Kaden and Trella raced to the servant’s tunnel, where the betting table man stood, his jaw open in shock. “Where does this tunnel go?”

Multispeak activated, so the man understood, but he gaped.

“There are assassins loose. However many you’ve seen assume there’s at least one more,” Trella said to her crow, sending it off. “There. Sara will understand.”

Kaden pushed the old man aside. “She was headed this way. Pity we don’t have Sevin here to bring back her spirit and ask.”

Trella paused at an intersection “More screaming this way. I smell smoke from that way.”

“Screams.” Kaden followed Trella as she sprinted down the narrow hall and hurdled carts of food. There were, in fact, screams coming from this way, and it was probably the people on fire screaming.

Trella leaped, drawing both dagger to bury them in a man’s chest before kicking the man back. “Look out!”

The [Eldritch Shield] blocked the fire that exploded outward. “How the hell did you know he was one of them?”

“Their outfits are brand new and clean, the leather is shiny. The’ve never worked a day in their lives.” Trella sheathed both daggers and turned right, heading upward.

“Can you hear something?” Kaden asked.

“I smell blood,” Trella answered. “Either a lot of someones cut themselves while eating dinner or the assassins went this way.”

Kaden wrapped them in [Stealth Aura] as they ran up two more flights of stairs, through industrial kitchens, and over a trail of burned bodies.

Trella slowed, pulling back a door carefully.

Guards—actual guards—fought with assassins, and to Kaden’s suprise, it wasn’t a slaughter. Their armor made them less vulnerable, their discipline let them fight through the pain, and if Kaden were guessing, every last one had been chosen for the same mentality that let [Shields] look death in the face.

Kaden spotted Sara, Ashi and Eve together with Tomoko, and a man he was sure was Lord Sato. Two guards worked with them, and Sara had drawn her bow, making it near impossible for the Assassins to stop moving.

“[Backstab]!” Trella shouted as she burst into existence behind one of the assassins.

The man contorted, dodging one dagger but not the second—and the guard fighting with them struck as well.

It wasn’t fair to let Trella have all the fun. Kaden sprinted across the room and leaped over the mana barrier, activating [Moment of Speed] to slam shoulder-first into an assassin.

She rolled and came up throwing flames.

Kaden couldn’t see the lizard on his lapel smirking but he bet Burny was as Kaden caught a fireball and put it out between his palms, then stepped through a pillar of flame that left his armor smoking—then blocked a knife thrust and grabbed the Assassin’s arm.

Kaden had been mildly watching when the warriors fought barehanded.

It was one thing to watch it and another to suddenly find himself flying through the air. Except he didn’t let go. Did his bones ache? Yes. Did his shoulder wrench? Also yes, but now Kaden had her with both hands.

He jerked his head to the side as she stabbed with a free hand, then pulled, yanking her over. Now, he understood why Trella’s foes hated [Acrobatic]. The woman twisted, landed on her feet and tried to deliver a line drive kick to his [Preserved Biscuits].

Desire to live and love let Kaden twist and take the kick to his thigh.

“Change into a Minotaur!” Eve shouted as she activated [Life Transfusion].

Kaden blocked another kick. “If only I had three days and a ship’s lookout, I would.”

The assassin burst into flame, screaming in frustration as she attempted to pull away. And that was all it took for Kaden to get one foot under him.

This time, as she pulled and thrust her hip at him, Kaden was ready. He brought down his boot on the edge of her foot, stomping. The crack of bones beneath him and her gasp of agony let him drive his boot down again, this time, rewarded with a chorus of cracks.

He knew better than to let go of an [Assassin].

When she drove her fist into his throat, he almost choked. But better than almost choking was actually driving his forehead down into her nose.

“Die!” She screamed, stabbing him in the gut.

Mistake. The mistake was opening her mouth. He grabbed her by the open jaw, ignoring how she bit. Ignoring how every inch of her—and him—was engulfed in flames. “[Fireproof], idiot.” He slammed her back into the mana barrier even as she sawed at the tendons of his arm.

Her jaw snapped.

Her hand dropped, leaving the dagger still stuck in Kaden’s elbow.

Kaden’s pulse pounded in his ears, and he couldn’t remember why he hadn’t just cut her leg off with Remembrance. Or pounded her skull into the mana barrier until it collapsed.

A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

“Hey,” Trella said. Her hair was burned off on one side, her cloak gone. “You know what’s better than killing an unconscious assassin? Questioning them when they wake up. How about you let these guards take her?”

Trella’s voice cooled the rage in his heart.

The assassin sagged to the dirt floor as Kaden pulled the dagger out of his arm. Everything was a blur, and the world spun around him.

“I will be there in a moment,” Eve called. “Ashi got barbecued.”

“Not so!” Ashi answered. “I was slow to use Ice mana. Too slow, but I am not cooked.”

Kaden took a healing potion from inventory and drank some, then offered it to Trella, who toasted him with one of her own. “So, Xiao empire. Pretty place, nice entertainment. Cool assassins. I like it.”

Sara climbed over the barrel, landing heavily in the dirt and approached. “So frustrating. I wanted to kill them but all I could do was wound. Ashi was far more effective.”

“Did you doubt this?” Ashi called. “That hurts, Evelyn. Be gentle!”

Sara watched as the guards bound Kaden’s [Assassin] with enchanted manacles before using a [Healer] to revive her.

“You.” Lord Sato spoke to the Assassin. “You failed. But know this, you didn’t fail alone. My staff overwhelmed two more of your band. Your timing was impecable, striking while the Master of the Guard escorted a shipment inside. But even the best timing fails.”

She bowed. “I struck as were my orders. I accept the consequences.”

Lord Sato waved to his guards. “Store her safely. I will meet with her master for breakfast tomorrow. Heal those who can be healed. Resurrect those who can. How many traders wounded?”

“We’re still counting,” a servant answered.

Lord Sato sighed. Then spoke in Common. “My deepest apologies, guests. In the Xiao empire one way to be promoted is to wait for someone to die. Another is to make someone die. I’m sure you’ve guessed our flaming friends were here for me, but the Empire rules forbid another attempt for three months.”

Nervous laughter and even a few claps echoed through the entertainment hall as Kaden finally stood. “What happened up here?”

“Dinner was mostly business, very little food. The combat was entrancing until the cultivators took the arena. The first three fights featured the same man, getting beat further and further, until he was forced to use a spear.” Sara looked up at the spear embedded in the ceiling. “He leaped up and hurled the spear—at Lord Sato. I still don’t know how Ashi saw the attack coming.”

“I did not trust him. No one smiles when forced to use a spear!” Ashi swore. “Be gentle!”

Sara pointed to two different entrances. “They expected him to be alone. Most of the guests are merchants or diplomats. Eve didn’t even hesitate to hit him with [Life Explosion] and that bought the guards time to respond. If all of the assassins had converged, this would have been over before it started.”

“Succinct. Accurate.” Lord Sato stood. “This is not how guests should see us. And yet, it is how it is. I must ask you to remain here for a phase of the sea. The Emperor himself has dispatched guards to enforce the waiting period for the next attack.”

Kaden couldn’t shake a feeling, a bad feeling. “I need some room. Nobody move, nobody attack. What I did to that Assassin will only be a start if you attack.”

He summoned Trinity. “Girl, I need you to do something for me.”

Trinity padded to one end of the room and stood, motionless. Her blind eyes began to glow, and beams of gold light swept out, swinging across the room. Then, at Kaden’s will, searching the beams overhead. Revealing a hand that ducked out of view.

Trinity’s head snapped up as she followed. A [Spy] dressed in gray clung to the rafters, revealed.

“[Death Grasp!]” Ashi shouted. A band of black mana reached out encircle the man as he leaped from beam to beam.

Sara launched [Lightning Bolts] while Kaden and Trella loosed arrows. It was only a matter of time before Eve’s [Plague] caught up. Before he missed a leap and caught himself by one hand.

Three arrows struck his legs, and the spy screamed as he fell to land flat on his back. Kaden stalked over to him. “What do we have here?”

“I have nothing to stay to you, foreigner!” the spy said.

Kaden glanced to his monster. “Trinity, eat his arms.”

“I work for the Emperor! To kill me is to offend him! I swear this before the System.” The spy suddenly had a great deal to say to Trinity, who was quite comfortable being a monster.

Oath acknowledged. Li Jian is a servant of the Emperor.

Kaden pulled Trinity into his soul before she could cause an international accident. Eve waved desperatedly for his attention. Yes, this could definitely be an advantage.

“Lord Sato, it would be our pleasure to leave this man to you,” Eve said. “We’ll wait patiently while you deal with this.”

Kaden looked to Sara. That left a lot of room for them to get shafted, but she gave a quick nod. *We’re negotiating from a strong place,* she sent to him. *We only need a minor trade agreement. It’s better to stick to what we need than force our hand.*

“Please, if you would be seated, I will serve tea.” Aya gestured to a slightly charred table.

“Did a dragon spit in it? I take my tea with dragon spit.” Sara looked around for a dragon that was neither present nor coming.

Kaden would tolerate it. “Can I get whatever drug they put in the rice and peas? I’m working on my resistances.”

“There is not—” Tomoko stopped before she made a mistake she couldn’t take back. “I will return.”

While she was gone, the party gathered, in theory to let Eve heal Kaden, in reality to discuss, with Eve leading. “Whether you drink tea or not, drink some, please. It’s a cultural norm. That woman just survived an assassination attempt and she’s doing her best to cling to something she knows.”

“I want to see you put them to the screws,” Trella said. “I don’t mind losing hair, hair grows back, I can even brew a potion for it. I don’t mind some burns. I do mind if we’re attacked and we don’t gain or grow.”

That was Sara’s to handle. “Normally, I would use this as an opportunity to level [Negotiation.] My priorities are simple: first, get some kind of trade agreement—any kind. Second, turn a healthy profit on the voyage. That means experience, gear, coins or relationships, in that order.”

“This I understand. My hair is part of my identity. I would like to buy a potion from Trella,” Ashi said.

“I wasn’t done,” Sara said. “Getting an agreement for Eve, turning a profit, collecting the mercari quest tokens and favor, those are primary goals. But when we step in, I expect more. Which leads to the obvious problem.”

“A spy for the Emperor watched the assassination.” Ashi’s disdain came through clear. “This means we negotiate a trade agreement with a man who may not be in power long. While I would gladly help Eve make an agreement, I would prefer it is profitable for all of us.”

Kaden exchange glances with Trella. “So, what do we do?”

“Wait for the dust to settle. Negotiate for what we must have rather than everything we can get, make good purchases and the best decisions we can with the knowledge we have.” Sara’s old hesistancy crept in. “I want to succeed wildly, and this Quest aligns with my business profession, but I don’t know what we don’t know. It’s impossible to account for that.”

Lord Sato had been speaking with one of the guards, and now, the spy in gray stood at his side. Lord Sato cleared his throat. “Mr. Birch. If you would be so kind, the Emperor’s servant has questions for you. I would consider it a favor.”

A favor from a man in no position to repay was as valuable as a pile of shit in a Beast Control hallway. He gently took Trella’s hand. *What do you think?*

*I think he’s not here to kill any of us,* she replied. *I’ll come with you. I was taught basic interrogation. If he plays nice, we play nice. If not, he said he had a secret mission to run, and we feed him to Trinity.*

Kaden looked the spy over. He was short, and not particularly heavy. Trinity had room. “I’d be happy to answer your questions.”