"Ameiko?"
"Yes, Spidle."
"May I ask you a question?"
"If you stop blushing and staring at my feet."
"Is there any reliable way to send a message to Minkai?"
"Not from Sandpoint. Why do you ask?"
"I have such a message. But it is a secret."
"Oh really? How did this happen?"
"The day after I most recently left Magnimar for Sandpoint a wounded human fell off his horse beside the road right by Flax and me. His horse kept running. I heard yet other hoofbeats so I made an illusion of a bush over the man. Another horseman thundered past. When that second man was well gone I approached the wounded man and found he was mortally wounded. He made me promise to deliver a message. He said he was but grass, and he served the lord of the Higashiyama family. His message is two funny squiggles to show his lord. But I promised not to show the squiggles to anyone else, even though it must be some kind of code."
"Spindle. That was not a wise promise. 'Grass' means a spy. And the lord of the Higashiyama family is...not someone just any messenger can meet."
"But, Ameiko, I knew this man! I do not want to say who he was. But I have done my magic show at one of his daughter's birthday parties. He was a nice man."
"As 'Grass' he probably was a nice man. But he was spying on Magnimar and ready to act very not nice indeed if his lord ever asked him to. And his message might bring trouble--or aid--for Magnimar."
"Are you asking me to forget the incident? I made a promise! Or perhaps the message is unimportant but Sarenrae arranged this situation because she wants me to travel to Minkai?"
"I am not saying to forget anything, Spindle. Just...wait. Watch for other signs from Sarenrae. Do not tell anyone else about this or that spy's enemies could become your enemies too. Any message someone asked a gnome to take from Magnimar to Minkai cannot be very urgent. You are not in a rush. Pray and wait."
