The pillars of creation

She wanted to grab the man by his leather and shake him. She wanted to ask if they'd hurt Sebastian. She wanted to scream at him to let Sebastian out.

"Yes, we have him. If it's the same man you're talking about, that is. Matches your description, anyway."

"Good. I need him back. I have urgent business for him. I can't afford to delay. We need to leave at once before the trail gets any colder. It would be best if we not make a big show of him being released. We need to slip out with as little notice as possible, as little contact with soldiers as possible. The ring of infiltrators might have managed to place themselves in the army."

Captain Lerner folded his arms and sighed as he leaned down toward her a little, looking at her as a big brother might look at a little sister. "Jennsen, are you sure he's one of your men?"

Jennsen feared to overplay the bluff. "He was chosen for this assignment specifically because soldiers would not suspect he was one of us. Looking at him, you'd never guess. Sebastian has a proven knack for being able to get close to the infiltrators without them getting wind that he's one of our men."

"But are you sure of this man's heart? Are you really sure he'd not bring Lord Rahl into harm's view?"

"Sebastian is one of mine-that much I know-but I'm not sure the man you have is my Sebastian. I guess I'd have to see him to be sure. Why?"

The captain stared off as he shook his head. "I don't know. I spent a lot of years carrying the knife, like you're starting out doing, and going places where you can't carry the knife, so you won't be known for who you really are. I don't have to tell you how being in such danger all the time sometimes gives you a sense about people. Something about that fellow with the white hair makes mine stand on end."

Jennsen didn't know what to say. The captain was twice the size of Sebastian, so it wasn't Sebastian's physical presence that would worry the man. Of course, size was no valid indicator of potential threat. Jennsen very well might be able to beat the captain in a knife fight. Maybe Captain Lerner sensed how deadly Sebastian was with weapons. The captain's eyes had been heedful of the way her fingers handled the knife.

Perhaps the captain was able to tell by various small things that Sebastian was not D'Haran. That could be troublesome, but Jennsen had thought out a plan to explain that, too, just in case.

"Tom still up to his trouble?" the man asked.

"Oh, you know Tom. He's selling wine, along with the help of Joe and Clayton.»

The captain stared incredulously. "Tom-and his brothers? Selling wine?" He shook his head as a grin spread wide. "I'd like to know what he's really up to."

Jennsen shrugged. "Well, that's just what he's selling at the moment, of course. The three of them travel around, buying goods, bringing them back to sell."

He laughed at that, and slapped her shoulder. "That sounds like he'd want it told. Small wonder he trusts you."

Jennsen was completely confused and desperately didn't want to be dragged any further into a dangerous discussion about Tom, or she could soon be found out. She didn't really know much about Tom; this man apparently did.

"I guess I'd better see this fellow you have. If it is Sebastian, I need to kick his tail and get him on his way."

"Right," Captain Lerner said with a firm nod. "If he is your man, at least I'll finally know his name." He turned to the ironbound door as he rooted around in his pocket for a key. "If it is him, he's lucky you came for him before one of them women in red showed up to ask him questions. He'd be spouting more than his name, then. He'd have saved himself and you a lot of trouble if he'd have told us what he was about in the first place.»

Jennsen felt giddy relief to hear that a Mord-Sith hadn't tortured Sebastian. "When you're doing Lord Rahl's business, you keep your mouth shut," she said. "Sebastian knows the price of our work."

The captain grunted his agreement as he turned the key. The latch unlocked with a cavernous clang. "For this Lord Rahl, I'd keep my mouth shut-even if it was a Mord-Sith asking the questions. But you'd have to know the new Lord Rahl better than I, so I guess I don't need to tell you."

Jennsen didn't understand, but didn't ask anything, either. As the captain tugged on the door, it slowly swung open, revealing a long hallway lit by a few candles along the length of the corridor. To each side were doors with small, barred openings. As they passed some of those openings, as many as half a dozen arms stretched out, imploring, reaching, grabbing. From the darkness through others came the clamor of voices calling out vile curses and oaths. From the reaching hands and the collection of voices, she knew that each room beyond held groups of men.