Imager’s Intrigue Read Online Free Page B

wasn’t trouble.”
    “Then I’m sure he’ll find me.”
    In fact, less than two blocks past Mando, I saw Jadhyl in his green jacket. For what ever reasons, the taudis-gangs in my district had always worn colored jackets, rather than black ones with colored linings that the wearer had to leave open to show affiliation. The taudischef was talking to a youth under a lamppost. He said something, and the youth hurried off.
    “I’ll catch up with you,” I told Smultyn, before I headed down the side street.
    “Yes, sir.”
    Jadhyl just waited until I stopped, then inclined his head. “Master Captain.”
    I’d never seen anyone who looked quite like the east-end taudischef, with his faintly golden-tinged skin and his natural golden-brown hair and piercing eyes. He always spoke in a way that I could only have described as slightly over-precise. He’d never said where his parents had come from, only that they’d died when he was young, and he’d avoided answering me the one time I’d asked. I’d never asked again, because there wasn’t any point in it.
    “Jadhyl.” I nodded in return. “I thought you might like to know…” I explained about the explosion, then finished, “If you hear anything, I’d appreciate what ever you might wish to share with me.” Before he could reply, I added, “There’s one other thing. We had a smash-and-grab at the silversmith’s—Alaint’s place just off the Midroad.”
    “He’s not that friendly,” replied Jadhyl. “Kantros wasn’t much of an artist, but he’d smile now and again.”
    “That’s true, but one of the serving girls got a look at the thief. He was wearing orange under his black jacket. Now…if he was a Hellhole tough out of his territory…”
    “Thank you. I do appreciate your courtesy, Captain. I don’t mention that often enough. Would that your predecessors had been so. I’ll talk to Deyalt. If it’s someone who shouldn’t be wearing orange…we’ll take care of it.” Jadhyl smiled.
    His words meant I’d have to tell Horazt.
    “On the other matter…I have not heard anything, but if I do, you will know. Explosions…” He shook his head, then smiled again. “My nephew Gayhlen. You might recall him?”
    “He’s the one at the woodworks.” Among the taudischefs, “nephew” usually meant a son born of a woman not a wife or a permanent companion.
    “Yes. Fuhlyt says he could pass the apprentice-level skills for the woodworkers’ guild.”
    I nodded. “Is he truly the kind who will work hard and not cause trouble?”
    “I would not ask otherwise, Captain.”
    “Then he may list me as a referring sponsor.”
    “Thank you.” He smiled. “He’s a good boy, and it’s best if he leaves the taudis.”
    What that meant was that Gayhlen was hard-working and gentle-natured, and thus unsuited to his “uncle’s” occupation.
    After I left Jadhyl, I had to walk quickly for a good block before I caught up with Smultyn and Caesaro. Smultyn looked at me inquiringly.
    “He doesn’t seem to know about the smash-and-grab, but…we’ll see. He wanted to see whether one of his nephews who’s been taught by Fuhlyt might be considered as an apprentice woodworker.”
    “Some of those kids are good,” said Caesaro. “A couple of them are selling wooden boxes and little things. They’re not bad.”
    “The more of them that get into real work, the better for us,” added Smultyn. “We’re not seeing near as many elvers anymore.”
    Part of that was because I’d pressed the taudischefs to avoid selling elveweed to the younger people. There wasn’t any way that those already addicted would change.
    I stayed with the two patrollers all the way to the Plaza SudEste and then down Quierca for a ways before I left them. Nearing Fuosta, I saw a short, dark-haired, and all-too-familiar figure ahead. Horazt was the first taudichef I’d met, because his “nephew” Shault had shown imager talents, and I’d been Shault’s unofficial preceptor and