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His last stop was the small souk near hoht He’d learned to cook in the four years he’d lived with Rosethorn, her friend Lark, and the three girls, and it was a very good thing When Rosethorn finished her day’s work here, she could barely think, let alone cook Briar had taken over the chore completely without comment
Once most of his other purchases wereto choose between roasted chicken or braisedabout the Viper who had followed hi the other boy -- had they no girls at all? -- but it was too much like work Worse, in all likelihood he would be the one to get lost in the mazes of Chammur’s streets
He picked the mutton As the shopkeeper wrapped it, Briar watched the Viper from the corner of his eye This er to rid the strolled through Golden House as if they owned it? For thatrun the Vipers off? Briar had seen at least twice as many of them as there were Vipers Moreover, his shadoas now on the territory of yet another gang, the Canore his Until Niko had transported hi Circle, Briar had lived, bled, and nearly died for his gang The Vipers weren’t acting according to the rules that governed any gang’s life To Briar, it was as if the sun had risen in the north The only reasonable explanation for their behavior was that theyfor victories The black-and-white gang was too big for thener was easy prey
The shopkeeper exchanged the wrapped mutton for Briar’s coins, and thanked him for his business Briar returned the thanks, then strolled out of the neighborhood souk Should he let the Viper tail him all the way to the house? No -- he’d told them to leave him alone Besides, these Vipers had to learn respect for other gangs
He turned back onto the Street of Hares Up ahead Briar could see three green-sashed Caut youths They were hunkered in front of the Earth te an eye on their street As Briar approached, one of therinned It was a boy he knew, Ha the Chaood work" He pointed to a cheek that was otten a week ago Briar had treated it with healing salve "You should sell that stuff you gave ive it away"
Briar crouched beside Haae rich folk three tiive it to anyone I’ve acalled Vipers?"
One of the other Ca," he said, his voice thick with scorn "They’re some takameri’s play toy" It took Briar a moment to identify the word: it was the feminine form of the Chammuri for "money person," or rich person
"So they go where they want?" Briar asked, all innocence "They needn’t respect Caut territory? Because one followed me from the souk He’s back by Cedar Lane"
Three pairs of eyes flicked in that direction: the Viper had stopped by the Cedar Lane fountain and was splashing water on his face, pretending to ignore Briar Careen sashes Without another word the three rose and trotted down to Cedar Lane The Viper was still pretending he wasn’t interested in Briar The Cauts were on hiriiven his salve to Hammit because he’d known that burn would rot without care In doing so, it see, he walked past the Earth teate and turned into the house next door
Overhead, Evuhter and runaway slave, watched as the jade-eyed boy she had followed from Golden House went houts well enough to call on them to rid him of his Viper shadow Still, he couldn’t be that clever He’s never once looked up at the rooftops, or he ht have seen that she, too, followed him
That, ner Everyone in Charound, one over the flat roofs where ainst each other On these streets, ladders were set to reach higher rooftops, and the bridges juround Anyone as not clearly a thief or an outsider could use the roof paths and did: no nasty-tempered camels and mules up here, no chair-bearers and lords on horseback
Evvy knew the higher streets like she knew the cliff warrens where she lived, in Cha as she kept one, woardens or hung up their washing, but they were used to all kinds of people up here
She crouched, staring at the sn teic? If she’d had any, her parents would not have sold her to a Chae, she wouldn’t have to live in Princes’ Heights as a street rat who scraped to feed herself and her cats