Jade Mouse

Chapter 17

Scarcely an hour later, and after briefly checking in with Cyrus and Theo downstairs to fill them in on the details, I was finishing a quick roundup of my available house knights, fetching them from various areas of my keep. I hadn't so much as taken the time needed to remove my fancy black three-quarter cloak, the one I'd worn to see the Prince that afternoon. It added a sense of urgency to my movements, fluttering behind me as I hurried from room to room.

Once I'd instructed all available knights to wait in the dining hall (four, I noted with dismay), I returned to the basement, where Cyrus and Theo were just as frantically working away on the checklist of things we needed to arrange as part of the hasty plan I'd come up with on the carriage ride back to Tucat Keep.

“Did you get everything?” my Captain asked once I'd re-entered the exercise hall.

“A total of twelve tracking gems mounted on silver burrs, ten of them attuned to the same lenses, and the other two are very difficult to remove from clothing. Sticks and beacons for the knights, in case they spot him after we've split up. Got my burglary pack,” I said, patting the sling-sack at the small of my back, “wrist-sling, ammo, and break rope. Saber, two dirks, collapsible baton, and a couple concussion flechette.” I gave Cyrus a tilt of my head. “Was that everything?”

“Yes, Milord,” he said, making a series of checks on a paper pad with his small quill.

It certainly seemed like enough. Even if this young fellow could turn himself completely invisible and fly like a bird, he'd find it quite difficult to lose me this time.

“Theo, you're ready to go?” I asked.

“Yup,” said Theo, hooking a thumb over his shoulder, towards the secret passage. “Just came back from my place, told most of my available knights about the possibility of a field trip – I can round them up in a couple of minutes. Didn't tell them where, or who we were after. Told 'em who we weren't after, though, since a couple of them asked if we were doing something nasty to you as revenge for nicking my sword - I told them you had nothing to do with it. Figured it couldn't hurt at this point, and it would cut down on the number of unfortunate misunderstandings if your knights and mine were to encounter each other. I'd appreciate you giving your knights a similar message, if you haven't already.”

“I'll be doing that in a few minutes, they're gathering upstairs. Four, it looks like, but I told those four to round up any others that were off duty.” I let out my breath explosively. “Gods, all this for one skinny kid!”

“ . . . who can move like nothing we've ever seen before,” Theo reminded me.

“True.”

“Sound's like we've got a shot though, Vince. I'm just impressed that you actually made it all the way back here to let us know about this meeting. It wouldn't exactly be out of character for you to hang around trying to do this all by yourself, waiting for this guy Garrett to close his shop and then following him solo when he went to meet up with this kid. I'm surprised you're not pacing like a caged rock lion right now. In theory, he could be running to this kid as we speak.”

“Not a chance. I tagged him with the tracking gem and have been checking it periodically, just in case, but I don't think he was lying. Garrett is about as easy to read as-” I paused briefly, trying to think of something extra witty. “-a book . . . that is really easy to read.”

Hey, give me a break. I can't be amazingly witty all of the time . . .

“It definitely seems like we've caught a break with that fence, Milord. Connor, you said his name was?” Cyrus peered over at me speculatively, another sheaf of papers now in front of him.