The last reason Keritanima all but owned Lowtown was because of Ulfan. Ulfan ran his thieves' den from Lowtown, and protecting Lowtown was one of the ways that she paid Ulfan back for teaching her enough to keep her alive all those years. She took them directly there, to a huge, dilapidated warehouse just about in the middle of Lowtown. From the outside, it looked completely abandoned. The truth was anything but that illusion. Keritanima approached one of the smaller side entrances, where a pair of beggars crouched in the alleyway looking thoroughly miserable. They were not beggars. They were Ulfan's guards, there to defend the entrance to the building. Keritanima stepped up to them boldly as they stood to confront her, a large dog Wikuni and an even larger wolf Wikuni, then made a quick gesture with both hands, putting her fingers together and forming a symbol that vaguely resembled a mask. They both nodded to her calmly and stepped aside, as the wolf opened the door for the trio.
The interior of the warehouse was one huge empty room, with a row of old offices in the back that served as their treasure vault and the quarters of the higher ranking members of the guild. The vast empty space was filled up by old boxes and stacks of old wood and other large objects that formed a natural maze on the warehouse floor, a maze constructed to confound invaders, yet looked nothing more like stacks of old junk. The thieves of the Black Shadows lived in a larger common area outside the maze, beside the private rooms, but they would scatter into the maze on a signal to make life miserable for anyone trying to gain entry. There were any number of secret passages and hidden doorways inside the maze to let the thieves move quietly and invisibly through the maze to surprise or mislead invaders; indeed, the only way to get out of the maze was to know where those secret doors were. Keritanima knew the maze, so she confidently escorted her two friends along dark, shadowed passages and between closely stacked piles of junk or wooden crates, until she deftly opened a panel in an large wooden crate and stepped inside it.
It opened to a large common area with a firepit in the center of the room. About twenty members of the guild were residing within, sleeping, playing dice, eating, or performing more lurid activities. Ulfan didn't restrict himself to just thieves. He had swindlers, beggars, thugs, cutpurses, cat burglars, and whores in his guild, and it was one of the harlots selling her services to another member in one corner that got Azakar's attention. Miranda elbowed him in the side to keep his attention focused on protecting the Princess. Sitting in a cushioned chair near the door to his room was Ulfan. He was a bear Wikuni, a monstrous intimidating figure, nearly eight feet tall and probably weighing around five hundred pounds. But his size had not hampered his ability to steal. His clawed fingers were nimble and surprisingly delicate, and he could move his massive bulk with a quiet that would do a fifty pound child proud. Ulfan didn't go much for stealing anymore, for his quick, intelligent mind had elevated him to the role of guildmaster, where he conducted his business and also occasionally sold the services of his assassins to this or that noble family. Ulfan wasn't the only guildmaster in Wikuna-his guild was rather small compared to some-but he was well known as a solid dependable hire, who would get the job done so long as the pay was appropriate for the task he was hired to do. That made the Black Shadows one of the more affluent guilds in the city.
Ulfan looked up and smiled broadly, showing teeth that were just beginning to brown with his age. Ulfan was an old Wikuni, nearly sixty, though it wasn't apparent to anyone who looked at him. "Little swordflower," he called warmly, standing up and motioning her over.
"Swordflower?" Azakar asked.
"It's a nickname," Keritanima grinned at her human friend as they went over to Ulfan's chair. Keritanima extended her hands to Ulfan when she reached him, and he swallowed them up in his massive taloned hands and looked down at her. "You're getting fat, old bear," she noticed critically.
"It's a bear's nature to get fat," he countered smoothly in a deep voice. "You're looking well. I see Kalina found you."
"You can tell them apart?" Azakar asked respectfully.
"Of course," Ulfan replied to him. "Kalina has more chest than Keritanima, and her legs are longer. That's why she's taller."
"Don't let this slovenly sop fool you, Zak, he's one of the sharpest tacks in this city," Keritanima said in a jibing tone, patting Ulfan on the arm.
"One tries," Ulfan said modestly. "You're still looking lovely, Miranda. Ready to give up on my swordflower and accept a position here?"
"As much as I'm sure you can bring a woman to weak-kneed pleasure, Ulfan, I think I'd like a job where I spend more time on my feet than on my back."
"You don't know what you're missing."
"I know exactly what I'm missing. My job with Kerri lets me spend enough time on my back to keep me happy."
Ulfan just grinned at her, then turned back to Keritanima. "So, what brings you to my door? Word on the street says that your father wants to flog you, and that you're restricted to your room."
"Kalina's playing Princess for me. That's why I needed her," Keritanima replied smoothly.
"What about the flogging?"
"I told her I'd double her pay if that happened while she was being me," she told him. "She probably wants to be flogged now."
I've been flogged," Ulfan grunted. "It's not worth the money, believe me."
Azakar shuddered slightly, a haunted look crossing his features, but it quickly vanished.
"I know you know I'm here on business, old bear, so let's get right to the point," Keritanima announced. "I need you to arrange some assassinations."
"My knives are always for sale, swordflower," he assured her. "Who and when?"
Keritanima pulled out a piece of parchment. "These are all the names," she said, handing it over to him. The bear Wikuni opened it, and his eyes widened in shock. He gaped at Keritanima openly for a moment, then he laughed ruefully. "I know, some of them won't be easy," she assured him. "As you notice, I've already written what I thought was a fair fee for each name. Do you think they're reasonable, old bear?"
Ulfan quickly pored over the figures. "Yes, they look fair to me," he assured her. "I see you even took into account the fact that I'll have to hire some freelancers, and buy the aid of a couple other guilds."
Keritanima nodded. "They all have to be hit on the same night, old bear. I want all them killed exactly nineteen days from today."
"Not much time."
"You can manage it," she said. "I'll pay you half today, and half when the job is done."
"You have yourself a deal, swordflower," he smiled. "I don't think you're carrying that much money on you."
Keritanima shook her head. "It'll be here by sunset, old bear. I have to arrange it."
"Word is that your father stripped you of your money."
"He thinks he took my fortunes," Keritanima winked. "You'll get your money, Ulfan. Since when have I fallen through on a contract?"
"Never," he smiled. "I must say, you're looking very well, swordflower. Word was that you did some serious growing up out East. Even though I know the truth of it I still see they were right."
Keritanima smiled demurely at her old mentor. "I found good friends, Ulfan."
"And since when have I not loved my little swordflower?" he challenged with a smile.
"You know what I mean," she retorted with a playful smile. "You're a thief, old bear. I found friends who didn't teach me how to cut purses and pick locks."