Nathan left his belongings at the inn and headed downstairs. The owner was busy serving a group of merchants, so he passed without interrupting and stepped back into the streets. There were still several hours of daylight left, and rather than spend them waiting in his room, he intended to learn more about the trouble keeping Renko away from her city.
The streets were livelier than when he had arrived. Workers were returning from the docks, merchants called to passing customers, and small boats carried passengers along the canals. Nathan walked without any particular destination, following the water through a district of narrow shops and wooden houses. Every few streets, a bridge offered another view of the city, with its tiled rooftops reflected in the canals and the Suiren estate overlooking everything from higher ground.
