A possible opening for an assassin, but a kidnapper would be hard pressed...

Inej follows her. 

And Svetka notices a bit of shadow where one shouldn't be.

A flick of light hits the ground at Inej's feet.

The shadow's keeping pace with her. 

"You're observant," a voice murmurs on the wind. (Svetka's minders won't hear anything.)

"And you're bold," she returns. "What did you sneak in here for?"

"Looking around."

"There's a high price on your capture."

"I'm aware."

"My boss doesn't traffic in slavery," and she says 'boss' like Svetka might say 'general.' "But one of our enemies does, and we have information on one of the bounties and who's pursuing it."

"And what do you want for that?"

"Compensation, at the least."

"We could complete the mission. We're leaving a lot on the table - and we took risks to beat other teams here."

"We have something else we think would be of interest to your General, too. Not just information."

"What kind of thing?"

"Your General will have to make an appointment with my boss for the full answer to that."

"It's something that was taken from her a while back, though."

Hmm.

"Front gate, tomorrow morning. Tell the guard you're here to see Val."

Maybe they'll just get arrested, but that's what leaving a man on the outside is for. 

"I'll pass that on."

"You do that."

"I'll give you five minutes before I tell the guards I spotted something."

Her voice is already farther away as she starts laughing.

Svetka is looking forward to seeing who shows up tomorrow.

She finishes her lap and informs the guards that she thinks she spotted something creeping around in the woods. Then she goes off to report to her General.

Her Darkling is in her study. 

"Has something happened, my Tinatin?" she asks

"Yes, mistress," she says, kneeling. "I met someone on my run."

She rests her hand on her Tinatin's hair. "Someone from outside or inside the Little Palace?"

Mmm.

"Outside."

"So someone got past the border security..." Scritch. "But not you?"

"There was a weird shadow. I was the only one close enough to spot it."

"She said she had information about the bounties on me... And I think she knows where your stallion is, the one that was taken."

Her fingers tighten a little. 

"What does she want?"

"To talk to you. I told her to come to the main gate tomorrow and ask for Val."

"I'll hear what she has to say, then."