Karch squeezed the robe in his fist until his knuckles turned as white as the material. He didn't enjoy being the second most important person in one of several powerful guilds in Ness. He wanted to be the second most powerful person in the most powerful guild, and someday—the most powerful man, period. It was a timeline and plan he had helped nurture for years, and yet now Larsen's irresponsible and maddening little brother was about to ruin everything.

Ralan. If it had been up to Karch, the disrespectful welp would have been banished years earlier. He flaunted his lack of guild, as if it was due to his rebelliousness and not his ineptitude. He insulted Karch regularly, knowing that his brother would protect him. And perhaps worse than anything, he was constantly causing problems for he and Larsen's intricately laid plans. This was just one more example of that. Karch scowled. This mischief would be the last.

He knocked on the polished wooden door with his free hand. He caught a glimpse of his reflection in the brass plate that said, "Larsen Miller, Guildmaster Merchant," and Karch softened his features. When it came to Larsen's brother, he had to take care not to be too aggressive or insulting.

"Come in," came the tired voice of his Guildmaster. Karch turned the knob with his left hand while he slid the stained robe in his right hand behind his back. He entered, closed the door, and approached, both his hands behind him. He bowed his head.

"Guildmaster, I'm afraid we have a new problem with the Knight Guild." He looked up just as Larsen dropped his head against his hand, rubbing his temples with his fingers.

"Will this never end? What do they want now? More money? Does Saxe want me to apprentice more of his relatives? Do they want me to pay for the Masons to build their tower higher?" Larsen slammed his fist to the table. "I'm still dealing with Pietro's death. I swear, Karch, this has to end. Doesn't Saxe know we haven't yet eliminated the Harvest Guild? I'm just trying to avoid strikes or, gods forbid, bloodshed."

Karch did his best not to smile. He had arranged everything so perfectly—he paid the bribes, apprenticed the right children, gave the right gifts—that he didn't have to worry about any other complications than the one in his right hand, and that complication was about to be removed.

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"Sir, this is an entirely different kind of problem." He brought his hand forward and laid the robe on Larsen's desk. A reddish brown stain marred the pure white of the rest of the robe. "Your brother insulted the Knight Guild by tossing a tomato at a member of the White Guard while he was on duty." Karch shook his head in an attempt to display a shocked sadness.

Larsen grabbed the robe and examined the stain. He looked up at Karch. "Are they positive it was Ralan?"

"Indeed, sir. The knight saw him clearly in the midst of a field at the base of the North Wall. He had presumably been practicing his throws for the Founders Day parade." Karch shrugged. "I'm sure he meant no harm."

Larsen's face turned red. His temper was famous across the city, and Karch had said the perfect thing to set it off. "Meant no harm? I've told him again and again that he had to stop these insults to my position as Guildmaster and to the reputation of his own family." Larsen started to drum his hand on his desk as his voice increased in volume. "I've had to protect Ralan from every guildmaster in the city over his continued misbehavior, and this is how the thanks me? By assaulting the guards who defend our walls?"

Karch leaned forward, "Not to mention, Guildmaster, that he has offended the one guild that could cause problems for your plan to merge the Merchant and Harvest Guilds."

Larsen's eyes opened a bit wider. "My patience is at an end, Karch." He grabbed the robe and threw it at him. "Find my brother and bring him here. My days of protecting him are over. We'll deliver him to Saxe and let the Knights take care of him."

The moment came for Karch to spring his trap. He would finally be able to rid himself of the impertinent Ralan. Karch almost couldn't restrain his smile as he considered Ralan living the rest of his life in degradation and isolation. And the beauty was that it brought his entire plan together—Ralan would no longer be an issue, and the last potential stumbling block to their plan to control Ness would be removed.

"Guildmaster," Karch began to fold the robe, "I'm afraid just giving Ralan to the Knights will only anger him. They won't hold him for very long for such a minor offense, and when they let him go, he will be even more uncontrollable." Karch looked at Larsen and was pleased to see him listening intently, his hands spread on the table. "I have a plan that I think will solve two of your problems at once."

Larsen leaned back, his face emotionless. "I'm listening."

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