…..:::::|. The Ladi: Ward Plaza South.|:::::…..

Outside, headed down the walks, Halycind found some solace in flipping her newly acquired medallion once. Both Percival and Kodlaa looked her over. “What? Gotta keep sharp.”

“And you, Eberhavven, Did you know he worked for the Villa? When were you going to tell us you worked for the Villa?” She addressed to both of them.

“I’m not privy to tell you anything. You should have done your research.”

“On the ever elusive Exemplariats of the Zadagen Agency? The application didn’t exactly state all the affiliations you all had. Just that you had-to impress’em.”

“I’ve been Villa since childhood.”

“Oh…”

They kept a swift pace passed the mummers smiling and gratefully nodding, as they headed toward the front of the city.

“You don't like King Gauriasse. Do you?” Kodlaa started.

Percival seemed bothered but not enough not to answer, “He is a child King in a man's body. Marvynn was more fit. Before being encouraged to enter the aBn Tera and failing.”

“But he loved his brother. He was bargaining for his life.”

“He loves him now...he pushed his brother to be aBn in hopes of bringing 'strength' to Gaen a Nce's northern forces, were he both King and aBn. There's never been one for a reason.”

“How much coin did he offer for you to stay your hand twice before?”

“I never saw a number. There is no number. My charge as Agent is that of Justice and Balance. I make judgement on that alone. I stayed my hand because O’denuiab is a kind Kadif and allowed Gauriasse to try and rehabilitate Marvynn...which also, ultimately, failed.”

“But what did he do?”

“Before he was King, Marvynn held fast the post of General alongside his brother. His talent in magery was minor but his brother thought him more a force than a man and seeded without relent the effectiveness of being a King and Mastermage. The aBn Tera took him in and Gauriasse acted as King in Regent after their father passed. Three cycles into his studies and Marvynn was no were to be found. Several cycles later after hearing of horrible occurrences of men mangled with trees and beasts coughing up stone we found him...amongst the nomads in the 'Raam. They had made Marvynn Kadif of Outer Mashq As'safar after he'd proven himself a vicious murder and subjugated that whole nomadic tribe. When we saw him, he was gaunt and dried out. That’s when we knew he hadn't completed the Terile Function but his talent had grown immensely.”

“Oooh.” The girls thought of Siin immediately.

“He knew we’d come for him...and so he headed for Yng’s interim capital...Khartoum.”

Percival’s eyes then fell to the cobbles beneath him. If the girls could have seen his heart hit the stony bricks they’d have found it broken to smithereens.

“Just mention Khartoum.” His voice shook. “Everyone knows Khartoum. He petrified it and everyone in it. Before we could get to him. I had opportunity to capture him twice before but was requested to cease my hunt by his brother. They tried to rehabilitate Marvynn but only made him worse. This was his third chance for penitence.”

“Wow, Percival, I had no idea.” Kodlaa muttered.

“But Gauriasse thought himself in right to beg you for last comfort. And you sat there like a coal.” Halycind furrowed.

“That he did. So I sat. And so he burned.” Percival flashed cold blue eyes to Halycind. She pouted. His eyes warmed to her knowing the girl knew so little in the regard of fine politics. Agents seemed to say so much more with their glances and stares than most, and she gathered a new understanding of his judgement.

He was lying about something.

This book's true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

These thoughts she'd have to parse before speaking on them. They were rogues, the Zadagen Agency, but now she was beginning to see just how deep that roguish heart thumped.

As her friend and her commander drifted into the Inn, Halycind stopped, stood silent, then veered toward the city center again. She needed a moment, an hour really. Gauriasse's tears lingered in her mind. His wails seeing his brother die took her reasoning. She was not in the mood for drink or for fat meals. The thought of celebration seemed sour to her.

Her legs were terribly sore now but she wanted the walk.

Taphsel had mentioned, because of her title as Weroanqua, that she should vie for a rank in the Zadagen Agency one day. She'd seen them about, peacocking through the streets of Cashtiel. They were well kept and always stout looking. Had she'd seen this portion of the Agency's daily goings-on, she'd have discussed her decision longer with her adopted father.

She reached the center of the city and hung there, replaying the day's chase for a time. They'd worked so well as a unit. So well as a program of weapons for one King's justice and another King's torment.

The roads were empty. She had remembered seeing people in the plaza moments ago. Perhaps she'd stood there longer than she reckoned. Perhaps they'd all bedded down for the night; to rest away this fateful day. The lamps were dim and no lamplighters seemed to be roaming. Darkness had hugged in around her but it offered her a certain comfort.

She felt an overcoat pass her shoulder. A vague pungency of dying roses wafted up her nose. She had only gotten two paces beyond before she nearly turned all the way round to face the man. “Wait.”

A slow head draped in dark waves turned over shoulder. The high collar of his overcoat obscured the bottom portion of his shadowed face but she was sure she'd seen him before; earlier this day in fact. “I know you.” Curiosity had taken the fullness of her voice and she'd fallen to a near whisper.

“Do you?”

His query; inviting. His voice; a smooth rumble. It matched the thick curiosity of her own voice but markedly more confident.

She hesitated to speak to this stranger of the strange things she had seen him do but she simply had to know. “You...pulled bones...from the ground.”

“Did I?” He remarked. She couldn't see it and she needed no real confirmation but she knew there was pleasure on that question. Hesitation seized her once more. He seemed to patiently let her formulate an inquiry; made no movement to vacate their encounter.

“H-how did you know there were bones there?”

The waves of his tress hung away from his cheek a bit as he tilted his head. “Do you know how old Dureyr is? The dead are everywhere.” He turned away as he left her with only the heat of rising questions.

There was nothing special about it all, nothing particularly stunning but she seemed unable to move. Only watched him walk, stuffing what looked like a tail beneath his cloaks, into one of the apothecaries nearby—neat in his movement. But she didn't believe it. Not the normalcy of it. His voice was not the voice of a stranger nor were his answers, in question, the reasonings of a dullard. Her curiosity almost curled into fear.

“Wolaenki?”

She jumped ten foot from her skin at the touch of Veygornne's palm on her shoulder. She looked at him then passed him. There were people out on the streets where there had been none just before and the lamps were burning where there had been no light. She wondered if she had dreamt him. The whole scene.

“You alright?”

“Oh, yes, Agent.” Her voice was quivering and Veygornne looked her over.

“Took me some time to find you. Should have known you were reexamining the chase.”

“Yes.” She suddenly remembered herself. “Yes, I was. Which brings me to my question, Veygornne. Have you ever, on error, killed your quarry?”

“Oh, all the time...if I've regretted anything it would be that I can't always control how a quarry, be it man or beast, dies. You're wondering of Marvynn's fate.”

“Percival knew he was going to burn him in front of his brother.” Halycind's words were riddled with scrutiny.

“Who better to die before?”

“He was weeping and begging.”

“And? Either by decree or by happenstance, my hand has taken the lives of many. It is what I've come to accept of what we aim to do. Being a Paragon and Prince isn't actually saving everyone, it's doing everything you can to do so. The Mad Mage killed without cause. An entire tribe is wiped from Dureyr because of his madness.” He rolled eyes to the city-scape then back to her with a cross glare on them. “But I respect your sympathy for the dying.”

“Hm, a clear weakness. In reaction to the King Regent's tears...if we will have license to judge a man...I must have willingness to end a man.”

“Do not aim to murder, wolaenki. Just remain observant. Every instance of life and death regard sound judgement.”

Halycind sighed. “Why we're you searching for me?”

“We have orders to meet in Cloudsfall.”

“Why?! But we haven't even been given our 'Venge quarries yet? I don't want to have trudged all the way up Has Mountain for nothing.” Halycind exhaled a long breath suddenly tired of the whole day.

“Well, get used to the chicken chase.”

“Yeah, get used to a lot, I suppose.”

Veygornne guided a limping and self-massaging wolaenki back to The Glorious Toot.