Curran nodded. “Agreed. Roland maintains the outward appearance of being a man of his word. He means to rule. A ruler’s word is binding.”

“If he was displeased with something ‘my people’ had done, he would take it up with me.”

“That was my assessment as well,” Barabas said. “It’s very clear from the photographic evidence that Saiman was taken against his will. It’s unlikely he’s having a pleasant visit. Given a chance, he would probably do almost anything to get out.”

“Including hiring the Guild to rescue him,” Curran said.

Barabas bared his teeth in a quick flash. “Indeed.”

“For that to happen, we’d have to communicate with Saiman,” I said.

“And that’s where it all grinds to a screeching halt,” Barabas said.

“But at least that’s a specific problem we can work on,” Curran said. “We need to go through the mercs and see if anyone has any talents that might let us communicate with Saiman inside Roland’s compound.”

“That’s problem one. Problem two, Roland knows we’ll be coming,” Barabas said. “We have no element of surprise.”

“I may be able to help with that,” I said.

“How?” Curran asked.

To tell him or not to tell him? “Okay, remember the stupid reckless thing I can’t tell you about?”

His eyes shone. Oh, yes, he remembered.

“It involves going back to Mishmar.”

Barabas dropped his teacup and caught it an inch above the table. Shapeshifter reflexes for the win.

“Why?” Curran asked.

“I can’t tell you.”

A roar rumbled in Curran’s throat. Barabas sat back a bit.

I shuddered. “So scary. Still can’t tell you.”

He opened his mouth.

“Lorelei,” I said.

Curran swore.

Barabas grinned.

“Don’t,” Curran warned him.

“My father told me that he has a warning system set up in Mishmar. The moment I walk in there, he’ll drop everything and rush over there by some mysterious magical means. He didn’t tell me how, but I think whatever method he’ll be using will be damn fast.”

“Why?” Barabas asked.

“Because he doesn’t want me talking to my grandmother.”

Barabas looked at Curran.

Curran shrugged. “It’s a family thing. Sometimes your father puts your semidead grandmother into a really bad place and is ashamed of it.”

“Yeah,” Barabas said. “We’ve all been there.”

“You two are a riot,” I told them. “I don’t think Dad will be teleporting, because teleporting carries risk. If a magic wave ends while he’s in transit, he’s dead, so his travel will take at least some time. If we time it right, I’ll open Mishmar, he’ll take off, and you’ll get a shot at Saiman. You’ll still have to go through my father’s people.”