Page 114 of Siren’s Secret

“Oh, you are excellent. Your downfall was letting your guard down with me when you wanted to entertain me.”

For a second, Tanner’s face turned blank and he groaned. “The dinner.”

“The dinner,” Wave agreed. “And I’ve had my own training.”

“Marc never suspected anything,” Tanner grumbled.

“I’m sure he didn’t. Uncle Essi called his information network abysmal.”

Tanner gave an involuntary snort. “Uncle Essi?”

“Esserieh Brokenstar,” Wave stage-whispered.

Tanner blanched. “Br-Brokenstar,” he stammered. “As in, Lord of Hell’s high command and spymaster?”

“Ah, so you do know something of Hell’s intricacies. Good.”

“But I—”

“So, back to my original questions. Do you have contacts in Hell, Tanner?”

“I can’t tell you that!” He objected.

Wave took a moment to look over the well-manicured bushes and at the mansion glittering light in the darkening evening. She mulled over her options, but it still felt like the right course of action.

“Fine.” She held up her hand to stall Tanner. “First, I want to make absolutely clear that you won’t take any risks. Zero. Is that understood?”

“You’re giving me a mission?” Now he looked excited enough to burst.

“Yes.” Wave sighed.

“Why?” Tanner’s excitement dimmed. “Did Marc put you up to this?”

“I thought you implied he doesn’t know,” Wave replied.

“Well, you figured it out.”

“No, this has nothing to do with Marc. At least not directly.”

“Okay? What then…” He trailed off when Wave looked around them once again to make sure they were alone.

“There’s something going on and I can’t put my finger on what it is. I sort of enlisted your father to help, but I think I talked to the wrong Ulriche.”

Tanner beamed at that. “I can—”

Wave halted him again with a shake of her head. “Let him do his thing. For you… let’s call it a trial run. The way things are going, I’ll need my own spymaster sooner rather than later.”

“Yo-you are hiring me? As a Stormbringer spymaster?”

Wave thought that she might have accidentally given him the best birthday present ever. Still, she needed to curb his excitement, even though he wasn’t wrong.

“No, not officially. You will not risk yourself or your contacts for this. If something goes wrong, you will throw me under the bus faster than you can fart. Zero heroics, do you hear me? All I need is for you to keep your ear to the ground on a couple of topics, but you will not get hurt over this. Do you understand?”

“I do, Lady Stormbringer,” Tanner said eagerly.

“Zero danger, Tanner. Swear it.”

He frowned but eventually lifted his left hand over his heart. “I swear to take all the possible precautions to avoid danger and harm under Lady Stormbringer’s employment.”