Esmeralda kept busy for the next few days by familiarizing herself with the inner workings of Xandelfi. The city was in chaos. The underworld, known as the trades, was splintered, a mess of people crawling each other for any advantage they could get. Everything from standard muggings to complex scams were happening daily in Xandelfi, and any day, a new war between the various factions could break out.

The Lordship of Xandelfi was young and only in the fifth year of his rule. So far, the Lordship hadn’t moved to tamp down the lawlessness in his city. The city’s more affluent areas, like the Higher Grounds, were well policed and relatively safe, so Esmeralda didn’t expect him to move as long as the crime stayed ‘where it belonged.’

Esmeralda strode into the Vestigare field office, wondering how long it would be before the seven hells spilled into the streets of Xandelfi. Her keen eyes scanned the room and, after she was sure there were no hidden dangers, landed on Agent Giovanni, who sat at a table at the center of the room fussing with a tea set.

“Agent Esmeralda. Thank you for this meeting,” Giovanni said, struggling to rise from his seat as a gesture of respect.

Esmeralda watched him, her thoughts briefly wandering to the transformation of the Ramon people. Once a formidable warrior class that had subjugated the Grang, they now reveled in the excesses of an aristocracy. It was a shift she couldn’t fully grasp, but such musings were best left to scholars. Esmeralda simply waited until Giovanni managed to stand before taking her seat, her mind returning to the task at hand.

Giovanni slowly made his way to the hearth, where he retrieved a copper kettle. He then produced a leather pouch of dark tea leaves, pinching a generous amount and adding it to the teapot.

“Grang tea. Many Ramons would lie and tell you it almost rivals Ramon tea, but the truth is Ramon tea is a distant second,” Giovanni explained as he poured the water from the kettle into the teapot.

After a few moments, Giovanni poured the tea into the cups, waited for her to pick which cup she wanted, and drank from his as a show of good faith.

Esmeralda blew the steam from her teacup before sipping on it. The liquid was hot, but the tea was exquisite.

“See?” Giovanni commented before taking another drink himself. “Sometimes, it’s the little things that reveal the true character of a place.”

Esmeralda nodded thoughtfully, tracing the rim of her cup with a finger. “Agree, it’s the finer details that matter most.”

Giovanni’s eyes sharpened, as if weighing her words. “Speaking of details, I looked into this Marlowe Aerofinch as you asked.”

“Did you find his location?” Esmeralda asked.

“Aye. After looking into the Arzan’s movements, I believe your tip might be onto something.”

“You investigated him?”

“I only pulled dock records, but there are enough discrepancies to give weight to your claims,” Giovanni answered, holding his hands up defensively.

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

Esmeralda unclenched her balled fist and relaxed at his explanation.

“Discrepancies?” Esmeralda asked, hoping her body language earlier didn’t betray her too much.

“Yes, he often miscalculated the amount of food in his stores and the weight of his cargo. This type of thing happens to even the best of captains, but with Marlowe, it is the norm. I will say he seems savvy enough to know who to pay off to continue his operations,” Giovanni explained before sliding her a folded parchment. Esmeralda picked it up, unfolding it to find an address scrawled on the parchment.

“That’s where you will find Marlowe. He lives alone, but not sure if he has guards,” Giovanni added as Esmeralda looked up from the parchment.

“Excellent work, Agent Giovanni. I will take care of the rest. I will also assure you receive credit for all your work,” Esmeralda said.

Giovanni nodded before saying.

“Glad I could be of assistance. Oh, this came for you.”

He slid a sealed missive across the table.

“What is this?” Esmeralda asked.

“I won’t know. But it came by Vestigare carrier, so it is internal,” Giovanni answered with a shrug.

They made small talk and finished their tea. Esmeralda was distracted by the missive. She left it on the table to show Giovanni that it meant nothing to her, but her eyes wandered to it several times during their conversation. Esmeralda was sure he believed it contained critical information.

“Thank you for the company, and I look forward to our next conversation, Agent Esmeralda,” Giovanni said, excusing himself.

Esmeralda sat at the table until she was alone before opening the sealed missive. Esmeralda scanned the contents and immediately recognized the penmanship of her training companion, Paya.

Agent Esmeralda,

I hope this message finds you in good health. I tracked down where you were assigned so we may stay in contact with one another and continue to watch each other’s backs even after graduation. I was impressed to hear your first assignment was in Xandelfi, something usually reserved for more seasoned agents. Regardless, I am confident you can navigate your new environment with skill and grace. I implore you to remember that if you ever need a hand, all you have to do is write, and I will come. Currently, I am assigned to headquarters, but I expect to receive a new assignment soon, and once I get my new location, I will let you know.

Unfortunately, I also bring you some bad news. Yesterday, as I write this message, the Waltz had a horrible fire, burning it to the ground. The worst part of the incident was that Mistress Nance perished in the fire. The Vestigare is taking a personal interest in the case because of the proximity the Waltz was to the Vestigare training facility. So far, there have not been any signs of foul play.

I know you were fond of the location and Mistress Nance and believed you would like to hear this horrible news from someone you knew.

I apologize for ending this missive on such a dour note. So, I will remind you again: if you are ever in need, do not hesitate to reach out.

Sincerely,

Agent Paya

Esmeralda slowly folded the parchment closed with careful precision, tucking it into her small pouch as if sealing away the emotions threatening to surface. The news about Mistress Nance hit her like a cudgel, blunt and unexpected. Memories of their quiet conversations in the dimly lit room flooded her mind—the warmth in Nance’s eyes, the gentle encouragement that had been her lifeline through the grueling months of training. Without her, Esmeralda wasn’t sure she would have made it through.

Esmeralda realized she was gripping the edge of the table, her knuckles whitening as if she were trying to rip the solid wood table in half. However, beneath the anger and sorrow was something else—a faint glimmer of warmth. Paya’s words and sincerity lingered, promising a connection she hadn’t realized she was desperate for. For the first time, Esmeralda had someone besides Balrik who seemed to care, someone she could call a friend. The thought was comforting and unsettling, stirring something long buried within her.

Esmeralda closed her eyes, breathing through her nose. There would be time to sort through these tangled feelings later. For now, she needed to focus on the task at hand—dealing with the smuggler.