"It wasn't a compliment."
"It was to me."
The tavern's busy enough to disappear in. Renan finds a table near the back, angles his chair toward every entrance.
"He'll be here in twenty minutes," he says. "You're my new recruit. Nervous. Eager to prove yourself. Hungry for coin and bored with the straight life."
"And you're..."
"Careless. Drunk enough to let things slip. Trying to impress the pretty new blood."
I snort. "Drunk and careless. Real stretch for you."
His mouth quirks. "I'm a man of many talents."
The tavern fills around us. Merchants, dockworkers, a few faces that look more dangerous than the rest.
"There." Renan's voice drops. "Just walked in. Blue coat, left hand."
I don't look directly. Let my gaze drift, casual, landing on him for only a second.
He's unremarkable. Average height, average build, the kind of face you'd forget an hour after meeting.
"He'll approach us," Renan murmurs against the rim of his cup. "Let me do the talking until I bring you in. Then just... be yourself."
"Terrified and confused?"
"Hungry and clever." His eyes meet mine. "Play up the survival instinct. The willingness to do anything to get ahead. He'll recognize it."
The spy approaches three minutes later. Smooth, confident, the right amount of deference.
"Renan. Didn't expect to see you here."
"Einar." Renan's voice has gone loose, sloppy at the edges. "Have a drink with us. This is—shit, what'd you say your name was again?"
I let myself look nervous. Let my hands fidget on the table. "Lira."
"Lira." Renan grins. "Fresh blood. Still learning the ropes."
Einar's eyes assess me. Quick. Professional. I make myself smaller. Let the hunger show.
"New to Discord?"
"New to everything." I duck my head. "Renan's been... helping me understand how things work."
Renan laughs, too loud. "Helping. That's one word for it." He leans back, waves for more drinks. "She's got potential, this one. Quick on her feet. Knows how to read a room."
Einar's interest sharpens. "That so?"
"Mm. Smart, too. Been picking up the important bits fast." Renan drops his voice, the way drunk people do when they think they're being subtle. "Like where the weak points are. What moves War's planning. You know."
"Do I?"
"Come on." Renan waves a hand. "We're all on the same side here. What's it hurt if she knows about the eastern routes? Or the thing with Coin's—"
"Renan." Einar's voice is careful. "Maybe we shouldn't—"
"She's fine! She's one of us now." Renan claps my shoulder, too hard. I let myself flinch. "Right, Lira? You're not going to go running to anyone with what you hear?"
