Walk in the Shadows

Nine

After a week's furlough in Riften, I decided it was time to head to Solitude. One, because the job needed to be done, and two, because Mercer was getting angrier every day I put it off. I did not want to be on his bad side. Not when all of this bad luck was happening.

I had been to Solitude once, when my father tried to convince me to apply at the Bard's College. He said I had a beautiful voice, and that my thin and light fingers would be perfect for playing a lute. He took me to the college to show me what it would be like, but all I saw there were bored musicians. No excitement. No adventure. Nothing for me there.

Now, over fifteen years later, I found myself standing in the festive square, watching as children chased each other around and around, as adults chatted and went about their daily business.

It was a beautiful city, I had to admit. Wonderful weather year-round. Tall and well-built homes and shops. Full of high-class citizens.

Just imagine how much gold you could make out here. How much fun you'd have heisting the stores.

I shook my head and walked towards the inn. Now was not the time to be thinking of thieving. I had a job to do, and stealing from the citizens here was not it.

But maybe later.

I stepped into the well-lit and warm inn. The smell of spiced wine and sweetrolls hit me right away. In the main dining room, a bard sang and plucked on a lute. Patrons of all ages and sizes chatted it up over bottles of ale or glasses of wine. The atmosphere had a different feeling to it than that of The Barb or Bannered Mare. This place felt like it was exclusive to uppity men and women. Not the common folk, and not the jovial revelers.

A voice coming from a secluded alcove brought me out of my thoughts. "What do we have here? Hmm. Let me guess. By your scent, I'd say you're from the Guild." I turned, seeing a green-scaled Argonian sitting at a small table in the alcove. He wore common clothes, and he held a glass of wine in his scaly hand. His wide yellow eyes perused me, rounded pupils scanning up and down my body. His gaze was unsettling, lingering. Cold. "But that can't be true because I told Mercer I wouldn't deal with them anymore."

I suppressed a shudder and faced him full-on. This had to be him. "I'm here about Goldenglow Estate."

His brow furrowed. "I don't deal in land or property." Then a smile took over his toothy mouth. "Now, if you're looking for goods, you've come to the right person."

I planted my fists on my hips. "You can drop the act now... Gajul-Lei."

Instantly, his smile dropped. "Oh, wait...." He chuckled nervously. "Did you say Goldenglow Estate? My apologies." It did not take him long to regain his composure. "I'm sorry to say I know very little about that little... bee farm, was it?"

"You acted as a broker for its new owner."

He shrugged. "Maybe I did, maybe I didn't. I can't be expected to remember every deal I handle."

"Identify the buyer and we'll forget what we know."

"I don't care what you promise! If I tell you the buyer's name and word gets around, it could ruin me."

"And you think not telling me couldn't ruin you?" I crossed my arms and shook my head. Bryn said I would have to buy him off. Said that this lizard was too stubborn for anything else. I supposed I was going to have to cave and get him whatever he wanted. "What would it take to identify the buyer?"

"Well, now that you mention it. There is something I've been trying to get my hands on. I have a buyer who's been looking for a case of Firebrand Wine. It just so happens that there's a single case in the Blue Palace. Get if for me, then we'll talk."