When Tam read the missive, he was more than happy to remain at the inn and was once again grateful that he and Frisha had found someone so capable with whom to travel. Frisha was a little disappointed because she wanted to see more of the city. She had heard that several of the gardens near the governor’s grand estate were quite lovely. While the two travelers were taking their breakfast in the common room, however, a town crier stopped not far from the open windows. From their vantage, Frisha and Tam were able to see and hear the crier clearly. He was telling of a large number of corpses belonging to members of one of the larger thieves’ guilds being lined up along the river.

The other patrons at the surrounding tables quickly took to gossiping and speculation. Most agreed that it must be a war between guilds. Some of the more optimistic flibbertigibbets wanted to believe it was the governor or even the king’s doing. What all agreed upon, though, was that it seemed someone was sending a message. Some said the message was a warning, and others claimed it a promise.

What the patrons discussed only in fear-filled whispers was the fact that each of the victims wore a fresh tattoo upon his or her forehead, a black raven. In myth and legend, the raven was the symbol of the deliverer of the dead. The winged creatures collected the souls of the deceased and delivered them to the Afterlife. Although the birds were often referred to as scavengers, anyone who had seen them hunt knew they were just as effective as kites and hawks. While most agreed the stories of their collecting souls were mere superstition, almost everyone secretly harbored wariness for the dark birds—just as most men scoffed at the idea of ghosts and trembled in the dark when alone.

After hearing the news, Frisha made no more complaints about staying at the inn for the day. She and Tam could only wonder about how Rezkin had heard the news before the crier had delivered it. They had decided their mysterious companion had probably spoken to one of the city guards before heading out for supplies. Tam and Frisha were both still anxious about having offended their new friend the previous day. They had not seen him since their confrontation regarding his treatment of the riverboat manager.

Frisha, in particular, hoped to apologize soon. She truly did not wish for the object of all of her latest fantasies to change his mind about traveling with them.