Princess Elara inspected her latest indiscretion and wondered if he was a problem or an opportunity. Part of her feared that he was a terrible mistake. The man shifted uneasily in front of her. Dressed in a doublet and hose of fine silk, he looked like any of the other minor nobles who filled Bures. His skin was lighter and more yellow than a noble's should be, but Zamarra was anything but a pure-blooded kingdom. There was Elitran blood mixed in with all the rest.

  She used Nobility’s Privilege.

  Reinhart Zendara, Level 19, Both parents alive, two brothers. Loyal to: King Kalond, Aristocrat

  It all looked completely normal. Aristocrat was a relatively rare class; most Nobles who didn’t inherit would choose a more martial Tier 2 class while they either waited for their inheritance or sought a court appointment. Lord and Courtier were much more prestigious classes.

  “Fine,” she said. “Turn it off.”

  The noble in front of her slumped his shoulders. He still looked the same, but there was something different about him. Her inspection trait agreed.

  Zaphar Alpashan, Level 24, Orphan, Loyal to: Baron Anton Nos, Human, Fae-touched Rogue, Enemies: Kareem al-Zahar Pasha, Salim al-Kadir

  “What was Suliel thinking, sending you to me?” she asked.

  “I only met her ladyship recently,” the man said, in intelligible but atrociously accented Tiatian. “But it was Kelsey who suggested that my talents would be best used in your service.”

  “Oh, so I’m taking my strategy from dungeons now, am I?” Elara asked.

  Zaphar shrugged, a smooth, elegant motion. From the way he moved, Elara could tell that he must have a very high Agility.

  “I don’t—I don’t think so?” he said. “She just thought that I could be more useful here than in…”

  “A backwater town and castle with no intrigue to speak of,” Elara finished for him. “Suliel passed on the thinking.”

  Suliel had also said that Zaphar could serve as a trusted intermediary if there was something that Elara needed to tell her. She had been strangely certain that there would be, which was odd. The only reason Elara could see to send a message would be to call Suliel back to Bures to help with some scheme.

  That hardly needed a trusted messenger. She could just send a letter requesting Lady Suliel's presence for companionship. Between her father’s authority and the resources of the Tiatian embassy, she was completely certain that such an innocuous message would get through.

  It would be true, too. If Suliel hadn’t needed to return and see to the affairs of her barony, then the letter would be going out today. Elara felt that she had found a kindred spirit in Suliel. Most of the ladies of the court refused to see the corruption that festered all around them. The rest were up to their dainty little necks in it.

  She sighed. They were currently in the most private of her residences. It had belonged to her Aunt before her untimely death. Only her most trusted servants were allowed in to clean it, and they weren’t here today. Trusted or not, Elara didn’t want to burden them with knowledge of her secrets, if she could help it.

  There were guards—outside. And Zaphar hadn’t been brought here. He’d been given the location and left to find a way in by himself. A test of his abilities. So no one, outside of the Nos group and herself, should know he was here.

  “You entered the dungeon with Lord Nos, did you not?”

  The man nodded.

  “How far did you get?”

  Zaphar hesitated for a moment. “All the way,” he finally said. “I saw the core. Tyla talked to it. Communed was the word she used.”

  “All the way… That isn’t possible! Lord Nos isn’t fourth-tier, unless… did he break through while he was down there?”

  Zaphar shook his head. “Still third-tier,” he said. “High up. We got a lot of levels down there.”

  “Then how? Is that the difference a heroic class makes?”

  “Partly. Guns helped, too. I would have died, but my progression makes me a good dodger.”

  He sighed. “Even with a magic sword, I could barely hurt most of the deepest creatures. But they couldn’t hit me either.”

  “That is… impressive,” Elara admitted. The Hungry Depths had been conquered before, but always by Tier Four Teams. There were… three fourth-tier adventurers in the city, but they were all in teams with members of a lower tier. The last Tier Four group had broken up… five years ago, Elara thought.

  The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

  Zaphar shrugged. “Dangerous,” he said. “Wouldn’t want to do it again.”

  He looked down at the floor and muttered, “Probably will have to, though.”

  “Why push yourself to such lengths?” Elara asked.

  “Kelsey thought we could do it. We all doubted her… but she was right.”

  “I see…” Elara looked closely at the man. She thought he was hiding something, but her Charisma wasn’t high enough to pry it out of him.

  For what reason did Lord Nos have to get to the lowest level?

  If you weren’t there to capture the core, all you got were bragging rights.

  But wait, what had he said earlier?

  “Did you say that your mage communed with the dungeon?”

  Zaphar nodded.

  “She touched it and got all still. She said she talked to the spirit inside.”

  “What has changed, to make dungeons so talkative?” Elara wondered aloud. “What did they talk about?”

  “You’d have to ask Lord Nos about that,” Zaphar said. Elara glared at him, but the boy had Charisma of his own. He withstood the pressure of her personality admirably.

  “I suppose I can’t fault you for staying loyal,” she admitted grudgingly. “It’s a rare quality in this city. Keeping that in mind, how am I to make use of you?”

  “I grew up climbing walls and sneaking in windows,” Zaphar said. “I’m good at that, but my new class is all about… social stuff. Lady Suliel thought that either skill might be useful for you.”

  “I can’t use you at court until you learn to speak properly,” she mused. “Which will mean finding someone I trust to come here and drill you on speaking and etiquette.”

  Zaphar nodded gloomily. Elara sympathised. She’d gone through it as well, growing up. Court manners didn’t come to one naturally.

  “In the meantime, your skills at breaking and entering might also prove useful.”

  Zaphar perked up. “That sounds more like me, your ladyship. Truth is, while the class helps with the social stuff, it’s all new to me. Burglary has always been what put bread in my mouth.”

  “Good. What do you know of the Shadowblades?”

  Zaphar frowned. “We don’t have them in Rused, as far as I know, but I’ve heard them mentioned. They’re a group of assassins, right?”

  “They are,” Elara confirmed. “One that has been tolerated, perhaps even protected by my Father.”

  Zaphar looked uncertain. “Your dad’s the one in charge, your ladyship? The Wali? The Emir?”

  “The King,” Elara corrected. “He rules all of Zamarra. That makes me a princess, someone who should be addressed as your highness, not your ladyship.”

  “Sorry, your l—highness. Your titles are strange. Ah, I don’t know if this is how it works for assassins, but in Rused, the guards never cracked down too hard on the thieves, because then where would they be if they needed something stolen?”

  Elara frowned. “There may be something like that going on,” she admitted. “I don’t think Father has a need for assassins, but they have protectors. The nobles, the guilds, all make use of them from time to time.”

  “But you, you have no use for them?”

  “I do not. Not that eliminating them is a realistic prospect for me. I just wish to know who ordered the death of my husband.”

  Zaphar looked awkwardly at his feet. “I’m sorry that happened, your highness. Back home, there might be word on the street about who was responsible, but I don’t know how it works here.”

  “On the street, you say?”

  “Bravos like to boast. Thieves and murderers both. They want to impress their woman, or someone else’s woman, word spreads. If you know who to talk to, you can find out a lot. But here, I don’t know who to talk to.”

  “Could you find out?” Elara asked, intrigued.

  “Maybe,” Zaphar shrugged. “It would take a while. I’m not from here, and it takes time to gain trust. A disguise might help… but what disguise?”

  “That can be something to work on, while I teach you etiquette,” Elara decided. The thought of the young man learning court manners by day and prowling the streets at night was amusing. “But while that goes on, I have some more direct information gathering for you to do.”

  “What do you need?”

  “No one knows how the Shadowblades are organised,” Elara told him, “Where the information I want is kept. But the identities of some of the Shadowblades are known to us.”

  “You cannot arrest them because of these protections you mentioned before?”

  “That,” Elara agreed, “And they’re not known to have committed any crimes. Membership of the group isn’t illegal, even if it should be. And even if it was, we only have their word for it. They would surely deny it if arrested.”

  “Where I’m from,” Zaphar noted, “That wouldn’t stop the guards from taking someone in for questioning.”

  “A noble or official who tried that here would find their family members targeted,” Elara explained.

  “Ah, yes. An assassin group. They are organised.” Zaphar thought for a moment. “Does this mean the Nos are in danger?”

  “I don’t know,” Elara admitted. “I don’t know if the Shadowblades operate that far out of the capital, I don’t know if they’re willing to take on a Hero, and I don’t know if they’re even aware of his arrest.”

  “That is very many unknowns.”

  “Exactly. It was a bold move, and we can only watch and see what the ramifications are. However, it presents us with an opportunity.”

  Zaphar raised an eyebrow enquiringly. “Us?” he asked.

  Elara shook her head impatiently.

  “Blackthorn—the Shadowblade Suliel captured—was a member of the Stormguard,” she pressed on. “They were a well-known and liked adventuring party.”

  “And they were all killed in the dungeon. I am not thinking this is making Kelsey more popular.”

  “I wasn’t aware that was a goal of hers. Anyway, they live—lived—in a house right here in Bures. Awarded to them for their acts of heroism.”

  “Oh, Kelsey, why did you have to kill these people?” Zaphar muttered. Elara didn’t let it stop her.

  “It is my hope that Blackthorn may have left some clue as to the identity or location of the leadership of the Shadowblades.”

  Zaphar made a face. “Is that very likely? I do not think that assassins leave their secrets lying around.”

  “I must admit to some desperation at this point,” Elara said sadly. “My likely leads turned out to be dead ends, and I’m left with only the barest of possibilities.”

  “I see. Am I understanding that you don’t want me to steal anything that isn’t a clue?”

  “The party may have left some valuable treasures behind, but I have no use for them,” Elara stated. “Once Blackthorn comes back, he will probably dispose of his companions' possessions. If something was found to be missing, there might be an outcry.”

  “I do not want a vengeful assassin after me, I do not.”

  “Then, you’ll do it?”

  “I’ll see what is to be found, yes.” Zaphar looked pensive. “Give me the address, I will look it over tonight.”