Mistel glided down the steps. “We’re musicians, playing here tonight. I wanted to see if there was a dressing room. If not, I’ll wear my best costume and leave the others behind.”
The guard blinked again, eyeing Cole warily. “No dressing room, miss. But wear whatever you like.”
Mistel’s grin faltered. “That’s a shame. I’ll be sure to choose carefully. See you tonight?”
The guard nodded, clearly flustered as Mistel trailed a finger over his shoulder as she walked past.
Cole rushed after her, admiration warring with irritation. When they reached Kurtz across the street, he asked, “Was that really necessary?”
“She covered for us well,” Kurtz said. “When the guard sees us play tonight, he won’t think on this morning again.”
“Yet there’s a whole day before tonight for him to talk,” Zanna said.
“Exactly,” Cole said. “You should think before you speak, Mistel.”
“I did,” Mistel said, frowning. “The whole point in coming this morning was so that we could use the excuse of playing here tonight. I did exactly that.”
“I need you to be more careful,” Cole said.
“And I need you to be less bossy,” she said.
“I’m not trying to—the king put me in charge of this mission. So, I should get some say in how much unnecessary risk we take.”
“Risk is part of the game, Cole. You knew that when you let me stay.”
He gritted his teeth. “Let’s just go,” he said. “I want to show Kurtz and Zanna what we found.”
The four of them made their way to Fat Vandy’s, entering through the back. Zanna led them into the dim main room to a table by a window.
“Still standing,” Kurtz said, looking around. “Didn’t think I’d see this place again.”
“They don’t get up as early as they used to,” Zanna said.
“I’ll come by later to say hello,” Kurtz said.
They sat down, and Cole pulled out the invoice he’d taken.
“Thusk is tangled up with more than just Erlichman.” He traced his finger under Jaira Hamartano’s name, then Verdot Amal’s. “This must prove something, but I don’t know what.”
Kurtz squinted at the writing. “Verdot Amal shipping boar to Jaira Hamartano? I don’t think so. Where would he get them, eh? And why?”
“Verdot runs Ice Island,” Zanna said, “and he?—”
“We know,” Kurtz cut in.
She glared at Kurtz. “I was going to say, he doesn’t ship anything from the prison.”
Cole eyed the invoice. “How much does a boar sell for?”
“Anywhere between five to ten golds,” Kurtz said.
“Lands!” Mistel said. “That’s a fortune.”
“These boar cost even more,” Cole said, pointing at the prices. “Lowest one sold to Jaira was thirty golds.”
“No one would pay thirty golds for a boar,” Kurtz said.
“Who even has thirty golds to spend on anything?” Mistel asked.
