Shadow War: Book 3 of the Shadows Rising Trilogy (WIP Rough Draft)

23. Easy Money Part 1

7th of Braxos

"Six hundred and thirty-seven," I mouthed, writing the number neatly at the top of the paper. I put the pen down. Then I covered my face with my hands, muffling a low groan of anger behind my palms.

The price of passage to Nimkoruguithu had gone up again. Even with both of us working as many shifts as we could, we were only able to put two, maybe three lyr in the tin a week. We had two hundred and some change. We now needed six hundred and thirty-seven. Where were we going to get four hundred lyr?

It would take us a year to save that up, at this rate, even longer if the prices kept rising so much faster than we could earn.

Pain slid through my chest. I couldn't live like this for a year, stuck in this half-life. It would be better to end it quickly. Tear it off like a tackyplaster and get it over with. It would hurt, but in the long run it would keep things from festering. Things like this space Arramy was slowly, and apparently unknowingly, carving for himself in my heart. The deeper he got, the worse it would be when we finally reached Aethscaul, and his self-imposed debt to my father was fulfilled.

Then he would leave. Go off and buy a cottage by the sea. Get a dog. Find a woman he could love with all of that quiet, steady, beautiful soul of his.

I pressed my fingers into my eyes and ground my teeth for a moment, then pushed myself to my feet and began getting ready for the day.

~~~

The break whistle piped over the roar of the boiler.

I put down my knife and swiped the back of my hand over my forehead, turning to follow Nalle and Eman into the delivery bay.

The two of them had their heads together, discussing something, Nalle listening as Eman said, "I need the money, I do, and I really don't want to leave you shorthanded, but Barros is just so sick I don't want to leave him alone that long. I'm sorry."

Nalle nodded and finished rolling her cheroot. "It's not a problem, Ems, really. Take care of that baby. I'll drop by after and give you a break, right?"

Eman nodded, her eyes bleak as she left to get one of the cheese sandwiches the cannery served.

"Oi, Lara," Nalle called, smiling and beckoning me over when I glanced at her. "Feel like earning some quick pin money?"

"I could do with some," I said, coming to stand next to her.

"Good. I thought as much, with you taking all those shifts on your days off..." She looked me up and down as if weighing her options. "I don't usually offer this to the new folk, but Rivany has got sticky fingers and she likes to place bets with my half of the take."

I nodded slowly, although I wasn't interested in Rivany at all. "So what is this offer?"

Nalle took a drag on her cheroot and puffed out a little ring of smoke, still considering me for a moment before she answered. "You have to understand that this venture isn't exactly smiled upon by the Magistrate's Bureau... Discretion is required. If you sing about it, I'll know... and so will the Bosses. The Bosses don't much appreciate having their business interfered with, if you catch my drift."

She had no idea how much of that drift I caught. "I'm not in the habit of talking to the Magis," I said dryly. "I don't particularly care whether they smile, either. What have you got?"

Nalle chuckled, grinning around her smoke. "I knew I liked you... Fine then. You ever heard of the Bathhouse?"

I squinted at her.