A knock sounded from the hardwood door at the front of the house and Rolena stirred awake. She had fallen asleep on the fine upholstered chair in the sitting room. The room was unfamiliar and dim and a wave of unfamiliar terror rolled through her as the knock sounded again, louder. She wiped her hand across her face, removing the drool that had collected on her lip as she had slept. Exhaustion had taken her at some point. As to when it had happened, she couldn’t recall.

Roused from her slumber, she looked around the room expectantly and found it empty. Gaba’ké, who’s arm they had worked with the doctor to remove, was gone. Back in his bed to recovershe hoped. Also missing were Ohacha and Cask. She vaguely remembered that she and the prince had fallen asleep together, shoulder to shoulder. He must have gone up to his bed at some point in the night. What wasn’t gone was the blood.

Across the room, dark red stains covered much of the kitchen. In the darkness, it had been difficult to see where it had gotten. They had cleaned what they could but now, with night’s curtain removed, it was clear they had missed a lot. The fine wood table where Cask had cleaved the hand away – just below the elbow – and the doctor, Bol, had cauterized the wound looked newly stained. The blood had dried in ominous streaks. Looking down at her hands, they too still carried stains from what they had done last night. Despite that, it was the single best amputation Rolena had ever witnessed. Though, when compared to the first and only amputation she had ever had the displeasure of watching on a battlefield, there wasn’t much competition. This affair had been clean and efficient. Gaba’ké had already been drugged and the hot iron was pre-emptively ready to staunch the bleeding. There had been no mud or grime involved. And, Cask’s swing was, as always, beautiful; even in its tragedy.

As she rose from the chair, Rolena found herself still wearing bloody clothes. Streaks covered her in odd places, now dark and dried. She scowled at her own sloppiness as a third knock came from the door. Who could that be? Rolena thought, crossing the room towards the door. The doctor?

Rolena approached the door and realized that opening the door without knowing who was there was foolish. “One minute” she replied, not knowing if the guest had heard or even understood. As she moved for the stairs, Cask appeared coming down. He looked drained in a way she had never seen before. Even during the attack in Onera, he hadn’t looked this emotionally empty.

“It’s a soldier” he said, rushing past her, “a woman.”

Rolena followed him to the door. Cask readied himself and then urged her to open it. She did and greeting her from the other side of the door was a familiar scarred face. It was Yuromi Ashill, her once captor, dressed in her guild armour. The Casoyan woman stood alone and smiled awkwardly.

Rolena supressed the urge to slam the door in the woman’s face. The memory of Lord Kulimas’ butchering came to mind and with it came the painful memories of hunger, fear, discomfort and death from her week spent in Casoyan prison. All because of this pig-faced bitch. Rolena smiled back despite the deep-seeded resentment she felt. She was the reason Rolena hadn’t been there to protect Aramuk. She was the reason Rolena had been starved and neglected for a week. She was the reason Rolena had witnessed the bodies decimated in the quest for Casoyan justice.

“Sergeant Ashill,” Rolena announced in an overly friendly greeting, “what are you doing here?” This was clearly the wrong question to ask, as Yuromi returned a concerned look. Rolena followed her gaze and understood what the sergeant was seeing. The blood stains were noticeable on her clothes. Her hair was a mess and her long braid hadn’t been removed and combed last night, making her appearance all the wilder.

“We spoke last night” Yuromi said slowly, “Ohacha and I agreed that you and I were to meet with Patzau Minoc this morning. Are you ready to leave?

“Ah, that’s right!” Rolena said, kicking herself for her stupidity. So much had happened that she had completely forgotten about being volunteered to visit Patzau Minoc with the sergeant. “Well, about that…” she continued, not knowing how to respond in the slightest. Had last night’s debacle changed their plans for today? she wondered.No part of her wished to follow through. Spending the day with Yuromi was somewhere near the bottom of the list of things she hoped to do today.

“Please, come inside” Cask said as he appeared from behind. Ohacha followed close by. “Rolena, close the door” Cask added as he ushered Yuromi into the dim apartment. Rolena stepped aside to allow Yuromi through and did as bid. She turned and saw the chaos Yuromi was being invited into. We’re idiots.

Ohacha, to his credit or perhaps to his blatant ignorance, seemed oblivious to the way Yuromi tensed as she inspected the room. Cask noticed her change in attitude immediately. It was the way her posture changed and her hand came down to rest above the sword at her hip. Even in the dim light, the blood splatters across the floor were obtrusive. Rolena couldn’t even remember when and where the trail of blood had come from. Yuromi appeared transfixed and Rolena followed her gaze across the room to where, on obvious display, sat the Mada’abi assassin’s mask. Next to it sat the assassins’ short sword. The one that might have killed Gaba’ké.

“I know we only spoke yesterday” Ohacha continued, “but so much has happened since we last met.”

“Perhaps” Cask suggested, “we start with why the apartment is covered in blood so as to release some of the tension in our guest’s face.”

Yuromi exhaled, as if she had only just realized she had been holding her breath. Ohacha, for the first time, seemed to notice her unease and smiled reassuringly in the awkwardly charming way only he could get away with.

“It’s okay now” Ohacha said, “We had a bit of an incident last night” he added, as if sufficient.

Yuromi strode slowly across the room directly towards the mask. She reached for it and then stopped, hand outstretched. As if touching the strange mask would bring a curse upon her. “A bit of an incident…” she breathed, “is not how a normal person would describe this” she finished. She held up the mask. All three observed quietly as she turned the mask in her hands. She set it down and reached for the handle of the foreign blade. Her hand froze, hovering over the cursed weapon. She seemingly unable, or perhaps unwilling, to cross the line of holding it.

“Its clean” Cask said. His words seemed to spook her hand away from the hilt. He pretended not to notice and continued speaking, “I removed the poison and washed the blade last night.”

“What… the… hell” she mumbled, slowly annunciating each word. She turned around to face them. “Whose blood is this?” she asked. “The assassins?” Rolena stayed silent. To be honest, she wasn’t sure she knew herself.

“The blood on the stairs and in the kitchen is Gaba’ké’s. The rest was the assassin’s” Cask answered. “Her head is…” he trailed off, realizing he was saying entirely too much. Rolena shivered, picturing the head in the basin.

“Let’s start again” Yuromi said, trying to slow her shallow breaths. “What the fuck happened after you left the fortress last night?”

Rolena listened silently as Cask and Ohacha retold the story of the previous night’s attack. She gave an impressed look over at Rolena when Cask explained how they had captured the assassin and a nervous look when sharing how Gaba’ké had collapsed. Then concern as they explained how, with the doctor’s help, they had removed his arm. “And where is Gaba’ké?” she ventured to ask.

“Upstairs. Resting. He agreed that the hand had to be removed” Ohacha answered with a sigh. “Once again, I owe him my life. Each of you” Ohacha added, looking first to Rolena and then Cask.  

“I owe your father and your uncle mine” Cask said.

Rolena smiled but remained silent. Now wasn’t the time to remind him that he was paying her a handsomely for her continued services. And with significantly less risk than Gaba’ké and Cask endured. Meeting the Krimases had been life altering.

“Who sent the assassin?” Yuromi asked. “Bartiin?”

“The assassin refused to tell us” Ohacha said a little too urgently. “We don’t know” he added.

Rolena stifled a scowl. He’s lying, she realized, shocked. The first part is true, so how does he know who it was and why hasn’t he told me? She looked to Cask and realized he knew as well.

“We believe it was Bartiin” Cask said with a finality that ended that line of questioning.

Yuromi’s expression suggested that she too felt there was something off with their answers. She itched her nose with the back of her knuckles and said “Okay,” letting the word linger. “And what are you going to do about it?”

Ohacha looked to Cask, who looked to Rolena, who was then met with a look from Yuromi. All three faces stared in her direction. Rolena stared back at them, unsure why they all looked to her. “What?” Rolena asked. “Am I supposed to answer that?”

“We need more information. We will need decide how best to proceed after you two speak with Patzau Minoc” Ohacha said. Bartiin is still wanted but clearly still capable of trying to hurt us. Now that he’s failed, he’ll need time to arrange his next attack. We need to use this window stop him for good.”

Cask added, “Without knowing where he’s hiding and coordinating from, there’s not much we can do. I doubt he’ll be able send another Mada’abi Stone Assassin after us.”

“Is there another one in the city?” Rolena asked nervously.

“I didn’t think there was one in Caso at all” Yuromi answered. “They’re supposed to be banned from the city. But we can ask Patzau Minoc when we speak with him. It sounds like the kind of thing he might know.”

“Please do” Ohacha said. He looked back at Rolena.

She was once again reminded that she was, in fact, still dishevelled and unready to depart. Beyond her messy hair and the previous day’s clothes, she felt stiff from the chair in which she had slept. Worse, her skin felt sticky and dirty from the hiking and fighting and doctoring. She unconsciously moved to fix her hair under Ohacha’s gaze and felt embarrassed by her appearance. “I need a moment to clean myself up” Rolena said. “Last night was taxing. Once I’m more presentable, then we can go” she added, smiling half-heartedly at Yuromi. The sergeant returned the pleasantry. Whether it was genuine, Rolena couldn’t tell.

Rolena used what little water remained in their tub to scrub her skin clean and rinse her hair. She didn’t have the time to comb or braid it and conceded to putting it in a tail. She did so with a haste that would have made her old company commander proud. On her way out, she peeked across the hall at Gaba’ké who remained asleep in bed, bandages over the stump at his arm. She whispered a prayer to the spirits for him and clambered back down the stairs.

“Let’s go” Rolena said, even before hitting the bottom step. It was clear from everyone’s expressions that she had interrupted their conversation.

Cask cleared his voice and continued, “What happened in Gaag was less civil war and more coup” he continued. “So, I’m afraid that the information we share may not provide you with whatever it is you hoped to learn.”

“That’s okay” Yuromi said softly. “What you have told me already has been incredibly helpful. I think it’s important that I understand what happened and how. I want to know what signs to look out for.”

“Don’t trust the Careyago” Ohacha said disdainfully.

Cask ignored Ohacha’s comment and continued, “Ohacha’s uncle Belvaas met with a vocal minority in Gaag. This was right after the fall of Ayaan, Gaba’ké’s home city and the last city between the Careyago and Gaag. This minority was adamant that the Careyago would continue to push their invasion south.

“And they did” Yuromi said rhetorically. “The Careyago now control Gaag.”

“Not in the way you think” Cask replied. “There were two factions. Ohacha’s father Golan, the new king believed the Careyago wouldn’t come straight away. Ayaan had fallen, yes, but with great cost to the Careyago armies. We didn’t know it at the time, but it had taken a manufactured schism within the Ayaani Aginjigaade Academy to cripple the city’s defences. He believed we had time and resources to bolster defenses and reinforce key positions along the sea and across the Gaagian river. On the other side, Belvaas and his group of dissenting nobles believed that war against the Careyago was inevitable and unwinnable; that war would be a death sentence to all of them. And so, they met with the Careyago in secret and concocted a plan to depose Golan Krimas, Ohacha’s father, and replace him with Belvaas. Once Belvaas was King of Gaag, instead of Golan, he would then surrender the city to Careyago without conflict.”

“I see the difference now” Yuromi said after a few breaths. “We Casoyans were the ones that spread into the mountains. Our guilds have expanded their control and influence and now our grip is slipping. And the council seems bent on provoking the gangs into violence at every turn. I’m struggling with the difference between keeping the peace, as I was raised to expect from a guild soldier, and waging war on our own people. Sorry to bother you with my unfinished thoughts” Yuromi added with a frustrated sigh, “I just don’t know how this will all shake out.”

“I think I understand your dilemma” Ohacha said. “To reclaim my rightful throne, I must depose my own cousin; my brother in all but name. A friend I spent my entire childhood with. Part of me knows deep down that to take his place, he cannot live on. But I don’t know now if I could do it; kill him myself. It was his father, my uncle, who killed my parents. It wasn’t his crime. And yet I think about it sometimes and…” he trailed off.

“We should go” Yuromi said into the silence that followed. She looked to Rolena, who still stood at the bottom of the stairs.  “Patzau Minoc has a most unsavoury habit of never being where you can expect find him. The sooner we get going, the better or chances of finding him today.”

The two women rose and walked towards the entryway. Cask moved and opened the door for them. “I’ll pray for Gaba’ké’s health” Yuromi said, placing her helm atop her head and fixing her sword into her belt. Rolena, a head shorter and dressed in her shabby hand-me-down armour and no crossbow, felt inadequate in comparison. She carried only the short sword on her hip. Never in her life had she owned a helmet, let alone one cast from bronze. She cast a sheepish smile at Ohacha and Cask before closing the door behind them and following the Casoyan sergeant across the city.

From the Spires district in the south, Rolena and Yuromi arrived after what felt like an endless slog. Rolena’s legs already ached from the previous day’s move, ascent, and then decent to the mountaintop fortress. Climbing up steep mountains and hillsides was something she hadn’t done since her days as a sell-sword. Moving back to Onera and finding employment with the Krimas princes hadn’t allowed for much time in the highlands or mountains.

But in simply crossing the city, it became remarkably clear just how much the atmosphere in Caso had shifted since they had arrived. Fewer people moved about the streets. Soldiers roamed with real weapons, spears and swords, rather than ghata. The prices of common goods and food had surged. There was an air of distrust amongst the people that lingered. Yuromi, however, seemed immune to it. Or perhaps she was already used to this new normal.

Rolena considered conversing with the Casoyan sergeant, so as not to seem standoffish, which she was. The problem was that she didn’t know what to say and subsequently found herself irresolute to the point of inaction. By the time the pair reached the Artisan’s Guild, the opportunity felt missed and sullen silence seemed to be their only mutual friend. And by the time they entered the Artisan’s Guild, it was clear that time for needless personal questions had been snuffed.

The Artisan’s Guild was a blackstone building on the north side of the city adorned with statues, geometric tile work, friezes, and ornate metalwork. The building was as hideous as it was lavish, and it was exceptionally lavish. It wasn’t that the works were poor, in fact it was quite the opposite. It was that none of the artistic works blended or complimented one other, leaving the entire structure entirely garish. Chaotic was the word that came to mind.

Adding to the chaos, the guild hall was filled to the brim with far too many people. Arguments filled the large foyer and spilled outside the entrance and into the courtyard. Stopped at the gate before the gathered crowd, finding Patzau Minoc quickly seemed impossible. A large group of children of varying ages stood off to the side and Yuromi approached them, though Rolena couldn’t understand why. The children perked up at her approach and extended their hands out greedily. Yuromi said a few words to the group of children and they in turn answered whatever question she had asked until she seemed satisfied, tossing several a few coppers.

Rolena waited expectantly for a translation or explanation. It didn’t come. Instead, Yuromi walked purposefully into the crowd. Rolena snorted in disdain and followed, now annoyed with the lack of information. Not knowing what else to do, she set her mind to spotting the portly Patzau Minoc. From memory, he would be loud, large, and important. Finding him can’t be very hard… can it? Surely somebody in the crowd knows where he’s hiding. Yuromi, dressed in her soldier’s uniform, found it easy to navigate through and into the hall. Rolena followed but with more difficulty as elbows and shoulders seemed to find their way back into her path and into her ribs. Yuromi stood in a pocket within the crowd and Rolena squeezed her way through stand beside her.

“Do you see her?” Yuromi asked.

“Her?” Rolena repeated.

“Kuta” Yuromi said, still scanning the room. Rolena followed Yuromi’s lead and looked around the room for Patzau Minoc’s Aginjigaade. She barely remembered what the girl looked like. They had only met the once and the little girl hadn’t made a significant impression. It seemed foolish spending time looking for Minoc’s tiny assistant when the Patzau would be so much taller and greater. Instead of finding anything, a horn sounded through the open guild hall and the conversations and arguments stifled until a murmured silence remained.

At the same time, Yuromi continued scanning the crowd. She was looking for somebody who might know what the hell was going on and why Minoc wasn’t here. Instead, she drowned in a sea of unimportant faces that shared her confusion. A second sounded, cutting through the chatter and Yuromi looked up to see Mira, Patzau Minoc’s wife, standing above the crowd on the mezzanine. Mira Minoc addressed the crowd with the same regal Casoyan accent Yuromi had worked so hard to kick. Yuromi frowned, knowing the prince’s bodyguard wouldn’t understand Mira’s speech and would pester her with questions once it ended.

“Thank you for coming, fellow guildsmen” Mira began. Her voice came out loud and clear over the room. She was short with wide hips and dark hair. She was immaculately dressed, just as her husband always was. She wore a black dress with accents of gold jewelry. Pearls the size of fingernails dangled from her neck and intricate beads accented her sash. “You know me. I am Mira Minoc,” she continued, “wife of your Patzau and one of the dozens of high administrators who keep our guild running smoothly. Patzau Minoc has worked for years to bring prosperity to all of our guild’s members and to grow and share the wealth we all create together with you, our guildsmen, and your families. Our family. We are the guild of Casoyan prosperity. You build, create, and invent and this guild sees you rewarded; made wealthy for your creativity and passion. Mellen and I have always stood as supporters of this guild and today, the artisans of Caso are reveled across the world. But we are here today because the other guilds seem bent on tearing down our ways. Whether they are fearful of our influence, jealous of our wealth, or envious of our success, I cannot say. Your Patzau, my husband, has been unjustly imprisoned. It is no secret that Mellen has fought for this guild each and every day, and that has him unpopular amongst others on the council. There are rumours circulating about him, and I ask you to think carefully before you believe them, and even more carefully before you spread them. I have heard… terrible accusations and I ask that you wait for the truth to emerge in the trial he has been promised before casting judgment.”

Rolena looked to Yuromi in earnest and Yuromi did her best to ignore the Oneran woman at her side. Not dissuaded by being ignored, Rolena tugged on Yuromi’s shoulder to get her attention. Yuromi, annoyed by the disruption, silenced her with a glare and a gesture to wait.

“Our guild needs a leader” Mira continued, “But it has always been the guild who promotes one of our own to take up the mantle as Patzau. We must never let an outside dictate our ways. We must choose amongst ourselves, who our temporary representative is to be on the council. Yesterday, our preliminary vote yielded the following persons as candidates for leadership: Hairo Bradel, company master of the Northern Forges.”

Yuromi watched as Hairo Bradel, an older looking gray-haired man, stepped forward and smiled to the hall below. He had a charm and charisma to him that was clear to even her eyes. A raucous applause followed Hairo’s appearance. After it died down, Mira continued, “Next is Tahir Akwan, current Guild Negotiator with the Banking Guild.”

A middle-aged man appeared and was met with a similar degree of applause. He had a friendly face with a wiry moustache and a receding hairline. He waved awkwardly as the sea of guildmembers cheered. “Third, is Wadesh Nider, Director of the Whitesmiths Company” Mira announced. Another smaller set of cheers and claps echoed through the guild hall.

“Fourth, is Arman Hughir, Manager of the Guild Warehouses in the docklands.” A round of raucous cheers echoed from a very specific section of the hall and sparsely anywhere else. The proud looking man scowled as the applause he had expected failed to materialize.

“Finally, the fifth elected candidate was myself. Another round of cheers came but Mira was quick to silence them. “However,” she continued, “I will be removing my name from candidacy. My focus will instead be with my family; with ensuring my husband is proven innocent of whatever bogus charges his enemies have brought against him.” The round of applause that followed Mira’s announcement was sparse.

Rolena turned and tugged on Yuromi’s sleeve again, hoping desperately for answers. “What the hell is going on?” she hissed. “I thought we were here for Patzau Minoc?”

“I don’t know the details” Yuromi said nervously. “But we’re not going to find Patzau Minoc today. He’s been arrested by….” Yuromi blinked. She realized, mid sentence, that she had no idea who had arrested Patzau Minoc. My mother? She wondered. The thought that Yanata Ashill, a fanatic for order, had done something as drastic as arrest another Patzau without a public statement seemed farfetched. “I don’t know” she finished. “He’s been arrested.”

“How is it that possible?” Rolena said accusingly. “Your mother is Patzau of the guards, soldiers, and prisons. If anyone should know what crime he’s been accused of–”

“I told you I don’t know” Yuromi snapped. “This is the first I’m hearing of it, but it sounds like the guild has known since yesterday or maybe the night before. Just shut up so I can listen.”

A voice cut through their conversation and echoed out over the crowd. The middle-aged man, Tahir, was standing where Mira had been and was addressing the crowd, “Thank you all for your nomination. As lead negotiator with the Banking Guild, I already represent our guild when it comes to finances, materials, and projects. My family, the Akwan’s, have been proud members of this guild even before the age of kings ended. I promise, if elected, to continue the strong work Patzau Minoc started to encourage growth and prosperity within our guild. I will ensure that each and every guild member is able to live good and reasonable lives within our great city. Mira and Mellen Minoc are good friends and I wish Patzau Minoc a safe return. Thank you.” A round of applause echoed as Tahir smiled, waved, and stepped back from the makeshift podium. Hughir stepped forward and looked down at a tablet in his hands. Yuromi didn’t wait for his speech. She turned to Rolena and pulled her outside the crowd and back towards the front gate.

“What do we do now?” Rolena asked as they reached fresh air.

“Just… wait a minute” Yuromi said. Her mind raced. It was like trying to glimpse lightning in a downpour; thoughts flashed and were gone before she had a moment to grasp them. She needed to slow down and think, and preferably not in Tralang. She closed her eyes and focused for a few breaths, and then marched back over the children she had passed on their way inside. They told me that Patzau Minoc had been arrested, Yuromi thought in frustration, and I scoffed. Yuromi reached the child she had spoken to on the way in and tossed a silver coin into a waiting hand that grabbed it from the air.

“Run to the Soldier’s Guild and deliver a message to the soldiers on duty” Yuromi ordered. “Tell them that Patzau Minoc has been arrested and ensure they spread the message to the guild’s leaders. Tell them the candidates for Patzau are Hairo Bradel, Tahir Akwan, Wadesh Nadir, and Arman Hughir. This message is from Sergeant Yuromi Ashill of the Soldier’s Guild.”

The child repeated the message back to her and then ran out into the city. Yuromi picked a second messenger for safety and sent them along after the first with the same message. She turned and found Rolena waiting impatiently. Yuromi ignored her and turned around again to march back into the guild hall.

Yuromi finished whatever business she had with the children outside the guild hall and promptly marched her way back towards the guild without so much as a word. Rolena was trying to calm her frustrations by enjoying a trio of colourful birds that pecked at palm seeds above her. When she looked back down, Yuromi was gone once again. Rolena turned and found the soldier half way back to the guild hall. She had to jog to catch up, grumbling the entire distance. 

“What was that about?” Rolena said, now frustrated with how little she was being told.

Yuromi answered without turning or breaking stride, “I sent messages to my guild to let them know what we just learned” she explained. “Something is wrong. We need to speak with Mira, or find Kuta.”

“What is wrong? What has happened?” Rolena insisted.

Yuromi turned around suddenly and Rolena almost ran into her. Yuromi was taller, but even without the difference in height, the armour and scar across the sergeant’s face made Rolena feel small in her presence. It didn’t help that Yuromi was clearly very familiar with the ornate sword she carried and Rolena felt naked without her crossbow. “If you keep asking questions, I’m going to get a headache” Yuromi complained. “I can only think in one language at a time. Unless you have something to share. Keep quiet and listen. I’ll fill you in when I have answers.”

To Yuromi’s relief, Rolena frowned but didn’t argue. She considered the matter settled for the time being and pushed her way back into the guild hall. She caught the very end of Wadesh Nider’s speech as he thanked everyone for listening and nominating him. The hall burst into applause and the clapping hands and cheering voices promptly eliminated her chances of spotting anyone familiar in the crowd. She knew now, however, that Mira was on the second floor and so that was where she went with Rolena still fighting her way to keep close behind. Hairo Bradel took the podium and began his speech. The first words that came out of his mouth caught Yuromi off guard and she froze in place and craned her neck to see him.

“Patzau Minoc was a weak man and a puppet” Hairo announced. “And while my guild brothers have each stood here and touted his supposed greatness and innocence; none have stopped to consider the fact that Minoc may truly be guilty of the crimes he is accused of. And if Minoc is a criminal, it is in our best interest to stay away from such a man and those who supported him. I have known Patzau Minoc for more than twenty years, and ignoring of his criminal accusations, it is my opinion that he was too soft to lead this guild and too soft to lead this city. These are difficult times. And Minoc should bear blame for it. Crime has overridden our city. Food is expensive. Thieves prowl our streets. The merchants who come, they see the poor condition weak leaders like Patzau Minoc have left us in and sail for other shores to do their business. Yet despite Minoc’s incompetence, my forges are largest employer in Caso and we have remained strong and profitable despite these hard times. Under my leadership, you can expect a man who will represent your best interest; not through pretty words but through hard actions. I will repeal this nonsense war-tax that Minoc has allowed the other guilds to place on us. I will reduce the taxes the guild takes to leave more in your pockets. A vote for me, is a vote for a stronger richer guild. Thank you.”

Yuromi stared in shock as a surprisingly large portion of the hall erupted into cheers and the rest into chaos.  Mira returned to the balcony and responded to Hairo’s speech. “We will vote tomorrow for a new temporary Patzau” she announced, emphasizing the word temporary. “And to those of you considering Hairo’s words, remember that Patzau Minoc has not yet been charged with any crime. Nor has he been found guilty by judge or jury under Casoyan law. Until such time, I would advise those of you with petty words to keep your baseless slander to yourself.” Mira hissed the final words while Hairo made a show of scorning her words.

Talk flooded into the hall and it soon became difficult to hear anything through the crowd. Yuromi pushed her way up the final steps and onto the balcony to where Mira had stood just moments earlier. To her dismay, Mira seemed to have vanished into the crowd of people. Yuromi found herself looking around anxiously, hoping to catch and glimpse of the Patzau’s wife. She struggled against the crowd but relented as people surged down the stairwell. Yuromi turned, hoping to find support from Rolena and instead found her with Kuta of all people. Yuromi walked towards the two women and stepped in close to join in the conversation.

“I found Kuta” Rolena said smugly.

“But it was I who recognized you” Kuta said curiously. Yuromi and Rolena shared silent looks that spoke scores. Kuta tossed her gaze back and forth between the two soldiers, picking up on the strange animosity between them.

“Great” Yuromi said dismissively. “Aginjigaade Kuta, is there a private where place we could talk?”

Kuta looked around, as if checking to see if she were required anywhere else, and then nodded in agreement. Rolena followed as Kuta led them through the sea of people and out of the main hall. They stepped through a doorway into a narrower passageway. On either side of the passage, various doors and paintings lined the walls. They passed other guild administrators who gave the trio queer looks. Kuta led them down a diverging corridor, up a flight of stairs, and into a large and regal office that Yuromi recognized as belonging to Patzau Minoc. Rolena seemed enamoured by the fancy trinkets displayed around the room and found herself distracted by them. She stood a gawked, rather than taking her seat as Kuta and Yuromi had done.

The Patzau’s large chair made the small Aginjigaade look miniscule. His desk, to Rolena’s intrigue, was a birds-eye map of the city that identified the major streets, squares, and buildings. Most impressively, illum stones lit the table from below the carvings. The words seemed to glow in a manner she had never before seen. Even without being able to read the strange Casoyan script, she recognized the city with a strange familiarity. Her hours spent looking over the city from the Casoyan fortress made the landmarks obvious. She marveled until Yuromi coughed, suggesting she sit.

“What is it you wished to speak with me about?” Kuta asked calmly in Tralang. Rolena looked curiously to Yuromi, expecting the soldier to protest and switch to Casoyan but no objection came.

“Let’s start with why we’re here” Yuromi said, “and then we can discuss what’s going on in the guild and with Patzau Minoc.” She removed her helmet and set it down noisily on the table. The metal screeched horribly on the thin pane of glass. Rolena hadn’t even noticed the spotless polished cover until the noise.

Kuta suppressed a wince. “That sounds agreeable” she said.

“Who control’s Patzau Minoc’s information network now that he’s in prison?” Yuromi asked.

Kuta’s face didn’t change, but she fidgeted uncomfortably in the chair. “I do” she admitted, after a moment’s hesitation. “Mira is continuing to support the network through her family’s wealth. She believes, like Minoc, it is a tool that can be used for good. I intend to keep it that way.”

“That’s good to know” Yuromi said plainly. “Congratulations, you’ve now become the most important person in the city outside of the eight Patzau.”

“Seven Patzau” Kuta corrected.

“Yes, seven” Yuromi repeated.

“I take it, our conversation has little to do with the guild and everything to do with information?”

“Yes” Rolena and Yuromi said together. Both side-eyed the other.

“Then I think it only fair to continue with Minoc’s rules. The cost is coin or secrets. Since I am not Minoc, I must admit I lack his full breadth of knowledge. I will provide what I can about what I know. Any instance in which I cannot answer, I will look into matters promptly. Do you still wish to proceed?” Kuta asked.

“I accept” Rolena announced. “Let’s start with the big mystery. Do you know who currently possess the stolen Auction House treasure? My employer’s fortune?”

“No. Not exactly” Kuta said, “But I have a theory.”

“Would you care to share it?” Rolena asked, taking out a pouch of coins. She placed a coin on the table and it leapt into Kuta’s hand, causing both women to jolt in surprise.

Kuta straightened up, “I’ll tell you my theory first, then the rumours I’ve heard and what I know for certain. My theory is that Patzau Ashill or somebody high in the Soldier’s Guild currently possess the fortune.” She looked to Yuromi as if baiting for a reaction. She got one.

Yuromi huffed audibly and opened her mouth to protest only to reevaluate. “What makes you think my mother has the fortune?”

Kuta gestured to the table between them and the second coin was placed on the table between them. “I know which gang was hired to complete the theft and I know which of the guild’s squads went out and killed every last gang member” Kuta said.

“Burm’s elite squad” Yuromi said. “We know that.” Kuta nodded.

“Which gang was it?” Rolena asked.

“It doesn’t matter anymore” Kuta said. “They’re all dead. Down to the last man. What I want to know is why you don’t think your mother has the fortune? We both seem to agree that Burm’s elite squad was the one sent to recover the stolen gold.”

“Because my mother is a stickler for rules” Yuromi countered. “She wouldn’t go to sleep without signing the proper paperwork if necessary. Plus, my family is already rich. We don’t need money and we certainly wouldn’t need to steal it if we did.”

“If you insist” Kuta said. Rolena gave Yuromi an odd look, as if understanding her for the first time. “Who do you think has the fortune?” Kuta asked.

Yuromi chewed on the question for a bit. “I overheard Burm taking privately with his squad. They were discussing how much of the fortune to skim off the top before delivering it. As a group, they also discussed stealing the entire fortune for themselves, but opted against it out of fear. Whoever has the fortune, has influence akin to my mother’s. There are few people I suspect Gal Burm fears.”

“So, you really don’t know who has it?” Rolena asked, disappointed.

“Some things are secret, and some things are kept secret” Kuta replied. Rolena stared back in confusion. What’s the difference? she thought. Rolena looked to Yuromi for support.

“That idiom doesn’t translate well into Tralang” Yuromi advised. “It just means that some secrets are hidden deeper than others.”

“I apologize” Kuta said. “There are rumours that this or that person found the auction house treasure. Plenty of young men appeared with extra coin that night and disappeared into Casoyan cells by the next morning. The guild has never officially recovered any of the gold, but certain soldiers received unsubstantiated bonuses after making those same arrests.”

“So, several soldiers recovered money but never reported it,” Yuromi hummed.

“Then who sent the assassin to kill my prince last night?” Rolena asked.

Kuta looked surprised. “I was not aware of an assassination attempt on your prince” she admitted. “Is he… dead?”

“Ohacha lives” Rolena answered, deliberately vague. 

And then to both women’s surprise, Kuta smiled. “Does this attack on your master have anything to do with the southern canal being blocked by stone this morning?” Rolena didn’t have to respond for Kuta to get her answer. The coin she had in her hand floated across the table and stacked itself neatly atop the one Rolena had already placed down. The two women watched in awe. “Spirits, that solves one mystery today” Kuta continued. “I was certain the dammed canal was Aginjigaade Gaba’ké’s sorcery, but I couldn’t understand why he’d done it. It had something to do with the assassination attempt?”

“Something like that” Rolena said.

“Can you tell me…” Yuromi ventured, “how many Mada’abi assassins are inside the city?” She placed her own coin down on the table.

The joy on Kuta’s face vanished, “As far as Patzau Minoc and I are aware, just one. Her name–”

“She’s dead” Rolena cut in bluntly. “I don’t want to know her name.”

“It seems I should be paying you two for information. How did she die?”

Kuta and Yuromi listened attentively to Rolena’s recollection. Kuta was most impressed with how Gaba’ké had discerned an intruder inside the building. She asked questions Rolena didn’t know how to answer. She was horrified as the tale closed with the amputation required to save Gaba’ké’s life from the assassin’s poison.

When Rolena had finished, Kuta leaned back in Patzau Minoc’s chair. “I’m relieved to hear you survived such an ordeal. But more than that, I’m pleased the assassin is dead.”

“Why was she allowed into the city in the first place?” Yuromi demanded. “Why wasn’t my guild informed she had been brought inside the walls. Mada’abi Stone are forbidden entry.”

Kuta sighed. “Minoc was trying to figure out who had brought her to Caso. Revealing her to the wider guild would have only served to drive her underground, beyond our watch.”

“What good was your watch when she was allowed to be sent against Prince Krimas last night?” Yuromi demanded. It was Minoc’s responsibility as Patzau to protect the people inside the city. In keeping her secret, he has betrayed us.”

“It was never his intention to betray anyone. He wished to know who had hired her. Besides, Yanata knew.”

Yanata knew, Yuromi repeated. My mother knew there was a Mada’abi assassin. What else hasn’t she told anyone?

“Then who was it?” Rolena asked eagerly. “That’s why I’ve come.”

“I– I don’t know” Kuta admitted. “I think Mellen knew, but he didn’t share the answer with me before he was taken. I’ll admit, my attention has been… elsewhere since his arrest.”

“Then what was the damned point?” Yuromi growled.

“What about Bartiin Foxstring?” Rolena asked. “Do you know where he is?”

“I don’t know where the fugitive Bartiin of Gaag is” Kuta admitted. “I know the man who freed him from prison was found dead. I also know that his fellow soldiers were executed after it was discovered they covered up his escape. I am also reasonably sure he did not leave the city by ship, meaning he either remains inside the city or has fled into the countryside. His ship remains docked in the harbour; I can direct you to it.”

“That would be useful” Rolena agreed. “How much would it cost to have men sent to look for him?”

“I can arrange a watch” Kuta admitted. “If you are willing to pay.” Rolena slid the two coins over the table and Kuta left them there. “I can also arrange to have watchmen monitor your apartment and the surrounding neighbourhood, if you still feel unsafe” Kuta suggested.

“That would be a discussion to have with my master” Rolena admitted. “I feel I am unqualified to make that decision on his behalf.”

“What decision are you qualified to make?” Kuta asked.

“We want informants watching Gal Burm and a few of his elite squad members” Rolena answered. “Perhaps they can lead us to finding out who has my master’s fortune.”

Yuromi watched Rolena pull the pouch back out to hand over another set of coins and Kuta waved a hand, to have her stop at two. “A discount” Kuta said, “in exchange for the information provided.” Kuta accepted the metal and Yuromi caught the faintest flicker of something in Kuta’s eyes. “Is there anything else I can help you with today?” Kuta asked.

“No” Yuromi said dismissively. “Not if you can’t do your job properly”

Rolena seemed taken aback. “No” she insisted, trying to nullify the sergeant’s rudeness. “Thank you for your help. Please, come visit us sometime. I’m sure there are other useful things we can learn from one another.”

“I just might” Kuta responded.

She remained pinned to the Patzau’s chair long after they left, finally burying her face in her hands. Spirits, she thought, how does Minoc do this? Talking to people was Mellen’s forte. She felt as though the guild meeting and conversation had leeched the strength from inside her. She had tried to wrap herself in the old Patzau’s confidence, but instead felt instead like a child in an oversized chair. Maybe I’m not built for this, she realized. But the though of Minoc in prison, languishing because she refused to step up and help him, didn’t sit right. She wouldn’t quit. She couldn’t. With a heavy, jagged sigh, she breathed in a little more of Minoc’s borrowed confidence and got to work.