The Ember Thief

Chapter Nineteen - A man with two names

'Nassar probably won't take part,' Gideon replied. 'But, let's just survive the week, then we can worry about the mine. At least the near collapse of this house will keep all the others hanging around, to see if they can win control of Eventide.'

'Vultures,' Rosalyn sneered.

'Preoccupied vultures,' Gideon corrected. 'And that's how we want to keep them.'

'Ma'am.' All three heads turned to the slender frame of a Rickard who stood at the top of the stairs. 'Sorry to disturb, but the man is requesting to leave, and walk back to the city, by himself.'

'Tell him he can stay put till we are ready for him!' Rosalyn shot back at the boy. 'How dare he dictate what he wants in my training house.'

'Rosalyn, let him go,' Gideon cut in, waving a hand. 'The walk may do is mind some good, and he can't get that lost this close to the city.'

The Margravine's eyes went wide, and she straightened up. 'As you wish, Prince Regent,' her tone remaining respectful. 'Rickard, show him out, and give him some directions back to the city.'

'Yes, ma'am,' the boy bowed, scurrying back down the stairs.

Monty took out his pipe and rubbed his jaw. 'You think it's wise just letting him roam around by himself?'

'You forget, he's a house Chimera now, Monty, and that comes with protection.'

'Yes, but who is going to protect the city against him. Last time he went for a walk, he destroyed part of it.'

'He has learnt from that,' Gideon dismissed.

'Let me send a message back to the city to keep an eye out for him returning.'

'Good idea, send a Sqaub,' Gideon said nodding.

Monty shook his head. 'Squabs can be intercepted in the air, especially with the other houses in town. I'll send out a rat, with a coded message and tell Nassar to be on the lookout for him returning.'

The Margravine shuddered. 'Loathsome creatures.'

Monty put away his pocketbook. 'Actually, a very misunderstood creature, the rat. No other creature can move faster or stealthier throughout the city than a trained rat,' Monty said, with some admiration. 'Unlike Squabs, they're next to impossible to track, good swimmers, and they're willing to go places most people can't, or won't. The Jackals have been using them for years, since the war.'

'Whatever you think is best, Monty,' Gideon said.

The archivist sank back in his chair. 'Interestingly, the use of the Squab messengers dwindled during the war as food grew scarce. The rat gained popularity because of the spymaster Reverend Thoman Moore who—.'

'Yes, thank you, Monty,' Gideon politely interrupted. 'Do whatever you feel is necessary.'

Rosalyn sat back down and watched the flames dance out of the pit. 'I think we made a mistake recruiting him, my husband wouldn't have agreed of what we have done,' she said morosely.

Gideon met her gaze from across the fire. 'No, he wouldn't have approved at all. But what's done is done. As my father would have said, we have made our bed now we must sleep in it.'

The gates to the Menagerie let out a rusty groan before clattering shut. The rain had stopped, but the sky still looked full of menace. The colours of the leaves had started to turn from a soft yellow to brown, as they braced themselves for winter's arrival. Rickard pressed his face in between the bars, and he pointed towards the road, that snaked up the hill. 'Just keep following the road and try to keep the sun on the right side of your face.' He looked up at the broken patches of light in the sky. 'If you can see it,' the boy added.