Dogleg Hinterland 5

A wolf runs beneath the moon. Pawprints filled with rain. Its snowy hide shining under the light of the skull above.

An eagle flies beneath the sun. The light makes it look as if it is dipped in the essence of stars.

You wonder if you are a wolf or bird. Are you perhaps neither? Sat here with a lizard, trafficking in the stuff of dreams, the question is, does it matter?

‘You look deep in thought, Madrigal.’

‘Sorry.’

‘One cannot help when one’s mind wanders, when the magnets that pull it exert such a strong force. Only with much practice have I managed to master Farsight. There are many things nearer that I find it much harder to look at.’

She smiled and she handed him the bag she had been worrying with. He smiled back at her, something she found a little disconcerting.

‘Where did you gather the ingredients for your dream-spice?’

‘In The Hushlands, from whence I hail.’

‘And there is plenty there?’

‘If you know where to look.’

He chuckled, ‘And I take it you do.’

‘I do.’

‘And you will bring me an endless amount of it in exchange for me giving you a way into the Mara-Mirror trade.’

Her poker face, such as it was, transitioned into her shocked face.

‘I have Farsight, and I have connections, and I know my business. Do not worry so, young girl. Just because I know all this, do not forget what I said earlier — that you are a rare breed these days. I need to trade with you.’

‘I take it you already have a fair price in mind.’

‘Of course.’

‘Then do we need to play through the pretense of bartering for this?’

‘You are so direct, young Madrigal. It almost takes the fun out of it. Do you not want to ask at least a little more for the danger of your travels?’

‘What do you mean?’

‘Are not the wolf and the bird abroad?’

‘I do no think that the wolf is a threat to me.’

‘Ah, but The Nest may be, eh?’

‘I don’t know. I don’t know anything about them.’

‘But the dreams, eh? You dream freely. Your tattoo is aflame.’

‘You know a lot about me and my kind.’

‘It is my business. Your father and I were friends; he told me much.’

‘So, what do you know of The Nest?’

‘Birds of a father flock to gather, as they say. Truth is a feather and honour is a mountain. Many things one hears about the birds. There are birds that sing and there are birds that repeat. There are birds that push people out of their nests.’

‘Do they trouble you here?’

‘Their shadows ink our byways and highways some days, but they have not yet found roost in these regions. We fear they may. It seems inevitable.
‘Look, feel the heft of this bag; this is the amount I will pay you for your regular supply. Once we are three deals deep I will tell you how the Mara-Mirror trade might be made.’

Madrigal felt like it might be rude to count the money there and then, and despite earlier misgivings, she was starting to trust this lizardkind. She had slept safely under his roof, and here he was giving her money in good faith, for she only had a sample on her.

‘How long until I see you again, business partner?’

‘This is enough for a few months at the price I was thinking. The price you knew I was thinking. It may take me that long to return home, but once I am there I can purchase a beast that will allow speedier travel. Is this something that would work?’

‘It surely would. I am receiving no dream-spice currently. Do you wish to stay another night, or do you wish to leave now?’

‘The first stage of our dealings is done. I see little sense in tarrying and indebting myself further by accepting your kind hospitality.’

‘As you will. One further hospitality I will gift you, however, is a full bag of rations to see you on your way.’

‘Thank you.’

They touched open palms, as was the custom here. Bartolph withdrew from the room, and one of his attendants came in and bowed before her, ushered her to the kitchen, where they prepared supplies for her and then set her on her way.

The first footstep outside the Inn Spire of Bartolph Regrew felt different.