After days trekking through forests, hills, and mires, even the dirty city of Dregsbale looked like a godsend to an exhausted Merse and Drin. Although Drin's stamina was gradually improving, it was obvious he should still be under the care of a healer. Merse, on the other hand, was so shaken by the encounter on the ferry that she often doubled back and hid signs of passage to ensure they would not be easily tracked. Her mind was working overtime as well, pondering the "curse" of the spider and its relationship to the Conglomerate. By the time they reached Dregsbale, the two were long past due for some rest and relaxation.
Avoiding the main road, Merse led Drin into the forest surrounding the city walls. Familiar with the city, Merse knew that the usual mode of entry into Dregsbale was through one of the illicit entryways hidden around the city. In fact, the few who entered through the main gates easily garnered more attention than the dozens who regularly snuck in and out of the city via tunnels and passageways, as they were regarded as the truly unknown quantity. After walking a good ways around the city, Merse grabbed Drin by the arm.
"Look, don't try any of your fancy fingerwork in there. They don't take kindly to that sort of thing," Merse glared until she got a slight nod from Drin. Not quite believing him, Merse scowled a second or two more, then let him go. Turning and walking a few paces away, Merse slipped through a narrow gap between two boulders with Drin following. After reaching where the gap narrowed to the point where they could not proceed, Merse felt around and stuck two fingers into small recesses in the stone and pulled down. A square section of the boulder - inside the gap but completely hidden to the outside world - shifted, revealing a narrow passageway. After Merse and Drin entered, the slab slid back into position, giving no indication of any opening.
After what seemed like an eternity in the claustrophobic, dark tunnel, Merse and Drin exited into a small hidden room, empty except for the trap door leading into a back alley. Finally out in open air again, Drin inhaled happily, too excited at his new surroundings to notice the grim look on Merse's hooded face. As he had never been out of his small town before, he eagerly followed Merse through the backstreets of Dregsbale, since she seemed to have a particular destination in mind. Finally pausing before a small unobtrusive shop door, over which hung a sign stating "Apothecary: Odds and Ends," Merse sighed, then entered. The store was a bit dark and small, but clean and seemed well-organized. Merse looked around with an air of familiarity.
"Just a minute!" A voice called from the back, and Merse turned to face the doorway behind the counter. "What can I do for...Well, there's a sight I never expected to see again," the dark elf grinned, her white teeth shining against her dark violet skin. "Unless your ghost decided to come back to haunt me?"
"Long time no see, Pia" Merse half-smiled.
"You tired of living or something?" Pia raised an eyebrow. "Not that it isn't a gas to see you again, but really?"
"My friend got into a bit of a scrape, needs a healer and a bolt-hole for a while," Merse dodged the question. "And...I need some information." Pia gave her an intense stare, then sighed.
"I guessed it was something like that, or you wouldn't have come back," Pia muttered. Suddenly, Pia flicked her wrist, and a low "thunk" was heard. Drin froze as one thin stiletto embedded itself in the chair in which he was sitting right between his inner thighs, and a second one into the table where his hand was surreptitiously trying to slide a small glass jar into his vest. Merse glanced at him, then rolled her eyes in exasperation.
"Consider that a warning, since you're Merse's friend," Pia growled as she padded over, pulling each of the blades out of the wood. "Normally I take a pound of flesh for that kind of thing, and around here I'm considered a softie." Drin, wide-eyed, nodded fervently and shoved his empty hands into his pockets.
"Look, Pia, I need some info, but it has to come from someone who can keep his mouth shut," Merse started, ignoring Drin.
"Well, you came to the right place for that. What do you need looking into?" Pia asked.
"I need someone familiar with magicians. That is...I need someone who has insider info on the Conglomerate," Merse said hesitantly, as Pia's dark eyes opened wide.