“You dun look so good.” A familiar voice spoke from beside him. Vallerian shot his eyes down quickly, a dagger dropping from sleeve to hand instinctively. He relaxed when he saw the familiar dirty face walking along side him.

“Really? Because I feel just wonderful.” He groaned. “What do you want?” He eyed his little urchin friend. She looked cleaner than she had when they first met, he felt a bit proud of that. From what Vallerian had heard of the home he had bought his little informants, it was far from well kept. But they at least kept their faces washed now. Baby steps, he thought.

“Been keepin an eye out for ya.” She walked in long, deliberate strides. Like a kid pretending to be a soldier. “Could be useful.”

Vallerian rolled his eyes. “Do I really look like I have the time for this right now?” He asked through gritted teeth while stopping. The girl looked him up and down.

“No, but I’m hungry.” She shrugged and kept walking. The nerve of the girl. Vallerian groaned loudly but strode back up to her side.

“What do you have? And it had better be good.” His head spun as they moved. Gods, was the child running?

“The big creepy ones.” The girl responded. “Y’know, the ones that live by Stink River?”

“The cult?” Vallerian asked, his interest piqued. The girl might actually have something useful for once.

“Yeah, them.” She nodded, a grin the size of her face spreading. “We been thinking they be planning something big.”

Vallerian furrowed his brow and looked down at her. “And what gave you that idea?”

“We see them sneaking about, keeping quiet, not talking as loud no more.” She let the words trail off as if she was insinuating something. Vallerian gave her a flat look.

“So your special tip is that they’re doing nothing?”

“When you want to steal a bread roll, you don’t go begging by the baker’s stall.” She explained, tapping her nose. Vallerian chuckled, she was right. If you want to do something big, you stay quiet first. Damn, the girl really was helpful. Not that he’d let her know that. She might get greedy.

“So they’re trying to stay low, to catch us off guard?”

“Mhmm.” She hummed proudly. Vallerian shook his head, then regretted it. Too dizzy. How far was he? The thought floated through his head lazily. He glanced around.

Spotting a red curtain in a nearby window, Vallerian breathed a little easier. Almost back. “You’re smarter than you look girl.” He reached over and ruffled her hair and she smacked away at his hand helplessly.

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“Don’t you go getting all sappy on me.” She shook a finger at him. “This is a strictly business re-lay-shun ship.” Working through the final word, she nodded her head like a Khazimi businessmen brokering a deal and looked just as pleased. Vallerian couldn’t help but laugh at the sight.

“Don’t worry I would never…” Vallerian trailed off as Charlotte fluttered her wings and cawed. Looking where the bird pointed with her head, Vallerian caught a figure stepping out into the moonlit streets. A woman, the shifting form of dark, loose silk that wrapped her making her near invisible. Two glinting daggers were held at her side, at least as long as Vallerian’s arm, and jagged. A Theremya assassin. “Get behind me.” Vallerian whispered to the girl, pushing her roughly behind him.

The world grew a bit brighter as his pupils dilated, blood rushing through his veins, head clearing. He could feel the rush, and his legs were itching to move. Run or fight. Moving his arm made that answer for him, the pain shooting through his whole body. Vallerian had thought he had more time. Was Crysilla really so impatient as to kill him because he took a little longer than she had wanted? Vallerian gulped, her reputation said yes.

But no, he realized, looking at the assassin. If Crysilla had wanted him dead, her knives wouldn’t have stepped out into the light. He’d already be dead with a dagger in the back or a poisoned drink. His mother-in-law didn’t want him dead, she just wanted him. He wasn't sure that was any better. It meant she was near.

“What’s going on?” The girl asked, and Vallerian glanced back at her.

“Get out of here.” He hissed at her. “Now!” Glancing back, he saw the assassin striding over to them with a feline grace.

The girl pulled his attention back with a petulant stomp. “I gave you information. Where’s my food?” She stared up at him with a furrowed brow.

“Child, I will buy you a damn boar and roast it myself if you get out of here right now.” He shoved her, lightly, but enough to make her stumble. The act nearly put him off balance as well. Dammit, he was in no shape for this.

“But... our deal...” The damned child's face looked hurt.

“You're no use to me dead girl. Get out of here. Now.”

“Is this peasant causing you trouble my lord.” The assassin hissed, striding forward without a single audible footstep or shuffling of cloth; it was unnerving. The moonlight caught on the woman's long, jagged dagger as she raised it, pointed at the child. Vallerian placed a hand on the child's chest and pushed her back behind him.

“She was just leaving.” Vallerian gave the Theremya a small bow, not letting his eyes leave hers. With another shove of his hand, the girl went tumbling back. The patter of her feet fading away was the closest thing to comfort he could imagine at that moment. The child wasn't a complete idiot then, good. “Keep an eye on her.” Vallerian whispered to Charlotte, the bird quickly alighting and following into the darkness.

“Pity.” The assassin spat, disappointment dripping from the words. “Come now, my lord. Her ladyship awaits you.” The woman pointed the dagger from him to the door of a tall building next to them. Thick black curtains hung over the windows, but otherwise it was a clean nondescript structure with a simple sign out front. The crude painting depicted a frothing mug of ale, an inn, the kind that had no doubt seen plenty of cups of poisoned ale and drunken stabbings. Vallerian gulped, perhaps he’d skip the ale tonight.

With a deep sigh, Vallerian stumbled toward the door. His shoulder still ached, and he was beginning to feel cold from blood loss. He shoved down the pain, and moved into the pub.