jerky nod. “Pl—ahem. Please do.” With a bow to her—an actual bow this time—he spun on his heel and disappeared, no doubt heading straight for his own guildmaster to report this conversation. At least, if he had any wits, that’s where he should be heading.
Siobhan saw Rune give her a strange look and she quirked a brow at him. “Yes?”
“I get it now. Why they made ya the guildmaster.” A smirk broke out over his face. “Ya can be scary when ya have a mind ta.”
Wolf snorted. “Kiō, you have no idea. Alright, let’s go. This information needs to get back to Lirah, and quick.”
As they traveled back to Vakkiod via path, Siobhan’s head swam with information and questions. What was the endgame? She turned it over and over again in her mind, occasionally shaking it at different angles, but it still didn’t add up.
Iron Dragain attacking Lirah’s group hadn’t made any sense to her. Granted, Siobhan hadn’t a good culprit in mind, as attacking the party didn’t have any rhyme or reason to it that she could see. But a guild from Orin hadn’t even registered as a possibility.
Why would a guild from Orin even care what two guilds on different continents were planning?
She had thought that if she just knew who attacked Lirah, then all of the pieces would fall together. So why did she feel that she had simply exchanged one set of questions for another?
As soon as she had her feet back on Vakkiod soil, she went straight to her temporary house, calling, “Sylvie!”
Markl appeared in the doorway. “She’s not here. She’s speaking with Lirah.”
Perfect. Siobhan reversed directions and went toward Lirah’s. She could hear Markl jog to catch up.
“Wait, what did you find out?”
She shot him a quick glance over her shoulder. “I want to only say it once.”
She found both women sitting outside, heads close together as they conversed quietly. At her approach, they stopped and looked up.
“Siobhan, what did he say?’ Lirah asked, half-dreading the answer.
“You’re not going to believe this.” She wasn’t sure if she fully believed it, although she didn’t doubt the veracity of the facts. With hands braced on both hips, she said plainly, “A guild from Coravine, Orin ordered the attack.”
She was met with stunned silence.
Heaving a long sigh, she admitted, “That’s how I feel about it.”
“Who?” Lirah demanded, rising to her feet in a sharp movement.
“That’s as much as I know.”
“Why?”
“That’s as much as I know,” she repeated. “Sylvie, I’m waiting for you to make sense of this.”
The woman gave a helpless shrug. “I’ve got nothing.”
Siobhan grumbled, “Wrong answer. Lirah? What were you sent to do exactly? I can’t imagine that assassins would be sent after you over a simple trade agreement.”
“There’s nothing simple about it,” Lirah admitted. “In fact, trade negotiations are to be between Iron Dragain, Blackstone, and Silver Moon.”
“My father’s involved in this?” Markl demanded incredulously.
Lirah’s eyes cut to him. “Oh? Then you are from the Hammons? Yes, he was invited to the talks some weeks ago. I understand that Guildmaster Hammon himself is coming.”
“You didn’t know?” Wolf asked.
“I haven’t had any contact with my family in two months at least,” Markl explained. He looked disturbed. “I had no idea of any of this. What are the odds that he’s already arrived?”
“Quite good,” Lirah assured him. “I was actually delayed in leaving.”
Would that matter? Siobhan couldn’t help but wonder. Silent Order lived in Sateren. They could just keep watchers on the city’s walls and attack when their target was within range. It reminded her of an unwary fly entering a spider’s web.
Of course, Lirah didn’t know the attackers came from Sateren. Siobhan couldn’t explain, either, considering the promise she had made.
Well, best not to borrow trouble. Markl’s father could well have made it safely to the city without mishap. If she had only known he was mixed in with this, she could have asked Knives. Tch. Why did she always realize after the fact what she should have done?
“Lirah, I’ve a mind to move to Sateren today, if your men are able.” Seeing her about to protest, she cut in firmly, “Right now, no one but enemies knows you’re alive. So either Iron Dragain thinks Silver Moon has done you in somehow, or Silver Moon suspects Iron Dragain. Either way, it’s not a good situation and we best not let it stew.”
“Well, I agree with you, but they’re not up to a three hour ride in a wagon.” She bit her lip in agitation. “Although