Lucius cleared his throat as he expanded on that point.
"We established contact with the man, Lord Vasten, nearly eighteen months ago. The cloth of his loyalty was remarkably simple to dismantle. We fed him bribes to settle his taste and occasionally gift-wrapped 'bandit kings' for his patrols to capture, allowing him to send glowing reports of his 'achievements' back to the capital, gaining recognition for a work not done. It is a symbiotic farce.He is a fraud, but he is in our pocket. So you know...he is our fraud."
He adjusted his sleeve, his expression colder now. "Our active cells continue their work unimpeded. We periodically sacrifice pre-positioned ruffians, expendable men we've groomed for the gallows, to keep the Oizenian patrols occupied in sectors far removed from our true points of interest. Long -term, our assets are secure. We dictate where they look, and more importantly, where they do not."
