Maya cleared her throat. “I’m sorry, do we know you?”

“Oh! No, you don’t. I’m Sarah.” She gave a slight bow. “I’ve been looking for you.”

“Can I ask why?” Maya said.

“Because I heard you were asking about the Core Analytica, and you were willing to pay for information. That’s true, isn’t it?” She smiled. “Word spreads fast in this place.”

“It’s true,” Maya admitted. “And you have something?”

“No, but I know someone who does,” Sarah said. “I can take you to him.”

“For a price, I assume.”

“Just a half thaler. And I’ll knock off a decithaler if your friend will let me look at her spectacles.”

Beq recoiled protectively. Maya said, “Half a thaler will be fine. Where are we going?”

“It’s easier to show than to tell,” Sarah said. “Come with me, if you’re ready.”

Maya looked at Beq, who gave a tiny shrug. It’s the best lead we’ve got so far. She pushed her wine away and got up. “Then, let’s go.”

Sarah, judging by the expert way she elbowed a path through the crowd, was clearly a native of the tunnels, though she looked better-off than most. As they cut through the market, she chattered about the stalls, a running commentary of which Maya caught only snatches.

“… old Perses Ironjaw used to sell there, until he got caught in a blizzard, so now its Polarc. And this is Snipwillow; he loves those little flower-mushrooms you find in ghoul caves sometimes; you can use them—”

“Maya,” Beq whispered. “I think someone’s following us.”

“Who?” Maya said.

“Not sure.” Beq adjusted her spectacles and looked over her shoulder. “There’s at least three of them, though.”

Friends of Sarah’s? Maya reached back to touch her haken, just to make sure it was easily accessible. We’ll see.

Sarah turned down a side street and then went through an arch into a smaller tunnel. This one curved away from the market, branching into a number of other passages. Apart from a few sleeping forms huddled against the wall, these were almost empty of people. One archway was partially collapsed, half-blocked by a chunk of broken rock, and this was where Sarah stopped.

“Can you climb over this?” she said. “It opens up once we’re past.”

“It doesn’t look like anyone lives down there,” Maya said.

“It was abandoned after a cave-in,” Sarah said. “Which makes it a good place to meet if you don’t want to be seen.”

Maya glanced behind them, but if there had been someone following, they’d stayed far enough back to be out of sight. She shrugged. “Lead the way, then.”