Thats the key

Balthier sat calming drinking his ale until his guest arrived.  It was only a few moments before a slendor elf pulled back a chair and sat with authority, a clean glass of water being placed on the table just as he sat.  Balthier spoke first, "Well and here I thought you were retired."

The visitor replied shortly, "I am."

"Then why would you come, looking to pick up a job? Or perhaps you are hoping to get this back."  Balthier  slid a dagger across the table toward his guest. "And if you are retired, what was that doing where I found it."  Baltheir new Ghost would remember where he lost that dagger, the temple of Nocturne.

"Perhaps it was a bit of bad luck." The word luck hung coy in the air.

"Indeed, and I bet lots of bad luck has been hanging around lately.  Here is my guess chum, you are retired an achievement entirely paid for by one individual.  So that individual must have wanted something in the temple and you got it for him.  He could have got it himself, and maybe he even helped but he was sure that you got the Skeleton key so that Nocturnes backlash would be limited to...well you.  Or perhaps he was ignorant of that particular side effect."

"I'm not in the habit of revealing details of my employment contracts."

"No need.  Just know that I've worked something out that can turn your luck back around.  I just need the key back."

"If I did steal the key, you would know my code would prevent me from stealing back from whoever it was I gave it to."

"Of course, honor among thieves and all that.  Just a hint or push in a direction should be enough, I trust luck can take me the rest of the way."

Ghost stood up, "Your implications are baseless, the Fox has been missing 'retired' since the Dark One was defeated.  He defected to the side of the forsaken and the gods took him.  Only Persephone in her star forge and Aginor hiding north of Assyria remain of that ancient religion."

Balthier smiled and nodded and as Ghost left the tavern he said mainly to himself raising his mug of ale, "But you are still retired, and not hunting the gods.  The fox is still alive."