Chapter 279 - Catching up with the Hartfords
Scarlett crossed her arms, studying Kat intently. “Is that so? And what, exactly, do we need to talk about?” she asked, her tone now measured.
“Well, I’m sure you’ve got some idea,” Kat said. “I never knew you to be the type to get caught with your pants down.”
A slight frown creased Scarlett’s brow. “I would appreciate if you refrained from such…crude colloquialisms.” She leaned her head to the side, a strand of hair falling across her face. “And while I may have some suspicions, the possibilities are likely broader than you realise. Be more specific.”
Kat leaned forward, elbows on her knees, fingers interlaced. “Alright, I’ll cut to the chase then. The Shields Guild has been keeping an eye on you for a while, Scarlett.”
“I am well aware.”
Scarlett knew that would be a thing since first hiring Kat all those months ago.
“Then did you also know that some of the higher-ups in the Guild suspect you of working with the Tribe of Sin?” Kat said, her voice grave as she seemed to search Scarlett’s face.
Scarlett paused, considering the woman’s almost uncharacteristically stern expression. “…That, I was not aware of, no,” she admitted. “For how long have they harbored these suspicions?”
She had considered the possibility, but she hadn’t thought her actions had drawn such direct scrutiny from them — at least, not unless they were listening to some of the wild rumors that had circulated during the conclave.
Kat regarded her for a while longer, then the woman’s eyes softened as her shoulders rose and fell in a fluid motion. “I can’t say. I don’t even know which of the top brass has these suspicions. The information only came to me recently, but if I had to guess, they’ve been stewing on it for a while.”
Scarlett’s frown deepened. Had her interactions with the Tribe and the Cabal leaked? Even Beldon seemed unaware of that, so how could such information have reached the Guild? It couldn’t be that Allyssa or Shin had somehow discovered the truth and divulged it to the Guild, could it? She didn’t think they would betray her trust so easily, even if they had somehow learned of her dealings. Besides, with Fynn’s abilities, she’d been able to confirm multiple times that they weren’t hiding anything serious from her.
“For what it’s worth,” Kat said, pulling Scarlett out of her thoughts, “I don’t believe it’s true.”