Side Stories 15 & 16


    <span style="font-weight:400">Steen Tor inspected the names and charcoal drawings of the five top people suspected to be the infamous Lady Tyix.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Thank you, Hand Henrik. Tell Commander Thea I’m grateful for her assistance.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Yes, Inspector.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“It is a shame I wasn’t brought in on the operation to capture Lady Tyix. I’m sure that with my help, the operation wouldn’t have been such an utter failure.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">Watching the high and mighty Hand grit his teeth was delightful. Commander Thea had truly screwed up, and now Steen would take the prize from her. He had wed his way up from the streets to be a sser, and now, once he got his hands on the child that could create unlimited ssers he would rise even further.


    <span style="font-weight:400">Steen looked over the reports again, ignoring the fuming Hand standing before him. Three of the names were from House Sonom: Ole Sonom, v Sonom, and Vagan Sonom. Vagan was even the son of the current head of that blood-drenched house. They all had the right build and hair color, and their connection to the house of assassins exined Lady Tyix''s stealth abilities.


    <span style="font-weight:400">The next name was Raina Estom. She was an unknown child who paid the wastrel head of Estom house for the right to be named a member of that house. No one knew where she came from before showing up with a cart of gold. The watching stars hadn’t even been able to find any information on the girl. She could be Lady Tyix, but Steen thought it was also likely she was part of a ploy from another house to take over Estom Ind.


    <span style="font-weight:400">Henrik coughed, trying to draw Steen’s attention, which made ignoring him all the sweeter.


    <span style="font-weight:400">Thest name was Dancer, amoner. The girl had been on the watch list for a while as a potential ck sser. Her record had several instances of people acting oddly around her beforeing to unfortunate ends. It happened often enough that her neighbors had reported her,nding her on the Tineak guard watch list.


    <span style="font-weight:400">Looking at the reports of the girl''s actions, he hoped it wasn’t her. The way the people who crossed her always ended up having idents that helped her rise in the world spoke of a kindred spirit to Steen.


    <span style="font-weight:400">Looking up from the papers, Steen feigned surprise at Henrik’s presence.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“By Agro, did I not dismiss you! My apologies, you are dismissed, Hand Henrik.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">And like that, Thea’s pet departed with a re.


    <span style="font-weight:400">Steen chuckled. He hadn’t needed these reports; he’d already found these five names and more through his own investigations, but he enjoyed rubbing ash in Thea’s wounds.


    <span style="font-weight:400">Looking back at the notes, Steen went over his ns for getting all the suspects to the gathering. Almost everything was already in ce, and once the suspects were all there, he could find the true Lady Tyix.


    <span style="font-weight:400">Steen felt a pang of guilt for the briefest of moments while looking at the pictures before crushing it. Even if he sent the wrong child to The Tower to be tortured and broken, it would be worth it if it helped him rise.


    <span style="font-weight:400">With his resolve firm, Steen called for the next pawn in his n.


    <span style="font-weight:400">***


    <i><span style="font-weight:400">“Okay, Runt, don’t mess this up!”</i><span style="font-weight:400">


    <i><span style="font-weight:400">“I got this!”</i>


    <span style="font-weight:400">Runt’s confident response made Swift-tail worry. He wasn’t a bad lesser human, but he had a knack for getting into trouble - like that wholedies shoe incident. Swift-tail shuddered at the memory.


    <i><span style="font-weight:400">“If you say so, just remember what we nned and keep me hidden.”</i>


    <span style="font-weight:400">Swift-tail gotfortable in his new shoulder bag home. It was actually ratherfortable and made getting into the Mid Ring easy. The guards had barely even looked at Runt in his new clothes.


    <span style="font-weight:400">The problem now was that no amount of fancy clothes would get the pair into the Crown Ring if they didn’t have business there. Swift-tail could probably get in alone with Runt’s help, but he wasn’t willing to abandon his new friend. The helpless kit would probably end up in another cage if he did.


    <span style="font-weight:400">The bag stopped jostling, and Swift-tail came alert.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Ho boy, what business do you have with House Wervle.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Um, well, Mr. Ith gave me this letter and said you might be willing to hire me as a porter.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">Runt’s shaky voice did not inspire trust, not to mention that Mr. Ith had rmended him as a messenger boy, not a porter. But apparently, Runt had forgotten that in the stress of the moment. Swift-tail could feel this chance slipping away.


    <i><span style="font-weight:400">“It’s okay, Runt; you just need to calm down.”</i>


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Sorry, kid. We don’t have use for porters your size. Come back when you’re about sixty pounds heavier.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">And there it was.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“One moment, Peder,” a soft feminine voice wafted from somewhere close by, “send the boy in. I’d like to speak with him.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Very well, mydy. You heard her, boy. Go in and greet thedy,” the guard responded in a crisp tone, then in a much softer voice, barely a whisper, Swift-tail heard him say. “Sorry, kid. I tried to save you.”