4

“Thank you,” you say. “But I think I’ll stay behind this time. I don’t really know how to track down a missing person.”

A silence falls over the room as every person in it turns to stare at you. Some are clearly trying to be subtle about it; others aren’t bothering to hide their open astonishment.

After a very long moment, the elven woman—who has followed you up the stairs and into the bright room at the top—says, “He… was just being polite.”

You can feel the flush spreading across your face and down your neck as you realize the Viper wasn’t really offering you a choice. He was giving you an assignment. Your first-ever assignment directly from the leader of the Shadow Dragons himself.

And you’ve just declined.

“Uh, I mean…” you correct quickly, trying to retain some semblance of professionalism.

• Turn to page 3.