“Essentially, yes,” she drawled. “You’re getting good at this.”

“It’s never been one of my goals, though it’s nice to know I’m good at something right now.” I flipped through the posters, noting the amount of the reward on each one. “I guess we ought to be flattered. Sathrik’s not being stingy for any of us. There’s nothing less than a fortune on any of our heads.”

The last two posters were of Piaras and Talon.

“So much for if Sarad Nukpana knows we tagged along.” Piaras tried for a chuckle and it actually almost sounded like one. “My first wanted poster, and a respectable amount, too. Phaelan would be proud.”

I wasn’t proud. I was petrified. Nukpana knew Piaras was here. He wanted to get his sacrificial daggers into Piaras almost as badly as he wanted to do the same to me. He’d almost succeeded that night on an altar in The Ruins. The only way I’d been able to save him was by tricking Nukpana into touching the Saghred with his bloody hand. He’d never fall for anything like that again.

Piaras knew what that wanted poster meant, too. He’d been the one chained helpless to that altar, gagged so even his spellsinger’s voice couldn’t save him.

“Sathrik’s putting his money where his mouth is,” Tam said from behind me. “He wants us off the street and in a cell. Fast.”

“He’s afraid of us,” Imala said. “The last thing he wants is a morale boost for the Resistance.”

Mychael stood silently next to Imala. Jash was still talking to the young goblin, hopefully out of earshot.

“Carnades is locked down tight, right?” I asked him.

“Oh yes.”

“What if he starts talking about, you know… Raine not having any magic?” Piaras asked. “Will anyone believe him?”

Tam smiled. “Carnades can talk all he wants to. No one will be able to hear him. I made sure that cell is and remains soundproof.”

I blinked. “You’ve got a prison cell in your basement?”

“I didn’t build the house. I simply make use of existing facilities.”

Imala looked at Mychael. “Carnades Silvanus has violated the terms of his parole. I realize this prisoner is under your authority, but he’s now on goblin soil. I am well within my rights—”

“To execute him,” Mychael finished. “Yes, you would be well within your rights.”

If Carnades had somehow managed to kill me, Sarad Nukpana could have immediately taken the Saghred’s power and we’d all be worse than dead. We couldn’t rely on Carnades in any situation, but his attack on me had been the final proof.

“The prince wants him dead,” Imala said. “Now. I informed him that while we are now home, that you, Raine, and Piaras are not. So while Silvanus remains useful, I am concerned that the risk now may outweigh any possible usefulness later.”

“We’ve got to find Kesyn Badru,” Mychael said. “Forgive me for asking, Imala, but are the two guarding him among your best?”

“They are.”

“Then that will have to do. Carnades isn’t going anywhere. Kesyn Badru may have already.”

Piaras cleared his throat. “Sir, you said I’m a member of the team. I want to help.”

Mychael and Tam exchanged a glance.

“What is it?” I asked.

“Thank you for volunteering, Piaras,” Mychael said. “We have to go out into the city and I need for you to stay here.”

“But, sir, you—”

“I’m not finished, Cadet.”

“Sorry, sir.”

“You are to guard Prince Chigaru.”

“Isn’t Director Kalis—”

“Going to find Kesyn,” Imala said.

“I’ve been away for almost two years,” Tam said. “The city has changed a lot since then. We’ll need Imala with us.” He paused. “Piaras, I would consider it the greatest of personal favors if you would also keep Talon out of trouble while we’re gone.”

“No favor needed, sir. I’ve kind of assigned myself that duty anyway.”

“And a fine job you’ve been doing.”

“If you say so.”

Tam wasn’t being sarcastic and Piaras knew it. The times that he’d tried to keep Talon from running headfirst into danger, Piaras had ended up neck deep in it himself. However, they were both still here, and a large part of the credit for that went to Piaras.

I snorted. “Guarding Talon is almost as dangerous as guarding me. You’ve gone from apothecary’s apprentice to bodyguard for the next goblin king in three short months. Impressive.”

Piaras swallowed. “No pressure.”

“Just do your best,” Tam said. “That’s all I or anyone else could ask.”

“That much I can do.”

“I’m going to give Talon the same duty of guarding the prince,” Mychael told Piaras. “One, it’ll keep him occupied. Two, perhaps the two of them will actually stay together and make it easier for you.”

“Hopefully.”

“Just try to keep both of them from doing anything stupid.”

“Put them to sleep if you have to,” Imala said. “You have my permission and blessing.”

“And if you’re found here and have to clear out,” Mychael continued, “do what you can to keep them together… and well, as safe as you can.”

Piaras’s eyes had gotten progressively larger with each word. I couldn’t resist giving him a big slap on the back.

“No pressure on your first mission, huh? We get to find a mage who doesn’t want to be found while playing hide- and-seek with Khrynsani patrols. It sounds almost tame in comparison.”

Piaras looked at Mychael in mute appeal. Mychael was immune.

“I’m afraid that’s an order, Cadet Rivalin. There’s no way we’re taking those two with us, and for everyone’s safety and well-being, we can’t leave them here under their own supervision.”

Nath walked up and overheard. “You didn’t assign Mother to him? Damn, I was hoping for some backup.”

Tam smiled. “She too much for you?”

“And for you, too. Always has been. Speaking of too much to handle, you started the ball rolling that ruined Kesyn Badru’s career. If he spots you first, you might just find him quicker than you want to.”

Jash walked toward us carrying a stack of something dark. “Paladin, here are the clothes you requested.”

Mychael jerked his head at Piaras. “They’re for him.”

“Change out of my uniform, sir?”

“If you have to step foot outside of this house, what you’re wearing will get you killed. You’ll attract less danger to yourself and others if you get out of that uniform. A Guardian isn’t the uniform he wears, but the actions he takes.”

Piaras looked down at the pile of miscellaneous dark clothing topped by a quilted leather arming jacket with steel plates glinting dully on the underside. It wouldn’t keep out a bolt, but a crappy shot would probably be deflected. It would serve him well against most small-arms attacks. I’d prefer it if Piaras were encased in head-to-toe armor or, best of all, if he weren’t here at all, but this would have to do.

Talon appeared from around the corner. He’d changed out of his uniform, too. Talon wearing dark clothes in less- than-optimal condition made him look like a young highwayman who’d been too long between a good score—dashing, yet disreputable.

Talon picked distastefully at the frayed fabric. “I had to do the same thing.” He shrugged. “I’ve worn worse.” He brushed at mud that looked like it’d been on there a long time, and wasn’t coming off anytime soon. “Once.”

“It’s called blending in,” I told them both. “Sometimes being the center of attention only gets you killed first.”

“Then I’ll suffer the indignity,” Talon said.

“I thought you might.”

“One more thing, Cadets.” Mychael handed each of them a gorget. The steel collars were high enough to protect their throats with a bib of overlapping armored scales to keep a blade from going up underneath it.

Talon took the gorget, but held it with as few fingers as necessary. “And I would want to wear this because… ?”

“Because the preferred way to kill a spellsinger is with a bolt through the throat,” Tam told him.

Talon’s eyes got a little wide. “Got anything bigger? Even tackier, perhaps?”

“Where was the last place your teacher lived?” I asked Tam.

“The oldest section of the city, near the south wall.”

“One of my people told me that the Khrynsani have searched it before,” Imala said, “and still have it under surveillance.”

“We’ve also eliminated the next two most likely places Kesyn would be,” Tam said. “Jash says one burnt to the ground six months ago, the other is being used by the Khrynsani as a base of operations in the outer city.”

“Which leaves us with… ?” I prompted.

“One of the last places any of us want to go.”

Chapter 9

Sneaking was best done at night.

But when the people you needed to avoid were goblins, broad daylight was the way to go.

It wasn’t like we were strolling down the middle of the street, but I still felt as naked as the day I was born. Though I had to admit there was something strangely liberating about doing my sneaking and death dodging on a sunny afternoon. It almost made me forget there was a humongous price on my head.

Almost.

Sarad Nukpana and his allies were in control of the city. Goblins weren’t fond of direct sunlight, so they stayed inside if at all possible. That simply meant we weren’t likely to see as many goblins on the streets, and any goblin out and about would be cloaked and hooded. Worked for us. Mychael and I could hide pale skin, ears, and eyes that were a color other than black. We were cowled, cloaked, and cautious.