Red Seas Under Red Skies by Scott Lynch Read Free Book Online Page B

malice behind that smile steadied his hand on the hilt of the blade. The little girl reached up to touch her chin.
    â€œThough he cannot speak,” she said.
    â€œThough he cannot speak for himself…,” chorused the circle of merchants, now motionless in the darkness.
    â€œThough he is mad,” said the girl, slowly spreading her hands toward Locke and Jean, palms out.
    â€œMad beyond measure…,” whispered the circle.
    â€œHis friends remain,” said the girl. “His friends remember.”
    Jean moved beside Locke, and then both of his hatchets were out, blackened steel heads naked to the night. “These people are puppets. There are Bondsmagi somewhere around us,” he hissed.
    â€œShow yourselves, you fucking cowards!” said Locke, speaking to the girl.
    â€œWe show our power,” she replied.
    â€œWhat more do you need?” whispered the chorus in their ragged circle, their eyes empty as reflecting pools.
    â€œWhat more do you need to see, Master Lamora?” The little girl gave a sinister parody of a curtsy.
    â€œWhatever you want,” said Locke, “leave these people out of it. Just fucking talk to us. We don’t want to hurt these people.”
    â€œOf
course
, Master Lamora….”
    â€œOf course…,” whispered the circle.
    â€œOf course, that’s the
point
,” said the girl. “So you must hear what we have to say.”
    â€œState your gods-damned business, then.”
    â€œYou must answer,” said the girl.
    â€œAnswer for the Falconer,” said the chorus.
    â€œYou must answer. Both of you.”
    â€œOf all the…
fuck you
!” said Locke, his voice rising to a shout. “We
did
answer for the Falconer. Our answer was ten lost fingers and a lost tongue, for three dead friends. You got him back alive and it was more than he deserved!”
    â€œNot for you to judge,” hissed the girl.
    â€œâ€¦judge the Magi of Karthain…,” whispered the circle.
    â€œNot for you to judge, nor for you to presume a grasp of our laws,” said the girl.
    â€œAll the world knows it’s death to slay a Bondsmage,” said Jean. “That, and little else. We let him live and took pains to return him to you. Our business is ended. If you wanted a more complicated treatment than that, you should have sent a fucking letter.”
    â€œThis is not business,” said the girl.
    â€œBut personal,” said the circle.
    â€œPersonal,”
repeated the girl. “A brother has been blooded; we cannot let this stand unanswered.”
    â€œYou sons of bitches,” said Locke. “You really think you’re fucking gods, don’t you? I didn’t mug the Falconer in an alley and take his purse.
He helped murder my friends!
I’m not sorry he’s mad and I’m
not
sorry for the rest of you! Kill us and get on with your business, or piss off and let these people go free.”
    â€œNo,” said the scorpion merchant. A whispered chorus of “no” came from around the circle.
    â€œCowards. Pissants!” Jean pointed one of his hatchets at the little girl as he spoke. “You can’t scare us with this penny-theater bullshit!”
    â€œIf you force us to,” said Locke, “we’ll fight you with the weapons in our hands, all the way to Karthain. You bleed like the rest of us. Seems to me all you
can
do is kill us.”
    â€œNo,” said the girl, giggling.
    â€œWe can do worse,” said the fruit seller.
    â€œWe can let you live,” said the scorpion merchant.
    â€œLive, uncertain,” said the girl.
    â€œUncertain…,” said the chorus of merchants as they began to step backward, widening their circle.
    â€œWatched,” said the girl.
    â€œFollowed,” said the circle.
    â€œNow wait,” said the girl. “Run your little games, and chase your little fortunes….”
    â€œAnd wait,”