Chapter 20 Chapter 20

Chapter 20 Chapter 20
Chapter 20:

The warehouse was cold as usual. Wind came through the broken walls and made the torches flicker. Silas Vane stood in the middle of the empty floor with his arms crossed and legs spread apart from each other. His men were spread out behind him. All of them had their hands on their weapons.

Dorry stood beside Vane. His face looked unsettling. He kept looking at the door.

Vane then said, "What time is it?"

Dorry replied, "Past midnight, boss."

Vane said "He's not coming."

Dorry said "Maybe he got scared."

Vane turned and looked at him. His eyes were hard. His jaw was tight. He said "Scared?"

Dorry swallowed and adjusted. He said "Maybe he changed his mind."

Vane walked to the door. He stood there with his hands on his hips. He looked out at the dark street. Empty.

He said "He made me wait."

One of the men by the window shifted his weight. His boot scraped the floor. Vane turned.

He said "You got somewhere to be?"

The man said "No, boss."

Vane said "Then stand still."

The man stood still.

Vane walked back to the middle of the room. He kicked an empty crate hard in fury. It splintered against the wall.

He said "The Greyman thinks he can play games with me."

Dorry said "Boss, maybe we should go. It's late."

Vane stepped close to him. His face was inches from Dorry's face. He said "You want to go home?"

Dorry said "I just thought—"

Vane said "You don't think. You do what I tell you. Got it?."

Dorry said "Yes, boss."

Vane walked to the door again. He looked out at the street.

He said "If he's not coming to me, I'll go to him. The docks. The warehouses. The slums. FIND HIM."

He walked out. His men followed.

The dining room was warm. There were candles on the table. Silver and glass catching the light. Smell of roasted meat and wine.

Lord Theron Alden sat at the head of the table. His hair was combed back. His face was calm.

Magistrate Anya Crest sat to his right. She wore a black color dress. Her hair was pinned up. She was looking at the table, not at the guests.

Six merchants sat around the table. Men who still did business with Alden.

One of them, a fat man with a red face, lifted his glass to a toast. He said "To Lord Alden."

The other merchants raised their glasses. Alden smiled. He raised his own glass.

He said "To loyalty. It's rare these days."

The merchants laughed. Crest did not.

Alden looked at her. He said "Magistrate. You're quiet tonight. Is there something you like to share?"

Crest looked up. She let out a fake smile. Her eyes were tired. She said "It's been a long week."

Alden said "The city keeps us busy."

She said "Yes."

Kaelen stood in the service lane behind Alden's house. He wore a loose coat and a wide hat. His face was painted with ash. His hair was greyed with powder. He looked like an old man.

Rook stood beside him wondering what he was up to now. She said "You look terrible."

Kaelen said, "Exactly. That's the point."

Sparrow said "What if someone sees you?"

Kaelen said "No one looks at old men."

He picked up a broom that was leaning against the wall. He walked toward the kitchen entrance.

Rook said "We'll be outside."

Kaelen said "If something happens—"

Rook took a deep breath and said "We run. I know. Same old saying." Sparrow rolled her eyes.

He pushed open the kitchen door. Heat hit him. Noise hit him. Pots clanging. People shouting. A woman with a red face was yelling at a girl about spilled sauce.

No one looked at Kaelen. He was an old man with a broom. He moved through the kitchen. Past the ovens. Past the sinks. He went to the door that led to the dining room.

He stood in the corner. In the shadows. His face facing down.

Through the door, he could see the table. Alden at the head. Crest beside him. Six merchants.

He listened and watched them waiting for the perfect opportunity to strike with the echoes.

The meal went on. Wine flowed. The fat man told a story about a ship that sank. The other merchants laughed. Alden smiled. Crest kept staring at her plate.

Kaelen watched them. He saw the thin man from the last dinner. He was at the end of the table. His hands were shaking. He kept looking at Alden. He was probably thinking about what Alden will do to him when he eventually finds out about his deal done behind him. Or maybe he already knows.

Kaelen slipped his hand inside his coat. The paper was there. Eli's echo. Warm. He touched it.

He closed his eyes. He pushed. Just a little. Just the fear.

The thin man stopped eating instantly. His hand went to his chest. He looked around the room frantically.

The fat man said "Something wrong?"

The thin man said "I... no. Nothing."

He picked up his wine and drank it all at a goal.

Kaelen pushed the echoes again. Louder this time.

The thin man set his glass down. His face was pale. He said "I need some air."

He stood up. He walked to the door. Past Kaelen. He didn't see him. He went out into the hallway.

Kaelen let the fear go.

He looked at the other merchants. One of them, a younger man with dark hair, was not laughing. He was watching Alden. His face was tight.

Kaelen pushed. Not fear now but the memory of a letter. A letter the young man had written to a rival merchant.

The young man's face went red. He set his fork down. His hands were fists.

Alden said "Something on your mind?"

The young man said "No, my lord."

Alden said "You seem upset."

The young man said "I'm fine."

Crest looked at him. Her eyes narrowed. She said "You've been quiet all night."

The young man said "I've been thinking about business."

Alden smiled. He said "Business is good."

The young man said, "Some of it."

Alden's smile didn't change. He said "All of it."

The young man opened his mouth. Then closed it.

Kaelen pushed again. The memory of the letter.

The young man's face was in terror now. He stood up shakingly.

He said "I need to go… I need to get some fresh air."

Alden said, "SIT DOWN." He was already suspecting something was going wrong.

The young man sat. His hands were shaking.

Kaelen watched. His head was pounding hard now. His arm throbbed. He pushed again. Another merchant. A man with grey hair who had been watching the young man.

Kaelen pushed the memory of a deal. A deal the grey-haired man had made with Vane.

The grey-haired man dropped his fork. It clattered on the plate.

The fat man said "What's wrong with everyone tonight?"

Alden looked at the grey-haired man. He said "Do you have something to say?"

The grey-haired man said shakingly "No. No, my lord."

Alden said "You look like you've seen a ghost."

The grey-haired man said "I just remembered something. Business. I'll deal with it tomorrow."

Alden said "Tell me now."

The grey-haired man said "It's nothing."

Alden's voice was cold. "Tell me."

The grey-haired man then looked at the other men. They were all watching him. He said "There's a shipment. It was delayed. I'll handle it."

Alden said "Delayed by who?"

The grey-haired man said "Pirates. In the pass."

Alden picked up his wine. Drank. He said "I'll send men. The pass will be cleared."

The grey-haired man said "Thank you, my lord."

His hands were shaking. He tried to keep a fist to control them

Kaelen stepped back. His head was spinning. His arm was wet with blood. He let the echo go.

The room was quiet. The merchants were terrified at that point. They looked at their plates. They didn't talk.

Alden sat at the head of the table. His face was still calm. His eyes moved across the room.

He said "The food is cold. The wine is warm. The conversation is dead."

No one spoke.

Alden said "This dinner is over."

The merchants stood up fast. They bowed and left. The fat man was first out. The grey-haired man followed. The young man was last. He paused at the door. Looked back at Alden.

Alden said "I'll see you tomorrow. We'll talk about that shipment."

The young man said "Yes, my lord."

He left.

Crest sat at the table. Her hands were folded. She was looking at the empty plates.

She said "What happened tonight?"

Alden said "Someone happened."

She looked at him. He was looking at the corner. At the shadow where the old man had been standing.

Kaelen was gone.

Alden stood up. He walked to the corner. The broom was on the floor. The hat was on the hook. The old man was not there.

He picked up the hat. He looked at it.

He said "He was here."

Crest stood up. Her face was pale. She said "In your house?"

Alden said "In my dining room."

Crest said "Did you see him?"

Alden said "I saw an old man with a broom."

He dropped the hat on the floor.

He said "He's playing games. With Vane. With you. With me."

Crest said "What do we do?"

Alden said "Find him. Before he finds us."

He walked to the door.

Kaelen was in the service lane. His coat was off. His face was clean. He was walking fast. His arm was bleeding through his sleeve.

Rook came out of the shadows. Sparrow behind her.

Rook said with a concerning face, "You're bleeding again."

Kaelen said "I know." He lifted his face, clenched his teeth together with his eyes closed.

Sparrow said "Did it work?"

Kaelen said "Yes."

Rook said "What did you do?"

Kaelen said "I made them scared."

Sparrow said "Alden?"

Kaelen said "He knows."

They walked fast. The street was dark.

A voice came from ahead. Rough. Loud.

"There he is."

Kaelen stopped. Men stepped out of the shadows. Five of them. Vane's colors.

The one in front grinned. He said "The boss is looking for you. He's not happy."

Kaelen's hand went to his knife.

Rook moved beside him. Sparrow stepped back.

The man said "Come quiet."

Kaelen pulled his knife.

A voice came from behind. Cold. Quiet.

"I told you to find him. Not talk to him."

Vane stepped out of the darkness. His face was red. His eyes were fixed on Kaelen.

He said "The Greyman."

Kaelen said nothing.

Vane said "You made me wait. In a cold warehouse."

Kaelen looked at him in disgust and said nothing.

Vane stepped closer. He said "You think you're clever. But you're just a man. And men bleed."

Kaelen raised his knife.

Vane moved fast towards him. His knife came up. Metal on metal. The sound echoed.

Vane shoved. Kaelen stumbled back. His arm screamed. Blood ran down his hand.

Vane said "You're hurt. Good."

He came again. Kaelen blocked. His arm was weak. The blade slipped.

Vane's knife cut across Kaelen's chest. Shallow. But enough. Blood.

Kaelen fell back. His hand went to his chest.

He said "Not so scary now."

Rook stepped in front of Kaelen. Her knife was out. "Kaelen, Kaelen, are you okay." She called out to him.

Vane looked at her. He said "This little girl. I don't want to hurt you. Step aside now."

Sparrow was behind him. She was holding a broken bottle. Her hand was shaking and kept adjusting how she held the bottle with both hands.

Vane didn't see her.

Kaelen pushed himself up. His knife was still in his hand. His chest was wet with blood.

He said "Vane."

Vane turned.

Kaelen lunged at him