Veranix put the arrow away. “What the blazes are you two doing out here?”
“Nice to see you, too,” Asti said.
“Didn’t we say let’s not do this again for a while?” Veranix asked them. “It’s only been a week or so.”
“You do know them?” Kaiana asked.
“The Rynax boys. I presume you showed them down here, Mila?”
“They said they needed to see you.”
“So we let anyone down here now,” Delmin said. “I mean, that’s very good to know.”
“They are fine,” Veranix said, taking off his quiver and putting it on the table. “I mean, Verci built the bow and the arrowheads here, I think we can trust them.”
“How are they working out?” Verci asked.
“Excellent,” Veranix said. “I like the knockout smoke a lot, it’s very nice.”
“Isn’t it?” Verci said, wide grin across his face.
“Why are you here?” Kaiana asked sharply. “Do you need him to do something for you?”
“It’s not like that,” Mila said. “They’ve got something you might want.”
“What’s that?” Veranix asked. He hung the rope in its case, but didn’t take the cloak off. The Rynaxes still hadn’t seen his face, no need to change that yet.
“One of our local kids was abducted last week,” Asti said. “You were asking about abducted kids.”
“Yeah,” Veranix said. “More and more in Dentonhill. With stories of a giant.”
“Well, this kid got away,” Asti said. “And he’s got a story about a giant. And tunnels under the city.”
That got Veranix’s attention. “Who is this kid? Where is he?”
“He’s at Kimber’s, sick as all blazes. I barely got anything out of him.”
“If any kid could get away, it would be him,” Mila said quietly.
Veranix nodded. “That’s good. Let’s go and—”
“Hey, hey,” Delmin said. “I can tell by looking at you, you’re pretty spent. And we’ve got classes in the morning.”
“Classes?” Verci asked.
Mila slapped him on the arm. “Classes matter, all right?”
“Sorry.”
Asti nodded, taking it in. “When are you free tomorrow?”
Veranix looked to Delmin. “About one bell in the afternoon?”
“You’re asking me?”
“I might need you,” Veranix said.
Delmin’s eyes widened a bit, but he nodded. “Yeah, that time works for tomorrow.”
“Then that’s what we’ll do,” Veranix said. “One bell-half at Kimber’s?”
“I have class then,” Mila said. “So I can’t come with you.”
“Sorry,” Veranix said.
“No, it’s fine,” she said. “It’s probably best that I don’t see Tarvis.”
“All right,” Kaiana said. “If there’s nothing else?”
Asti got to his feet. “This is a nice safehouse.”
“I like ‘lair,’” Veranix said.
Asti sighed. “I suppose you would. We’ll see you tomorrow, and from there, figure out what we can do next.”
“This is a we?” Veranix asked. “I thought you were staying out of this sort of thing.”
“We’re out of revenge and robbery,” Verci said. “Clean, honest lives.”
“But this involves boys we looked after,” Asti said. “And hardly seems like we’re dealing with decent people.”
Dayne was fascinated how, despite the fact that Hemmit, Maresh, and Lin had a proper office for The Veracity Press, they still worked at the Nimble Rabbit half the time anyway. Dayne arrived to find the three of them in deep conference with several empty plates and bottles of wine around them. Joining them was Lady Mirianne, dressed in a deep red waistcoat and long skirt, with a suncap to match. He had to admit she was a vision, and it was easy to see how she had, in just a few months, become an icon of Maradaine fashion. Her signature looks were copied all over the north side of the city.
“What luck to find you all here,” he said as he approached.
“Dayne!” Miri exclaimed, kissing him boldly. “Sit, join us.”
“I hope I am not a disruption. I know you are working.”
“Pish,” she said. “We welcome your company.”
Hemmit poured a glass of wine and passed it to Dayne. “The paper is already printed and ready for the boys to sell in the morning. We’re talking long-term stories now.”
“Long term? Such as?” Dayne asked.
Maresh answered. “We want to really profile each member of Parliament. Get a sense of who they are, what they stand for. Ask them hard questions.”
“If they’ll take it,” Lin said.
“Can you help arrange some meetings?” Hemmit asked. “If that’s not imposing.”
“It’s not,” Dayne said. “My role is largely liaising with the press, so I might as well make the most of that.” He let his voice be marinated with his sour feelings.
“I touched a nerve,” Hemmit said. “I’m sorry.” He signaled the waiter to bring a plate over for Dayne.
“It’s a nerve that’s been exposed for some time,” Dayne said. “It’s not your fault.”
“If you don’t like it, just stop,” Miri said.
“Continuing in this assignment is the only chance I have at becoming Adept, or at least finishing my Candidacy with honor. I will endure.”
The waiter came over with a plate of mustard-and-onion-slathered sausages and potatoes fried in duck fat, which was just the thing to take Dayne’s mind off his troubles.
“What else bothers you?” Lin asked.
Dayne took a bite of his sausages. “I went over to Dentonhill with Haberneck—”
“Disher from Sauriya,” Maresh said with a scowl. “What did he drag you over there for?”
“Didn’t drag me. There are a number of children in the neighborhood who have gone missing.”
“Dentonhill’s a mess,” Maresh said. “I imagine the kids are lost all the time.”
“This is something serious. Even nefarious,” Dayne said. “Someone is taking these children. One witness even saw a giant.”
“A giant!” Mirianne said. “Are you sure?”
“That’s what he said, but it was a small child. I would be a giant to him. Who can say what they really saw?”
“It’s just . . .” Mirianne looked off in thought for a moment. “I’m sorry, I just recalled something. I must be off.” She got to her feet.
“Are you all right?” Dayne asked.
“Yes,” she said firmly, kissing him again. “I just remembered I needed to call upon a friend in Callon Hills tonight. It would be very improper of me to ignore them.”
“Can’t have you being improper,” Dayne said.
“Hardly,” she said with a
