Between the Lines, page 16
“What’s going on?” Fiona said tartly. “Why are you interested in my work?”
“I’ve been tracking the smugglers myself, that’s why,” Fali said quietly. “I won’t bother speaking cryptically, better to have you as an ally than an enemy, I think. Besides, you’ve done more on that front in two weeks than I’ve been able to in the last two months.” The elephas laughed but it was choked back in frustration.
“The elemental smuggler I ambushed this week?”
“Yes, when I found out that you were the one who orchestrated the job, I wanted to connect with you. Exchange notes perhaps. There’s more of them out there, and my leads have been mostly hogwash.”
Fiona rubbed a finger across her scarf, frowning. If Fali wanted her information enough to steal it, why was he out here talking to her now? This didn’t make sense, but maybe he knew something. “And what have you learned?”
Fali made a noise like a muffled trumpet. Was it a sigh? Elephas could be so hard to read. “That the smuggling has been centered on the elemental pages. They’re using odd pagemarks, definitely unofficial ones. It’s increased over the last few months from sporadic activity to somewhat of a concentrated effort. I think they’re gearing up for something big, but that’s as much as I’ve gotten. They used to burgle businesses in the area, alchemists and the like, but I think they’ve decided to branch out.”
He was right, he had almost nothing. She had gleaned most of that before she trapped the smuggler. It wasn’t valuable information to her, but there was something nagging at her about his story. “Wait a minute, you keep saying ‘they.’ They who? The Guild?” She was hedging her bets that Fali would either have made the connection with the ledger or not.
His eyes grew wide, and he brought his trunk back inside the shrine swiftly. “The Guild? You think the Guild is involved with them?”
“Perhaps. What do you think?”
Sighing again, he said, “They…are a singular organization. Much smaller than the Guild. They move quickly, organized, yes, but much faster than the Guild could ever accomplish. I haven’t found a name yet, but nothing makes me think it’s the Guild.”
Fiona gauged his mannerisms, watching his eyes. He seemed genuinely surprised at her assertion. So he hadn’t worked out the ledger initials or cypher at all yet. “What evidence do you have it’s not the Travel Guild?”
“What evidence do you have that it is?” He folded his arms.
She could sense he was waiting for an exchange of information. He honestly seemed eager for anything. With dawning surprise, Fiona realized that Fali did not have her ledger. He was smart, yes, but no one could pretend this well to be…so earnest in his thoughts and mannerisms. “So…so,” she stuttered, trying to catch up to her thoughts, “when you came to my house, how long were you there?”
“About an hour or so. I noticed your neighbor across the way but didn’t want to tell her my business with you so just waved hoping she would bring it up. I probably should’ve left a note, but I get nervous…” He trailed off, looking at Fiona’s face. “What?”
Fiona blinked rapidly. If Mistress Didia had noticed him, and Fali had waved to her, then it would be pretty foolish of him to have taken the ledger. Who could’ve broken into her house then? “She said you had been waiting there for an hour. Gave me a description of you. And my house had been broken into. I just assumed…I assumed it was you.”
He shook his head, holding up his hands. “No, I assure you. When I was there, everything was fine. I promise on my life as a Follower.”
She nodded. “I believe you. I just… This whole time I thought you were the ripper in my home. But…” Fiona tried to piece together who else could’ve known she had something valuable like that.
“What did they take?”
Fiona winced. “A ledger. The only evidence I have tying the Guild to the smuggling. I got it during the ambush.” She had left it in her drawer the whole time, only showed it to the Elder, Mac, and Henrietta. Of the three, Henrietta seemed like the one who would come closest, but that was unlikely.
Now it was Fali’s turn to freeze, mouth open. His trunk shook, and he said, “You had evidence stolen? They must’ve known you most likely retrieved it from your capture this week.” He shifted, lifting his trunk to the wind and sniffing the night air.
“Yes, yes you’re probably right.” Details of who did what were not hard to come by in Spine if you knew where to ask around. Perhaps some jacket had heard her talking to Mac at the Thread. She balled up her fist. “The Guild will have to take everything I have if they think stealing from me will stop me from learning the truth.”
“I don’t want to tell you how to run your business, far be it from me. But I still don’t think this is the Guild. Consider this: Why would an organization as powerful as the Guild, with all the paper in the Book, smuggle creatures from their pages? For what reason? Everyone would know about it.” He scoffed. “It would be the gossip of the century.”
“Because they are without a doubt the absolute worst thing to come out of the inking,” she said loudly. She was tired of everyone defending the Guild. They were dishonest, disloyal, and uncaring. They wanted what they wanted regardless of who it hurt. How was she the only one who could see that? “If I had paper for every time they ignored people, hurt people, and made my job harder, I would be rich and living well in one of those hoity-toity castles in the center of the district.”
The elephas stepped back as best as he could. The night air drifted between them, the earthy smell of grass and sweat lingering where Fali had given her some room. She closed her eyes and got a hold of herself. She didn’t need to prove anything to anyone. She just needed to get on with her work. Everyone would see the truth soon enough.
“I may not agree, but that doesn’t mean I don’t understand,” Fali said gently. “If you want to combine forces, perhaps we could make more headway. I still have one lead I’m following up with tomorrow. May I come by afterward? Share information?”
She nodded, too frustrated to trust speaking. It wouldn’t hurt to have someone else tracking the smuggling case while she continued wrestling with the Blackstone’s whereabouts. Although it felt a little uncomfortable to agree to, Fali seemed to be trying hard to put her at ease. Probably something the Followers taught on day one.
He patted her shoulder and strode out of the shrine, barely squeezing under the archway. He waved with his trunk and said, “If there’s one thing I know, it’s that Larrakane doesn’t give us more than we can handle. Trust me—I asked her directly. We’ll figure this out one way or another.” He turned, not waiting for an answer, and walked back up the hill toward the temple and out of sight.
Fiona blew out a deep breath and unclenched her hand. Her house was being watched, her security threatened, and at the center of it all stood the Travel Guild. She just knew it. And she’d take an immediate turn to the dark edge before she let them get away with meddling in her life like this.
Early the next morning Fiona woke to a loud knock on her door. Her neck was stiff from being slumped over where she had fallen asleep at her desk making a list of possible avenues to take next. Finding the Blackstone was her priority since it impacted Blaze’s rapid cooling. After that she’d pinpoint who exactly had arranged things at the Guild.
Soots was in their customary place in the lamp on her desk, casting flickering light that clashed with the morning brightness streaming through the window. They shot up out of their position and flew to the window.
So much for pretending not to be at home. The knock sounded again, louder and more frantic. Fiona got up, stretching and smoothing down her clothes. She noticed a rip in the stockings around her knee. Her doublet smelled of burnt velvet, and one of the buttons had popped out. She must have looked absolutely awful.
:Friend!: Soots shouted in their crackle voice.
Fiona raised an eyebrow wondering who could attract Soots’s attention so. She opened the door to find Gaili on her porch, arm raised. Her hair was standing in the most ridiculous puffs Fiona had ever seen. Charcoal smudged her face and her dark-brown apron was covered in white powder. Her eyes were wide and glistening.
Fiona immediately grabbed her arm, ushering her inside, as all other thoughts vanished. “Good heavens, what’s wrong?”
The golden faun stomped into the house unsteadily. “Oh…oh! I’m so sorry to burst in like this, but I didn’t know where else to go and I needed to get out of there. Petronia came back to my shop, and...and I tried to give her the rest of the stone breathing potions, but then she said she wanted all the paper I had on hand and I said no and she was ever so angry and all I could think was to run out and then I got lost for a while and, and—”
“Okay, okay, it’ll be alright,” Fiona said, rubbing a hand across Gaili’s back.
“Oh, Fiona, you’re too kind. If she finds out I’m here, she’ll be awful to deal with and you shouldn’t have to do that. What was I thinking?” She drew her long fingers through her pink hair, creating more puffs. There was something jelly-like making the strands stick together, but she didn’t seem to notice.
“Dear, I can handle quite a bit, you know. It’ll be fine. You can stay here for as long as you like.” Fiona had never seen someone so distraught before, and it took everything in her not to immediately go and track Petronia down.
With that invitation, Gaili burst out with a fresh set of tears, and Fiona led her upstairs to the empty bedchamber she used for storage and the occasional guest. She directed her to the made bed, set her down, and fetched a cool washcloth for her puffy face.
Soots, not one to be left out, bobbed along with them and settled in the lamp by Gaili’s side. It was cold in the room, and Fiona whispered, “Soots, how about a little more warmth?”
Acquiescing, the room warmed up as Soots glowed brighter.
“Thank you.” She placed a hand on Gaili’s shoulder, pushing her to lie down. “Now, you stay here and I’ll be back with coffee in a moment.”
Making her way downstairs two at a time, Fiona wondered at what other run-ins with the tigress poor Gaili had to have dealt with. How had she gotten involved with the blotter of a woman?
Gathering the coffee, cups, dried fruit, and nuts she kept on hand for clients, she carried the tray back up to the room to find Gaili balled up in the center of the bed. “I don’t want you to make yourself sick. Come, have some coffee and a little something to eat.” Fiona placed the tray down. She poured Gaili a cup without any additions and handed it to her. “Eat, eat. Food is always the first solution to any problem.”
“Is that something your mother used to say?” Gaili asked, sniffling, then immediately covered her mouth with a tattooed hand. “Oh, I’m sorry, Fiona. That’s none of my business.”
Fiona shrugged, used to being around blunt folks. “No, she used to say I ate like a farm boy who didn’t have any manners.” She waved away the memory, ignoring the rest of the terrible things her mother used to comment on. “But if a problem isn’t fixed by the end of the meal, you can at least face it with a full stomach. That was something my father used to tell me.”
“Are you much like your father? I’m not.” Gaili scrunched up her face.
“A bit.” Fiona smiled. “All the best bits really. My nosiness and curiosity. My love of flying. My ability to drink three cups of coffee and still get a good night’s sleep.” She sipped her cup as a point, imbibing the slightly sweetened hot liquid. Vanilla notes swam over her tongue, and she hummed in appreciation.
“What else did you get from him?”
“Well, I suppose my aversion to the Guild started with him.” Fiona thought back to her early days before he passed away. “Maybe not the Guild exactly but somewhat.”
“What do you mean?” Gaili grabbed a piece of dried apple and took a tentative bite.
Fiona fiddled with the handle of her cup, rubbing away a drop of coffee. She’d never really thought about it before and tried to put words to the instinct. “He always said never trust a ruler who treats their people like dirt. He was talking about the Queen, of course, but…I dislike how the Guild handles page turners. I don’t think they have our best interests at heart.”
Gaili munched with a thoughtful expression. “But isn’t the Guild mainly run by turners?”
“Yes…” Fiona had thought about this once too. “But we’re not all alike. Where you and I see freedom to explore ourselves, do some good, enjoy the life of the pages, some turners only see a way to fatten their pockets or control others after being inked.”
“Pulp think that way too. It’s not just turners.”
“Yes, of course,” Fiona said, waving away the distinction, “but most pulp don’t have the power the Guild has.”
Gaili nodded and picked up the coffee to sip on it. She scrunched her face at the taste. “Blech.” Then tumbled in half a dozen cubes of sugar and stirred slowly.
Fiona decided to venture as delicately as she could into the heart of why Gaili had arrived. “What is this about Petronia taking all your paper?”
“She said that from now on I was to give her half of my earnings every week. And that I would be selling some new stock for her at no cost. If I didn’t, she’d take over my place and I’d have nothing.” Gaili’s eyes filled with tears again.
“What? That’s extortion.” Fiona pursed her lips. “I’m proud of you for standing up for yourself.”
“Well, I blurted out no. I didn’t mean to say no directly to her.” Gaili stopped, biting her lip and hanging her head. “My mentor was right about me.”
“What do you mean?”
“I…I was inked not too long ago.”
Confused Fiona tried to follow her flow of thoughts, “So you haven’t been away from your training too long then? Did she say you should come back more often than you are?”
“Yes. Well, no. I mean, I thought she would be pleased I wanted to come work as much as possible after being inked. She always praised my work to others which she didn’t have to do. She’s a legend.” Gaili said quickly, “One of the best inventors in the page. Maybe even the Book. I was lucky she made me her assistant.”
“What did she say after you finished turner training and went home?”
“She told me coming back was unnecessary. That she had others more talented and worthy of her teachings than me. I should’ve learned turn the page home faster. If I hadn’t stayed so long in training she might’ve kept wanting to teach me.” Gaili wiped her face as she teared up.
Fiona wrapped her arms around the faun, hugging her. Her mentor had built her up and then torn her down making her doubt herself and her skills. No wonder she was so distressed. “She’s an absolute blotter. And extremely undeserving of your admiration. You don’t need her to tell you you’re amazing. Now look at me.”
Fiona stared into her eyes. “You are going to stay here, and we are going to figure this out together. To the dark edge with her and Petronia.”
For the first time since she arrived, Gaili broke into a small smile.
Fiona gave a crisp nod, lightness in her chest from being able to shift her mood. She rather liked Gaili, and she would not see her upset by Petronia or anyone else any further. “As for the ill mannered tigress, did she say what sort of stock she had in mind?”
Before Gaili could answer, a knock on the door sounded throughout the house. Fiona frowned. She was getting more visitors than a carriage stand.
Gaili set her cup down, eyes frantically darting to the window. “That’ll be her. It’ll be for sure.”
Fiona patted her leg, standing up. “If she’s knocking, then she’s really a blotter. I’ll be back in a moment.”
Stomping downstairs, she marched straight to the office door and flung it open. She wanted to use the element of surprise herself for once.
A gray elephas, small for her species and with ivory tusks, took a step back from the door. Trunk curled back, she raised her hands. “Pardon me, ma’am. I’m just coming with a summons.” She gingerly held out a cream-colored envelope with her trunk.
Fiona snatched it up, her exhaustion and anxiety controlling her emotions, and ripped into the envelope. Unfolding the short letter on elegant crisp paper, Fiona noticed it smelled of ink and was still warm.
“The Travel Guild?” she said, perplexed at the header lettering. She scanned the document, running her fingers down the page. “The Travel Guild wants to see me?” What in Larrakane’s blessed name could they want with her? Did they know she was on to them?
The elephas nodded. “On a matter of urgency, yes, ma’am.”
Fiona looked past the young elephas to a white-and-gold chariot standing outside her home with a couple of beautiful horses. Some of her neighbors stood in the street and Mistress Didia on her porch. A summons from the Guild could be bad or good, but it would certainly give everyone a bit of gossip for the rest of the day. Movement in the alley across the way caught her eye, a large shadow she couldn’t make out. The elephas cleared her throat.
“Let me get my assistant,” Fiona said, not wanting to leave Gaili alone. If Petronia did show up, she would be defenseless besides Soots. A burnt manor house and a hurt Gaili would do her no good.
“Oh, just yourself ma’am.”
Fiona paused, focusing on the messenger. “Really?”
The elephas nodded again.
Alone, urgently, to the Guild? Something was off, but Fiona didn’t know what. She’d have to see it through, but she wasn’t about to go without her guard up. Fiona sighed, showing her clear frustration. “One moment please.”
She closed the door and ran back up the stairs to find the bedroom empty. Soots and Gaili were nowhere to be seen. She called out, “Gaili. Soots. The door was for me.”
Happiness emanated from the closet. Fiona opened the door to find Gaili tucked away in the corner with Soots in the lamp.
“You’ll never be able to hide with them. Their emotions make them easy to find.”
Gaili looked at Soots with wide eyes. “Really? I didn’t feel a thing.”
