Discordant Note | TBATE

Chapter 26: Offer

Toren Daen

I shifted into a more stable stance, but resheathed my dagger. "And what makes you think I need the help of a group of... 'wealth reinvestors?'" I asked, using the Young Rat's amusing rationalization for thievery. "From where I stand, we have nothing to do with each other."

The Rat shook his head. That comical mask had no right to look so good on a person. "You're forgetting something, Dusk. We do have something you need. In fact, I think you need it very much."

"And what would that be?"

"Information," he responded, a glimmer in his eye. "The most valuable of currencies. Everybody needs it, and nobody has enough. And you, my young Daen, are in most dire need of it."

I finally pinpointed why the Rat felt so wrong to me. I couldn't sense him at all. Sure, I could see the man and he made noise, allowing me to negotiate. But the ever so slight tingling sensation of being watched; of having a person's attention on you? The constant weight in the ambient mana that indicated a mage stood there, unconsciously pressing onto the ambient mana with their intent?

That just didn't exist for the man. I could sense the subtle gaze of the Young Rat, and even the older axe wielder. But not their leader.

His relaxed air irritated me. I felt my brow twitch under my mask, his casual utterance of my true identity reminding me of my situation. It was a subtle barb that proved his point remarkably well. He had information about me and about my circumstances. He used that to highlight the fact that I had none.

I narrowed my eyes, then sat down in a nearby pew. The wood creaked under my weight, but it thankfully held. I nonchalantly slung an arm over the back, relaxing my posture. Internally, I ramped the mana from my core. I would be ready to move at a moment's notice.

"It is a universal truth that everybody wants to know something about somebody else," I said casually. "But one must always be careful of the source. After all, every informant has their own goals and aspirations." I looked across the trio. "I admit my ignorance in regards to many things, but there are a dozen different ways to alleviate that ignorance." I centered my attention back on the Rat. "Yes, I need information. But what makes you think I should bargain with you?"

My answer seemed to please the Rat. He nodded, taking my reply in stride. "Well, as reinvestors in the economy, we tend to hear very interesting things through the underground. We keep an eye on our customers, after all. And one interesting thing was the recent announcement from Blood Joan themselves, sent to all their internal forces and allies." The Rat's mask of good cheer fell and he regarded me with utter seriousness. I felt a shiver crawl down my spine. "You've got a kill-on-sight order, Toren Daen, from half the Bloods in Fiachra."

"What did you say?" I asked in shock, leaning forward.

The Rat leaned against the altar. "Pardon my impropriety, but you... kicked a hornet's nest by interrupting that acidbeam nest expedition. Blood Joan has some weighty connections, and they pulled in a lot of favors in the past couple of hours setting a watch across the city for your hide," the thief said. "Something that would've been amazing to know at the time, I'd think. A benefit of information."

I blinked incredulously, entirely thrown by the event. "But I helped save what was left of that expedition!" I said, baffled. "Why the hell would they want me dead even more?" I added, my composure broken by the news. If what the Rat said was true, it had dangerous implications.

"They don't particularly care, my friend-to-be," The Rat replied, a bit of his previous guile returning to his face. "Luckily for you, you've just so managed to be in the least-regulated district of Fiachra for the last afternoon, entirely away from the majority of Bloods keeping an eye out for you. Isn't that a happy coincidence?" He gave me a winning smile. I couldn't see it under his bandana, but I swear I could feel it.