It was rather a shame he was so very good at his job.
Edgar was still for but a moment, thinking on this, beforehe pulled the candle from the man’s hand.Wax dripped on his bedclothes, but hepaid it no mind as he threw his legs over the side, shoving his feet in hisslippers.
He shrugged on his dressing gown as he hurried, ignoring thefact that in the last few years, due to his life narrowing rather drastically,his bulk had become somewhat…ungainly.
He descended the stairs and took a trek he rarely took, intohis servant’s domain, the kitchens at the back of the house.
There, in the opened door, thankfully not having strode overthe threshold (he made a note to remember to offer a rare (very rare)commendation to Carling on seeing to that, and then immediately forgot thatnote) stood the filthy, unkempt person ofButtersnatch,one of his best little rats.
He felt his dressing gown billowing out behind him as hebarked, “This better be good to pull me from my bed.”
“A word, master,”Buttersnatchbegged, although it wasn’t a plea, that was simply howButtersnatchalways spoke.
The rodent glanced behind him to the servants’ alley beforehe looked back at Edgar.
“In private.”
Edgar examinedButtersnatch’sexpression.
He had not been The Dealmaker solely due to his brilliantunderstanding of all things financial.
He’d been The Dealmaker because he could read people.
Mostly (he would admit only to himself), it was because ofhis rats.
What he read was thatButtersnatchhad, at long last, succeeded.
Edgar felt his heart jump.
There was hope!
Likely, knowing this particular pest, it was a witch.
He didn’t care what it was.
Just as long as it meant success.
Therefore, Edgar did not hesitate to step into the dark,moonlit, unoccupied alley and firmly close the door behind him.
He ledButtersnatch, whose ragsrustled about him as he moved, well away from the door.
Only then, holding the light of his candle up so he couldclearly see the man’s face, did he command, “Speak to me.”
“There is a witch…”
Of course there was.
“…she is powerful.”
Of course she was.
“She’s been ‘idin’ heraccumulation of magic for years.”
As she would need to do.
KingNoctornomade things veryclear after the last debacle nearly brought low all of the Northlands.No witchgatheredmagicksof any magnitude without thegovernment’s permission.
“You’ll beneedin’ to bring yourdiamonds, you will,”Buttersnatchwent on.
