Chapter 4 - Night
The sun was completely down when we left the embassy. The only light on the streets were provided by the occasional gaslight on a corner, or from a lamp by a window. The narrower streets were almost pitch-black, and unless you were armed with weapons you knew how to use, you did not venture into these streets. Nobody would see you if you were attacked, and if your scream was heard, they would dismiss it, pretend not to hear it.
I grew up in this city, for most of my life free of parents, running with other children in the streets by day, finding safety at an orphanage, or perhaps at an inn or home run by a sympathetic woman or family by night. As I grew older, I grew tougher out of necessity. I became friendly with some criminals for protection. I was not myself a criminal out of profession, but I could not have survived living by the law. Marnum discovered me as he was working on a case, and I helped him, impressing him enough to take me on in my current position. I have been his assistant for three years, replacing my old criminal protectors with him alone. I have been dependent on him for all this time; at night, I no longer feel nearly so secure as I was in the past.
Annial knew none of this, of course, but nobody could ignore the eerieness of an Omoran street at night. She shivered, and tucked her hands under her armpits. I offered my vest, but she refused.
"So where are we going?" I asked.
She considered me, biting the inside of her cheek.
"Let's go somewhere safe and quiet. We need to talk, in private. Do you know a place?" she asked. I shook my head, disappointed.
"The only quiet place in this city is the street, at night. And that's about the most dangerous place here, too." The disappointment on her face was painful.
"Well, I do know of one place," I said hurriedly. "It might do."
"What is it," she asked? I grinned at her, suddenly feeling playful.
"You'll find out... eventually."
She grimaced, not appreciating this at all. Strangely, this did not discourage me. I spun on a heel and strode off down the street, already heading for the orphanage I knew best, not far from the embassy at all.

The building of the orphanage, the largest in that part of Omora, ruled its niche of the city. It was seven stories tall, and was the only building on its block. That neighborhood which bordered the embassies was a poor neighborhood. There were hardly any businesses. It was composed entirely of houses or shacks which were big if they had a second story. This was the part of Omora where I was most likely to be recognized, for I had grown up mostly here.
Most likely to be recognized in the day, at any rate. At night, this was one of the darkest parts of the city. There were no street lights. I took several wrong turns, but I knew the neighborhood too well to get truly lost. Nevertheless, I was still thankful that Annial did not seem to notice my errors.
Finally, we reached the building. It was only recognizable because it had two lamps dangling by the front entrance, atop the stairs leading to it. I knocked on the door four times, in two pairs of rapidly succeeding knocks. There was always someone by the locked door, at any time of night, and they were much more likely to let someone in who had seen this knock before. It could not serve as a true password, since anyone watching someone knock could see it, but it did serve as a good way to identify strangers. True inhabitants of the orphanage could also tell when one of their own knocked, for they did it in a particular way, much like some speak the same language in their own localized manner.
There was a long wait before the door was opened, but I didn't knock again. Annial finally gave up her silence in the meantime, obviously unable to hold her grudge.
"This does seem like a nice enough place. Surrounded by decadence, but a nice place."
I smiled at her.
"Well, the children need that impression. I always thought it was as safe as home," I responded. She frowned at me in incomprehension. She opened her mouth, but just then the door creaked open slowly. At first seeing no one in front of me, my gaze drifted lower, and now the door was revealing a child of about ten years with an oil lamp.
"Hey there, Galom," I said. "Remember me?"
The boy's round face, seemingly centered by his big blue eyes and framed by long brown hair, looked up at me, obviously not remembering me at all. He said nothing, just frowning at me. A woman's voice from inside called out:
"Galom! Who is it at the door?" The owner of the voice showed herself. She remebered me, and I certainly remembered her, for who forgets the woman who was as close to a mother as you ever had?
"Solom!" said Otia, beaming. We embraced. "Come in, come in," she said. I stepped through the door, Annial following. Galom had already run off, obviously not very excited about us. He hadn't changed at all, I thought to myself. That boy had always been distracted.
"How are you? Are you hungry? I assume you want to spend the night," Otia gushed hen-ly. I glanced at Annial questioningly. She shook her head.
"No, thanks," I said, smiling at Otia. "We don't need to stay the night. We were just in the neighborhood and needed somewhere safe for a while."
Otia turned to look at Annial, visibly forming an impression of her. I beat her to the question that I knew was coming.
"Otia, this is Annial. Annial, this Otia. She practically raised me on her own," I said. Annial nodded thoughtfully. Otia half-grimaced.
"I never had half the control I should have," she said.
"And look where it got me," I replied.

We were sitting in one of many guest rooms. Otia had claimed that this was the best place for us to speak without being overheard. It may have even be true, but I knew Otia. She was sure we were lovers who really just needed a bed, and she was happy to give it to us. I wished she was right. The room was large, with two beds one either side of the room and a couch in the middle. That was where we sat, where Annial finally recounted to me her story.
"I am about to tell you something which nobody else knows," she began. "I'm telling you because I need help, and" –she hesitated– "and I trust you. I don't know why, but I do." I didn't respond. She paused, then continued.
"My father has had a lot of opposition in his life. Plenty of the ordinardy things – born poor, no formal education, his father died when he was very young – but many strange things too. He was taught as a boy by a noble who took a liking to him – that is, until the noble suddenly died as he was walking on the street. No apparent cause. He was healthier than most men, and yet he died of old age at 40. That was what the doctor of his House decided, anyway. Everytime someone seemed to be able to help my father become powerful, that person inexplicably died. But each time my father was faring a little better, each time he had a little more power. This lasted until the he married my mother, when this curse on my father finally seemed to lift. My mother was a noble, not very powerful, but atop of the status my father had earned for himself, he became an important man in Holthaen. He was appointed ambassador to Omora four years ago, and we have been living here ever since. My mother died last month, and now a worker at the embassy has inexplicably died. My father undoubtedly will claim to believe that the curse has returned. But I think there is something else. Something he possesses, perhaps, or some knowledge. He is a threat to somebody powerful, but I have no idea who."
"Why are you telling me this?" I asked her. "Isn't this exactly why Tharriol has brought in Marnum?"
"Yes. But he won't tell Marnum all I've told you. And I'm guessing Marnum won't tell you everything he knows, either. And I'm not finished yet," she replied. "I love Tharriol, but I don't trust him. I don't know why he's so threatening to somebody, and I don't know what he or Marnum will do. I want you to uncover my father's secret. I'll match Marnum's rate, if you'd like. But I need to know."
I did not hesitate in agreeing. I told her I didn't need the money, but she insisted, so I backed down. We were gone from the orphanage again within five minutus, Otia's face expressioned in disappointment.

I walked Annial back to the embassy. We didn't speak the entire time there. Annial was obviously absorbed in her own thoughts, and I couldn't make myself break the silence. There was something decidedly off about her story. Nevertheless, I determined that the only way to win her was to show her absolute loyalty. A chill which had nothing to do with the cold or the black of the night consumed me.