Chapter Thirty-Nine
The Belly of the Beast
It took all of Lodariel’s courage not to bolt before Lord Waterbrook’s door warden shut the door behind her. Instead, she squared her shoulders and plastered a vague smile on her face. She made a show of admiring the opulent entrance while looking to see what kind of security the noble house had. If things went wrong and she needed to make a run for it, she needed to know what she would be up against.
The front door was made of stout oak and could be locked from either side. A pair of guards lounged near the entrance, dicing while they kept an eye on the door. Lodariel felt naked without her weapons. But the guards would likely underestimate her, which would make it easier to snatch a dagger from one of their belts.
The gem merchant’s guard re
