almost feel her breath on his neck, ‘I
mean to say, why not just break the door down?’
Jezal was finding it horribly difficult to concentrate
with her so close. He wondered for a moment, both frightening and exciting,
whether she might be flirting with him? No, no, of course not! Just not used to
the city was all. The artless ways of a country girl . . . but then she was very close. If only she were a little less attractive or a
little less confident. If only she were a little less . . . West’s sister.
He coughed and looked off down the path, hoping vainly
for a distraction. There were a few people moving along it, but no one that he
recognised, unless . . . Ardee’s spell was suddenly broken, and Jezal felt his
skin go cold. A hunched figure, overdressed on this sunny day, was limping
toward them, leaning heavily on a cane. He was bent over and wincing with every
step, the faster-moving travellers giving him a wide berth. Jezal tried to
steer Ardee away before he saw them, but she resisted gracefully and made a
direct line for the shambling Inquisitor.
His head snapped up as they approached and his eyes
glinted with recognition. Jezal’s heart sank. There was no avoiding him now.
‘Why, Captain Luthar,’ said Glokta warmly, shuffling a
little too close and shaking his hand, ‘what a pleasure! I’m surprised that
Varuz has let you go so early in the day. He must be mellowing in his old age.’
‘The Lord Marshal is still most demanding,’ snapped
Jezal.
‘I hope my Practicals didn’t inconvenience you the
other night.’ The Inquisitor shook his head sadly. ‘They have no manners. No
manners at all. But they are the very best at what they do! I swear, the King
doesn’t have two more valuable servants.’
‘I suppose we all serve the King in our own way.’
There was a little more hostility in Jezal’s voice than he had intended.
If Glokta was offended he didn’t show it. ‘Quite so. I
don’t believe I know your friend.’
‘No. This is—’
‘Actually, we’ve met,’ said Ardee, much to Jezal’s
surprise, giving her hand to the Inquisitor. ‘Ardee West.’
Glokta’s eyebrows rose. ‘No!’ He bent down stiffly to
kiss the back of her hand. Jezal saw his mouth twist as he straightened up, but
the toothless grin soon returned. ‘Collem West’s sister! But you are so much
changed.’
‘For the better, I hope,’ she laughed. Jezal felt
horribly uncomfortable.
‘Why—yes indeed,’ said Glokta.
‘And you are changed also, Sand.’ Ardee looked suddenly
very sad. ‘We were all so worried in my family. We hoped and hoped for your
safe return.’ Jezal saw a spasm run over Glokta’s face. ‘Then when we heard you
were hurt . . . how are you?’
The Inquisitor glanced at Jezal, his eyes cold as a
slow death. Jezal stared down at his boots, a lump of fear in his throat. He
had no need to be scared of this cripple, did he? But somehow he wished he was
still at fencing practice. Glokta stared at Ardee, his left eye twitching
slightly, and she looked back at him undaunted, her eyes full of quiet concern.
‘I am well. As well as can be expected.’ His
expression had turned very strange. Jezal felt more uncomfortable
us, we womenfolk have nothing to worry about.’ And she turned and made off up
the path. Jezal had to hurry once again to catch up.
‘And is that the House of the Maker?’ Ardee nodded
towards the grim outline of the huge tower.
‘Why, yes it is.’
‘Does no one go inside?’
‘No one. Not in my lifetime anyway. The bridge is kept
behind lock and key.’ He frowned up at the tower. Seemed strange now, that he
never thought about it. Living in the Agriont, it was always there. You just
got used to it somehow. ‘The place is sealed, I believe.’
‘Sealed?’ Ardee moved very close to him. Jezal glanced
around nervously but nobody was looking. ‘Isn’t it strange that nobody goes in
there? Isn’t it a mystery?’ He could almost feel her breath on his neck, ‘I
mean to say, why not just break the door down?’
Jezal was finding it horribly difficult to concentrate
with her so close. He wondered for a moment, both frightening and exciting,
whether she might be flirting with him? No, no, of course not! Just not used to
the city was all. The artless ways of a country girl . . . but then she was very close. If only she were a little less attractive or a
little less confident. If only she were a little less . . . West’s sister.
He coughed and looked off down the path, hoping vainly
for a distraction. There were a few people moving along it, but no one that he
recognised, unless . . . Ardee’s spell was suddenly broken, and Jezal felt his
skin go cold. A hunched figure, overdressed on this sunny day, was limping
toward them, leaning heavily on a cane. He was bent over and wincing with every
step, the faster-moving travellers giving him a wide berth. Jezal tried to
steer Ardee away before he saw them, but she resisted gracefully and made a
direct line for the shambling Inquisitor.
His head snapped up as they approached and his eyes
glinted with recognition. Jezal’s heart sank. There was no avoiding him now.
‘Why, Captain Luthar,’ said Glokta warmly, shuffling a
little too close and shaking his hand, ‘what a pleasure! I’m surprised that
Varuz has let you go so early in the day. He must be mellowing in his old age.’
‘The Lord Marshal is still most demanding,’ snapped
Jezal.
‘I hope my Practicals didn’t inconvenience you the
other night.’ The Inquisitor shook his head sadly. ‘They have no manners. No
manners at all. But they are the very best at what they do! I swear, the King
doesn’t have two more valuable servants.’
‘I suppose we all serve the King in our own way.’
There was a little more hostility in Jezal’s voice than he had intended.
If Glokta was offended he didn’t show it. ‘Quite so. I
don’t believe I know your friend.’
‘No. This is—’
‘Actually, we’ve met,’ said Ardee, much to Jezal’s
surprise, giving her hand to the Inquisitor. ‘Ardee West.’
Glokta’s eyebrows rose. ‘No!’ He bent down stiffly to
kiss the back of her hand. Jezal saw his mouth twist as he straightened up, but
the toothless grin soon returned. ‘Collem West’s sister! But you are so much
changed.’
‘For the better, I hope,’ she laughed. Jezal felt
horribly uncomfortable.
‘Why—yes indeed,’ said Glokta.
‘And you are changed also, Sand.’ Ardee looked suddenly
very sad. ‘We were all so worried in my family. We hoped and hoped for your
safe return.’ Jezal saw a spasm run over Glokta’s face. ‘Then when we heard you
were hurt . . . how are you?’
The Inquisitor glanced at Jezal, his eyes cold as a
slow death. Jezal stared down at his boots, a lump of fear in his throat. He
had no need to be scared of this cripple, did he? But somehow he wished he was
still at fencing practice. Glokta stared at Ardee, his left eye twitching
slightly, and she looked back at him undaunted, her eyes full of quiet concern.
‘I am well. As well as can be expected.’ His
expression had turned very strange. Jezal felt more uncomfortable
Similar Books
