When Lyra returned to the rendezvous spot, Zari scowled. "Someone tipped them off."

"Most likely."

She glanced around and she sighed sadly. "The fool didn't make it."

"He's still alive. Until dawn at least. We got caught."

Zari slowly stood , eyeing Lyra with suspicion, her hand crept to her short sword. Lyra remained in her unconcerned stance. "I bought us time, but we need to find the snitch and come up with a plan if we want him back. I also arranged for him not to be tortured...probably.'"

Slowly, Zari's sword slithered into the night air. "What's going on, Lyra? Men like that don't just let thieves walk out."

Lyra met her eyes. "I'll explain everything to Raldo, we should hurry. For now let's just say those men and my family have a history."

Scanning Lyra and not seeing any immediate dangers, Zari strode up and patted her down, removing the bottles and knives on her person. "Fine. But you better have a real explanation for Raldo."

When they got back to the guild and Lyra told her tale, Raldo's brows furrowed and he stroked his beard thoughtfully. "I've heard of the Bear, but he didn't deal much in these parts."

"Yeah, he prefers the south and west."

"I thought he was a pirate."

"Only during the war. The boat we were on tonight was his."

"Alright, what do you propose?"

Lyra had been racking her brain for ideas since leaving the ship, but she'd hoped Raldo would have had one of his strokes of brilliance.

"Well, my idea was we could use this as leverage against Morganna. She's been being too tight on us lately and a little double playing might even things out," she said, hoping the idea would spark something in Raldo.

"Morganna has been straight with the guild for years, more so than expected for someone working with our profession, why would we risk that relationship?"

Lyra started, it seemed obvious to her. Morganna was always dictating what they could or couldn't steal. Many ripe opportunities had slipped away because of the snooty aristocrat's disapproval.

"She's not one of us, why should she control what we do?"

Raldo lowered his gaze to Lyra. "Ah, but are you one of us? The daughter of a famous retired pirate. Why would you slip into our little band, hmm? You could be a nice little ransom opportunity yourself."

Lyra snorted. "You wouldn't get anything for me. My father and I didn't part on friendly terms. He told me in no unclear words that he wouldn't bail me out if I left. Which suits me just fine. I have no intentions of ever going back."

"Yet it sounds like he did save you tonight."

Lyra pointed to her arm where the bear stood out boldly on her pale skin. "This saved me tonight, all his people have it. Mine just happens to be specially done as a parting gift from my father."

"That mark was enough to scare the whole crew?"

"He's not retired."

"Hmm?"

"Bryn, the Bear, he's not retired. If you piss him off, he'll track you down and strangle you with your own entrails. His reputation is well earned and still alive. You're lucky he doesn't care too much about Taka. I came here to get away from him and I would've liked nothing more than to never see him or his men ever again. But since they're here, I felt obliged to tell you what you're up against."

"And you say the captain's problem is with Morganna?"

"That's what he said. He wanted proof that Morganna was setting him up. He doesn't like her rules. I thought we didn't like them much either so it seemed like it'd be best for us to work together." She paused and added as afterthought, "Oh and Geryl will only get out alive if we help."

Zari snorted. "If he doesn't get himself killed by annoying them too much first."

"Morganna and the captain want each other gone. We can't afford to lose all good graces with Morganna, but we don't want to create a war with Bryn's gang," Raldo mused.

"I doubt he'd come to the captain's aid, but I can't say for sure."

Raldo pulled his beard again. "What if Morganna hired the pirate?"

Lyra shook her head. "No chance. He may have abandoned his pirate trade, but Bryn would not approve of his ship being under someone else’s rule." She threw herself into a chair, frustrated by Raldo. "Look if you don't have the balls to stand up to Morganna, I guess the pirates got the better of you."

Raldo didn't react but Zari hissed and stepped threateningly towards Lyra. The guildmaster held up a hand to stop her. "It's true we've been tame of late. But our guild has dwindled and Morganna’s protection was necessary for our survival. Perhap, however, times have changed once more."

There was a new light in Raldo's old eye. It was a mischievous twinkle that brought a grin to both Zari and Lyra's face. Raldo reached under his desk and, after a bit of rifling, pulled out a scroll of paper. He laid it out and they gathered around it.

"This is a blueprint of Morganna’s estate. The pirate's want proof, so we will need to get into her records. We are also going to need our own blackmail to cover our involvement." Raldo began to talk faster, "And then eventually it will all go to the Jarl so we need to make sure we are the lesser evil in the court's eyes. And also..."

It took three hours and almost every able bodied member of the thieves guild, but finally, Raldo's spider web of a plan began.