Q urrah,” Harruq grumbled in a drowsy voice. “That you?”

“I had trouble sleeping,” his brother said, sliding into bed.

“You sure nothing-”

“I am fine,” he said, sharper than he meant. His throat throbbed, his head ached, and his heart thumped as if it were to explode.

“Brother?” Harruq asked, rising from his bed. “What’s wrong?”

“Go to bed, Harruq,” Qurrah said. “I will explain in time.”

The big half-orc shrugged. “If you say so.”

Qurrah put his back to him and stared at the wall. His thoughts never left Tessanna, even when he slipped into the world of dreams.

M y dear Eschaton, we have ourselves a beauty of a task,” Tarlak said to the collected mercenaries of the tower. They grouped together on the first floor, the two females sprawled across the couches, the men sitting unhappily on the floor, except for Haern, who haunted the stairs leading upward.

“How’s the pay?” asked Brug.

“No pay for this one. Charity stuff here.” Tarlak scratched his goatee, his eyes glancing over to Haern. “We do this one for the Watcher.”

“Not to sound dumb, but who is this Watcher?” Aurelia asked. The yellow wizard turned to her and beamed.

“I would gladly tell you, my dear-”

“I am,” Haern whispered, interrupting him. “I keep the thief guilds in line.”

Both half-orcs glanced at him with shocked faces.

“You’re the Watcher?” Harruq said. “Holy orcbutt, no wonder you beat me so bad.”

“Holy orcbutt?” Delysia asked, raising an eyebrow at him. Harruq shrugged.

“Got the point across.”

“So now I know who the Watcher is,” Aurelia said. “But how exactly do you keep the thief guilds in line?”

“Lovely Aurelia, do you have no knowledge of how the guilds operate in Veldaren?” Tarlak asked.

She shook her head.

“Who wants to inform the girl?” Tarlak asked the crowd.