The Lies They Tell

Golden Girl

Mara adjusted the focus of her spyglass to see the Imperial Embassy clearly. It was a gaudy, gross display of wealth: three stories of white marble, sticking out like a sore thumb against the rainbow of clay and sandstone of the canyon surrounding it. From her vantage point on the canyon rim, she could see a great majority of the small island down below them. The courtyard was a buzz of activity. There were dozens of men patrolling the perimeter with torches in their hands. The golden armor and white silk capes of Imperial White Cloaks glinted in the dim, bouncing light. Servants bustled up and down the stone staircase that led from the embassy to the river, where metal-hulled boats bobbed in the deep water at the docks. From the look of it, they were busy loading cargo rather than unloading it.

"I don't like the look of those lights down there. What do you see, Lieutenant?" Her captain, Uoma, asked. The older woman stared down at the island far below with a deep frown. She had only just joined Mara a short while ago to meet with their spy inside the embassy.

"We have a problem on our hands, Captain." Mara passed her the spyglass.

"Oh? Why is that?" Uoma scanned the heavily guarded perimeter for herself. "When did these men arrive? The embassy was practically empty this morning. Why didn't you tell me immediately?"

"I couldn't risk being spotted sending a bird. It's been about three hours now. This changes everything."

"Etta wasn't supposed to have been here yet." Uoma handed Mara the spyglass and shook her head. "I don't like this."

"I guess we'll find out when Aedonis gets here."

They retreated from the canyon's edge and slid down the embankment to their makeshift camp. A tiny fire, just small enough to avoid any visible smoke, was all they had to keep warm. The two of them weren't the only ones waiting in the desert cold for her arrival. All along the canyon's edge opposite the manor, their rebel allies were waiting on the signal to begin a distraction that would help Mara kill the magistrate and sneak out of the embassy unnoticed. The whole area was about to light up like a Solar New Year's festival. Even the insects that droned at night seemed to be waiting in quiet anticipation for the night's big event.

They waited in silence for a while, watching the narrow trail carved into the red sandstone for any sign of their imperial informant. For the last eight years, Etta had been serving as an attendant in service to the emperor's Right Hand, passing what information she could along to Mara and the rest of the team when it was safe for her to sneak away. It wasn't much, the United Morvaaran Alliance had been able to hold better ground than they had been in decades. Mara had suspicions

Finally, a tall dark figure appeared in the distance and made its way toward them. Uoma drew her blade, tensed and ready to attack. Mara waved for her to put it away as the figure drew nearer. She could tell who it was already. Very few could match the stature of a Zhariik. Unless the Right Hand had decided to pay them a surprise visit, it was their informant, Etta, approaching.

"Aedonis sent me in his stead. They have the embassy servants under a tight watch," Etta said as she came into the light of the fire. She sat down, panting heavily, and drank from the canteen underneath her black cloak. "Security is a bit hard to navigate around right now. We have a slight problem, but I'm hoping it won't be too much of an issue."

"Those are White Cloak soldiers down there. Close to a hundred of them. That's what you consider a slight problem?" Uoma scowled. "You should have sent word that you were coming early."

"I couldn't. The soldiers have been watching all of us like hawks the entire trip. Everyone is on edge here, especially Her Grace." Etta led them back up to the ridge and gestured to the east side of the island, where the terrain was steep and rocky and now lights were shining. "There is a servant's tunnel that accesses a hidden cove by the river. The trail is largely hidden and used only by the staff. It's our easiest way in and out. Aedonis and Hiela have made their bribes to leave the Magistrate unguarded. I can get Mara in if she can get herself out when the distraction goes off."