"Sly!" Bricker came bursting into the room, jarring me from the doze I had fallen into. His strained expression in contrast to the calm Pettypiece who walked in after him. The boyish rouge I'd found beaten in the square months ago was tousled, shaken. Falling to a knee by the bed, his fine clothes were wrinkled and his mask was nowhere to be seen.

"I'm in one piece, calm down," I started, but he barely let his eyes sweep over me before scooping me up in a hug. I winced at the stabbing pain in my arm, and he pulled back to inspect it.

"You're bandaged. What happened?" he demanded.

"There was a fight."

"Obviously," he scoffed. "I heard the fighting outside but I wasn't able to get there in time. I didn't think too much when you ran out of the ballroom but when I couldn't find you . . ." His expression was no less than heartbreak, and it shattered me. I'd done it this time, the pile of lies was starting to topple, and it was hurting the people I cared about.

"Bricker-"

"Not another excuse," he said. "What happened?"

Pettypiece and I exchanged a look. Whatever the captain was thinking, it was kept well off his face and I had no idea how he wanted me to respond.

Sighing through my nose, I adjusted my arm onto the bedding. "I took a wound to the arm, but nothing that won't heal. I have to stay here to recover, it may be a few days. My fight was with Grethan."

"Grethan," Bricker seethed.

"Ahem." By now the captain had closed the door and was standing by. "I assume this is the person you sent for?"

"Yes, thank you so much, captain."

"Captain?" Bricker asked, and I noted the slight movement to put himself between us. Never trust a coin, and what bigger coin than someone who worked in the palace? If nothing else, he'd learned his lessons from Dirk well. "That's another thing. Is this who you've been conspiring with? He hasn't spoken a word to me other than to say you were looking for me. You wouldn't talk to us Sly, what's going on?"

"Please respect captan Pettypiece, he's on our side." My tired eyes flicked to the captian and then back to Bricker. "For the rest, I was sworn to secrecy. Things have gotten more complicated. What Davery stumbled on was important, and like it or not I was wrapped up in this so suddenly I couldn't avoid it. There was no telling anyone outside of these walls what was going on, I didn't say before for your own safety. I'm letting you in on it now because we need you. I need you."

Bricker's expression remained stone. "That's not an answer."

"I'm sorry, alright? Davery knew before he . . . he knew, ok? And he trusts what I'm doing. I'm sorry I shut you out." My voice cracked as it hung on the last word. "Please."

His expression finally softened, easing into the jovial lines I was used to. "Sly . . ."

"Bricker, is it?" Pettypiece broke the awkward silence, holding out his hand for Bricker. The two men stared at each other for a long minute before Bricker grabbed it and they shook. "I'm First Captain Arden Pettypiece, guard captain for the palace and the whole of the city of Unays. Miss Aylward has been an essential asset in an important investigation. Truly, we would not be where we are without her."

Bricker's eyebrows shot up as he glanced my way, and Pettypiece continued. "She speaks highly of yourself and your companions. We beg help today, there aren't enough of us and she trusts you could do a job for the good of Unays."

"A job huh?" All the aggression had left him, but he wasn't quite back to his usual smile yet. "How does the captain of the city guard not have enough people already?"

"It's not that simple. Right now there is a serious upset in the castle and we don't know who we can trust. Will you help? Can you talk to Jexa and the others?" I was on the verge of begging, and I hated it. I hated the position I was in, caught between the prince I was ready to serve and the family I had in Swamp.

Bricker just stared at me for a stretch, and I could see that mind of his working out a decision. Finally, he let his posture relax as he leaned in for a more gentle hug than the one he'd greeted me with. "For you, Sly, anything. But next time, don't leave us behind. You're going to give Jexa gray hairs, and he can't afford it with what he has left."

"Shove off, you menace," I snapped as Bricker laughed.

Settled. Somewhat settled, these piling secrets. My attention shifted to another part of the room where Pettypiece stood at ease, observing as always. "Captain?"

"Right," he said. "Do you know the Girault residence?"

"We know the mansion of every important coin in the midlands." Bricker replied. "What exactly needs done about it?"

"We need a watch on it. When Ruford Girault comes and goes, who he meets with. Anything suspicious. It would help if you had someone who could write since Miss Aylward will be unable to attend to the matter for some days. In cypher, preferably. Can you do this?" The Captain asked.

Bricker nodded slowly. "Yes, we can set up a watch. Writing, . . . I'll see what can be done but no promises for a code. Davery was the one behind most of that, I am and always will be just a humble messenger."

I snorted at that.

"Pairs switching off, we can talley a few things at the very least." Bricker nodded. "Yeah, it can be done alright. But, in exchange, we get to watch our troublesome wandering cat here. No exceptions. Four of us allowed access to this room at all times of day and night."

Pinching the bridge of my nose, I had always felt like the youngest in a family of overbearing brutes, and now even the sapling member was in on it. "Bricker, my arm is throbbing and my patience is thin."

He tilted his head and smirked in that boyish way he still hadn't grown out of. "You tell Dirk to stay out of somewhere he wants to get into then."

My mouth fell into a flat line. I may as well tell a fish not to swim.

"It will be difficult to get you access with no questions. I will certainly attempt it, but . . ." The captain scratched at his mustache, thinking.

"No need for official access, I just want to know that we can come in here. In this room. That you won't try to keep us out." Bricker had that lazy smile back but his eyes were intense. Pettypiece stared at him for a long moment before slowly nodding.

"If Miss Aylward trusts you I think I can do at least this much. You certainly have permission to watch over her, Blade knows I'll be a busy man over the next few days. Agreed. Thank you, lad, for your service to Unays."

"I don't know about for Unays, but for the lower parts of the city. And for her." He jerked his head in my direction. "We all owe her brother a debt that we can only repay now by taking care of her. And she may have saved my hide when I first got here."

"May have?" I scoffed.

He shrugged, a grin tilted on his face. "Memory's a bit hazy, I was half passed out by the time you got there anyway."

Shaking my head, I reached out and squeezed Bricker's hand. "Thanks."

A knock at the door drew our attention away. Bricker's slender fingers brushed the hilt of his knife, a habit I knew he was picking up from Dirk, and he stepped where the door opening wouldn't reveal him. Luckily, the bed was also in that corner of the room so when Pettypiece opened it casually the soldier on the other side didn't see anyone there but him.

"Dismissed." Pettypiece saluted to whoever was at the door and shut it again. He drew back into the room with a note in his hand. Upon reading it twice he threw it into the fireplace.

"I have to attend to the Dalvnaes. Please excuse me. Bricker, I trust the business of Lord Girault to you. Thank you again." He gave a curt bow, turning my way. "Rest, in three bells time take the other half of the medicine spoon from earlier."

I made a gagging face, remembering the pain numbing herbal powder I'd been forced to choke down. Pettypiece just smiled as he left, closing the door behind him.

"I'll be going for now, but one of us will be back shortly." Bricker stepped away reluctantly, though his hand never dropped from the kife at his side. "You sure you'll be alright?"

"Go, mother hen." I picked up a pillow with my good hand and threatened to toss it at him.

"Going! Going," Bricker chuckled as he slipped out the door.

I stared at it for a long time, alone to process what today's events meant. My two worlds had been orbiting each other for so long now, and it seemed the time had finally come for them to collide. At least I could be done with most of the lying, except for where the prince was concerned.

Hopefully.