Tales of Fabulous Namu Pt. 04

The herb-witch smiled as she ate with her fingers from a bowl of savory. Noisome as Mukberi Falls was, it pulsed with vibrant, defiant life. Just now, there were no knives in the dark - no treacherous nobles or vicious gangs. There were only ordinary people struggling to survive, just like everywhere else in the world that she had yet seen.

Zhura wondered again where Mili was. The first chance she could, she'd had Shana rut her with the summoning stone. The demon still did not appear. She hoped it was content, wherever it was.

For now, she had another matters to attend.

She spotted Hani across the crowded clearing. That bewitching, scheming whore had proved to be utterly ruthless to her foes and rivals. She and Zhura had already met with a leader of the Shadow Jackals, and hammered out the beginnings of a favorable arrangement for the Orchid. As Hani said, they had rid the Jackals of a rival; in truth, the Jackals owed the whores for the service. For a time, at least, the Orchid would be in safe hands.

Which left Amina and Kaj.

Hani nodded in the direction of a man who pushed through the crowded market. He was heavyset, clad in the sort of red and blue robes that the inhabitants of the Hazard could rarely afford. He seemed torn between scanning the crowd and watching where he set his sandaled feet. He stuck out like... well, like a wealthy man in Mukberi Falls.

Zhura returned the empty bowl to its vendor, and made her way across the clearing towards the man. He didn't recognize her, glancing at her once before doing a double-take, his eyes narrowing at her garb and the staff she carried.

"You're... you're the-"

"Yes," Zhura said. "I'm her. You're looking for the man you sent to rob me. He's not coming." She reached into her sack, and drew out the phallic shaped summoning stone. "This is what you wanted, wasn't it? What a certain noble House wanted?"

The man said nothing, only staring at her with a grim expression that was clear through the thick beard that hid his jowls.

"I want to talk," Zhura said.

The man took a breath and gestured towards the lake, to a spot on the flats where the crowd had thinned out. She walked with him there.

"I will take your words to the folk you have mentioned," he said. His eyes lingered on the giant ceramic cock she held.

"I would like nothing more than for you to try to take this from me," Zhura said. She slipped it back into her bag. "I could give you a firsthand demonstration of how it doesn't work."

The man shrank from her a bit, his eyes widening for a moment before a mask of indifference returned to his features. Zhura shrugged.

"That is truth. I've tried it repeatedly, and it no longer summons the creature. Now it is only a cock. But magical or not, I still will not give the stone to San."

She looked out over the lake and the shantytown that extended far beyond it. "Barasa demanded either the stone or five hundred shujaa. I have the coin, and will pay it to him in exchange for his promise that he will send no more thieves to rob me or my friends. If House San sends any more men to take the stone from me, I will deliver them back broken. If my friends are hurt... ever... I will exact revenge in any way I can."

"I believe your offer will be well received," the man said, tugging at his beard.

"It was the bargain we made. I am only expecting that San holds to it."

"And what of you? Once your friends are safe, what is it you're after?" the man interlaced his fingers and folded them in front of his heaving belly. "You are in the greatest city of the known world, with everything laid before you. What is it you desire?"

"Your folk know how to find me."

Before she walked away from him, Zhura gazed a second time at the city. That bright, cruel shrine to power, built of gold and grass, laughter and lament, ever striving to kiss the sky.