You can read the previous chapter here!
“She looks tired,” said a woman to her friend as they walked past Asp.
“Poor thing,” said her friend.
Asp pretended not to hear and kept walking. I haven’t slept well for weeks, she thought. Months, maybe. It’s all a blur. I’ve been so depressed. She watched people walking by, some giving her looks. It’s a good thing I noticed them looking at me that way last week. I’m not happy to not be able to work, though. I wish I had something to do.
She arrived at her apartment and keyed her way in. She looked around and couldn’t find Iris. I know she’s fine, but I worry anyway. It’s so hard letting her be an outdoor cat.
There was a faint scratching at the door. Asp walked over and opened it to find Iris looking up at her.
“There you are, baby,” she said. “Come in.”
Iris daintily walked over the threshold of the apartment, and Asp closed the door behind her.
“Mrow,” said Iris. “Mrow-mow.”
“Really?” said Asp. “Two different bears? Good for you. I’ll bet the city guards were grateful for your help.”
Iris plopped down on the armchair by the window. “Mrow,” she said quietly.
“Oh, right, we’re keeping a low profile,” said Asp conspiratorially. “I’ll keep it hush-hush for now.”
She sat back in the other chair and watched Iris groom herself. I feel better now. With Iris. But once I leave, it goes away. I need to figure out how to fix this. She placed her chin on her hand and her elbow on the armrest. She smiled faintly and watched as Iris curled up into a ball and began to quietly purr as she slept. Asp smiled warmly and–
Her head jerked up. She had nodded off, and her head had slipped off her hand. Well, if I can get some rest, she thought. She got up and walked over to her bed and lay down.
She lay there for a few hours. Sleep never arrived, but she did feel more tired for trying.
I need to go do something, she thought. I’m going crazy in here. She sat up and looked at the door. But where do I go? Nothing sounds fun. She frowned. I guess if I’m not gonna have fun anyway, I could do something I don’t want to do and get it out of the way. What do I have like that? She sat up and focused. Nothing work-related. Probably shouldn’t talk to the landlord like this. She sighed. I could visit Mom and Dad. I might be able to get through the jabs about how long it’s been. She slid off her bed and changed into a light blue dress. She walked over and patted Iris, gave her a kiss on the head, and made for the door. “Wish me luck, Iris,” she whispered and headed outside.
Asp tried to look more alert. She rubbed the bags under her eyes and stood up straight. Instead of staring numbly into the middle distance, she met peoples’ eyes and offered polite waves and greetings. It generally seemed to be working, though she still got some concerned glances as she walked along.
Before long, she arrived in her parent’s neighborhood and made for their street. She walked down the path, stepped up onto the porch, and knocked twice on the door before standing back. The door swung open–it was her mother. Hold it together, Asp thought to herself.
“Heather, is that you?” asked Lily. “You look terrible.”
Hold it together, Asp thought, breathing in sharply. “Thanks,” she said. “Didn’t sleep well.”
Lily stared at her. “Would it kill you to put on some makeup? You look terrible.”
“You mentioned,” said Asp. “Can I come in?”
“Yes, come in,” said her mother. “You’re in luck–your father is here. I know you came for him.”
They walked inside the house. “I came at this time because I hoped to see you both,” said Asp. “How have you been?”
“Really?” asked Lily, sitting down in the living room next to Cedric. “You’re gone over a year this time, and it’s ‘how have you been’?”
“Hi, Heather,” said Cedric absently. “How are you?”
“I didn’t even get to answer,” pouted Lily.
“By all means, Mom,” said Asp, “if you haven’t rejected the question, how are you?”
Lily spread her hands in her lap. “I’m making the most of it,” she said dramatically. “Things have been tough for your father and I, and things have been tough.”
“I’m getting old, Heather,” Cedric said wistfully. “One day soon, I won’t be able to work.”
Take my money! Asp thought. I have more than I need! Shit, is there a way to get them to take it?
“I can help,” said Asp gently. “I could help pay you back for everything when I was growing up. I could help with whatever is making trouble.”
“Absolutely not,” said Lily. “You will not pay us for raising you. It was our responsibility. Besides, I doubt you could afford something like that. ”
Asp smiled. Trust me, I can afford it.
Cedric breathed deeply and sat back. “Your mother is right: it was our responsibility. Besides, you work hard for your money. You deserve to spend it. You’re still at the tannery?”
I haven’t had an honest job in two years, she thought. Where do I say? Shit. “The tannery closed for a while. I’m between jobs at the moment.”
“Between jobs and offering us money!” cried Lily. “Have you grown even more reckless in your time away?”
“I’ve got savings,” said Asp patiently. “And I’ll find another job soon. I’ll be fine. But you’re worried, so I figured I’d offer some help.”
“It’s very sweet, Heather,” said her father. “But we’ll be okay.”
You will not, she thought. I sure learned to lie from somewhere, and these two are experts. We spent years starving and saying we were fine, so if you’re actually struggling, it’s gotta be bad. She scowled. I don’t like this.
“What’s wrong?” asked Cedric.
“What?” asked Asp.
“You look upset,” he replied. “What’s wrong?”
“Oh, just a thought,” said Asp. She had a thought and smiled. “I’m fine. Say, are you still part of that one charitable organization? The something Teller Foundation?”
“The Rock Stellar Foundation,” corrected Lily. “It provides education to the poorest families in Thistlewade.”
“Yeah, that one. You still donate?” asked Asp.
“Yes,” said Lily proudly.
“Our donation has grown smaller in recent years,” said Cedric sadly. “But we still do.”
“That’s good of you,” said Asp.
The Turnkey family sat and talked for an hour or so, and Asp would turn her attention inward and think of her new plan every time her mother said something to offend her.
—
“Have a good rest of your day, Heather,” said Cedric, waving.
“Thanks, Dad, you too!” called Asp back.
“Come back soon,” said Lily. “And think about the makeup. It can really change the way you look.”
“Thanks, Mom,” said Asp patiently. “You have a good day, too.” She walked away from the house, waving as she went.
“Bye,” called Cedric as Asp headed away.
She gave a final wave and headed off into the city on her way back to her apartment. She wandered along common roads past merchants and houses, lost in her thoughts. Nice professional paper, she thought. It’s the details that count. It should work since I don’t need to talk. She smiled to herself. It should work.
She looked up and then threw herself off the walking path and headed to the opposite side of the road. Agnes was coming towards her, and Asp sprung out of the way.
I feel like I run into her now more than when we were friends, Asp thought. I feel like I’m scurrying out of the way all the time now. The first few times Asp had seen Agnes, she had followed her to see what her old friend was up to, but it was always more nerve-wracking than interesting. Agnes was usually out to get food or to try to buy ash.
Asp made it home as the morning rays of the cool spring day were rising in the sky, the last moments before noon. She ducked inside the apartment and locked the door carefully behind her. Asp pried up the loose floorboard and fished out the lockbox, unlocking it with the key hidden in a concealed coinpurse. She pulled out five silver pieces and resealed the lockbox, replacing it in the floor and returning the floorboard.
She carried the coins to her table and retrieved several sheets of fine parchment from a drawer. On each, she painstakingly wrote the same message, careful to keep her sleeves from touching the drying ink. She allowed them to dry and played with Iris, a game where Asp would tickle Iris through a blanket, and Iris would wildly attack the mysterious blanket enemy. When the papers had dried, Asp inspected them. Which one looks the most professional? she asked herself. That one looks a little rushed. The letters are a little blotchy on that one. That one has promise. Ooh, that one looks inspired. We have a winner. She smiled and folded the paper in an intricate fold that left the paper looking like a flower. Into the folds of the paper, she tucked the five silver pieces.
Asp grabbed the folded paper with the coins and set for the door. Wait, she thought. She put the paper down and changed into a dress she hadn’t worn to see her parents yet, a dark purple gown. She styled her hair into two long braids that curled around the sides of her head. She grabbed the folded paper and headed out the door, locking up behind herself.
She skirted along minor streets now, hurrying. It’s bad luck to get stopped by someone on the way to or from a job, she thought. She averted eye contact with passersby and soon arrived back in her parents’ neighborhood. She quietly sidestepped along the paths until she was able to see her parents’ house from a distance. No one was about except for a young halfling girl, running in circles in the street outside her house. Asp nodded to herself and hurried towards her parents’ house.
She snuck up along the side of the house and tucked the folded paper between the floorboards in front of the door so that it stuck up, as though the flower had grown from beneath the porch. She rapped four times quickly on the door and sprinted away. When she was at a safe distance, she turned and looked.
Cedric emerged from the house. He looked around, called out something that Asp couldn’t hear, then saw the paper. He stooped down to pick it up. He unfolded the paper tenderly and gathered the silver coins that fell from it. He held the coins in a stack in his head and read the paper. He slapped his hand to his face, slamming the coins against his temple–he recoiled, but it was clear that he was laughing.
Asp let herself laugh too. That looks good, she thought. That looks very good. She watched until her father had gone back inside before turning to leave. She smiled. Perhaps a visit to the marketplace is in order, she thought. I think I’ve earned it.
She meandered loosely to the marketplace, enjoying taking in the scenes she passed as she went. I feel better, she thought. I’m not getting stared at. As much, anyway.
She arrived at the marketplace and found that it was nearly deserted. Only a few people moved between vendors, and there was a distant buzz of activity.
“What’s going on?” Asp asked a leatherworker. “Where is everybody?”
“There’s a theater troupe in town,” said the leatherworker sourly. “Everybody wants to see them do the classics.”
“Huh,” said Asp. “Actors.” We kinda do the same thing, except everyone’s allowed to know that they’re acting. “Where are they?”
“You too?” said the leatherworker. “Over towards the ramp.”
Asp navigated through the market and towards the middle tier to discover a large intersection set aside for the performance. It appeared that some of the actors were warming up the crowd while a few others prepared backstage, which was behind a simple curtain. Asp noticed how rapt the crowd’s attention was. If they’re that focused or more during the show, I could pick a few pockets pretty cleanly. No social work there. She considered the actors backstage and made her way over.
One actor, a nimble halfling man, was applying cosmetics to have more noticeable features–elongations of the lips, the eyebrows, and cheekbones. Next to him, an older halfling woman applied a thick cream that hid her face’s wrinkles, and she soon looked not much older than Asp. Beside her was a middle-aged man wearing makeup that was divided down the middle of his face; on one side he looked angelic and comforting, and on the other he appeared demonic and frightening.
Wow, Mom wasn’t lying. I don’t think she meant theater makeup, but this could be useful.
She approached the older woman timidly. “Excuse me, miss?” she asked.
The woman looked over to her. “What is it?” she asked. “I don’t like interruptions before a performance.”
“I’m sorry,” said Asp genuinely. “Where do you get that makeup?”
The woman looked confused. “Really? Uh, we make it ourselves, but an apothecary could make some if they wanted.”
“Apothecary,” said Asp. “Thank you. Good luck!”
“It’s bad luck to say good luck!” said the woman.
“Sorry! Regular luck!” said Asp.
“Oh, just go away,” said the woman.
Asp retreated from the backstage area and disappeared into the crowd. The actors finished answering their questions, most of which were about which play would be performed, which the actors refused to discuss.
“It will be a surprise!” cried the lead actor, a mustachioed halfling in a bowler hat. “Allow the suspense to heighten your excitement.”
“Just tell us,” cried an obviously drunk man in the back of the crowd.
“You shall discover it . . . imminently,” said the mustachioed halfling dramatically. “Behold,” he said, turning to the stage curtain, “the island of Strey.”
“It’s City on the Sea!” cried a person in the crowd. The curtain rose unevenly to reveal a dense cityscape.
“Indeed!” boomed the mustachioed halfling. “Our hero begins an absolute unknown in the urban jungle of Strey, but will they make a name for themselves? You shall discover this and more in . . . The City on the Sea!”
Actors assembled on the stage. The audience crowded in. Asp allowed herself to be pressed against the people in front of her. The pressure will distract them, she thought, tuning out the opening lines of the play. I still need to stay stealthy, though. The people behind me could see. She reached forward without looking and delicately pulled a coinpurse’s fastening string from the belt of the person before her. She gently withdrew the coinpurse and dropped it in her bag.
“A thief!” thundered someone. Asp froze, looking around. No one was looking at her. “A thief!” came the shout again. Asp looked on stage. The mustachioed halfling was pointing at another actor. “This one’s a dirty thief” he shouted again.
Asp breathed deeply. Holy shit. I thought I was screwed. She composed herself and started work on another audience member.
As the play wore on, Asp managed to steal over a dozen coinpurses before worrying that she had taken her luck far enough. She pushed through the crowd away from the stage and got back onto the city streets.
Good score, she thought, feeling the weight of the coins in her bag. More than enough to pay for my new venture for several months, by the feel of it. She passed a row of businesses. Last Page Books, Specialty Musical Instruments, Paper and Ink, Nature’s Apothecary, Redman Woodwork– she stopped walking. Apothecary. She walked back a few paces and peered in the window. A small old halfling woman stood behind a counter, grinding something with a mortar and pestle. Asp smiled and went inside.
“Good afternoon,” said the old woman, looking up without ceasing her work.
“You too,” said Asp sweetly. “How are you?”
“Fine, fine,” said the old woman. “What can I do for you?”
Asp smiled. “I was wondering if you could make me some makeup.”
The old woman frowned. “You can buy makeup at boutiques,” she said.
“Not like that,” said Asp. “Like theater makeup.”
The old woman stopped moving and looked Asp up and down. “Are you an actress?”
“I could be,” said Asp. “If I had the makeup.”
The old woman sighed. “I’ll help you. But I need to know what tones you’ll want.”
Asp leaned against the counter. “I want to play as many roles as possible. All the skin tones and maybe a few more cosmetic ones.” She smiled politely. “I can pay.”
The old man shrugged. “I’m Tabitha,” she said, returning to her work with the mortar and pestle.
“I’m Blossom,” said Asp.
“Well, Blossom,” said Tabitha, “I can have your makeup done soon. Two days’ time. For what you’re asking for. Will the theater troupe still be here then?”
“Oh, don’t worry about the troupe,” said Asp. “Two days’ time will be fine. Thank you.”
“Good day,” said Tabitha.
“You too,” said Asp as she pushed the door open and headed back to her apartment.
Theater is nice, she thought as she felt the weight of the stolen coins in her bag. I may need to see some more plays.
—
Asp woke up in her apartment. She glanced around in the dark, then climbed out of bed. She walked through the apartment to the window and pulled back the curtain. It was nighttime. She rubbed her eyes. Should I go back to bed? I feel awake now. She patted the windowsill where she had placed part of her score earlier. I don’t like picking pockets, but that made it easy, she thought. Even Agnes could have done some damage. She frowned. Agnes. I wonder if she’s okay. She let the curtain go and walked to her bedside, where she lit a candle. In its low light, she dressed in a yellow and blue striped blouse with a dark blue skirt. She smiled to herself and headed outside, locking up behind her.
She wasn’t headed anywhere in particular, so she allowed herself to wander. She passed the marketplace, more attended than it had been during the play. She cut past the fancier shops and a sprawling neighborhood. Maybe I’ll pick up some ash out in Coral Beach, she thought. She headed out of the city and along a winding road that led to the smaller city of Coral Beach out by the coast. Just inside town, she found herself outside a tavern near the ramp up to the lake. Sounds of laughter spilled out. She smiled and headed inside.
In the tavern, around a few tables were assembled two groups. At two tables pushed together where a group of halflings playing a big game of cards; at another table sat a young dwarven man, a brown-haired human woman, and a bespectacled gnomish girl. The card game was rather quiet, but the non-halflings were having a rowdy conversation.
“And then you could open a store where you sell custom harnesses for these exotic animals you’re taming!” said the gnomish girl.
“She gets part of the profits for coming up with the idea,” said the dwarf, laughing.
“Who gets what part of my business, now?” asked the human woman, playing along. “If I’m teaching bears to be friendly, it’s gonna be for me.”
Asp looked at the card players, who were making a point to not consider the non-halflings. She shrugged to herself.
She walked up to the bar. A silver-haired halfling with muttonchops looked at her tiredly.
“What’ll it be?” he asked.
“A mug of ale for me,” she said, “whatever you recommend, and another round for the table over there.” She pointed to the single table.
The bartender rolled his eyes. “I recommend not messing with them,” he said in a low voice.
“I meant a drink recommendation,” she said. “Besides, I could help you. You want them gone?”
The bartender raised his eyebrows. “We’ve been trying all night.”
“Gimme ten minutes,” she said. “But start with another round.”
The bartender smiled. “One of our finest halfling wines, and another round,” he said. He uncorked and poured from a bottle into a fancy glass. “There you are, miss,” he said. “You can pay up at the end.”
Asp smiled and took the wine glass. “Thanks, bartender,” she said playfully. She turned and walked to the table. “Excuse me, everyone,” she said during a brief quiet moment. “I’m Blossom,” she said. “It looked like you all were having such a great time, and I wondered if you’d mind if I joined.”
The group looked warily at each other.
“Does she realize–?” started the dwarf.
“I think you must be mistaken,” said the gnome.
“No mistake,” said Asp. “Hi, I’m Blossom. I just bought your table another round of drinks, and I wondered if I could sit with you for a while.”
“She’s trying to get us to leave,” said the dwarf.
“If she wanted us to leave, why would she get us more drinks?” countered the gnome.
“I really just want to sit here. I won’t even talk,” said Asp. “You’re just laughing so much–I want to have fun too.”
“And you don’t care that we’re not halflings?” asked the dwarf.
“Wait, you’re not halflings?!” cried Asp dramatically. She smiled. “I don’t care.”
“Let her sit,” said the human woman. “We shouldn’t suspect things of her just because others like her have done bad things.”
“I’m sorry to hear that,” said Asp sorrowfully. “What’s happened?”
“We got almost run out of Highglen,” said the dwarf. “No one would hire us in Midford.”
“Refnar wasn’t bad,” said the gnome.
“Except the part where the inn kicked us out in the middle of the night!” said the dwarf. “I swear they only let us in to make it worse when they kicked us out.”
“I’m Edith,” said the human woman, pulling her fingers through her long brown hair. “Thanks for the drinks, Blossom,” she said, nodding to the bartender who was just arriving with the round.
“Not a problem,” said Asp. “And you two?”
“Dirk,” said the dwarf.
“Georgie,” said the gnome.
“Nice to meet you,” Asp said. “So, what do you do? I know it’s hard to find work everywhere these days.”
“We’re bakers,” said Dirk, chuckling.
“We’re textile workers,” corrected Georgie. “I do fabrics, Dirk does leathers, Edith makes dyes and thread.”
Asp looked at the three of them. Bakers? Does he mean . . . “I’m trained as a baker, myself,” said Asp casually.
Edith cocked an eyebrow. “A baker, eh? You look like a smooth fingertip.”
Fingertip! A pickpocket. Thank the gods I remember what Xander taught me. “I’m a smooth enough fingertip, but I mostly work as a priest.”
Edith smiled, then relaxed her face. “A priest,” she said almost reverently. “How good a priest?”
Asp looked at Dirk and Georgie. They were watching her closely. She looked back to Edith. “I’m good,” she said a moment later. “I’m very good.”
Edith looked to Dirk and Georgie, smiling slightly. “Could we go somewhere else to talk?” she asked. “Somewhere private?”
Asp nodded. “I have a place,” she said.
Edith looked at Georgie and Dirk. “Drink up, folks.” They grabbed their drinks and steadily downed them. They looked to Asp. She took a long sip of wine and placed the still mostly-full glass on the table.
“Let me square up with the bartender,” said Asp. “Meet you outside.”
The group filed outside, and Asp turned and walked to the bar.
“That was less than ten minutes,” said the bartender. “Did I hear you say you’re a priest?”
“I’m in training,” said Asp. “So, what do I owe you for the wine?”
“On the house,” said the bartender. “I feel like I owe you. Would you take a coin?”
Asp smiled. “I’ll take a coin.” She reached her hand out, and he placed a silver piece on it.
“That was a favor to all of us,” he said seriously. “Thank you.”
Asp smiled sweetly at him. “Glad I could help.” She turned and headed for the door. I just got paid to get a lead. Maybe things are turning around.
She joined the group outside.
“Which way?” asked Georgie.
“Follow me,” said Asp. She led them down a few side roads back out of town. She led them silently along the road back to Thistlewade and cut quickly to her apartment. She ushered them in and closed the door.
“Nice place,” said Dirk, looking around.
“Thanks,” said Asp. She dug around in the pile of blankets on the bed and pulled out Iris. “This is Iris, my perfect beautiful child.”
“She’s so cute!” cried Georgie.
“So you’re a priest?” asked Edith. “Really?”
“I’m a priest,” said Asp.
“Can we dispense with the theatrics?” asked Dirk. “We’re behind closed doors. Let’s be clear. Are you a con?”
Asp laughed. “I’m a con.”
“Are you looking for work?” asked Edith, her eyes intent.
Asp folded her arms. “You’re all being very cagey about this. It makes me nervous.”
“Are you?” insisted Edith.
“Yeah, I could take on work,” said Asp. “I take it none of you are priests, or you’d have this covered?”
“She is,” said Georgie. She pointed to Edith.
“Dirk is a cat burglar,” explained Edith. “Georgie’s a pickpocket. I mostly do planning, but I do some con work when we need it. Thing is, this job needs a real con. I don’t think I can manage it.”
“What’s the job?” Asp asked.
Edith sighed. “We’re getting something out of city evidence,” she said.
“Sorry, folks,” said Asp, “I don’t play games with guards.”
“See? I told you any con worth their salt wouldn’t touch this!” cried Georgie. “No one is going to want to walk into the guard office and ask to get taken into a locked room.”
Asp narrowed her eyes. “Wait, is that all I have to do? Go in, be taken somewhere, and leave?”
Edith looked hopefully at Asp. “Not exactly, but it’s not that crazy, either. All you have to do is go in, ask to inspect an item in evidence, and keep the guard who takes you distracted for long enough for Georgie to lift the key.”
“100% distraction?” asked Asp. “No liability?”
“We’ve got two expert thieves already,” said Dirk, thumbing his chest and pointing at Georgie. “We’ll do that. You just talk.”
“You can talk, right?” asked Edith. “I mean, you talked your way into our circle pretty quick, Blossom.”
“It’s Asp,” said Asp. “Blossom is a cover name. Asp is my working name. And yeah, I can talk. If you want, for fun, you can give me a topic, and I’ll just talk about that.”
“No shit?” said Dirk. “You’re making a game out of this?”
“This took months of planning, Asp,” said Edith. “Are you taking it seriously?”
“Damn, you said you wanted to know if I could talk,” said Asp, hurt. “I was just showing you I can talk however you need. Relax.”
“Used to working alone, huh?” asked Georgie.
Asp raised her eyebrows, surprised.
“She’s got a point,” said Edith. “Can you agree to work with us?”
Asp considered, then nodded. “What’s my cut?”
Edith sighed. “It’ll be 30 gold.”
I’ve made more. But that’s a lot of easy money if they’re telling the truth. “I’m in,” said Asp. “When do we start?”
“There’s an opportunity in the morning,” said Edith. “We’re staying up. You should sleep, though. You look tired.”
Asp scowled. “I’ll try.”
“Let’s go,” said Edith. “See you soon, Asp.”
“See you soon,” said Asp.
And as she tried to fall asleep, she found she was too excited by the job and still buzzing from her new contacts to nod off.
Easy money, she thought as the shadows shifted on the ceiling. Easy money is a good thing.
—
Asp crept out of bed and dressed. She made a cup of tea and sat with Iris for a while, trying to place her mind in the perfect combination of focus and instinct. A knock on the door interrupted her. She went and cracked it open. Outside were Edith, Dirk, and Georgie. She opened it to allow them in.
“Time to go,” said Edith. “You ready?”
Asp looked back at her partial cup of tea and Iris curled up in her chair. Not really, she thought. “Yeah,” she said.
“Show time,” said Dirk.
The group headed through the lower tier of the city out along the road back to Coral Beach. Again, their walk was silent. Before long, they arrived in Coral Beach. Edith led them to a small municipal building.
“You go in,” explained Edith, “you ask to look at the harp associated with case 503, you look at it and say it’s still there, and you leave. As you leave, Georgie is going to lift the key to the evidence room off the guard who’s with you, so be especially distracting at the end. Then Dirk comes back with the key later.”
Asp nodded. “Why am I allowed to see the harp? You can only see things if you’re related to the case.”
“And you will be, Nancy Greenstalk,” said Edith. “You’re the sister of the man, now deceased, whose harp was stolen.”
“Nancy Greenstalk,” repeated Asp. “Hi, I’m Nancy Greenstalk,” she said in a slightly higher voice. “I’m sorry to trouble you, but I need to see my brother’s harp. I heard a rumor it might be suffering damage in lockup.”
“Shit,” laughed Dirk. “She is good.”
“Stop showing off,” said Edith. “Focus. You never know what could happen.”
“Right,” said Asp, “I’ve never done this before. Please tell me how it works.”
“Asp,” said Edith seriously, “promise me you’ll be careful. We mess this up, all the planning time goes out the window. I know you just came by this job, but it wasn’t so easy for us. We worked hard for this.”
Asp looked solemnly at Edith. “I’ll be careful. It’s my ass on the line in there, you know. I’ll be careful.”
“Good,” said Edith. “Now, the woman at the desk is the only person who works there who doesn’t know Nancy Greenstalk pretty well, so you’ve gotta go now before the shift changes and the window closes.”
“I’m on it,” said Asp. She smiled. “Be back soon,” she said and made for the door to the guard complex. As it loomed in the morning sun, it cast long, angular shadows. Don’t play with guards, she thought. Zenna hung before her in her mind’s eye. I’ll be careful.
She passed through the doors and followed the signs through a set of long hallways. She came up to a small desk marked “Evidence,” and saw a grey-haired woman bent over the desk, her hair in her face. Asp walked up and placed a hand on the desk.
“Good morning,” she said brightly in her slightly higher voice. “I’m sorry to trouble you, but I need to see my broth–”
The woman looked up. It was Sandy.
“Blossom?” asked Sandy.
Shit shit shit. What do I do now? “Sandy!” she cried warmly. “How are you?”
“I’m good, Blossom, I’m good,” Sandy said. “It’s crazy seeing you here! I was just reminiscing about the old days. We did good work together.”
Those were pretty good times, Asp thought. Not my kind of work, but not terrible. “We did do good work together,” said Asp. “But you’re working here now?”
Sandy shrugged. “It’s been hard to keep work since the gallery closed,” she said. “I had to leave the city. I feel like my heart just isn’t in anything anymore.”
Xander really took you for everything, Asp thought. “I’m sorry, Sandy,” said Asp. “That sounds rough. I’m glad you’re still on your own two feet, though.”
“They can’t keep me down forever,” said Sandy. “I may be old, but I got fight left in me.”
“That’s the Sandy I know!” said Asp.
“What did you come in here for, anyway?” asked Sandy. “Something about a brother?”
“Oh, I–not my brother, actually, I–” Asp stopped and smoothed her dress, breathing deeply. “I am a close friend of Nancy Greenstalk, and she’s tied up, but she’s terribly worried about her brother’s harp in lockup. It’s a real work of art, you see, and we know that things can be handled a little roughly at times . . .”
“It’s true,” whispered Sandy. “I saw them literally throw a painting down a hallway. Absolute barbarians.”
“So could I see it?” asked Asp. “Report back to Nancy that all is well, or find someone to fix it?”
“I can’t, really,” said Sandy. “You have to be a concerned party.”
“I’m very concerned, Sandy,” said Asp. “Can you imagine–a harp being tossed around? Can you imagine?”
Sandy looked very concerned indeed. “But, Blossom, I could get in trouble for letting you back there,” she said.
“You know what we could do?” asked Asp conspiratorially. “What if we pretended that I was Nancy Greenstalk? Then you could let me back there?”
Sandy frowned. “But what if we got caught and–”
“We won’t get caught,” said Asp comfortably. “We both say I’m Nancy, and it’s like nothing ever happened.”
“Like nothing ever happened,” repeated Sandy. “I guess we could–”
“Oh, Sandy, you’re the best!” cried Asp. “Thank you for your help, really.”
Sandy blushed. “I’ll call for a guard,” she said. “Charlie!” she called. “Evidence!”
“I’ll only be a minute,” said Asp.
A large halfling came around the corner in stiff leather armor. “Who’s she?” he asked in a gravelly voice.
“Nancy Greenstalk,” said Asp politely, offering a hand. “I’m here for case 503.”
“This way,” Charlie said. He led her down a hallway, around a corner, and to a small caged room within a room. Inside were dozens of boxes of assorted items, ranging from common tools and weapons to heirlooms that had fallen into criminal hands. In one corner stood a large harp. “503,” said Charlie, pointing to the corner. “You got two minutes.”
Asp nodded and hurried over. She dramatically investigated the harp up and down, plucking a few strings tentatively. She briefly looked around the other nearby items. Nothing of value, she thought. She looked up at Charlie.
“Time’s up,” he said. “Let’s go.” He motioned to the door. Asp stood and joined him, and the again walked down the hallway and around the corner back to the desk. Asp looked around. Georgie hadn’t passed them in the hallways, and she wasn’t here for the lift. A few steps from the desk, Asp deliberately tripped over herself and into Charlie. They both fell to the ground.
“Oh, hell!” cried Charlie. “Would you watch where you’re going?”
Asp rubbed her leg where she had landed. “Sorry,” she said sheepishly. “I’m feeling a little weak.”
“You okay, Bl–I mean, Nancy?” asked Sandy.
“I’ll be fine,” said Asp, rising to her feet. “Thanks, though.”
“Bye, Sandy,” said Charlie curtly, walking back down the hallway.
“Did it go okay?” whispered Sandy. “How’s the harp?”
“Beautiful,” said Asp. “Hopefully, it stays that way.”
Georgie came hurrying over, face red.
“Well, I should be going,” said Asp. “It was so good to see you, Sandy.” She turned and walked away.
“What can I do for you?” Sandy asked Georgie.
“Oh, uh, nothing,” said George and scurried after Asp. “Where’s the guard?” she asked.
“Oh, Charlie?” asked Asp. “He’s long gone. Where were you?” They emerged from the building and went to join Edith and Dirk.
“How’d it go?” asked Edith nervously.
“I got caught up,” said Georgie. “A guard was asking me all these questions. I couldn’t just walk away.”
“So we didn’t get it?” asked Edith, her voice frantic.
“I missed him,” said Georgie.
“Fuck!” said Dirk. “Can we try again in a week or something?”
“I don’t think that the harp excuse is going to work again,” said Edith. “Shit.”
Asp smiled. “Hey, uh, not to call a halt to the sadness parade, but are you looking for this?” She held up a solid brass key.
Edith’s eyes shone, and Georgie started to giggle. Dirk just stood staring.
“Nobody has anything to say?” asked Asp. “Just gonna stare?”
“You got the key,” said Edith, tears in her eyes. “You got it.”
Asp laughed. “Yeah, it was a key. You’ve got way more to worry about. You gotta get back in there and out of there and not get caught.”
“We can manage that,” said Dirk. “That was the other part of the plan. We’ve got a way to get all the evidence out.”
Asp raised an eyebrow. “Good for you,” she said. “So, look, I’ll see you when you get what you need to pay me, then, and do come back if you’ve got any easy money again.” Easy money, she thought. Had to talk my way past Sandy, but still pretty easy money.
Edith laughed. “With a priest like you, I can make different plans,” she said. “Thanks, Asp.”
Asp handed the key over to Edith. “Have fun,” she said, “and good luck.”
Dirk laughed. “You too,” he said.
Asp turned and walked off into the morning, smiling. Not bad for a morning’s work, she thought. Now to check and see how yesterday’s work is shaping up. She took a turn away from Coral Beach and headed back to Thistlewade.
—
Asp took a corner towards the neighborhoods. So if I can work with Edith and the gang sometimes, they would be a nice boost. But I don’t want to work with someone all the time. Xander and Agnes taught me that. Could be good. She took another corner. That was pretty smooth with Sandy. I wonder if that’ll ever come back on me. I feel like she’s not going to tell anybody. She turned around corner and collided with someone who was moving fast.
“What the hell, idiot, look where you’re going!” they said.
“Sorry,” said Asp, trying to steady herself. She looked at the person she had hit and flinched.
“Oh, it’s you,” said Agnes. “The fucking freak.” She turned to a passerby as they walked. “You wanna hear what she did to me?”
“Shh!” said Asp. “Come on, I’m going.”
“You’re disgusting,” said Agnes. “You disgust me.”
Asp’s face burned. She glanced around, trying to find a way past Agnes. “Leave me alone,” she said quietly.
“No, I don’t think I will,” said Agnes, drawing herself up to her full height.
She’s so pretty when she’s mad, Asp thought.
“I think I’m gonna get a gold from you right now, or I start talking about our past to everybody here,” said Agnes, gesturing around to a now-growing ring of people interested in the excitement.
Asp’s eyes went wide. She fumbled for a coinpurse and withdrew a gold coin. She handed it to Agnes and moved to leave.
“You better start working extra,” said Agnes viciously. “I see you again, it’s gonna be two gold.”
“What are they talking about?” asked an onlooker loudly.
“That one’s paying the other one to keep a secret,” said another.
“Must be a good secret for a gold,” said someone else.
Asp looked at Agnes and nodded. “You won’t see me again,” she said sadly.
“I better not,” said Agnes.
Asp turned and pushed her way through the ring of onlookers.
“What’s your secret, girl?” asked one of them.
“Yeah, tell us your secret,” cried another.
Asp broke through them and ran. She found to her surprise after a few blocks that her vision was blurred; she was crying silently. She found an alleyway and calmed herself, wiping her face, and resumed walking.
She arrived at her parents’ house in the late morning. She walked cautiously up to the door and knocked twice. The door swung open to reveal her mother.
“Heather,” she said, “come in. We were just celebrating.”
“Celebrating what?” asked Asp as she stepped inside.
“We’ve been recognized by The Rock Stellar Foundation,” explained Cedric. “Our donations have entered us in some sort of contest, and we won.”
“Five silver every two weeks for life,” said Lily proudly. “We’ll be more comfortable, and I can stop working.”
Asp winced. Dad’s losing his knees and you’re the one to stop working? she thought. She put on a smile. “That’s great.”
“Listen to this,” said Cedric, rising out of his chair and heading to the kitchen table. He returned with a fine sheet of parchment. “Dear Cedric Turnkey and the Turnkey Family,” he read proudly, “In recognition of your contributions to the City of Thistlewade, the Rock Stellar Foundation has entered you in a raffle for income support. You have won the sweepstakes and will be awarded five silver in legal tender every two weeks until such time as your death. The payments will be left by your front door regularly. Gratefully, the Rock Stellar Foundation.” He put the letter down. “Isn’t that something?” he asked.
Ask studied the handwriting on the letter. It’s a good thing he doesn’t recognize my script, she thought. Now I just have to drop money every few weeks and I can stop worrying about them.
“It’s really something,” she said. “I’m so glad you’ve been recognized, and I’m glad you can afford a little more now.”
“I was just getting ready to pick up a second job,” said her father. “This came at just the right time.”
Asp sat back in her chair and tried to soak the moment up. I just helped my family far more than they would ever let me if they knew. I just saved a massive job by doing what I do well. I’m well off enough to be able to support my family. She closed her eyes for a moment and saw herself surrounded by the people down the street who had wanted to know her secret. She breathed in sharply.
“Are you okay?” asked Lily. “You look like you haven’t left since we last saw you.”
Asp snapped to. “I’m fine,” she said. “Just happy for you.”
An hour later, Asp was saying her goodbyes, but her thoughts were elsewhere. She bid her parents have a good day and slipped off into the city. She wove this way and that until she ended up in a rundown neighborhood at the edge of town. She walked the streets idly, keeping her eyes open. She saw a scruffy-looking man dressed in black on a street corner and made her way to him.
They locked eyes. “You have the time in Hammergrad?” she asked.
He smiled faintly. “You don’t look like a Hammergrad type,” he said slyly. “You look more like a Lo’Torrin girl.”
Asp rolled her eyes. Lo’Torrin means nimblegrass. A little relaxer. I need ash.
“I don’t care what I look like,” she said. “I want the time in Hammergrad.”
He smiled wickedly. “It’s pretty late. I’d say ten o’clock.”
“That’s pretty late for Hammergrad,” she said. “I’m used to it being eight or so.”
“This is an especially authentic Hammergrad experience,” he replied. “You’ll be happy you got it for only ten.”
Asp narrowed her eyes at him. “I haven’t seen you around before.”
“Just rolled in from Rainpour,” he said casually. “They got good stuff out there.”
Asp considered. That’s a lot, and I’ve been trying to lay off. It’s just so hard when the only thing that turns my brain off is ash. She felt herself surrounded by the crowd with Agnes again.
“I’ll take it,” she said. “A double, actually, if you have it.”
“Careful, now, kid,” said the man. “Don’t go snuffing your candle looking for a good time.”
“Do you have it?” she asked.
“I have it. Nineteen since such you’re such a good customer.” He smiled yellowed teeth at her.
“Thanks,” she said, handing over two gold pieces; he handed her back a silver and a small cloth bag.
“Have fun,” he said.
“I will,” she said. She turned and walked back along the roads to her apartment, vigilant all along the way to not run into Agnes again. She ducked into her apartment, locked the door, and lay down on her bed. She pulled the first cube of ash from the bag and held it above herself.
I don’t want to think for the next three days. How much will do that? She ground a small amount off the cube and inhaled it. She grew sleepy, and her eyes felt heavy. Maybe if I just keep doing a little bit at a time, I’ll be fine. She ground a little more and inhaled. Her eyes were barely open. She felt Iris bump her head against Asp’s side. Little sweetheart, she thought. Mommy’s going to take a nap. She ground a little more. More than half the cube was gone now. A little nap for a little while.
And she dropped off into a heavy slumber that was less peaceful than numb, and somewhere inside of her, she began to wonder whether she ever wanted to come out again.
You can read the next chapter here!
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