by Logan Jacobs
Lord Outen looked ruffled, and he said nothing. I hoped that would be the end of our interaction, but then Maderel turned back to me.
“It’s unusual to see a guild in city hall,” the mage remarked. “What brings you here?”
I suddenly felt reluctant to tell him, though I knew there was no way he could divine that I was a manipulator from anything I had to say about the bandits’ heist plan. Still, it wasn’t as though I could refuse, and we needed to bring it to the council, anyway, and there were three council members right here.
“My guild and I were attacked by bandits,” I replied and I was relieved that my voice was steadier than I felt. “We discovered this note on them, and we believe there are a few bandit groups who intend to stage a series of robberies here in the city in a few days. We brought all the information we have to the city guard, but we wanted to come here as well, to make sure the warning was, um, passed on.”
Eamon Maderel’s hand tightened on my shoulder, but he was looking at the three council members.
“You see,” he asked as he bared his teeth in a smile, “how Ovrista’s mages are invested in the welfare of our fine city?” Without looking away from the council, he held out his free hand to me; obviously for the evidence.
I swallowed and placed the papers in his hand. Maderel studied them for a moment, and then his brow furrowed in an expression of concern.
“This would appear to be quite serious, councilors,” Maderel intoned, but despite his frown and grave tone, I could see the smallest glint of excitement in the mage’s gray eyes, as though I’d just handed him an extravagant gift.
“Let me see that,” Outen demanded, and Maderel handed him the papers.
The lord’s ears flushed startlingly pink against his wispy white hair as he scanned the notes, and then he looked up at me with an almost accusatory expression.
“Did you decode this?” he asked.
I was startled by his brusqueness, and more than a little annoyed by his obvious, and unwarranted, suspicion.
“We had a friend of ours decipher it,” I replied.
“A mage?” The councilor peered at me with his small, watery blue eyes. I supposed he was trying to be intimidating, but he had nothing compared to the mage next to me.
“No,” I answered, careful to keep the defensiveness I felt out of my voice. I didn’t offer any more information. I didn’t want to reveal that we’d gone to the black market, especially given that Outen already seemed so distrustful of us.
Strangely, however, that seemed to be enough to satisfy the man, and he snorted as he passed the papers back to me.
“The council appreciates your service,” he recited with a bit of a sneer. “You may go.” He dared to give Maderel a pointed look. “All of you.”
I frowned.
“Sir, we believe this is serious--” I started, but Outen interrupted me.
“Yes, I’m certain you do.” The councilor looked from me to Maderel as though we were co-conspirators on a mission to ruin his day. “It’s certainly an ambitious plan for petty thieves, but the guard is well-equipped to deal with such endeavors, I assure you. Now, if you don’t mind--”
My annoyance with the man’s bad attitude got the better of me, and I cut him off.
“My guild and I think it would be best to try to stop this before it can happen,” I told him. “We’re going to try to track down the rest of the bandits involved.”
Outen’s face was flushed with anger, but Maderel seemed pleased as he clasped his hands behind his back.
“How refreshing,” the mage said with a slight smirk at the councilors. “That sort of initiative is exactly what this city needs.”
“There is the issue of funding,” Aerin said quickly. Of course, she wasn’t going to walk away from this without ensuring that there’d be some profit in it for us. “Since we don’t actually know which bandit groups are involved, we don’t know if there are bounties out for any of them, and of course, preventing a robbery of this magnitude would warrant an additional reward, I would think.”
Outen looked nearly apoplectic at that. Eamon Maderel wore an amused smile.
“The Mage Academy would be more than happy to provide a reward to your guild for the capture, or if necessary, execution, of these bandits,” the mage said, “as a token of goodwill toward the city, of course. Say, five hundred gold?”
I was stunned. We’d never received that much for a bounty, and I felt Aerin grip my arm to steady herself.
“T-That would work,” she practically panted.
Maderel smiled his slow smile. “Excellent. I look forward to hearing from you, Shadow Foxes.” Then, with a slight nod to the councilors, the High Mage turned, and he and his two colleagues strode out of the hall and left us there with the three councilors.
Outen didn’t bother trying to hide his sneer now, but neither he nor the other two lords bothered to say anything else to us before they, too, turned and swept off down the hall in a huff.
I breathed out a frustrated sigh. “Well, that wasn’t exactly what I was expecting.”
“At least we’ll get paid.” Aerin linked her hand in mine and gave it a comforting squeeze.
“They did seem to have been arguing about something,” Maruk commented, “the mages and the council. I wonder what it was?”
“I’m sure we’ll find out eventually,” Lavinia said testily. “We’ve got enough mysteries to uncover at the moment. Let’s deal with these bandits first.”
I looked down at the papers in my hand. Unfortunately for us, the bandits hadn’t included all of their friends’ addresses. All we had were the names of a few other gangs.
“We should go back to the black market,” I said as I folded up the papers and tucked them into my pocket. “We need more information on these gangs.” Who better to ask than the people who traded with them? That kind of information wouldn’t come cheap, of course, but it would be worth the cost, especially if we were able to collect on the reward that Maderel offered.
The others had no objections, so we stopped by the guard headquarters to pick up Dehn and then made our way down to the black market for the second time that day. The halfling had changed out of his guard uniform into a set of leather armor that had seen better days. I supposed it had been black at some point, but it was so faded now that it was more of a mottled gray and covered in old blood stains. Dehn had added embellishments of his own, which was to say, spikes over every spare inch of his armor. I couldn’t imagine how he was even able to buckle it without pricking himself. As if being a walking mace wasn’t enough, the halfling had his guards’ sword buckled at one hip, a small axe on the other, and at least six knives tucked into his belt and boots.
The guard grinned broadly at us as we approached, and I realized that one of his canine teeth was missing. Had I failed to notice before, or had Dehn managed to get into a fight in the hour and a half since we’d last seen him?
“So, who’s first?” Dehn asked. “I know a couple of thieves that hang out on the east road toward the Diru Wilds. If we leave now, we can probably catch ’em just as they’re waking up.”
I raised an eyebrow at the halfling.
“We’re not just going to go around attacking random bandits,” I told him. “We’re specifically trying to figure out which groups are involved in this heist. We’re going to the black market to see if we can get any information.”
Dehn snorted. “Research? What about, you know, punching?”
“I like this guy,” Lavinia said with a chuckle.
“Of course you do,” Maruk sighed as he rolled his eyes.
“We’ll get to that,” I promised the short guard. “Let’s go.”
The black market had gotten more crowded as the day wore on, but I knew from experience that the place wouldn’t really come alive until after dark. Unless we got lucky with our intel, I knew there was a good chance we’d be here until late. I decided that it was better, then, that we split up to cover more ground, and besides,
I was sure the fences and traders around here would be more willing to answer our questions when we looked like a few random travelers and not a guild seven strong. We didn’t need to make it too obvious that we meant to hunt down some of their suppliers.
Maruk and Lavinia went to consult a secondhand arms dealer while Emeline and Lena decided to speak to a potion seller, which left Aerin, Dehn, and I to see what information we could get from Varela, the shopkeeper who lived on the ground floor of Zarina’s apartment.
There were a few more people in Varela’s shop than there had been this morning. A middle-aged man with a trim, dark beard and a flashy coat examined the selection of ores for sale and weighed them on a tiny scale while a short, hooded figure lurked in the corner and seemed to be petting the snout of a mounted stag’s head and whispering to it. By the single window, a gaggle of young mages in purple academy robes chattered and giggled excitedly as they passed around a jar of preserved rat heads. These last few received the special attention of Varela, who looked like a great, pointy-eared owl as she watched them intently to be sure they didn’t steal or break any of her merchandise.
Still, the old elven woman spared us a glance as the bell on the door tinkled to announce our arrival, and when we approached her, she managed to tear her unblinking gaze away from the apprentices to acknowledge us.
“Think your friend is still upstairs,” she said in a reedy voice when we stopped before her desk. She leaned over a bit to give Dehn a once-over, and I could tell by the frown in her brow that she was wondering if he’d been with us before, and how she’d managed to overlook a halfling with hair like fire, covered in spikes and bristling with weapons.
“Actually, we were hoping you might be able to help us,” I said as I pulled the bandits’ notes from my pocket and unfolded them.
“I’m always happy to help a customer,” the shopkeep replied pointedly.
On my left, Aerin selected a small packet that was labeled “shrinking powder” in a looping cursive and set it on the desk.
Varela gave us a toothy smile. “What is it that you need, loves?”
“We were wondering if you recognized any of these symbols,” I said as I spread out the papers over the packet of shrinking power. I pointed to the bandit groups’ marks on the page and the swan stamp.
Varela pushed her round spectacles up her nose with a bony finger and leaned over to inspect the papers carefully for several seconds. I exchanged a hopeful glance with Aerin, but Dehn was apparently already growing bored with the lack of violence and had wandered off to look at a display of dried basilisk feet.
At last, Varela slid the papers back across the desk to us and, to my dismay, shook her head.
“I don’t know them,” she said. “Are you going to buy anything else?”
I didn’t know if the shopkeeper’s brusqueness meant she was trying to hide something, but when I glanced to Aerin again and saw my own disappointment reflected on the healer’s face, I knew that Varela hadn’t been lying about whether she had recognized any of the bandits’ symbols.
“Just the, uh, shrinking powder,” I answered, and I placed a few copper coins on the desk for the old elf as I tucked the packet of powder and the notes into my pocket.
“We’ve only just started,” Aerin said gently as we turned for the exit, “and the others might be having better luck.”
“I hope so,” I replied, then I called out to the halfling, who was eyeing the hooded figure in the corner warily, “Dehn, we’re leaving.”
“Don’t you think that guy seemed a little funny?” Dehn asked as he joined us. He cast a glance back into the shop as I opened the door. “I think we’d better go talk to him.” He cracked his knuckles.
“Hey, we’re here to get information, not pick fights with strangers,” I reminded him. “If you need to wait outside--”
“Alright, alright,” the halfling interrupted. “Forget I said anything.”
“This way,” Aerin said and nodded toward another little shop tucked between two old buildings. “I know this guy, he keeps up with the gossip around here better than anyone. If anyone around here can recognize those bandit symbols, he can.” She led us to the shop front, which was little more than a booth that the owner appeared to have constructed himself, wedged in the tight alley space between the buildings. A few colorful scarves had been laid out over the top of the planks that served as a table, and a little handwritten sign advertised palm readings. I recognized a few of Zarina’s imitation wisps as they floated around the booth and cast a soft light over it.
A ladona man with maroon skin and spiraling horns lounged behind the desk with his chin in his hand as he flipped through a book about crystals. He glanced up when we approached and a smile spread across his face as he quickly closed his book and tucked it away.
“Hey, Leontes,” Aerin greeted.
“Aerin, is that you?” The ladona man placed a hand over his heart, and a set of rings on his fingers glittered in the soft light. “I was beginning to think you’d gotten too good for us down here, now that your guild is getting some prestige in Ovrista.” He turned his jade green eyes on me, and I noticed there was a gold ring in his brow, and several more to match it along the edges of his pointed ears. “You must be Gabriel, and...” Leontes trailed off as he leaned forward slightly to get a look at Dehn. “You’re rather small for an orc, aren’t you?”
“Hey!” Dehn growled. “I’m not short! And I’m not an orc!”
“The rest of the guild is split up right now,” Aerin explained. “This is our halfling... friend, Dehn.”
Dehn puffed out his chest. “And I’m the tallest in my family, I’ll have you know. Three feet, six and a quarter inches.”
“Very impressive,” Leontes drawled. He brought his gaze back to me and Aerin. “I suppose you didn’t come for a palm reading?”
“No, sorry,” I said as I took out the papers and passed them to the ladona man. “We were wondering if you would be able to recognize any of these symbols. We think they’re meant to represent different groups.”
Leontes’ eyes flicked over the sheet quickly, then his brows shot up, and I felt my heart leap.
“You know them?” I prompted.
“No,” Leontes answered. “That is, I don’t recognize these symbols, but I do know someone who was planning on trying to steal one of these items you have listed. This one, here,” he pointed a sharp-nailed finger at the line for a vase.
“Really?” Aerin leaned forward to see.
“Actually, they were just here,” Leontes went on, and he raised his chin to search the crowd behind us. “A couple of elves, they were wearing green cloaks. Not sure where they went, but I doubt they could have gone far.”
“Did they say anything else?” I asked eagerly. “Anything about who they were working for, or when they were going to actually stage the robbery?”
The ladona man frowned sympathetically and shook his head.
“I’m afraid not,” he replied. “They were speaking to one another, I just overheard them mention that vase as they passed.”
“We should try to catch up to them before they leave,” Aerin said. “Thank Leontes, you’ve been a big help.”
“Anytime,” Leontes said. “If I find out anything else, I’ll let you know.”
He waved farewell to us as we turned away and searched the marketplace for the elves he had described. It was almost evening now, and the black market was the busiest it had been all day. I saw flashes of green and figures with pointed ears, but never together, though it was difficult to pick anyone out in the hustle and bustle.
“Do you see them?” Aerin asked as she stood up on tip-toe to search the crowd.
“I’m just getting legs down here,” Dehn griped.
I ignored the halfling as I scanned the crowd, and then, just as they slipped into a dank alley, I saw the green-cloaked elves that Leontes had told us about.
“This way,” I urged and I grabbed Aerin by the wrist as I began to pull h
er through the crowd. There was no time to get Lavinia, Maruk, Lena, and Emeline now. These elves were our only lead at the moment, and I wasn’t going to lose them. I could hear Dehn’s cry of protest and insistence that we not leave him behind as I wove through the crowd, but I was too intent on finding the elves before they could get away to pay him much mind. Other market-goers shot me and Aerin dirty looks or muttered curses at us as we shoved past, and I threw a few “sorrys” over my shoulder for the toes I’d stepped on.
The alley where the pair of elves had disappeared was empty, but a faint light shone from the street on the other side. My heart pounded in my throat as I took off between the sulking forms of the old apartments on either side, and my boots splashed through the dirty water that pooled over the uneven cobblestones. I’d let go of Aerin’s wrist, but I could hear the redheaded elf’s light, quick steps just behind me, and a little further back, muffled curses and splashes as Dehn struggled to keep up with our longer strides.
The next street was desolate, eerily empty and quiet compared to the busy market. This was one of the truly abandoned sections of the city where none but rats and the most desperate of squatters dared to venture. The buildings that lined the street were worn and shoddy, their windows broken and dusty, their doors hanging ajar on broken hinges. I searched for any sign of movement, any sound to indicate which way the elves had gone. For a moment, I feared that they’d ducked into a side door in the alley and we’d missed them, but then I heard a muffled curse from my left.
I turned back to Aerin and Dehn. The elf watched me expectantly, her hazel eyes bright with excitement and determination. The halfling panted heavily with his hands on his knees.
I put my finger to my lips to signal for them to be quiet and pointed down the street to the left. Aerin nodded and Dehn gave me a surly look that I took for agreement, and I started off carefully down the street, as quickly as I could without being too loud. The elves didn’t know they were being pursued yet, of course, but they’d be naturally suspicious like everyone in this part of the city, and I knew they wouldn’t take kindly to us following. Besides, I figured we would learn more about their plans by eavesdropping than by trying to get them to give up the information.
