---
Rusk stepped forward. He had narrow eyes and a clean jaw. He nodded once.
Edda stepped forward next. She was tall and strong in the shoulders. Her hands were scarred in the way of people who had trained to catch blades. She also nodded once.
The steward relaxed a hair. "Good."
"Where," the scarred man said.
"The Bent Penny," the steward said. "Cheap tavern in the south quarter. Yard with a shed and three chickens. Room three, second floor, two beds, one window. They checked in yesterday. They will be there until the exam."
"Tonight," the scarred man said. "After the second bell past midnight."
The steward looked at him for another beat. "Do not be seen," he said.
The scarred man did not shrug. "We never are."
The steward tipped his chin. "I don't know if it's true or not but I heard the boy has a friend at the temple. The story is…"
