Such challenges also help Neonates learn to apply their early lessons to new situations and threats, and in new ways. This is pivotal to survival, and must occur for their own good.

  -From Neonatum Provisae: 2:15-16

  Rose Delmarva couldn’t stay underground any longer. Not with the stink of the sewers blowing in, not with the moans and groans of the injured.

  And not while I don’t know what deal that murderer made on our behalf.

  She knew he would try to use them, and she wouldn’t just sit idly by and find out later how he planned to.

  So she was up on the streets, and had brought Jon along with her so they could keep each other safe.

  He was a good one to have.

  Apart from Del, he was the most physically capable of the gang members they had left. A foot taller than her, with red hair and freckles, his work as a mason had really filled out his muscles. That, and he was pretty stoic, which let her be alone with her thoughts.

  She thought back to a time when she hadn’t had to worry about anything, when she had felt safe, secure, loved.

  The gang cares about you.

  That came from the part of her mind that spoke in her older brother Thorne’s voice.

  Gods… Rose and Thorne…

  Part of her still hated that permanent pun, though she no longer blamed her parents for it. How could she? You couldn’t blame the dead for anything. Only the living. Which meant that if there was any blame left for her family, it rested on her shoulders.

  Her thoughts shifted a bit with that, becoming cynical. Most of those urchins don’t have a better place to go. It wasn’t that she disagreed with the first sentiment, she just knew that there was a more practical side to it as well.

  Rose set her jaw.

  She didn’t have time for self-doubt, she had an obligation to those kids, and she needed to see it through. Which meant figuring out what sort of deal that Ironmantle creep had made with their… ‘landlords’.

  She walked out of the gate, knowing where she was headed, and keeping her hood up and her head down. She walked out the western gate of the Old City, heading south towards the Salkov Gardens, though that wasn’t the ultimate destination.

  No, it was just across the river in the main territory of the Syndicate.

  “You sure this is a good idea Rose?” Jon said, his hands in his pockets, hiding the boat chain knuckledusters he had with him. Rusty scrap he had grabbed over by the docs one night. He walked with a hunch to partially hide his six-and-a-half-foot frame, though there wasn’t much he could do about his wide shoulders.

  His knife was under his jacket in a horizontal sheath in the small of his back. He wasn’t likely to use it, he was crap fighting with them. He had it as more of a deterrent than anything else.

  “Do you trust that bald freak to make a deal for us properly?” she said in response to his question.

  “Yeah, true, but the Syndicate’s headquarters? You realize they might just jump us with some weird mental shit, right?”

  “Maybe you’ll find some fun?” She smiled as she said it.

  “That isn’t funny.” He said, glaring, “We don’t know what kind of deal was already made!”

  “That’s why we need to find out and see if we can re-negotiate if we have to.” She nudged him, smiling wider, “Make a new stanza for ourselves.”

  He sighed as they walked over the bridge, entering an ornate section across the lower fork of the river. It was lit mostly in faint pink lanterns, most of the less lascivious establishments closed up for the night.

  “I’m still pissed that you found out.” Jon grumbled.

  “Found out what?” Treyvor slunk out of the shadows, both hands behind his head, bare feet almost silent on the cobbles.

  “Jonius!” Jon snarled, “Don’t do that Trey…”

  “Solarus’s throat…” Rose cursed under her breath. I hate how he just springs out of the cobbles sometimes! “Where were you?” Rose asked, trying to calm her thumping heart.

  “Looking into some of the stuff that the Ironmantle guy mentioned. Just dropped off the intel now.” He jerked his thumb towards an alleyway, then hefted a large coinpurse out from behind his belt. It clinked. “Had some free time too, so got to work early.”

  There was a pause as he returned the coins to their place behind his belt. “Found out what?” The tomtar repeated once it was replaced.

  “I don’t-” Jon started, speaking a little quieter as they passed a group of guards.

  “Just tell him Jon. He knows to not spread shit where it isn’t needed.” Rose snorted, something her mother would have reprimanded her for because it was ‘unladylike’. “Seeing as he’s a natural born green thumb, right?”

  Treyvor grinned, not taking any offence as always, “Right enough, though honestly more of a silver thumb.” He patted his waist where the coins were, next to one of his blades. He had several, as usual, though you couldn’t tell to look at him.

  He flipped one out and spun it through his fingers like some people did with a coin, the metal flashing. “Maybe a… steal thumb?” He held up four fingers with his other hand, hiding his thumb in his palm.

  A cat yowled down an alleyway.

  Rose and Jon stared at the barefoot thief.

  “Well I thought it was funny.” He said with a sigh, flipping his knife into the air before catching it again and sliding it back up his sleeve.

  “Whatever, hayseed.” She turned back to Jon, “I’m surprised you haven’t said anything to the others.”

  “You aren’t gonna let this go are you?”

  “Let what go?” Treyvor said, looking between them.

  Jon sighed, and told the Tomtar.

  Someone far off yelled something in an alley and they all heard a bottle smash, and the cat shrieked in fear.

  Treyvor blinked. “Yeah, but what’s the thing you’re hiding from everyone?”

  “Wait you knew?”

  “Well yeah.”

  Rose laughed as Jon’s face flushed. Gods, I needed this. A distraction, something light, like old times.

  “What?” Treyvor asked again, clearly still confused as to why the other man was upset.

  “How do you know?” Jon asked through clenched teeth.

  “I peaked into your journal.”

  “That was private!”

  “I don’t know why you are so hung up on it.”

  “You really don’t? Are you kidding me Trey?”

  “Alright boys, come on, time to be serious.” Rose said, still laughing. They were coming up to The Pink Orchid.

  “Well that leaves you out Trey.” Jon grumbled.

  “I can be serious…” Treyvor whispered.

  Jon shoved his shoulder “Shut up!”

  The Orchid was an ornate building, like many of the older structures of Salkov, with patterns and carvings and stone statues, but it was almost as if it was deliberately reserved.

  Showing class that it really doesn’t deserve, it seems.

  There were two toughs on the double doors of the brothel, both big and burly. One was a belmarian with red skin and thick curling horns, and the other was a human, and both held up a hand to stop them.

  The leader of the Delmarva gang lifted her head, relying on lessons from her childhood and adopting a tone of command with these retainers. “I’m Rose. You will inform Madam Scarlett that I am here to speak with her.”

  Rose wished she had something a little more formal to wear, or had at least put her hair into braids. She felt underdressed, and that would make convincing these two to let her in would be more difficult. But she knew that her bloodline was one of royalty.

  I am a Dutchess, and I will not be denied. Especially by some goons for some overblown pimp! She would show them her importance, there was simply no world where her orders weren’t followed. She had to make herself believe it before they would.

  The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

  The two bouncers looked at each other. The Belmaian started, “Ma’am, we can’t-“

  “Just open the door, my friend,” Treyvor said pleasantly, “the boss doesn’t want to be kept waiting.” He jerked his head to Rose.

  Rose watched as the pair stiffened, looking at him.

  How does he do it?

  She knew that Treyvor only ever spoke at face value. There wasn’t any threat to his words, but something about how pleasant he was always seemed to have the right effect for the given situation.

  The bouncers then looked at Jon, who was still slouched, though he had a good bored glare. Right on cue he cracked his neck loudly, tilting his head to one side and then the other.

  All of them had needed to learn how to be intimidating to survive this long.

  Now to dial it back and show them we are reasonable.

  “I am aware that a mutual… acquaintance has discussed terms with her, and I want to make sure that this acquaintance wasn’t rude to the Madam.” Rose wished she had had more schooling, she was running on what felt like ancient memories and fictional romance novels at this point.

  But it had worked before, framing the request to talk in such a way that the Delmarvas were also against a common foe.

  Just that, this time, we really are.

  The bouncers looked at each other again, then the Belmarian walked in, leaving the human to shift to one side and continue blocking the door.

  It was only a moment before the other bouncer returned and held the door open for the trio. Inside there was another Belmaian, though this one was very different. He was blue skinned, and had pink eyes that seemed to glow from out of their black sclera.

  His horns sweped back over short wavy hair, cropped tight until the top of his head. They framed the curls, which hung a bit over his face, before the horns then pointed up at the tips.

  Rings, armbands, bangles, hornbands, and earrings, all gold, glinted in the dim light inside, and he gave a slight bow, open vest and leather pants revealing a slight frame.

  Rose watched him give Jon a once over, the look in his eyes becoming a bit hungry.

  “Welcome to the Pink Orchid, I am Skathas,” his voice was like silk, and he looked up at each of them in turn, lingering on Jon again for an obvious few moments, his tail swaying. “Please, if there is anything you want, let me know.” His canines seemed a bit long as he smiled.

  They followed Skathas in, trying to ignore the multitude of displays all around them, with all the gyrations and lack of attire. The soft music was little more than a beat, though a beautiful voice was singing something in a foreign language.

  Rose felt her face flush and was glad that the room was dim. Gods… I should have known that there would be men working here too… One winked at her and blew her a kiss and she looked away. A woman did too, which reminded her of Del.

  “You two okay?” Treyvor asked, frustratingly unaffected.

  “Sure Trey. Just kinda weird to have so many things out in the open I guess.” Her voice hitched as a Belmaian woman’s fingers brushed against her shoulder for a moment.

  Jon grunted, staring at Skathas’s back, his ears a bit red, jaw clenched tight. Rose decided to do that as well, if only to try and ignore the other courtesans.

  They reached the back, a section quartered off with several hanging silks, just past the band and the singer. There were several guards now, though a few of them were disguised as… “workers”.

  “They’re trying to unsettle us.” She whispered.

  “No shit Rose…” Jon said, eyes still locked on the effeminate man in front of them, his face starting to get red now.

  “Are they?”

  “Yes!” Both Rose and Jon snarled at the same time.

  It was right about then that Skathas turned to face them, and he walked right up to Jon. “I hope you come back sometime…” He whispered, placing a hand on the mason’s chest, looking up at his face.

  The Belmaians tail undulated, and everything about his posture and expression reminded Rose of a cat who had just gotten the cream.

  Jon grunted, and Skathas giggled, covering his mouth. “I’ll even give you a discount big man.”

  Skathas sighed. “Still, you always have to come back to the tedium. You all cannot go further armed like you are.” He looked at Rose, and Treyvor before focusing back on Jon. “Gonna have to pat you all down, big man… You got a name?”

  “… Jon…”

  Rose became very distracted as one of the guards disguised as a prostitute stepped forward, smiling the same way Skathas had. “Sorry ma’am… the other guests requested this.”

  Gods… His voice was really deep.

  “Th-that’s quite alright.” She tried not to think about it, or his cologne, or just what was barely hidden… or that all the others were laughing at her and Jon’s reactions.

  Del would love this place.

  It wasn’t intrusive, just, very distracting to be patted down by a teal Belmaian in nothing but a loincloth and chaps. Especially given the… atmosphere. She heard a cry from somewhere above her on the second floor, and felt her flush deepen.

  Jon had gone monosyllabic, and Skathas leered almost continuously at him.

  Treyvor was actually chatting with the pair of tomtar women who were patting him down. Both were looking progressively more confused at his lack of reaction, combined with the sheer multitude of knives he had about his person.

  Their weapons collected, they were placed on the bar, next to others, though there was one that stood out to her. A stone headed ax.

  What?

  She didn’t have time to inspect it though, as the curtains were pulled aside.

  “Maybe we can spend some more time together later, Mr. Jon…” Skathas said in a singsong voice, the end of his tail brushing against the mason’s face as he slunk off.

  “Gods help me, I hate this place.” Jon muttered, the flush hiding his freckles now.

  “Why? He seemed nice.”

  “Shut up Treyvor.”

  The guards, some smiling, pulled the curtains aside and they walked in.

  “This place reaks of mating, fiendkin.” It was a harsh voice, with a stress on all the sibilant tones, “An expediting of this discussion would be preferable to remaining here.”

  And then Rose saw them.

  Leatherbacks.

  Even Treyvor patted for the weapons that had just been taken from them at that sight.

  “Fuck… what do we do Rose?” Jon said.

  She wished she knew.

  There were ten of them, but the leader was a red one with dangling folds of painted skin around it’s head like a lion’s mane. Turquoise eyes glared at her and the boys as the massive beast hissed, the frill expanding with a sound like a tarp flapping in the wind.

  It wasn’t the same as the mage. For one, it was much, much taller. Probably close to eight feet in height. And it looks… natural? She wasn’t sure how to describe it. It had a tail too, which Delre had said meant that they were actual Lizardkin.

  “We wait and see what happens.” She hissed to Jon. She didn’t think the Syndicate would deal with the redrobes, they had taken losses too. She had found that out when they had moved in.

  “What now? More distractions?” it snarled.

  Across from the Lizardkin, a female Belmaian sat. Madam Scarlett.

  She was gorgeous, with deep red skin, platinum in black eyes, a fully ripe fruit ready to be plucked. “Now, now, Tradescale Ghexlthar, these individuals are also guests of mine-,”

  “And that matters why? What do I care if more meat is brought in? Our discussion of the herb is unnecessarily exposed.” It eyed the three of them. “Unless these are a gift? Though such a gift would have best been given before consumption of the evening meal.

  “They can confirm to you what I said earlier about the human, Ironmantle.” Madam Scarlett said smoothly.

  Wait, what do these things have to do with Ironmantle?

  The creature hissed and a few of his retinue hissed as well, speaking in their own language. Some waved their tails in a distinctive pattern, and the mistress of the Syndicate answered in kind.

  Damn, should have learned the dehk-ziur. She had wanted to for some time now. It had a lot of uses despite her not having the appendage.

  “Dominant-female.” Ghexlthar hissed, and Rose realized that the lizard wasn’t glaring, that was literally just the shape of its head, its face. “The eighth genera, the human, Ironmantle. What is known of this individual by you?”

  Still a bit thrown by the fact that she was talking to a thing that the church had labeled a demon for centuries, something her Gran would have called a Dragon, she couldn’t find her eloquence. “He is an assassin.” She said to buy herself some time to order her thoughts.

  “A hunter, such things are commendable in spite of his parasitic bloodline. But we know this.” The creature leaned forward, hissing, the frill flapping again. Its tail moved and several of the others snapped and snarled in their strange sibilant language to each other.

  Stand firm. She glanced at Scarlett, taking note of the evaluation behind her platinum eyes. The Syndicate weren’t fighters, they were manipulators, so she had to put on a good show to impress this woman.

  “He can walk through shadows, right enough.” Treyvor said, leaning back, hands behind his head again. Completely at ease. As usual.

  Turquoise eyes shifted, and Rose could feel the dismissal before they returned to stare into her own. Vertical pupils dilating slightly.

  “Does your pet speak the truth?”

  “Yes.” Rose said, angry for Treyvor, knowing he wouldn’t care. That he couldn’t care.

  A single movement from the tail, a rolling tide of discussion from the lizards. The big red one’s tail cracked like a whip. The bouncers pulled the beads aside, but the Lizardkin took no notice, staring at Rose. Unblinking. Its fellows had gone quiet.

  “Speak, human-Rose.” It was almost not a growl.

  She wasn’t going to do this for free. Can’t be rude either…

  “Madam Scarlett, we came to discuss our own business, and I don’t want to speak on your behalf without your leave.” That should cover most of it. Now for the rest. “I would be friends with you, but such a topic will require some critical words to leave my lips about our acquaintance.” Rose said, turning to the woman. She gave a slight bow of her head, which the other gang leader returned.

  Scarlett’s tail curled then uncurled. “I will be happy to have such a discussion, though I will regard it as a personal favor if you were candid.”

  “Enough, speak, apostate!” The lizard snarled.

  So she told them. She spoke of the assault by the snake cult, of Ironmantle’s rescue, and of the incredible abilities he and his men seemed to have. She did not tell them about the mission that the master assassin had them on.

  One of the retainers was translating she thought, and the whole group of them twisted to stare at her when she mentioned the mage. Several growled, their frills snapping open, and Ghexlthar snarled at them to be quiet before staring into her eyes again.

  When she had finally finished, the creature leaned back. “We will agree to the terms discussed, with one addendum. The ambassador requires more reporting on the goings on within the city. In particular the doings of this… Ironmantle. Unexplained deaths. His known hunts. Anything and everything of note.”

  Why would they care about him? Is he trying to establish something in the Great Swamp? She didn’t know why, it was a brutal uncivilized place.

  “That is perfectly agreeable.” Scarlett said, holding out her hand.

  “Done.” The Lizardkin snapped, frill flapping, taking her hand and bowing over it. Surprisingly gentle, even though it’s hand could have engulphed the pimp’s forearm.

  “Will the Ambassador come to finalize this agreement?”

  She’s looking for legitimacy through documentation. That wasn’t a good sign. If she could get it, she might be able to openly approach the Emperor and legalize all of her enterprise. Rose didn’t like the idea of this pimp becoming part of the ruling class.

  “If she deems it important, she will.” The lizard snarled.

  Probably unaware of the issues it would cause!

  The lizards all stood, and left through a set of stairs leading down.

  “The fuck was that?” Jon whispered.

  “More nets…” Rose replied.

  “It was a big blinking lizard was what it was.” Treyvor said.

  “Idiot.” Jon grumbled.

  “Now…” Scarlett said, turning to them and motioning to the Lizardkin had just vacated. “What do you three… desire?”

  “To make sure Ironmantle wasn’t a jerk.” Treyvor said, taking the far seat and looking to Rose and Jon, “Right?”

  “Damnit Trey…” Rose said.

  To her surprise Scarlett laughed, a rich throaty sound that seemed to tug at her. “Oh, he was quite forceful.” She made it not just sound dirty, it felt dirty. But Rose could see the bite behind those metallic eyes.

  “I meant what I said, Madam, I would like to keep our relationship a positive one.” She said.

  “Mmmm, yes… Well, little tulip, the question is obvious.”

  “‘What do I get out of it?’” Rose said, and Scarlett nodded. Rose smiled blandly, “Why make it something set in stone. I am sure you know that needs can change from day to day.”

  “You are a sharp one.” Scarlett leaned back, crossing one leg over the other, and Rose was glad she hadn’t brought the dwarf. “What do you propose then?”

  “A long discussion about what kind of deal was made, and then we can see what needs to be adjusted to maintain this cordial relationship.” She replied.

  Scarlett smiled, and Rose could see that she had two pairs of canine teeth. “Mmmm… You are quite good at this, little tulip. Let us have this discussion.” She clapped her hands, and several nude servants were lead in, chained and carrying platters of food. They looked miserable. Only two of them were Belmaians.

  “Let us talk ‘brass tacks’ as the Dvundae say.” Scarlett purred.

  Rose looked at the slaves, knowing that this was yet another dangerous game that she was playing. The duty of a leader… She set her jaw, and met Scarlett’s eyes, then put on a friendly smile.

  They talked well into the night, eventually getting to the early hours of the morning.