While Kadricke and the other merchants stood up and Derot mirrored their movements, the man who had brought the news of what was happening in the capital left, neither side sparing him a glance. At the same time, armed men poured out from behind the bar.
A last-ditch effort or a backup in case Derot had laid an ambush. The Kadricke Coalition was prepared for a physical altercation. They surrounded Derot with their swords drawn.
As soon as Kadricke gave the order, Derot would be skewered and turned into a pile of blood-soaked croutons on the slightly sticky floor. But Kadricke wasn't satisfied with just that. He had to know.
"Did you know?"
Had Derot outsmarted him or did he just win the battle of information?
"Your plan? Or who your spy was?" Derot asked, doing his best to keep calm. Kadricke had prepared a little more force than he had anticipated. He wasn't sure if he would get out of this as easily as he had planned.
