After visiting one of the bathhouses, it was time to return to our inn without tainting the air within with my stench. Thankfully, Lira was ready and waited for me with a change of clothes, taking my current ones to wash them out while I went to have a bath. It was already late at night when we walked into our rented room, and I shut the door, sliding the latch into place before letting out a breath of tiredness.
"You should rest." She smiled at me, making me shake my head as there were some things we had to discuss.
Looking at her in the dimly lit room, the flickering light of a single oil lamp casting shadows on the right side of her face, I knew I needed a second set of ears and eyes to review my plans and possibly notice points that I missed or just didn't think about. And, at the moment, I only trusted her. So, with another shrug, I sat down on the edge of our bed while she did the same, watching my face and trying to read my thoughts.
"Judging by that look, I'm guessing it wasn't just rats down in the sewers?" she asked, raising an eyebrow. Her voice was light, but her sharp eyes betrayed her curiosity. And a bit of fear, too. "What happened? Is it trouble?"
"No trouble. I think." I answered while shaking my head, running a hand through my hair, which was still damp from submerging myself in a wooden tub. "No, I took care of the rat-folk well enough, but I found something else. Something valuable."
"Really? Where is it?" That alone caught Lira's attention. She was already thinking about what I could have found down there, and I watched as ideas ran past behind her eyes, making her imagination run wild. It made me smile, hearing her enthusiastic voice. "Valuable how?"
"They are physically valuable, but I think we can do better with... a different approach than hogging the stuff for ourselves." I began as I pulled a scrap of parchment from my pocket and laid it out for her on the bedside table, smoothing out the creases with my fingers. Then, I grabbed a piece of charcoal from the drawer and began sketching the emblem I had seen on the crates. "They were crates. At least four of them, maybe more, tucked away in a part of the sewers that shouldn't have had any recent traffic. Out of the way, out of sight... And they had this insignia on them. Have you seen it while walking around?" I asked, not saying more so the extra information wouldn't skew her answer. I waited for her response while she studied the crude sketch, her brow furrowing as she traced the lines with her finger.
"No. I didn't." She shook her head in the end, "I didn't go far to not get lost. Should I ask around while you are away tomorrow?"
"No need," I continued, scratching my chin. "I checked around after I got back. It belongs to Veren & Sons, a merchant operation in the city. As for how big they are? I don't know; my guess is that they can't be amongst the big ones, or they wouldn't be robbed."
"Robbed?" She flinched, "Stolen goods..."
"Yep. From one of their transfers that got hit by thieves recently—lost a shipment of potions."
"Potions?" She repeated as she let out a low whistle, her lips curling into a sly smile. "So, you found stolen goods."
"Exactly." I nodded, and my voice dropped, my tone growing more serious. "And that's when I realized something. We should not take it. It is hot goods and could land us in trouble. Who do we pawn it off to? We are too new in the city. What if we get locked up because we mess up...? But... Then it came to me. Information like this? It should be worth enough money to make a profit from it. Without the added risk and hassle to pawn it off to someone else and hope they don't stab us in the back. The merchants want their stolen goods back, and they'd pay to know where they are."
"Hmmm... I never would have thought about that..." Lira tilted her head, her expression shifting from amusement to contemplation. "You're talking about selling the information... Sounds easier! And safer."
"Easier? Yes. Safer? Not exactly." I nodded, my fingers drumming lightly on the bedside table. "That is why we have to be smart about it. If I just walk up to them and tell them where their stolen crates are, they'll think I'm involved. Or worse, the thieves might hear about it and come looking for me. They could also force me to tell it for free, holding a sword against my throat."
"Ugh..." Lira grimaced, her fingers holding onto the edge of her skirt, wrinkling the fabric. "They could do that, couldn't they? I bet they would... Just so they can skip out on paying... So, what's your plan?"
"Well..." I took a deep breath, my mind racing as I laid out the details that I had been going over since the idea struck me. "I need to be a ghost in this scenario. No face, no name, leave nothing for them to trace. I thought about leaving a message offering the information for a price. They pay first, then they get the location."
"That's a start," Lira agreed, biting her lower lips, "but you're missing a few things. First off, how do you get the message to them without drawing suspicion?"
"I was thinking of using a street urchin," I explained, answering her question quickly, already prepared for it. "Pay a kid to deliver the note. Someone who doesn't know me, just a go-between. That way, there's no direct tie back to us."
"I'll hire the one." She added, "With a bit of touchup, I can transform myself to look a bit... different. Then, even if they are nasty enough to hurt a kid, the description of me won't give out much, and it will cover you even more."
"Thanks." I agreed, not refusing her help at all.
"No need!" Lira nodded with a blush, her fingers relaxing on the edge of her clothes. "Good that I can be useful... But what about the message itself? If it's too obvious, they might ignore it and take it to the guards or, worse, think it is a trap. And then not even entertain the idea of paying for it..."
"I'll make it cryptic but clear enough for them to understand," I said, thinking out loud. Then, I grabbed a fresh piece of parchment and a quill, dipping it into the inkwell. "Something like: 'Your lost goods have been seen.' The... hm, I will nade a code name... Yeah. 'The Shade can help you find them—for a price. Leave payment at the base of the eastern watchtower by dawn, inside the hollow tree. If you agree, place a red ribbon on the warehouse door before midnight.'"
"Could work..." Lira murmured, her eyes flashing in the lamplight. "Shade, huh? Dramatic."
"It needs to sound like an alias," I said, a slightly embarrassed smile forming on my lips. "Something that makes them believe I've done this before. If they think I'm just some random nobody, they won't take the deal. A bit of theatrical flavor can help that."
"Hmmm..." Lira tapped her fingers against her thighs, her expression turning thoughtful. "Alright, say they take the bait. They put up the ribbon. How do we get the money without getting caught?"
"We could hire another urchin." I mused as I met her gaze, knowing that part was the most risky. "I have no better idea, Lira. But, if we find a kid who we can put up to it, we would have a good chance.
"If they don't run off with it." Lira narrowed her eyes, her shy demeanor fading as she considered the risks. "And what if it's a trap? And the kids get caught?"
"That's one option." I shrugged, "Hopefully, someone like that would know the streets and escape with the goods."
"Escape with it... That could also happen." She warned me, "And then we won't see any of the gold."
"I know." I nodded, hearing her fears. "It is a risk—a gamble. But honestly, that is the best I can do for now. If it works, it will be the foundation on which to build upon. If the kid does it, we can reward him with the cash. Spread the word, and then, next time, they will know what to expect. Build up a loyal little rats nest that knows better and buys their loyalty."
"And do it anonymously."
"Of course." I repeated, crossing my arms, "I am not so trusting to reveal our identity to them either. Their loyalty would be to their pockets anyway. Maybe some would become loyal to us in time, but... That depends on how we do it in the future."
"Yes... that is true." She considered it for a moment, then nodded, her expression easing. "Alright. Then what? Say we get the money. How do we get them the information?"
"I'll leave a second message at a different location," I clarified, my voice hushed but honestly excited. This was exciting, and I didn't want to lie or say otherwise. I kind of enjoyed the thrill. "We would place the information somewhere ahead of time, preferably right when we make the first contact. Once we have the payment, I'll place another note in the hands of a different urchin, send the kid in with the information, thanking them for the business."
"Well, besides the two biggest issues, the question being whether they are willing to pay ahead of time or if the kids are escaping with the money... It does sound fine." She exhaled slowly, nodding again. "You've actually thought this through."
"I have been doing that for the whole day," I said, my tone tinged with a mix of determination and hope it would go as imagined. "If this works, it could be the start of something bigger, too. This city has a ton of merchants and different groups, including thieves and nobles. I bet no matter which part of the city we look at, they all thrive on secrets! And I'm starting to think that these secrets might be the most valuable currency here."
"And the most dangerous," Lira muttered, her eyes trembling for a moment, biting her lips once again. "You're starting to sound like a real information broker."
"Oh? Those are real here?" I asked, without thinking, letting it slip out.
"I don't know if they are here or not," Lira mumbled, playing with her hair, "But I heard it from my parents. When they were adventurers, they usually visited one and had to pay a large sum to get ahead with their missions."
"Not bad... Maybe I am going to be one," I welcomed the thought, a faint smile tugging at the corners of my mouth. That does sound nice... "Well, If this goes well, we will need to build on it. Make more contacts and find ways to learn things before others do. But one step at a time. We should worry about that after this goes as planned!"
"Yeah, first, let's get the money." Lira pursed her lips, knowing there were way too many 'ifs' in my plans. Instead, she yawned while stretching her arms above her head. "Alright... Let's set this in motion. Tomorrow."
"A good night's sleep does sound nice." I agreed, mimicking her yawn, reaching for a fresh piece of parchment and a quill. "But I'll do the letter first while the idea is still fresh in my mind."
As I carefully penned the words, keeping my script as nondescript as possible and trying to make it sound like this was a regular occurrence for me, I felt the same kind of excitement brewing in my chest that had been circling me all day. This could be... a type of future where I could be in control.