“He dreams of leaving Gerube. He was so serious about finding and selling the Narwhale, then using the capital to start a large company in the south.. he asked me to keep it secret from his uncle so as to not anger him. He held my shoulder while asking me, with the same hand that punched me.”
There was a pause as she almost laughed. She concealed it by taking a deep breath, but the smile on her face made it obvious.
“Are you surprised that I would betray all of this?”
Lawrence felt coldness spread in his heart as she spoke. She was trying to convince him to betray his own guild and bring her information about the Narwhale.. she was trying to return the advantage to the northern landowners. But if her captor wanted to use the Narwhale to flee to the south, she saw it fit to betray him. Her eyes went trained on Lawrence, with the word “betrayal” practically written on them.
“Keeman is also trying to use me.”
Lawrence had lost the thread of the conversation. He couldn’t follow her logic as she continued uttering sentence after sentence.. he was mystified.
“He knows that man is crazy about me. He wants to use me to manipulate him.”
Her eyes pierced the air like a warrior heading to a battlefield. She was revealing new information; things that Lawrence couldn’t possibly have known, and had no way to verify. She was explaining them in detail, and he couldn’t tell why. It was impossible to follow her.
“Keeman’s trying to destroy the power base of the landowners. He wants to use the Narwhale to win the land for himself. If that man trades him the deed for the Narwhale, he’ll flee south. It’s ridiculous, huh? But when I pointed that out, well, you already know what his answer was..”
Eve seemed to ask her question to pause and give Lawrence a chance to catch up.
“He’s not quite as crazy about me now.”
She gazed at him, and he remained firmly seated in his chair.
“I know why Keeman’s doing this. Old men don’t like change. Even if the world around them changes, they’re still set in their ways. It’s as true here in the north and south as anywhere. Of course, the younger generation is always angry about that.. Keeman probably felt that way for a long time, presuming that only a radical change would begin a new era in Gerube. He wants to raise his reputation, but what can he do on his own? He has to skillfully ally with others to achieve such a goal.”
“Is that how you fell into his trap?”
Lawrence finally spoke up. Eve raised her head in surrender. He knew he was being unreasonable.
“I’ve no way to confirm if what you say is true.. should I trust you?”
The woman who silently reigned over the Roam river smiled.
“Use your experience to decide.”
“My experience of being cheated?”
“Indeed. Remember that famous merchant saying.”
Her toothless smile was all business.
“A real merchant is only impressed when the wool is pulled over their eyes.”
She laughed as though she was drunk.. and perhaps she was. It was unreal how many traps she had laid in their discussion. But Lawrence had made up his mind. He stood up; staying here would be dangerous.
“I take it that’s a ’no’?”
After such a long, dream-like conversation this question was colder than the water in the river. He even felt cold on his back.
“Then Keeman will get your help. A sensible answer.. but a pity nonetheless.”
She smiled happily.
“Even Ted Reynolds of D’Jean Company came to me for help because of my network of contacts. No one could resist my command. You’re after the wolf-god’s bones, huh?”
Eve Boland, the former noble, the female merchant, was threatening him. Lawrence unconsciously placed his hand on the knife on his waist.
“If you think I came unarmed, you’re dead wrong.”
Her smiled vanished. The guard outside might not eavesdrop, but he still held a sword, and Lawrence knew he wasn’t hired just for fun.. and merchants weren’t skilled fighters. He pulled his hand away from his side, and bid her farewell before turning to leave. As his hand touched the door, she spoke.
“You’ll live to regret this.”
She echoed Keeman’s own threat. Lawrence steeled himself and opened the door. The guard was still leaning against the wall in the corridor with his eyes closed. Those eyes opened as Lawrence passed him, filled with a look as if he intended to draw his sword.
“Keep your mouth shut.”
He only ended up whispering to Lawrence, but didn’t get so much as nod back. It was an unnecessary threat, since Lawrence had no intent of mentioning this encounter. He had the experience of an outstanding merchant, but he knew just how small he was in his little corner of the world.
There were people here lavishly wasting more money than Lawrence could even imagine. They were living in an entirely different world from Lawrence.. it was something he couldn’t forget. After opening the door outside, he saw the carriage waiting for him.
“Please come in.”
The three workers from before were still carving furs on the other side of the carriage. They were clearly look-outs. The driver passed his coat to Lawrence, who put it on before entering the carriage.
Should he seek Keeman’s protection? Eve had revealed too much to him.. she certainly wouldn’t just let him walk away. Maybe it was best to flee Gerube straight away, as if canceling all transactions and escaping a dangerous deal?
When Lawrence finally snapped back to reality, they had arrived back at his inn. He thanked the carriage driver mechanically, then sighed as entered the inn. Hearing that, the innkeeper’s head popped out from behind bar. Lawrence must have looked terrible, because the innkeeper asked him if he needed a drink. But he politely declined, and made his way back to his room.
Their best course of action would be to leave before Keeman learned where they were staying. They would have to give up on their leads regarding the wolf-god’s bones.. that was a tough loss. But if D’Jean Company was on the case, they might still be able to gather clues in other towns they were associated with.
Lawrence reached for the doorknob and pulled it. What he had to do now was steady the boat he was on so it could weather this storm. If someone was asked to describe the look on his face, they wouldn’t find it easy.
“Hey, someone sent this to you.”
The letter in Holo’s outstretched hand was sealed with an unmistakable stamp.. the stamp of the Rowen guild. It wasn’t an exaggeration to say that chunk of wax might as well be the Devil’s signature.
His mouth was dry, but Lawrence still swallowed. Their whereabouts were known. Keeman was dead serious. So was Eve. Things had spiraled beyond his control. The wheel of fate was spinning ominously.
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