Chapter 7: Finding an Assassin

I was watching a marketplace when the young beggar stopped beside me, “Sir?”

I glanced at him, “Yes?”

He looked around, “I have something for you.”

I waited and he swallowed before looking at me, “An assassin was hired to kill Duke Justice.”

I looked around, “How reliable is this?”

He swallowed again, “It comes from the shadow house.”

I slipped a gold coin out and tossed it, “Stay safe.”

He disappeared quickly while I thought about what he had said. I turned and started walking towards the richer part of the city. It was a little while before I reached the manor I was looking for. I slipped into the shadow of a building and carefully looked around. I saw the other watcher a minute later and moved back and used a side alley behind a row manor estates.

I silently slipped up behind the watcher and was tempted to hit him with a stick. Instead I used it to tap his shoulder. He jumped and cursed as he spun around, “WHO!”

He swallowed and looked around, “I did not do anything.”

I smiled, “Yet.”

He backed away a couple of steps and I followed, “Who is the assassin?”

He shook his head and I sighed, “Tell me or I take you in and let the guards ask.”

He looked around, “He will kill me.”

I shook my head, “Not if I take him.”

He finally nodded, “Peter the knife.”

I gestured, “I do not want to see you for a couple of weeks.”

He turned and ran off and I started walking towards the front of the estate. The two guards at the wide gate looked alert and competent. I nodded to them and addressed the older one, “I am a thief taker and need to see Duke Justice.”

They looked at each other and the older guard grinned, “Duke Justice is the head of the Magister Court.”

I nodded, “I know that. He needs and requires information I have.”

He looked at me for a minute before nodding and gesturing to the other guard who turned to walk to the large front door of the manor. A few minutes later he returned and escorted me in, when I walked into the study the duke was behind his desk. A young looking servant was beside him pouring tea.

As I crossed to the desk something seemed to send a chill through me. The guard waited beside the door and the duke looked at me, “you wanted to speak with me...”

I pulled a stick and threw it in one motion before lunging. The stick hit the servant’s hand with the thin dagger. I grabbed the servant and twisted as I fell to the side. He went backwards and over me as I hit the floor. I kept rolling and grabbed a hand and twisted. I turned him until he was below me and I had his hand behind his back. I pulled it up hard, “give me the other hand!”

He snarled and tried to struggle as I spread myself and twisted his arm, “NOW!”

The guard reached me as I grabbed the servant’s other hand. He grabbed me and the duke barked an order for him to wait. I sat up as I held both wrists and then I shifted and pulled thin leather ties from a sleeve. I tied his hands before standing and pulling him up. I carefully searched him and glanced at the duke, “I am sorry your grace. I came to warn you but the assassin was already here.”

He looked at the young man as I moved to pick up my stick and the dropped dagger. I turned the man to face the duke, “You should keep your guards with you and take extra precautions until I find out who is behind it.”

He smiled, “Thank you, I will.”

I nodded and pushed the assassin towards the door. The assassin was silent all the way to the guard building. I shoved him towards a guard that had started walking towards us, “He tried to kill duke Justice. Strip him before you put him in a cell.”

The guard snatched the man and roughly started shoving him towards the door heading to the cells. I sat with the guard Sergeant, “No commander?”

He shook his head, “A small mob fight in one of the markets.”

I nodded and started writing out a report as I told the sergeant about someone hiring the assassin to kill the duke. I handed him the parchment when I finished and stood, “Do not let your men relax around that man.”

He nodded and I walked out and started walked towards the poor area called thieves quarter, the tavern I went to was in an alley. I slipped into the common room and everyone went quiet. I smiled and crossed to the only table with one man at it, “hello Gregor.”

He was frowning, “I sent you a message.”

I nodded and tossed him a gold coin, “Where did the information come from?”

He licked his lips and looked around. I glanced around, “How many of you have I caught and let go?”

They all mumbled and looked away. I nodded, “This is the time to pay me back. Duke Justice is not like the others, you all know that. He was the one to send the extra supplies down here and the food rations. He is also the one that makes sure the men sentenced to work farms are fed properly and have a bed to sleep on.”

They were all nodding and I looked at Gregor, “I need the man that paid for the assassin.”

He grinned, “It was not a man.”

I looked at him and then around the room. He laughed, “It was his mistress.”

I sighed, “He is not going to like this.”

Gregor looked around, “We heard a strange mercenary accepted her money too.”

I looked at him, “There were two assassins?”

He shrugged, “yeah.”

I turned and tossed another gold coin back, “Thanks.”

This time I did not walk, I jogged. When I reached the guards building I shouldered the door open and walked across the room as all the guards and the commander turned to look. I opened the back door and walked into the cell area. The naked assassin was bruised and battered as he glared at me. I stopped in front of his cell, “What is his name.”

He spit on the floor between us. I ignored the guard commander and the guards, “I will ask once more before I open the cell and rip your manhood off. What is his name?”