After Agnes and her bodyguard had taken their leave in the Undercity's trade district, Modgud had strolled down past the bank and to the mage quarter where she would meet Yaelra's Grollas. She had no idea what he looked like, or if he could actually be trusted. For all she knew, he might be a spy. Yaelra was quite taken with him (not to say besotted), though, and Modgud wasn't going to deny her the favour to speak to him.

'You have information that belongs to me.' Modgud jumped at the gravelly voice that came from the corner to her right. He was at least one head taller than her, clad in a red robe. It couldn't be anyone else, but she wasn't going to do him the favour to be cowed.

'And you are …' She folded her arms and looked at him with a bored expression.

'Grollas Veilgrave, as you well know. With me. Now.' Modgud stared at him.

'Well, if you ask me so nicely.' Grollas headed towards the bridge to the outer ring of the mage quarter.

'I have no reason to ask.' Modgud rolled her eyes. What on earth was that bloke trying to compensate for?

'Me, however, I'm being terrifically nice, I think.' Grollas's arrogance annoyed and disappointed her, even if she understood he had to be as sceptical as her. He stopped a few paces further into the city, and while she still wondered how here was better than where they'd been before he started talking.

'You know Yaelra?' Modgud offered a curt nod.

'Being in the same guild, obviously.' Grollas growled.

'Now don't get smart on me. How long have you known her?' Modgud blew out her cheeks.

'Hell, do you think I keep a charter when I met whom? Two years, probably more.'

'And you get along?' Modgud huffed.

'I like her fine, and it should seem she likes me too, seeing how she trusted me with the information we're talking about.' Grollas nodded. She felt something reaching for her mind and jumped. With more violence than was necessary for the very careful attempt, she shut out the fingers feeling for her thoughts. 'What do you think you're doing, jerk?' she asked fiercely. His expression grew darker.

'With me. Now.' This time he ran, and Modgud hurried to keep up. It dawned on her that it wasn't he who had tried to read her mind.

'How long have you been with the Death Dealers?' he continued his questioning.

'Six years.'

'Good. How many Forsaken do you have, and how many could be spies?' A tough question.

'I haven't counted, quite many. There is one I would bet my right hand wants nothing to do with the Cultists' crap, but the others … I cannot look into their minds.' Again, she felt the mental feelers. 'Grollas, it's happening again. Someone's trying to read me.' She was trying hard not to sound hysterical. 'Maybe we should move. Further.'

'Silvermoon.' Modgud wanted to beat him into next weak for saying where the portal he opened led. She entered it with apprehension, half hoping he had tried to distract them by naming one city and going to another. He hadn't, though.

'Brilliant. Really brilliant. Let's hope they're not a mage themselves. That'll give us two full minutes before they reach the Orb of Translocation. If we're lucky.' Grollas ignored her, leading the way outside. So far it eluded Modgud how Yaelra could think of that person so highly. He was neither friendly nor particularly bright, it seemed. Once outside, he spun around, grabbed her arm and dragged her sideways into an alley.

'Do you have copies of my letters?'

'No.' He sighed deeply.

'Good. If you have them and are lying, destroy them. Do the same with the copies Yaelra gave you if you haven't already done so. When was your last encounter with a Cultist?' It was the final straw. Modgud tore herself away from his grasp.

'How should I know that, genius? It's not like they're wearing plates pointing them out!'

'You're obviously still young.' Modgud hissed.

'Well, at least I know how to avoid being seen! Next time, open that portal to Thunder Bluff, jump down, and ride off into the wild, for crying out loud. Much more difficult to follow.' To her surprise, he grinned.

'Well, you're not completely brainless. I will contact you again.' He stepped out of the alley and looked back at her. 'I didn't act the way I did because I am dumb, Modgud. Trust Yaelra, if you don't trust me.'


((I've spent the last ... one and a half days trying to come up with a witty chapter heading that won't give away Grollas's intention but still serves to describe him. I couldn't find one. So I chose another Doctor Who reference. *shrug*))