“In that case, I hope you have a few coins left in your purse. Just let me go see where Alec has gotten to, and I’ll meet you at the house.”

He found Alec and Kepi on the pavement near the entrance to the gambling house, under the watchful eye of the doorman, who clearly disapproved of such an unsightly character in the Street.

Seregil hustled them both quickly out of sight into the shadows beyond the reach of the street lanterns.

“What is it?” Seregil demanded.

“It’s Atre,” Alec told him. “He’s gone and gotten himself stabbed.”

“That actor fellow’s a friend of yours, ain’t he?” asked Kepi, looking pleased with himself.

“How in the world did you know that?”

Kepi just winked and grinned.

“Bilairy’s Balls! What happened?” asked Seregil.

“Don’t know the particulars, only that he’s over in Brass Alley, back of the Skulpin. I just heard of it and I come straight up to tell you.”

“The Skulpin? What was he doing there?” The gambling house was in the unfashionable—and at this hour, dangerous—area near Atre’s old theater and catered mostly to locals. There were plenty of cutpurses, bawds, and footpads about at this time of night, ready to relieve the unwary of their winnings.

“Is he alive?” asked Alec.

“He was when my friend heard about it. I went to your house and they told me you was here. I come straight on.”

“Good lad. We’ll deal with it.” Seregil took half a dozen coppers from his purse and gave them to the boy. Kepi made him another ill-formed bow and took off at a run, darting between horses and carriages. He was soon out of sight among the evening crowd.

“Damnation!” Seregil scrubbed a hand back through his hair. He needed to find out what the scribe had given Reltheus, but he could hardly abandon the actor in such circumstances.

“I’ll see to Atre,” Alec told him. “You go with Reltheus and make some excuse for me.”

“All right. As soon as you’re finished, come to his house, or send word to me there if you won’t be coming.”

They walked in silence to the nearby stable to collect Alec’s horse. A groom led Windrunner out. As Alec went to mount, Seregil caught him by the arm and brushed his lips over Alec’s. “Take care, talí.”

Alec gave him a knowing look. “You know I will. And you.” He swung up into the saddle and rode out into the throng. Trying to ignore the knot of tension in his belly, Seregil went back inside to find Reltheus.