A strange silence fell over the tavern.
From the next room ca the creak of a body turning over in bed, and from the hall below, the scraping of chairs, the thud of feet, and the clinking of tankards.
Katerina covered her mouth with a piece of cloth she carried with her. It was an ordinary piece of coarse burlap, saturated with the sour sll of repeated use.
Its sole purpose was to remind Katerina: "Do not speak."
Katerina offered Lu Li a spare piece, but he declined. Lu Li had survived the worst of Silence and knew how to conduct himself. Besides, he still had the straw doll in his pocket, ant to protect him from it.
He just wasn't sure if it would still work after twenty-four years.
Silence limited not only communication but also people's actions. Katerina lay down on the creaky bed, deciding to get so rest.
Lu Li pulled a wooden chair to the window and gazed out at the distant Gloomy Wastes and the fiery ring of lava.
Katerina kept waking up—Lu Li's presence made it hard for her to sleep. Sotis she would turn on her side and study his profile. If not for Silence, she might have asked why he was always staring out the window.
Ti passed, and Katerina, still in her leather armor, finally drifted into a light sleep. It lasted until the wall clock downstairs chid ten tis, heralding the arrival of morning.
Katerina awoke to the chiming of the clock and looked at the sky, which had grown slightly brighter than it was during the night.
The fiery ring of lava still hung in the sky, but it was more distinct now. The rocks, hidden in the gloom, beca visible in the increased light. The uneven walls and shadows seed solid and real, as if you could touch them.
As if it were a real sky.
This was why Katerina had said so people went mad because of it.
Soon, church bells rang out across the city, announcing the end of Silence.
Katerina removed the cloth and stuffed it back into her armor. "It's over."
"And this is what you call day?" Lu Li asked.
The brightness increased no further, remaining just enough to see by.
"This is day, or rather, twilight," Katerina replied.
In the Age of Anomalies, morning did not exist. There were only two tis of day:
Twilight and night.
From ten until three in the afternoon was twilight, and after that, it was night.
Before they left, Krot approached them. He was still eager to get his hands on Lu Li's Anomaly Currency. Of course, the matte, multi-faceted stone was now in Katerina's possession.
Krot's greed convinced Katerina that the value of the Anomaly Currency was not as simple as it seed.
"Krot, tell
honestly, what is it for?" Katerina asked, tossing the Anomaly Currency in the air.
The dozens of eyes in the short man's sockets followed its movent as he answered distractedly, "For trading with neutral and friendly anomalies. They don't accept our currency, only this. I'm an informant, and this is a good opportunity to expand my business."
Katerina didn't fully believe him—she had never seen Krot want sothing so badly.
"Is that all?" Katerina stopped tossing the stone. "If you tell
the truth, we might consider giving it to you."
Katerina thought Krot would back down, but he wanted the currency more than she had anticipated. "You said it yourself, Sting."
Before Katerina could change her mind, Krot lowered his voice and spoke quickly, "If you encounter an anomaly you can negotiate with, the Anomaly Currency could save your life."
"Why don't I know about this?" Katerina had never heard anything of the sort.
Krot's answer was simple: "Because you don't have any Anomaly Currency."
Katerina didn't want to admit her mistake. She regretted her words and was trying to figure out how to take them back and keep the Anomaly Currency for herself.
"Do you know of the Trader?" Lu Li asked at that mont, briefly describing him.
"The Trader..." Krot mused, his eyes darting around. "I know sothing... I can tell you everything, but in exchange, you must sell
the Anomaly Currency."
He could see that Katerina wanted to back out of her offer.
"Alright," Lu Li nodded.
Katerina wanted to object, but it was Lu Li's property, not hers.
Krot recalled, "You can find out about a rchant like that in the cities."
"And that's supposed to be information?" Katerina tried to scuttle the deal.
Krot realized it too. His eyes twitched, and then, as if having made a decision, he handed Lu Li an iron plate. "This is a token of friendship from the Undergrounders... Take it to the Underground Trading Guild, and they'll answer your questions."
Katerina closed her mouth.
Clearly, Krot's desire for the Anomaly Currency went beyond its monetary value.
Lu Li was not satisfied with the answer, but he took the iron plate anyway, agreeing to the deal.
"The Underground Trading Guild?"
Lu Li examined the plate. It wasn't a badge, as its shape was irregular, and a pickaxe was carved into its center.
"One of the largest trading organizations in the Gloomy Wastes," Katerina explained quietly, sizing up the short man. "I didn't think you were one of them. Congratulations, Krot."
Her voice held a hint of envy. With such backing, Krot could no longer be bullied and ignored with impunity.
"I'm just an intern," Krot replied, his eyes fixed on the Anomaly Currency in Katerina's hand.
"Give it to him," Lu Li said, turning his head.
"The deal is done, see you around." Krot took the Anomaly Currency, counted out 230 shillings for Lu Li, and, shouldering a backpack almost as large as himself, walked out of the tavern.
After Krot left, a disgruntled Katerina grumbled, "That coin was worth much more."
"The Trader is holding most of my money," Lu Li replied.
"...How much?" Katerina temporarily forgot her annoyance.
"A lot," was all Lu Li could say.
The Anomaly Currency seed to have great value, but compared to the wealth Lu Li had with the Trader, it was nothing.
Of course, that was assuming the Trader was still alive.
And if Katerina had broken her promise, she would have lost Krot's trust.
As Katerina had said, trust was very important on the surface.
"It's ti for us to go, too." Katerina tightened the straps of her armor, put away her route map, and after settling the bill, they left the "Wanderer's Tavern".
Lu Li continued to observe the passersby on the street. Although he didn't let his gaze linger on any one person for too long, it still led to trouble.
An unusual figure caught his eye. The man stood over two and a half ters tall; if he raised his hand, he could touch the roof of a house. He seed to dislike being watched, for he shot Lu Li a fierce glare and started walking toward him.
A slender figure stepped in front of Lu Li.
Black sparks flashed in Katerina's eyes. "Don't look for trouble, big guy."
Size was not the only asure of strength.
Hunters did not fight one another unless absolutely necessary, and only if they could end the fight quickly and quietly.
For them, an injury was tantamount to death.
The hulking man stared intently at Katerina, then silently turned and walked away, his lizard-like tail whipping through the air in irritation.
"Don't stare at people. Things aren't the sa as they used to be," Katerina said, relaxing. "You were lucky it was . And I was lucky, too."
As they continued toward the city exit, Katerina added, "Another hunter would have killed you without bothering to find out who you are. Then they'd have taken your things and... you."
As she spoke, she glanced at Lu Li, making it clear that the word "you" had another aning.
For example, as a source of food.
Reviews
All reviews (0)