I stiffened, turning back to see Isla's shocked face in front of me. The noblewoman was right; she was a terrible liar. Luckily, her face was turned away from the Inquisitor.

  "It was me. I did it."

  Reed leaned forward, resting her chin on her hand as her eyes bore into me.

  "Really?! I see why the Alden likes you."

  She flashed a smile that didn't reach her eyes. The Inquisitor knew I was lying but liked how well I did it. I shivered.

  "I need a bath after dealing with that one," Castille said as we walked to the foot of the staircase.

  Dugan nodded in agreement, one hand on his axe, eyeing the shadowy corners of the Guildhall’s second floor.

  "I'm just happy to make it out in one piece," I said.

  Castille slapped my back.

  “Who knew you were such a VIP?”

  I snarled.

  “I’m not. I think they want to use me to get to the elves.”

  Castille frowned.

  “Oh… I don’t like that.”

  “Still, we need them. So, let’s play nice for now,” Isla said.

  Her face was pale, and her eyes unfocused, looking off into the distance.

  The Inquisitor had shaken her. Spirits below, she had shaken me. What was I thinking covering for Isla? That’s not something Sin would do.

  “Isla is right. We stick to the plan. The boys go to the party, and Isla and I…”

  Castille looked around at the shelves of thickly bound tomes. She sighed, letting her shoulders sag.

  "We’ll stay here.”

  “Try not to get too excited,” I said.

  Castille grimaced.

  “I’m missing out on a party to read books."

  "I know… isn’t it great?" Isla asked.

  Castille looked at Isla and laughed, a deep belly laugh that made the Sanctifiers below us look up and sneer.

  “Maybe it won’t be so bad with company. Be careful, you two.”

  She tousled Dugan’s curly hair.

  "I was going to tell you the same thing.”

  As Dugan and I turned to walk down the staircase, someone tugged on my sleeve.

  “Isla?”

  "Thank you for taking the blame. You know, for Miller’s Hill.”

  I smiled at her.

  "No problem.”

  It won’t be happening again.

  # # #

  We heard Thor before we saw him when we entered Castille's master suite at the Pit. His loud oinking filled the room as two women dried off his head with white cotton towels.

  The women of the Pit were used to dealing with pigs, making them the best suited for bathing the pack boar. Cassandra had spared some of their precious rainwater for the effort. Whatever magic Castille used on her needed to be taught. She sat at the foot of the bed, covering her mouth to hold back laughter. Her eyes brightened when she saw us enter the room.

  "Jacob. Dugan. Does this mean your visit to the Sanctifier Guild was fruitful?"

  The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

  "That’s one way to describe it. Was the building always so fortified?"

  "They made renovations after the last bit of fighting. When the Lagos brothers came into power.”

  “How long ago was that?”

  “Five—maybe six years ago. Time moves fast in the Del.”

  I thought back to Van Lagos and the fire that didn’t burn. I needed to learn more.

  Cassandra continued speaking.

  “When the Lagos brothers defeated the old cartel leaders, there was a scramble for power. Different mining crews and gangs fought in the streets while Sanctifiers waited out the storm. When the dust settled, they formed a compact with the new leaders, Lady Kateen, the Lagos Brothers and Tiny Tom.”

  “What do you know about the Lagos Brothers?”

  Cassandra blinked at me.

  “I only know what everyone else knows. They’re powerful mages.”

  “They don’t come here to use your… services.”

  She laughed.

  “You don’t know many mages, do you? Even if they did partake in our services, they would be too worried about creating a bastard to enjoy themselves.”

  She sighed.

  “Maybe I should hire some young men. There aren’t too many Revisionists around to make a fuss.”

  I rubbed my chin. This wasn’t going anywhere. I pulled out my cane and fell into the chair at the side of the bed. Dugan walked to the other side of the room to scratch Thor on the head while the other women watched.

  “How about Lady Kateen? Can you tell me anything about her?”

  Cassandra squirmed on the bed.

  “I'd rather not say. We pay protection up to her. Me and the rest of the Service Quarter.”

  “She sounds powerful.”

  "She is. Lady Kateen has her hands in all merchant activity in and out of Steeltown. The Lagos Brothers and Tiny Tom couldn't sell their goods without her connections. She’ll want a cut of your business as well. When she asks, just give it to her. Your life will be easier."

  "Sounds like she's the one in charge around here."

  "Not quite. It's a balance. While Lady Kateen controls trade and the Service Quarter of Steeltown, the Lagos Brothers and Tiny Tom's cartels control the mining and the Industrial Quarter. They also have more muscle. They can pay them directly from the ore they mine."

  I nodded, rolling my cane in my right hand.

  "How does Lady Kateen match up to the Lagos Brothers as a mage? Could she handle them if she had help?"

  Cassandra gave me a confused look and then laughed.

  "Lady Kateen isn't a mage. She was a penniless wet nurse before she moved here. That's the beauty of Steeltown. You can become anything."

  "If you don't die of lead poisoning first."

  Cassandra gave me a sour look.

  “Not all of us can come from money. To make something of yourself in this world, you have to make sacrifices, and, for most of us, your body is the first thing you forfeit.”

  She stood up, clapping her hands together.

  "Ladies, our job is done. Let's leave the gentlemen to their business."

  She glided out of the room with the two women on her heels, leaving Dugan, Thor, and me alone.

  I sighed.

  "I shouldn't have said that."

  Dugan looked at me with impassive eyes.

  "Y- y- your heart wwwas is in the right place."

  I raised my eyebrows.

  Dugan blushed, looking away and running a hand through his beard.

  Oh… that’s why he didn’t talk.

  One of the boys at my orphanage stuttered. I didn’t know who got it worse: me or him.

  I smiled. Things were so much simpler back then.

  "Do you wanna check out this tailor?"

  He nodded.

  “Ca… Can you help me with the saddlebags?”

  I shrugged, getting out of my chair to walk around the bed and brush past Thor. He smelled of rosewater and fennel. Were the girls cleaning him or preparing him for tonight’s dinner? Beside him, the saddlebags he shrugged off laid on the floor.

  “Should be easy enough.”

  I grabbed onto the saddlebags and pulled. My arms strained from the weight.

  “Wait!” Dugan said.

  I let go, panting from the unexpected exertion. Beside me, Thor wheezed out a short series of laughs.

  “Shut up before I turn you into stew.”

  Thor leaned forward and bit me!

  “Ow! You-“

  “Enough! D-don’t egg him on, and you...”

  Dugan pointed to the pack animal.

  “Apologize.”

  Thor grumbled out what I assumed was an apology.

  Dugan walked to the other side of the saddlebags.

  “Lift wwwith your legs.”

  Together, we hoisted the saddlebags onto Thor’s back, fastening the straps around his belly. The saddlebags had to be hundreds of pounds, and that was after the enchantment on the bags reduced the weight. Thor had been carrying it the whole time with no complaints.

  “Thor… I’m sorry.”

  The boar looked at me over his shoulder and oinked.

  “Thanks.”

  I think.

  # # #

  The three of us stood in front of the Iron Doublet before midday. This part of the Service Quarter was more upscale. The wooden storefront was made from planks of wood taken from a single source. Large glass windows revealed displays of men's and women's clothing.

  We walked through the entrance, ringing a bell above the door. Racks of clothing lined the walls, with men’s clothing on the left and women’s clothing on the right. In the middle of the shop, a large bundle of lavender cloth was heaped on a table, its ends spilling onto the floor.

  The mountain of cloth moved.

  We stepped back as a head with long, black hair uncovered itself from the heap of fabric. The cloth was a robe that draped over the slim frame of the figure whose head almost brushed the ceiling. He turned; the robe was open, revealing a well-defined chest and abs a dark shade of brown.

  At least he was wearing pants.

  "Hi?" I asked.

  He didn't answer. Instead, he tapped a slender finger against his cheek as he looked us up and down. Even Thor was inspected. After another moment, he spoke.

  “Clothing the beast will cost you extra.”

  “What?”

  "I am Shay, Tailor Extraordinaire, at your service."

  He bowed, his robe cut off at the elbows, making his arms look longer as he spread them wide. Long strands of wavy dark hair fell over his face.

  "I'm Jacob, and this is Dugan and Thor. Reed sent me."

  I ruffled through my pocket and pulled out the card.

  Shay plucked it between his index finger and thumb, running his free hand through his hair. He turned over the card and quirked one threaded eyebrow as he read the message written in High Elvish.

  Shay smiled.

  “Interesting.”

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