The corners of his mouth twisted up in a wicked grin.
“The Onyx Gang is able to get all sorts of things for a price.”
Her stomach twisted. Did Maisel know all this time and hadn’t told her or Ludwig? Why hold back the information? Unless he was being paid off as well…
“I’m aware of the Onyx Gang’s dealings; honestly, Maisel, I’m disappointed you’ve not given me anything I don’t already have. Perhaps I should go elsewhere after all.” She reached for her bag of geld, but he stood up.
“Wait,” he said as he stroked his thin beard, his eyes darting between the bag on the table and the door.
“Someone is paying off the City Watch to set the Onyx Gang free.”
“I’m aware. Do you know who it is?”
“If I knew, then I’d retire to an island off Soccicio’s coast.”
“Then what do you know?”
He paced slightly back and forth, tugging on his beard, as if having a debate with himself or perhaps wracking his brain for information.
“Kroll Apothecary in the Velvet District. They’ve been using it as a front to sell drugs and other things. If you want to know who sold that arrow, I’d go there.”
“Thank you, Master Maisel. I won’t forget this,” Liane said, snatching up her arrow for safe keeping.
She left his office, pockets lighter but with a proper lead. When she exited his office, Erich waited in the foyer of the guild building. He’d been surprisingly acquiescent, joining her on her little detours. She expected compliance from her guards, but Erich kept surprising her with his willingness to help.
“Get what you came for?” Erich asked, gesturing for her to step out the door first.
Her guards were waiting on the top stoop. They’d stop her if she suggested a visit to the Velvet District. It was a poorer district where seedy taverns and brothels flourished. Not a place for a princess. Ludwig would have followed her there with minimal grumbling, but her replacements weren’t as willing. She’d have to find a way to escape them, and for that, she needed Erich’s cooperation.
“There’s one more place I need to visit. I hope that’s all right…” she said.
“Princess, is this a ploy to spend more time together?” He smirked, and her insides flip-flopped traitorously.
“Don’t flatter yourself. This is business, remember?” She turned away from him so he wouldn’t see her blush.
They headed down the crowded Guild Street, her front guard carving a path through the pedestrians, and her rear guard covering them from behind. The Guild District emptied out onto Starlight Square, a central hub of the city. It was lined by inns and taverns and favored by pilgrims coming to visit the temple. With the Sun Ceremony days away, an influx of them made the square more crowded than usual. Barkers shouted, attempting to lure people in by offering good ale and meat pies. The chaos would have made for a convenient escape, but they were too far from the Velvet District, and her guards would catch up with her before she got very far.
Three roads led off of Starlight Square: Guild Street where she’d come from, Temple Street heading eastward, then Sun Marketplace to the south, where various shops and vendors sold their wares. A trickle of pedestrians wandered that way, looking to purchase trinkets and religious relics. It was the perfect escape route, crowded and lined by buildings and crooked alleyways she could escape through.
“Let’s go here.” Liane pointed down the lane.
“Then you do want to shop,” Erich teased.
“I guess I do,” Liane said as she took the lead, passing her front guard.
She misjudged her ability to push through a crowd. That, too, was usually Ludwig’s job, and an oncoming pedestrian ran into her, knocking her into Erich’s arms. He caught her with a hand at her waist, and warmth radiated from his touch, flushingher all over. With a cough, Liane stood back up and smoothed the imaginary wrinkles on her dress.
“Thank you,” she mumbled.
“Better be careful. Why not lean on me?” he said, offering his bent arm.
She shouldn’t, but she did it anyway. Threading her arm with his, they perused shop windows together. They stopped in front of a bakery window, and as she eyed cakes dusted with sugar and jam-filled delights, she was tempted to go in and sample them. But she tore her eyes away and continued down the road until they passed beneath a swinging sign of a bookseller, one she frequented in disguise. They sold a salacious novel series about a woman forced to marry a wicked king that Liane adored. More importantly, though, their backdoor led to the alleyway and was her means of escaping her guards.
“Did you want to go inside?” Erich asked, nodding at the bookshop.
“You read my mind,” Liane said.
Unlinking their arms, she went in first. Stacks of books, overflowing shelves, and piles on the floor, gave it a cluttered, cozy interior. It forced them to wander through the aisles one by one, Erich close behind her and one guard behind him. The second waited outside. The cramped bookshop was too crowded for them both to follow. In the farthest, dustiest corner, the smell of old books enveloped her like an old friend. If only she had time to wander about, picking up books at her leisure. But there wasn’t time for pleasantries. As she pretended to scan the shelves, she eyed the door to the back room, waiting for her chance to make her escape. But Erich’s scorching gaze followed her, making it impossible to sneak away.
