Rather than going through the front, Lain led Jewel down a couple choked alleys to the back door of the Blackened Claw. By the time they got to the bar, dawn had just broken over the horizon, painting the city with its oddly colorless, matte-gray light.

  Despite the time, the door opened on Lain’s third knock, and Bors looked fully alert as he greeted them with noticeable relief, waving them inside. The large barkeep took a moment to stick his head out into the alley, scanning in either direction, as well as above, before he closed the door behind them.

  The three were alone in the back supply room, the same one Jewel had crawled through checking inventory with Bors, the only light in the room coming from a small flickering lantern propped on a barrel.

  “I just heard,” Bors said. “Wasn’t sure if you’d make it here or not.”

  "What's happening, Bors?” Lain pressed him. “We’ve heard about the bounty, but not much else.”

  “Dunno the specifics. I only got hold of the posting an hour ago,” he explained, passing a crumpled parchment to Lain.

  The thief looked it over quickly, her face twisting as she did, then passed it to Jewel.

  Jewel took the crinkled poster to the lantern, needing a little more light to read by than the gifted thief.

  What she saw was far from reassuring.

  Wanted Alive!

  Julianna Brooker

  Recently kidnapped from her family estate in Highwalk, last seen in the company of Lain Streetborn

  300 mantle bounty, considerations, for Lady Brooker’s return, alive and unharmed

  100 mantle bounty for the heads of Lain Freehand and any collaborators

  Countersigned by the Emeston Warden’s Office, backed by Brooker and Co. and the Cracked Jett Syndicate

  The bounty posting even featured a fairly detailed portrait of Jewel, obviously recreated by gifted hands.

  “I can see how Alice and Albus got two-hundred each in their heads,” Lain muttered. “The math works, at least.”

  Bors grunted. “The twins? They told you about this?”

  “In a way,” Lain said. “I caught them trying to sneak into our apartment with enough sleeping potion to knock out an ogre.”

  Bors blew out a long breath. “And where are they now?”

  “I dosed them with their own potions and left them outside my door,” Lain said. Jewel could hear the heat simmering in her tone, even if she tried to keep her words level. “Figured they’d be as good a warning as anything else to anyone who came by.”

  Bors grunted again, the sound neither approving nor scolding. “Young idiots.”

  “It’s this ‘considerations’ bit that worries me,” Jewel said. “Does that mean what I think it does? They’re offering favors?”

  Lain cursed and snatched the paper back, scanning over it again. “Cross, I didn’t see that.”

  Bors nodded. “You hear about Karris?”

  Lain arched an eyebrow and gave Jewel a brief look. She shook her head, and the thief explained, “Karris is one of the bigger vicelords left in the city. He controls a pier down off Shell Street, with a bunch of boats all moored there. Each boat caters to a different vice–women, men, gambling, even fetter.” Lain turned back to Bors, her voice thoughtful. “He survived the street wars by being cannier than most–even a whiff of trouble, and he’d have his boats in the bay.”

  “Well, the wardens didn’t give him much warning,” Bors said.

  “Wardens?” Lain gasped.

  Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

  Jewel was similarly reeling. Ever since the street wars in the wake of the old crimelord Telik’s death had calmed down, the wardens, the joint military-police force of Emeston, had an uneasy truce with the crimelords of Lowrun. They didn’t disrupt Highwalk business, and the wardens wouldn’t waste the men to come down on them any harder. For that to change, and now…

  Bors grunted. “Karris is dead, and his boats were burned to the waterline. Word is, Highwalk’s had enough of the criminal factions–they’re coming down hard, and Rogue help anyone who stands in their way.”

  “Cross,” Lain swore. “Considerations to match a three-hundred mantle bounty…”

  “Yep,” Bors confirmed.

  Jewel looked between the two. “I feel like I’m missing something here. What’s happening?”

  “Four-hundred mantles for the both of us is a juicy bit,” Lain explained, “but most of the freehands are too loyal to turn on us over a bit of bling–at least, those with brains and skills enough to be real threats. They know what kind of precedent it sets if they go along with it now.”

  “Any of them could be next,” Bors agreed.

  “But if the goldshits are coming down this hard on the factions, then they’ll be scrambling. The timing isn’t a coincidence. Kole wants them to think that catching us is their best chance at surviving the warden purges.” Lain gave Bors a sharp look. “Are they buying it?”

  Bors shrugged. “My sources in the factions aren’t as strong as they were before the street wars,” he said, “and this bounty business is all still new. But it’s been a long time since Kole was in the city–most of the powers will have forgotten about her, if they even knew her in the first place.”

  “So they might go along with it,” Lain muttered. She looked at Jewel–and Jewel was shocked to see the abject terror the rogue was failing to keep from her expression. “Even if the other freehands won’t turn on us, they won’t want to get involved either. None of them want a fight with any of the factions, and within hours, they’ll know that’s who we’re up against.”

  Bors grunted again–but Jewel turned on him, detecting something different in the all-purpose noise this time.

  The big man winced, his body language uncomfortable, and Jewel’s blood ran cold.

  “That includes you too, doesn’t it?” Jewel asked, trying to keep her voice gentle enough to not turn the words into an accusation.

  Lain looked up sharply in surprise, and turned from Jewel to Bors.

  “I can give you shelter for a few hours,” Bors said, “but no more.”

  Lain hissed through her teeth. “Seriously? You’re leaving us out in the cold in the face of all of this shit?”

  The man spread his hands, but he refused to meet either of their eyes. “I’m a businessman, Lain. I gotta do what’s right for the Claw.”

  “What happened to your supposed neutrality?” Jewel asked, trying to speak before Lain could.

  Bors flinched at the question, and turned away. “I can’t stand up to the factions, you both know that,” he said. “It’s only the freehands that give me what independence I have–and you just said yourself that they’re not gonna get involved in this sort of thing. If I shelter you, the Claw might…”

  Lain made a frustrated noise, and before Jewel or Bors could react, she turned and threw a punch at a nearby support pillar. Jewel knew that Lain’s gifts didn’t include any strength boons, but that didn’t stop her fist from passing right through the beam in a cloud of splinters.

  “Alright,” Lain said, panting, her words rough. “Alright. You’ve gotta do what’s right for you. I get it.”

  “Lain…” Bors said. “I told you, I can shelter you for a little while, before people come looking…”

  “No,” Lain said. “The city’s waking up, and every minute counts. Jewel, let’s go.”

  Jewel swallowed–but she nodded and moved to join Lain, following her to the door.

  They paused as Bors called out to them.

  “I’m not telling you where we’re going,” Lain told him.

  “I know. But here.” The man moved one hand in a throw, and Lain nimbly caught what proved to be a small coinpurse. “A dozen mantles. I’m sorry I can’t do more.”

  Lain frowned, but she pocketed the purse quickly enough. “Thanks.”

  “Good luck, girls. And… I’m sorry.”

  Neither said anything, and moments later, they were once more working their way through the predawn streets of Lowrun.

  “Where now?” Jewel asked.

  “Working on it,” Lain said tersely. After a few minutes, she decided, “I know a few empty warehouses. We’ll hole up in one of them while we figure out what to do next.”

  Jewel frowned. “If that’s the case… shouldn’t we have just stayed at the Claw, like Bors offered?”

  Lain stayed silent for a couple minutes, continuing to briskly lead them through shadowed alleys and along silent streets before she said, “Too risky.”

  Jewel’s frown deepened–but she nodded.

  A few minutes later, Lain said, unprompted, “Bors offered more than he should’ve.” And then, after a few more minutes, “He deserves better than what we’d bring down on him.”