Amongst Thieves

CHAPTER FIVE- New Plans

'Callen! I expected you weeks ago! I finally think I have someone to do my dirty work and then you up and disappear. Did something happen?'

Callen faltered as he made his way towards the boy that greeted him like an old friend. It was not the reaction he had been expecting but he fought to keep it from showing on his face. At best he'd hoped that Harver remembered him. The fact that someone outside the slums might give him a passing thought, let alone genuine concern, had never crossed his mind.

'Just had some trouble finding my way back,' he replied returning the smile.

'You wouldn't happen to have any of those dirty jobs of yours today would you?'

'I think I might, though it's not particularly dirty. You remember my partner from last time? The dolt managed to get himself robbed down the slums collecting an order for our master, so now it's my job. I could use a second pair of eyes to stop the same thing happening to me.'

'I can't make any promises, but I'll do my best,' Callen replied, idly wondering if he knew where the last boy's coin had ended up as Harver darted back to the manse to retrieve the wallet and order form.

He let the squire lead the way back to the slums, though he could have easily made the journey with his eyes shut.

'This is the slums huh? It's cleaner than I imagined.'

Callen laughed bitterly as Harver admired the guardhouse by the slum gate.

'You've really never been? It's hard to believe you could live so close and have no idea what it's like on the other side of the wall.'

'I've heard stories. Begging, stealing, whoring, murder for hire, all sorts of stuff, you just never know if they are true or not.'

'You can probably just assume it's all true from what I've seen but I can tell you the last three happen on both sides of the wall, it's just not so well hidden over here. Just remember to keep your hands away from your money so nobody knows where it is and try not to get bumped into or knocked over. Oh, and if you see anything from those stories you've heard just ignore it or the same will happen to you.'

'Even the whoring?' Harver replied, his expression a mix between worry and amusement.

'There is no such thing as a free show if that's what you mean,' Callen replied as a devious smile spread across his face, 'but you're probably pretty enough to get into the business if you are open-minded enough.'

He laughed darkly, failing to control himself until Harver wiped the look of undisguised horror off his face.

They made it to the markets with little trouble, though Callen prayed they didn't stumble across Reina. He had finally conceded and shown Lohan and Vàsu how he had been sneaking over the wall and after seeing the look on Vàsu's face when the boy heard how to get down the other side he had decided it was worth it. Knowing the pair were so much like himself there was little chance that they would be back in the slums before dark. Reina on the other hand had decided to stay behind to practice writing and she wouldn't easily let him live down acting as a tour guide for the slums if she caught him in the act.

Despite the risk he knew Harver had been right to bring him along. He'd saved the boys wallet three times already and the boy hadn't even noticed. Whoever his master was he clearly didn't know the slums either if he was brave enough to send his squires in twice with full wallets and expect them to make it out in one piece.

'Any idea what it is we are picking up?' He asked as they wove their way through rows of stalls and shouting merchants.

'No idea.' Harver replied with a shrug. 'He uses an Asterian merchant to keep us in the dark. I can't actually read what's on the order form.'