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The proprietor looked him up and down. “If yer looking for a teacher then yer gonna have to go somewhere else. I just sell the cards.”
Ben sighed and shook his head. “A pity. I had heard you were one of the best players in the city.”
The man perked up at the compliment. “Really? Who told you that?”
Ben nodded in the direction of the door. “A few young gentlemen whom we just passed.”
A sly, crooked smile slipped onto the man’s lips. “Did they? Must be Mac and his crew. Young whelps think they know everything about the game, but I still beat him.” He returned his attention to Ben and held out his hand. “The name’s Darren. What’s yer handle?”
“Sly,” Ben introduced himself as he accepted the handshake. “Sir Steven Sly.” I had to press my lips tightly together to keep from laughing.
“A pleasure to meet ya, Sir Sly,” Darren returned as he leaned an elbow on the desk and grinned. “So what might you be looking for? A simple deck or something to really give the little ass a whaling?”
Ben chuckled. “I see you have a keen eye, Darren. I mean to thrash the young sir.”
Darren reached under the table and drew out a couple of pre-packaged decks. “Then these are what yer wanting. Few can beat these, and even fewer can afford them.”
“How much?”
“Ten barons.”
Ben started back and his eyes widened. “So much? Surely you jest!”
Darren patted the top of one deck and shook his head. “No, Sir. These are rare. Very rare. You won’t find these gems among that lot.” He nodded at the stacks on the shelves. “Those things are toys. These here are for those who want to win to earn some extra pints of beer at the pub, if you know what I mean.”
Ben smiled and nodded. “I believe I do. I’ll take them.”
Darren straightened and his grin stretched his face out. “Fine! Lemme get you a bag for them. Wouldn’t want you to lose yer high-quality purchase.” He stooped and began digging around under the table. “Now where’d I put those blasted things. . .”
Ben picked up one of the stacks and turned over the white-packaged items. “You wouldn’t happen to know who made these, would you?”
Darren poked his head above the table and his grin had vanished, replaced by a frown. “Why are ya asking about that?”
“I’m a bit of a connoisseur of magical relics, as well,” Ben admitted as he drew out his money purse. He dropped it on the table top and the container made a nice hard ‘clunk.’ “And I must admit I have never seen such a delightful display of magic as what happens during a card duel.”
Darren tossed a cloth bag onto the desk and climbed back on to his stool. “I don’t know nothing about that part. All I do is sell them.”
“What a pity,” Ben replied before he tapped his chin with one finger. “And there was something I overheard my nephew mutter to himself one night. He said he was told that a player’s deck was granted good luck if set beside other magical items.”
Darren shrugged. “It’s just something I heard from my supplier, that’s all. I thought I’d pass it on to the tykes just to spice up the game. You know, give it a magical flavor. They’re always craving stuff like that.”
“And who might your supplier be?” Ben inquired.
The proprietor gave him a sharp look before he tossed the cards into the bag and plopped it down beside the coin purse. “That’ll be ten barons. Then you can leave.”
Ben inclined his head before he rummaged through his purse and drew out the money. Darren snatched it from his open palm and clamped his lips shut tighter than a clam. Ben took the bag and looped one of his arms through mine before he turned us toward the door.
I was relieved when we exited the shop and left the tense atmosphere behind us. “He didn’t like your question,” I mused as we sauntered down the road.
Ben shook his head. “No, he didn’t. That makes me think I found a lead in our little burglary mystery.”
I dropped my gaze to the bag in his hand. “So was ten barons a lot of money?”
“Enough to rent a small estate for a year.”
I winced. “This mystery is starting to get expensive.”
A dark cloud settled on Ben’s brow as he stared ahead of us in the direction where Mac and the others had disappeared. “Yes, but I’m starting to suspect our young friend Lew is on to something regarding the thefts. The magic contained in these cards is more than what the eye can see.”
