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The OP MC 6 Chapter 5
🕑 Added 2021-04-09 14:00:00 +0000 UTCI blinked and focused on the campsite around me as the ringing of the chime echoed in my ears, and I found Ako standing before me with a broad grin stretched across his face.
“A man who can stay focused on his mission,” Ako observed with a curt nod. “I like it. Now, are we ready for our small side quest? The game waits for no man, but they may wait for a cat.”
“Actually, there will be a slight change of plans,” I informed him, and I furrowed my brow as I pictured the ransacked campsite. “I need to stick around here for a bit because some thieves are going to come and steal from us while we are out hunting.”
“What?” The cat-man frowned, and his tail jerked anxiously from side to side. “How do you know this?”
“Bash can predict the future,” my wife explained as she joined us. “What’s going to happen, though? I missed that part.”
“Thieves are going to come to our campsite tonight,” I said. “Hunting will have to wait until after they are taken care of.”
“It wouldn’t have been wise to leave our belongings unguarded anyway,” Mahini pointed out.
“It will be fine after we catch the thieves,” I assured her. “I’m sure there will be plenty of time left to go hunting afterwards.”
“How many are coming?” Mahini’s piercing blue gaze shot to the shadows beneath the trees.
“A few,” I admitted, and I made a mental note to know the correct answer during the next run through since I had a feeling I would be using multiple attempts. “But don’t worry, I can handle a few thieves.”
“How can I help?” Eva asked as she crossed the distance to where we stood.
“Let’s set up a perimeter,” I suggested. “I want eyes on every direction coming into camp.”
Everyone jumped into action, and we found suitable hiding spots beneath the trees of the glen. Once my companions were out of sight, I settled in to wait for the thieves. I wasn’t sure how long it would take, and I really hoped one of the women or Ako didn’t ask me. After I figured out all the details, I would reset for a final time, and they would all be very impressed with my ability to predict the future.
Hours passed with no activity in our campsite, and I heard impatient sighs coming from the direction of Evangeline’s hiding location. I hoped she could be patient for a little while longer, but I wasn’t sure how long it would take. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, I heard footsteps through the underbrush.
I waited a heart pounding instant longer, but when I sensed movement nearby, I leapt from the bushes.
“Fur!” I yelled, and I held my palm upright so the flames lit up the face of the person trampling through our campsite.
I was met with an angry scowl on an older man’s face, and he wore tattered, stained clothes. Behind him stood a handful of men in similar states of filth, and I realized the thieves were probably beggars.
Still, they’d come to the wrong campsite tonight, and it was time for them to learn their lesson.
Ako and the girls jumped from their hiding places with their weapons brandished, and a moment later, we had the thieves surrounded. The raggedy men looked around them, and the realization dawned on them, but it was too late.
“Charge!” I commanded, and I withdrew my feather sword as I sent out a blast of flames with my left hand at the old man standing in front of me.
The thief ducked the blaze and rolled across the dirt, and he disappeared into the shadows as my flames dispersed.
“Arrrgh,” Ako roared, and he transformed into his feline form as he leapt forward. He had his claws drawn by the time he reached his target, and the shapeshifter sank his elongated fangs into his victim’s neck. The two tumbled to the ground, but I was too distracted by my next target to see what happened.
“Unngh!” The thief behind the old man barrelled into me, and all the air was expelled from my lungs upon impact.
I skidded backward but didn’t fall over, and then I pushed back against the thief. We grappled for several moments until an idea struck me, and I grasped him by the forearm.
“Fur,” I grunted out, and heat erupted from my hand.
The thief’s skin sizzled beneath the flames, and he yelped in pain before he scrambled away from me.
I took the opening he gave me and plunged my feather sword into his gut. I wrenched my blade free, and I swiveled with my palm raised and ready to summon my flames once more.
Fire bloomed to life before my eyes as Eva and Elissa lit torches, and the entire glen was illuminated a moment later. I quickly counted five more thieves standing between us, but Mahini had one skewered on her sword while Caelia held a shaking bow aimed at another.
The remaining thieves scattered when the forest lit up, and the next thing I knew, they’d disappeared into the shadows.
“Hunt them down,” I said, and I worked the muscle in my jaw as I set my sights on the back of the nearest thief.
Ako pounced forward with a growl, and his tail swished as he followed the trail into the darkness.
“Split up,” Mahini instructed the other girls, but she grabbed Caelia’s hand in hers. “You should stay with me.”
I turned my focus on the man who was about to vanish behind a tree, and I pushed my legs to run even faster. He was too close to use my griffon feather boots special ability, and I reached into the shadows with an outstretched hand as I sped forward. The edges of a jacket slipped through my fingers, but I swung out with my feather sword in my next step, and my blade connected with the flesh of his leg.
The thief went down with a pained cry, and I jumped on his back before I drove my sword through the nape of his neck. I wasn’t interested in leaving any of them alive this time, but I was curious what had caused them to target our camp.
I summoned a flame to my hand as I scanned the area for any more thieves, but I didn’t see anyone else around, so I headed back to the campsite to check on the others.
“Sir Bash.” Ako waved in greeting when he noticed my approach. “I ended the lives of two of those sorry men. A shame their lives were wasted.”
“They chose to go down this path,” I pointed out. “Thank you for your help.”
“Bash!” Mahini trotted forward into the light of my flames, and Caelia was right behind her with a torch held aloft. “We only caught one.”
“Caught?” I asked. “Or killed.”
“They’re common thieves,” the desert goddess said, and she furrowed her brow. “They should be brought to justice, but is it worth killing over?”
“We are on a time sensitive mission,” I reminded her. “We can’t bring these thieves back to Vallenwood to face the law. Should we just leave them tied up in the woods? They’d only escape and continue stealing from other travellers leaving the city.”
“I understand,” Mahini sighed, and her ice blue eyes flicked to the shadows behind her. “I will leave the man we captured to you.”
Then Eva and Elissa trotted into the light, and the two girls wore dejected expressions as they approached me.
“I’m sorry, Bash,” my wife murmured. “We didn’t find anyone.”
“We got them all,” I said, and I flashed her a comforting smile. “You did good. Thank you for looking.”
“I’m glad that’s over,” Eva sighed as she ran a hand through her short jagged locks.
“It’s almost over, but there’s one thief left to deal with,” I explained, and then I turned to Mahini. “Lead the way.”
The desert goddess gave me a curt nod, and she swiveled on her heels before she marched into the shadows. I followed her into the darkness, but we didn’t go very far. The thief was tied to a tree a few paces away from the campsite, but he hung his head forward so I couldn’t see his face.
I crouched in front of the man, and I scanned him over as I held my flame above my head. He wore the same tattered rags as the rest of the thieves, and his hair was matted with mud. The thief smelled like a pig pen and looked like he’d been living in one for a while.
“Hey, man,” I said in a friendly voice. “What’s your name?”
“Fuck off,” the thief muttered, and he spat into the dirt at my feet.
“That’s how you show your gratitude for my mercy?” I shook my head. “I wasn’t going to let you live at first, but my companion changed my mind.”
“Then go ahead and kill me,” the thief said, and he rolled back his head to scowl at me.
“Why did you target us?” I asked as I ignored his sour attitude. I could always kill him if I wanted to, but I wanted to question him first.
“Fancy new crest we ain’t ever seen before.” The man shrugged as much as he could from within the constraints of the ropes binding him to the tree. “Figured you were some new upstart nobles who wouldn’t be missed much if we had to cross swords.”
“The crest you speak of belongs to the Archduke of Sorreyal,” I chuckled. “You fucked up, my friend.”
“Ain’t that guy a god or something?” the thief asked, and he looked me up and down as though he suddenly saw me in a new light. “You work for this Archduke?”
“I am the Archduke.” I grinned. “Also known as the God of Time. I take it you’ve heard of me?”
“Bah, I figured it was nothing but gossip.” The man spat again, but I saw a flicker of fear in his eyes. His gaze flicked to the flame in my hand, and I watched as he realized I was using magic. “Y-Y-You’re a god?”
“The one and only.” My grin widened. “And you’re tied to a tree, so you’re clearly at a disadvantage here. If I were you, I’d be very talkative in your situation.”
“I already told you,” he argued with a shake of his head. “We thought you were a newer noble with less power… We thought it was an easy grab and go… Please don’t kill me.”
“What else could I do with you?” I raised one eyebrow. “Set you free?”
“Yes!” The thief looked up at me with hope in his eyes, but it quickly died when he saw the deadly expression on my face. “I-I-I don’t want to die…”
“I didn’t want to have my campsite ransacked either,” I pointed out.
“We didn’t even touch your stuff,” the thief sobbed. “You attacked us before we ever even tried.”
“You were going to sift through all our personal things and take what you wanted.” I pursed my lips. “Tsk, tsk.”
“I’m sorry!” The thief’s sobs grew ragged, and snot streamed from his nose in dirty rivlets. “If you let me live, I’ll never steal anything again!”
“There’s no way I could ensure that.” I shook my head with dismay.
“I’ll go turn myself in to the guard,” he countered as his tone grew urgent.
“In Vallenwood?” I frowned. “That’s a day’s hard ride away.”
“I’ll go straight there, sir,” the man insisted.
“You’d have to earn your freedom with information,” I said, and I tapped a finger thoughtfully against my chin. “Let’s start with your name, and the names of the rest of the men who were with you.”
“Of course, my lord, sir, Mr. Archduke,” the man stammered out in a rush. “I am Brecklen.”
I spent the next hour slowly learning all I could about the men who intended to rob me blind, and by the time Mahini appeared silently by my side, I was confident I’d learned all I could. The desert goddess flashed me a curious expression, and then her piercing blue gaze scrutinized our prisoner like she was looking for injuries.
“I didn’t hurt him,” I assured her. “We just talked. He’s agreed to turn himself in to the guard.”
“That is good.” Mahini released her breath, and some of the tension dissipated from her shoulders.
“We’ll see if he survives the next run through.” I smirked, but before the warrior woman could question me, I reset back to my save point with a wave of my will power.
Chime.
“A man who can stay focused on his mission,” Ako observed with a curt nod. “I like it. Now, are we ready for our small side quest? The game waits for no man, but they may wait for a cat.”
“Unfortunately, our side quest will have to wait,” I said. “A group of thieves is going to find our campsite while we are hunting, and we would return to our belongings missing.”
“What should we do?” The cat-man frowned, and his whiskers shivered. “Stay and ambush them?”
“I’ve done that already.” I worked the muscle in my jaw. “I want to try something different this time.”
“This time?” Ako tilted his head to the side and gave me a confused look.
“Nevermind.” I grinned. “Just follow my lead.”
“Alright.” Ako nodded.
I proceeded to spam respawns in an attempt to get one hundred percent completion on both the hunting and catching the thieves red handed. During my next several run throughs, I focused on hunting first since I knew where the animals were located. The campsite was ransacked already when we returned, so in the next few lives I cut hunting shorter and shorter until I found the sweet spot.
On the plus side, I got better at finding the game we were hunting, and by the tenth run through, all of us had shot our animals in record time. I kept track of the sun’s movement across the sky, and I rushed everyone back to the campsite when it grew closer to the horizon. We got back before the thieves arrived for the first time since I had chosen to hunt first, and I resisted the urge to pump my fist in the air over the small victory.
I quickly instructed my companions on what to do next, and we laid in wait for the thieves as the sunlight faded through the trees. The shadows elongated and stretched toward us like ghostly fingers beckoning us into the darkness, and I narrowed my eyes in an effort to see in the dark.
Unlike Ako, I didn’t have the vision of a cat, so I had to rely more on my other senses. I listened to the sounds of the forest, but nothing seemed out of the ordinary. Then I sniffed the air tentatively, and I inhaled the earthy aroma around me, but there was something salty present, too.
Sweat.
A stick crunched a few paces away from me, and I knew it was time, so I leapt from the bushes as I summoned a flame to my hand. I sent out a ball of fire at the man closest to me, and as he fell to the ground writhing in pain, I turned to the man behind him. I held up my fire threateningly, and the man cowered in fear. That’s when I recognized him from the first run through.
“Brecklen, stop,” I said in a firm tone.
“You know me?” The thief skidded to a halt, and he eyed me from beneath his dark head of hair.
“I am the God of Time,” I said in a calm voice, and my gaze was steady as I met his. “I know all things. Now, you would be wise to leave this place before you lose your life.”
“We didn’t mean no harm,” Brecklen argued.
“Now, we both know that’s a lie,” I sighed. “This is your last chance.”
The thief blinked at me for a moment, and then he staggered backward before taking off in the opposite direction.
I scanned the area for any other thieves, and when I found none, I went in search of my companions.
Ako and the girls were all waiting for me near the fire pit, and I flashed them a broad smile as I approached.
“I think the thieves are all scared off,” I announced.
“What do you want me to do with the two bodies?” Ako asked. “Or what’s left of them, anyway.”
“Bury them,” I instructed.
“Alright,” the cat-wizard replied with a curt nod.
“I’ll help,” Mahini offered.
“Do you really think they are gone for good?” Elissa asked with a worried frown. “I saw a man running into the forest, but I couldn’t catch him. He could return and try again.”
“I think I put the fear of god in them.” I smirked. “But if they come back, I can deal with them again. For good.”
“Why not just handle them permanently now?” Ako questioned in a curious tone. “Aren’t you the one who said none of your enemies remained alive?”
“There is a time for killing, and a time for mercy.” I shrugged, but my gaze went to Mahini.
The desert goddess looked at me with her ice blue eyes full of adoration and respect, so I knew I’d made the right decision by letting the thieves live. I didn’t always have to be the God of Death.
“Very well, Sir Bash,” Ako said, and he bowed his head. The cat-man turned to leave without another word, and Mahini followed behind him.
“We should dress our kills more thoroughly,” Caelia suggested in a low voice. “If they sit for long, the meat will go rancid.”
I nodded, and then I turned my attention to the game we’d brought back from our hunt. With the three ladies at my back, I crossed the distance to where we’d deposited the dead animals next to the fire pit before we’d ambushed the thieves, and then the four of us got to work. Working together made the task easier, and a short while later, we had strips of venison roasting over the fire. I enjoyed watching the not-so-timid shopkeeper’s hands efficiently cut away at the meat, but I tried not to stare too openly.
Mahini and Ako returned a few moments after the meat finished cooking, and the two looked weary from burying the cat-wizard’s other kills. They joined us around the fire, and the shapeshifter inhaled the aroma of the roasting venison greedily.
“Smells like we have perfect timing,” he observed, and his whiskers twitched as his lips stretched into a smile. “You know the way to my heart, Sir Bash.”
“I’ve been looking forward to this for days,” I replied with a smirk. “It’s my own stomach I’m interested in.”
“We only planned the hunt early this afternoon,” the cat-wizard said, and he cocked one eyebrow.
“You’ll get used to the strange way he speaks soon,” my wife informed our newest friend, and she shot me a wink. “Some of the things he says are cool as fuck.”
I laughed out loud at Elissa’s words, but Ako only looked confused.
“Who’s ready for dinner?” Eva asked, and she doled out bowls full of freshly cooked venison chunks.
We all ate noisily as we embraced our wild sides to devour the delicious meat, but it didn’t take us very long to eat everything we’d cooked. We still had plenty of food to last us for the remainder of our journey, but it would take time to smoke and cure it. We’d be enjoying a carnivorous diet for the next few days, but it was worth it.
After dinner, we banked the fire and went into our tents. I made a new save point as I followed my three women into our sleeping rolls, and the sound of their peaceful breathing lulled me to sleep.
The rest of the night passed without incident, and I woke up before the sun rose. Then I roused the three women in the tent with me before we stirred the fire back to life. Ako climbed out of his shelter a moment later, but Caelia was the last one up. Her dark hair was frizzy and tangled when she emerged from her tent, and the shopkeeper yawned as she raked her fingers through her thick locks.
The six of us ate a quick breakfast the next morning, and then we got back on the road again as the sun peeked above the eastern horizon. Goliath seemed eager to run, so I gave him a generous amount of reins and settled into my saddle.
Mahini’s mule, Warrior, made an effort to keep pace with my white stallion, and the stubborn beast eyed my steed as he drew near. Ako’s mare couldn’t be bothered to run very fast, and the cat-wizard fell to the tail of our group, but I slowed the pace after a while.
A few hours later, the sun was high in the sky, and the heat in the air grew intense, so I called for a halt. The trees became more sparse, and tumbleweeds drifted across the road, but I stopped Goliath near a bunch of shrub brush. We’d left behind the lush forest surrounding Vallenwood, and we were getting steadily closer to the domain of the Duke of Edinburg with each step.
Soon, the duke would face justice.
I gazed down the road for a long moment as I thought about my prey, but Ako came over and tapped me on the shoulder to get my attention.
“Are you hungry, Sir Bash?” The cat-wizard arched an eyebrow. “Or are you too focused on the duke to eat?”
“How did you know?” I smirked. “I’m ready to get him back in Vallenwood to stand trial. He’s been a total asshole to me for a while now.”
“We will find him,” Ako assured me. “With us working together, nothing could stand in our way.”
“I believe that.” I grinned. “You’re a very capable cat.”
“Thank you.” The shapeshifter flourished into a bow.
I turned away from the road, and I gave the cat-man an appreciative glance. He’d read me perfectly, and the distraction was well timed. Curiosity got the best of me, so I made a new save point before I cleared my throat.
“Say, Ako, what was your childhood like?” I asked in a tentative voice. “Were you close to your family?”
“Why don’t we discuss it over some food?” The shapeshifter clapped me on the shoulder. “There’s some hot venison with our names on it.”
“Do you ever get tired of eating?” I laughed, but I still followed the cat-wizard back to the rest of our companions.
Eva greeted me with a smile and a bowl full of food, and I feasted my eyes upon the blonde bombshell for a moment as I accepted the meal. Her pale skin had gotten a pink tinge to it since she’d been exposed to the sun during our travels, and her jagged blonde hair had grown a little. My fiancée blushed beneath my gaze, and her smoky gray eyes filled with love as she looked up at me.
“Thank you.” My grin widened. “Always thinking of me, aren’t you?”
“Nothing makes me happier than making sure you are happy and well,” Eva replied, and she fluttered her eyelashes. “I have lots of ideas…”
“Remind me to explore these ideas later.” I leaned down to whisper in her ear, and I got an up close look at the goosebumps as they erupted across her skin. “I’m very curious…”
“Of course, my love,” she breathed, and her lips brushed against my cheek with the softest of kisses. “I’d be happy to explore anything in the world with you.”
Her words set my blood on fire, but we were on the side of the road, and I was supposed to be eating lunch, so I took a deep steadying breath before I refocused on my food.
We ate quickly before we got back on our mounts, and we rode at a fast pace for a few more hours. When the horses began to show signs of tiring, I slowed the group down to a more leisurely gait, and I pulled Goliath back until he was neck and neck with Ako’s mare.
“We didn’t finish our conversation,” I said, and I flashed him a cheeky grin. “I’m curious about how you came to be the man you are today.”
“Ah, you are persistent, Sir Bash,” Ako chuckled. “What do you wish to know?”
“Anything you wish to tell me.” I adjusted the reins in my hands. “You said you inherit your shifting ability from your father. What else can you tell me about him?”
“He abandoned my mother and me with his people,” Ako said, and his expression turned dark. “I grew up surrounded by his kind, but without the guidance of the man who helped create me.”
“Was your mother accepted by your father’s people?” I sympathized for the cat-man since I’d also grown up without a dad, but I didn’t want to press too much during my first attempt at getting to know him. I had a save point ready just in case, and I already planned on resetting after I learned more about the shapeshifter.
“For the most part.” Ako frowned, and his gaze turned inward as his memories flashed before his eyes. “She was a strong woman, and she insisted I was treated the same as the other children even though I was a half-breed. I owe her much, but eventually every cub leaves the den.”
“Do you ever get tired of cat references?” I chuckled, but then I gave Ako a sideways glance. His face was serious, and he didn’t seem to have heard my question, so I cleared my throat. “I’m sorry. That sounds like a rough childhood. I’m sure the other kids were unkind to you. Kids always pick on anyone different.”
“So, this happens in your world as well?” Ako raised an eyebrow as he considered me with a curious expression. “Would you share stories of the world of the gods in exchange for tales of my life?”
“I can tell you about my world, yeah.” I grinned. “That only seems fair.”
“You have a deal, Sir Bash.” Ako struck his hand across the distance between our horses, and I reached over to shake it as firmly as I could from Goliath’s back. “Now, it is your turn because I have already shared a little from my childhood.”
“You didn’t finish your turn, though,” I haggled. “I have one more question.”
“Alright.” Ako inclined his head, but there was a mischievous twinkle in his honey colored eyes.
“Have you seen your father since you were a child?” I tried not to stare at the shapeshifter’s face, but the look of pain that flashed across his eyes cut into me all the same.
“No,” he stated simply, and he stared in silence at his horse’s reins for a long moment. “And I have no desire to, either.”
“Oh.” I frowned. “I’ll talk about something else next time, but thanks for telling me.”
“It is your turn, Sir Bash,” Ako reminded me.
“Maybe during the next life,” I said, and I flashed him a cocky grin before I reset back to my save point.
Chime.
“Let’s go eat,” I said to the shapeshifter, and I clapped him on the shoulder before I turned back to where the ladies waited beside the horses.
I flirted with Evangeline as I accepted my bowl of venison, vegetables, and nuts. Then I joined the others in the closest excuse for shade we could find, which was a tree so small I’d mistaken it for a bush at first.
We all talked about the change in the climate as we ate our lunch, and everyone made observations about the changes in the landscape. The ground was dry and dusty beneath the scrub brush, and sand drifted in some places. There were hints of a desert forming, but life still clung to the rugged terrain. While Ako had said the duke’s lands were over hunted, we still spotted wildlife during our journey, and everyone shared a creature sighting as we enjoyed our food.
Once the meal was completed, the six of us returned to our horses, and I instructed Mahini to take the lead. Then I fell into pace beside Ako, and I cleared my throat to get the shapeshifter’s attention.
“I’m sorry you had a rough childhood,” I said in a sympathetic tone, and I gave the shapeshifter an encouraging smile when his gaze shot to my face. “I’d like to hear more stories about your life, though. When did you leave home for the first time? Have you ever gone back to visit?”
“I have not seen my mother in years,” Ako explained with a sigh. “How do you know about my childhood? Is this one of those god things the ladies are always talking about?”
“I know all things, Ako.” I shrugged. “Well, I pick up on things very quickly. Do you mind talking to me about your past? I enjoy hearing the tales of your adventures.”
“In all honesty, no.” Ako shook his head. “I also enjoy reliving the good times. It’s the not so good times we should avoid discussing.”
“Noted.” I inclined my head. “By all means, please, tell me more about yourself.”
“Alright, Sir Bash, but don’t say I didn’t warn you. It’s a wild ride.” Ako flashed me a fanged smile before he proceeded to tell me about his travels around the world. We talked until the sun began to set, but I reset back to my save point before we made camp for the night.
Chime.
“Let’s go eat,” I said to the shapeshifter, and I clapped him on the shoulder before I turned back to where the ladies waited beside the horses.
This time, though, I didn’t ride Goliath beside Ako’s mare, and I fell into place next to Caelia instead. I rode beside the shopkeeper in silence for a long time, but we exchanged shy, flirty glances every once in a while.
“Um, Bash?” Caelia asked in a tentative tone.
“Yes?” I gave her a charming smile, and I was rewarded with a soft giggle.
“Shouldn’t we have caught up to the duke by now?” She bit her thick bottom lip, and her eyelashes fluttered. “I’m sorry if I’m being rude…”
“No, it’s a good question,” I said. “I think he is still a day ahead of us. How are you feeling about being on a manhunt? It’s not the usual activity of a general store owner.”
“No, it’s not.” Caelia smirked. “I can’t say I had dreams of going on a manhunt, but I did fantasize about having grand adventures when I was a girl. A life like that always seemed out of reach, though, so I kept my sights lower. Until now…”
“What changed?” I asked as I lifted one eyebrow.
“I-I-I don’t know,” Caelia stammered, and she struggled to maintain eye contact with me for a long moment.
“I think you do,” I pressed, and I fought the urge to pull her from her horse to squeeze her in my arms.
“You already know the answer, don’t you?” Caelia blurted, and then the words came flooding out of her in a torrent. “I haven’t been able to push the dreams to the back of my mind ever since you showed up in town. It’s like a part of me came alive, and it doesn’t want to go back in its box. I think your effect on me is more powerful than I first imagined because I find myself doing and saying things I would never do under normal circumstances.”
“Wow, Caelia, that’s probably one of the sweetest things anyone has ever said to me.” I grinned. “I’m glad you came with me. I’m really going to enjoy spending more quality time with you.”
“I-I-I,” the shopkeeper stammered, and she fiddled anxiously with her reins until her mare shook her head to break the tension. “I-I’m grateful to be in your presence, Bash.”
“I feel the same way.” I reached across the distance between us, and I took her hand gently in mine.
Caelia returned the gesture, and a smile tugged at her full lips.
I continued to ask her questions about her life until the sun began to set, and then I reset back to my save point to do it all over again. I learned as much as I could about the timid shopkeeper, and after too many hours and resets to count, I was the master on all things Caelia Stone.
The dark-skinned beauty had grown up as a servant in a lesser noble’s household, but when her parents died, the young woman set off on her own. While the world was big and scary, Caelia was lucky, and a short while after leaving her childhood home, she met a kind widow.
The shopkeeper spent the next few years working for the widow while she saved up her coins, but she left the position as soon as she had enough to open her own shop. This happened to be around the same time Elrin was founding Addington, so Caelia had seized the opportunity to open her own store.
Chime.
Chime.
Chime.
I dug into her dreams, her hopes, her fears, and I shared my own thoughts in return. With each attempt, I was able to surprise Caelia with my knowledge a little more, and soon I had a wealth of information about the shopkeeper at my disposal. Finally, I reset for the last time.
Chime.
I talked to the seductive Evangeline, ate my lunch, and observed the changes in the terrain with my companions. Then we mounted our horses and returned to our journey. Once again I instructed Mahini to take the lead, but this time I maneuvered Goliath to Ako’s mare’s side.
“I grew up without a dad, too,” I said, and I gave the shapeshifter a sympathetic smile. “I just want you to feel free to share anything with me if you ever want to talk about it.”
“Thank you, Sir Bash.” Ako’s eyebrows rose in surprise, but a pained look flashed across his honey colored eyes. “I’m sorry you must also be comfortable with this particular pain. I suppose I hurt with many, but not many feel my hurt.”
“I hope you consider me to be a friend,” I said. “I already know much of your past, but I am always willing to hear more of your adventures.”
“I do think of you as a friend.” Ako grinned, and his lips curled back to reveal his two long fangs. “And I hope you feel the same. There are many reasons I desired to join you on this quest.”
“Good,” I chuckled. “We’re on the same page.”
We talked for a little while longer before I pulled Goliath beside Caelia’s horse, and I shot the shopkeeper a wink when she met my gaze.
“I think it’s amazing how you brought yourself up from poverty,” I complimented. “You are a strong woman. Don’t ever let anyone try to convince you otherwise.”
“I feel weak sometimes.” Caelia shook her head. “But how do you know about my past? Did you read my mind?”
“Something like that,” I chuckled. “I pick up on things pretty fast sometimes, but you’re a bit of an open book.”
“I have nothing to hide from you,” Caelia replied, and she dipped her head bashfully. “Only my fears of what you must think of me.”
“I think very highly of you,” I assured her, and I was rewarded with the brightest smile I’d ever seen light up her face.
We rode until the sun began to set, and I heard a couple of my companions groaning with exhaustion from the long day’s ride when I finally called a halt. We were making good time, but we still hadn’t caught up to the duke yet. I had a feeling we were getting close, so I reminded myself to be patient.
I stretched my arms and neck out before I crawled into the tent with my three beautiful women, and I made a new save point as I got comfortable in my sleeping pad. I was asleep before my head hit the pillow, but I was too exhausted from the long day of riding to dream, and I hoped I hadn’t been snoring.
The sun wasn’t up yet when I opened my eyes, and I blinked into the darkness for a long time as I tried to figure out what had woken me up. Then I heard the retching sound followed by a wet splash against dry earth, and I sat bolt upright in the tent.
Mahini and Eva startled awake at the motion, but Elissa was nowhere to be found. I crawled out of the tent and glanced around the campsite until I spotted the red-haired beauty bent over with her hands on her knees. Her back spasmed, and her eyes welled with emotion.
Elissa was vomiting, and there didn’t seem to be much I could do about it.
This didn’t sit right with the God of Time.
I had to do something. Anything.
