you may find your way here. I told Fynch you should come.'
'Why's that?'
The sword maker shook his head slightly. 'Guilds - particularly the sword guild - are especially secretive. I'm sure you know that. Or perhaps you don't? Your young companion would. My father taught me how to keep my mouth shut as his father had taught before. It's not that we are all about secrets in our line of work, but we must always be discreet and respect our clients and their need for privacy. I have made blades for kings, and equally fine blades for assassins and ne'er-do-wells, as did my father and grandfather before me.' He laughed. 'Everyone pays with the same money. And everyone has their reasons for needing a new blade.'
'Why did you make mine?'
Wevyr snorted deep in his throat as if it were clogged. Cassien had noticed the spit bowl. He wondered if they were going to share what was in the back of Wevyr's throat, but the older man continued as brusquely as before. 'I was commissioned. I don't ask questions of my clients.'
'Some clients are certainly more intriguing than others, aren't they?'
'Why yes. My great-grandfather once made a sword for the Emperor Cailech himself. Shar, but that would have been the commission of all commissions,' Wevyr said wistfully.
'And what is your proudest work?' Cassien baited. He was sure he knew the answer.
'You already know. You wear it.'
Cassien nodded. 'The tailor is dead. Killed for what he knew.'
Now he had Wevyr's attention. The old man regarded him with a gaze that was still bright and alert.
'And have you come to kill me too? For what I know?'
Ham looked startled, whipping an anxious glance at Cassien.
'I've come to learn what you know. It's why you hoped I'd come, so you could share it before you pass. These are my weapons, given to me personally by the man who commissioned them ... and we both know it wasn't Zeek. The tailor was merely the courier so he could pass through the region unquestioned, untroubled.'
'Pity he was a drunk.'
'Yes,' Cassien agreed.
'Or perhaps it would have been best if Master Fynch had simply collected the weapons himself.'
'A decision that always had a risk, I agree, but a calculated one.'
Wevyr shook his head. 'I warned him it was dangerous.'
'Why did you think that about Zeek?' Cassien asked. He still hadn't moved from the doorway and Wevyr hadn't stopped shelling his peas.
He did so now to regard Cassien dolefully. 'I'm not talking about Zeek. Those weapons, had they fallen into the wrong hands, are more dangerous than you or I can imagine.'
'Wevyr,' Cassien said urgently, dragging a chair opposite the sword maker and sitting down, 'the weapons are in the right hands, but I don't understand why I was given blades that were forged with blood.'
The old man dropped his hands and in so doing upended the bowl and scattered bright peas in a shower of green to the parlour floor. He barely noticed. His eyes were on Cassien, his mouth parted in shock, bottom lip quivering. Cassien noticed his hands shook.
'How do you know this?' he hissed. 'Master Fynch did not tell you, so don't start fashioning a lie.'
'You were seen,' Cassien admitted, although he had intended to lie and blame Fynch.
He watched Wevyr blanch. The old man shook his head. 'It's not possible. We took all precautions.' He tried to stand, but fell back against his chair.
'Not quite,' Cassien said, 'but you must not fret on this. We are fortunate that you were witnessed by a friend rather than foe.'
'Who?' he demanded. 'Who spied upon us?'
'I did,' Hamelyn admitted, looking terrified.
Old man Wevyr's huge, twisted fingers shot out and grabbed Ham's shirt. He shook the boy. 'You!' he growled.
'It was an accident, Master Wevyr,' Ham began to gabble.
Cassien had stood and now reached over and pulled Ham away. 'Leave the boy. He is innocent and, as I've just told you, he is an ally.'
'What did he see?'
'Enough that you'd better tell me the truth.'
'Master Fynch would - '
'Wevyr, the last time I saw Master Fynch he was dying.'
'Dying?' he breathed, sounding deeply unnerved.
'Likely dead, given how he looked. He banished me. Made me promise I'd come to Orkyld, to follow through and make sure we had no more loose mouths.'
The man gasped. 'So answer me. Have you come to kill me with my own blade once you learn all that you need?'
Cassien shook his head. 'Not you, although I wouldn't hesitate if