“Mmm mmmph!” Jarl protested against Kylar’s hand.

“Quiet, it’s me,” Kylar whispered in his ear. Wary of Jarl shouting, he released his friend slowly.

Jarl rubbed his throat. “Damn, Kylar. Take it easy. How did you get in here?”

“I need your help.”

“I’ll say. I was just going to come looking for you.”

“What?”

“Look in the top drawer. You can read it as fast as I could tell you,” Jarl said.

Kylar opened the drawer and read the note. Roth was Roth Ursuul, a Khalidoran prince. He’d just been elected Shinga. Kylar was a suspect in the prince’s murder. The king’s men were looking for him. Kylar tossed the note aside.

“I need your help, just one more time, Jarl.”

“Are you telling me you knew all that?”

“It doesn’t change anything. I need your help.”

“Is this going to get me killed?”

“I need to know where Momma K is hiding.”

Jarl’s eyes narrowed. “Do I need to ask why?”

“I’m going to kill her.”

“After all she’s done for you? You—”

“She betrayed me, Jarl, and you know it. She manipulated me into trying to kill Durzo Blint. She’s so good, I thought it was my own idea.”

“Maybe you should get her story before you kill her. Maybe murder shouldn’t be your first resort against the people who’ve helped you,” Jarl said.

“She convinced me that to save a friend, I had to kill Hu Gibbet, except that it wasn’t Hu. It was Durzo. She betrayed us. She made me ruin a friend and take away everything he loves.”

“I’m sorry, but I can’t help you.”

“I’m not asking,” Kylar said.

“Are you going to beat it out of me?” Jarl asked.

“I’ll do what I have to.”

“She’s hiding out,” Jarl said, unafraid. “She had a terrible fight with Blint not long ago. I don’t know what it was about. But she’s helped me, and I won’t betray her.”

“You know she’d give you up in a second, Jarl.”

“I know,” Jarl said. “I might sell my body, Kylar, but I do what I can to keep the rest of me. I’ve only got a few shreds of dignity left. If you take those, you won’t just be killing Momma K.”

“It’s one thing to say you’ll keep a secret to the death. It’s quite another to go through with it,” Kylar said. “I’ve never tortured anyone, Jarl, but I know how.”

“If you were going to torture me, you’d already have started, my friend.”

They stared at each other until Kylar looked away, defeated.

“If you need help with anything else, I’ll do it, Kylar. I hope you know that.”

“I do.” Kylar sighed. “Just be ready, Jarl. Things are going to happen faster than anyone expects.”