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“He’s right,” Miko says. “You’re great with magic and strategy, but you are horrible at sneaking or remaining quiet.”

“I don’t think so,” objects James. Then he catches Aleya nodding too. “I can’t be that bad,” he says.

“You’re not…bad,” she says. “It’s just that Stig is much better.” Then she turns her attention to him and says, “In fact, I know someone else who would be much better.”

“Who?” asks Jiron.

“Me,” she replies. “I can sneak up on a deer and tickle it behind the ears before it even knows I’m there.”

James sees the objection starting to form in Jiron’s mind. Giving him a grin, he says, “If you say I can’t go because I’m too loud, then you should at least take the one best suited for this.”

“But there could be fighting,” he says. “I need someone who can guard my back.”

The rest of them grow quiet as a dark look comes over Aleya’s face. That’s when he realizes his mistake. “Are you saying I can’t handle myself?” she asks with barely controlled anger. “Are you saying I am some addlebrained woman who should just stay home and wait for her man to return?”

“That’s not what I’m saying at all,” he counters. He glances over to James for help but only gets silence.

“Then what are you saying?” she asks, daring him to slight her again.

Sighing, he turns and looks at her and says, “Stig is from the pits. His prowess at fighting is greater than yours.” He can see her bristle at this and hurriedly continues. “I don’t say this to lessen your own ability, but he survived in the pits against some of the meanest fighters I’ve ever seen.” Placing a hand on her shoulder, he softens his voice. “I know you are skilled, but we don’t know what’s inside there and I need someone who can walk silent yet hold their own should things turn bad.”

Not liking this one bit, she can see the logic in what he’s saying. “Take Stig then,” she says. “See what I care.” Then she turns her back on him and stalks off further into the shadows.

Jiron casts a hurt look to James who says, “She’ll be okay. Go do what you have to and take care of this when you get back.”

“Alright,” he says. Looking into the darkness where Aleya disappeared for a moment, he then turns to Stig and says, “Leave your shield.”

“Right,” he says. Taking it off his arm, he hands it to Miko. “Take care of this for me will you?”

“Sure,” he replies as he takes the shield.

“If you hear a commotion,” Jiron says, “come running.”

“You can count on it,” James assures him. “Good luck.”

Jiron flicks a final look to the shadows and then nods for Stig to follow. After a quick glance to make sure the coast is clear, they race across the street. Once there, they stay against the side of the buildings until they reach the alley on the far side of the townhouse.

Moving into the alley, Stig follows Jiron as he quickly makes his way down until he’s almost at the end of the building. Coming to a halt, he looks up at the open window Jiron indicates.

“Wait here,” Jiron says. Then moving to the wall, he examines it with his hand for a minute. Then using the cracks and imperfection in the stone wall, he begins to climb. He never thought that the climbing he and Tinok had done years ago would prove to be so beneficial. How it came about was that one day Tinok bet him he couldn’t climb the defensive wall surrounding the City of Light. That first time he tried it, he lost the bet. Time and again he came back to the wall and kept trying, he hates it when something, anything defeats him. It took him the better part of a year, but when he brought Tinok back to the very same wall and bet him again, he won the bet. After that, he taught Tinok the skills he had acquired and before you knew it, they were like spiders on the wall.

Inching his way upward, he’s soon past the ground floor and within a foot of the open window. Down on the ground, Stig watches absolutely amazed. He wouldn’t have thought anyone could have climbed a sheer wall such as he’s seeing Jiron do now.

Finally, his hand comes to the window ledge and takes a firm hold.