Beam POV: Day 78

  Current Wealth: 229 gold 37 silver 6 copper

  Elizabeth, as I had learned the woman was called, was still more than a little bit guarded around me. I wasn’t too surprised, nor was I unfamiliar with the behaviour. It reminded me a lot of Solitaire, back when we’d first met, all caution and suspicion, self-preservation and inquisitive defence.

  Just like back then, it was a hard barrier to get through. Every inquiry I made was interpreted as some sort of attack, every innocent observation had, apparently, at least two double-meanings that had escaped even my notice, and God help me if I made a sudden movement.

  The two of us were walking, at least. That gave me the illusion of progress even if none was actually coming.

  “You’re fast.” I noted, making yet another attempt to break the ice. She glared at me.

  “Obviously I’m fast, how’d you catch me?”

  It was, at least, a change of pace from the usual retorts I’d been getting, so I decided to answer her. If nothing else to keep the woman from getting suspicious again as I didn’t.

  “I climbed a wall, already saw you heading down this way so I figured I could jump down beside you when you came past. I hadn’t expected you to hide but you didn’t see me anyway, so.”

  She bristled.

  “The guards were only chasing me from one direction.” She snapped. “I hadn’t expected to get caught from the other.”

  “Right.” I replied, eager to soothe her before she could go off on another tirade. “And, if you don’t mind me asking, why exactly were they chasing you?”

  Elizabeth glared at me.

  “Because they’re bastards, all of them. Every single guard is a bastard, it’s just what they’re like.”

  All guards are bastards. I almost laughed, this one had to meet Solitaire, but later. For now she still had answers being kept to herself that I needed to get in on hearing.

  “They had something specific to be going for you about, rather than anyone else, though. Right?”

  The woman grew testy, not meeting my eye.

  “So did you want to meet me just to pry into whatever I had?”

  “No.” I replied, honestly. “But I think it’s only fair that I be told, considering I’ll be putting my skin on line in moving around with you while you carry it.”

  I could tell she didn’t want to tell me, but not why. Was it fear? Embarrassment, basic caution? Whatever emotions flared up in her features, they died down quickly, and she didn’t meet my eye as she replied.

  “Just this.” She breathed, fishing around inside her clothes for a moment, then producing a…Cup. An old-fashioned goblet to be precise, bronze, battered and…Remarkably shitty. It was old, though, so I figured there was a story tied to it.

  “Some sort of…Family heirloom?” I guessed. She looked at me like I’d just drooled on myself.

  “This is the chalice of Mozen Drayri, one of the relics left behind by God during his last visit.” She smirked. “Not much to look at, but it’ll sell for a fuck-ton if you find the right buyer, one hundred gold at least.”

  Our new upkick of wealth wasn’t old enough for that sum not to hit me like a sledgehammer, and I found myself eying the goblet with a new respect.

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  “Hands to yourself.” Elizabeth growled, stuffing it back inside her clothes quickly and glaring at me with unguarded suspicion. I almost sighed out loud.

  “I’m not going to steal it.” I snapped. “My family is already making plenty of money anyway, relax.”

  That gave her pause.

  “You…Don’t seem like a rich person.” She noted, looking pointedly at my clothes. “I figured you were a foreign worker, a mercenary or something. Nobody who isn’t a fighter moves as fast as you did, at least.”

  She was strangely close to the mark, reminding me yet again of Solitaire. But there were more important things than how impressive she was.

  “You’re probably going to need to lay low for a while, right?” I guessed. “Why don’t you do it with my family, we can shelter you better than alleyway debris, at least.”

  Elizabeth hadn’t been on edge before, I found that out quickly enough by seeing what she looked like when her guard was actually up. Apparently, it was knife-wielding.

  “And no witnesses, right?” She glared, hostile instantly.

  I took my time thinking up a response, all too aware that I could blow everything by giving the wrong one. Finally I landed on something that sounded good enough, if a bit more edged than I’d have liked. I’d tried doing things gently, kindly, but we really could use someone like this woman, and she’d made it abundantly clear that the soft approach wasn’t one she’d allow to work. I steeled myself.

  “I didn’t have any witnesses back beside your hiding places.” I noted, slowly. Even saying that much brought back the memory of her fear, but I kept myself sturdy against it.

  Elizabeth seemed more affected by the reminder than me, which was fucking fair enough, but that also meant that it sunk in deep and did a good job of knocking her second-guessing and worries aside. I watched as the thoughts dawned on her, and waited for her to consider my offer with a lens that was less…Paranoid.

  “Why would you offer me this?” She asked, finally. It was a definite improvement to get questions like that, at least those I could do something with. Those I could answer honestly.

  “Because me and my brothers know what it’s like to have nothing.” I said, frankly. “And we know how cold it is out here. Do you want to sleep somewhere warm for a while?”

  Her face sort of spasmed for a moment, the way Solitaire’s did whenever he was failing to hide a strong emotion, and then Elizabeth turned away from me, nodding.

  “Yes.” She said, quietly. “I’d…Like that. Thank you.”

  I didn’t say anything, just started walking and let her follow after. Some people weren’t comfortable with owing someone, and some people weren’t comfortable with expressing their thanks. Elizabeth, I could tell, was both.

  God, I needed her to meet Solitaire.

  We’d covered a good portion of our journey before I hopped off the carriage, which was lucky for us. Elizabeth’s adrenaline rush was starting to run out, and the woman seemed to shiver more intensely with every stride we took towards our destination.

  “Where exactly is this mansion of yours?” She asked. We were a few minutes into our walk by then, and if anything I was surprised she’d waited that long. More surprised by our pace. My legs were well over a foot longer than hers, and I had more strength than a powerlifter twice my size, but she was keeping up easily. Even forcing me to push myself in haste. That speed was something we’d have to examine further.

  “It’s near the city’s outskirts.” I answered. “Velaharo Manor, I think it’s called-”

  Her head whipped around so sharply I thought I was about to be stabbed, but the only edge that sunk into me was Elizabeth’s glare.

  “You could’ve mentioned that sooner.” She snapped. “Bloody noble’s house, how’d you even manage that? Last I heard your family was bulk-buying horse shit and brawling with magi.”

  I’d told her who I was, of course, and she’d taken it in stride.

  “Truth be told, I barely know myself. My brother just announced…It. My other brother will probably be drilling him for more details as we speak, it’s not like him to do things unilaterally like that so he must’ve had a reason not to consult us.”

  She frowned.

  “So none of you are in charge of the others?”

  It took me a moment to realise why she’d even ask that. Redacle’s families tended to have a more “traditional” structure, primogeniture and all that. Whichever of us was oldest would be expected by most to be the “head” or something similar.

  “No.”

  Elizabeth considered that, and if I wasn’t wrong it seemed to impress the woman. But I didn’t get to study her for much longer, as the few miles remaining between us and our destination were eaten up. The two of us were practically jogging, before long, and doing so almost as fast as a normal human might sprint. It took about ten minutes to finally reach our destination with all the shortcuts and hasty climbs we threw in.

  It took me less than a second to recognise the sights around the gate. Solitaire lying down, shoulder mangled and bleeding, Shango barely standing and staring blearily at some unknown enemy. Argar and Helena were the only ones in armour, moving to encircle the foe, and Corvan was nowhere to be seen.

  “Stay here.” I breathed, stepping away from Elizabeth and focusing for a moment, feeling the hum of magic as armour encased itself around me once more.

  This one’s strong. A familiar voice told me. Stronger than you. Kill it this time, don’t spare it like you did the magus.

  My eyes flickered once more to Solitaire where he lay bleeding, and my heart hardened.

  I didn’t need telling not to pull any punches.