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“None of them saw you?”

“Your question offends.”

Aurienne hid the bottles in the depths of her satchel. If her suspicions were right, she no longer felt bad about murdering Wellesley.

They named the kitten Acts of Warranted Brutality.

17

Mr.Hungwell

Osric

In the end, Osric had to admit (to himself only, never to Fairhrim) that it had been a grand idea to infiltrate Wellesley Keep. He made out brilliantly. When he went to sell Wellesley’s intel to Kent, he took the opportunity to steal Kentish intel, and turned around and sold that to Wessex. Champion.

Now he was having Wellesley’s jewels appraised by Sacramore at the Harmacy.

“Quality, quality,” said Sacramore, examining them with a loupe. “Lovely finds.”

(It was alwaysfindswith Sacramore. As though Osric came across a ruby worth a hundred thousand thrymsas by pure happenstance. Found it in the soup.)

The useless lug that was Brythe emerged from the corridor leading to Tristane’s office.

“Nice baubles, Os,” he commented as he passed.

“You can gargle my baubles,” said Osric.

“I’ll gargle your baubles,” said Sacramore to Osric.

“What about mine?” asked Brythe, grasping his balls through his trousers and lifting them in Sacramore’s direction.

Sacramore pointed his loupe towards Brythe’s crotch. “Show me what’s on offer.”

“No time for it,” said Brythe. “Got places to be. Answers to get. Necks to wring.”

“You joining us on the Carnegie job?” asked Osric.

“No. Off to the Danelaw on business.”

“What business?” asked Sacramore, his loupe trained on Brythe’s face.

“Secret.”

“What secret?” asked Osric.

“S’only for top Fyren to know about.” Brythe swung the door open. “Got to shower, shit, and shove off. See you povvos later.”

Brythe left. The Harmacy’s glass door clattered to a close behind him.

“What’s he wanking himself over?” asked Osric.

Sacramore stared at the door through his loupe. He turned it towards Tristane’s office. “She’s accepted, then.”

“Accepted what?”

“An ask I didn’t think she’d agree to take on. They must have offered a bloody fortune.”

“They?”