Chapter Eleven
The Sticky Wick
Edinburgh
“Usually, he’s here in the morning,” the tavernkeep said. “I would wager he’ll be here sometime.”
He was speaking to two men, one enormous and bald, and the other big, blond, and handsome. They were both well-fed and well-dressed, making them something of an oddity in a pit of despair like The Sticky Wick.
The blond spoke up.
“And ye said he’s been asking about The Cal?” he said. “If it’s the man ye’ve described tae me, I’ve seen him before. He was here when I started coming tae this place years ago, though I dunna much know him. But I do know his name – Brody.”
The tavernkeep nodded. “Brody McKay,” he said. “He’s much like ye were, once.”
“At least I found my way out of it.”
The tavernkeep looked him up and down. “Ye surprise me each time I see ye, Cam. Time was when ye were a fixture here, too, living in filth and drink until those from The Cal took ye away. Ye dunna look like the same man.”
Cam Netherton’s eyes glimmered. “That’s because I’m not,” he said.
“The Cal can do for Brody what it’s done for me, although I’m surprised it’s taken this long for the man tae ask about it.
He’s a fighter. I can remember seeing him in the past. He’s a beast when it comes to a brawl.
Surely he’ll make a good candidate for The Cal. ”
The tavernkeep nodded. “The regulars stay away from him,” he said. “I dunna know Brody’s story, but he seems… lost. There’s something inside of him that’s hurt and dangerous. He’s a man with secrets.”
“How do ye know?”
“Because I’ve seen enough men hiding their pasts tae know that.”
The tavernkeep tapped his head knowingly as he walked away, off to help a group of men who had come in out of the rain. Cam turned to the man next to him.
“I’m sure ye’ve seen this man, Luther,” he said. “Ye’ve been coming around tae The Sticky Wick for a long time. Brody McKay is a regular here.”
Luther Eddleston scratched his bald head. “I’m not sure,” he said in his proper English speech. “Describe the man to me.”
Cam cocked his head in thought, leaning forward against the table they were sitting at. “He’s a big man, about my size,” he said. “Brown hair that is badly in need of a cut and a beard. He always sits in one of the corners, out of the way.”
Luther pondered that. “Walks with his head down?”
“I suppose so. I’ve never really noticed.”
“Then we’ll simply have to wait until he makes an appearance, but we cannot wait too long.”
Cam knew that. Like Cam, Luther was a doctores, or trainer, at the Ludus Caledonia, but he was also a scout.
Often, the doctores made trips into Edinburgh to find new blood for their fight guild.
On this afternoon, it happened to be him and Cam at The Sticky Wick because they’d received word that a possible candidate had been asking about the Ludus Caledonia.
That was usually how it started. The tavernkeep received a bounty for every fight guild candidate he referred to The Cal, so he would send word if anyone was either asking of the Ludus Caledonia or if a man seemed to be a viable prospect.
The other trainers were busy on this day, so Luther and Cam took the short journey into Edinburgh to check on the information.
There were fights at the Ludus Caledonia tonight, however, so they couldn’t spend an over amount of time on the hunt for the elusive Brody McKay.
During their wait, it was an interesting afternoon.
At least three fights broke out in the tavern, including two very old men who could barely stand, trying to brain each other with their wooden cups. That was entertaining, bringing chuckles from Cam and Luther, but one of the fights had ended up in a man being stabbed.
His friends had dragged his body away, leaving a trail of blood.
But that was the extent of the action. The pair was about halfway through their cup of cheap ale when the rainstorm outside let up and men began to filter out, going about their day until the next bout of rain began. But as men departed the tavern, more came in. Cam recognized one of them.
He tapped Luther on the arm.
“There,” he said. “Over by the door, the tall lad with the hair to his shoulders. That’s Brody McKay.”
Luther peered at the man Cam was indicating. He was a little taller than Cam with a slender torso and ridiculously broad shoulders. “I thought you said he had a beard?”
Cam shrugged. “He’s clearly shaved it off,” he said. “But I recognize him. That’s definitely McKay.”
Luther took a closer look, although his eyesight wasn’t what it used to be. Age and a rough lifestyle had seen to that.
“I think I recognize him,” he said. “Aye, I do believe I’ve seen him before.”
Cam nodded. “As I said, he was here when I first came tae Edinburgh,” he said. “He kept to himself and I kept to myself. I dunna think I’ve ever spoken a word to him. Do ye want tae…?”
He was cut off when one of the friends of the man who had been stabbed earlier abruptly charged back into the place, ramming the door into Brody, who lost his balance as he crashed into the nearest table.
The three men sitting at the table didn’t take kindly to the intrusion. As Cam and Luther watched, the first man reached out to Brody, who deftly avoided the claw-like hands and grabbed the man by the back of the neck, tossing him across several tables until he crashed to the floor.
The second man at the table had a cup of ale in hand and, gripping the cup, tried to smash it into Brody’s face. Brody was faster, however, and punched the man in the throat, instantly disabling him.
As Brody tried to move away from the table, the third man launched himself at Brody, grabbing him around the torso.
Brody didn’t hesitate; he grabbed the man by the hair, pulling so hard that the man loosened his grip as he started to yell.
Once his grip was broken, Brody kneed him in the chest, which knocked the wind out of him.
A second blow to the face sent the man to the ground, unmoving.
Knocked cold in one punch.
Luther grunted. “So that’s your Brody McKay, is it?” he asked. “Impressive.”
Cam’s eyebrows rose in agreement. “I would say so.”
“I cannot believe I have not noticed this man before. Mayhap I wasn’t looking in the right place.”
“Now ye know.”
“Indeed, I do.”
Luther rose to his feet and Cam knew what was coming. The same thing had happened to Cam when he’d been asking about the Ludus Caledonia, hoping to make contact with men who could change his destiny. Luther had tested him before he ever spoke to him.
Brody was about to meet with a similar test.
Cam watched curiously as Luther skirted the room, watching Brody as the man backed away from those he’d just pummeled. He was making his way to the other side of the room, to one of his preferred corners, but he wasn’t paying attention to where he was going as much as he was watching his back.
Luther could see that. He made sure to be in the right place at the right time as Brody backed right into him, stepping on his foot. Luther roared angrily and the fight was on.
Brody was on the defensive even though he clearly had no idea what he’d done wrong. Luther grabbed him by the neck and would have tossed him had Brody not done the same thing to Luther that he’d done to one of the other men – he threw a punch right into Luther’s throat that staggered him.
By this time, Cam was up, moving for the pair before the fight turned ugly.
“Wait,” he said, holding up his hands in a gesture of surrender. “Brody, wait… look at me. Do ye know me?”
Brody was in battle mode. He had a wild-eyed look about him, but he managed to focus on Cam. He was puzzled at first until recognition dawned.
His brow furrowed.
“I’ve seen ye,” he said, but his balled fists were still up. “Ye used tae come tae this place.”
“I did.”
“Who are ye?”
“My name is Cam,” Cam said evenly. “Ye and I never spoke to one another, but I knew of ye. I saw ye often.”
Brody was confused. He looked between Cam and Luther, his fists still raised. “Do ye want a piece of me, too?” he asked. “I’m ready for ye.”
Cam shook his head. “Nay,” he assured him. “I’m told ye’ve been asking on the Ludus Caledonia.”
That drew a reaction from Brody. His puzzlement was magnified tenfold. “Do ye know about the place?” he demanded. “What can ye tell me about it?”
Cam glanced at Luther, who was coughing and rubbing his throat, before crooking his finger.
“Come with me.”
Brody hesitated a moment before complying, but he kept turning to look at Luther, who was bringing up the rear. It was clear that he didn’t trust the bald man, and his fists were still up, but his curiosity about the Ludus Caledonia was stronger than his mistrust.
Still, he kept a healthy distance from the man as he followed Cam to a corner of the tavern. When Cam sat down, Brody continued to stand until the bald man sat, too. Cam indicated an empty chair.
“Please sit,” he said. “I want tae talk tae ye.”
Warily, Brody lowered himself into the chair, lowering his balled fists for the first time. “Tell me what ye know about the Ludus Caledonia,” he said. “Is it true that men can make money there?”
“Fighting or gambling?”
“Fighting.”
Cam nodded. “It is true.”
“Then I want tae volunteer tae fight. I want tae make money.”
Cam looked at Luther, who had been with the Ludus Caledonia far longer than Cam had. “This is Luther Eddleston,” he said. “He can answer yer questions better than I can.”
He deferred to Luther, who took a big gulp of ale, clearing his sore throat, before responding.
“Why?” he asked simply.
Brody couldn’t think of anything to tell him other than the truth. It was the truth. “Because I want tae buy the freedom of a woman in servitude,” he said. “She’s working off her father’s debt. If I can buy her freedom, we can marry.”
Luther looked at him, closely, as he contemplated his answer. “Do you have any experience in fighting? It seems to me that you have some aptitude for it from what we’ve seen.”
Brody nodded. “I’ve been fighting the Sassenach as long as I can remember.”
“Have you seen action?”