When he stood up again, he made a little bow. "And so the man of the house is in bed," he said. "And the wife is busy. And you are, of course, all alone in the house. May I ask what you're doing here so late at night?" "The same thing you're doing," she replied. "I'm calling on the master." "Aren't you afraid? Isn't it rather dangerous for a single woman out here alone?" She was amused. He was not taking her threat seriously, it seemed, though she thought it was a pretty shrewd move to get the house to oneself without being obvious about it. If she asked him to join her, he could have said she was trying to trick him into bed, or something else equally plausible, and have refused on that ground. Better to let him call her bluff and see what she had up her sleeve. She wasn't sure what she had planned, but she was pretty sure it wasn't that. "I am," she said. "It's dangerous. But I'm hoping you'll be able to help." "I see," he said, and she was sure she heard a little quiver in his voice. "What do you want of me?" "It's simple," she said. "You go through that door"—she pointed toward the kitchen—"and tell that other man to put down his sword. You, meanwhile, slip out of the garden through that little gate over there, and walk down this street here to that house. You knock at the door and ask for one of the gentlemen. You tell them that a band of pirates has invaded the city and you have called for the City Watch to protect them. You ask for someone to look out for the gate. You can choose one of their servants—a maid, a valet, someone like that—and he will wait at the gate until morning." The man took all this in thoughtfully. "You would be willing to trade your life for his?" he asked. "I would." "How much will you give him?" "Oh, a very generous sum. And I won't kill him, either." "And how would he know that?" "He wouldn't. I don't think he would question it. He'll think it's normal, part of the trade." "I understand. It is very clever of you." "Thank you. It was nothing, really." "And you want me to leave, and then make a diversion. Now go." She gave him a nod and stood up. He followed her silently, keeping a safe distance and watching her carefully. In the kitchen, she made a loud and violent noise, as if she were pushing over a chair. She expected the pirate to be startled by the sound. She knew, from the way he'd described what happened to the guards he had killed, that he had killed them by surprise, with surprise. If he heard her loud noise, perhaps he would lose his chance. Then she stepped out the gate into the street, as if she were going somewhere, and was gone. The pirate waited, with his fingers on the hilt of his sword. After a moment, she reappeared and walked back toward the garden. As she came close, she put her hand on his arm. "Let's go in," she said. "It's getting late. My husband may not like to see a pirate in his bedroom, and he's liable to wake up anyway." "Where do I sleep?" She looked him over. He looked a little more comfortable in his suit, which was much better tailored for a sea-going merchant than the loose sack-like dress he had worn on the pirate ship. "You'll sleep in the pirate's room, of course," she said, pointing to the ground floor, to the room at the back of the house. He didn't answer. She could see that he didn't much like the idea of sleeping in the same room with the pirate. The thought of sleeping in his own bed reminded her that she still had to take care of him. There was, she remembered, something else he would like. "Wait a moment," she said. "You can have a drink from that wine we were drinking." He accepted the invitation, and she went back inside. The wine was still on the table, though it was a little watered down. They drank to each other. Then she set the wine bottle down on the table and took her clothes off. It took a moment to find the hidden knife among her clothing, and by then, he had stopped looking at her. She knelt naked before him and used the point to scratch into the thick pile of his black hair. She smiled up at him, her arms supporting her breasts. "There," she said, and she stood up and threw the knife, spinning it. "Happy?" "Very," he said, without taking his eyes off her. He reached for her, but he was too drunk to reach all the way. She took his hands and put them back on the ground. Then she left him, slipping through the garden toward her room. She could hear his footsteps behind her, going up the stairs, and she wished him luck. The house was quiet. She thought the man was still in the library, but he didn't join her again. Later, after the lights were out and everyone in the house was asleep, she slipped out of bed and opened the drawer where she had hidden the key. The lock was quiet and quiet should have meant that the door was locked as well. But it wasn't. Someone had let her in. The door was unlocked. She took her key and slipped out of the house. The moon was bright and the streets were quiet. She could hear people all around her, she was sure, but her soft footfalls and her night dress left no trace. She stopped for a moment in the square to be sure, and then she left the square and the city behind her, slipping silently through the night into the forest. ## Chapter Nine "It can't be that easy," he said. "Even so, it is a very clever plan, and I will do what you ask." "Thank you," she said, in a tone that showed she was not much impressed by his words. "You don't need to stay here tonight. I will guard you while you're sleeping." "You must be crazy," he said, with a touch of his former charm. "Why would I go to sleep when I'm not tired?" "If you don't, I will leave you here and you can have a nice long talk with my husband." "Oh, very well," he said. "But you won't be able to go in there for a while. There is too much noise on the road. It is better we wait until they have come back from the market. We will set out for the city in the morning. But you will tell him about this, and he will be very angry." He smiled a little. "We will pay him, of course," he said. "I imagine he can be frightened. You did promise him to pay him." "I know." She looked out over the city. It was an extraordinary sight. The sun was setting behind the hills, and the city was in shadow except for a few lamps that marked the entrances to the buildings. The moon was bright, throwing everything out, and the streets and squares were flooded with a light that seemed almost yellow, with long shadows everywhere. "It is a very beautiful city," she said. "I am glad I came." "But it is a dangerous city," he replied. "It is filled with thieves and pirates and cutthroats of every kind. It is a very dangerous city." "I think it must be like this everywhere. It is just that we are here. I am surprised that pirates are so close to the city." "They can be anywhere," he said. "Even on the ships. Pirate ships never make their first landfall near land." "That is very strange. Pirates in the house of the magistrate. Where did you meet them?" "It's a story," he said. "Perhaps you will hear it one day." "Perhaps you will tell me now." "No," he said. "Not until you have a safe house to go to. You should not be here. Come." She was reluctant, but she had a feeling she was being led somewhere. She was curious, too, though there was no reason not to trust this man. She stepped forward, and he followed her through the gate. They were under a street lamp, and she glanced down and saw his boots. Her dress was better than his. She was certain he was wearing black boots with studs. Perhaps he was even wearing someone else's clothes. No, that was stupid, he was the pirate. It was unlikely he had a tailor with him and more than likely he had taken these clothes from the pirates' ship. He kept looking back over his shoulder, to make sure she was following. She tried to step softly, without making any sound at all, but once or twice she stumbled over the loose stones of the street. He was very watchful, and looked anxious,