gc.shadowslinger-第23章

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wn　private　slant。
　　Neither　knew　Raven；　at　least　not　by　that　name。　That　was　a　relief。　But　there　was　something　there；　and　Bullock　sensed　it　immediately。　He　hung　on　till　he　had　something　to　chew。
　　〃I'm　going　to　my　boss；〃　I　told　him。　〃She'll　want　to　know　about　this。〃　I　had　e　up　with　a　diversion。　It　seemed　it　would　suit　Bullock。
　　He　said；　〃I'll　take　it　up　with　Hargadon。　Didn't　occur　to　me　this　might　be　foreigners。　Political。　That　could　be　why　the　money　didn't　show　up。　Maybe　they're　selling　bodies；　too。〃
　　〃Rebellions　do　take　money；〃　I　observed。
　　We　moved　next　evening；　at　Whisper's　insistence；　over　the　objections　of　the　Duke；　but　with　the　support　of　the　chief　Custodian。　The　Duke　still　did　not　want　us　seen。　The　Custodians　didn't　give　a　damn。　They　just　wanted　to　salvage　their　reputation。
　　Elmo　came　slinking　through　the　evening　shadows。　〃Ready　here？〃　he　whispered。
　　I　glanced　at　the　four　men　with　me。　〃Ready。〃　Every　pany　man　in　Juniper　was　there；　with　the　Duke's　secret　police　and　a　dozen　of　Bullock's　men。　I'd　thought　his　job　silly；　but　even　so　had　been　astonished　to　discover　how　few　men　his　office　actually　employed。　All　but　one　were　there。　The　one　was　legitimately　sick。
　　Elmo　made　a　sound　like　a　cow　mooing；　repeated　three　times。
　　The　one…time　Rebels　were　all　together　for　their　regular　confab。　I　snickered；　thinking　of　the　surprise　they　were　going　to　get。　They　thought　they　were　safe　from　the　Lady　by　fifteen　hundred　miles　and　seven　years。
　　It　took　less　than　a　minute。　No　one　was　injured。　They　just　looked　at　us　dumbly；　arms　hanging　slack。　Then　one　even　recognized　us；　and　groaned；　〃The　Black　pany。　In　Juniper。〃
　　Then　another：　〃It's　over。　It's　the　end。　She's　really　won。〃
　　They　didn't　seem　to　care　much。　Some；　in　fact；　looked　relieved。
　　We　pulled　it　off　so　smoothly　there　was　hardly　any　notice　from　the　neighbors。　The　slickest　raid　I'd　ever　seen。　We　marched　them　up　to　Duretile；　and　Whisper　and　Feather　went　to　work。
　　I　just　hoped　one　of　them　wouldn't　know　too　much。
　　I'd　made　a　long　bet；　hoping　Raven　would　not　have　told　them　who　Darling　was。　If　he　had；　I'd　pulled　the　roof　down　instead　of　misdirecting　attention。
　　I　did　not　hear　from　Whisper；　so　I　guessed　I'd　won。
　　
　　
　　　Chapter　Nineteen：　JUNIPER：　FEAR
　　
　　Raven　slammed　through　the　door　of　the　Lily。　Shed　looked　up；　startled。　Raven　leaned　against　the　door　frame；　panting。　He　looked　like　he'd　just　stared　his　death　in　the　face。　Shed　put　his　rag　aside　and　hurried　over；　a　stoneware　bottle　in　hand。
　　〃What　happened？〃
　　Raven　stared　over　his　shoulder；　at　Darling；　who　was　waiting　on　Shed's　lone　paying　customer。　He　shook　his　head；　took　several　deep　breaths；　shuddered。
　　He　was　scared！　By　all　that　was　holy；　the　man　was　terrified！　Shed　was　aghast。　What　could　have　gotten　him　into　this　state？　Even　the　black　castle　did　not　shake　him。
　　〃Raven。　e　over　here　and　sit。〃　He　took　Raven's　arm。　The　man　followed　docilely。　Shed　caught　Darling's　eye；　signed　for　two　mugs　and　another　stoneware　bottle。
　　Darling　took　one　look　at　Raven　and　forgot　her　customer。　She　was　there　with　mugs　and　bottle　in　seconds；　her　fingers　flashing　at　Raven。
　　Raven　did　not　see。
　　〃Raven！〃　Shed　said　in　a　sharp　whisper。　〃Snap　out　of　it；　man！　What　the　hell　happened？〃
　　Raven's　eyes　focused。　He　looked　at　Shed；　at　Darling；　at　the　wine。　He　tossed　off　a　mug　in　one　gulp；　slapped　it　down。　Darling　poured　again。
　　Her　customer　protested　at　being　abandoned。
　　〃Get　it　yourself；〃　Shed　told　him。
　　The　man　became　abusive。
　　〃Go　to　hell；　then；〃　Shed　said。　〃Raven；　talk。　Are　we　in　trouble？〃
　　〃Uh。　。。。　No。　Not　we；　Shed。　Me。〃　He　shuddered　like　a　dog　ing　out　of　water；　faced　Darling。　His　fingers　started　talking。
　　Shed　caught　most　of　it。
　　Raven　told　her　to　pack。　They　had　to　run　again。
　　Darling　wanted　to　know　why。
　　Because　they've　found　us；　Raven　told　her。
　　Who？　Darling　asked。
　　The　pany。　They're　here。　In　Juniper。
　　Darling　did　not　seem　distressed。　She　denied　the　possibility。
　　The　pany？　Shed　thought。　What　the　hell　was　this？
　　They　are　here；　Raven　insisted。　I　went　to　the　meeting。　I　was　late。　Lucky。　I　got　there　after　it　started。　The　Duke's　men。　The　Custodians。　And　the　pany。　I　saw　Croaker　and　Elmo　and　Goblin。　I　heard　them　call　each　other　by　name。　I　heard　them　mention　Whisper　and　Feather。　The　pany　is　in　Juniper；　and　the　Taken　are　with　them。　We　have　to　go。
　　Shed　had　no　idea　what　in　hell　this　was　about。　Who　were　these　people？　Why　was　Raven　scared？　〃How　you　going　to　run　anywhere；　Raven？　You　can't　get　out　of　town。　The　harbor's　still　frozen。〃
　　Raven　looked　at　him　as　if　he　were　a　heretic。
　　〃Settle　down；　Raven。　Use　your　head。　I　don't　know　what　the　hell　is　going　on；　but　I　can　tell　you　this。　Right　now　you're　acting　more　like　Marron　Shed　than　like　Raven。　Old　Shed　is　the　guy　who　panics。　Remember？〃
　　Raven　managed　a　feeble　grin。　〃You're　right。　Yeah。　Raven　uses　his　brain。〃　He　snickered　sourly。　〃Thanks；　Shed。〃
　　〃What　happened？〃
　　〃Let's　just　say　the　past　came　back。　A　past　I　didn't　expect　to　see　again。　Tell　me　about　this　sidekick　you　said　Bullock's　been　pulling　around　lately。　Word　I've　heard；　Bullock　is　a　loner。〃
　　Shed　described　the　man；　though　he　could　not　recall　him　well。　His　attention　had　been　on　Bullock。　Darling　positioned　herself　so　she　could　read　his　lips。　She　formed　a　word　with　hers。
　　Raven　nodded。　〃Croaker。〃
　　Shed　shivered。　The　name　sounded　sinister　when　Raven　translated　it。　〃He　some　kind　of　hired　killer？〃
　　Raven　laughed　softly。　〃No。　Actually；　he's　a　physician。　Halfway　petent；　too。　But　he　has　other　talents。　Like　being　crafty　enough　to　e　around　looking　for　me　in　Bullock's　shadow。　Who　would　pay　attention　to　him？　They'd　be　too　worried　about　the　damned　Inquisitor。〃
　　Darling　flashed　signs。　She　went　too　fast　for　Shed；　but　he　thought　she　was　admonishing　Raven；　telling　him　Croaker　was　his　friend　and　would　not　be　hunting　him。　It　was　coincidence　that　their　paths　had　crossed。
　　〃Not　coincidence　at　all；〃　Raven　countered；　both　aloud　and　by　sign。　〃If　they　aren't　hunting　me；　why　are　they　in　Juniper？　Why　are　two　of　the　Taken　here？〃
　　Again　Darling　responded　too　fast　for　Shed　to　catch　everything。　She　seemed　to　be　arguing　that　if　someone　called　the　Lady　had　gotten　to　this　Croaker　or　another　someone　called　Silent；　Croaker　would　not　be　here。
　　Raven　stared　at　her　a　good　fifteen　seconds；　still　as　stone。　He　downed　another　mug　of　wine。　Then　he　said；　〃You're　right。　Absolutely　right。　If　they　were　looking　for　me；　they　would　have　had　me。　And　you。　The　Taken　themselves　would　have　been　all　over　us。　So。　Coincidence；　after　all。　But　coincidence　or　not；　the　Lady's　top　thugs　are　in　Juniper。　And　they're　looking　for　something。　What？　Why？〃
　　This　was　the　old　Raven。　Cool　and　hard　and　thinking。
　　Darling　flashed；　Black　castle。
　　Shed's　humor　vanished。　Raven　looked　at　the　girl　for　several　seconds；　glanced　in　the　general　direction　of　the　black　castle。　Then　he　looked　at　Darling　again。　〃Why？〃
　　Darling　shrugged。　She　flashed；　There　is　nothing　else　about　Juniper　that　would　bring　Her　here。
　　Raven　thought　a　few　minutes　more。　Then　he　turned　to　Shed。　〃Shed；　have　I　made　you　rich？　Have　I　gotten　your　ass　far　enough　out　of　trouble？''
　　〃Sure；　Raven。〃
　　〃Your　turn　to　give　me　a　hand；　then。　Some　very　powerful　enemies　of　mine　are　in　Juniper。　They're　working　with　the　Custodians　and　the　Duke；　and　are　probably　here　because　of　the　black　castle。　If　they　spot　me；　I'm　in　trouble。〃
　　Marron　Shed　had　a　full　belly。　He　had　a　warm　place　to　sleep。　His　mother　was　safe。　He　had　no　debts　and　no　immediate　threats　hanging　over　his　head。　The　man　opposite　him　was　responsible。　Also　responsible　for　saddling　him　with　an　agonized　conscience；　but　that　he　could　forgive。　〃Ask。　I'll　do　what　I　can。〃
　　〃You'll　be　helping　yourself；　too；　if　they're　looking　into　the　castle。　You；　me；　and　Asa。　We　made　a　mistake；　raiding　the　Catabs。　Never　mind。　I　want　you　to　find　out　whatever　you　can　about　what's　going　on　in　Duretile。　If　you　need　bribe　money；　tell　me。　I'll　cover　it。〃
　　Puzzled；　Shed　said；　〃Sure。　Can't　you　tell　me　a　little　more？''
　　〃Not　till　I　know　a　little　more。　Darling；　get　your　stuff　together。　We　have　to　disappear。〃
　　For　the　first　time；　Shed　protested。