by Jon Bender
Benkt went to remove his dagger without hesitation, but Seldon and Taft looked to Keller for approval. The two men had spent much of their lives as soldiers, and probably didn’t like being disarmed. Keller nodded, pulling his own slim sword from its sheath, confident that he and Benkt could get them out if the situation turned ugly. The two men drew their swords and laid them on the counter. When Benkt moved to enter, one of two men holding the cudgels held up a hand stopping him.
“They have to search you to make sure you aren’t carrying anything else,” one eye said.
This time Benkt did balk, but a stern look from Keller ended any argument before it began. After they had been patted down, Benkt not trying to hide his disdain at being touched, they moved into the common room. The well-kept space was half full with the same type of men who had been outside. Scattered amongst the tables were a number of women dressed in provocative clothing. There had been a low murmur of conversation and even a bit of laughter when they had first entered, now it was quiet enough to hear the squeaking of chairs as they took an empty table. Small lanterns hung on the walls every six feet, their low light leaving much of the room in shadow. The darkened space would cause many to feel vulnerable, but Keller felt at ease here as he drew lightly on his magic, the connection he had with the darkness allowing him to sense everything and everyone his eyes could not find.
A small man, no taller than Keller’s chest and wearing a pristine, white apron around his slight frame, came up to their table cleaning his hands with a rag. “I’m Tiny. What’ll it be?” he asked, the man’s words quick and light to match his stature.
“What is there?” Keller asked.
“Ale and some imported Lehland wine. Just got a few bottles of some home brewed stuff made outside the city. It’ll burn your throat on the way down, but it’s cheap and does the job,” he said with a high-pitched laugh. “If you’re hungry, there is some pork stew with bread, or my girl made some fresh beef pies if you prefer.”
Something about the way he conducted himself had Keller on edge. He was the only one in the tavern that wasn’t put off by their presence. All the other patrons had been watching them out of the corners of their eyes since they had arrived, but Tiny seemed not to notice the obvious tension in the air. “Two wines and two ales, along with four of those pies,” Keller said, trying to match the man’s unconcerned demeanor.
“Three wines,” Seldon added. Keller was a little curious about the man’s choice. It was uncommon for a soldier to prefer the sweeter more expensive drink on what they earned. Tiny looked at Keller for confirmation. Giving him a nod, the small man moved off behind the bar and called out through an open door as he began pouring the drinks. His bellowing seeming to be a signal to the other patrons that everything was fine. The chatter picked back up, and though it seemed Keller and the others were forgotten, he still noticed the occasional concealed glance in their direction.
“So, what now?” Benkt asked, oblivious to the fact that they were still being watched. At least he had learned his lesson and kept his voice low enough not to be heard over the volume of the room. “Do you just want to walk up to one these criminals and ask where we can sell stolen goods?”
“No. I think Tiny is more than just the owner. He is too composed compared to everyone else here. He’s not worried about four strangers walking into his place,” Keller said.
“Maybe he is just happy to have paying customers,” Seldon offered.
“Perhaps,” Keller conceded. “But if this place is what Taft says it is, he probably knows what goes on within his own walls.”
“I think…” Seldon started to say, trailing off when a woman in her mid-twenties approached. She was plainly dressed in a white shirt and dark pants fit to the curves her body. Everything about her appearance was simple and functional right down to the plain dagger at her belt. Still, Keller was not oblivious to her natural beauty. She carried a tray laden with their food and drinks above her shoulder with ease. The weight must have been considerable demonstrating she was stronger than her small frame suggested. Her blonde hair was shoulder length, framing a youthful and ovular face that held a stern look. Much the same as the looks they had received since coming to the tavern.
She laid their order out on the table and tucked the tray under her arm. “Five silvers,” she said flatly, looking expectantly at Keller.
The price was outrageous, but he reached to his belt and untied the coin purse hanging there anyway. Opening it, he pulled out the amount and held them up to her. Just as she reached for them, he closed his hand. “For such an amount, perhaps you can sit and keep us company for a while,” he said.
The young woman narrowed her bluish-green eyes in annoyance before looking over her shoulder at Tiny behind the bar. The man looked at Keller for a long moment and nodded. Turning back, she held out her hand. “Money first.” Keller went to place the coins in her hand when she closed it into a small fist. “My time is more valuable than that, it’s going to cost you another silver,” she said with a smirk.
Keller smiled, amused and a little impressed with her confidence. Fishing out another coin, he handed them over and she slipped them into her own purse before sitting down. “What’s your name?” he asked.
She looked around the table at each of them in turn before settling her eyes on Keller again. “Hailey. Now, who are you and what do you want?”
“We are new to Karadin, and are just looking for a place to enjoy a meal and a drink,” he said.
“You obviously came here for a reason. If you are going to waste my time, it’s going to cost more,” she said.
Keller had thought to ease into what his supposed motives were, but if this young girl was brazen enough to ask him outright, she was either confident that she was safe or didn’t know anything. “We are from Etear’a, and have some rare items to sell. I was told that this was a place I could arrange such a transaction.”
“Why not just take what you have to the merchants on the other side of the river?” she asked.
Keller tilted his head to the side, giving her an impatient look. “Now you are wasting my time. Did I come to the right place or not?”
She stared at him for many long minutes before answering. “Yes, but the last we heard there weren’t any traders like you left in Etear’a.”
What she said was true; Keller having helped to purge the city of thieves himself long ago. Finding the opening he was looking for, he offered the answer he had prepared for such questions. “That is what the dark priests think as well, and how we want to keep it. They interfere far too much, so now we sell what we earn in other cities and towns to avoid suspicion. If we could, we would have them gone like it was during my father’s time, but that is beyond our power,” he said, adding the last bit to test the water. If there were traitors amongst these criminals, they were not likely to openly talk about it with someone they didn’t know. But by letting it be known that they were not fond of Or’Keer and his priests, someone may approach them if word got around.
“Be careful how you speak about the temples. You won’t find many who love them here, but such words are dangerous,” she said, her brow tightening into a knot.
“I have heard stories that the priests barely have control of Karadin. I thought that the guild here was resisting their influence.”
“There are rumors of those fighting back, but we don’t have anything to do with that here. And I won’t talk any more on it,” she said, abruptly standing. Walking quickly back to the bar, she leaned in close and began whispering to Tiny. As they talked, the man glanced over at their table with suspicion.
Taft leaned in over the table. “Do you think you pressed too far?”
“I don’t know,” Keller admitted, keeping his eyes on Tiny and the woman. “If I have, be prepared.”
“If they attack, we will need some alive for questioning,” Benkt added, looking at Keller pointedly.
He met the priest’s stare and nodded. Returning his eyes to the bar,
he saw Tiny nod and say something before moving into the back.
Hailey returned to their table and leaned in close. “We might be able to help you find someone who would be interested in what you have. Tiny is waiting for you in the back to discuss price and arrangements.”
When Keller stood and the others moved to follow, she held up a hand and shook her head. “Just you,” she said, pointing at Keller.
He looked at the others to see how they felt about the terms. Taft and Seldon simply waited for his command while Benkt’s features were scrunched and his eyes narrowed. This meeting could just be a ploy to separate him from the others, and Tiny’s agreement to risk speaking with Keller seemed suspiciously sudden. In the end, he felt secure that if they did intend him harm, they would not be expecting to assault a shadow mage. This was something he was sure they could not be prepared for.
“Fine,” he said, proceeding to stand and following her behind the bar.
The door led to a small kitchen that connected to a long, narrow hall with several more doors lining it. The tingling at the back of his neck returned, causing him to reflexively draw power into himself. Even a chosen could be killed if they were caught unawares. He paid close attention to Hailey, watching the fluid way she moved and the relaxed posture of her body. Even in this precarious position he could not help but admire the sway of her hips. Catching himself being distracted, he firmed his concentration on his surroundings. If he was being led into a trap, she either knew nothing or was extremely good at hiding it. Reaching the end of the hall, she opened one of the doors before stepping in without so much as looking over her shoulder to see if he was still following. Slowing his pace, he eased around the corner and took in the room. It was larger than he had expected. Crates and barrels were stacked all about except for the center where a square table sat with Tiny occupying one of the two chairs. Three candles created a small island of light casting a soft glow on the man’s face. Keller reached out to the shadows in the corners of the room where he found two men hiding near the door amongst the crates. Both held long daggers gripped in their fists and remained absolutely still. The men could just be a precaution, though he couldn’t be sure they weren’t simply waiting to attack once his guard was down. Whatever their purpose, he could only choose between leaving or playing along for the time being. He stepped into the room.
Hailey had moved over to stand near Tiny’s shoulder, placing the table between them and Keller. A calculated move he was sure. At first, he had assumed she was just a woman who had learned to be tough in a hard world. Now, he knew her to be more than she seemed if she was staying to take part in the negotiations.
“Please sit,” Tiny said, indicating the chair across from him.
Knowing he was taking a risk, he moved forward showing no outward sign that he knew of the two other men. Sliding the chair back, he settled himself in just as the two men moved quickly from their hiding spots behind him, their boots barely making a sound on the stone floor. If not for his magic tracking every step, his only indication they were there would have been when each laid a hand on his shoulders. A fortunate choice for them, if either had decided to raise their blade instead, Keller would have reacted quickly and with overwhelming force. From the look on both Tiny’s and Hailey’s faces, he knew that he had already made a mistake. He had not so much as twitched when they had grabbed him.
“A wise precaution when dealing with people you don’t know,” he said, trying to play down his awareness. “Now we just have to find a way for me to earn your trust so that we can move forward.”
Tiny looked up at Hailey with an entertained smile, but she didn’t seem to notice. Her confident stance was more guarded. One hand remained on her hip as the other slipped to rest on the hilt of her dagger.
“Tell me about Etear’a,” Tiny said leaning in.
Keller paused for a moment to get his lie in order. “I and others have managed to put a small organization together without drawing attention from the temples. We want to make sure it remains that way, so have decided to export our products. We have tried this with other cities, but found them all to be completely under the thumb of Or’Keer. Karadin is our last stop before we will be forced to head east. When I discovered that the guild had survived the purges, it raised my hope that this was where my search would end.”
“You are already far from home,” Tiny responded. “And to head east means traveling through our city. You would risk discovery by transporting across the bridges.”
“Which is why I would like to come to an arrangement,” Keller said, forcing himself to sound bored. “I assume you have ways around the inspections.”
“You spin a good story,” Hailey interjected. “But we have no way to know if any of what you say is true.”
“I have a sample of my merchandise here with me,” Keller offered.
“That’s not good enough,” Tiny said.
“So, what would be?” Keller asked.
Hailey leaned down to whisper something in Tiny’s ear and his lips began to spread into a grin. “We have a job coming up. If you help out with it, we can discuss our future together,” he said.
Keller remained quiet for a moment to give the appearance of consideration, and doing all he could to control his expression. He wanted to agree right then, but did not want to sound too eager. “How much does this job pay? Or will I be getting a cut of what is earned?”
Hailey’s hand drifted from her dagger and Tiny leaned back and spread his hands apologetically at the question. Keller knew he had given the right response this time. “You get the opportunity to achieve what you came here for, and nothing more,” Tiny said. “It’s this, or you can leave Karadin tonight with nothing.”
Keller nodded slowly as if thinking over the proposition, and he had not missed the veiled threat in the man’s words. He knew that if he refused, it would likely mean they would have to fight their way out. “What’s the job?”
Tiny looked to the men behind him who released their hold on his shoulders. “Come back tomorrow. You will find out then.”
“Tomorrow then,” Keller said. Standing, he offered his hand across the table which Tiny gripped firmly for such a slight man.
Heading down the hall and back out to the bar, he found his group still at the table with the exception of Seldon who sat on a stool next to one of the patrons. The two of them had their heads low and were talking quietly. When the soldier saw him coming out, he said something Keller could not hear and stood to join him back at the table.
“Let’s go,” Keller said, walking toward the exit.
Passing the two men with cudgels, they retrieved their weapons from one-eye and left. Keller remained quiet until they were well away from the courtyard and walking down the alley before speaking. “I have a job.”
Benkt was the first to respond. “What do you mean a job? You were supposed to get them to buy our non-existent stolen property.”
“And to do that, we first need to earn their trust. This job was how they decided we could do that.”
“Do you know anything about thieving?” Taft asked.
“No,” Keller said honestly. “But I have tools at my disposal that they don’t. I will make it work.”
“Would it not be easier just to take them for questioning?” Benkt said.
“If it comes to that we will, but we will learn more this way,” Keller said, looking sternly at Benkt. He could not risk the priest thinking to snatch up a few people from the tavern for questioning. After getting a reluctant nod from the man, Keller turned his eyes to Seldon. “Who was that man you were with at the bar?”
“No one of importance, just another thief. I had hoped to learn something while you were gone that would help,” Seldon said.
“And did you?”
“Nothing of value,” he said, looking up the alley.
“What now?” Taft interrupted, before Keller could press the soldier on what he had learned. “Do you want to return to the estate?”
/> “We need to find an inn to stay at tonight,” he said, letting the subject drop. “I am supposed to return tomorrow, but we can’t be sure they won’t be watching us during the interim. They could have people following us right now.”
Taft glanced over his shoulder as his hand went for his sword. “I know a place.”
Keller let the older soldier lead them back across the river and to a large, three story inn near the edge of the city. The building was painted a reddish-brown color with grey slate roofing. A sign hanging above the door depicted a black horse reared back, its long mane caught in the wind. Off to the side, there was a large stable and yard where carts of every type had been left. Keller concluded that this was a popular inn for merchants and travelers to the city. The patrons would not be permanent residents of Karadin, and were not likely to recognize any of their party. All the better for this small group to blend in with if they were being watched.
Inside, Keller pulled a single gold coin from his purse and passed it over to Taft. “Get us rooms, and see if the owner has a private area for us to use.” Taft took the coin and headed off to the bar.
“So, you want us to just sit here and relax?” Benkt asked.
“I intended to. You are going to begin retrieving some valuable items for us to sell once I have completed the job. Go back to the estate and speak to Lord Prasil about it, but do not inform him of our purpose. Also, tell him we need more coin,” he said, turning to Seldon. “Go with him and make sure you’re not followed.”
The two men left just as Taft returned holding four keys. “The owner says he has a private dining area in the back we can use during our stay.”
“Good. Have our afternoon meal sent there,” Keller said, moving in the direction Taft had indicated.
Heading toward the private room, he considered what the job might be. Most likely he was to rob some rich merchant or noble to prove that he was a thief. Not a difficult task with his abilities. The hard part would be keeping what he was hiding from whoever was to be there with him. If he was discovered, it would end the subterfuge and force him to confront the guild directly to get the answers he wanted. A tactic he was not yet ready to employ. Opening the door, he found an ornately carved and polished table with cushioned chairs surrounding it. Sitting down, he put the worries from his mind as he waited for his food to arrive.
