He would have to make ready. In the world of the shadows, unrest always meant potential business opportunities.

“Well, that’s karma for you,” the silver-haired girl said with a superficial laugh. “One good turn deserves another.”

“Live by destiny, die by karma?” The fixer laughed, too. “Helpful words, if you’re a child clutching her allowance.”

With that, the fixer glanced at the girl. “So what are you really here for?”

“To complain.” With hardly a hint of emotion, the girl swigged the rest of her drink, then called to the waitress. “There are too many venomous bugs around here. Spiders and scorpions.” She sighed deeply, stretched out on the counter and let her hair splay on the bar top. The fixer wasn’t interested in her age, but at the moment she looked to him like an indignant child. “Too busy with exterminating lately.”

“His Majesty is?”

“The third son of an indigent noble and his little friends are.” In profile, the girl almost looked amused, and the slight flush and her pale cheeks seemed due to more than just the alcohol.

What she means is, he can’t let adventuring go, the fixer thought and decided to order himself another drink. It was the best stuff, the most delicious, and the strongest; it had to be. It had to be if it was to cover his friends’ safe return, the prosperity of his business, the efforts of the red-haired cardinal, and a wonderful adventure besides.

“Well, you’ll have to tell me all about that quest someday.”

“Maybe; if there’s a chance.” The girl laughed, playing with the wine cup in her hand. The fixer saw just how like adventurers they were and how unlike.

“So what exactly do you want us to do?”

“Find someone and do a run, I suppose.”

It was just them, their skills, the shadows, and the implacable imperative: Get the job done.

That was who they were: runners.