of copper and blades

CHAPTER FIFTEEN,

IT WAS A crowded and rowdy place, and after days with the bunch at the Weeping Flames a place like this felt almost unfamiliar. She'd been to taverns in Sai, albeit most of her alcohol was consumed within her own quarters among her closest friends, but she was hardly overwhelmed by such a scene.

They kept to a tight formation as they pushed inwards, though they prudently stared clear of the bar for now. They wanted to keep as sober as possible, only taking any drinks to avoid suspicion. Drunken brawls were rarely fun, especially if the other side very likely wanted your life. Or evidence of their treason.

Justine had dealt with far too much treachery in her life, she rather thought. It was one thing she'd always despised, especially as a soldier. It went against everything she stood for, and she'd never liked it. This one was less personal, because the traitor was not Saian but Epimurean, but damn did she not hate it just as much.

"Keep an ear out for Arecian accents," Gabriel murmured.

Cass rolled her eyes. "Of which there are many."

"You're the spy, ma'am."

Which was true. Justine tried to do what the others had always told her to, to observe her surroundings and spot anything out of place. But there was nothing that could be out of place in a location like this.

Marcus suddenly murmured, "The group at our twelve o'clock. Very much Arecian, not Caling accent. Wentshire accent, actually. Oh, no, it's mixed."

Justine casted a surreptitious glance at that side of the room, and did indeed spot a group of middle-aged men chatting, laughing among themselves and enjoying a beer.

But she said, "I don't think they'd be here yet."

Maia nodded. "We should be watching for people coming in, and people observing us from the outside. I doubt they'd be waiting for us here."

"I'd say we're clear for the next five to ten minutes," Cass muttered, leaning back against a pillar, her eyes scanning the crowd, probably navigating for exits and entrances their enemy could come in through. Spy things that Justine rarely had to do. But she herself did note the possible exit points as well, in case of an escape. And she made, in her head, a map of the tavern, at least all she could see. She noted where the likely backdoors were, into the staff area. The kitchen. The upstairs were closed off and that was probably storage or living quarters. That would be mostly irrelevant since it was sealed. No one would be able to monitor them from there.

"Don't let your guard down," Maia warned.

"I'm a spy," Cass said, flashing a smile. "I never let my guard down."

Maia just let out a grunt in response. Not a woman of many words, their new friend. Not a particularly bad thing, especially on a mission.

They stood there together for a little while more, planning this out in their heads, noting the potential ways this could go. And then before long they'd split up into groups of two, but staying in the main hall of the tavern, not moving into nooks and crannies where they could easily be dragged out of position. A pack of wolves keeping each other safe.

Justine was with Gabriel and Maia, since the Farnsworths would very well keep themselves safe in this crowd. Gabriel and Justine, no matter what, was not in their comfort zone and this mission was not to their particular skill set. Hence, it was safer to keep Maia around, who knew this place far better than any of them and was a trained guard who'd be observant and careful.

Justine continued listening for Arecian accents, albeit she was far less efficient than anyone else here, having spent very little time in the country in her entire life. But she could still more or less tell, though the loud noise and jumble of voices was making her job rather difficult.