Jade Mouse

Chapter 18

“What in the name of Hades happened to you?!” was all I could think to say.

“They made me, Milord! I tried not to, but I couldn't. I just . . . I couldn't. I'm so sorry,” a blood-streaked Garrett wept tearfully as he attempted to stand. “I told them to leave, and they grabbed me and dragged me from my shop, and . . . they-”

Gods! I couldn't believe I was looking at the same man whose shop I'd left a mere hour ago. He was a wreck, someone you might veer away from in the street out of fear that you might catch whatever horrifying and debilitating disease they'd fallen victim to.

“Shopkeeper Barclay,” asked Talia softly, her hands gently but insistently pressing the blood-soaked shopkeeper back into the chair he'd been sitting in, “can you tell Lord Tucat what you told me, just now?”

“Yes, absolutely!” I stammered. “Garrett, in the name of all the gods, tell me - who did this to you?”

“Milord,” he said, almost choking simply from the effort it took to talk, “I know not. They were strangely dressed, and spoke in a way I couldn't understand at times. They came in shortly after you'd left, asking me what you'd wanted with me. When I told them it was between myself and my Lord, they closed the blinds, and . . . they-”

“Did they sound all phlegmy? Silhouette of antlers on their cloaks?”

He nodded.

“Blackstaag,” I snarled. “Son of a bitch! I'll tear that miserable bastard apart!”

“And then?” asked Talia, her voice gentle and patient. “Please continue, Garrett.”

“It . . . I'm so sorry, Milord! You even warned me people were after him, but I didn't think someone would . . . I didn't want to tell them, but they made me! They said they wouldn't stop unless I told them exactly what you'd come and asked about, and then,” he took a deep breath that was more than half shudder, tears mixing with the blood weeping from his wounded cheek, “then they made me tell them everything else. Milord, please . . . you must save him!”

Connor . . .

“How many, and how long ago?” I demanded.

“Maybe four, and I . . . I don't know if I can rightly say. T'was five minutes or so after you'd left that it happened, and once they were gone I left my shop and flagged down a carriage.” He gave a bit of a start. “Oh gods, I forgot to pay them! I'm so stupid. Milord, please, I'll be right back . . . they're probably still outside right now, wondering where I've-”

He began to stand out of his chair, but Talia's gently insistent hand pushed him back down.

“Please, don't move, Garrett,” said Talia. “Lord Tucat will take care of the carriage in a moment, and a healer's already been sent for.” She turned to me. “I assumed you wouldn't object.”

“Garrett, I want you to do exactly what this young lady says,” I said, nodding to Talia. “Everything will be taken care of . . . you did the right thing coming here. For now, what I need you to do is to tell me exactly what you told those knights.”

“Aye, Milord. I told them that you were asking about Connor. His name's Connor Jaedemus, he's the son of an inventor by the name of Uriah. A foreigner, and Lord.”

“Jaedemus,” I mused, mind's eye picturing the green smudge Cyrus had shown me. “A jade mouse. That's what it was. Why have I never heard of him?”

“Died near five years ago, Milord, after his territory was mostly taken away. So I've heard, I didn't actually know about it at the time. Connor, he's the one who told me about his father, mostly. If . . . if I hadn't been so thick-headed! You'd told me he was in danger, and I knew you wouldn't hurt him, but he made me promise.” He shook his head ruefully. “This is all my fault, Milord.”