Glimmer looks horrified the whole time he explains to us what happened.
"Goldenclaw…" He says, "...Blackthorn got him. He got captured, so I could escape with this."
Glimmer throws the scroll onto the floor at Renald's feet.
"You knew this whole time, didn't you?" He asks. "Vesper asked you to steal this scroll back for her, right?"
Renald doesn't say anything in response. I feel a wave of guilt crash over me. He never had anything to do with the scroll. Vesper asked me to steal it, not Renald.
"You didn't even have the dignity to tell the rest of us?" Glimmer continues, becoming increasingly upset. "What else have you been hiding from us?"
"It was me!" I blurt out to shift the blame from Renald. "Vesper asked me to steal the scroll."
"Is that true?" Ironvine looks at me, visibly hurt.
"It's true." I might as well tell them everything now. "Blackthorn and I were teammates once, so Vesper thought I would have the best chances of finding him."
"Why would you agree to something like that?" Liaz asks. "If you used to be part of the same team, why would you betray him like this?"
"Because he betrayed me first." The words leave my lips before I can think about it.
"Either way, the plan doesn't change." Renald states sternly. "We still meet with Carvallen, convince him to let his son take over as Lord, and then escape."
"Why can't we just escape now?" Glimmer looks frustrated. "Goldenclaw's probably dead because he helped us get this. I don't think we should throw away his sacrifice."
"If we leave now, Blackthorn will likely have Carvallen send Rangers and Bounty Hunters after us," Liaz answers Glimmer. "If we can replace Carvallen with his son, we should be able to travel without worrying about a pursuit."
"And because Blackthorn is supposed to meet with him," I add. "If he's anything like he used to be, he'll probably bring Goldenclaw, if he's still alive."
"Really? Then we might be able to save him, right?" A bit of hope returns to Glimmer's eyes.
"Maybe, but no promises." Renald crosses his arms. "If we don't get an opening or he's not there, the mission comes first."
We all go quiet. It's nice to think about saving Goldenclaw, but Renald is right. If we blow the mission, everything he did will be for nothing.
We spent a few more moments plotting our routes on a map of Amacedia that Liaz brought out for us. Then it's time for us to leave. We say a quick farewell to Ice. Renald and Ironvine return our room keys. Finally, Liaz and Ice embrace momentarily before he hands her a slip of parchment.
"This is the deed to the Tavern." He pushes it into her palm. "It's yours now."
"You plan on coming back eventually, right?" Ice's eyes begin filling with tears again.
"I don't know about this time." Liaz turns his back on Ice and follows behind the rest of us. "I'll write, though."
"You better!" She yells before we disappear around the corner and out of earshot.
We walk as a group for a while, popping in and out of shadows, avoiding patrolling knights, and eventually coming to a fork in the road. One side veers towards the Town Hall, the other to the city stables.
"Whelp. This is where we depart for now." Liaz whispers. "I'll meet you guys just outside the north gate."
"Right." Renald and Liaz shake hands. "Good luck."
"You too." Liaz walks away from us, throwing his hand up as he goes. "Make sure to stick to the plan."
It takes us a few more minutes and a few turns to reach the Town Hall. It also seems like knight activity in the area is beginning to slow, although we have to wait for a pair to walk by before we can approach the building safely. Renald signals me to follow him and motions for Ironvine and Glimmer to stay back. They both nod, and Renald and I sprint up to the front door of the Town Hall. From what I can see through the windows, all the lights are off. There is no movement within.
"Can you use your Shadow thingy to get inside and unlock the door?" Renald asks quietly.
"Yeah, I should be able to." I smile and allow myself to fall into the shadows of the night beneath me.
I reemerge from the shadows right in front of the door, inside the building. I quietly twist the doorknob and push it open. I see Renald motion for Ironvine and Glimmer, and they all rush inside. I make sure to close the door quietly and lock it back, after all, we won't need to use it to leave.
"This is it, everyone." Renald motions us into a small team huddle, "When we get to Carvallen's office, Whisper and I will handle Blackthorn, if he's there."
"What are we here for then?" Glimmer looks offended. "Morale support?"
"No. Glimm, I need you and IV to focus on making Carvallen step down. No matter what." Renald gives a serious look to Ironvine. "I also need you to be on the lookout for Goldenclaw. If they brought him, he'll be in the office."
"R-right." Glimmer nods, a serious expression buried in his forehead. In fact, the past couple of days have been the most serious I've ever seen him.
Suddenly, the lights flash to life all around us. An explosion of dust and debris, which could be all the furniture in the building, crashes down around us, blocking the door we came in through. The main chamber of the Town Hall has been completely stripped of all its decorations, leaving the room empty, except for the debris now blocking our exit. A large, double-sided staircase leads to an upper floor, with a door to an office underneath. On the top floor stand two figures. One I recognize all too well, Blackthorn. The other figure, I assume, must be Carvallen. The office door flies open, and 20 Sellsword knights armed with lances flood the room, surrounding us.
"Well, well, well." Blackthorn chuckles dryly. "Look at what the cat dragged in."
"I don't see what's so funny." The man beside Blackthorn says. "These people murdered Arathor and were probably planning to murder me."
Now I know he's Carvallen. Compared to Sir Joel, Carvallen is a man of average height, with an above-average belly size. He has gray eyes and dark brown hair in a tall Afro on his head. He also has a goatee to match.
"Cheer up, Carvallen, my dear friend." Blackthorn glares at me. "After all, it's a family reunion. Right, Whisperclaw?"
I bare my fangs, preparing to unleash my laughing technique.
"I thought you might respond that way, so I brought along someone else who's just dying to see you again." Blackthorn lets out another dry laugh, and another figure I recognize steps out of the office.
He is another Saber named Brownblood, one of my old Wardog teammates, Blackthorn's best friend, and my former fiancé.
"He was with Blackthorn when they attacked Goldenclaw!" I hear Glimmer yell from behind me.
"You mean when you broke onto my property and stole something from me?" Blackthorn corrects Glimmer. "Oh, and by the way…"
He reaches behind him. Then, he throws the unmoving body of Goldenclaw down to the floor below. It crashes to the ground and rolls over. He looks badly beaten, and I can't tell if he's breathing or not.
"You shouldn't have done that." Renald stares up at Blackthorn defiantly, rage boiling in his eyes. "You really shouldn't have done that."
"Oh well." Blackthorn turns his back on us and walks away. "This is what happens to those who steal from me."
"Blackthorn!" I yell. "Where do you think you're going? I'm not finished with you yet!"
"Still mad about that little incident in the capital, are we?" He stops and turns his head over his shoulder. "I'm sure you haven't told your new 'friends' about how we tried to kill their king yet."
I clench my teeth. Renald turns to look at me. I see no emotion in his expression. I can feel Glimmer and Ironvine staring holes into my back. It's all over. They know everything now.
"I'll let you all digest that. In a holding cell, of course." Blackthorn laughs, this time with an abnormal hint of glee. "Knights, take them away. Oh, and Carvallen, make sure to recover my scroll for me. It's extremely valuable."
Carvallen gives a bellowing laugh, and the Knights begin to enclose around us.