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In the end, it turned out Queue was a off a little bit. It wasn't instantaneous, but it was effective. In fact, he had time to utter one world before he slumped to the floor.

"NO!"

It took another 10 minutes before Ra'Jirra managed to free herself, and another 10 before Ko'Manir came around.

"Come on," Ra'Jirra said, rousing her. "We've got to get out of here. I don't think there's any more, but we can't be sure. Let's get back to the caravan and get our horses."

She grabbed the briefcase and wrapped the rifle up in blanket before leaving the house. They hurried out of town and Ra'Jirra paid the horses' owner in gold before they were off. She told Ko'Manir as much as she dared without revealing what she now knew about her.

They were stopped at the border, but waived on through before night fell. They kept riding - only stopping to rest the horses. Finally they arrived in the Elsweyr city of Riverhold, where they stabled the horses and retired in a relatively upscale hotel, though it couldn't hold a candle to the Pendant. Labor wasn't cheap enough in Elsweyr to have people manning the doors.

Ra'Jirra looked at the single bed and back to Ko'Manir.

"Want to make another mistake?"

"Only if we can take a bath first. I'm dusty and I stink of horse."

"No private baths here, but I did see a hot tub in the back."

Ko'Manir moaned, "Damn. I don't have any swimwear. You got anything? That would be perfect."

Ra'Jirra just smiled. "You're in Elsweyr now, Ko. The bad news is you'd better stop using the first person pronoun when you're speaking Common. Good news is you'll find some standards are a little more relaxed here than Hammerfell. Bring a couple towels and we should be good."

At last Ra'Jirra lowered herself into the hot tub. It was late and there was no one around, but the manager assured them it would be okay. There were certain advantages of always being at least somewhat dressed in fur.

"Oh, that feels good." she said. "I never knew riding a horse could be so tiring!"

Ko'Manir just sighed in agreement

"Ra'Jirra... before we make another 'mistake', I think there's something I have to tell you."

Ra'Jirra shook her head. "It can wait till the morning."

"No," Ko'Manir insisted. "I don't think it can."

Ra'Jirra rose and waded over to Ko'Manir and kissed her in the khajiit manner. "Ko," she whispered. "It can wait."

Though perhaps less adventurous than their night at the hotel, nonetheless Ra'Jirra enjoyed every minute of it - even if their thighs were exhausted by the heavy riding through the day. They fell to sleep in each other's arms, and Ra'Jirra made sure there was no talk of assassins, politics or allegiances that night. All that could wait for the morning.

Ra'Jirra awoke to a knock at the door. She turned to Ko'Manir who cracked a single eye. "You order anything?"

"Not me."

Ra'Jirra got up and draped a towel around herself. "Who is it?"

"Breakfast," came a voice from the other side and she peered out the little hole to see a khajiit in a maid's outfit with a covered dish.

She opened the door and the maid set the dish on the table, revealing a fine breakfast of eggs and ham.

"Complementary," she said and turned to go. Ko'Manir looked at the food as if she was ravished.

"Wait," Ra'Jirra said as the maid reached the door. Don't I know you?"

"I doubt it," the maid said, and immediately Ra'Jirra shouted, "First person singular! Ko'Manir! She's an agent!"

The maid spun around and slammed the door closed with her tail, brandishing a knife made of Dwemer metal from a special holder in her belt. The poison practically smoked from it as she attacked Ra'Jirra with full and unexpected fury.

Ra'Jirra caught her hand with both of her own, but the agent switched the knife to the other hand quickly and continued her attack. Ra' Jirra managed to shove it aside at the last second, but it was quickly coming around again. Ra'Jirra lashed out with her legs and sent the maid flying, the pale face coming into full view as her maids cap flew off.

"La'Dasha!" Ra'Jirra said, remembering where she'd seen her before, but the khajiit was readying the poison blade to throw it and Ra'Jirra realized that unless she managed to duck it completely, she was likely dead. But there was no room. They were too close.

The thunder came and La'Dasha fell back, the knife stabbing her leg as if for a coup-de-grace. The shot had been wide and only left a graze on her shoulder, but the khajiit stared at the knife upended into her thigh.

She looked at Ra'Jirra as the life left her quickly. "You."

"You're a dead woman, La'Dasha. Ra'Jirra said, taking the gun from Ko'Manir. "Is there anything you want to tell me before you go?"

The khajiit smiled weakly. "I failed," she said, breathing out slowly. "But I'm still prettier than you."

And then her eyes closed and she didn't inhale again.

The manager and two other employees came rushing into the room, shoving the lifeless body away from the door in their haste. Ra'Jirra explained as best she could, but they insisted on calling in the local police. They arrived a short time later, but the the evidence of the poison knife, along with its ichor-laden belt holder was too convincing for any argument and they were released before the day had gotten late.

They sat outside the hotel on a little patio in rocking chairs side-by-side, while their horses were rounded up from the stable after they were released.

"So," Ko'Manir said, turning to Ra'JIrra. "On to Torval?"

"For me, yes. But I don't think so for you. Unless you really have parents in Corinthe."

"Of course..."

"Sorry, Ko, but it's time to cut the shit. That guy back in Kvatch told me a lot more than I let on... about you."

"Did he?" Ko'Manir asked. Ra'Jirra could practically see the gears turning in her head. "Can I salvage anothing from this? How much does she know?"

"Relax Ko. You're free to go back to Hammerfell. Hell, you can take your damned device with you for all I care. I know it's worthless now. You'd planned this well in advance and already have all your agents using new codes."

Ko'Manir looked as if she was about to protest, but then thought better of it.

"Wouldn't matter anyway. It's got a failsafe. A crucial part will have melted by now. You know? And you're letting me go?!"

"How much was true, Ko?", Ra'Jirra asked, ignoring the question.

"Not much," she admitted. "Though I have been following your adventures. I do admire you as much as I said. The rest... Sorry."

"That first night..."

"I spiked your drink. It's quite effective on khajiits. Makes us horny as hell."

"Dammit Ko. What about last night? Was that for real?"

"That was for real. Actually, the first night was too. I didn't need any spiked drink."

"I suppose I should take that as a complement?"

"Take it any way you want. But i guess in the end, nothing good came out of this whole affair."

Ra'Jirra smiled darkly. "Nothing worth lives, no, but... I still have something to take back with me. I have a friend. A long friend. I think I know someone who would be very interested in it."