When we were asked to select a scene from The Liar’s Knot to include in the back of The Mask of Mirrors, we chose the confrontation between Vargo and the Rook in Seven Knots — but to make it work better for teaser purposes, we edited the text so that it started in Vargo’s point of view, rather than what we’d actually written, which began with Ren. Then we looked at that version and realized it was better: less throat-clearing on the way to the action, and all we really lost was an explanation for how exactly Ren was managing to sneak in and out of Traementis Manor. In exchange for ditching that, we got her surprise appearance as she came to Vargo’s rescue, and more of his thoughts and reactions along the way — an extremely favorable trade!

Ren’s scene originally went all the way up to the moment the Rook got out of the sedan chair, but the text below cuts off where the meeting begins, since after that there’s no significant difference (besides the small changes necessitated by a different point of view).

* * *

After dodging the crane’s collapse, brawling with the Essunta, and helping Captain Serrado drag his prisoners to the Aerie for five minutes of embarrassment before their inevitable release, Renata had no difficulty convincing Donaia that she simply wanted a quiet night in her rooms.

Conveniently, one of those rooms featured a large tree right next to the balcony. And while Ren’s experience with trees was exceedingly limited, it wasn’t that much different from climbing a building.

She dressed in the dark coat and breeches she’d used before, but left the black lace mask in her pocket as she sneaked out. If anyone saw a stranger escaping over the Traementis garden wall — Ren was out of practice at this sort of thing — she wanted them to think it was an ordinary burglar, not the mysterious woman who’d been at the Great Amphitheatre during Veiled Waters. But a long pause outside produced neither a pounding on the manor’s front door nor any calls for a hawk, so she headed for the river, and a skiff to take her to the Lower Bank.

Her plan was so simple it barely deserved the name. The ziemetse might think she was some hero sent by Ažerais, but Ren had no illusions about her ability to take on a knot single-handed. And tipping Dalisva to Tserdev’s whereabouts tonight would only escalate the problem of too many gangs in one place.

But if she got into position early, she could watch and then follow Tserdev as she left, and find out where the woman was hiding. Or, failing that, tell the ziemetse that Vargo had taken care of that particular problem.

It was a good plan . . . right up until Ren neared the Seven Knots labyrinth and saw a face she recognized.

Nikory was lurking in the mouth of a narrow alley off the plaza in front of the labyrinth, watching the arched passage that led to the much smaller plaza behind. If one of Vargo’s fists was already in place, then Ren wasn’t nearly as early as she’d thought.

Her lips shaped a soundless curse. This just got . . . harder.

Ren cast a speculative look at the labyrinth. Its back wall formed one side of the cramped plaza behind. The Vraszenian in her frowned at the disrespect, but if she wanted a place to observe from, Vargo’s cordon didn’t leave her a lot of choices.

Straightening her coat, Ren walked into the Seven Knots labyrinth.

At this hour it was almost completely deserted, except for an old man sweeping the portico that surrounded the open-air courtyard of the labyrinth itself. He ignored her, because it wasn’t polite to pay attention to what offerings someone chose to make. Ren went to the opposite side of the portico and paused next to the pillar holding the Face of Balance and the Mask of Chaos. Law and crime, order and disorder. Digging in one pocket, she slipped a decira into the mouth of the Face, silently asking forgiveness, and another into the Mask, asking it to cover her.

Then, when the man’s back was turned, she scaled the pillar and swung up onto the roof.

Only frozen shock kept her from rolling off when she realized she wasn’t the only person up there. But perhaps her offering had done some good, because the figure didn’t turn to look as Ren dropped prone on the tiles and did her best to blend into them.

The figure stooped like a vulture, watching and waiting. Another one of Vargo’s people, though [the light] was too dim to make out features.

Biting down on a curse that would have made Tess proud, Ren crept along the roof toward one of the dreamweaver bird statues that stood sentry at each corner peak. She only let herself breathe again once she was hidden in the sweeping curve of its tail.

From there she could see down into the shadowed plaza behind the labyrinth. Ren didn’t recognize the man waiting nervously at the closer end, but he wore a tattered panel coat and the high braid favored by the Odd Alley Gang, and two people flanked him like minions. The minions stood just a little too close, though, and the man kept shooting them nervous glances.

So. Vargo wasn’t lying in wait for his traitorous knot; he’d already taken them down. But he it seemed he wanted the Stretsko, too — so he’d staked Premyk out as bait, with what Ren presumed were two of his own fists to make sure Premyk didn’t bolt or blow cover before the Stretsko arrived.

Which meant the buildings facing onto the plaza were undoubtedly filled with more of Vargo’s people. And Ren, unfortunately, was stuck on the wrong end of the labyrinth roof for following the Stretsko when they bolted.

Should have given more than a decira.

Ren sighed and slipped the lace mask on, letting the Black Rose’s disguise flow over her. If she had to make an open break for it, she definitely didn’t want to be recognized.

Her knees were beginning to ache from crouching when she spotted movement on the far side of the plaza. An older man with iron-grey braids, one ratted into the long tail of the Stretsko, emerged from the shadows.

“Foolish to be out this late, when even Ažerais lies dreaming,” he said in Nadežran-flavored Vraszenian.