Folding the Sky

-32-

"An estate?" Aldric asked, leaning back in his seat.

It was early morning now, hazy yellow light sparkling across the water beneath the riverboat, and Zuri was grateful that the previous day's rest seemed to have done wonders for Aldric's recovery. Some of the color had returned to his face, and he could move about now with only the smallest wince of pain.

Chike, standing with his back to the boat's railing, elbows propped against it, nodded his head. "Mulaim Chateau. Zuri and I found a man here who said he used to be the estate's housekeeper, while the owner was away. To make a long story short, one day he went to make the rounds and found Schmitt camped out there."

Jem stood beside Chike, facing the water, the wind making dark ripples of her hair. "It must have been before he went to the mill, then."

Zuri nodded. "I looked into his memories, and based on what I saw, that's the sensible timeline."

"After Schmitt was caught, he left, and the estate's owner let the housekeeper go. They've tightened the security since then," Chike went on, and frowned. "So obviously there's something there worth protecting."

"That doesn't mean it has anything to do with Schmitt," Kalindi argued. She was sitting in the seat across from Zuri and Aldric, her back straight, arms folded. Sequins glittered on her bodice each time she moved. "Chances are they threw out anything Schmitt may have left there. What reasons would they have to keep it?"

"We should still search around," Zuri argued, calmly. "Just in case."

"This owner," Jem asked, glancing sideways at Chike. "Who are they anyway?"

"A lawyer, I think. Omari Effiong," Chike answered, his eyes meeting Zuri's briefly. "The deed's been passed around quite a bit, though. Some terrible murder happened there a few years back, and needless to say, it hasn't done wonders for the property value."

"Murder schmurder," Jem mumbled. She pivoted sharply on her toe, stomping over to the bench and taking the empty spot beside Kalindi. "I agree. We should go look. It's not like we have anything better to do, anyway."

"True," Aldric agreed with a glum sigh, sinking low against the lacquered wood. "But just how are we planning to get in if the security's so tight?"

"You're the wanted assassin, Finck." Chike bugged his eyes at him. "You tell me."

Aldric jutted his chin. "Actually, I've been pardoned."

"Conditionally," Kalindi said, coughing politely into her fist. "It's very much a conditional pardon."

"Well, I'm currently meeting the conditions, am I not?"

"It won't be official until you find Schmitt."

"I did find him. He just got away from me. Does that count?" A pause. "I think technically it counts."

"Aldric," said Kalindi. "You're annoying me."

He gave a grand roll of his eyes, so overdramatic Zuri had to stifle a laugh. "And what else is new."

Once she'd calmed her laughter, Zuri cleared her throat sharply. Beneath them, the boat slowed to a halt, the busy dock running up beside it. Sinje's center district flourished and bloomed in full color around them. "One or two of us should head to Mulaim tonight, just to scope it out. Once we have an idea of what we're up against, we can figure out the rest."

Aldric turned, a smile sneaking across his lips. "Sounds like a plan to me."

Murmurs of agreement passed between the group, Kalindi's a lot more quiet than the rest, and together they dismounted from the boat, stepping onto the familiar broad, bustling streets they'd left behind a day before. The fact it had only been one day startled Zuri—the mental and physical exhaustion still lingering within her made it seem like longer, like she'd been wandering away for weeks.