CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE:  STORM'S COMING

Evening came and found Fawkes staring down at the third map he had set the amethyst scrying over. It was pointing at Bootshill, the cemetery that was a mile down the track beyond the path into the orchard.

He should have started with this map, Fawkes thought, then put everything away. The cemetery was a large place that had served Blackstone for a century or three. There were even crypts. It would be a terribly long search and one best done after dark as he had no map of Bootshill.

Fawkes went back out onto the deck. Tomorrow night they would search, he promised himself. He poured a mug of ale and sat on a bench. The refreshing breeze that had puffed about all day was growing into an actual wind. There was a bit of chill to it but it still felt good against the heat that had built up all day. He would have to make sure things were not loose on deck tonight.

"Hello, boyyo," Bristol's voice called out as he walked down the dock. The old fisherman was heading back to Boatessa from town.

"Hello, Bristol. Come aboard."

"Can't, boyyo." Bristol waved out at the sky coming in over the Darkwater. 

Fawkes looked where he waved. Dark clouds were riding in on the wind. 

"Gonna be a good blow. Best be droppin' yer canvas. I already tented Boatessa if you need a hand."

Fawkes leaned out to look over at Boatessa. The mess on the docks was all gone and the tarp was tied down over the fishing boat. Lumps beneath the canvas revealed two poles and a frame that provided enough height Bristol would be able to sit underneath it, snug and dry.

Heaving a sigh, Fawkes set down his ale. "I'll be fine, Bristol," he told the old fisherman. He glanced at the heaped basket Bristol carried. It was covered with a gingham cloth, but the smells of a fresh-baked pie and hot sausages carried to Fawkes. There was at least one lump, maybe two, of a bottle. "Enjoy your terrible rum."

Bristol laughed and, with a wave, went to his fishing boat. Fawkes rolled down the sidewalls of the deck tent. Tying them in place with their piggin strings, his deck was now tented, too. The scuppers would keep any rain that fell on the deck draining into the river.

PeyPey and JuJu picked up their blankets and brought them into the cabin. Once he closed the door, the cabin floor would stay dry.

Fawkes scowled down the dock towards town. The fishermen were not about and neither was the watch. Good time to give the dogs their walks. He groaned. Keeping up appearances was annoying but not the most important reason he had to take them and in the usual one-at-a-time manner he always did.  They would sense things he could not. Maybe ... maybe there was more to this rising anger than stolen boats. Painful or not, he had to try and find out.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX: KIPESS

Something banging on the window woke Fawkes. The dim light of the turned-down lantern reflected off the glass that was otherwise dark. Rain pounded off the roof of the cabin and the Gosling rocked gently as the wind stirred the water.

Damn weather, Fawkes closed his eyes.

"Woof," PeyPey warned and JuJu did the same. Fawkes sat up.  Both dogs were looking at the window with their ears pricked. The fur on their backs bristled.

Fawkes turned to look. Plastered against the glass was the face of a nissling looking at him with begging eyes. Even a nissling should know better than to be out in weather like this. Clawed empty hands joined the face. The nissling stared at him, those begging eyes looked ready to burst into tears. Why did the savage little creature have to have puppy dog eyes?

Why was it begging? Damn it, I am a fool for puppy dog eyes. Fawkes huffed out a breath then got up. He turned up his lamp and opened the window.

"Yes?" he asked the... officious nissling? The pattern of spots was unmistakable.

"Tradess?" A clawed hand moved out of sight and a jingling of coins sounded through the window.

Fawkes felt his brows rise. It wanted to trade in the middle of— ?

They are night creatures, after all, fool. Grandfather's voice echoed in his head.

Those were probably my coins it's brought to trade with and I could certainly do with getting some of them back! He opened the window wide. "Come in."

The nissling climbed through and fluttered down to the floor before the two dogs who blocked the way to the door. PeyPey and JuJu lifted their heads, making themselves taller while still on all four paws but neither growled. Fawkes closed the window partway, pulled his stool out from under the table, and sat.

The officious nissling nodded to each dog then turned around to face Fawkes without seeming to care about the danger.

"What's your name?" Fawkes asked.

"Kipess." The nissling puffed out its chest. "That'ss kites with a p and lots of sss."

"Kipes-ss," Fawkes repeated, adding more sss. "What have you come to trade for?" I really hope it buys back all that junk I got stuck with.

"Ssecretss on Handss."

"What secrets?" Fawkes blurted out then cleared his throat. "Why would you want secrets on them?"

"Handss attack tribe! Kills many! Hatchlingss and eggss, too! Iss war!"

Fawkes winced but grimly nodded. The Hand going after the nisslings since that heist in the orchard made sense. And explained where those stolen boats were. But, charging into the lair was foolish, unless... "Did they use magic?"

"Dunno," Kipess growled. "Bosssy Bosss sentss me to buyss a hooch maker from fur peopless. Comess back to deadss tribe and deadss Hands. Sawss more Handss leave in boatss. Many sstuck with boltss. Bosssy Bosss ssendss me to buy war wordss."

"Why you?"

"Best mugger with words and jingles!" Kipess proclaimed, thumping one fist to its chest and slapping the other against a fat pouch at its side.

Fawkes snorted a laugh. Best of the terrible accents, he thought. Then another thought crossed his mind. Mog was draconic for male. Mugger was most likely a nissling dialect meaning male, too. Not that it really mattered but then again, it was best not to accidentally insult the nissling. Fawkes really liked his liver right where it was. Then, he narrowed his eyes as another thought came to mind.

"You remember my boss in your lair?"

"Yess."

"Could you find him in a group of humans if they were all dressed the same and wearing hoods?"

"Ha! Humanss all have own sstinkss." Kipess laughed. "Findss with eyess closed."

"Let's make a deal, Mugger Kipess."

The nissling looked at Fawkes with a toothy smile and one clawed hand still on his pouch.

"Readiess."

"I offer you two secrets on the Hand, but they will be costly."

Kipess narrowed his eyes. "Howss much?"

"That pouch of coins and—"

"Whatss? ALL the war jingless? No wayss!"

"Half the pouch of coins and a favor, then."

"Ahh," the nissling scratched his chin scales. "Whatss favor?"

"I need you to find my boss's secret place in the cemetery."

Kipess narrowed his eyes. "Whyss?"

"Because he took something of mine and I need to find his magical hiding place." Of course it's going to be magical, the bastard is a wizard. "Then steal it back."

Kipess grinned. "Ahh, me join raidss!"

"What? No, it's—"

"Not in raid, not do favor!"

"Umm..." Damnation, the little fellow sure is eager.

"Halfss war jingless for wordss, join raid for favor!"

At Kipess' offer, the memory of that dreamy-eyed nissling that had been sniffing out the coin bags when he was in the lair flashed into Fawkes' mind. Then he remembered the eager grins from the chubby nissling on its throne as Fawkes counted out coins buying the junk

Doubt I'll get the greedy fellow to part with any more of his precious war coins than half. "Agreed." Fawkes told him then held out his hand.

Kipees hissed and stamped his feet in a happy dance as he spun in a circle before blinking up at him.

"We clasp forearms to seal the deal."

The nissling held out its small clawed hand. Fawkes gripped its forearm and when he felt the nissling grip his back, he continued.

"The deal is sealed."

Kipess grinned and took off the fat pouch of coins. Opening it, he grabbed it by the middle and tipped it over the floor.  Coins spilled out. The bulge of coins shrank until there was only the lump between the nisslings hands and the bottom of the pouch. He tied it back at his hip.

"Halfss."

More than half but I'll take those coins. Fawkes cleared his throat "The Hand has some hideout in the orchard where you all raided for the sack of loot."

"Me knowss it."

"They have another hideout here in town at Hagglers Storehouse. It's the third big building by the river and the one next to some woodlands."

"Ohhh."

"The Hand stole all the boats they took to the lair. Until those boats come back, they will be hiding out and careful."

Kipess grinned. "Boatss be backss after sstorm. Then Handss eassier to huntss."

"You sure about that?"

"They campss on Darkwater."

Well, that was news. Just how will things settle if the boats are back tomorrow? Fawkes narrowed his eyes at another thought. "I have one more, bigger secret."

Kipess stood up straighter and stared at Fawkes expectantly.

"My boss who came to your lair betrayed you to The Hand because he first betrayed The Hand by hiring your tribe to rob them for that sack of loot."

"Sso?"

"My boss was of the Hand all along," Fawkes struggled to explain it so the nissling would understand. "He wanted the sack for himself instead of for his Big Boss. So he set up your tribe to steal it and then ratted you out to the Hand."

"Ohhh," Kipess eyes flew wide. "Your bosss bad!"

He narrowed his eyes at Fawkes.

"An' youss?"

"I have never been part of the Hand. If they ever find out about me, they will kill me."

"Whyss?"

"There are dealings that need doing outside of the Hand. That's what I do." Selling spices was not a Hand thing.

Kipess nodded and scratched his scaled chin again.

"We knowss of trickss," the nissling growled. "Bossy Bosss gonna getss mad."

"Whatever he chooses to do, you still sealed the deal." Fawkes stood up. "Better leave while there is still plenty of storm to hide you."

Kipess grinned toothily and stood up.

"Yesss, I findsss for you." He hopped up to the window with a flutter of his wings, wriggled through, and disappeared into the rainy night.

Fawkes closed the window and sat at his table. PeyPey and JuJu both came over, tucking their big heads into his side. He hugged each one with an arm. Had he made the right moves? Would the Hand find out? How long could he keep on doing "things" before the Hand caught on?