Free The Rogue Retrieval by Dan Koboldt

have another pair.”
    Quinn did, and chuckled. Looks like he’d snagged what was in Logan’s case after all.
    Just then the big man reappeared, with Kiara right behind him. Their faces looked grim.
    â€œWe’re leaving,” Kiara said.
    â€œWhat’s wrong?” Quinn asked.
    â€œSomeone outbid us with Sy’s bruisers.”
    â€œAlready?” That doesn’t seem like a good sign.
    â€œYes. Quickly now.”
    They started for the door. Quinn set his mug down and started to follow. Of course, that’s when the men stood up, and the steel came out. Four of them. Four mercenaries, each holding a long dagger. Logan and Kiara retreated, moving back toward the bar. Two mercs pressed them. A third was on Chaudri. The fourth came for Quinn.
    He thought about the sword, but knew he’d be less than useless in a fight. Especially at close quarters. Better to get out in front of this.
    â€œI’m not with them,” he said.
    The man had a narrow face and close-­cropped beard. A pale white scar ran from one cheekbone nearly to his chin. “You came in with them.”
    â€œWe entered at the same time. That’s all.” Quinn leaned toward the man and lowered his voice. “I’m actually working right now.”
    The man took a step forward. He held his knife low enough that it wasn’t in plain sight, though Quinn could see it. “Doing what?”
    Quinn took half a step back. He felt the wood of the bar against his back. No way around it. This was going to end just like one of Logan’s cautionary tales.
    â€œI’m the entertainment.” He threw his legs over and climbed up on the bar. Every eye in the room turned to look at him.
    Quinn gave his best walk-­on smile. “Who wants to see a magic trick?” he said.

 
    â€œThe best illusions aren’t a matter of technology, but of performance. First, you open the minds of the audience. Then you fill them with exactly what you want them to know.”
    â€”­ A RT OF I LLUSION, M ARCH 5
    CHAPTER 5
    THE POWER TO SAVE THE WORLD
    F rom his vantage point atop the bar in the Wayfarer common room, Quinn got his first good look at the crowd. Most of them hadn’t noticed that three of the mercenaries had Kiara, Logan, and Chaudri pinned against the bar. That, or they chose not to care.
    He tried to forget everything about his current situation—­the mission, the danger, the Alissian world—­and pretend it was just another stage.
    â€œI have in one of my hands the power to destroy the world,” he proclaimed. That turned some heads. “And in the other, the power to save it. Who among you is brave enough to guess which is which?”
    No one stirred among the crowd.
    â€œYou, sir!” Quinn called. He pointed to the white-­aproned innkeeper, who’d appeared behind the bar, looking nervous. He knew.
    â€œChoose a hand to save the world,” Quinn said. He held both hands out, fists clenched, palms down, right in front of the man.
    Old Sy looked dubious, but at last he pointed at Quinn’s left hand. Quinn turned and held both fists up to the crowd. “He says left. What do you say?”
    Mutters in the crowd. Some were nodding, others were shaking their heads. That was part of why this trick worked so well. Everyone favored a hand.
    â€œI say right!” someone called from the back of the room.
    â€œRight!” another man echoed.
    â€œTwo say right,” Quinn said. He raised the right fist slightly higher.
    â€œNo, left!”
    â€œRight!”
    The crowd was getting into it, shouting out their preference. A scuffle broke out on one side of the room where two groups of bearded men seemed to disagree.
    â€œIt sounds about even,” Quinn said. He lowered both fists down, right to the face of the man who was waiting for him. “I’ll let you decide, my good man. Choose a hand to save the world.”
    The mercenary’s