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“But you can guess,” says Jiron. “You always have some idea about everything.”

“Do I?” he asks surprised. When everyone nods their head, he shrugs. “Guess it’s due to my over active imagination. Always made me a good Dungeon Master.” When he sees them looking confused by the term, he waves away the question that was on their tongues. “It doesn’t matter.”

“Well?” asks Jiron.

“Maybe it’s a guild that transcends nationality,” he replies. “From what you said, it’s comprised of fighters and those who have dealings with them such as weaponsmiths and those scholars who deal with the theory of fighting.” Looking to Jiron he asks, “The man said that a Commander of Ten was a member?”

Jiron nods. “Yes, that’s what he said.”

James remembers going up against one of those on his trip to recover Miko from the Empire. The one he faced was exceptionally skilled with the sword not to mention the added ability to use magic. “It seems odd that such a one would be a party to something that consists of elements outside of the Empire.”

“When this Azku gets here,” Jiron says, “we’ll ask him.”

The others agree and for the next several hours they toss around different ideas of what the Order might mean, what it does, that sort of thing.

Darkness settles in with a vengeance and they finally decide Azku is not going to make an appearance this evening. James sends them all to their rooms and then climbs into bed. He no sooner blows out the candle than there’s a knock on the door.

Jiron is out of bed in a flash and runs to the door. Flinging it open, he sees one of the inn’s boys standing outside. The boy hands him a letter and says something in the Empire’s tongue then turns around to head back downstairs.

“Reilin!” Jiron calls out.

A nearby door opens up and Reilin sticks his head out. “What?” he asks.

Indicating the departing boy, Jiron holds up the recently delivered letter and says, “Ask him where this came from.”

Moving from the doorway, Reilin hurries toward the boy and hollers for him to stop. The boy pauses at the top of the stairs and turns back to see what Reilin wants. Reilin and the boy exchange a few words before the boy turns back to the stairs and heads down.

Returning to where Jiron waits in the doorway, he says, “One of the street kids delivered this and said it was for you.”

“Me?” asks Jiron, looking at the letter.

“Yes,” he replies. “The kid didn’t give any further explanation other than that a man had asked him to deliver it right away.”

“Must be from Azku,” says James.

Jiron hands the letter to James and says, “Can you read it?”

Taking the letter, James opens it and finds it is written in the northern tongue. “Yes I can,” he replies.

“What does it say?” Jiron asks.

“It says…

Red Lantern Bridge. One hour. Come alone.

“Red Lantern Bridge?” asks Stig. The others have gathered in the hallway to see what’s going on.

To Reilin, Jiron says, “Go downstairs and see if you can find out where we can find Red Lantern Bridge.”

Nodding, Reilin says, “Right.” He then turns and hurries to the head of the stairs. In a second he’s disappeared down the stairwell.

James indicates for everyone to come into his room while they wait for his return.

“Looks like you got his attention,” says Brother Willim.

“If it is him,” says Miko. “We have been misdirected before.”

“I agree,” James says. “There’s no way to know if this is from him or not.”

“I realize that,” states Jiron. “I’m not stupid.” He puts his arm around Aleya and they wait for Reilin’s return.

A few minutes later, the door opens and Reilin walks in. “I found out where it is,” he announces.

“Where?” Jiron asks.

“It’s in the heart of the city,” he explains. “A tributary from the river winds its way through underground tunnels until it emerges in a large park area the locals have constructed. The waterway runs for two hundred feet before returning to the underground tunnels on its way back to the river. Several foot bridges span it and one of them