Luck in the Shadows

that bundle first."
    Satisfied with the contents of the parcel and a second coin, the chief warder turned Alec over to another guard, who led him into the depths of the chilly edifice.
    The walls seemed to press in around Alec as he followed the warder up flight after drafty flight of stone stairs. His time in Asengai's dungeon had left him with an indelible hatred of such places.
    Stopping at one of the low cell doors, the guard peered through the tiny grille. "Visitor, your lordship!"
    A muffled reply came from within.
    "You'll have to speak to him through here," the warder told Alec. "Don't pass nothing through, not even your hand. I'll see to it that he gets this package."
    Taking Alec's bundle, he moved off far enough to give them a modicum of privacy.
    The grille was set deep in the thick wooden door. Light from the nearest lantern in the corridor slanted through the bars, illuminating a crescent of profile and one glittering eye.
    "Are you all right?" Alec whispered anxiously.
    "So far," Seregil replied. "It's damn cold, though."
    "I brought a blanket, and some fresh clothes."
    "Thanks. Any news?"
    Leaning as close as he dared, Alec quickly told him the details of their conference at the Cockerel.
    "Nysander thinks finding evidence against your forger may be our only chance. Micum and I'll have to do it, I guess, but we're not certain how. God, I wish all this hadn't happened!"
    "I know how you feel. Is the guard still well away?"
    "Yes."
    "Then pay attention." Seregil cautiously reached the fingers of one hand through the bars, signing something about Micum.
    It was too quick. Alec shook his head. "I can hardly hear you. What did you say?"
    "I said it's a dead end. Nothing to be gained,"
    Seregil said, raising his voice for the guard's benefit as he signed again, more slowly this time.
    His fingers were somewhat hampered by the bars, but Alec got Tell Micum silver fish.
    "I don't understand!" Alec whispered, convinced he must have gotten the nonsensical message wrong.
    "I won't leave you here to rot!"
    "Don't fret," Seregil replied, locking eyes with him. "There's a lucky moon tomorrow night. Fortify yourself with prayers to the Lightbearer and all will be well. In the meantime, I entrust you to the care of Micum Cavish. Heed his wisdom; he's a man of many parts."
    "Sorry, young sir, that's all the time I can give you," the guard called.
    "Damn!" muttered Alec, still convinced he'd misinterpreted a crucial message. Pretending to brush back
    a stray strand of hair, he signed Silver fish?
    To his surprise, Seregil nodded emphatically.
    "Come along, sir!"
    Alec held Seregil's gaze a moment longer, heart pounding painfully in his chest. What he could see of Seregil's mouth tilted up suddenly in the old reassuring grin.
    "Why the long face?" Seregil whispered. "You're not alone in this, you know. Everything's going to be fine!"
    But Alec felt anything but fine as he followed the guard back down the stairs. Much as he wanted to believe Seregil's brave assurances, he thought he'd heard a hollow note in his friend's voice.
    They were in a bad spot, and a good deal of it was up to him to solve. The consequences of failure were too awful to bear thinking about.
    His face must have given something of this away, for the guard said kindly, "There now, sir, perhaps it'll all come right in the end. He seems a good enough fellow."
    Sensing a potential ally, Alec managed to work up a few tears by the time they reached the bottom of the stairs. In fact, they came with surprising ease.
    As soon as they were out of sight of the prison Alec passed on Seregil's strange message. For a moment Micum looked disconcertingly blank.
    "Silver fish?" Stroking the corners of his mustache, he shook his head. Then suddenly he broke into a broad grin. "By the Flame, he must have meant silverfish, like the insect!"
    "That means something to you?" Alec asked, still doubtful.
    "Oh, yes! In fact, our sneaky friend has given us our whole plan of attack. I'll explain when we get home-home being Wheel Street tonight."
    Runcer met them at the door. "The guests have departed, Sir Alec, and I have laid a fire in your chamber. Will you be requiring anything else tonight?"
    "No, thank you," Alec replied, feeling a bit confused. The elderly servant's manner conveyed the impression that he had served Alec all his life.
    He was hovering in a manner that suggested he expected further orders. "Well, I think I can manage. You should go to bed, ah—"
    "Runcer,"