Free Spellbreaker by Blake Charlton

now.’”
    â€œIf we were to consider your offer, what could you tell us of these Southerners muscling in on the Matrunda run?”
    â€œI can tell you that this expedition had a peculiar buyer in mind for the opium.”
    â€œOh?”
    Nicodemus thought fast to concoct a lie that might reveal more about the River Thief’s requisites. He chose one his wife was fond of telling to deities of theft. “Perhaps you’ve heard of Lorn’s stringent laws limiting spellwrighting. Recently, their metallic overgod has forbidden clerical physicians from casting any text upon the mind of any Lornish man, woman, or child. In Skydoc there is an infirmary for children. Some of their patients are in continuous pain. Lorn won’t allow the physicians to stock the necessary medicines and now they can’t cast spells to relieve their pain. So, the physicians hired a group of … thugs, as you say … to smuggle enough opium into Skydoc to relieve the children’s suffering.”
    As Nicodemus spoke, the green light behind him dimmed. Noting this, Nicodemus laughed out loud. He knew exactly what kind of neodemon the River Thief was.
    â€œThat was exceptionally clever,” the woman said coldly. “So much so, I might have to test this knife on your spine after all.”
    â€œI have an unusually compact spine. Stabbing me might waste a good knife.”
    â€œFortunately I have several to hand.”
    Nicodemus’s heart began to race. “I have skills you can use. No one knows divinity like I do. Consider how quickly I gleaned your River Thief’s requisites. Clearly he is a water god, and a subtle one, or he never would have been able to sneak our boats out one by one. Clearly he is a god of thieves, or your aura would not have brightened at the prospect of larceny. But the River Thief’s mandate cannot be theft alone or learning that you had just stolen medicine for children would not have weakened your aura. The River Thief’s requisites are for equitable theft—steal from the powerful and give to the poor, that sort of thing. That type of neodemon, it’s a rare kind of god. I could help him flourish.”
    Again Nicodemus’s interviewer produced laughter that rang with a peculiar note of amusement. “I can’t decide if you are the most dangerous captive we’ve ever abducted or if you’re just shockingly full of bullshit.”
    â€œThose are not mutually exclusive possibilities.”
    â€œOr maybe you’re simply God-of-god’s damned insane.”
    â€œI admit that story about the children was, technically, bullshit. But it is proof of my skills. I could render my knowledge to the River Thief. I could help him steal on a greater order of magnitude. I could help him steal from other deities.” The green light flickered.
    â€œAnd how could the River Thief achieve such amazing feats of equitable theft?”
    â€œGovernment.”
    The unseen woman and the three sailors all burst into hearty laughter.
    So began the last phase of the infiltration game. Things would be more dangerous now that Nicodemus had to tell the truth. “It sounds like a joke, but trust me I am not here to amuse. No force has greater potential for deprivation of property than a government, and if the River Thief’s requisite is for equitable theft, then he could help ensure that they get it right, for once.”
    The sailors had stopped laughing but were now looking at Nicodemus with expectant grins, as if anticipating a punch line to a joke.
    Nicodemus frowned at them. “Say the River Thief has requisites more specific than simple theft. If he must perpetrate extortion or embezzlement, he could become a god of the treasury and steal all the money nobles hide from tax collectors. Or perhaps the River Thief has a requisite for burglary or fraud, then it’s espionage for him. Your god could be stealing from Empress Vivian rather