“Hey, Maryn. I have some word from the spark market…”
“No names, from now on… And I’m shade now. What did hear?”
“Got it, shade. Word is the Duchess is sending some real Fire to the Oasis, some big badass Mage… They say she’s pi**ed with the losses and wants to burn the Beastkin for good. This is worth some coins, right? Oh, and you need to find someone else to cover the market, I’m changing my spot to the Burning Bucks… Pete’s gang wants to get some of my “bread”. I told him a dumb maid in the market gives me two coins to carry her food. Now he wants to try too… You should give small Toothy a chance, he’s good and quiet, he won’t say a pip about it…”
Maryn assessed Smutt for a second and smiled, but then she remembered her new identity and went back to having a blank expression.
“Smutt, do want to earn some more coins?”
The boy’s eyes brightened as he almost said yes without asking how.
“You have to do my job, collect the information, and give the coin. Do you want it?”