***
“I don’t know. Tunneling is inherently dangerous work,” Shiloh replied, worrying at her bottom lip. “And this would be a really long tunnel.”
“So is an attack on a superior force,” Silas pointed out. “And we don’t know how much they know about what happened at the Citadel. They could be ready for us, expecting us to show up here for Loor. Hell, they could have already moved Mosspeak, Penn, and the princess somewhere else. And I don’t think you’ll be able to catch them by surprise like you did the priests.”
She nodded. “It only worked because none of them bothered with wards inside the walls. Their arrogance was the key. But these men will be expecting me, most likely.”
“Agreed,” her husband replied.
“We need some information before we act, don’t we? Before we break everyone out and make a run for it?” Shiloh argued. “The Gernish troops need to think everything is fine for a few days at least, if we’re to have any hope of getting away clean. They might have some people inside the castle, too. We need to know how many, how often they report in.”
“Fair enough,” Silas replied. “We do need to know their patterns, how much information they have about what is going on in Fountain Bluff and in the kingdom at large.”
“We need a spy,” Shiloh concluded. Her eyes ran over the company until they landed on Jivan.
“You really think so?” Silas asked, following her gaze. “You trust him? He could walk in there and give us up in the first five minutes.”
“He’s a good boy. Kind. I saved his mother’s life. She almost died of Red Fever up at Northgate. And he’s got it pretty bad for Hana,” Shiloh countered.
“I killed his father,” Silas pointed out.
“I don’t get the impression that they were close,” Shiloh replied. Silas eyed her skeptically. “I know, it is a risk,” Shiloh acknowledged. “But he grew up in Gerne, and he wore the gray. They’ll be predisposed to trust him. He can tell them he barely got away with his life, ask them for help. Keep his ears open for a few days, then slip away. If he is willing. I feel bad about sending someone so young into danger.”
“I don’t like the idea of sending him in alone,” Silas argued. “I don’t know him enough to trust him. I do know him enough to be worried about what they’ll do to him if they make him. He’s still a boy.”
“I agree with you on the latter point,” Shiloh acknowledged. “I could use a concealment spell, go in myself, invisible.”
“No,” Hatch pushed back. “You haven’t regained much strength since your display of force last week. You’re liable to fall ill any day. And if it overtakes you while you are among those pigs . . .”
“Well, your concealment spell is rubbish, so what are we supposed to do?” Shiloh countered.
“I don’t know. Tunneling is inherently dangerous work,” Shiloh replied, worrying at her bottom lip. “And this would be a really long tunnel.”
“So is an attack on a superior force,” Silas pointed out. “And we don’t know how much they know about what happened at the Citadel. They could be ready for us, expecting us to show up here for Loor. Hell, they could have already moved Mosspeak, Penn, and the princess somewhere else. And I don’t think you’ll be able to catch them by surprise like you did the priests.”
She nodded. “It only worked because none of them bothered with wards inside the walls. Their arrogance was the key. But these men will be expecting me, most likely.”
“Agreed,” her husband replied.
“We need some information before we act, don’t we? Before we break everyone out and make a run for it?” Shiloh argued. “The Gernish troops need to think everything is fine for a few days at least, if we’re to have any hope of getting away clean. They might have some people inside the castle, too. We need to know how many, how often they report in.”
“Fair enough,” Silas replied. “We do need to know their patterns, how much information they have about what is going on in Fountain Bluff and in the kingdom at large.”
“We need a spy,” Shiloh concluded. Her eyes ran over the company until they landed on Jivan.
“You really think so?” Silas asked, following her gaze. “You trust him? He could walk in there and give us up in the first five minutes.”
“He’s a good boy. Kind. I saved his mother’s life. She almost died of Red Fever up at Northgate. And he’s got it pretty bad for Hana,” Shiloh countered.
“I killed his father,” Silas pointed out.
“I don’t get the impression that they were close,” Shiloh replied. Silas eyed her skeptically. “I know, it is a risk,” Shiloh acknowledged. “But he grew up in Gerne, and he wore the gray. They’ll be predisposed to trust him. He can tell them he barely got away with his life, ask them for help. Keep his ears open for a few days, then slip away. If he is willing. I feel bad about sending someone so young into danger.”
“I don’t like the idea of sending him in alone,” Silas argued. “I don’t know him enough to trust him. I do know him enough to be worried about what they’ll do to him if they make him. He’s still a boy.”
“I agree with you on the latter point,” Shiloh acknowledged. “I could use a concealment spell, go in myself, invisible.”
“No,” Hatch pushed back. “You haven’t regained much strength since your display of force last week. You’re liable to fall ill any day. And if it overtakes you while you are among those pigs . . .”
“Well, your concealment spell is rubbish, so what are we supposed to do?” Shiloh countered.
***
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