MLTF outtakes -- Alix & Parry (Part 2 of 5)

The chapter I'm posting this week is a big one, so I started yesterday. It's in five parts and will be running all week. It features Alix and Parry who are referred to in MLTF, but never seen. Alix is Raine's best friend, and Parry is a Conclave emissary and Alix's lover.

Yesterday, I also started my blog's Character-of-the-Week feature. Each Monday I'll post who the character is, and throughout the week, you send me your questions for that character. Either respond to a blog during the week with your questions, or email me at lisa@lisashearin.com. The character will be answering your questions throughout the weekend.

The character in the question hot seat this week is Raine. What questions do you have for her?

Preface to the Alix & Parry chapter: The following chapter (had it remained in the final version of MLTF) would have taken place immediately after Chapter 7 (which ends on page 109 of the final book). In the old Chapter 7, Janek Tawl asks Raine about a receipt he found in a box in Nigel Nicabar's bedroom. The box contained an elaborate and obscenely expensive mage robe. The receipt was from Alix Toril's shop. The date on the receipt was on the day that Nigel disappeared. Here's Part 2 of 5 -- enjoy!

A tiny Caesolian woman, Adrienne's sharp eyes and nimble fingers were responsible for some of the finest embroidery worn by some of the wealthiest, but not necessarily most talented, mages on Mid. Alix's designs didn't come cheap, and Adrienne's spider-fine needlework was only affordable to a select few. She smiled when she saw me.

"Good morning, Raine." She favored Janek with an inquiring look.

"Adrienne, this is Chief Watcher Janek Tawl. He has a few questions for Alix. Is she in?"

"Yes, but she's still upstairs." Her delicate features curled into a knowing smile. "A friend of hers is in town this week. I suspect they were out rather late last night. Come in."

That would be Parry. Adrienne's tone implied that neither one of them had made it out of bed yet, which could very well be the case, but not for the reason she thought. I kept that theory to myself. I'd rather Janek didn't know about my nighttime visitors just yet. And if Alix's tardiness was due to fatigue of another sort, Adrienne knew all about her boss' dalliance with a certain Conclave emissary. Janek didn't need to.

The shop itself was small. As most of Alix's work was custom, only a select few garments and sample fabrics were out for show. The work area and fitting rooms in the back of the shop took up the lion's share of the space. The few robes on display looked more like costumes than robes meant for working. Most designers had some of their most flamboyant designs out for the goblin king's masked ball, and Alix was no exception.

"I'll let her know you're here," Adrienne said, brushing past me on her way to the back stairs and Alix's apartment. "Can I have Eleta get you a cup of tea while you wait?" she called back over her shoulder.

More tea was the last thing I needed. "No, thank you. Janek?"

The watcher was intently studying a rack of rare Pengorian silks on display in the front window. They flowed like melted jewels over the rack into an artful pool atop a length of black velvet. The amethyst silk in particular bore more than a passing resemblance to the material of Nigel's robes. And if it was Pengorian silk, it was one of the most expensive fabrics in Alix's shop or any other on Heron Row.

"Janek." I called again.

"What?"

"Do you want some tea?"

"Yes." He turned back to the silks.

I could tell he was resisting the temptation to climb into the front window for a closer look.

Adrienne nodded and vanished into the back. I walked over to Janek.

"This looks familiar," he said.

"Probably Pengorian silk. I think the going rate is around five tenari a yard."

Janek whistled. "That's a fortnight's wages for me."

I nodded. "It's expensive. Not to mention hard work to make--and that's just for the worms."

"So you're an expert on silk, too?"

"No, just friends with Alix. She's the fabric expert. In my line of work, all I ever need to know is how to get blood stains out of it."

"Put that knowledge to use often?"

"More often than I'd like."

"Had a big laundry bill recently?"

"No."

Again, not a lie. What clothes I didn't have to throw out after last night, I'd be cleaning myself.

"You might want to be careful who you ask questions like that," I told him. "It's kind of personal. Someone who doesn't know you all that well might think you're strange."

"I'm not strange, I'm a watcher."

"Like I said, people might think you're strange."

"You brought up the subject of blood, not me."

He had me there.

I spotted Alix at the top of the front stairs about the same time she saw me. She looked like she had just gotten out of bed. Some people wore disheveled well. Alix was one of them. She was also the best walking advertisement for her own work. Her pale blonde hair fell over a bronze velvet robe lined with apricot silk. Beneath it was a linen gown of the palest blush. The design of both garments were simple, the cut perfection, and the only ornamentation was Alix herself. Judging from Janek's stunned expression, she didn't need anything else.

Alix's cool blue eyes passed over the watcher. Her expression didn't change, but I'm certain a few select words crossed her mind. I think I even saw her mouth one of her favorites. If Janek noticed, he didn't let on. I imagine in his line of work, he was used to less than enthusiastic receptions.

Come back tomorrow for Alix & Parry -- Part 3 of 5.