“When the time comes to explain what we were doing, I will tell all that I advised and helped you,” Rothen said. He looked at Regin. “I’m sure Lord Regin will be happy to do the same.”

“Of course. I’ll put it on paper and sign it if you wish.” There was a slight edge of sarcasm to Regin’s voice. He knows I still don’t trust him, she thought, and felt an unexpected guilt. He hadn’t shown a hint of dishonesty or manipulation when she’d worked with him before.

“People will continue to impose restrictions on you so long as you let them,” Rothen told her. “You have given them no reason to mistrust you these last twenty years. It’s, it’s…”

“Ridiculous,” Regin finished. “I don’t see Kallen asking permission to roam around the city, or you sending your lackeys to follow his every movement.”

“That’s because I don’t have lackeys,” Sonea retorted. “Or the time to do it myself.”

“But if you had either, would you?” Regin asked.

She narrowed her eyes at him. “Probably.”

His eyebrows rose. “You think him dangerous?”

“No.” She frowned and looked toward the window. “Not dangerous. But one day his… his thoroughness may do more harm than good.”

“Like now,” Rothen said. “He has you too well caged and cowed to do what you know you are the best person to do: find this rogue and bring her to the Guild.”

She stared at the window. The University lay just outside, and beyond that the city, and a woman who was using magic – possibly to kill. “It will not be like before. Cery said she was older, so she may have many years of using magic behind her. And he suspects she is the Thief Hunter.”

“Then it is even more important that we find her quickly,” Regin said. “Before she shifts from killing criminals to anyone who gets in her way.”

Sonea thought of Cery’s family and shuddered. She may already have done that. She turned from the window and looked from Regin to Rothen. “But if I openly defy the restrictions to my movements, I’ll draw attention and censure before we can find her.”

Rothen smiled. “Then it is not entirely our fault we are forced to work in secret. Still, there is no point taking needless risks. As soon as you find out anything, send messages to the both of us. One of us can investigate if you cannot slip away to do it yourself.”

Sonea looked at Regin, who nodded. A wave of relief washed over her. It was a compromise. Not a perfect compromise, though. Failing to bring the matter to the Higher Magicians might still be frowned upon, but at least she wouldn’t be risking that they’d make a mess of finding the woman themselves. But it did mean Rothen and Regin were going to face disapproval from the Guild when it was revealed that they hadn’t passed the information on, either.

Let’s hope Regin is right, and it’ll be overlooked when they find they’ve got a captured rogue to deal with.

“I had better go,” Regin said. He inclined his head to Sonea. “I will be ready to give my assistance when you require it.” He nodded to Rothen, who returned the gesture, then walked to the door and left the room.

Once he had gone, Sonea sat down and let out a sigh. At least I know the hunt is in the right hands, she thought wryly. I have enough to worry about already, with Lorkin in Sachaka and the hospices full of roet users.

“You look tired,” Rothen told her, moving to the side table to prepare sumi and raka for them both.

“I worked the night shift.”

“You’ve been spending a lot of time at the hospices lately.”

She shrugged. “It gives me something to do.” Then she gave a short laugh. “And now I have even more to do, ferrying information about the rogue to you and Regin.”

“The hospices will take care of themselves,” he told her. Moving to the chairs, he handed her a cup of steaming raka. “And we’ll take care of you.”

She raised an eyebrow at him. “You and Regin?”

He nodded. “I told you: he’s matured into a sensible young man.”

“Young man?” Sonea scoffed. “Only in comparison to yourself, old friend. He’s only a year or two younger than me, with two grown daughters.”

“Even so,” Rothen replied with a chuckle. “He’s improved a great deal from the novice you thrashed in the Arena.”

Sonea looked away. “He’d have to, wouldn’t he? Couldn’t have got much worse.” She gave him a searching look. “Can we trust him, do you think?”

He met her eyes, his expression serious. “I believe so. He has always valued the integrity of his House and family, and the Guild. It was the source of his arrogance as a young man and is now his motivation as an adult. It bothers him that so much lawlessness has crept in to all those things. This is another way he can help set things to right. He’s sensible enough to realise the best way is for us to do it together, in secret. The Guild may not make a mess of finding the rogue, but there’s a chance they will. We can’t take that chance.”

“You’re probably right.” Sonea grimaced. “And you had better be right about Regin, because if he wants to make my life unpleasant he certainly has the means to do it now.”

The Black Tub bathhouse wasn’t as clean as Cery would have liked. It stank of mould and the cheap perfume meant to mask the odour, and the gowns he and Gol had been given bore some interesting repairs and stains. But the place was the only establishment within sight of the pawnshop that they could plausibly linger in, so it needed investigation.

They had been led to a changing room and left there. It was on the first floor, with cheap undecorated window screens hiding the customers from the street. After changing into the gowns, Gol had slipped out of the room to investigate those next to it and Cery had moved a chair to one of the windows. Cery slid the screen open and smiled in satisfaction as he saw that the pawnshop was within view.

The door opened again, but it was only Gol returning.

“What do you think?”

“There’s nobody in the rooms around us, but I can’t vouch for upstairs. We can talk, but quietly.” Then he grimaced. “It’s a bit run down.”

“And the service is slow,” Cery agreed. “Probably from lack of staff.” He indicated the window. “But the view is good.”

Gol moved closer and peered outside. “It sure is.”

“We should take it in turns. One watching while the other scrubs up.”

The big man grimaced. “The water better not be as bad as this place smells.” He moved another chair and sat down. “Did our friend say anything about how she intended to do her business?”

Cery shook his head. Sonea’s message had been cryptic, saying only that she would be dealing with the matter he had drawn her attention to, thanking him for the information and telling him to send any further news to the hospice. Clearly she was being cryptic in case the letter was intercepted. If she is dealing with the matter of the rogue then it’s unlikely she’s told the Guild anything. They wouldn’t trust her with the task of finding the woman.

A knock came from the door. Cery slid closed the screen back across the window.

“Come in,” he called.

The same thin young woman who had led them to the changing room opened the door and stepped inside. She did not meet their eyes.

“The bath is nearly ready. Would you like it warm or hot?”

“Hot,” Cery replied.

“Would you like it scented? We have-”

“No,” Gol interrupted firmly.

“Do you have a little salt?” Cery asked. He’d heard a salt bath was good for sore muscles, and he was still aching from the practice knife-fight bout he’d had that morning. It was also good for cleaning bad water, too.

“We do.” She named a price that raised Gol’s eyebrows.

“We’ll have it,” Cery told her.

The girl nodded politely and left the room. Turning to the window, Cery opened the screen again and glanced outside. The street was busier now.

“Should we convince Makkin the Buyer to help us?” Gol asked. “He’s already scared of her so it won’t make her suspicious if he acts a bit nervous.”