The Prophecy Machine (Investments) (29 page)

Sabatino paused, studied the ring on his finger, watching it catch the light. The stone was a brilliant green, the size of a lump of coal. And worth about as much, Finn knew, for he had some knowledge of precious stones.

“I am supposed to be the rogue here and I won't deny that. But what do you think would happen, miss, if you fell into Father's hands? He is mad, and likely to grow madder still.

“I can see the question you're burning to ask, Master Finn,” Sabatino said, waving his hand in disdain. “What now, that you must deal with me, and not a witless old man?”

“In truth, we had no intention of dealing with you at all,” Finn said. “As long as I can wield a blade, we'll decide our own fate. It has little to do with you.”

Sabatino tried to hide his chagrin. “You face many dangers outside this house, I trust you're not ignorant of that. I
am trying to be your friend whether you're blind to that or not.”

“What you're doing is overthrowing your father. Any good that comes to us is accidental at best—”

“We've made our own plans, anyway,” Letitia broke in, “we don't need any help from you.”

“Letitia …” Finn nearly came out of his seat, but it was useless to stop her now.

“Forgive me for speaking up, dear. The more I think about it, the more foolish it seems to be less than open here. If he truly has our interests in mind, he'll be glad to rid himself of one more complication in his life.”

She turned then to Sabatino, with a bold, most determined eye.

“We are leaving, sir. Between sundown and dark. We will travel inland, and trust we will find safety there. You have already provided us with clothing and an excellent meal. If you wish to prove your concern, perhaps you'll draw us a map of some kind, and give us any extra provisions you can spare …”

For a moment, Sabatino looked bewildered, astonished, as if Letitia had spoken in some strange and alien tongue. Then his cheeks puffed out in an explosion of laughter. He threw back his head in hearty guffaws, scarcely able to contain himself at all.

And Finn, who knew this rascal had seldom been caught in unthinking emotion, no more than an actor on the stage, wondered what this performance was about. Likely, he decided, to give the fellow time to think of what to say next. In the meantime, Finn had the chance to consider why Letitia had spilled the goods, and decided she was very probably right after all.

“Forgive me, please,” Sabatino said, exhausted by this clownish display. “The thing is, you see—and I doubt
you'll credit this—that is exactly what I had in mind myself. I do have a plate full of trouble on my hands, with Father and all, and I would like you out of my way.”

“And we're supposed to swallow that?” Finn shook his head. “No matter, we'll soon be gone, so we'll both be quite satisfied.”

“Excellent!” Sabatino drew back his chair and stood. “If you'll wait in your room, I'll see to the needs of your journey. I'm sorry we'll miss our duel, sir. Life keeps getting in pleasure's way.”

He showed them both a weary smile. “As you might imagine, my father's not taking his—new position too well. Even those who are
not
old, useless and insane, do not like to yield up authority they have taken for granted so long. But, damn his rotten eyes, he must do as
I
will it, now.”

“Is he all right, then, he's not—”

Letitia, aghast at what she'd said, and almost said as well, looked down and studied her hands as if she'd discovered an extra finger there.

Sabatino's glacial stare was real; he was not the actor now. “Squeen William, get out here,” he said, without taking his eyes from Letitia Louise, “get out here, you scum, and show these people back to their room …”

Finn, quite aware of the enmity Letitia had aroused, had his fingers on the hilt of his sword until Sabatino was gone, out of the room, through the entryway, and out the front door.

“I bes takin' you upstairsss no. Bes coming with me, pleassse?”

Letitia clasped her hand across her mouth, holding back her sudden fright. Squeen William was a disaster from head to toe, a creature covered with bruises, cuts and sores. Frayed, frazzled, broken and lame, beat-up and maimed. Bandaged in tatters, wrapped in dirty rags, and rather severely impaired.

“Squeen William,” Letitia asked, knowing at once it was a foolish thing to say, “are you all right, can you get up the stairs?”

“Squeen William bes fine, misssy. Isss very kind of you to asssssk …”

“I
DON'T KNOW WHAT HE'S UP TO,” FINN SAID
, stretched out on the bed with his hands behind his head. “It's damned irritating to deal with a fellow who seldom tells the truth. But now and then he does, and I believe he's shut his father up somewhere. I'm not too surprised, understand. The old man's cracked, as nutty as can be.

“I'd like to think there's a true advantage to having us out of here. I feel perhaps there is. For certain, whatever family fortune's left is his. He'll keep the old man locked up, or maybe do him in. Either way, when we're gone, he can do most anything he likes. Who else is going to wander in here? Dr. Nicoretti, I suppose. If Sabatino's wise, he'll keep that fellow well away. He's sly as he can be, I'll tell you that …”

Letitia, standing at the window, turned to face him then.

“You think he'd do that? Murder the old man?” “I can't say, love. I used to think Sabatino was soft in the head as well. Now, I feel he's simply contemptible and vain.
An arrogant, self-centered liar, a scoundrel mean at heart, a man who'd stoop to most anything to get his way.”

“I'd say he's all of that.”

Letitia absently ran her fingers over the amulet at her throat. “You're not mad at me, are you? For speaking up like that, giving away our plans?”

“No, and maybe it did some good. That's what you thought and you said it. No one can fault you for that. And you, Julia, I commend you as well.”

Julia, at the foot of the bed, twitched her metal tail.

“What did I do? I hardly said a thing.”

“I know. That's what I'm grateful for.”

“Keep your thanks, then. I can do without.”

Finn stared at the ceiling. What if it sagged a bit more? What if the whole thing came down and crushed them on the spot?

He wanted to believe Sabatino had nearly told the truth this time. He did have a great many things to clear up. For one thing, he could cleanse himself of the sin of hospitality, and earn the town's respect again. And, if he did rid himself of his father, perhaps the Foxers would leave him alone. It was clear in Finn's mind that Calabus was the center of trouble in that long and deadly feud. That if he was gone …

And, another task beyond that: the cellar, and Calabus' obsession, the Prophecy Machine. Sabatino would quickly have it gone. He said it was a fool's device, yet he clearly feared the thing.

What, though, if there was truly something dreadful down there, as the Mycer and the Coldie had implied? Was Calabus responsible for the spell that protected something there from harm? Was it even his doing? Did he even know it was
there?

If a thing down there didn't
want
to be disturbed, Finn
thought, didn't wish to go away … Truly, this was an excellent time to leave the Nucci house, and put this dreary land behind.

He sat up abruptly and put his feet on the floor. He decided he must have dozed for a moment, for Letitia was sleeping beside him, her lips half open and her hair in disarray. He got up slowly, careful not to wake her. Julia followed him silently with her eyes.

There was little to see out the window, nothing but a hot and dreary afternoon. Too many hours to wait, too long until they'd be away. Away from the Nuccis, Hooters and Hatters, everyone and everything he never wanted to think about again.

Somehow, they would get free of this land, get a ship across the Misty Sea and back to Garpenny Street where they belonged. And if anyone ever said “vacation” again—

He heard it, then, felt it beneath his boots, felt it when he pressed his hand against the wall. A rumble, a scrape, a deep vibration through the floor, coming from the hall.

Finn went quickly to the door, tried to push it open. It was stuck against something, wouldn't give an inch. He tried once more, put his back and shoulders to the job. Nothing. The sound was gone now, the intense vibrations gone.

“All right, who's out there, what's going on?”

Silence.

A faint, nearly inaudible breath.

“Sabatino, this is not amusing. You will let me out of here now. Damn you, man, I mean what I say. You'll answer for this!”

“Save your breath, Master Finn. You won't be seein' that miserable, traitorous son of mine. Not anyone will, not ever again …”

A chill touched the back of Finn's neck. He stepped back a pace, and stared at the door.

“Calabus? Look, I don't know what's going on with you two, that's no concern of mine. But you must talk to me, understand?”

For a moment, there were footsteps in the hall, and then they were gone. Finn pressed his ear against the door. Listened, strained to hear, but there was no one there at all …

“H
E PUT SOMETHING BIG AGAINST THE DOOR.
Something extremely large, I can't budge the thing an inch.”

Finn struck his fist against the door until it hurt. “He didn't do it alone, either. He had to have help.”

“Squeen William, you think?”

“Who else? That fellow's incredible. Sabatino nearly crippled the lout, and he's up and going again. Calabus loathes him, yet he's clearly working for
him
. Apparently, whoever screamed at him last …”

“This is not good, Finn. This is not good at all.”

Letitia stood well across the room, arms crossed, drumming her fingers against her elbow at a fairly rapid pace. Not a promising sign, Finn knew. It was like faraway thunder before a great storm.

“No, it's truly not good, but it's not the end of the world. Calabus has left himself in a very tricky spot. If he tries to keep us here, we'll smash that window and lower ourselves to the ground. I'd start knotting sheets if I were you. On the
other hand, if he opens that door, I'll run the fellow through. If it comes to that, I'll take Squeen William as well.”

“Finn—”

“What?”

“Come over here, and look down, please.”

“Why? There's nothing to see.”

Nevertheless, he joined her and peered through the flyencrusted glass.

“I believe that's Squeen William,” he said. “He's sitting in the grass out there. By damn, he's got a weapon, too.”

“I believe he does, dear.” “I think I know what it is. It's a Ponce-Klieterhaus musket. Used by the Hansi Grenadiers. Shoots a fairly decent ball. Why, that relic's fifty years old.”

“You think he could hit anything?”

“I shouldn't think so. Hard to tell, though.”

“Uh-huh.” Letitia's tapping rapidly increased. “I don't intend to knot a sheet, Finn. I'm willing to listen to another suggestion, but I will
not
dangle my lovely self out a window to see if a Vampie can shoot me down.”

“He wouldn't act like this if he hadn't been terribly abused.”

“I feel sorry for him, too.”

“Yes, well … Julia, up here on the table, if you will. You've still got a jerky foot from that run-in with Squeen and his broom. We may have to move quickly quite soon.”

Letitia sighed. “Do we have time for this? Don't you have other things to do?”

“Whatever we do, I think we should all be in good shape to do it. Stop moving around, Julia, we're not back in the shop. If I break something here, you're scrap.”

“Anyone ever tell you you have a horrid bedside manner, Finn?”

“Anyone ever tell
you
I'm not a physician, and you're
not a patient? What you are, if you don't lie still, is a useless collection of cogs and gears. Gold, copper and tin that would make a nice watch with enough left over for the bin.”

“No wonder you're not a doctor. Who in their right mind would
reeerk!
”

Julia gave a tremble and a jerk, opened her snout and went stiff as a lizard can be.

“There now, that's better. Let's see what we can see.” Finn slipped a fingernail beneath a certain scale, gave it a tap that only Finn knew. A panel swung open in Julia's tin belly, a panel that revealed a great wonder, a sight to confound the keenest eye. Here was a world that moved in a whisper, in a click, in a blur. Muscles of nickel, sinews of brass, nine tiny hearts made of mercury and gold. Nerves fine as gnat's hair spun from cinnabar and pearl.