The new guildmaster looked back at the stranger known as the Raven and decided that warrior was indeed an apt description, but only in part. The stunning, yet imposing, young man was so much more than that. He wanted to pursue the line of thought further. He wanted to find out if the Raven would be receptive to him, but this was not the time. Adsden had never revealed those particular proclivities to his guild mates, and doing so now would only cause undo upset.

Rezkin pulled a folded parchment from his tunic and held it in offering to the new guildmaster. Adsden strolled forward curiously and collected the proffered article while maintaining steady eye contact with the Raven. He made no effort to conceal his interest as he did so. Either the man would feel the same and return his sentiments or he would not. Adsden walked a razor’s edge every time he revealed himself to a subject of interest, and this was perhaps the sharpest, but he knew from experience that even dull blades could cut deep.

Adseden wondered if there might be some information or personal connections he could exploit to gain the young man’s compliance. The young warrior looked to be maybe three or four years younger than Adsden’s twenty-eight, although he did not appear to be the least bit impressionable. The thief was not above using coercion to gain what he wanted, though, and maybe by doing so he could claim the upper hand from the younger man.

The Raven’s cold, stoic gaze was unchanged, and Adsden saw neither acceptance nor rejection in the younger man’s eyes. Pulling his eyes from the man’s icy gaze, he unfolded the paper and read through several lists written in impeccable script. One was a list of targets, a second for material goods to be obtained, and a third for specific information he desired. The fourth was the shortest and contained a few names of individuals and houses that were not to be touched. Perhaps these were the personal connection, Adsden thought.

The guildmaster was curious about those under the Raven’s protection, but he was even more considerate of the targets. He would never have even considered attempting several of them. The old adage, Don’t bite off more than you can chew, applied to thieves as well as anyone. Some of these were very high houses, indeed, and would surely have wards. In fact …

“You want us to rob a Temple of the Maker?” he asked in shock before he could stop himself. For a man who spoke of respectability and honor, this made no sense. Adsden was once again confronted with the terrifying possibility that this homicidal man was insane.

“You do not strike me as a particularly religious man,” the Raven observed.

“And, you would be right, but there are limits to what any man will do,” Adsden argued.