Anyi nodded, then let out a long sigh. “It sure does make people unreliable. There was… I had a friend. We worked together, were going to… do things together. My friend helped me out when you told me I had to hide.

“But we started to run out of money a lot faster than we should have. I knew my friend took rot, only enough to relax and sleep. When it ran out, my friend disappeared off to get more. I went next door to talk to the neighbour’s wife, so I was out when my friend returned. With two thugs. I heard them talking. My so-called ‘friend’ was going to sell me out.”

Cery cursed. “Did he know why you were hiding?”

“Yes.”

“So the thugs know, too.”

“I guess so.”

Cery glanced at Gol.

“They probably wanted to sell Anyi on to someone better positioned to use her against you,” the big man said. “Her boyfriend will have only wanted fast money.”

“So there are two thugs out there who know too much,” Cery said. He turned to Anyi. “Would you like this former friend killed?”

She looked at him sharply. “No.”

He smiled. “Would you mind if I had the thugs killed?”

Her eyes widened, then narrowed. “No.”

“Good, because I would have them killed whether you minded or not, but I’d rather be certain we got the right ones, and that’ll be easier if you can pick them for us.”

She nodded. Then she looked at him sidelong. “You know, nobody uses that old slum slang any more. ‘Pick’ is so old-fashioned.”

“I’m an old-fashioned kind of man.” They turned into a wider street, which was full of vehicles and people and noise. He lowered his voice. “Just so you know, the reason for today’s meeting is to find the person who you were hiding from.”

Anyi paused in scanning the street to glance at him. “Guess that’s a good reason to be talking to the King of Rot. Can I watch when you kill the murderer?”

“No.”

“Why not?”

“Because I won’t be killing her. I doubt I could if I tried.”

“It’s a woman? Why can’t you kill her?” She sent him another quick look, this time full of confusion. He chuckled.

“Don’t worry. I’ll explain when the time is right.”

I bet Regin wishes he was here, Sonea thought as the young female Healer was led to the front of the Guildhall. The woman wasn’t one of the Healers who worked at the hospices, so Sonea did not know her well. Lady Vinara had explained that she was from one of the city’s less powerful Houses – a younger daughter sent to the Guild in order to gain prestige, and Healing for the family without charge.

The Healer had been overheard relating how she had used magic for a smuggler, and, when the information had been reported, she’d been summoned to a Hearing by the Higher Magicians. Rumours claimed that the smuggler was her cousin. It was the first time anyone had been accused of breaking the new rule against magicians working for criminals.

It’s going to be interesting to see how the Higher Magicians deal with this. Regin will be itching to know what is decided. I expect he’ll pay me a visit tonight, to find out the details.

She realised the prospect didn’t bother her that much. Though she could never completely relax in Regin’s company, he seemed genuinely concerned about the new rule and how it affected the welfare of magicians. And, of course, he was keen to find the rogue. But he didn’t drone on about it, like some magicians might, and never outstayed his welcome.

Because he’s a man who’d prefer to take action than whinge about something.

She stilled in surprise. Had she just found something admirable in Regin’s character? Surely not.

Of the rogue, there had been no news. Most nights Sonea worked at the same hospice in Northside, knowing this would make it easier for a messenger from Cery to find her. But no messages had come since he’d visited personally to tell her he was enlisting the help of another Thief.

Below her, Administrator Osen turned to the Higher Magicians.

“Lady Talie is charged with breaking the new rule forbidding a magician to be involved in or benefit from criminal activity,” he told them. “We are to decide if this is true and, if so, how she is to be punished.” He turned to look at a pair of magicians standing to one side. “I call on Lord Jawen to speak as witness.”

One of the pair, a middle-aged Healer, stepped forward. He was frowning and the way he was trying not to look at Lady Talie made it obvious that he was uncomfortable about speaking against her.

“Please tell us what you heard,” Osen said.

The man nodded. “A few nights ago I was gathering cures from a storeroom when I heard voices at the rear of the room. One of the voices belonged to Lady Talie. I heard her say, quite clearly, that what was inside some boxes wasn’t legal. Well, that attracted my attention, and I stopped to listen. She went on to say that she didn’t want to know what was in them. That she moved them, Healed a man then went home.” His frown deepened. “And that someone was stupid for thinking something so big and heavy could be moved by one man.”

“What did you do then?” Osen asked.

Jawen grimaced. “I left the room and went on working. I needed time to think about what to do. A few hours later I decided I had to tell Lady Vinara what I’d heard.”

“That is all you overheard?”

“Yes.”

“Then that is all for now.” As the man retreated to his former position, Osen turned to the young Healer. “Lady Talie, please come forward.”

She obeyed. Her mouth was pressed into a thin line, and there was a crease between her brows.

“Please explain to us what Lord Jawen overheard.”

Talie drew in a deep breath and let it out again before answering. “He has the gist of it,” she said. “I did move a box that was probably full of illegal goods – though I don’t know that for sure. When Lord Jawen overheard me, I was worried if this meant I’d broken a rule or law, and was asking a friend what she thought.”

“How did you find yourself in a situation where you might question the legality of your actions?”

She looked at the floor. “I was tricked. Well, not tricked… but I didn’t feel like I could refuse.” She paused to shake her head. “What I mean is, someone I wish I didn’t know took me to that place where the boxes were, saying a person was hurt and needed my help. He wasn’t lying, actually. One of the boxes had fallen on top of a man and his thigh bone had been crushed. I had to lift the box off him so I could Heal him. Once I’d done that they took me home.”

Sonea felt a pang of sympathy. The young woman clearly could not have left the injured man in his predicament. She shouldn’t have gone with the smuggler in the first place, of course, but she wasn’t asked to do anything criminal. Yet, while Healing isn’t a criminal activity, moving a box of illegal goods might be considered so.

“So your only action was to move one box and Heal a man?” Osen asked.

“Yes.”

“And you don’t know for sure that the goods inside were illegal.”

She grimaced and shook her head. “No.”

“Did you receive any payment for your help?”

“He tried to give me something but I refused to take it.”

“Is that all you can tell us?”

She paused, then cast a doubtful glance at Lady Vinara. “I’d have Healed that man anyway. And moved the box off him. I couldn’t have left him like that.”

Osen nodded then turned to the Higher Magicians. “Any questions for Lady Talie or Lord Jawen?”

“I have one for Lady Talie. Has this man asked favours or services of you before?” Lord Garrel asked.

“No.”

“What is your connection to him, then?”

Talie looked at Osen and bit her lip. “He has done work and favours for my family, though it was years ago before anyone knew he was involved in anything illegal.”

“Could you take someone back to the place these goods were stored?”

“No. He made sure the carriage windows were covered. When we arrived the carriage was inside a big room. And even if I did know where it was, I doubt the goods are still there.”