“Is anyone in there?” I asked again.
Her eyes widened. “Where is Joffrey. He is so nice.” She burped, bringing her hand to her mouth too late to prevent the stink from escaping.
With my arms hooked under his, I struggled to keep Tobie’s torso off the floor. I couldn’t hold him much longer, and Kiri wasn’t helpful after consuming three drinks. Sani glared at me, lifting the knight’s legs into the air. He didn’t need to speak to convey his point. We were exposed out here. Anyone who walked by would question why two men carried another into the inn.
The muscles in my back screamed out as I moved. If only I had thought ahead and let Sani take the heavy end. My calves burned as we carried Tobie through the entry. If asked just two days ago, I’d have said there was no plausible way I’d be lugging a knight I had knocked out into an inn to turn him over to a Fidi Rasmun.
Selena stood behind the counter, but the rest of the room was empty. Her eyes widened when she saw us carrying the knight. “Hurry.” She scurried over to the door and peered out. “The other guests are out but could be back anytime.”
Tobie moaned and shifted his weight. His eyes fluttered under the lids but didn’t open.
“Selena, let Layla know we have the package.”
“Him.” She pointed. “I should let you know-”
“He could wake up any moment.” I huffed. “Please get Layla here right away.” I started up the stairs, going backwards while Sani followed. Tobie fidgeted as we moved.
His eyes popped open as we made it to the landing.
Selena said, “The thing is-”
“He’s awake.” I moved faster as he started to struggle.
Kiri squeezed past us and opened the door to the room.
Tobie shouted as he jerked his arms and attempted to kick his legs. Sani punched him in the stomach, knocking the air out of him.
Selena jogged up the stairs, saying something, but I couldn’t hear her over Tobie. I yanked him into the room just as he kicked free of Sani.
“What a mess.” Layla said from the corner. Without standing up from the chair she lounged in, she threw a rope onto the bed. Tie him up.
Selena, now in the doorway, said, “Layla is already in here.” She huffed. “That is what I tried to tell you.”
“We see her,” Kiri said. She shifted her attention to Layla. “Did you see Joffrey? He is so nice.”
“Kiri, tie his hands with the rope!” I yelled.
She picked up the rope and started looping it around her own wrist.
“No!” Still holding Tobie with one arm, I reached out with the other, trying to grab the rope from her.
She pulled it away. “I almost got it.”
Tobie punched me in the face, catching my nose. The sudden burst of pain made me loosen my grip. Tobie wiggled free of my grasp, crashing hard to the ground. He screamed out. By his reaction, the way he landed, and the weird bend in his arm, I thought he broke it.
Sani regained control of Tobie’s feet, pinning the knight’s ankles together, then twisting his legs. Tobie tried to crawl away. I hustled over and kicked him in the ribs and face while Sani continued to rotate him.
Tobie flipped over onto his stomach. Sani spun, still holding the legs, stepped over and straddled Tobie. He plopped down, sitting in the center of the yaksha’s back.
Tobie yelled for help as I tied the wrist on his non-broken arm. Once knotted properly, I grasped his other hand and pulled. He screamed out. I tied it quickly, then looped the rope around his legs and pulled. Sani moved from Tobie’s back, standing while keeping one foot pressed against him, preventing any substantial movement.
I grabbed the shirt I had worn when pretending to be a merchant and shoved it into Tobie’s mouth. Exhausted, and struggling to breathe, I stood up and glanced at Layla.
“Let me guess.” She rolled her eyes. “The seduction failed, so you bonked him on the head?”
“You didn’t mention he was married and had children.” Kiri crossed her arms. “He wasn’t the cheating type.”
Layla stood up and pulled a potion from her belt. “If it were going to be easy, I wouldn’t need the services of a seductress. Any woman can lure a single horny man back to a room. I could have paid a peasant girl two coppers for the task.” She kneeled beside Tobie and pulled the shirt from his mouth.
Tobie spit. “That tasted of body odor and shit.” He glared at Layla. “You!”
She shoved the vial into his mouth and pinched his nose. For a moment, he refused to swallow but finally did when he needed to breathe. His eyes closed.
Layla stood up. “Don’t worry, he’s not dead. But he will sleep soundly for the rest of the night.”
I shook my head. “You could have given us that potion before we set out. We wouldn’t have him wake up halfway back.”
She raised the bald ridges above her eyes. “Kiri was expected to bring him back willingly.” She focused on me, “Besides, what kind of a Naser Wigon expects others to craft potions for him?”
“I’m a True Blood Wigon.”
“In a kingdom where the royals are hunting you down, being party to a religion that relies on royal guidance for spell craft makes you useless.”
“I’m a soldier, not a potion mixer.”
“Really?” She shook her head. “You aren’t good in a battle. Nor do you make competent plans or direct your team.” She locked eyes with me. “If not a fighter, strategist, or leader, what type of soldier are you?”
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My fists balled up. “I need to practice more.”
“You need to open that grimoire and learn how to craft potions if you’re going to survive long enough to learn how to lead.” Her eyes narrowed. “They rely on you more than you understand. Do you think they tagged along just to help clear your name?”
“Well, they...” I glanced at Kiri. She looked away.
“A human and an elf. Both want to return home,” Layla said.
Kiri shrugged. “I figured once you cleared your name, and we were already at the capital, you might talk to some of your father’s old connections. Getting me safe passage through the portal.”
“Of course I will.” I turned back to Layla. “You got what you wanted. Why do you care what happens to us?”
“I don’t. You could all get slaughtered tomorrow, and I wouldn’t miss a moment of sleep.” She glanced down at Tobie. “I wouldn’t need a spell to help with my slumber.” She scanned each of our faces. “But I believe you can still be beneficial to me.” She handed me a sack full of silver. “Payment for delivering Tobie. I have another job for you.”
My stomach turned. As I feared earlier, she eased us down the path toward sword for hire. The next task would no doubt bring us further out of our comfort zones, getting us to betray our own moral codes a little further than before. I prepared myself to say no. “What job?”
“A very influential benefactor wants his daughter returned through the portal. I’d like you to bring her.” She walked up to me until her nose was almost touching mine. “If something happens to her, I’ll lose more than sleep. But before I do, I’ll rain fury down on anyone I find even slightly responsible.”
“You want me to bring her through the portal?” The task didn’t feel like an escalation capable of leading us down the wrong path. Instead, I would take someone to a place I was already heading.
“No,” Layla said sarcastically. “I’m just engaging in small talk. How’s the weather? Did you have a good week? Meet and kill any interesting people at the tavern?” Her eyes looked as if they would burn a hole right through me.
“What’s in it for us?” I asked.
“Tye!” Kiri scolded me. “Of course, we will help someone in need.”
Layla put her hand up, signaling for Kiri to be quiet. “For once, you’re thinking like someone who wants to survive this ordeal. Avina will be waiting for you at the Majestic Well. Look for the young lady dressed like a member of the Brigand.”
“Why is she dressed like she is a Brigand assassin?” Kiri asked.
“Because she is.” She paused. “Or she was. Not sure of her status after they left her behind.”
I raised a finger. “Do I need to mention that we left two bodies outside that tavern, and the people inside likely realize it was us, since we were fighting them while leaving.”
“I’d suggest making it quick then,” Layla said.
“What about the grimoire?” Kiri asked.
“Avina knows where to go to get it unbound.”
“You still haven’t said what we get in return.”
“Lar’s head.” She grinned.
“I want him to face judgement, not be murdered.”
“He will never see judgement, nor will he stop hunting you down until you’re dead. Before the winter is over, one of you will no longer have a head.”
I froze. Was this her push to corrupt us? Making me choose to have a man killed instead of taking a lawful path. As much as I wanted to say no, something about the certainty of her words made me think she knew things about Lar that I didn’t.
“Tye!” Kiri glared at me.
“We will take your assassin to the capital, if it means saving Tye’s life.” Sani crossed his arms and glared at me. “You are reluctant to have the man slain, but in battle, we don’t always have the luxury of giving mercy, only a swift death.”
“I’m starting to like you,” Layla said. “You’re alright for a human.”
We waited in the shadows, watching as the bodies were loaded into carts and taken from the tavern. The people gathered outside chatted for a moment before slinking back through the doors. Only one remained outside, Joklo the bard. He strummed his instrument as he sang.
The bandits of Palla Cahua visited a tavern
Instead of just drinking, they killed with a...
...a pattern
He slapped himself on the forehead. “That doesn’t make sense. Stop being a chublag Joklo.”
The bandits of Palla Cahua visited the well
Holding the weapons they swung very well
“For the fright of the Forgotten!” He paced while plucking random notes on his lute. “You’re better than this, Joklo.”
Trying to ignore the annoying man, I focused back on our task at hand. If we all entered together, someone was sure to notice us. Our rescue mission could easily turn into another skirmish. “There is no need for us all to walk in there.”
Kiri stepped forward. “I’ll go in.”
I grabbed her arm and pulled her back. “You’re in no condition.”
Her shoulders slumped. “The drink is already wearing off.”
“Still, everyone in there remembers you.” After taking a deep breath, I added, “It’ll have to be me.”
Sani stepped in front of me. “That bard was upset with you earlier. He’ll start singing when he sees you coming.” He walked toward the tavern. “I’ll bring her out.”
“Does he know what a Brigand assassin looks like?” Kiri asked.
I shrugged as I watched Sani approach Joklo.
“You,” Joklo said. “Are you here to slay some more?” He glanced around. “Where are your friends?”
“We didn’t kill anyone.” Sani tried to move around him. “Tobie killed Joffrey after Joffrey cut down his friend.”
“You aren’t really going in there, are you?” He grinned. “They will remember the faces of the wizard, the harlot, and the Naser Wigon.”
“I’m not a wizard.” He pushed him aside, but stopped before walking through the door. “Do they really remember me?”
“They do.” He kept strumming his lute. “You are the talk of the village.” He giggled. “Singing about you and your friends will make me famous you know.” He thought for a moment, not stopping his strumming. “I can distract them all. When I have them in my trance, you can walk right in.”
“Then do it,” Sani said. “I only need to meet with someone, then come back out.”
“Not so fast, my new friend.” He clicked his tongue and picked up his strumming pace.
My help’s not free, no it’s not
I’ll get you in, but you need to
“Really?” He slapped himself in the forehead. “Think Joklo, think.”
“Do you need help with that?” Sani asked.
“With my song?”
“I don’t write songs. But I can hit you in the head if you like.”
“Sounds tempting.” He chuckled as he strummed. “But I’d rather get some help with my songs. Here is the deal. I’ll get you in. After you bring out your friend, I come with you.”
“What?” Sani asked.
“It’s brilliant. Consider it. Invision it. See it. Joklo follows around the Bandits from Palla Cahue while they steal and kill. Then Joklo writes the most marvelous songs.”
“Can you really distract them?”
“My tunes do what I need them to do.” He grinned, playing his Bandits from Palla Cahue song as he walked in. Sani followed.
I was tempted to run over there and tell Joklo we wouldn’t agree to any deal. But leaving the shadows was too dangerous. Someone would definitely notice the two of us.
“Did he just agree to let that irritating man come with us?” Kiri asked.
I sighed. “Does he really think a little music will make the difference?”
A few moments later, Sani emerged with someone wearing all-black leather armor, including a large hood. He headed towards us. Joklo followed, still strumming his lute.
“Avina?” I asked as she approached.
She answered with a nod. My attempts to see her face were denied not just by the shadow casts from the hood, but also by a black cloth that was wrapped around her face and head, exposing only her eyes.
I turned my attention to Sani. “What happened in there?”
“Everyone sang and danced while I strolled right through, as if I wasn’t there.”
“Joklo said he would distract them.” The bard continued plucking a string on his lute.
“But how?” I asked.
“With a song.” The bard grinned. “Joklo’s joining the gang.” He chuckled, “Who should we rob next?”
Avina spoke up. “The people inside were talking about creating search parties to scour the city for the three of you. If we don’t start moving, they won’t have far to search.”
“Lead the way,” I said. “According to Layla, you know where we can unbind a grimoire.”
“A grimoire.” Joklo strummed a melody.
The bandit of Palla Cahue head to a mysterious place.
They travel there silently while making haste.
Joklo just hopes they-
Avina put her finger against his lips and finished his sentence. “Don’t murder him for making too much noise.”
“Is that them?” Serena yelled as she stood outside the Majestic Well and pointed in our direction.