Chapter 6
Viv almost planted her good foot through the wrecked plank in the boardwalk, catching herself just in time. “Eight hells,” she said in exasperation. “Two busted legs really would put a crown on it.”
As she carefully made her way into the street, she saw the scarred orc and his wagon, tools rattling against the slatted sides. Folks streaming up the hill toward The Perch parted around him like trout skirting a gar.
“Hey!” she called out. She finally dredged up his name. “Pitts!”
He slowed to a stop, watching her limp nearer.
Close up, Pitts was younger than she’d expected, his scalp shaved clean. He studied the book in her hand with interest.
“Look, if I wanted to get a couple of planks around here, where would I do that? I figure you’d know,” she asked.
He frowned, then gestured over her shoulder. “Mill’s ‘round the other side of the walls, on the stream.”
For some reason she expected him to follow that up with a question, but he dropped his hand and waited on her again.
“Uh, so … how do I ask this … Do you ever get over that way? If I wanted to maybe pay you to pick up a few boards for me, and also for a little time with some of your tools, would that be something you’d do?”
“Suppose that depends.”
“On?”
He shrugged, still holding the traces, so that the wagon tilted as he did. “On what you’re plannin’.”
She waved at the shop with the book. “The wood’s rotten up there. Almost put my foot through it. Figured I’d replace it.”
Pitts’s brow wrinkled doubtfully at her bum leg. “Why?”
Viv frowned in return. “Because it’s dangerous?”
He shook his head. “I mean, why you? Somebody ask? Know what you’re doin’?”
“I guess no to both, but how hard could it be to knock in a board? Pretty sure I can hit a nail hard enough to get the job done. I don’t know, I think Fern’s got enough to worry with, so I figured …” She trailed off.
Pitts thought about that for a second, then nodded once, very slowly. “Tomorrow at noon.”
“At noon … what?”
“Meet me here.”
“Oh. Uh, what do I owe you?”
“We’ll see.”
And then he was off and rolling again.
Viv blinked at his departure. “Well … thanks!” she called after him, but he didn’t turn back.
“See you at noon,” she said to herself, shaking her head.
Viv stepped into The Perch anticipating a leisurely lunch at the table she was coming to think of as hers. She’d been looking forward to dipping into Heart’s Blade and figuring out if Fern was teasing her or not. Instead, she found the bottom floor absolutely packed.
Apparently, Brand’s inn was well known to the passengers and crew of the docked frigate, because they all seemed to be there.
It was louder than she’d ever heard it, thick with chatter and the occasional bellow of laughter.
Her table had even been commandeered—although there were two open chairs there.
Any time before this week, the atmosphere would’ve been welcome. A beer and some food and conversation might’ve been just the thing. But with a book in hand, and a surprising interest in cracking it, she felt properly thwarted. She supposed she could go upstairs to her room, but …
Sidling through a crowd with a crutch caused more than a few bumped shoulders, and she mumbled apologies that were lost in the hubbub. But her natural size helped some as she approached her preferred table.
Her favorite chair—the one that faced the rest of the room—was occupied by a gnome with a look about her that Viv had seen plenty of times before.
She had to be younger than Viv by at least a few years.
A pair of goggles held back her spiky orange hair, and a set of bare-bladed knives gleamed on her bandolier.
Hardly bigger than a human child, her head didn’t clear the tabletop by much.
Clad in fingerless gloves, her hands toyed with the copper mug in front of her, and she didn’t seem to be eating.
“Hey,” said Viv with a forced smile. “Any chance I could convince you to swap so I could sit in that chair? Easier to be out of the way with the leg.” She patted her thigh lightly.
The gnome eyed her up and down. Viv recognized the look of a new recruit with something to prove. Unfortunately. “After I’m gone, you’re welcome to it,” she said with exaggerated indifference. The girl ran a finger around the rim of her mug, very slowly.
Viv’s eyes narrowed, and she breathed in hard through her nose.
Then with great deliberation she laid her book on the table and dragged out the empty chair, raking it across the floorboards with a squeal.
She didn’t break eye contact with the gnome as she eased into the seat and swung her stiff leg around to the side.
A smile teased the gnome’s lips, and Viv had to deliberately unclench her fists and lay them flat on the table.
Doing her best to shake off her irritation, she figured she’d dive into Heart’s Blade while waiting for the tavern kid to make his way over. It’d probably take a while, given the crowd. Also, it seemed like an excellent way to ignore someone while they were sitting right in front of you.