Styxx Shade: chronicles of a Spy Lord

The Art of Stealing secrets

Ethan had stopped at a street vender that sold roasted peanuts. He had bought two bags and he sat on the curb waiting for Styx to show up. He had just given Styx a short fact finding mission so he could get the lay of the land for their mission.

A short fit of coughing caught Ethan off guard before he finally stopped and could breath again. Women and children walked around him giving him looks like he had the wild plague or something else worse. He had neither. It was the city life itself in the warmer seasons was his sickness.

There were more people out and about now that winter season had broke and spring was here. Ethan frowned though it also meant work would be harder and his health would take a nose dive once summer kicked in. He would be forced out of the city to the country life as a part-timer on lorded estates.

Ethan looked up as Styx came to stand at his right side. Styx gave him a look that made Ethan know he was looking how he began to feel. "Damn Boss. You look like somebody stole your dog and fed you a shit story and about what happened." Styx said with a silly grin. He came to sit down next to Ethan on the curb.

Ethan passed him a bag of rusted nuts. "Summer heat is coming. Never been good for my health." He said and then paused as a fit coughing took away his ability to speak. He groaned as the fit passed. "By the Gods I hate the summer." He said.

Ethan noticed that Styx said nothing or looked at him during his coughing fit. Ethan cleared his throat. "I'm going to be heading out of the city for the summer season before it gets here. I got some work as a stable hand lined up. I can set you up with a job if your interested." He said.

Styx stared at Ethan as he cued on the roasted nuts. "You never mentioned what the catch was in all this business being a guild spy thief or whatever." He said casually.

Ethan frowned as he realized that he hadn't done. "Well the catch is when you join up it's for a lifetime contract. There is no getting out or buying your way out of the guild once your inducted in officially but the reason why I need to work for my bread and meat is because my wife and business partner controls the money and my property in the city. I'm only allowed to use it for business related things and for my family. Otherwise, I'm on my own." He said. "Correction we're on our own!" He said.

Styx shook his head at him. "So your screwed more ways then one." He said.

Ethan shrugged. "I can't cry about it. Momma Fiona gave me forewarning more then enough times when I was young-lying. I took one to many risks." Ethan said and then snorted. "I'm not dead yet though. Have you ever been out of the city?" He asked.

Styx blinked and stared at nothing. "No. I haven't even road a horse or driven a motor car." Styx said.

Ethan gave Styx a gentle but firm smack on the shoulder. "You come with me and I'll teach you how to do two of those things and have a nice time of wrenching." He said with a grin that made Styx smile at him though.

"Horse ridding and learning to drive a motor car would do just fine." Styx said and stared at Ethan as he nodded.

"Are you in then?" Ethan asked. "I'll need an answer from you so I can give my summer boss a heads up." Ethan said.

Styx's smile spread wide. "I'm in." He said.

Ethan grinned at him and gave him a wink. "That's my man. Though I'm disappointed your not interested in the wrenching education." He said meaningfully.

Styx's smile slipped away to sharp scowl. "I like the wenches just fine when they don't try to cut off my dick when I bump up against them in a crowded street otherwise I try to avoid them all together." He said heatedly.