Part 19 (1/2)

'Go on then, and be careful.' She crossed her arms beneath her b.r.e.a.s.t.s, looking grave. 'You know where to find me.'

Jimmy smiled at her and shook his head. She was changing so fast he hardly knew her. Then he turned away and climbed out of the window. First thing he should do, probably, would be to get a horse.

'No,' the innkeeper said indifferently. 'Left just after dawn, they did. Same as always.'

Jarvis Coe dropped a couple of coins on the bar. Surprising Surprising, he thought. From the way they were talking yesterday, I'd be expecting them to drink a long breakfast. From the way they were talking yesterday, I'd be expecting them to drink a long breakfast. Low-priced thugs rarely had much discipline or sense of purpose. If they did, they'd be in another line of work...or charging higher prices, at least. Low-priced thugs rarely had much discipline or sense of purpose. If they did, they'd be in another line of work...or charging higher prices, at least.

The innkeeper ignored the copper, polis.h.i.+ng around it. His eyebrow twitched when silver rang beside the duller metal.

'Which road did they take?'

The coins vanished into the innkeeper's big hand. 'North on the coast road, same as always.'

You couldn't rent a horse at a stable, but you could buy one with the understanding that eventually the stable-owner would buy it back. Coe walked briskly through the North Gate, cursing the delay; it was a mildly warm late-season day, perfect for travellingfor his quarry, too, worse luck. Even then his trained eye caught detailsthe casual way the guards leaned on their spears and halberds, offset by the relaxed alertness of their captain's eyes; and the state of their gear, which was worn but serviceable. From everything he heard, the lord of Land's End had taken an unusual position on the care of his barony's main town; he had garrisoned the bulk of his armysome two hundred men-at-armsin the old fortification on the edge of the city, and had kept only a small honour-guard in his household estates many miles away. But he had no heir, so perhaps he felt the safety of the citizens outweighed his own.

Administration seemed to be left to the one royal magistrate in the district, the leaders of the town's guilds and the harbour-master. It was probably a fair enough system as long as war didn't break out, or the Duke call up a levy. But the local garrison had come to neglect the countryside: there was not even so much as a regular patrol between the old castle and the Baron's country estates up the coast.

That had left the countryside in disarray. It didn't take much by way of neglect for bandits to move in. Or for a dozen local bullies to decide they'd rather rape women and steal sheep than work. And the local constable had neither the time nor resources to really enforce the law, short of a baronial order or a writ from the magistrate.

Coe reflected on this odd state of affairs as he walked through the gate. Land's End was still more of a large town than a small city, comprised of the usual gaggle of trades and workshops impractical or illegal inside a walled city, so no true foul bourg had been allowed to spring up outside the walls, but a thriving open market had been established beyond the clearing under the wall. He headed for the unmistakable smell of a dealer in horses, and slowed as he drew near.

'Master Jimmy!' he said. 'This is a pleasant surprise. How's your young foster-sister?'

If Jimmy was equally surprised he made a masterful job of hiding it. In fact, his dark eyes were level, coolly considering, beyond his years, even if he had grown up rough and quickly, which Coe would wager he had.

Looking him up and down, Coe revisited a judgment he had formed aboard s.h.i.+p about Jimmy: barely a boy barely a boy, well short of fifteen summers. But a very unusual and gifted boy. Inside that egg of boyhood is a man tapping at the sh.e.l.l, and a dangerous one, too, from all appearances. well short of fifteen summers. But a very unusual and gifted boy. Inside that egg of boyhood is a man tapping at the sh.e.l.l, and a dangerous one, too, from all appearances. Curly brown hairbadly cut, likely with a knifecontrasted with carefully respectable but not showy tunic and trousers; Coe suspected that the boots hadn't acquired their wear on Jimmy's feet. Curly brown hairbadly cut, likely with a knifecontrasted with carefully respectable but not showy tunic and trousers; Coe suspected that the boots hadn't acquired their wear on Jimmy's feet.

But here was the thing, Coe thought, he carries himself without a trace of adolescent awkwardness. He moves like an acrobat, as fluid as a cat sensing everything around him; he has the trick of avoiding people without needing to watch for them, deftly slipping through crowds without jostling them. he carries himself without a trace of adolescent awkwardness. He moves like an acrobat, as fluid as a cat sensing everything around him; he has the trick of avoiding people without needing to watch for them, deftly slipping through crowds without jostling them. Coe smiled. Perhaps that wasn't entirely true, but should Jimmy b.u.mp into someone on the street, Coe suspected it would be intentional. Coe smiled. Perhaps that wasn't entirely true, but should Jimmy b.u.mp into someone on the street, Coe suspected it would be intentional.

The sword at his side was enough to catch the interest: it was a tall man's blade, far too richly hilted for the part the boy was playing, of someone on the ragged edge of gentility. But Coe suspected that the blade was of equal quality to the guard and scabbard, which would make it worth the rent of a dozen farms. And more to the point of how it had come into his hands, the boy could use it with enough skill to make challenging him a very hazardous choice. Even now, a wise man will be careful. This one is quick as a ferret, I'll wager, and would give as little warning when he went for the throat. Even now, a wise man will be careful. This one is quick as a ferret, I'll wager, and would give as little warning when he went for the throat.

'Flora? She's making Aunt Cleora very happy,' Jimmy said. 'Nice to see you again, sir.'

'And you, my lad. Are you looking for work as a stablehand?'

'G.o.ds no, sir!' Jimmy grinned. 'I know nothing of horses. But I've got to take the coast road a way and I guess I'll need one.'

'In which direction?' Coe asked.

Jimmy gave him a suspicious look. 'Uh, north, east.' He shrugged.

'The very way that I'm going,' Jarvis said cheerfully. 'Why don't we ride together?'

Without waiting for an answer, he called to the stable-master to saddle another mount and before Jimmy could object, tossed a gold coin to the man, saying, 'We'll wish to sell them back when we return.'

Catching the coin, the stable-master said, 'If you bring them back sound, I'll buy them.'

Turning to look at Jimmy, Coe smiled and said, 'There. It's done.'

If the boy resented such highhandedness, he hid it well. All he said was: 'I'm not experienced.'

'Make it a gentle one,' Coe called to the stable-master.

'I don't want to hold you up, sir,' Jimmy said.

'I'm sure you won't, Jimmy. I'm not planning to galloplike a man, a horse can walk further than it can run. Do you have any supplies?' Or anything more than the clothes on your back, that absurdly grand blade, and a suspiciously large amount of hard cash? Or anything more than the clothes on your back, that absurdly grand blade, and a suspiciously large amount of hard cash?

'Uh, no. I thought I'd arrange a horse, then buy what I need in the market,' Jimmy said. 'As I said, sir, I don't want to delay you.'

'Not at all, not at all,' Jarvis said, giving the lad a hearty slap on the back. 'And as I said, I'm in no mad rush. Where are you bound?'

There was something about the boy that didn't ring true. He couldn't put his finger on it. But he and his so-called foster-sister, young as they were, struck him as rather more experienced and less benign than they were trying to seem. He was intrigued and wanted to know more. I always do. It's one thing that makes me good at my job I always do. It's one thing that makes me good at my job, he thought with flat realism. And it was something of a bonus that he could indulge his curiosity without going out of his way. This time. On other occasions, that curiosity had led him into situations in which someone ended up dead.

Still smarting from that hearty slap, Jimmy grinned falsely. He would probably be wise to get away from this fellow. Generally he didn't trust back-slappers, thinking them bullies who didn't quite dare to show it. But bullies took things from you and yet Coe was falling over himself in his eagerness to be helpful. It was disconcerting.

'I'm just catching up with some friends,' he said. 'They left at dawn.'

'Ah,' said Coe, his interest visibly sharpening. 'I wonder if I know them. I, too, am late in following a pair of fellows I must speak with. We'll share my supplies, my young friend.' The stableman brought the two horses over, saddled and ready. 'Mount up.'

I'm in his debt now, Jimmy thought. And look to be more so. I hate debts, but it's stupid to turn down help when you need it. What do I know of chasing men through field and wood? And look to be more so. I hate debts, but it's stupid to turn down help when you need it. What do I know of chasing men through field and wood? Alleys and sewers and even Radburn's dungeons he could manage. In the countryside he'd be as lost as...well, as Lorrie had been here in town, where even a complete stranger like Jimmy could land on his feet. Alleys and sewers and even Radburn's dungeons he could manage. In the countryside he'd be as lost as...well, as Lorrie had been here in town, where even a complete stranger like Jimmy could land on his feet.

Jimmy considered the situation. I could simply run away, but that would attract attention. Besides, you're never out of options until you're dead I could simply run away, but that would attract attention. Besides, you're never out of options until you're dead, he thought. He could take the chance of travelling with Coe and see what happened. If things looked dicey he could stop somewhere with people in sight and say they were his friends. Or, if worst came to worst, he could make for the woods and hide. He was good at hiding and climbing.

How much harder could it be to hide in a thicket of trees than in an alley?

He was suspicious of the man, but then again, suspicion was his response to every new face. Coe had helped him, with the wristband that had stopped Jimmy's seasickness, and had given them good advice on where to stay in Land's End. One of the things he'd learned in last night's ramble was that The c.o.c.kerel was indeed as bad a place as any in Krondor. He and Flora hadn't needed the warning, but Jarvis Coe wouldn't know that. In fact, the man had nothing to gain from either act, because he had no reason to expect to ever see Jimmy again.

And I'm curious about him. Curiosity is one of the very things that makes me a good thief and, d.a.m.nit, it'll make this chase after Lorrie's little brother less boring. After all, he'd been wondering what he would do if he did catch up with the kidnappers. After all, he'd been wondering what he would do if he did catch up with the kidnappers.

Well, he'd told himself, I'm a thief. I'll steal the boy back I'm a thief. I'll steal the boy back.

But that was bravado and he knew it. One of the things Jimmy was learning of late was that he really couldn't do everything he imagined, just most of it. Facing one hardened man with sword in hand was worrisome. Facing two, well, that was just plain stupid. If he could enlist Coe then maybe he might actually stand a chance of saving Rip.

There was something about the man that didn't quite ring true, but Jimmy's instincts told him that Coe was all right. Secretive, perhaps, even hiding his true reasons as much as Jimmy was, but not bad. Living as he had in Krondor, bad was something the young thief could sense without thinking and nine times out often, he'd be right. His b.u.mp of trouble just didn't react to Coe.

What really worried him was who Jarvis Coe was trying to catch up with. For a brief instant Jimmy considered that he might be a colleague of the two who had kidnapped Rip. Then he shoved the thought aside: had that been the case, Jimmy's b.u.mp of trouble would be positively throbbing.

The stableman cleared his throat; Coe was looking at him with a c.o.c.ked eyebrow.

'Sorry,' he said. 'Thinking.'

One of the stable's lackeys linked his hands. Jimmy looked at them, then at the tall horse, and put his foot into them. Not that he needed a step up, but he'd observed that ordinary folk got a little disturbed when you exhibited excessive agility.