Huge Ajax's Arc

Chapter 430 of 619

Marco slept a full day. When he woke, he brought Ajax the two names. Ajax already knew what he wanted next. He could not buy the gatekeeper's debt blind. He needed to sit across from the two council traders and read them the way Marco had read the gatekeeper. So Ajax rode to the Crossing himself, with Marco and Tucker. They took a table in the market hall where the council met. Marco went in as a wine trader again. Ajax went as his partner, a big man with silver to spend. Tucker worked the room the way he worked any room, buying rounds, laughing loud, drawing men to talk. By midday Tucker leaned close. "Two of them are here," he said. "The fat one in the fur collar. The lean one who keeps counting his own coins." He tipped his cup toward each. "Those are your paper holders." Marco watched them both while pretending to haggle over a cask. His bracelet caught the light as he turned it. He said nothing until the two traders left for the day. Back at the lodging house, Marco laid it out. "The fat one hates the gatekeeper. He wants the debt called tomorrow. But he's greedy. He'll sell his paper if the price beats what the gate returns." He rubbed his eyes, tired from the listening. "The lean one is worse. He wants the gate rights for himself. He won't sell. He'll fight you for the road." Ajax turned that over. One man he could buy. One man stood in his way. "There is more," Marco said. "The lean one already suspects the gatekeeper is weak. He's waiting to strike. If we move first, we take the fat man's paper before he acts." Tucker whistled low. "So we buy half the debt and race the other half." "We buy the fat man's half," Ajax said. "Tonight, before he sleeps on it." They found the trader in his rooms above the market. Ajax offered coin above the gate's yearly return. The fat man's eyes went bright. Marco stood by the door, quiet, reading. He gave Ajax a small nod. The offer was landing true. The trader signed the paper over. Ajax paid in northern silver, counted onto the table. Marco watched the whole time and signaled once more that the man meant to hold the bargain, not cheat it. Outside, the night was cold. Ajax held half the gatekeeper's debt now. Tucker grinned. Marco did not. "The lean one holds the other half," Marco said. "And now he knows someone's moving. He'll come at the road hard." Ajax folded the paper into his coat. He had bought his knife point. He had also woken a rival who would not sell. The gatekeeper's grip was half in his hand. The other half belonged to a man who wanted the same road Ajax did. "Then we deal with him next," Ajax said, and turned back toward the lodging house.