The creepy Tarrun leads us downstairs into what looks like an empty bar. Kamas quickly takes a seat at the counter and gestures for me to do the same. Behind the counter is an assortment of glass flasks, but none are labelled, and they are incredibly dark, so it's hard to tell what the inside of them would look like. Every piece of furniture but the chairs are in stone, and the tables around the room look incredibly heavy and massive, more polished boulders than tables, really.

"Well, you're early and the only ones here, so if you got any sensitive inquiries, fire away." The Tarrun says.

Kamas leans over the counter and says in a low voice: "It's regarding the Oboerns" To which the Tarrun solemnly nods. "A short time ago, a kidnapped girl should have arrived here, we want to know where she is. In addition, a man should have contacted a lady of the Oboern not too long ago either. We want his location."

The Tarrun scratched his bare cheeks a little, before saying "I've got the first piece of information, that's 50 blue if you want it. The second is trickier, but a commission of 1 yellow now and 1 yellow upon delivery and I'll have it for ya by the day after tomorrow or your money back."

The price is insane. The accumulation of my entire work of one year, which should be high considering my activity, but low due to me being an apprentice and only receiving half, amounted to less than three yellow coins. He's basically asking for an insane fee.

"And how much for discretion?" Kamas asks. The Tarrun widens his functioning eye a little "Hoh, so you're accustomed to how this works. I recon I could easily get a fair amount, so, say 2 more yellow."

Kamas fishes up a leather sack, and rummages through it a little before finding a four yellow coins. "1 now, three for later. Easier for both of us to trust each other that way" He says and hands over one of them and puts the rest back. Kamas is really rich, huh? Guess unlike Mynie or Larn, he is both fairly diligent and doesn't spend much on frivolities.

The Tarrun snatches the small coin out of Kamas' hand and says "Fine. The girl arrived ten days ago. The Wiyam faction are pinning some shady dealings and planning to execute her soon."

"WHAT!?" I am outraged! They want to kill her? "How can they pin a crime like that on someone so young! Noone is going to buy it!" I protest, though I know the man has no stake in it.

"Easy boy, the rash meet their ends sooner. It is an almost standard practice for cutting down power-hungry youths, so the public already thinks it is likely as they have been told the lie countless times before." He turns to Kamas after lecturing me. "The Wiyam faction primarily operates out of the south palace, she is most likely being held there." Kamas makes a grimace.

"Any idea of how soon it will happen contra how soon you can locate our guy?" he asks, but the Tarrun merely raises his shoulders to indicate he doesn't know. Shit!

"We have got to free her!" I turn to Kamas and voice my opinion

Kamas looks at me. His gaze is calm, but he bears a sad expression. "Yos, let's stop here" He says.

"WHAT?" It's outrageous! How can he suggest that!?

"I only see us dying. If we had a complete team, with some backing secured we may be able to do something. But it's too much. We probably aren't going to get to Bosir in time, and we can't aid Atna if she already has crimes pinned on her. The whole thing is a bust. We're probably even gonna end up fugitives soon." Kamas tries to explain to me.

"You wanna stop now! Then what did Caper and Toben die for? What will Atna have died for? And Mynie and Sirgut have abandoned us for? We can't just throw all that away!" I am mad, really mad at Kamas. He always seemed the reasonable, calm guy, but this is too much.

"We have got to cut our losses when we can" He calmly says. Fuck! Fucking coward!

"Then we're done here" I say harshly to him. Fuck him, we're basically family, he can't just abandon her!

"Yos, I don't want you to die" He says, as he reaches out an arm for my should, but I brush it off and storm out. He is following me. He doesn't even know that the sentiment may not even be able to apply to me.

"Yos, YOS COME BACK HERE!" His shouting voice, which I never heard before, is surprisingly powerful, I even fear it a little, but I run away. Fuck. I will just have to do it myself.