Firebrand

Chapter 266: Eye of the Homeowner

Chapter 266: Eye of the Homeowner

Eye of the Homeowner

The following Pelday gave Martel some trouble; unlike yesterday, today was a packed schedule, and he had an errand to run. Between the morning and the afternoon, he only had one spare bell before his second lesson in fire magic, where arriving late would not do. But if he ate quickly during lunch, he could add the saved time to his free hours, giving him three in total. Once he finished stuffing food into his mouth, Martel left the dining hall, going directly to the harbour.

He did not exactly run, but if he had been a horse, Martel's gait would have been described as a swift trot. At least it helped him stay warm against the cold.

His destination was a familiar building, though he had lost his reasons for visiting it of late. Rising up several stories tall, Martel looked at the insula that once had hosted the Night Knives.

Thanks to his frequent visits, Martel knew the great structure had different kinds of rooms for rent. Some large enough for families, like those where Flora and Marcus had stayed; others small, a single chamber meant for one or a few inhabitants.

Entering, Martel searched through the hallways until he found the right door. A sign upon it proclaimed it to be the office of the reeve responsible for the building. He gave it a heavy knock.

A short man opened, looking up and down at the visitor. "Yes?"

"I wish to rent a single room. I've been told that's fifteen silvers a month."

"Aye, that's right. Step inside, good master." The reeve walked back into his office, which proved to be simply a small chamber with a desk. A jar of wine or ale stood upon it along with a cup. The man quickly dug out a ledger. "Fourth floor, third door to the right is available."

"That's fine." Martel took out nearly all the coins he had. "For the rest of this month and the next. And a few more for you to find some furniture. A mattress, a water jar, anything else it'll pay for."

"I guess I can do that." The reeve scratched the back of his head. "I'll need your name for the book."

"Master Martel of the Lyceum."

The short man swallowed. "Of course. I'll get it ready for you."

"Good. I'll be back tonight, after last bell, to collect the key. Be in your office when I arrive."

"Yes, master mage. As you wish."

***

Hurrying back to the Lyceum, Martel made it in time for his lesson in fire magic. With his mind worried about whether Julia would trust him, he did not perform to his usual standards; the distraction cost him, as William landed several attacks. Besides the stinging pain, Moira wasted no time heaping scorn onto Martel, which only made him angry and more distracted. When the bell rang, he was happier than usual to leave the Circle of Fire.

At supper, he squirreled away some carrots and artichokes, bringing them back to his room. Now he just had to wait.

Trying to make the most of it, Martel practised the spell that Master Alastair was teaching him. Disregarding the cold, he opened his window. The weather made it easy to draw water; snow lay everywhere, covering the castle. He tried to remember his teacher's lesson, seeing the puddle of water in his hand as nothing more than a vessel. The droplets shimmered as he infused them with magic before he willed them to fly through the air across the courtyard.

***

Looking at his Khivan clock, it was time. Martel got his winter clothes on, grabbed his scrounged food, and left. He tried not to think about last time he had gone to meet Julia in the hopes of finding her a home; while she said the inquisitors had kept her away, he feared that she simply did not trust him.

Reaching the square, he hurried to the corner of the alley serving as their meeting point. Pulling his cloak around him, Martel crouched to make himself small and waited. The weather changed back and forth between snowfall and rain, making for a wet and uncomfortable experience. Every surface was drenched, leaving him nowhere to sit; staying on his feet, he continued to wait.

"Hullo."

The little shape appeared next to him, and he almost called out in surprise. Julia stood next to him, and besides her usual clothes, she had a large rag around her shoulders serving as a poor shield against the elements, which she held in place with one hand; the other carried a small bundle, presumably all her worldly possessions.

"Good to see you." Martel smiled as he rose, and he extended his cloak to cover her. "Let's go."

"Is it far?"

"A bit." She seemed taller, suddenly, walking next to him under his cloak. He had judged her to be maybe twelve, and that she would only reach to his chest; now her head came close to his shoulder. Perhaps she was older than he presumed; given her diet, she probably did not get all the food a growing child needed.

They walked along the alleys towards the harbour. Julia refused to move along the main streets, making their journey longer than needed, but at length they reached the insula. "There it is. I just have to collect the key, and you'll be safe inside."

She stopped walking abruptly. "I'll wait out here while you get it."

"Alright. I'll hurry." Untying his cloak to drape it around her thin shoulders, Martel glanced around; nobody in sight except an old drunkard stumbling home. With a smile towards Julia, Martel crossed the street to enter the insula.

Shaking the worst of the rain and snow off, Martel continued to the reeve's office. He gave a quick knock.

The short man opened and inclined his head. "I was waiting for you, master mage." He held up a key. "A mattress and a full water jar have been placed in the room." He licked his lips. "As you requested."

Martel took the proffered item. "Good. I require nothing further from you."

"Yes, good master." The reeve bowed his head again.

Martel gave a brief nod and walked away, returning to Julia – or at least where he had left her. Confused, he glanced around in the darkness. He considered lighting a flame, though something in his instincts spoke against this; perhaps Julia's fear of being followed or seen had infected him.

"I'm here." The girl materialised from behind a barrel of rainwater.

Martel exhaled and held up the key. "Come along." He reached out a hand to take hold of hers, and together they crossed the street to enter the insula.

Walking up the stairs to the designated floor, Martel noticed her skittish steps, like a deer ready to burst into flight. He wondered at the exact events that had made her so fearful; he knew the broad strokes of her story, but he felt the details had to be sinister to instil such permanent fear into the girl.

They reached the room, and Martel unlocked it. Quickly, Julia slipped inside. As promised, the small chamber held a mattress, probably stuffed with straw, and a jar filled with water. A window provided a bit of light from the streetlamps outside. Compared to his room back at the Lyceum, Martel thought it looked more like a prison cell, and his reaction made him suddenly smile; back when he lived in Engby, having a private room like this would have felt like the height of luxury.

He placed the key in her hand. "Will you be all right on your own?"

She nodded.

"Good. I don't have more money on me, but I get paid on Solday. And I can come by tomorrow with more food."

"Don't come two days in a row," she suddenly said. "People will take notice."

He could not help but smile, thinking her excessively cautious. Yet it struck him that inquisitors did follow him around – at least, they had done so recently. They had shown an interest in all his activities; if they found out that he visited Julia, they would no doubt interrogate her and probably take her away. She was right, he realised, but at the same time, she needed to eat. "You need food."

She raised the meagre meal Martel had brought her. "I'll be fine for a few days."

It seemed only marginally better than starvation, but being afraid of pushing her away, Martel conceded to her demands. "Alright. I'll bring food the day after tomorrow, after dark. And on Solday I can give you some money for necessities. That leaves a day in between my visits. Is that acceptable?"

Her little face looked serious as she nodded.

"You should sleep. Keep my cloak as a blanket."

This time, her head shook as she untied it and placed it in his hands. "I'm not cold. You're going outside, you need it more. I got this." She draped herself in the rags that she had used as a cloak.

"Very well. I'll be back in two days."

"Be careful." Her dark eyes, too big for her head, watched him as he walked out. Immediately, she closed the door, and he heard the bolt lock from the inside.