"Are you sure this is going to work?" Mariko muttered, as she led Leif through the alleys of her old home, West–Town. "Sloane's an 'ard man, he'll need some convincing if he's gonna help you."

Leif nodded. They came out into the town centre and he paused briefly, soaking up the sight of the stone buildings. The Lamya people were going about their business and not one seemed to notice them, or if they did they didn't think any more of it. Out of habit he stepped aside to let an old woman pass. Mariko stopped and frowned at him.

"Don't go doing that around Sloane! Just push past the old dear and warn 'er not to get in your way."

"No wonder Lamya are the way they are," he said, irritated. "How much farther is it?"

Mariko hurried across the way, bumping roughly into several Lamya as she went, and disappeared down yet another alley. "Not far," she called. "Get a move on!"

Leif groaned, and doing his best not to bump into people while trying not to look too polite doing it, he followed after her.

#

Mariko's dash through yet more alleyways came to an abrupt halt when she spied the man they were both looking for. She crouched down, indicated for Leif to do the same and they watched from behind the safety of a wall of empty beer barrels.

Sloane McKenzie was as rough a man as Leif had ever seen. He wasn't overly big or strong-looking but he seemed confident and well able to handle himself in a fight. He had shoulder length straggly black hair, which, from what was visible underneath a tatty red bandanna, looked dirty, and as if it hadn't been washed in years and he wore an old leather coat, the same as Mariko, except his was a lot shorter and ripped here and there from previous fights.

He sat on the doorstep of what Leif guessed to be a tavern – there was a faded sign hanging over the doorway announcing this was The Broken Arrow. Leif watched as the man took big gulps of whatever was in the bottle he clung to. Every now and then, the man would peer down the alley and grip his drink tighter as if suspicious of everyone.

Leif wondered how old he was. It was hard to tell, black tattoos almost completely covered one side of his face but Leif figured he must be around forty.

"Wait here," Mariko whispered, interrupting Leif's thoughts and getting up to approach Sloane.

She sauntered confidently out into the alley and stood, hands on hips, in front of the Lamya man. She coughed and he looked up at her briefly before taking another swig of his drink.

Mariko swiftly drew her dagger and threw it so it stood quivering in the doorframe inches from Sloane's face.

Sloane studied the blade thoughtfully before a smile spread across his face. "There's only one person I know can throw a blade like that," he growled.

He turned and seemed to notice Mariko properly, then he shook his head and laughed, saying, "Well, well if it isn't Mariko Kint back from the dead!"

Mariko grinned and retrieved her dagger. "You know Corrinus couldn't get rid of me that easily. I thought I'd find you 'ere, I've got a proposition for you, McKenzie."

Sloane furrowed his brow. "Oh aye, what's that then?"

Leif, unable to wait any more, stood up in full view and joined Mariko. Sloane didn't seem to appreciate the sudden appearance of another person and he quickly rose to his feet, drawing a sword from his belt.

"It's okay, he's with me!" Mariko cried, holding her hands up to calm Sloane.

The Lamya man looked at Leif doubtfully, spat on the ground and slowly lowered himself back onto the step. He gave Leif a nod. "What's with the scarf? You only got half a face?"

Leif didn't like the man and he could see that Sorrel wouldn't either. Still, he knew they needed him. He took a firm stance and kept one hand to Saoirse's sword to show he was unafraid.

"My name's Leif," he said. "Me and my band need your help and I'm willing to pay you handsomely in return."

Sloane looked at Mariko, who nodded to say it was true, and then back at Leif again. He scratched his chin, sighed, and said, "What sorta name's Leif anyway?"

Leif gave a cold smile and replied, "What sort of name is Sloane?"

Sloane laughed and slapped his thigh in amusement. "I like you, kid! What's your other name, I might've known your parents."

"Uh..." He paused. Elani didn't have family names like the Lamya did.

"He's one of the Redfort–Kints," Mariko said quickly. She glared at him for nearly slipping up. "A distant cousin of mine. Twice removed."

Sloane stood up again and took a step closer so that he stood right in front of Leif. They stared at each other in silence before Sloane turned to Mariko and said in a low voice, "I thought Corrinus had all the Kints wiped out."

Mariko hopped up onto the step, grinned indifferently at Leif and winked at Sloane. "Well I'm still here aren't I?"

Then she ignored them both and walked into the bar. Sloane stared at Leif again, narrowed his eyes and said, "We'll talk inside. Come."

Leif nodded, took one last look down the alley and then followed Sloane inside.