Alaric watched intently as Korran's eyes fluttered open, scanning the rooftop of the carriage calmly before panic invaded his face and he bolted upright. "Calm down, Korran. You're safe," Alaric assured him.

  "Where are we?"

  "Heading through the forest on a stagecoach we stole."

  Korran gingerly touched his rib, his eyes widening in surprise as he searched for the previous tenderness and stretched enthusiastically. Alaric stifled a chuckle. "According to Petra, you had a severely bruised rib along with many bone bruises - some minor and some not so much. I trust you'll excuse her using her Pateral abilities on you given the circumstances."

  Korran face darkened as he glowered, but Alaric got the feeling he was just putting on a show. A grunt was the only audible acknowledgment he gave before busying himself looking through the coach's circular window.

  Seeing Korran awake made Alaric think back to when he first regained consciousness on the ship. He had seen Korran and the man Ardus had referred to as Borus locked in a stalemate battle with Borus stopping Korran's dagger thrust and Korran trying to overpower the man's grip on his hand. Borus' creepy grin had sent shivers down his spine but it was Korran's face that had summoned goosebumps along his arm. Korran's face hosted a truly bloodcurdling grin, a perfect reflection of Borus'.

  Korran was as much of a battle-loving maniac as Borus.

  Alaric coughed, dispersing the stray thought. "Thank you for saving me. I imagine I would've been halfway up to the heavens if you hadn't interfered."

  "Just protecting my golden ticket," Korran replied curtly, not bothering to remove his eyes from the window.

  Alaric scratched his head idly, feeling a sense of dread rise within as he considered his next words. "I, uh, I heard what Borus offered you before he left." He couldn't bring himself to outright ask him what he'd do, instead letting the unasked question hang in the air. It felt weird to think he'd become attached to the boy in such a short time, but he felt like he'd miss his presence if he left - not to mention he would be a formidable foe, judging by his ability to go toe-to-toe with Borus.

  This time Korran tore his eyes away from the scenery and eyed Alaric with keen interest. Was he about to demand more benefits for Alaric to keep his service? Alaric wondered. Korran's eyes narrowed, "The only thing I owe that blue haired jester is a beating. That will be my response if he ever has the misfortune of laying eyes on me again."

  Alaric didn't bother trying to hide the relief that washed over him. "Me and you both. Still, his offer has opened my eyes. I've been using you for my own motives, stringing you along with monetary promises and a pardon, but it's high time I tell you the full story."

  "I'm going to stop you right there," Korran said with a raised brow, "You haven't done anything my usual employers don't, and they don't for good reason. Agents of the underground aren't to be trusted with the knowledge of big pictures, because big pictures can be sold for a price to the right person. I'm no city guard, pledging patriotism to the city's will; I'm a thief of lives - a whisperer of death. You owe me no loyalty outside of the agreed payment."

  Alaric shook his head vigorously. "You can be more. What do you have planned after you receive your pardon? Start back your work until you end up in a similar situation, hiding away in caves and forests, unable to spend your bloodied gurdees to your heart's content? I'm well aware of the risk of betrayal, but I feel it necessary to take the first leap of faith in this trust enveloped lake to show my goodwill."

  Korran still held a skeptical expression but Alaric detected some curiosity lingering as well. He didn't interrupt this time, so Alaric continued. "Back in my birth city Heuldrik, my father, the Duke, has reached the age of retirement. My older brother is set to take his place very soon. My brother and I share different...views, he's always been fascinated with war since a young child - the idea of leading armies and conquering land after besting an entire city. Now, there'll be nothing holding him back from executing this dream. He's already making plans to invade the neighboring cities, despite the years of peace our father and grandfather fought so hard for."

  "You're planning to lead a rebellion against your brother," Korran finished, his curiosity giving in to interest.

  "Better than that," Alaric replied somberly. "I plan to create my own city, away from Heuldrik and my brother. Citizens will have the choice to relocate, or stay, but considering so many have felt the happiness of peace - I expect them to choose relocation."

  "And you think your brother won't retaliate because you're kin? If he is as war enthusiastic as you say, you're only adding another city to be conquered, and given its infancy, it's bound to be one of the easier targets."

  Alaric nodded. "That much is is obvious." He paused, thinking back to his childhood, growing up with his brother by his side, his fiery spirit ensuring that no one their age dared to cross either of them. For noble kids, the influence of families and status didn't always scare each other, but his brother's fists were always ready to nurse the brave. It was nauseating to imagine being on the other side of that same brother in a war now. "This is what my cut of the treasure is for, imbursing the Triffers who will be responsible for building the city quickly. The infamy I plan to gain as the leader of the group that bested the Greta Company will also be key, or at least I hope it will encourage warriors to join the army."

  Stolen story; please report.

  Triffers were Paterals who worked in groups, using their abilities to build infrastructure faster than otherwise possible. They were expensive but could build a large city in just a few weeks.

  Korran pondered in silence before he spoke again. "How do you plan on getting out supposedly a significant chunk of the city's population? That sure sounds noticeable."

  "At night," Alaric said with a pensive shrug. "Some parts still need ironing out, but with the manor's location, it's possible. The hardest part will be not having him catch wind of it."

  "Funding a rebellion will be easier," Korran commented with a judgmental look. "I can't believe I have to explain noble politics to a noble. This particular rebellion movement will be easier, since you're next in line for dukedom. All you need is a rebellion presence to be the scapegoat for your brother's assassination, then you'll be the duke. No ridiculous spending or treasure hunting necessary."

  Alaric didn't allow the thought to enter his head. "No. My brother does not deserve to be assassinated. I aim to capture him, but if he does fall, it should be in an honorary battle." Korran snorted and Alaric frowned. "Do you not have any family that you wouldn't want to die so dishonorably?"

  Korran scoffed. "First of all; there's no such thing as a dishonorable death, either way it is the end of life as you know it - it doesn't need such human characteristics. Second of all," his expression darkened and Alaric saw the same darkness that he had seen when he faced off against Borus, "I'd assassinate any member of my family or clan if I had to. I owe them no loyalty, just like they failed to show me any."

  Alaric stared stunned at the boy. He opened his mouth, daring to prod further into what could make someone say such a thing, but the moment passed as Korran spoke again. "What is the point of telling me all of this, anyway?"

  Alaric mustered up the best genuine smile he could. His face hurt from the effort; Petra had healed him but she had warned him about phantom pain, though the pain felt very real at the moment. "The point is I'm offering you a position in this new city - all of you, really. A task force within the city's army, aimed at training and commanding the platoons. Ardus has already accepted the offer. This job, as important as it is, is also a bit of a test."

  Alaric watched as Korran digested the information impassively. For all he knew the boy could be pleasantly surprised or disgusted with the idea; there wasn't a single hint on his visage. Truthfully, Alaric hadn't planned to reveal his complete plan this early, but seeing Korran with that crazed grin had compelled him to offer him a more subdued way to quell his desire for battle. Perhaps that made him selfish or arrogant, to think he knew what was best for the boy, but he couldn't help himself.

  Above all, he wanted to believe the boy was only a prisoner of his upbringing and there was hope for him to overcome that darkness Alaric glimpsed.

  Mathis chose then to enter their compartment from the front carriage. His eyes lit up when he saw Korran. "I never thought I'd be saying this about you when we first met, but I'm glad you survived. Of course, if ships and I weren't so incompatible, I would've gone and saved Alaric myself - but a decent job regardless."

  Korran didn't seem to know what to say so he resorted to an awkward nod of acknowledgment. Fiona piled in after Mathis and shifted to the corner silently. "Ardus says we'll be breaching the tree line soon. He sent us to get directions from you," Mathis announced.

  "Directions to where? They could be anywhere by now," Korran commented with a grim expression.

  Alaric spread out a map on the small wooden table in front of the small couch the two sat on. Although it wasn't as detailed as he'd like, it was a blessing to find one in the carriage. "Not quite. We know for certain they were on that ship sometime yesterday, most likely in the morning. This means they couldn't have gotten too far, but most importantly, we know where they're headed."

  Mathis' eyebrow raised. "We do?"

  "We do. To Duke Milto of Beanrite toward the southeast," he paused, motioning for Mathis and Fiona to draw closer as he indicated the spot in the southeast region of the map on memory alone, "there's only a handful of paths they could take there. Considering the stunt they pulled disembarking the ship to throw anyone off their trail, we can't rule out even the longest, complex paths."

  Korran shook his head. "Wrong. These men are supposedly carrying the Kaiser treasure, they'll try to keep stops and the travel duration to a minimum if they know what's good for them."

  "What makes you so sure?"

  "Because it's what I would do," he replied confidently, "what any experienced criminal would do. You want to limit any chance of the job going wrong even if it causes you to take the most direct predictable route." He eyed the map on the table, "Tell me about the fastest paths."

  Alaric complied, detailing the characteristics he remembered from the more popular areas that crossed the paths. Korran held up a finger when he mentioned the Giluthe Plains, where merchants frequented since inquisitors guarded the frequent path.

  "That sounds like the most likely path; it's a straight shot to Beanrite and if they travel under the guise of merchants, they can carry their treasure as a front for goods, drawing little attention and blending in. It's almost perfect."

  Alaric felt like punching himself. It seemed so obvious now that Korran had pointed it out, but something had stopped him from seeing the clear. He felt his face burn with embarrassment and looked back down at the map, highlighting the course Korran outlined with a marker. Deep down he knew why; he didn't think with the cunning of someone forced to keep a low profile, he'd certainly never been wanted.

  "If the plan is to intercept them, we'd better do a better job than we did capturing this carriage," said Fiona.

  Alaric grimaced, remembering the chaotic chase of the stagecoach, until Fiona stepped up and played the role of the damsel in distress, causing the stagecoach to stop and Ardus and Mathis to disarm the guards. It had been a much better plan than his, but he still felt guilty for taking advantage of innocent people's kindness.

  Korran looked between them and shook his head. "I don't want to know, do I?"

  Alaric imagined the boy would've devised a much more ruthless plan that disregarded the occupants' wellbeing. "Regardless, it's past time to take such a direct intercept approach. We've seen that the Greta Company is careful, and not overconfident in their intel not being leaked. Do you figure we'll be seeing Borus and his crew again?"

  Ardus poked his head in from the front carriage, nearly jumping Alaric out of his skin. He hadn't even noticed the man had brought the horses to a halt, so wrapped up in his thoughts he was. "They were a step ahead of us every step of the way, it seems safe to assume they'd also know who the Greta Company was hired by.

  A smile tugged on Alaric's lips as a plan started to materialize in his head. "I hope you're right."