Page 54 of City of Stone and Silence

“If I tell you some things that you’ll find … surprising. About me. Then what?”

“I don’t know what you mean,” he says. “But I’ve seen what you do here. I can’t imagine anything you could tell me would be that bad.”

“It’s just…” I shake my head. “Will you help me? It might be dangerous.”

“To the best of my ability,” he says at once. “You saved my life, remember.”

“I thought I told you to get over that,” I say.

“I tried, but then you saved it again.” He smiles. “What’s wrong?”

“We need to get to the Sixteenth Ward,” I tell him. “I’ll fill you in on the way.”

We trace a winding path through the alleys of the Eleventh Ward, working our way south, toward the Low Market, without taking the main streets. It’s early enough that there are plenty of people about, and we don’t attract any attention. Just a couple of young lovers, out for a stroll, right? Maybe not.

Garo’s gained a lot of confidence in the time we’ve been working together. At least he no longer stares at everything, like he’s just off a ship from distant lands. He’s still a little too well dressed, but working at the hospital has gotten his outfits realistically dirty. I keep my Kindre senses open, on the lookout for draft patrols, but I can’t help but pick up his emotions as well. He’s worried, and … pleased, I think, to be able to help. Not afraid. Not suspicious. That’s good.

“Okay,” I tell him. “I have an older sister.”

“Is that the big secret?”

“Not exactly.” I shake my head. “When we met, you said you could tell that I wasn’t a … a streetwalker, or even from the Eleventh Ward. And it’s mostly true. I live in the Second Ward, but I didn’t start there. My sister Isoka and I grew up in the Sixteenth Ward, on the street.”

“Fascinating.” Garo strokes his chin. “My father always said that more commoners would rise higher, if they were given a chance. It was one of the views that kept him out of the Council of State. Your parents must be remarkable people.”

“I never knew my parents,” I tell him. “My mother was dead by the time I was old enough to walk, and Isoka never talked about her. She raised me herself.”

“Even more remarkable.”

You don’t know the half of it. I’m walking a fine line here. I trust Garo, mostly, but I haven’t told him I’m a mage-blood, and I’d rather not tell him about Isoka’s powers, either. Not unless I have to. I feel guilty that I can’t confide in him completely, but my harder self—the part that hasn’t changed since the old days—balls up that guilt and tosses it aside. Focus.

“Isoka works for…” I hesitate again, then take the plunge. “A criminal organization. I’m not supposed to know about it. She’s the boss of the Sixteenth Ward. That’s how she’s been able to afford to keep me away from … all of this.”

“I see.” He tilts his head. “Now that would make an interesting question for moral philosophers.”

“I’m not interested in moral philosophy,” I say. “Something’s happened to her. She was supposed to come visit today.”

“You don’t think she’s just busy?”

“Not today. It’s my birthday.” I color slightly; making a big deal over birthdays makes me feel like a child. “She always visits.”

“Congratulations,” he says, automatically. “So. You think something has gone wrong? That she’s in trouble?”

“I’m sure of it.”

“All right.” He mulls that as we cross a busy side street, sidestepping a loitering sedan chair. “So how do we find her?”

I can feel trust pulsing off him, a smell like warm honey, and a rising tang of excitement. Something unknots in my chest, a tension I hadn’t realized I’d been carrying. I’m not certain I can do this without him.

“I know her boss’ name,” I say. “But not where to find him. I figure we’ll march into the first shady establishment we see and ask for an appointment.”

“Not exactly subtle,” Garo says, with a raised eyebrow.

“I don’t have time for subtle,” I tell him. “She might need our help.”

“Fair enough,” he says. “How do we find a shady establishment?”

“In the Sixteenth Ward?” I shrug. “Throw a rock.”