Song: James Bond theme (I feel like this is required for a chapter titled "Spy". Just saying)

For the first few days after I got back to Kaccikar, Derik and Laurence didn't have any notable meetings, so I spent the days wasting time and scouting the fort for any possible meeting place I hadn't found already. Just when I was convinced neither of them would ever utter a relevant phrase again, I saw them slip out of the mess hall together without touching any food. More relieved than excited, I stood smoothly, cleaning up my plate as fast as possible without appearing to rush, and followed them out of the door.

Staying a good distance behind them, I followed the brothers toward the upper floors of the fort. My worn moccasins padded quietly across the stone floor, and I was careful not to let my clothing rustle, while at the same time doing my best to appear casual to the occasional passerby. Smiling, I thought back to the two days before I'd come to Kaccikar, remembering Councilor Cariel's hurried lessons on how best to snoop around and get where I wasn't supposed to be. Luckily, I'd caught on relatively quickly, and over the next year, I'd honed my snooping abilities -- both in Kaccikar and outside of it, I noted slyly. It was surprising how little security the Council employed when concerning people they considered loyal -- and even though I was loyal, the security lapse proved something of an imperfection they rarely displayed to the general populous.

The brothers rounded a corner and came to a narrow staircase that led to the higher part of the fort. After peeking around the corner to make sure I knew where they'd gone, I waited a moment, leaning casually against the wall where I was just out of view. A servant scurried by with a basket of blankets, and I nodded in greeting, waiting until she'd disappeared to cross to the stairway.

I reached the top of the stairs to see the brothers enter a small room off of the hallway I'd just ended up in. I waited until the door clicked shut, then stationed myself outside.

For a few minutes, all I heard was rustling paper. Finally, I heard Laurence's voice. "So? What did you figure out?"

"Nothing definitively," Derik admitted. "But I have a few theories." He went on to explain what he'd said to me.

"So you think it is in the center of the territory, but where there isn't anything else around?" Laurence summarized thoughtfully.

"Yeah. But there are still a few details that don't make sense. How would they quickly mobilize their forces from a stronghold built to effectively distance themselves from said forces? And, even if it is where I think it is, why the hell haven't I found it?"

"How thoroughly have you looked?"

"Not as thoroughly as I would like, but we have made an effort. I told Erika to watch there when she went scouting, although she didn't see anything out of the ordinary."

"She didn't report anything out of the ordinary."

My heart jumped. He still suspects me.

"And what motivation would she have to mislead us?" I heard Derik snap. At least he seems to trust me, even if he is the less influential of the two.

"None that we know of. But just be cautious, will you?"

Derik sighed heavily. "Fine."

"Do you know anything else?" Laurence asked.

"Not yet."

I breathed out a sigh of relief, although I was still on edge from Laurence's previous comment.

"You do realize it could help us, don't you?" Laurence said after a moment.

I perked up, pressing my ear back against the door.

"I know. But it's not as trivial as you seem to think it is. Even with two wielders."

Two wielders? Am I involved in this somehow?

"We need this advantage. It could mean saving our people."

"At the expense of our people."

"Derik," Laurence said coolly. "I am the Chief, and therefore must do my best to help as many of my people as possible. I do not mean to send anyone to their death, and that is exactly why, as Chief, I'm sending you to retrieve it. You're our best chance, and I firmly believe you have the skills to survive it."

There was a long, tense pause.

"Fine," Derik said at last. I heard the scrape of a chair.

Quickly, I backed up a few yards down the hallway, then kicked the wall. "Ow!" I shouted, cradling my now-smarting toe.

Derik burst from the room, followed quickly by his brother. I gave a yelp of surprise, as if I hadn't known they were in the room. "Sorry," I wheezed. I'd learned that I was far less suspicious if I made myself noticeable on my own before they discovered I was there.

"Are you okay? What happened?" Derik demanded.

I was almost amused by his genuine concern. "I'm fine. I just stubbed my toe. Sorry for disrupting you. But holy crap, that hurts."

He chuckled. "No kidding."

"I'll just continue on my merry way," I said, pretending to be embarrassed. I hurried down the corridor with a slight limp, turning toward the mess hall.

"Wait," Derik called. "Can I talk to you for a second?"

"Sure," I agreed, turning around. I followed them back into the meeting room — making sure my limp didn't fade too fast — and glanced at the mess of maps and parchment on the center table. "Do you want me to help you pack up?"

"I've got it," Laurence said, shoving it into a pile and scooping it up. "Derik, can you explain everything? I'll get the other two."

If my curiosity hadn't already been piqued, it certainly was now. After Laurence left the room, I turned to Derik. "What's all this about?"

"We're going to patrol one of the villages at the edge of our territory," Derik explained. "We need to check up on the guards, now that tensions are rising. It'll be me, you, and two other soldiers."

That's not what I heard. I furrowed my brow. "And Laurence wants to send both of us?"

He shifted almost nervously, giving me a sly smirk. "He wants to send me, and I want to bring you."

Oh. "Who's going to guard the dragon, genius? What if the Silver Rogue comes back and frees him- it?"

He waved his hand. "Our soldiers are more than capable," he assured me.

I've seen otherwise. I've proven otherwise.

"Are you in?"

I nodded. "When do we leave?"

"In two days, after sunset."

Thanks a whole lot for the early notice, I grumbled silently. Even if I only paid a brief visit to Sivectre -- and rode all the way there, rather than dropping my horse near the border -- I'd need about five days for the round trip. There was no way I could ask for the council's advice in only two days' time. But a journey to some small village that involved both of Kaccikar's Color wielders... something seemed off about that. Whatever we were retrieving, it was important. The Council would probably be glad for me to go, even if it meant going without their explicit approval.

"Alright," I said aloud. "I'll be ready then."

"Great," he said, relaxing visibly. "Pack for an extended journey."

"Can I bring any toys?"

He rolled his eyes. "Go ahead, if you must."

I snickered.

"What? Is that not good enough for you?"

I shook my head, still chuckling. "I'm just shocked you used your 'fine' voice for a different phrase. That's a bold new direction for you."

He frowned. "My what voice?"

"You have a special snotty voice reserved exclusively for saying 'fine'. As a matter of fact, you use it rather frequently."

He scowled, looking like he was trying not to look amused. "I'm a bit busy at the moment, if you could be so kind as to leave," he said haughtily.

"I thought you guys were done in here."

"I'm a bit busy trying not to whack you."

I grinned.

As soon as I got back to my chambers, I wrote a quick letter to the Sivectran Council explaining the mission to the outer town, my decision to go along with it, and the details of the discussion I'd overheard. I noted that they wouldn't have time to respond to me before I left, but promised I'd report back as soon as I returned. Finally, I slipped out into the city and gave the letter to one of our other agents, along with instructions to deliver it to the Council as soon as possible.

I stopped by the armory later and acquired a regular saber. While it wasn't the traditional weapon of a Kaccikan, the smith understood that I already had a special connection to the weapon. I wanted to retrieve my rapier -- the one I'd dropped fighting Derik -- from wherever it had been stowed, but I knew that was a stupid idea. I could use a different one, but since I had no real story to explain my skills, I grudgingly decided against it. I quickly packed for the journey -- without bringing toys, unfortunately -- and then started thinking about what to waste time on for the remaining two days until we left.