Breaking Step (Dungeon Runner 3)

The essence woven through the thick wooden door didn't react to the knock from the clerk who had led Tibs to Tirania's office. He'd intended to show up, knock and get her to explain everything, but Tibs had gotten turned around somewhere and found himself back in the main hall. The clerk had asked him where Tibs was trying to go, and not wanting to waste time, he'd told her and she'd led him to the door.

Tibs was confident it was the way he'd taken, so, like before, this had to be caused by the enchantments on the building. When he wasn't busy, he'd have to work out how the clerks avoided getting lost.

"Enter," Tirania said, her voice clear, as if the door wasn't there. Tibs didn't think the weave in the door was what had allowed her voice to pass unimpeded. The clerk opened the door and motioned for Tibs to enter.

Tirania raised an eyebrow, her expression going from frustrated to curious as she set the quill in the inkpot. It looked out of place in the immaculate office; it was stained and scratched, and the quill's listed a finger's width from the top where it was broken.

"What can I do to help you?" she asked, giving the clerk a nod, who closed the door behind him.

"I want to start by apologizing for my behavior when you told me Don would be on my team." He'd prepared this part on the walk to the guild and had needed to fill the cracks often as the memory of that conversation angered him. But the ice was thick now, and the anger an amber he barely felt. "I'm a Runner, not a child. I shouldn't have thrown a tantrum."

She studied him. "And how is he working out?"

He shrugged. This one was easier to say. "It isn't the disaster I was afraid it would be."

"I'm glad to hear that." She smiled and motioned to a chair. "Now, what is the other reason for your visit?"

He sat. "The Urchins. Irdian mentioned caretakers. What is that about?"

She took the time to set the page she'd been writing on in a drawer before answering. Tibs didn't have time to make out much, but he thought there had been and M, A and R at the start of the first word. Was she writing to the guild leader?

"You need to understand," she said, closing the drawer; already she was lying. "We can't treat those orphans the way you were treated. You were a criminal. Your kingdom was more than happy to foster you onto us in return for better consideration when they need our services."

So many lies in just those two phrases. The only thing that didn't glow was the part about the kingdoms getting better considerations.

"With the orphans, the king didn't want to just hand them over to us." Another lie. "He demanded concessions from the guilds that in other circumstances, we wouldn't grant." More lies, but the light varied so much as she spoke he couldn't tell where the lies were and how much of one they were. "But we need Runners." A truth. "That the Heroes of Kragle Rock are here will draw new Runners, but they will be the more experienced ones." A truth. "Those who want to test themselves against the floors that shaped you." Another truth. "But we need Omegas. While stronger Runners will feed the dungeon more, they will also be more likely to survive. Because of the tribulations Kragle Rock has suffered, we still have to rely on convincing kings to send us those who have nothing to gain remaining in their care, and where even feeding the dungeon is worth their chance at becoming adventurers." Surprisingly, to Tibs, that was another truth.

"So, there are no caretakers."

"Oh no, they are coming." A truth. " And we're making sure housing is being built for them." Not wholly a truth. The way the light dimmed and brightened made Tibs think that the houses being build was true, but that the guilds was making it happen the lie. "It simply takes time. I felt it was best not to have them here until those were finished." Entirely a lie. Tibs didn't look at the drawer, but was that was the letter was about? She was complaining about her leader making decisions for her? Had those come via Irdian? He was here at Marger's direct orders. Tibs wished he could get information about her leader, but this was about getting her to trust him more than any information she might let slip.