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Walking through Denerim, Judith fidgeted in her new armor. It was made in the Dalish style, just a brief top and short skirt that left her entire midriff bare. She couldn't wait to see the look on Daniel's face when he saw it, and equally couldn't wait until he could take it off of her. She felt a flush of heat through her body at the thought.
But when they reached the Market District, for the first time there was no Kylon there. She saw a couple of guardsmen, half-uniformed, chatting up a pair of women near one of the stalls, and watched as a pickpocket slyly relieved one of the men of his wallet.
Judith glanced at Alistair. "He must be off-duty," she said. "Let's mingle in the Market, see what there is to hear."
They split up, then, the mabari sticking close to Judith while Alistair and Leliana went off in different directions. Judith watched them go, noting how they didn't even look at each other before splitting up, wishing there was something she could do. The news that Alistair, bastard son of King Maric, was to be put forward as a candidate for the throne had thrust a wedge between her friends—as an Orlesian, by training and perception if not by birth, it would be difficult, if not impossible, to get Ferelden to accept Leliana as queen. Not to mention her history as a spy and mercenary, which would be sure to be brought out. Alistair wasn't handling it well—nothing in his life had taught him how to let a woman down gently—and Leliana, who with her experience might have been expected to understand, was completely miserable. Judith hoped the two of them could work something out. She hated seeing her friends in pain.
She sighed, turning back to a stall where a live bear was being held in a cage. An Antivan-accented voice purred in her ear. "Ah, my lady enjoys the sight of the large animal?"
Judith was used to the constant sexual innuendos put forth by Zev, her own Antivan companion. "Not particularly," she said.
"Perhaps," the voice lilted, "the lady would like to hear about a different type of caged animal? One with … two legs?"
She turned to look at him. She'd seen him in the marketplace before—he was a tall man, mostly bald. "Perhaps," she said cautiously, wondering what he was getting at.
"The lady is not unknown to Ignacio," he said smoothly, taking her arm and leading her to another section of the stall, pretending to point out a beautifully tooled pair of boots. "I know, for example, that the lady is a Grey Warden, traveling with an elf she cannot entirely trust."
"I see," she said. So the man was a Crow, was he? Had the Crows recaptured Zev? she thought in alarm. "This elf is not fond of cages."
Ignacio chuckled. "No, he is not," he agreed. "But it is not he of whom I speak. Instead, it is of the man who watches."
'The man who watches'? Oh, Maker, does he mean Daniel? she thought in sudden panic. "Did this man do something?"
"It is hard to tell. One evening he paid a call to a certain jewel and the next he was gone."
'Jewel'? The Pearl! "You spoke of a cage. Was he taken?"
"He has not been seen again since that morning. One assumes."
"That was a week ago!"
Ignacio nodded solemnly.
"Why are you telling me this?"
"It is not good for business, to have him gone. Crime rises, ignored and abetted."
"Where is he?"
Shrugging, Ignacio said, "That, I do not know. But I know the crest on the carriage he got into, as well as I know … this city."
The Arl of Denerim? Was that why Howe had looked at her with such triumph, because he had Daniel? Fear welled up in her, but she tried to control it. Looking at Ignacio, she asked, "If someone were to … go looking for this cage, would there be assistance? A bird flying high above the city might be able to find out many things."
"Assistance?" Ignacio looked amused. "That is not our standard method of operation. If the Grey Warden can gather further information, the assistance could be … considered."
It was as much as she was going to get. She thanked him for the information and moved away, trying to disguise how she was trembling. Daniel imprisoned? And because of her, she thought. It must be. She should never have left him behind—she should have insisted he come with her.
Judith felt electricity crackling at her fingertips and wished for a bandit to hit with it. Drawing a deep, shuddering breath, she went to find Alistair and Leliana. They were going after Arl Howe.