KILLIAN sighed and placed yet another gold dinar on the growing pile. He knew he was doing the right thing, but Lord of the Sun, did it have to cost so much?

The stocky man sitting across from him frowned. Killian groaned and added yet another coin; he only had four left.

They were in The Light Shines Above, a tavern in Salvation. It was a little… clean for Killian's taste, but he could see why his companion had chosen it to do this business. In this part of town, the templars would come at a moment's notice at any sign of trouble; in fact, many of the clientele were from the Assembly. Two men exchanging a large amount of gilden would be safe here; and Killian knew it was the last place the templars would expect to find him.

Sitting across from Killian was one of the Buchalanti, an imposing man named Scherlic, a blue-eyed sailor, weathered by the elements, with a broad build and a thick accent. Not for the first time, Killian wondered if he could trust Sailmaster Scherlic, but everyone said that to the Buchalanti, a deal, once made, was unbreakable, and there was no reason for the freedom-loving sailors of Raj Buchalantas to bear any love for the Primate.

Killian added one more coin to the pile, and still Scherlic waited. Killian had thieved on six separate occasions to get this much gilden together, climbing across roofs, prying open windows and stealing from temple coffers.

"Why do you not take it yourself?" Sailmaster Scherlic asked, seeing Killian's reluctance.

"There are some things I need to do here," Killian said. "Someone I need to find."

Scherlic nodded. "This war has separated many from their loved ones."

Killian thought about Evrin, the mysterious old man he had finally found, only to vanish after the destruction at Stonewater. "Yes," Killian said slowly. "Loved ones."

Killian added one more coin to the pile, and finally Scherlic nodded, taking the pile and pulling it towards him, counting the gold coins into a pouch. "You have my word. We will take it."

Killian lifted the object and placed it on the table between them, quickly pushing it in Scherlic's direction. Killian looked one last time at the Halrana Lexicon, praying it would reach safety, out of the Primate's hands. The rune on its cover glowed softly, still bright from when the strange device Killian had found in the refinery had struck it with a burst of energy.

"Please, take it," Killian said, glancing around the tavern.