Sintian was about to reply angrily, but Bane raised his hand first, conjuring a ball of golden flames on his palm.

“So, you can do magic,” Turon snorted. “That’s a start. It don’t prove you’re from Veneseron though. Show your armour, and a Holophone.”

Bane did as he asked, gritting his teeth all the while.

“Very well.” The half-orc bowed his head. “Had to make sure. You can never be too careful.”

“So, do you have the information we need?” Bane asked.

Turon held out his hand instead. “I was told there’d be recompense for what I know.”

“You filthy brute,” Sintian snarled. “You don’t know who you’re dealing with, you-”

“Shut your mouth, rookie,” Bane replied, “and don’t interfere again.”

Sintian scowled as Bane turned his back on him. Evan guessed Sintian had thought he and Bane were friends, since they believed themselves so much better than him and Emi.

“Apologies for my companion,” Bane said. “It’s his first mission. Here, take this.” Bane leaned over and dropped a half dozen scion shillings into Turon’s waiting palm.

“That ain’t enough, Venator,” Turon growled.

“Yes, that’s half. You’ll get the other half once we have your intel,” Bane replied smoothly.

“Fair,” Turon grunted. “Brisnik is the fellow you want. He’s the shadiest gnome I know, lifelong thief. I thought that was all he was, but I reckon he joined this cult a few months back. He’s been spouting off at the Emerald Elf inn lately, letting things slip. Everyone on Quantem fears the Dark Dawn, but no one knows who they really are, or where they come from. But I know old Brisnik goes to the Underoads at midnight every night.”   

“The Underoads?” Evan asked. His interruption earned him a sharp glare from Bane, but Evan ignored him. So what if Bane was older and had more experience? He wasn’t going to let himself and Emi be treated like children.

 “An underground network of tunnels and vaults,” said Turon. “A lot of off-colour merchants hide their stock there. The black market is held there once a moon cycle, too. But that’s only the first level.