Tortoise was sitting in the small yard out the back of Jethro’s by himself reading one of Jethro’s books. The yard was crowded with covered cupboards and racks, a table and a couple of old benches, a large stack of firewood, and a pile of discarded lasts, massive terracotta pots, some with red paper rose and others with a green vine, both climbing thickly up the walls and the side of the building, as well as smaller pots with flowers and tomatoes and vegetables and herbs. A couple of large barrels collected water from the roof.
The leather-bound book was a collection of folk tales, some of them very strange, or at least they seemed so to Tortoise. One was about a rabbit whose teeth kept growing, another about a worm who became king, and one was about a horse who lived at the bottom of the ocean but in which nothing much seemed to happen.
Gecko dropped suddenly from the roof, breaking his fall with window sills and a wall, and landed on the flagstones on his feet. He was breathing heavily.
“What are you doing?” Tortoise asked, rising to his feet. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.” Gecko casually dusted himself off. “I just felt like a run.”
“You’ve got a cut on your face.”
“Have I? Oh yeah. I didn’t even notice. Must’ve been the paper rose, that stuff is everywhere, it’s really quite annoying. Ugh, I can’t believe how out of breath I am.” Gecko fist-bumped himself. “Anyway… what are you up to?”
Miguel poured the wine into the four cups and passed them round.
“Gustal!” Miguel raised his cup.
Dee and Ibrahim smiled. “Gustal,” they said.
“Zírnāp,” Anya said. They tapped their cups.
Miguel took a sip and put his arm around Ibrahim. “How did you become Jethro’s apprentice?” he asked. “Were you growing up here?”
“Yes,” Anya said. The wiry young woman was the most relaxed they’d seen her. “My father was friends with his wife. They’ve both passed now. It’s good work. It’s good to make something that gets used. And Jethro is very kind.”
“I guess your father was Laudanese?” Ibrahim sampled a pretzel and dip.
“My mother. She moved here with her first husband.”
“Will you keep working for Jethro when you finish your apprenticeship?” Dee asked. “Or do you want to get your own shop?”
“I’d like my own shop,” Anya said. “But it’s difficult. Rents are high. We’re the only shop on the street with two apprentices. It’ll be a long time before I can afford to work on my own.”
“I’d like to buy some new boots before we go,” Dee said. “If you have something that fits.”
“Sure. We have toed and toeless ones that should fit you.”
They’d been chatting for half an hour when they heard shouts and a sudden commotion inside the shop.
Everyone reached for their swords except for Anya. She raised her hand.
Tortoise ran into Penny and Penguin on the way back to Jethro’s. They were carrying meat and fresh vegetables. He hadn’t really seen them since the night before, when they’d said farewell to Faresi and Saht.
“What did you think of Snoutfair?” Tortoise asked, as they continued on up the street.
“Everyone was very… open,” Penny said.
“I loved the parade,” Penguin enthused. “And the costumes. All of it, really. And the bean buns.”
“The bean buns were good,” Tortoise agreed.
They passed a beggar with missing legs, who motioned to his mouth wordlessly. Penny stopped and put a few coppers in his bowl. The man prostrated himself silently. They paused for a moment, not knowing what to say. “You’re welcome,” Penny said awkwardly, and they moved on.
When they got back to Jethro’s they found the windows smashed and front door staved in.
Penny drew her sword and they rushed in. The shop had been turned over. Beautiful shoes were lying everywhere, with blood and a pair of glasses on the floor. The others responded to their shouts, and they found them upstairs in Jethro’s study, which was strewn with books and papers and drawers. Miguel, Ibrahim, and Dee stood around Anya, who was looking through the papers. They soon learned that Jethro and Sam had been taken by the King’s soldiers—why wasn’t immediately clear.
Anya was tense, pacing the room as she tried to think.
“I don’t know what they found, if anything. But we need to get you out of here,” Anya said. “They’re going to be back.” She wiped her nose again, and Tortoise noticed the blood on the back of her hand.
“Why?” Penny asked. “What did they do?”
“Jethro’s not going to talk. Not even if they hurt Sam. Please, all of you, pack quickly. They might not be back until tomorrow, but we can’t risk it.”
“I’ll leave you here,” Anya said, handing Gecko her lantern. “Feel for the latch on the right, close the rock behind you.”
“Why are you helping us?” Penguin asked.
“Friends of Jethro and Captain Trivett are friends of mine,” she said. “Asha knows we need some. May the road be swift and kind. See you in Merdeka.”
Penguin and Tortoise glanced at each other. Before Penguin could ask, Miguel thanked Anya warmly and everyone wished her well. Anya turned and disappeared into the darkness.
They began climbing down into the hole.
Tortoise went after Gecko.
The ladder kept going down. Smoke from the lantern wafted up, burning his eyes.
Tortoise kept going until he stepped down a rung into water. He felt with his foot for the floor, and couldn’t find it.
“It’s okay,” Gecko said, waist deep. “You’ll be able to stand, just lower yourself down. It’s freshwater! We’re under the bedrock.”
The water was cold. Tortoise shifted his pack, hoping, perhaps foolishly, to keep it dry. The ladder shuddered with the others coming down, and Tortoise realised there wouldn’t be space for the next person to stand beside him.
Gecko lifted the lantern, and they waded into the cool, clean tunnel.