The Rogue Guardian

Chapter 27: Laerhart

I don't even know how I feel about the end of this chapter :/ I'll probably figure it out when I reread it later lol

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"So what is it that you do, exactly?" I asked, tilting my chair back on two legs. The rest of them-- Lucien's crew, he'd called them-- were sitting around the long, crowded table in the underground cavern. Kay had insisted we immediately go tell Ysmay what had happened at the inn, so despite everyone else's protests we were stuck in the musty underground room until she deigned to appear.

"Well, a lot of things. We contribute to the general chaos of the city--"

Wes cut in, "--But we specialize in weaponry--"

"--Which involves a lot of other things," Lucien picked up smoothly.

Wes ticked off on his finger, "We, ah, borrow funds for our projects, find or apprehend the materials Luce needs for his crafty-hole--"

"That's not what it's called."

"--Help with testing his inventions and eventually deliver them."

"Your inventions?" I asked. "You mean like those knives you gave me."

"Yeah. Beautiful, aren't they?"

"And completely useless, sure."

Wes nodded sagely. "See, that's what I thought too. But then-- oh wait, no, I still think they're useless."

Lisbetha snickered. "Give it up, Lucien. We all think they're a bad idea."

Evvie put one arm around her as she rolled her eyes. "Give it a break, everyone. It's not a terrible idea. Explain it to Adina."

Lucien scooted closer enthusiastically. "We've been looking for ways to interrupt the royal guard's supply of weapons, but we haven't had any luck so far. We could manage to intercept their shipments, but if we just keep them from reaching the capital they'll just send more guards to escort them next time. There would be no long-term change. But I thought what if instead--"

"You just replaced them with defective weapons," I said catching on. "They would assume it was a problem with wherever they order from."

"Exactly! Brilliant, right?"

"What's the catch?"

"There is no catch." He looked offended. Lisbetha shoved him out of the way with a groan and leaned across the table.

"What he's not mentioning is that forging massive amounts of defective weapons would take time that could better be spent elsewhere, especially since we don't know that the royals will fall for it. They might just see our meddling all over it and all that effort would be wasted."

"Or," Lucien growled, "We might pull it off without a hitch and leave them with a weapon shortage for whenever we plan to attack."

"It wouldn't make that much of a difference," Wes huffed. "One ruined shipment won't topple a regime that probably has vaults full of extra swords."

"But if we consistently disrupt their shipments--"

"Which we won't, because once it happens twice they'll realize it's not a problem with their suppliers."

"--We could put a huge dent in their supplies!"

"I'm beginning to remember why I hated meetings," I muttered. Evvie shot me a sympathetic look.

"Well, it sounds simple to me," Therese said contemplatively. Wes and Lucien stopped bickering long enough to stare at her.

Lisbetha rested her shin on her hand. "Oh, do tell, noble sage."