The Black Bouquet

"No," she said, "it's just a formulary, but the formulary of Coury

Aeron looked blank.

"Until I got involved in this affair," Miri admitted, "I'd never heard of him, either, but evidently he's famous if you care about perfume. In fact, he was the most famous perfumer who ever lived. His concoctions weren't magical, but they might as well have been, for they delighted anyone who got a whiff. These days, when some lucky soul discovers an unopened bottle, it sells for thousands of gold pieces."

"Because nobody knows how to make any more."

"Right Coury

"And it's truly valuable," Aeron said.

Plainly, the thief was still trying to wrap his head around the idea that anyone cared so much about perfume. Miri had had the same reaction when she'd first heard the story.

"I'm no merchant-thank the Forest Queen!-but I'm told that if the right person used the book to set up a perfume manufactory, he'd probably wind up as rich as a prince," the ranger continued. "Anyway, Ormath has had its problems recently. It's had to cope with three bad harvests in a row, fend off raiders, and fight an actual war or two with its neighbors. For that reason and others, Lord Quwen was more interested in selling the book and turning a profit quickly than going into the perfume trade himself. He put out the word that he had it…"

"And a rich merchant here in Oeble arranged to buy it," Aeron finished for her. "Which one?"

"That, I can't tell you."

He scowled and said, "Ranger…"

"Threats won't move me. Come at me if you want, and we'll find out if an unarmed scout of the Red Hart Guild can defeat a common cutpurse waving a knife."

"Oh, calm down," said Aeron. "Maybe it doesn't matter who wanted it, or maybe we'll come back to that point later. For now, go on with your story."

"At the buyer's insistence," she continued with a nod, "the negotiations were conducted in secret, Lord Quwen dickering with the merchant's factor in Ormath. Finally they struck a deal. The buyer made a down payment, the balance due when he took delivery of the book. Quwen undertook to get the volume to Oeble. Since that too was supposed to happen secretly, he didn't want to use his own troops to move it. Instead, he applied to my guild for an experienced guide-me-and I in turn hired a company of mercenaries. In addition, Quwen's court wizard cast spells of warding on the strongbox and saddlebag intended to hold the Bouquet."

Miri sighed and added, "You know the rest of the story better than I do. The sellswords and I carried the formulary all the way here, and you stole it mere minutes before I could hand it over. Because, plainly, the expedition wasn't a secret. How did you know we were coming?"

"Only because Kesk hired me to steal the coffer. My guess is, he knew because somebody asked him to get it. Kesk's a power to be reckoned with here in Oeble, but I doubt he has spies in faraway cities. Though he might have one in a rich man's household here in town."

"I take it he's the most dangerous scoundrel hereabouts."

Aeron shrugged and said, "One of them."

"I'm surprised you dared defy him."

"He held back information that might have kept my friends alive," Aeron replied. "It made me angry. Though why I turned on him, then saved you who actually killed Dal and Gavath with your own hands, is a puzzle."

"I killed them in a fair fight you outlaws started."

"Does that make them any less dead?"

"No, and if you feel the need to avenge them, come ahead."

"Maybe we'll get to that," Aeron said. "Tell me about Sefris."

"What do you know about the followers of Shar?"

Aeron frowned and replied, "Just what everybody knows. They're vicious, mad, and worship an evil goddess."

"I don't know a great deal more myself, but I have heard of a cult within the cult. Or that watches over the main cult. Something like that. They're called the Monks of the Dark Moon, and they learn a special, highly effective style of fighting. Sefris claims to be one of them, and I believe her. Evidently her order sent her here to recover the treasure Quwen plundered from their goddess."

Aeron cocked his head and asked, "So what were you doing wandering around with her?"

Miri felt her face grow warm.

"At first," she said, "I didn't know who she was. She tricked me into accepting her as my comrade. For some reason, she must have thought she'd have better luck getting her hands on the Bouquet if we hunted it together. In the end, she turned on me, because I wouldn't agree to help her take your father from the Red Axes and hold him hostage ourselves, and that was when she told me who she really is. We fought until your balcony collapsed beneath us. She managed to scramble off, but I didn't. It's a miracle I'm not dead."

"You didn't fall all the way to the ground," said Aeron. "You landed on a Rainspan partway down. If Sefris wants to take the book back to the cult, and Kesk wants it for some other reason, how could they work together?"

"I don't know. You're fairly certain they are?"

"I palavered with Kesk today. Sefris stalked me when I left and tried to capture me. How did she know to find me there unless that pig-faced bastard told her?"

"If she tried to catch you, you were lucky to get away. As lucky as I am to still be alive."

"I realize that. The first time she threw a spell at me, it didn't take, but I felt a kind of tickle in my head. I glanced around and spotted a woman standing in a wriggling blot of shadow, or twilight, in the middle of the sunshine. It only lasted a second. If I'd looked a heartbeat later, I wouldn't have seen anything fu

Miri stared at him and asked, "Sefris threw a spell?"

"Yes. You didn't even know she was a sorceress? Shadows of Mask, you are thick."

"She didn't cast any spells when we were together. Magic must be the secret weapon she likes to hold in reserve."

"Maybe."

"I assume Kesk offered to ransom your father for the formulary?" Miri asked.

"Yes."

"Are you going to do it?"

"I don't see how I can. I figured that if I tried, he'd play me false. Seize the book, take me prisoner, and kill both my father and me. He's like that mean, treacherous, and vengeful. But I wasn't sure of it, so I arranged a meeting in Slarvyn's Sword to feel him out. After what happened, I'm positive I can't trust him. Though maybe if I'm clever enough, I can set up the exchange in such a way that he has no choice but to keep his word."

"You sound doubtful," Miri said, "as well you should."

She decided she was tired of sitting up in bed like an invalid, so she pushed back the covers, and swung her bare feet to the floor. Someone had dressed her in a white linen shift sufficient for modesty.

"Why don't we do the sensible thing?" she asked.

He arched an eyebrow.

"Go to the authorities," she continued, "and report that the Red Axes abducted your father. If you have the kind of reputation I suspect, they might not take your word for it, but the Red Hart Guild is known far and wide as an honorable fraternity, and I'll back you up. I won't even tell them you're the thief who committed the outrage in the Paeraddyn and escaped to tell the tale, and in exchange for my help and forbearance, you'll return The Black Bouquet."

Aeron chuckled grimly and said, "I don't think so."