The man seemed to look around and frown sadly, his shoulders slumping down, words formed, rapid fire, in a language I couldn’t even begin to understand. Then they disappeared, leaving me with water that now misted like dew onto the ground. What was that? I wondered, staring at the device. That… probably wasn’t it’s intended purpose, just that image… It must be something more, something must’ve been wrong…

[I’m still not entirely sure what exactly occurred.] Page said. [How did it perform all of that?] It wondered, seeming to frown at the device itself.

We know how… I thought back. Fire to heat the air into steam, water to move the steam where they want it. Probably fire again to create light, but how did they control it with that kind of precision, it looked very convincing… I cupped my chin. That kind of magic was as far as I knew out of reach for every single nation out here… At least, at the time…

[It would seem it needs something more…] Page remarked. [Could you try again?]

Couldn’t hurt. I thought to myself, walking over to start the device up again, this time it hummed for only a second, falling inert once again. Huh… you know… maybe we should go grab a bucket. I thought. Might just be a lack of water… I slipped out of the room, drawing a bucket of water and bringing it in. I tapped on the device again, and this time all the water from the bucket came to a boil, steam rising from it to fill the room.

The man appeared again, smiling this time, and took a bow. As he pulled himself upright lights began to flash into being around him, as he began to speak, a low cadence, similar to… This is how bards tell stories… I realized. Is this…

He pulled out a lute, sitting down on a chair that appeared out of nothing beneath him. A ship emerged from the steam, caught in a virtual storm that it couldn’t escape. I could see the men on it panicking, running. Someone fell off the mast, all as the man continued to sing and speak. I let it continue, it was a story about a man who survived the shipwreck, coming across a group of dragons and challenging them to a… duel? Well that’s highly unrealistic.

He managed to win… somehow, I think it was magic of a sort, though I couldn’t even begin to imagine what kind of magic you’d need to hurt them… That pretty much set the tone of the story, he travelled around, beat stuff up and got them to bring him home. What the hell… I thought to myself, turning and running my hand through my hair. Why the hell did they get me to steal this?!

Someone was in the hallway, had been watching all this time from a crack in the door. As my eyes caught theirs, I saw them slip away. I darted forward, pushing the door open and running after them. I slammed him against the wall, seething. “Do you people think I’m a joke?!” I snarled. “Your man sent me after a glorified theatre! If you don’t want me here, you damn well better say it to my face.” I slammed him again against the wall. “I was out there in snow, watching for several nights, working against your idiotically short deadlines for this?” I hissed.

The man was grasping at my hands, before deciding to try and knee me in the groin. I headbutted him in the nose, pulling myself too close for it to have an effect. There was a muffled grunt from him, and I threw him aside onto the ground. I snarled, fingers twitching, it was tempting to draw my weapon, right here….

Temper. I thought to myself. It’s been coming up a lot, where the hell did I pick it up? I gritted my teeth, crushing down the rage. I uncurled my fists, composing myself. “Tell them that I’m not going to stay any longer.” I said. “It’s clear enough that my abilities are not required here.”

“On the contrary I’d say your skill is very much needed now that we’ve gotten something of your measure.” A man said, standing between me and the door. He was dressed as I would expect of a lord, finely made clothing with a small amount of precious metals on his person. It wasn’t gaudy, more self-assured… I frowned.

“If you think I’ll listen, you’re correct, if you think I will stay, that depends on what you have to say.” I bristled. “I am not your errand child, and if that is what you want of me you can step aside of be shoved that way.” I said, watching him.

“It was never my intention to do that.” The man replied. “I had hoped that the device that they had so well guarded would be of some importance to their schemes, especially since no expense had been spared to transport it.” He said. “We have a better lead on this one, and I will personally ensure that you are told of your objective and provided whatever intelligence we have on the matter.”

“Lay out the assignment, answer my questions to my satisfaction, and I’ll do it.” I said. “I’ll be leaving this building regardless of whether I take the job.” I continued. “I don’t trust walls with so many ears and eyes.” I said. “And that isn’t going to change just on your word.”

He snorted. “I wouldn’t expect it to change your mind. You have been treated poorly by the ones I assigned to work with you. Hence why I stand here now, to salvage the situation.” He answered. “I am Oroen, if you would take a seat in that room I will outline what I would ask of you.”

I grudgingly nodded, stepping into the room, the other man was dismissed, he hurried from the building, hands clasped over his face. “Are there actually any doctors awake at this time?” I mused darkly, settling into a seat in the next room over. Delving at least had shown no ambush, but I kept my guard up, one thing about nobles in this world was that they could fight, only way to lead here really…

The man seemed to ignore me, just as well, I wasn’t looking to hear an answer anyway. He took a breath. “From what we had gathered we determined that one of the men in charge of the smuggling operations to be the councillor Fonxe.” The man started. “The ledger you recovered helped us corroborate his involvement, but there are others involved. We will need you to infiltrate his grounds, and collect his personal notes.”

“You promised me information on the target. I barely even know where to start looking.” I said, arms folded, staring at him. I could see souls approaching from the distance. “Hell. For all I know you’re sending me after his journal so you can blackmail him.” I snarl, holding up two fingers.

“His grounds will be hilariously large, I’ve seen some of the estates you people have, and even confined to the homes you have…” I shook my head, lowering the first finger. “Next I don’t know what the notes look like, or even what they contain, and if you send me after something wholly unrelated to the smuggling operation again I will leave it, a note and walk away from this.” I said, looking the man in the eyes. “And nothing you or the men you have outside this building can do will change that.”

He raised his eyebrows. “There are people outside?” He asked, walking over to the window. “Hmm, I see, they wear my colours, and I recognize the men. He didn’t choose to get treated after all, commendable… if reckless.” He said with a sigh. “I will not force you to do anything, in my experience attempting such an action with your kind ends in bodies, yours or my own.”

… That means you’ve done it before then. I thought, not at all reassured. If it came down to it, the Aen would give me a fighting chance, but… I couldn’t leave witnesses, nor could I leave the bodies as they were… Already spoiling for a fight? I chided myself. Though honestly it’s hard not to consider… They’re all making my back itch…

“If you’ll excuse me. I will ask them to go home before I start to answer your questions, it will take time and they should be allowed to return if there’s nothing else for them to do.” He said, walking out of the room and heading to the door. I drew the Aen, letting it rest beside me as I Delved, watching his soul stop before the others. Their souls shifted a little, colours swirling, as they left the way they came. He stepped back in, and I returned the Aen to its sheath before he entered the room.

“I suppose I can’t blame you for being wary.” He said dryly, seeing me in a battle stance. “But they have returned home, you have my word on that.” I shook my head slightly, leaning up against the wall. “As to your questions… I’ll tell you all that I know.” He promised.

He outlined to me the mansion’s layout, or at least what they knew of it, there were more than a few areas that were listed as completely unknown. “It is among the most secured areas in the city, and we have not had many chances to see the interior.” From what we knew, his room appeared to be on the top floor, but which room it was had been up for debate amongst their spies for weeks.

“We know about the notebook because at the very least he keeps a modicum of blackmail nestled within it.” Oroen said. “And unlike many of the others he tends to take a more active role in administration, and organization like that requires records, notes. My spies have covered a few places where such records could be kept, but we have found nothing. This is the most promising lead, but few of my men are skilled enough for it. You might be.” He said.

“You’re laying on the flattery a bit thick.” I said. “You’ve sent me against low value targets, hell, I was even seen during one of them, what you really mean is that I’m disposable.” I folded my arms across my chest. “Even if I was captured, what could I possibly reveal to them right?”

“No.” He said, looking my straight in the eyes. “Your efforts at the first location proved to me that you could be trusted to handle the event. Your infiltration was flawless, and you were obviously able to adapt to the rotations of the guards inside, ones whose schedules not even we knew.” He said, staring intently at me. “Do you really think I’d let you near blackmail material for our most influential nobles? I am no fool, I’d rather not have had you at all, but I value Cale’s opinion, and he vouches for you. Considering the stakes he has riding on this, I am inclined to trust his judgement.”

I gritted my teeth. He broke my younger sister. The phrase sprang into my mind unbidden. “You’re telling me that man hasn’t been dealt with yet?” I ask, my voice a low growl. “I don’t imagine what he did was somehow considered ‘justified’.” I snarled, hands balling into fists.

“We are dealing with finding evidence, and I am delicately moving pieces so that the man will meet justice.” He says. “If he can be tied to this conspiracy, the others will have no choice but to mete out a proper punishment to him.” Oroen continued. “Now, I ask if you will take it.”

I grimaced, turning to look out the window. I was almost definitely still disposable. I thought. And yet… Cale again, he had asked for my help, and what had been done to him… Dammit. I shook my head with an angry growl. “Fine, I’ll do it.” I’m a goddamn idiot.