Returning to the sitting room, Jade slid open the door to find Mikiva and Av’ry studiously ignoring each other. The stony silence was almost palpable. She slammed the door behind her, and they both looked up sharply.

“Jade, you’re back. How did it go?” Mikiva asked.

“Oh, fine. We played some chess, had a little chat.”

“And what did he decide?”

“He wants you to babysit me, keep me out of trouble until the information I know is no longer of value to the enemy. I think he suspected that I was a spy, but hopefully I dissuaded him of that notion. Now I am pretty sure he just doesn’t want me getting returned to Avrinly and being forced to reveal our little deception. Whatever he believes, he wants to keep me close, for now. And that means you are stuck with me a bit longer, I am afraid.”

“Did he agree to let me read you in on the investigation, at least?” Mikiva replied.

“Yes, though he is just humouring me. Or maybe you. I’m not sure which.”

“It doesn’t matter what he thinks, I am glad to have your assistance. I’ll need it if my only other option is him,” she scowled in Av’ry’s direction.

“Hey!” he protested. “This is my investigation.”

“Be nice, Mikiva,” Jade chided.

Why was she getting the feeling that the two of them needed a referee more then she needed a guard?

“Have you two gone over the details, yet?” she continued.

“We were waiting for you,” Av’ry replied.

“Well, let’s get down to it then,” Jade stifled a yawn.

It didn’t go unnoticed. Av’ry studied her and Mikiva for a moment,

“Maybe we should pick this up in the morning. You two look exhausted and I’m not really faring much better.”

“That isn’t necessary,” Jade protested. “I’m fine.”

“Maybe he is right about this one, Jade. We could all use some rest. One night won’t do any harm,” Mikiva reasoned.

“At least we can agree on one thing,” Av’ry chuckled.

“Maybe I just don’t have the patience to deal with you without getting some sleep first,” she muttered.

“Well, then we definitely need to take a break. Wouldn’t want you to try to kill me again,” he smiled broadly.

Mikiva just grunted.

“So, where to, then?” Jade asked, hoping to avoid another argument.

“I know an inn near here where we can stay for the night,” Mikiva replied. “We can meet you back here tomorrow, Avry, and you can give us the details. Is that satisfactory?”

“Fine by me,” he replied, rising from his seat.

“Alright, let’s get out of here,” Mikiva motioned for Jade to follow her and left via the balcony.

Jade moved to follow, but as she passed Av’ry she paused and clapped him on the shoulder.

“Don’t let her bother you, I’m sure she’ll warm up eventually.”

“I hope so,” he sighed. “Otherwise, this is going to be a very long investigation.”

“She’s a pro. Once you start working, she’ll get over your little tiff.”

“You’re right. A little rest and I am sure we will be getting along swimmingly,” he didn’t sound as convinced as he had earlier.

“Anyways, I’ll see you tomorrow, Ave.”

“What did you just call me?” he flinched as if she had struck him.

“Oh, I’m sorry, I guess I wasn’t really thinking. I am sort of unfamiliar with interacting with people outside of a subservient context. Was that too casual? Should I call you March or Av’ry?”

“Don’t worry about it. Av’ry is fine.”

“Av’ry, then.”

And with that, she headed out to the balcony and hurried after Mikiva. She wasn’t sure why she stopped to reassure him. She didn’t even know the man, but for some reason she liked him, and she felt bad for the way Mikiva was treating him. The spy’s intense and immediate dislike of Av’ry surprised her, and Jade made a mental note to ask her about it. But not right now. Jogging after Mikiva, she followed her out to the outer wall of the city, to see to the proper boarding of the horses at their new lodgings, then they doubled back to the inn closest to the palace.

“I cannot wait to finally get a goodnight’s sleep,” Mikiva groaned as she fitted the heavy brass key into the lock on the door to their room.

If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.

“I’ll second that,” Jade agreed. “I’m not sure I like sleeping on the road. Or maybe it is worrying about people hunting me that I don’t like.”

“You get used to it,” Mikiva chuckled.

“Which one?”

Mikiva had just pushed open their room when suddenly the neighboring door swung open,

“I thought I recognized those voices,” Av’ry poked his head out into the hallway.

“You have got to be kidding me,” Mikiva muttered.

“Apparently this is a popular inn,” Jade chuckled at Mikiva’s exasperation.

“Good prices and a lower-than-average chance of getting knifed in your sleep. It’s a traveller’s delight,” Av’ry grinned. “And it is the only one visible from the palace gates. Where else would I be?”

“Unfortunately, they’ll let just any riffraff have a room,” Mikiva said pointedly. “Don’t let me forget to lock the door, Jade.”

Mikiva disappeared into the room without a backward glance.

“Looks like she’s warming up to me already,” Av’ry sighed.

Jade laughed and tossed him a wave as she slipped into the room and shut the door behind her.

“You should be careful not to get too friendly with him, Jade,” Mikiva cautioned.

“What do you have against him anyway?” Jade sat on the edge of the bed. “I mean, you’ve barely met. Don’t you think you’re being a bit harsh?”

Mikiva sighed,

“It may be the first time we’ve met, but his name isn’t entirely unfamiliar to me. You wouldn’t know this, but he and his partner had something of a reputation. They were hounds, some of the best in the business. His partner, especially, was a genius. She was the one people went to when they had nowhere left to turn. Truthfully, I think that that’s why K’ivin is so eager to trust Av’ry’s information, despite the risks. If it really came from Taevyn Fox, then it is likely accurate.”

“Is that a problem, somehow?”

“That isn’t, I’m just trying to explain the context,” Mikiva flopped onto the straw mattress. “See, I know Av’ry March. By reputation, at least. Before he was a hound, he was a conman and a grifter. His speciality was charming wealthy women and fleecing them. If you let him, he’ll manipulate you to get what he wants, then toss you aside when he’s done. It’s just who he is.”

“You don’t know that.”

“Yes, I do. And I, for one, don’t like being taken advantage of.”

“I can understand that. But still, couldn’t you at least give him a chance? He hasn’t tried anything, and he seems nice enough.”

“Of course he seems nice enough, that’s what makes him good at what he does. Trust me on this, Jade, you have led a sheltered life. Men like our new friend are handsome and charming and they know it. Don’t let him fool you with the act,” Mikiva grumbled as she stripped off her leathers and tossed them on the floor beneath the bed.

Jade smirked,

“That sounded awfully personal.”

Mikiva shook her head, then sighed,

“Alright, maybe I am being a bit prejudiced,” she admitted. “But it isn’t just that, I also have professional concerns. I worry that he is unstable, unreliable. In other words, dangerous.”

“What makes you think that?”

“Well, I told you he had a partner, didn’t I?”

Jade nodded.

“She was killed working a case a few years ago. Word is after that, he had something of a breakdown. Dropped out of life, essentially. Never worked a case again.”

“Wait, a couple of years ago? If this information came from her, why is he just coming out with it now?”

“Exactly the question I intend to ask tomorrow,” Mikiva snorted. “But whatever his answer, a stable man doesn’t just drop out of his life. He clearly has issues, and I don’t know if he can be trusted, even if he means well.”

“If it counts for anything,” Jade collapsed onto her straw mattress. “I think he can be.”

“No offence, but it will take more than that to convince me. Still, there is no sense arguing about it, is there? K’ivin has made his decision, and we will just have to take things one day at a time. I’m just advising you to be careful. Now, let’s get some sleep.”

Jade nodded, then winced, she felt another of her headaches coming on. They had been more frequent these days, especially at night. Probably a sign that she was overtired. She lay back and was asleep before her head hit the mattress.

**

A’rin Kval, guildmaster of the Azure Scorpions, sat across from his messenger, trying to keep the surprise from showing on his face. A mage may be necessary for communication through the Stream, but that didn’t mean the man was someone that A’rin wanted to take too far into his confidences. He maintained a stoic expression as he formulated a careful response.

“This is… not the sort of work that we typically do, your majesty,” he said carefully. “We are an assassin’s guild. We do not take people alive.”

There was a short pause as the mage relayed the message and received the response. A’rin waited impatiently. He found this method of communication tedious and frustrating. He would much rather meet in person, where the conversation would flow naturally, where he could gage a person’s intentions by studying their body language and mannerisms. This way, he had to put far too much faith in the middling mage he kept around solely for these matters. And he didn’t really trust the man at all. Certainly not with a matter this delicate. But A’rin wasn’t spoiled for choice when it came to messengers. Mages were so rare outside of the military, even the relatively weak ones, that he had to take whatever he could get. All he could do was hope the man conveyed things accurately and didn’t trigger and international incident.

“Queen Istaria says that she is aware of this,” the mage spoke at last. “And she does not much care. She requires the best and she is willing to pay what is necessary to acquire our services. She is certain that there will still be deaths involved, if that reassures you. In fact, she is willing to compensate us appropriately for the deaths of any who stand in the way of recapturing her target. Along with a bonus for haste.”

A’rin nodded, closing his eyes. He needed a moment to consider his options. A personal request from the Queen of Esrasea would certainly be a boon to the guild. But still, he hesitated. It wasn’t so much that the request came from an enemy nation. The distinction mattered little to him. His loyalty belonged to the highest bidder, not to any sovereign. What did bother him, however, was the fact that the assignment made no sense. For one thing, Queen Istaria contacted them directly, a strange move for royalty. Add that to the fact that what she had requested was not even an assassination and the whole thing set A’rin’s teeth on edge. Why would the Queen care so much about a single servant that she would hire his guild to retrieve her? Some would think that it didn’t matter, that her coin would spend the same whatever her motivations. But he hadn’t become the head of the largest assassin’s guild on the continent by ignoring the details. He worried that there was something about this task that would come back to bite him, later. But in the end, he knew that he could not refuse. The money promised for the work was more than worth it, not to mention the obvious benefit to gaining the patronage of the Esrasean crown. Given the way the winds were blowing, it would benefit the guild to… diversify. Besides, the biggest risks begat the biggest rewards, didn’t they? So A’rin decided he had to roll the dice. He turned his gaze to the mage again.

“Very well. Tell her we accept her contract. I will find a guild-member to take the job immediately.”

“Yes sir,” the mage nodded curtly.

A’rin began mentally reviewing who would be available for a job at the moment. The task needed to be carried out immediately and not just anyone would do.