Clad in some spare clothes – loose trousers, long-sleeved shirt, leather boots – I waltzed back into the Cistern, where I was greeted by Brynjolf.
‘Word on the street is Goldenglow’s been hit. Good work, lass.’ I couldn’t stop a proud smile from crossing my face.
‘You know, I almost didn’t think you’d make it back,’ he confessed.
I rolled my eyes. ‘Funny, that’s the most common reaction I’ve been getting.’
Brynjolf gave me that roguish grin of his. Damn him. ‘So, what did you find?’ In answer I fished the bit of paper – mercifully dry – out of my pouch.
The thief scanned it, then exclaimed, ‘Aringoth sold Goldenglow? What’s that idiot thinking?’
I looked at him. ‘I’m guessing that’s a bad thing, right?’
The older man stared at me, green eyes wide. ‘You have no idea, lass. The extent of Maven’s fury when she’s been cut out of a deal... But I’m certain Aringoth will find out,’ he added. I shuddered.
‘If only we had the buyer’s name instead of this odd symbol...’ Brynjolf held out the paper so I could see. ‘Any idea what it might mean?’
I shrugged. ‘No clue.’
‘Blast.’
‘Sorry,’ I offered.
Bryn squeezed my shoulder to reassure me. ‘Not your fault, lass. Listen, I’ll check my sources and speak to Mercer. We'll figure this out somehow.'
'Anything I can do?' In truth, the last thing I wanted to do right then was go trawling for information, given that I was getting really tired after Goldenglow, but I would have done anything to take away the dejected look that Brynjolf's face bore just then.
He offered me a weary smile. 'Thanks, lass. But you've got more important things to be doing for now.' At my quizzical look, he elaborated. 'You’re off to speak to Maven Black-Briar. She's waiting in the Bee and Barb. She asked for you by name.’
I stared at him. ‘Uh, OK, but will I come back alive?’ I was trying not to sound nervous, but in reality I was almost wetting myself. Along with Mercer Frey, Maven Black-Briar was definitely on the list of people who properly scared me.
This time Bryn took hold of both of my shoulders, and despite myself, I found myself feeling a little warm and fuzzy. Damn it. ‘Don’t worry, lass. If Maven wanted you dead she’d be calling on the Dark Brotherhood. This is business.’
I took a deep breath. ‘You want me to go right now?’
‘Right now,’ the older thief confirmed.
Under my breath, I cursed violently. It’d be just my rotten luck to have to go out and confront Riften’s resident dragoness when all I really wanted to do was collapse on my bed and sleep, preferably getting some food in my stomach first. Out loud, though, I just gave a long-suffering sigh. ‘All right. I’ll go and see her. And if I don’t come back here in one piece,’ I added, ‘I’ll kick your thieving, manipulative arse right from here to Solitude. Got it?’
Afterglow 2/?
‘Word on the street is Goldenglow’s been hit. Good work, lass.’ I couldn’t stop a proud smile from crossing my face.
‘You know, I almost didn’t think you’d make it back,’ he confessed.
I rolled my eyes. ‘Funny, that’s the most common reaction I’ve been getting.’
Brynjolf gave me that roguish grin of his. Damn him. ‘So, what did you find?’ In answer I fished the bit of paper – mercifully dry – out of my pouch.
The thief scanned it, then exclaimed, ‘Aringoth sold Goldenglow? What’s that idiot thinking?’
I looked at him. ‘I’m guessing that’s a bad thing, right?’
The older man stared at me, green eyes wide. ‘You have no idea, lass. The extent of Maven’s fury when she’s been cut out of a deal... But I’m certain Aringoth will find out,’ he added. I shuddered.
‘If only we had the buyer’s name instead of this odd symbol...’ Brynjolf held out the paper so I could see. ‘Any idea what it might mean?’
I shrugged. ‘No clue.’
‘Blast.’
‘Sorry,’ I offered.
Bryn squeezed my shoulder to reassure me. ‘Not your fault, lass. Listen, I’ll check my sources and speak to Mercer. We'll figure this out somehow.'
'Anything I can do?' In truth, the last thing I wanted to do right then was go trawling for information, given that I was getting really tired after Goldenglow, but I would have done anything to take away the dejected look that Brynjolf's face bore just then.
He offered me a weary smile. 'Thanks, lass. But you've got more important things to be doing for now.' At my quizzical look, he elaborated. 'You’re off to speak to Maven Black-Briar. She's waiting in the Bee and Barb. She asked for you by name.’
I stared at him. ‘Uh, OK, but will I come back alive?’ I was trying not to sound nervous, but in reality I was almost wetting myself. Along with Mercer Frey, Maven Black-Briar was definitely on the list of people who properly scared me.
This time Bryn took hold of both of my shoulders, and despite myself, I found myself feeling a little warm and fuzzy. Damn it. ‘Don’t worry, lass. If Maven wanted you dead she’d be calling on the Dark Brotherhood. This is business.’
I took a deep breath. ‘You want me to go right now?’
‘Right now,’ the older thief confirmed.
Under my breath, I cursed violently. It’d be just my rotten luck to have to go out and confront Riften’s resident dragoness when all I really wanted to do was collapse on my bed and sleep, preferably getting some food in my stomach first. Out loud, though, I just gave a long-suffering sigh. ‘All right. I’ll go and see her. And if I don’t come back here in one piece,’ I added, ‘I’ll kick your thieving, manipulative arse right from here to Solitude. Got it?’
Bryn just chuckled at me as I left.