The Alabaster Staff - Edward Bolme [57]
"I can't argue with that logic," said Tharrad. "You'll understand, however, if we refrain from telling you anything of our organization beyond our little group here until you've spent some more time proving your worth and we've gotten to know you better. Our own exposure is no worse off with you present, but infiltration is a grave danger these days and I can't risk the rest of the organization."
"That's fine," said Kehrsyn. "It's just good to know I'm part of something larger. Speaking of infiltration, I understand we have an agent planted inside Wing's Reach?" she asked, deliberately including herself in the pronoun.
"That Ruzzara," Tharrad snorted, shaking his head. "No, we don't, but we have an ally who has a spy planted. More exactly, we have an informant in that group who has given us evidence that we can no longer trust our ally, not really a big surprise, so we've made our own move. We got the map from said informant, in exchange for certain considerations."
"Well, be sure to thank whoever it is for that map of the building; it was really useful."
Tharrad nodded as he unrolled a map of Messemprar.
"Forgive me," he said, "I'm still trying to transfer all of the credit for the heist from Ruzzara to you. Tell you what, tonight I'll pour some brandy and you can tell me how you did it.
"In the meantime, you've given us a good tool, once we figure out exactly how to use it. You'll be doing a lot more of that, because it's far better for us to steal something than it is to kill its owner and take it from them. Makes the targets wonder if they have a turncoat. We can also use you to plant evidence or leave threats that'll make people knuckle under, but we still have quite a puzzle to solve before we can take control of Messemprar and the rest of Unther. The challenge lies in figuring out who can be bought, who can be browbeaten, and who must be fought. Unfortunately, with the pharaoh's army roving just across the river, we find ourselves having to rely on people and factions whom we would not trust, were the times less perilous."
"Believe me," said Kehrsyn, "I understand."
CHAPTER TWELVE
Heavy fist knocked at the door, interrupting Kehrsyn's discussion with Tharrad, much to her dismay. She had found out much more of Messemprar’s history and chaotic political situation than she had expected.
"Come in," said Tharrad.
The dwarf archer stuck his head in the door and said, "Someone to see you. The Tiamatans, by the look of them."
Tharrad glanced at the messenger's fingers drumming on the door. "And?" he asked.
"Well, there's kind of a lot of them, and she's not with them."
"Tell them I'll be right up," Tharrad said with a frown.
The archer left, and Tharrad rose and crossed to a small end table.
"Who's not with them?" Kehrsyn asked.
"Tiglath, their high priestess."
"Oh, I know her," said Kehrsyn.
Tharrad's eyes narrowed as he turned back to look at Kehrsyn.
"Do you?" he asked.
Kehrsyn wasn't sure why her acquaintance with Tiglath was cause for concern, though their coincidental appearance half a watch after her arrival might trigger some suspicion. She pinched herself to quell an onrush of nervousness and continued chatting casually, embellishing on the truth.
"Yeah, I ran into her and her thugs on the streets," she said, using choice words to distance herself from them. "I fair angered them, but she managed to keep her rabble in check."
Tharrad laughed as he said, "It's good to see that she still does."
He pulled two long, thin daggers from the end table's drawer and slid them into the leather wrappings that bound his forearms, then pulled a small vial from a padded case and concealed it in the palm of his left hand.
"You look like you're expecting trouble," observed Kehrsyn, by way of broaching a potentially sensitive subject. "I thought you said the Tiamatans were our allies."
"For a long time they have been," he said, grimacing, "and I hope they still are, but as we've