5. Sorin: The Merchant’s Scion

Summary

• The chapter begins with the protagonist, Sorin, infiltrating a rich merchant's manor.
• She bypasses a dozen guards and the house's wards, using various spells.
• The target of her mission is Karys Fall, the youngest heir of the merchant family. The family, despite being one of the richest in the city, is not from the original thirty drakine families.
• Karys Fall is portrayed as a reckless individual, who frequently requires his family's wealth to cover for his mistakes.
• Using a poison called "widow's sleep," Sorin ensures Karys's death will appear natural.
• She also uses her magic, which is meant for healing, to make Karys thirsty enough to drink the poisoned water.
• Sorin watches as Karys's death unfolds, maintaining her composure until he dies, then takes his seal from him.
• The protagonist then leaves the scene, ensuring everything looks normal so it seems Karys died of natural causes.
• She meets up with her wyvern, Jaculus, and heads towards the city, where she meets a second target, a drakine named Sar Saunder Bane.
• Bane, unlike Karys, is given a choice. Sorin collects a dragon relic from Bane, a horn tipped with sapphire, which is a powerful symbol in their society. She warns him not to reveal anything.
• After successfully completing her mission, Sorin returns to her quarters where she contemplates the lack of fulfillment she feels and resolves herself to prayer.