"What is this?" Gaveley said in a hostile voice, almost a hoarse whisper. "What is a stranger doing here? Mynx …" His hand went to the ornate sword at his waist.
Mynx stood to introduce Tarscenian. She sketched in the events of the afternoon and evening. "He wishes to join us. To my mind, he has some promise. He fooled the high priest and the temple guards handily in the refugees' quarter, Gaveley. You should have been there. Look."
She dug Dahos's ring out of a pocket and handed it to Gaveley, who accepted it with a half-smile.
"Still," he rasped, "you overstepped yourself in bring shy;ing him here of your own volition."
Mynx muttered an apology, but Gaveley was already circling Tarscenian. The older man turned with him, hand on the hilt of his sword, warily noting the position of the other thieves.
Suddenly, Gaveley's sword was out and poised at Tarscenian's throat. "You're rather old to take up our company, stranger," Gaveley whispered. "Are you cer shy;tain you're not a spy for the High Theocrat? He'd love to get his pudgy hands in our coffers, I'll warrant." He nod shy;ded toward the two men. "Xam, Snoop-check the area for Hederick's henchmen."
The two left without remark. The hulk of a man, Xam, cut through the den and disappeared through a back portal. Snoop wheeled and vanished back in the direc shy;tion from which he had come.
"You understand that I cannot be too careful, old man," Gaveley whispered.
"Tarscenian."
There was the sound of the rock again. In that instant, Gaveley's concentration wavered, and Tarscenian acted. His sword, held in a firm grip, swept up and clanged against Gaveley's. An instant later, Gaveley's weapon lay discarded on the floor, and it was the half-elf who was staring down a blade.
Tarscenian's voice was edged with anger. "I may be old, Gaveley, but I have learned much in my time."
Xam and Snoop, entering, froze. Gaveley, held at the point of Tarscenian's sword, flicked his gaze toward the smaller man. Snoop said simply, "All clear." Xam nod shy;ded as well. At that, Gaveley released a breath, stepped back from the swordpoint, and casually retrieved and sheathed his own weapon. In the light of the lantern that illuminated the hideout, he regarded Tarscenian with a cold half-smile.
Gaveley's more relaxed attitude signaled something to Xam, Snoop, and Mynx. All three helped themselves to the carafe of wine and took up comfortable positions around the room, waiting for what would happen next.
"We will see, Tarscenian," was all Gaveley said to the older man.
Mynx brought Gaveley a goblet of wine and poured another for Tarscenian. The older man refused with a shake of the head. Unlike the human thieves, who gulped the wine as though it were water, Gaveley sipped his drink elegantly. He leaned against a stool, glaring down at Xam and Snoop. "Report, you two," he rasped.
"I know where to find Von Falden," Xam said. "I expect to bring him in tomorrow."
This meant something to Gaveley, for he gave a satis shy;fied nod. "Splendid. Pantrev upped the bounty to two hundred steel yesterday," he said in his hoarse voice. "That was a tough assignment. Good work, Xam."
The bounty hunter grunted. "Years o' practice," he said and proceeded to down the rest of his wine.
Gaveley turned to the small, nondescript man. "Snoop?"
The spy shrugged. "Still looking. I know there's some shy;thing up between the young lady in question and the head of the weavers' guild, but proving it …" He shrugged again.
"Keep at it," Gaveley said. "It could mean hundreds of steel in blackmail-from each of them. If you can't come up with something solid, we can always bluff our way along, but blackmail always has more teeth when you can offer a bit of irrefutable evidence."
Gaveley's gaze fell on Mynx. "And you?"
She smiled lazily at him. There was a casualness between the two that suggested to Tarscenian that they'd once been much more than colleagues.
"I fulfilled my assignment, Gav," she said archly, "as you well know. And …" She unfastened a pouch from her waistband and spilled its contents onto the shelf. "And I have two purses, a copper bracelet decorated with what seem to be amethysts, three rings-including the high priest's, but I suppose I really can't take credit for that-and a hair clasp made of polished steel. Very pretty." She fondled the last-named item. "Can I keep it, Gav?"
"And risk running into the owner?" Gaveley laughed gruffly and extended his goblet for a refill. "Besides, Mynx, nothing could tame that lion's mane of yours."
"Coupla hours with a comb wouldn't hurt," the spy Snoop cracked. Mynx socked him in the arm with her fist, then turned back to Gaveley, who shook his head.
"You know the rules, Mynx. Everything to the fence. We can't risk having our goods surface in Solace. Better Haven or Gateway or Caergoth."
She accepted Gaveley's mandate without protest, and Tarscenian realized the banter between the two was a longstanding routine.
Then the leader was addressing Tarscenian. "And you, old man? Now is your turn. Why are you here?"
"I want help stealing something," was Tarscenian's curt reply.
The half-elf leaned forward. The movement parted his dark hair, revealing the pointed ears that proclaimed that his mother or father was a Qualinesti. Gaveley licked his lips like a man about to set upon a fine supper. "Something valuable?" he asked
"Quite." Tarscenian spoke tersely. He had no money to offer the group. They'd not help him unless they knew the artifact was worth something, but he had no inten shy;tion of revealing just how valuable the Diamond Dragon was magically. He described the artifact in more mun shy;dane, but financially attractive, terms.
"Steel, you say," Gaveley murmured.
"With dozens of diamonds," Tarscenian added. "And ruby eyes."
"Too distinctive," Mynx said.
The half-elf nodded. "It would have to be melted down. The diamonds alone would be worth a fortune, though."
Tarscenian said nothing. He would have to find some way to prevent the thieves from keeping the dragon arti shy;fact, but at this point he was better off pretending his motive was the same as theirs-pure greed.
"What do you want out of this, Tarscenian?"
"My share of the take."
Gaveley regarded him dubiously. "And where is this marvelous piece of jewelry?" he asked.
"Around Hederick's neck." Tarscenian held his breath, expecting some explosive reaction.
He was wrong. Gaveley, Xam, and Snoop continued to sit stoically. Only Mynx perked up, her eyes sparkling. "What a chance to get even with the old goat!" she crowed. "You say this piece of jewelry is especially important to the High Theocrat?"
Perhaps revenge, rather than greed, was the tack to take, Tarscenian thought. "Tremendously so," he said. "He's had the Diamond Dragon with him for decades. He believes it's a gift from his gods."
Mynx turned to the others. "Here's our chance to avenge the kender," she said excitedly.
"But to steal something the High Theocrat always keeps on his person?" Snoop protested. "With all those guards and goblins around? Mynx, you've got talent enough to do it, but…"
"Let me try, Gav," Mynx pleaded.
"Well…" Gaveley paused. Several emotions seemed to be warring in his contorted expression. Finally, a bland mask dropped over his features. "I need time to consider this. Mynx, escort the old man to his lodgings."
Mynx looked at Tarscenian. He shrugged. "I just arrived in Solace. I have no lodgings. I'll sleep in the woods."
"You can't do that," Mynx objected. "The goblins can espy things in the dark. And they'll be looking all over for you. I know where to hide you."