I''m trusting you, Alexander, this better work. ''I wish that the words made sense.'' She spoke the line clearly.


    Walk South. Then the water receded and the fountain became still once again, to the woes of the children.


    How did the water do that? She gazed at the fountain quizzically. A Torrent? She looked around, searching for someone who could have controlled the water, but only the children and the mother were there. Fayyim stretched out with her Accessor power and the secrets of the people around her became hers.


    Not a parent at all. Character information was now available. The woman nearby was a player, not an AI. A Torrent, playing dumb. The woman did not look up at Fayyim at all, she only turned to the children and splashed them with water and laughed playfully at their reactions. OK. Fayyim thought. South it is.


    Where is everyone?


    Do I keep going south? Fayyim thought. The hairs stood up on the back of her neck. She briefly looked over her shoulder for safety, checking if anyone was behind her. When she looked forward again, she was faced with a tall slender man wearing black leathers. A mace hung at his hip.


    A Jumper? It was a young man in leather armour, with large bushy eyebrows and a shag of brown hair. He placed a piece of paper in the other man''s hands and then ascended back up to the roof in a single bound.


    ''Wait one minute.'' Fayyim was incredulous.


    The Information Broker knows my name? Fayyim''s heart was racing, her stomach turning with nerves. She looked around in panic, her spine tingled, the world was suddenly claustrophobic. ''I...''


    A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    He''s right. ''OK.'' She was still shocked, unsure what to think.


    That''s fair, keep your secrets. Fayyim nodded. Half an hour passed before the Jumper returned. He kept to the roofs, landed above Fayyim and the man in black and gave a thumbs up.


    ''Of course, because we are the only two people here.''


    Do I? I don''t think so. She pondered.


    That is just what I was after.'' He clapped his hands together. ''Thorn is in for a big surprise, as the Demshir''s are using him to fund their own conspiracy.''


    That''s fair. ''OK. One other thing: does Alexander of the Blue Wolves know this about the Demshir brothers?'' If he does, then he''s been withholding information, which means I can''t trust him fully.


    Damn it. ''OK, I think that''s all.''


    There were three? All identical? Before Fayyim could fully consider the meaning of that, a noise from behind distracted her. The celebrators in the city began to move into the street, like a river that had been dammed up, then released. Their music and song filled the air that had been silent a moment before. Fayyim exited in the same direction as the informant, only he had disappeared completely.