Chapter 24, Hunting Skulkers

(Trisha)

" I think we should keep hunting these thieves." said Greg, showing several silver coins in one hand.

" Even though I'm allergic to work, I don't think it's the worst idea. Make a little coin while searching for this monster. What do you think, lady messenger?" asked Greg, grinning at his handful of coins.

"The thieves' guilds are numerous and brutal. They won't forgive your murder here. If it was the guards, they would let it pass, but some other random organization. They will assume it's another guild trying to steel their territory. It's only a matter of time before the pit vipers guild sends you a bloody message." Replied the messenger.

" You have convinced me, let's go one brake some skulls. I'm betting all of Greg's stolen silver that the honey trap will work again." Said Eliya.

"Can someone else be the bait? I don't even have a weapon." Asked the messenger.

"Of course not, it's why you make handfuls of silvers." Replied Greg, grinning.

" I will be bait with you. Two young women walking down the streets late at night will make for a tempting bait. And my lazy guard would look too suspicious walking in his dark cloak." replied Trisha, smiling at Greg.

A cart clatter down the road led by the four guards and another four guards behind them.

Clang! clang! clang! Clang! Trisha listened as the clock tower struck four. The Sound rolled sonorously across the city. She rolled her shoulders. There were still a few more hours until light.

"Do you have any messages to the outer city?" asked Eliya.

" Yes I have two, but I usually wait until the sun rises to deliver any to the outer districts." Replied the messenger. Blanching in the torchlight.

" Well, let's go, we are wasting darkness." Said Trisha.

Trisha strode with the messenger, keeping the woman company as they walked down the street. The well-lit streets slowly changed to shadowy and ominous as they strode into the less affluent areas. Trisha routinely checked over her shoulder, making sure her backup hadn't gotten lost.

Trisha didn't enjoy sticking to the centre of the cobblestone street. Her instincts screamed at her to stay next to the buildings and hide in the shadows. She knew all too well how easy it was to see someone in the middle of the street. Her heart raced, movement in a dark alley. She focused on the alley, but couldn't pick out any detail in the deep shadows.

" We are in Pit viper territory still, they are an enormous influence here in the lower district." said the Messenger, glancing wide eyed at all the houses.

" What does the pit viper guild specialize in here in the capitol? Back in Drent they specialized in brake an entry and some tax collection." said Trisha, eyes roving every shadow looking for the enemies she knew were watching. Trisha's skin prickled, and she had to force herself not to run as the messenger turned to a dark house. The messenger went up to the building and slipped something in a small slit in the door.

Trisha clenched her dagger in a white knuckled grip, never letting down her guard as they stopped at two more houses. Trisha noticed the flicker of movement in an alley on her right, and stare straight ahead pretending not to notice. Trisha and the messenger walked past the alleyway. Just as Trisha guessed might happen, two figures slipped from the alleyway. Trisha glanced over her shoulder, hoping they didn't see her look in the darkness.

Ahead of them, two more figures rounded the bend, boxing them in. Trisha drew her knife, holding it against her wrist, keeping it hidden.

" Good evening, ladies! Such a fine night for a stroll. Don't you know there are some seedy people out this time of night." said a deep masculine voice. It revealed the figure on the left in the moonlight as he pulled open his cloak showing a thick mace like stick.

" Good evening to you, sir. How can we help two respectable men like you?" asked Trisha sarcastically.

" Just hand over your coins and we won't rough you up too much." drawled the second man, drawing a mace of his own.

" And uh, what are you going to do after we give you all of our coins?" asked the messenger, her voice slightly shaky.

" Quiet Rust, let me do the talking." said the first figure in an annoyed voice.

" What? Who made you the boss, Kirt?" replied the second angrily, turning to the First.

" Shut up, there is two of them. No need to fight about it. We don't even need to share," said the first of the Thugs.

Trisha heard the audible gulp from the messenger woman as she must have realized what they were suggesting.

" Have you seen anything suspicious out here?" asked Trisha, cutting in before the thugs could say something too offensive.

" What is it to you?" asked Rust, his mace swaying in his right hand.

Trisha reached into her coin purse and pulled a silver coin, tossing it to Rust. Rust stayed still, letting the coin clatter to the ground. Trisha smiled inwardly. Once he found out it was a silver, then just maybe.. Trisha stood relaxed as Rust carefully crouched, keeping her in his sight as he picked up the coin. She could see the man's broken toothed grin as he held up the coin to night sky..

" Hey! You two over there. Dont interfere unless I say so!" shouted Rust over Trishas shoulders. She whirled, gasping like she had just noticed them for the first time. The messenger next to Trisha was staying oddly quiet, letting Trisha do all the talking.

" Dont worry, just pretend to be scared. I will get us out of this." whisper Trisha. The messenger nodded, slouching her shoulders.

" I don't need to pretend." mumbled the Messenger, her hands shivering.

" We are looking for a monster. People have been going missing and we want to know where we can find the cause." said Trisha in a soft voice.

" Thats a lot to ask. Luckily you found a gentleman like myself." replied Kirt Bowing and holding out his own hand rubbing his fingers together. Trisha grumbled, pulling another coin, jostling the others in the process. She tossed Kirt the silver coin, noting how he was much less hesitant to step forward and catch it now.

" We are looking for someone acting out of the normal. If you know anyone who suddenly kicked puppies or became unusually cruel for no reason." probed Trisha, still nervously clutching her hidden dagger.

" Oh, you 're looking for that kind of monster? I see, does anything like that come to your mind, Kirt? My brain is a little fuzzy," asked Rust Grinning a yellowed tooth grin.

" You 're right Rust, come to think of it my mind is rather fuzzy too." replied Kirt, chuckling.

Trisha got the hint, throwing two coins, one to each of the thugs.

" I remember now, its much more clear. Our organization of upstanding citizens sometimes has some bad people. But lately there is one I can think of." said Kirt Mysteriously. Trisha roller her eyes, reaching into her purse and pulling from her dwindling coins. Kirt grinned as he caught another coin and licked his lips excitedly. Kirt nodded to Rust and winked, taking one step forward.

" Tell me! I paid you the silver!" said Trisha, fear and apprehension swelling in her chest.

Trisha placed one hand on her hip, cocking an eyebrow. She made sure her dagger was out of sight. She was relying on the fact that Kirt and Rust were more focused on her purse and chest than on her hands.

" Well, don't worry, love. We decided we want all of your silver. We won't rough you too much. We just want to have a little fun." said Rust, winking and eying the messenger up and down in the moonlight.

" We will pass, thank you. I wouldn't touch you with a ten-foot pole." replied Trisha, shuddering in revulsion.

" Hand over your coin purse now! Nice and easy, don't get any funny ideas!" said Rust, snarling gripping his weapon in a white knuckled grip.

Trisha widened her stance, looking for a spot to put her curved dagger. She reached for her coin purse slowly, turning sideways. The man known as Rust held out his hand, unknowingly presenting his open cloak. Trisha pulled out her purse and tossed it in her hand, coins clanking merrily. She took a deep breath, calming her racing heart, making sure the man heard metal on metal. She tossed the coin pouch up in the air. It arched but appeared to be falling short.

The man rushed forward to catch the sac. Trisha crouched, leaping towards the coin pouch. She crouched low as the man's eyes tracked the money pouch. The man didn't notice her lunge as she thrust her curved dagger into his chest up under his ribs for a killing blow. The man gasped, stumbling backwards, the wooden mace clattering to the ground. Her hands were hot and sticky with blood as she pushed the larger man away.

She noticed Kirt; the man grinning down at the coins. Trisha whirled, keeping her dagger hidden, her body shaking with excitement.

"What are you doing, Rust? Get up." said Kirt, sounding annoyed. Coins clatter to the grounds, spilling onto the cobblestones. The man known as Rust collapsed with the coins laying on his back, grasping his chest wide eyed.

" Rust must be sleeping on the cobblestone." replied Trisha, turning sideways to keep the other two in her vision.

" You bitch, you stabbed Rust!" shouted Kirt as Rust gurgled out a weak scream. Kirt clambered forward, raising his mace. Trishas hands shook slightly with excitement as she squared her feet and sunk into a low strike stance.