Ditani took Lebuin straight to the Blue Dolphin Inn. Lebuin had never been inside it, but had walked past it dozens of times on his way to the docks and his family’s offices. Ditani held the door, and the smoke parted around him as he entered. Even through the filtering of his shields, he could smell the various scents of tobac. He decided he should also get some of the better leaf, as he was running low.

He took a minute to let his eyes adjust to the dimmer room. It was much larger than he expected, taking up more than half of the central section of the building and stretching all the way, front to back. A huge bar stood across the back wall. Halls led out of the room from the back right and left sides. Three enormous fireplaces were burning low. Next to the bar on the back wall, was a wide table, with a cloth covering, that had the box symbols for card games. Metal scissor-like apparatuses were mounted in some tables, and after observing a few with occupants, he could see they were for holding a dagger upright. Daggers were stuck right into the wood of some of the others.

Lebuin saw that the people who were sitting where the upright daggers stood were staring back at him with assessing eyes. Not one of them seemed embarrassed, and most met him eye to eye.

These are Daggers for hire. I forgot the Blue Dolphin is supposed to be where the best of the Daggers hire out.

Looking at the daggers in the tables, he observed that they were all functional weapons, but each was distinctive.

I need to ask Dad what the protocol is for hiring a Dagger. I might need one, and I can probably afford one of the best.

Ditani motioned for him to follow. He led Lebuin to the bar, where a large muscled man was talking to a couple of well-dressed gentlemen. A lady dressed more like a city guard stood in the middle of the bar, facing him. She leaned back against the counter with a heavy mug in one hand, and the other, resting on the hilt of a sword. The bartender was dressed well, but his clothes had dozens of stains from the food and drink he served.

Trying to not appear too out of place, Lebuin sat down on one of the many stools at the bar. He then scanned the room. The Daggers had gone back to whatever they were doing when he came in. Some were writing in journals, and others had an array of objects on their tables, using them to work on one weapon or another. Still others were just talking.

It was busier than he expected for midmorning. A few people, mostly reasonably well-dressed, vacated a table after looking him over. He noticed that a group of workmen who came in behind him walked past empty tables with the dagger holders and chose to sit at the communal ones.

Why not sit at the empty one? Can only Daggers sit at those? Not exactly good behavior, sticking a dagger into a table, especially when there are empty ones with dagger holders for that purpose.

There were three empty with holders, and they were all near walls. As he watched, a man handed a couple of bells to one of the Daggers sitting at a table with a holder near the center of the room. The Dagger and his companions stood up, taking his dagger from the holder, and they left with their employer. There was a silent exchange of looks between the Daggers at the ones without holders. One stood up, pulling his dagger out of the wooden top. He walked over and sat down, placing his dagger into the holder.

That was interesting. There must be a ranking order. Those other empty holder tables must signify something that these mercenaries don’t feel up to challenging or claiming.

“Master.” He remembered he was there for a purpose, and while he had been staring at the unfamiliar room, Ditani had been talking in soft tones with the bartender. “Magus Vestul has still not been seen.”

“Let’s go check the room.”

“I don’t have the key.”

“Well, we can still knock. Won’t the innkeeper open it for us?”

“No, that isn’t how it works here. Blue Dolphin rooms are for key-holders only. If you don’t have a room key and aren’t a known guest, they won’t let you upstairs.”

Thinking of Magus Gezu, he asked, “What if Magus Vestul died overnight in the room of a heart problem, like Magus Gezu?”

Ditani appeared to be worried at the thought. “I don’t know. It is not very likely.”

Lebuin turned around to the bar and signaled for the barkeeper to come over. After a minute he did.

“Yes, m’Lord. Wha’ can I getcha?”

“I’d like to speak to the innkeeper, please.”

The large man stood still, staring at him like an interesting insect. A shiver ran down his back, and he strengthened his shield a little more. The barkeeper’s voice remained calm, even friendly. “M’Lord, I’m da innkeeper, owner an’ enforcer. How may I serve you?” The last had only a slight accent.

Oh great! I have insulted one of the most influential people in the city, and I have only been a Journeyman for a few marks.

Smiling as nicely as he could, he pulled a chera out and placed it on the counter near his hand. He hoped it was out of view of most of the room’s occupants. “My apologies. I am worried about a friend, Magus Vestul. He is not young. Is there any way to check his room to be sure he hasn’t had an accident?”

The man considered the idea. “Wait here.” He then walked around the end of the bar, crossed the room, and went up a set of circular stone stairs, which Lebuin had not noticed, as the entrance was hidden from the main door, but visible from the bar. All of the Daggers watched the innkeeper as he left, and then looked back at Lebuin. He felt like a specimen on display, so he turned his back on the room and leaned on the bar as casually as possible. Ditani stood next to him, facing the room.

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Lebuin reached for where his coin had been on the counter.

He didn’t take the coin. I thought bribes were common.

His hand came up empty, and he turned to the bar in shock.

Wait, where is the coin?

He considered the other people near the bar, but none of them were close enough to have taken it. Thinking back, he mused, I’d swear on a stack of crowns, he didn’t reach for the coin, and no one else could have, either.

He turned his eyes toward Ditani, confused. Ditani stood there, watching the room, and asked, “Do you think he’ll open the room?”

“Of course, but where did my chera go?”

Ditani gave him almost the same expression as the innkeeper before answering, “Genne took it.”

Turning, he was able to observe the room. As he waited, well-dressed folks came and went. Almost every merchant or noble walked around the room, boldly examining the daggers in the tables and the Daggers sitting at them, too. “Is that normal?”

Ditani turned to see what he was talking about. “Yes. Merchants need specific services, so they have to find the right Dagger for their needs. No Dagger will ever take offense at being sized up by a client.”

Genne returned. “M’Lord, ya needn’t worry, yer friend ain’t dead in da room. Der ain’t no un in da room. Can I getcha anyting else?”

Well, so much for an easy solution. Now what?

He shook his head. “Thank you, no. When he comes back, can you tell him Journeyman Lebuin would like to speak with him as soon as possible at the Guildhouse?”

“O’course, m’Lord. Ri’after I tell ‘im of all da udder reques’. Very popular, dat one. I ’ave ta’ charge ‘im more nex’ time.”

Now, that is interesting. “Uh, popular? I take it, there are a lot of people asking to see him.”

Genne paused, looking at him, before Lebuin realized that nothing more was going to come without some coin. Sighing, he fished out another chera. That time, he left his finger on it. The man gave him a friendly smile and a wink. “Ya might say dat. Been tree udders askin’ after him.”

Beginning to get the feel for it, he left the coin where it was, but added another one. Smiling, he leaned in closer. “Anyone I might know?”

“No, m’Lord. Not likely. One was a friend o’ Duke, anudder was a recen’ regular, Sula by name, and da las’ was a Knife, stake me rep on dat, I would.”

I know about the duke, but what a Knife is, I don’t think I want to know. Maybe I can meet this Sula, and we can help each other.

Nodding as he added a third coin, he asked, “Sula is a new regular? Where might I find him?”

The innkeeper’s hand came down, covering his hand and all three coins. It felt heavy, muscled, and coarse. “M’Lord, be careful o’dat un. Ya can fin’ ‘er at da Temple o’ Dalpha. Dat’s all I can do for ya.” He turned, lifting his hand, and moved to some customers who were trying to dress fashionably, but failing miserably. Looking down, he saw all three of the coins were gone.

Now, that is an interesting trick.

Lebuin stood and motioned for Ditani to follow, and he walked out, trying to look confident. On the way, he took note of some Daggers he might come back and talk to later, after he had a chance to get some advice on hiring them. Both of the Daggers he was most interested in nodded politely to him as Ditani opened the door for him.

Lords and Ladies! How did they know I was thinking of them?

Once outside, he started walking towards the docks and the main market. “This Sula sounds like she might be able to help. We can get to the Temple of Dalpha through the market.” Ditani followed.

The market was as busy as always, with buskers screaming their wares and merchants in booths, vying for the attention of anyone who even glanced at their stalls. Temple Street was on the far side of the market, so they began maneuvering through the stalls on a general course for the temple district. As they moved through the market, he paid attention to the mundane things he had never considered buying, like the leather backpacks and the more sturdy boots.

I need some boots that will not wear out but will keep me looking respectable.

As he rounded a stall, Lebuin caught sight of a beautifully dressed woman wearing a dusky brick-red cloak with a rust-colored hood and fur-trimmed collar. The woman was turning away from him, heading down another row. Her tanned skin and curly dark brown hair were perfectly suited to the colors she wore.

My Lords, it can’t be. That is the girl from the alley!

She had already stepped out of sight with a sweetmeat in one hand and a pack swung over the opposite shoulder.

“Come on. I think I know her.” Stepping faster, he dodged around some other shoppers, not sure what he would do when he met her. But still, he knew he wanted to talk to her. He moved so fast that Ditani was left behind. She was a few feet down the aisle when he rounded the corner. Putting on his most winning smile, he rushed to get close enough to say hello.

An explosion of light and sound hit him from behind, shoving him forward violently. With his shield buckling under the force, he stumbled and tried to stay up.

What the hell was that?

He rebounded off the girl, knocking her forward, then managed to regain his footing. At the same time, he pushed what energy he could through his channels to recover the protective shield before the incantation faded entirely. The sudden rush of energies was more than needed, and the excess burnt as the channels allowed what they could to flow through. Turning around, he searched for the source of the force that had hit him.

Everywhere, people were running and screaming, except for one man only a few paces away. The man was rough looking, wearing all black from neck to foot. He held a rod that was pointed straight at Lebuin. The man wore an angry expression, and his eyes burnt with a hatred Lebuin found hard to stand against.

Lords and Ladies, an assassin!

Panic welled up inside him as lightning leapt from the rod, striking him again. His shield was not enough, and he felt like a fire had exploded inside of him as the energy channel was forcibly disrupted. Worse, the energies he was trying to send through the destroyed incantation began pooling and burning. The shield was gone, and he was burning inside from energies that no longer had a place to go, as well as from the tag end of the attack that had charred his arms and chest.

The man in black’s eyes went wide and his face became white. But, he recovered, his face flushing red as he rushed towards Lebuin. His voice was husky and chilling. “Diurdu!” was all Lebuin heard as the man pulled and threw a knife in a single motion. It sunk into his unprotected chest.

The pain from the knife snapped something in Lebuin. Glaring, he released all the energies that were burning in him and connected a ley line in the air to the attack formula he had prepared before leaving the Guild, targeting the assassin.

You can join me.

As he started to collapse, golden energies leapt from his hands, arcing to the assassin. Some energy jumped to the rod in the assassin’s hand. As the darkness came, Lebuin smiled that his last sight was of his killer exploding in flames. Screams echoed down after him as he fell. Faintly, he heard Ditani screaming his name and then nothing at all.