After a week's furlough in Riften, I decided it was time to head to Solitude. One, because the job needed to be done, and two, because Mercer was getting angrier every day I put it off. I did not want to be on his bad side. Not when all of this bad luck was happening.

I had been to Solitude once, when my father tried to convince me to apply at the Bard's College. He said I had a beautiful voice, and that my thin and light fingers would be perfect for playing a lute. He took me to the college to show me what it would be like, but all I saw there were bored musicians. No excitement. No adventure. Nothing for me there.

Now, over fifteen years later, I found myself standing in the festive square, watching as children chased each other around and around, as adults chatted and went about their daily business.

It was a beautiful city, I had to admit. Wonderful weather year-round. Tall and well-built homes and shops. Full of high-class citizens.

Just imagine how much gold you could make out here. How much fun you'd have heisting the stores.

I shook my head and walked towards the inn. Now was not the time to be thinking of thieving. I had a job to do, and stealing from the citizens here was not it.

But maybe later.

I stepped into the well-lit and warm inn. The smell of spiced wine and sweetrolls hit me right away. In the main dining room, a bard sang and plucked on a lute. Patrons of all ages and sizes chatted it up over bottles of ale or glasses of wine. The atmosphere had a different feeling to it than that of The Barb or Bannered Mare. This place felt like it was exclusive to uppity men and women. Not the common folk, and not the jovial revelers.

A voice coming from a secluded alcove brought me out of my thoughts. "What do we have here? Hmm. Let me guess. By your scent, I'd say you're from the Guild." I turned, seeing a green-scaled Argonian sitting at a small table in the alcove. He wore common clothes, and he held a glass of wine in his scaly hand. His wide yellow eyes perused me, rounded pupils scanning up and down my body. His gaze was unsettling, lingering. Cold. "But that can't be true because I told Mercer I wouldn't deal with them anymore."

I suppressed a shudder and faced him full-on. This had to be him. "I'm here about Goldenglow Estate."

His brow furrowed. "I don't deal in land or property." Then a smile took over his toothy mouth. "Now, if you're looking for goods, you've come to the right person."

I planted my fists on my hips. "You can drop the act now... Gajul-Lei."

Instantly, his smile dropped. "Oh, wait...." He chuckled nervously. "Did you say Goldenglow Estate? My apologies." It did not take him long to regain his composure. "I'm sorry to say I know very little about that little... bee farm, was it?"

"You acted as a broker for its new owner."

He shrugged. "Maybe I did, maybe I didn't. I can't be expected to remember every deal I handle."

"Identify the buyer and we'll forget what we know."

"I don't care what you promise! If I tell you the buyer's name and word gets around, it could ruin me."

"And you think not telling me couldn't ruin you?" I crossed my arms and shook my head. Bryn said I would have to buy him off. Said that this lizard was too stubborn for anything else. I supposed I was going to have to cave and get him whatever he wanted. "What would it take to identify the buyer?"

"Well, now that you mention it. There is something I've been trying to get my hands on. I have a buyer who's been looking for a case of Firebrand Wine. It just so happens that there's a single case in the Blue Palace. Get if for me, then we'll talk."

"All right. I'll be back shortly."

I left the inn and trotted towards the Blue Palace. I wondered how I was supposed to lift an entire case of wine, in broad daylight, in a palace full of servants, guards, and nobles, without being seen. Worse still, I had never been inside the Blue Palace, so I had no way of knowing which hall led where, or if the case of wine would be hidden or in plain sight. And how was I supposed to get into the palace without being asked what I was doing there? No one would think I had official business with the Jarl while I was wearing my Guild armor. This was not going to be easy.

By the time I made it to the Blue Palace, I still did not have a plan. I just had to hope for the best and try not to get myself killed.

I pushed the door open, finding that no guard was posted by the door on the inside or out. Strange. But as I progressed further, I realized that I did not hear anyone bustling around. No one at all.

Wait, with it still being early, maybe the nobles are still in bed, and the servants and guards are eating!

With that happy realization, I turned down the hall to my right, then followed it until I came to a small table that had a case of wine sitting on it. I glanced at the label, smiled as I read the words "Firebrand Wine," and grabbed the case. I tucked it under my arm, sneaked back out the door, then ran as fast as I could back to the inn.

As I ran, a grin creeped into my face, then it became a full-blown smile. My heart was pounding, adrenaline coursed through my veins, and my mind was alight with the thrill of stealing. I just waltzed right into a palace, lifted a case of expensive wine, and waltzed back out. Without being seen!

Oh, I can't wait until I can tell Bryn about this.

Just thinking that name made the smile fall from my face, and heat blossomed across my cheeks.

Thankfully, by the time I made it back to the inn, the blush had faded, and I had regained my composure. I needed to be professional as long as I was meeting with Gulum-Ei.

When I came back, the lizard gave me a scaly grin. "Ah, I see you have the wine. Hand it over and we'll talk."

I set the case down at his feet. He tucked it under the table, away from view of others, and I leaned against the wall in front of him.

"Can't have the buyer getting impatient and looking elsewhere for this, can we? Here, take this. I certainly can't use it, but I suppose I need to pay you something for the goods." In his hand he held three small soul gems.

I raised an eyebrow. "You're trying to bribe me now?"

"Not at all. I consider it an investment in prolonging my life." He set the gems down in my hand, closing my fingers around them. "As far Goldenglow Estate goes, I'll tell you what I know. I was approached by a woman who wanted me to act as a broker for something big. She flashed a bag of gold in my face and told me all I had to do was pay Aringoth for the estate. I brought him the coin, and walked away with her copy of the deed."

"Did she say why she was doing this?"

"Not at all. I tend not to ask too many questions when I'm on the job. I'm sure you understand. However, I did notice she was quite angry, and it was being directed at Mercer Frey."

"That's it? No name or anything?"

"In this business, we rarely deal in names. Our identity comes from how much coin we carry."

"I think you're lying to me."

He sighed. It was clear that he was losing his patience with me. "Look, that's all I know. I never promised you I had all the answers. Now, since our transaction is done, I'll be on my way." He picked up the case of wine, pushed past me, and left the inn without another word.

I pursed my lips, still leaning against the wall. I would give him some time, then I would start to shadow him. I knew where he was headed; I found out there the East Empire Trading Company was located before coming into the city. It would not be hard to find him. I just had to make sure I was able to get into the warehouse without being seen by him or any of the guards inside.

After a minute or two passed, I left the inn and headed for the gates. Two guards opened them for me, and I slipped through as quickly as I could without arousing suspicion. Up ahead, I spotted Gulum-Ei walking past the stables, making the turn towards the EETC. I walked after him, keeping my pace casual yet clipped. Just enough speed to keep him in my sights, but not too much speed to make people curious.

I made it all the way to the docks without him seeing me. It was harder after that, since we were walking on old boards that creaked with every step. I made sure to keep my head down and out of his sight if he turned around.

When he stepped into the warehouse under the rocky overhang that held Solitude, he did not lock the warehouse door back up. Making it easy for me to sneak in after him.

The warehouse was dark and damp. A few ships were docked inside, and shelves upon shelves were laden with exotic and local goods. I noticed that Gulum-Ei was nowhere in sight, but he had set the case of wine down by the door. I wondered what he he was planning to do with it until he sold it to his client.

I followed the path through the shelves, finding my target not long after. He was just ambling his way through the warehouse, oblivious to his unwanted shadow. I grinned, remembering my childhood. My mother always did tell me I could sneak up on anything. She was the only one who ever seemed proud of me, and the only one who saw me as a person and not as a mutt. She was proud of my Bosmer blood. Said it made me who I was. Her words helped me through my childhood. But after she died, after my father left me, it was twice as hard to remember her encouragement.

Now's not the time, Femke.

I had lost sight of the lizard again, so I went up a ramp to get a better overhead view. I headed into a small cabin of sorts and looked around. This was not where he had gone, but I did find something to take back to Delvin. He had told Bryn who had told me that he would always buy any unusual trinkets I found on my jobs. So I took the EETC map off the table, rolled it up, and stuffed it into my satchel before glancing out the window that overlooked the entries warehouse. I found Gulum-Ei again, then left the cabin in a hurry. I did not want to lose my target for the third time.

I followed him over the deck of one of the ships, behind some shelves, past some of the patrolling wardens. I followed him down a half-submerged ramp and back up the other side. Towards a hidden door.

I had to wait a few minutes before I decided it would be safe to follow him through the door. I did not want him to catch me.

Once through, I followed a narrow path that wound with a small stream of stagnant water. It was a very straightforward path, since there was no other path he could have taken. I had to eliminate a few bandits along the way, but they were easy targets to take out with my bow.

Once I made it to the end, I shot down the three bandits around Gulum-Ei, scaring him, then approached from the shadows. As I sauntered up to him, I strapped my bow to my back, then unsheathed my dagger. I twirled it in my hand as I stopped in front of the wide-eyed and terrified lizard.

"Now there's no need to do anything rash. This isn't as bad as it seems. Honestly! Please, don't tell Mercer. He'll have me killed!"

I stopped twirling my dagger and instead let my hands rest on my hips. I kept the dagger pointed at Gulum-Ei and kept my face stern. "Tell me first, and then I'll decide."

"All right, all right, it's Karliah. Her name is Karliah." He acted like that was some sort of major revelation, but I had no idea why.

"You say that name like I should know it."

His brow shot up. "Mercer never told you about her? Karliah is the thief responsible for murdering the previous Guild Master, Gallus, and now she's after Mercer."

"And you're helping her?"

"Help?" He shook his head. "No, no! Look, I didn't even know it was her until after she contacted me. Please, you have to believe me!"

"I'm still deciding on whether I should trust you or not. Where is Karliah now?"

"I don't know. When I asked her where she was going, she just muttered, 'Where the end began.' Here, take the Goldenglow Estate deed as proof. And when you speak to Mercer, tell him I'm worth more to him alive." He handed me a folded piece of paper.

"You're lucky I follow the Guild's rules." I pocketed the piece of paper. "Because if I didn't, I would be using your skin to make a new pair of boots. I'll tell Mercer that you cooperated, but he's still going to be angry with you."

"Believe me, his anger does not scare me as much as Karliah's does."

"For now, you're under Guild protection, so she won't hurt you."

"You think that'll stop her? Look at what she did to Gallus!"

"Then maybe you should stay here. Hiding like the yellow-bellied, walking handbag you are."

Before he could counter that, I turned on my heel and stalked away. I did not want to be the one to deliver this news to Mercer. If Karliah really was as bad as Gulum-Ei said, then this new development would just make Mercer's temper boil over. I did not want to be around when that happened, either. I could only hope that his mood would be slightly improved when I got back. Maybe then he would not blow up in my face when I gave him the news.

Quit kidding yourself, Femke. You know that's not going to happen.