Fanuilh by Daniel Hood (ebook reader with highlight function TXT) 📗

spoke of how he'd want it once. Theoreti, cally, of course. I never thought ... "

The Aedile's expectation turned to puzzlement, and Liam fidgeted. The dragon was arranging things in a way he did not understand, prompting him along paths he couldn't follow. But Coeccias misunderstood his reaction.

"How old are you, Liam Rhenford?"

"Thirty," he responded.

"Thirty," the Aedile mused. He was easily ten years older than Liam, and the harsh lines around his eyes softened. "And never seen a corpse ere this?"

Liam frowned. He had, many times. More times, he guessed, and deaths far worse, than the Aedile had.

Go along.

"No," he said shakily.

"Shall I leave my man to help you?"

No.

"No, I think ... " He paused, with a convincing gulp. "I think I can manage."

"Well enough," Coeccias said at last. "I'll be about my business, then, if y'are sure."

Liam nodded briefly.

The Aedile nodded as well and went for the door, stopping to ask where Liam was lodging.

"In· case I hear anything, or need to speak with you, if you see."

When Liam told him, the Aedile took his leave, collecting the other Guardsman. Liam went out onto the veranda and watched them wend their way up the narrow path. When they had topped the cliff, he went back in.

Fanuilh still lay on the table in the workroom, looking up at him serenely.

The scratching was good.

"And I suppose you'd like some more?" Liam asked sarcastically, but he put out his hand and scratched the clothlike scales. "How much of that did you know would happen?"

I anticipated a great deal of it.The dragon stretched pleasurably, if stiffly, underneath his hand, the simple, happy motion at odds with the cold thoughts.

"Why did you make me lie about hitting my head?"

You know.

Liam was surprised to find he did know. Coeccias had called the dragon Tarquin's pet; he did not understand about familiars, and if Liam had tried to explain he would have presumed that—

"You didn't want him thinking we'd killed him together, you and I."

It would undoubtedly have occurred to him, and it would have made things difficult.

"So now he thinks I'm a weak fop, a man who turns squeamish at the sight of blood. One who's never seen a corpse before."

Do you really care?

Wordlessly, Liam shook his head, and pulled his hand away from the dragon, struck by a thought. He imagined Fanuilh, a dagger stuck in his claws, hovering over Tarquin's sleeping body.

A thought crashed down on the image, blotting it out.

That is foolishness. I could do no such thing.

"Of course not," Liam said hastily, stepping away from the table. It was foolishness, after all. The dragon could not have known he would come along, that there would be another soul for it to share.

There are things to do. You must fulfill our bargain.

"Yes." He shook his head, scattering the shards of his image. "You'll teach me how to keep you out?"

Yes, and more.

"And all I have to do is nurse you to health?"

And the other.

"The other," Liam repeated blankly, then remembered:

"The one you said you'd tell me when they'd gone?"

Yes.

"What is it?"

You must find whoever killed Master Tanaquil.

"Find the killer? That's what Coeccias is for," he said doubtfully.

You do not think the Duke's man can do it.

"I don't think he can, no. But if he can't do it, how could I? That's foolishness." He straightened and walked over to the model, his back to the dragon.

You knew Master Tanaquil better than the Duke's man. I knew him better. Between us, we can imagine who might have done it, and find the person. Besides you have done this before.

"Only a few times, and ... " Liam whirled. "How did you know that?"

We are one. Your memories are mine, and mine would be yours, if you knew how. I know your thoughts everywhere.

There was no special emphasis on the last, but Liam imagined it, and blushed.

"You know what I was thinking, in the city?"

Of course.

He shook his head, trying to drive the thought out. "No matter. Those were a long time ago, and the circumstances were different. I was very lucky."

Nonetheless, you have searched out murderers before. And you think you carry Luck with you.

That much was true, and that was how he thought of it Luck, personified, like a deity who watched over him. And he had, once or twice, unraveled mysteries.

"Even granting that I thought I could find the killer, why? Why do you want me to? Why bargain for that?"

For the first time, Fanuilh's thought swirled, shapeless. It took what seemed a long time to form.

I do not know.

"What would we do when we found out?"

Again, the thought coalesced slowly.

I do not know.

"Give the murderer to the Aedile?"

I suppose so.

Liam wondered if the dragon was harboring dreams of vengeance, and blushed again when Fanuilh responded.

I do not think so. It is simply something I feel must be done. Master Tanaquil was good to me.

Liam sighed, turning back to the model of Southwark, losing his gaze in the intricate details. He thought of Tarquin, and their all too few conversations. The man had been interesting, if somewhat reserved. Pleasant in his way, seemingly harmless, an eccentric recluse claiming wizardry. But he had made the Teeth disappear, and he had a room filled with strange artifacts that Liam wanted to explore.

I can show you how they all work. They can be yours. Is it a bargain?

He sighed again, leaning forward, resting his hands carefully on the edge of the model.

"See if you can't stay out of my head for a few moments, will you?"

He had already decided to do it, he realized. If for no other reason than that the old man had let him swim off his breakwater. And if the dragon was lying, in any way, about anything, well, then ...

But he did not finish the thought. He simply let it swirl away, broken off, unsure of what he would do.

"Very well, it's a bargain. I'll need to know everything you can remember about Tarquin."

Four hours later, as the pale sun sank