A slow smirk spread across Karian's face. "Oh, yeah, I heard about the bitch. From multiple sources, actually."
Tara froze, her mind starting to race. What...?
With a flash of a silver-embroidered skirt, A lithe figure crowned in cobalt blue sauntered up to wrap an arm around Karian's shoulders, leaning into his side with a pout. "See, love? Told ya they were working together."
Tara's brain shorted out for a moment. Marie? Sure, they weren't exactly loyal bedfellows, but this?! No. No, why- why would she-?
"So where is she?" Karian frowned at the other woman. Slowly, shadows moved in the cavern behind him, cloaking spells falling away as the members of his ambush began to reveal themselves.
Before she could so much as blink, Tara was suddenly jerked upright, her arm wrenched behind her back with enough force to draw a sharp, pained cry from her lips. She couldn't see her captor, but she recognized the voice as he shoved her out into the clearing ahead of him. The Ferret.
"Right 'ere, boss." He snickered and tightened his grip, bending her arm back at a more painful angle. Tara hissed, glaring daggers at the bandits that were slowly moving to surround her and Joshua.
"Ah, little Tara." Karian's smirk was suddenly back and he strode toward her, leaving a sour Marie behind. He reached up to cup her cheek and she writhed in Ferret's grip, trying to bite his hand. Her magic roiled below her breast, but she refused to release it. Not yet, I can still get out of this!
"You always were a viper," Karian laughed gratingly. He glanced toward Joshua. "You, friend, I have no quarrel with. Leave your goods and the girl, and you will be paid twice your original price."