They jumped at the sound of Brey’s voice. Neither one had noticed her approach.
“I’m not sure I want to know,” said Tarrel.
Brey laughed. “Don’t worry,” she said, “I won’t kill anyone. Unless they truly deserve it.” A halfling waiter brought a chair for her, and she sat, graciously declining the offer of food.
“Just remember,” said Mordan, “the fort is still an active military establishment. They’re not going to let just anybody in.” Tarrel produced a sheaf of documents with a grin and spread them out on the table.
“Meet Ivello Ebinor, of the
Mordan cast an eye over the papers. “These are pretty good,” he said. “Where did you get them?”
Tarrel smiled. “A Sharn inquisitive doesn’t disclose his sources.”
Mordan turned to Brey. “I don’t expect
“They won’t even know I’m there,” she said with a smile. “I’ll wake you before dawn and let you know what I’ve found out.”
The three rose from the table and left the dining room—Brey to scout the fort by night, and the two mortals to get some sleep.
Mordan was awakened by a hand on his shoulder. Even through the blanket, it was cold. He opened his eyes to find Brey standing over him. It was still dark, but he could just make out her shape in the gloom.
“Not much to report,” she said softly. “Just the usual guards. Everyone else is asleep. No sign of any lancers.”
“They probably wouldn’t be in uniform,” Mordan said. “Hintram wasn’t.”
He could feel Brey’s eyes on him in the darkness. He sat up in bed.
“But you’d know them by sight?” she asked.
“Some of them,” he said, “not all.”
“Were you one of them?” she asked.
He shook his head. “No,” he said, “I’m just looking for one of them.”
“What will you do when you find him?”
“Depends on what I find.”
Brey was silent for a moment. “Listen, Mordan,” she said. “Thank you for coming into the Mournland with us. I know you didn’t want to.”
He looked at her face, but it was too dark to make out her expression. “Have you been talking to Tarrel?”
“No,” she replied. “Should I?”
He shook his head. “No,” he said. “Anyway, you saved my life, so I guess we’re even. Where is he, by the way? I thought the pre-dawn conference was for all of us.”
“It is,” Brey replied. “Right now, it’s around midnight. I just wanted to talk.”
Mordan groaned. “What about?”
“Who is it you’re looking for?”
“None of your business.”
“Maybe not, but it would be a shame if I accidentally killed him, wouldn’t it?”
Mordan shrugged. “His name is Galifar ir’Dramon, last known rank lieutenant. Male, human, six feet two inches, build medium, hair blond, eyes blue, age … age now would be twenty-eight.”
Brey took a moment to digest this. “Are you working for his family?” she asked.
Mordan nodded. “They told the families that the Vedykar Lancers were in Cyre on the Day of Mourning—they’re missing, presumed dead. But they disappear from the records six months earlier.”
“Which was before I encountered them in Cyre,” said Brey.
“Right,” said Mordan. “You’re the last person I’ve found who saw them alive.”
“Suppose they all died in the accident?” she asked. “Your government wouldn’t want anyone to know about what was going on in that place, and the Day of Mourning wasn’t that long afterward. It makes a very convenient excuse.”
“I thought of that,” said Mordan. “They were certainly there. But I didn’t see enough bodies. And I didn’t see the body of the one I’m looking for. Since Hintram’s still alive—or was, till he met you—I’m thinking maybe some more of them are.”
“What if you’re wrong?” Brey persisted. “What if they all died in there, and we just didn’t find the bodies?”
“What about our friend with the ghouls?” he replied. “He had their badge tattooed on his skin. He was undead. That says to me that someone from this Unit 61 got away. And the fact that he wanted us dead—that sounds like whoever got away doesn’t want to be found.”
“Do you think they’re still working for the government?”
“I don’t know,” Mordan answered. “If they are, it would be a state secret, and we’d probably be arrested just for asking about it. You and Tarrel would, for sure—and the wartime penalties for espionage are still in place here. Even though we’re at peace, I’m sure the King would love to have the diplomatic leverage of a couple of alleged spies from Thrane and Breland.”
“But no one’s tried to arrest us,” said Brey.
