Silene bursts out laughing. “I never thought I would see the day the Shining Prince of Velmara turns into a blubbering idiot over a female. Though I guess I’ve never actually seen you be interested in anyone, female or male, my entire life. It makes sense you’d be more like the rest of us when you actually care.”

I’m about to retort that I have no idea what she’s talking about when the barmaid returns, placing two ales on our table. I hand her a generous amount of Thayarian coin, then say, pointedly, “We’re meeting some folks here in about an hour. Not sure who they are or what they might look like, but we’re hoping you might know something about that.” I give her another conspiratorial grin.

She looks around, then says in hushed tones, “I might know something, might not. Hard to remember after such a long shift today with barely any tips.”

Silene snorts, and I give her a harsh look. Then I slip the woman a second coin. “Sorry to hear about the slow day. Maybe this will help.”

She takes the second coin, putting it in the pocket of her trousers. “I’m guessing you’re here for the rebels. I don’t get myself caught up in none of that, but they do frequent this place since it’s such a shit hole. What do you want to know?”

“When they meet, how many are usually here?”

“Depends,” she says with a shrug. “Day like today, where they’re recruitin’, it’ll probably be about two or three of them. Plus, they always keep a few outside to act as guards, case anything goes wrong.”

“Thank you. When they arrive, could you give us a signal?” I ask, sliding her another two coins. She nods, then walks away.

“Hate to say it,” Silene says, “but your royal coffers got her to talk, not your prince charming act.”

I give her a mock sneer as I stand. “I’m going to go tell Fionn he can come in now. If the most they’re going to have is a half dozen of them, we can take that and make it out, no problem.”

An hour later, two males enter, and the barmaid immediately looks over at me. I give her a nod but otherwise act oblivious to their arrival. Silene and Fionn stiffen beside me.

“The one on the left,” Fionn says. “He was one of the prisoners we helped escape. Laurel thought none of the prisoners were connected to leadership. I think she was wrong.”