Dungeon Walkers

Book 2

Daniel Schinhofen

Copyright © 2021 Daniel J. Schinhofen

No parts of this book may be reproduced in any form by an electronic or mechanical means – except in the case of brief quotations embodied in articles or reviews – without the written permission from the publisher.

The characters and events portrayed in this book are fictitious. Any similarities to real persons, living or dead, are purely coincidental and not intended by the author.

Copyright © 2021 Daniel J. Schinhofen

All rights reserved.

Contents

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty-one

Chapter Twenty-two

Chapter Twenty-three

Chapter Twenty-four

Chapter Twenty-five

Chapter Twenty-six

Chapter Twenty-seven

Chapter Twenty-eight

Chapter Twenty-nine

Chapter Thirty

Chapter Thirty-one

Chapter Thirty-two

Chapter Thirty-three

Chapter Thirty-four

Chapter Thirty-five

Chapter Thirty-six

Chapter Thirty-seven

Chapter Thirty-eight

Chapter Thirty-nine

Chapter Forty

Chapter Forty-one

Chapter Forty-two

Chapter Forty-three

Chapter Forty-four

Chapter One

Stern looked at the letter he’d finished, summing up the last few months of his life.

Dad,

I hope you, Mom, Mom, and Mom are good. I guess I should say the same for my brothers and sisters. It hasn’t been a full year, but, well... I thought you’d like a letter.

Did the last starium dungeon go well? Have the Seekers already quested farther north for the next set?

I’ve finished the first three dungeons. Cleared them all by myself. Well, me and Pawly. Pawly picked up some perks from me that enhance her in different ways. You’ll be surprised by what she can do now. She helped me more than I can even say, in the dungeons and out of them.

I had a few adventures along the way. When I made it to Bloodstone (my third city and dungeon), things took a detour from my vague plans. An old woman was crying outside the entrance, asking for help retrieving her grandchild. I did what we should all do... I went to pull her out. Bit of a problem with that. Cyra Walot (that’s the grandchild’s name) was left there by the mayor’s son.

An entire crew left her soul fractured. I might have spouted off at them and publicly vowed to pull her out. Another crew offered to help and, between us, we managed to get all her shards. I took her grandmother and the shards to the temple and got the rebirth started.

The idiot that left her behind, Skippy Bloodcoin, stopped me the next day and demanded the shards. Because he was the mayor’s son, he thought everyone should do as he said. You know how I can get with people. To make matters worse, that was after the rebirth, and Cyra and her grandmother were coming up the street behind me. Skippy sent some of his goons after them, to kill them. He and his closest minion stayed to kill me, telling me how they’d claim self-defense. Well, it didn’t go their way.

I killed them, Dad. Pawly and I... we killed them, then rushed off to help Cyra. Luckily, another crew intervened for them. Cyra made it, but her grandmother didn’t, and the other three killers were dead, too.

The guard arrested all of us. Instead of us all going free, I was hauled to the magistrate because the city was corrupt as hell. Things happened, and the Walkers turned out in force. In the end, I was cleared.

I knew that wouldn’t be the end of it for Cyra, though, and she told me what she’d hoped for. I took her through the dungeon, then we left the city to stop reprisals. We hit Brightstone and cleared it, then came back to Darkstone. We cleared the dungeon here, too, but we knew we had to train.

Cyra was a street urchin with her grandmother, and the mayor’s son had pulled strings to get her through the classes without her learning a lot. We hunkered down here and trained. Cyra’s quick and eager to learn.

Now, this is the part where you’re going to laugh. The two of us met someone, Trish Moxxy. And… well, the three of us are starting a relationship together. Yeah, go ahead, show it around to them. Okay, got it out of your system? Yes, I’m dating two wonderful women, and I understand more, now. The balance of maintaining multiple partners, but the joy of the extra love, too.

And no, to stop you all from wondering, we haven’t done that. It’s complicated, but to put it honestly, Cyra was almost raped by Skippy and his friends in the dungeon. I know Mom is saying she can help even as you read this to her. Maybe she’ll accept that help in time, but we’re making it work on our own for now.

I did tell them about you, about the family. They were shocked, but they just supported my decision and didn’t make a big deal out of it. I hope that they’ll meet you before you rush off to the next dungeon, but it’s going to be a bit before we reach that far north. Maybe we’ll meet in one of the mid-tier cities?

I do have a favor to ask, but not for me. It’s for Cyra. Her parents were Seekers and Walkers... when she was a child, too young for clear memories, her parents went looking for dungeons in the wilds. I think that was the prismatic iron or prismatic steel one? They died out there somewhere, and she doesn’t know who they were. Her grandmother didn’t tell her much. I can say that she’s part-rabbit lykian, so one of her parents must have had the traits, too. If you can, ask around? She wants to know more about her parents.

Anyway, I’m going to end this. It’s already far too long. We’re about to head off to the next set of dungeons and get our tin badges. It’s just the three (four, with Pawly) of us, but we’ll try to pick up another couple of crew members before we dive into the next set.

Oh, and thanks for everything.

Your loving son,

Alistern Masterson

Stern exhaled as he finished reading his letter. “That sums it all up.”

Trish and Cyra had been reading over his shoulders. “It looks right to me,” Trish said.

“Can they?” Cyra asked with a sniffle.

“They’ll try,” Stern said, putting his arm around Cyra’s waist. “Trust me on that.”

“I do,” Cyra whispered, then kissed his cheek.

“We’re heading out?” Trish asked Stern.

“Pick up some quests to do on the way to Waterrock,” Stern said, “then on the road north.”

Cyra wiped her face, then walked toward her room. “I’ll get my bag.”

“We need to, as well,” Trish said as she headed off.

Stern didn’t get the chance to stand— Pawly jumped into his lap, purring as she snuggled against him. “Grab mine, please, Trish?” he called after the redhead.

Looking back and seeing Pawly, Trish nodded. “Got it.”

Stern sat there, petting his oldest friend, and Pawly accepted the love as her just due. The Maine Coon purred louder as she snuggled against him.

“Thanks, fur-face,” Stern said softly, scritching her neck. “I’m fine, though. I hope they don’t come rushing down to meet them. That won’t help with my goals at all.”

Pawly yawned and shifted so he could rub her ears.

“How much do you have in this?” Trish asked, carrying two loaded bags out of his room.

“About fifty pounds,” Stern chuckled. Without warning, he lifted Pawly up and squeezed her to his chest, getting a surprised squeak from the cat. He set her back on the floor a second later. “Time to go. Lots of walking, Pawly. Do you want to—?” He cut off when Pawly waved a paw at him. “Fair enough. Go home.”

Pawly vanished bit by bit, her eyes and teeth the last things visible as she did.

“I’ve seen it dozens of times, but that can still easily be nightmare fuel,” Trish said.

“It could be,” Cyra said as she came out of her room, her bag already on her shoulders. “If she wasn’t such a loveable cuddle-bug.”

“She’s also a vicious killing machine,” Stern said as he claimed his bag from Trish. Hoisting it up, he settled it onto his shoulders and hips before strapping it on. “This is the first step for us. North to Waterrock. We need to find two or three others to join us, too.”

“There will be people looking in Waterrock,” Trish said. “There always are.”

“Because going without as close to a full group as possible is… not good,” Cyra said, having been listening to them over the last few weeks.

“Correct,” Stern said, opening the door to the suite. “We also need to come up with a name for our crew…” He trailed off, remembering the one his father had said would suit him.

“What?” Trish asked as she went past him into the hall.

“A dad-joke,” Stern sighed.

“For a crew name?” Cyra asked as she joined Trish.

“Yeah.”

When he didn’t elaborate, Trish grinned. “What was it?”

“It’s stupid,” Stern said, shutting the door behind them.

“He named Pawly,” Cyra said. “I think that name was perfect.”

“And a dad-joke,” Trish grinned wider. “Come on, Stern, spill.”

Stern groaned. “‘Pawsitively Irregular.’” He made sure to hit the first part of the name so the pun was clear.

Cyra blinked, then began to giggle.

Trish just laughed. “Yep, that’s a dad-joke. Twice, in fact. I love it.”

“Goddess, that’ll only encourage him,” Stern sighed.

Cyra touched his arm. “If it bothers you, we don’t have to use it.”

“We should, though,” Trish said, chuckling. “Let me explain.” She took a slow step toward the stairs, prompting them to start walking. “It embodies our group nearly perfectly. We have Pawly, and Stern is an irregular. Together, we’re all positive about how our irregular relationship is going to work.”

Cyra giggled again. “Okay, I can agree with that.”

Stern just groaned as he trailed the two women he loved. He could feel their happiness and their love of the name. He was mostly complaining because his dad would laugh all the harder when he found out. “Fine...” he gave in.

“Really? We don’t have to twist your arm?” Trish grinned. “Or maybe bribe you?” Her wink made it obvious what kind of bribes she’d offer.

“You both like it,” Stern shrugged. “I can just see his smile and how he’s going to laugh. I’m not against the name itself.”

Cyra took his arm as they went downstairs. “If you really don’t want to, we won’t.”

He glanced at her, then kissed the edge of one of her long rabbit ears. “It’s fine. Thanks.”

Cyra blushed, but beamed, giving his arm a squeeze.

“Checking out?” Jensen asked.

“It’s time to head off,” Stern said, handing over the keys to Jensen. “Thanks for the room.”

“Good guests are hard to find,” Jensen said. He gave them a long look, then nodded. “You three’ll be fine. I’ll see if I can’t hear about how you’re doing from the few Walkers that stay here at times.”

“That’ll be easy,” Trish grinned as she opened the front door. “Ask about Pawsitively Irregular.”

Stern winced, but led Cyra out. “Bye, Jensen.”

Cyra waved to him, and Trish laughed as she let the door close behind her.

Jensen stood there for a minute longer, then shook his head and laughed. “I bet his dad told him that one. Such a dad-joke name.”

Chapter Two

The three young lovers walked down the streets of Darkstone with light hearts. The light of day was slowly brightening the city around them. A gentle wind blew from the west, bringing the scent of the ocean with it. Sadly, it also brought the scent of the wharf, dimming the clean smell.

“What quests do you think we’ll find?” Cyra asked.

“Delivery quest is a given,” Trish said. “There’s always a delivery quest to the connected cities down at this tier.”

“True, but we’ll likely see a collection quest with the delivery point being Waterrock,” Stern added. “Might be a kill quest on the way, too.”

“We’d be best taking those, if they’re there,” Trish said.

“We’ll find out soon,” Stern said.

“Are we going to rotate camping duties?” Cyra asked.

“Nope,” Trish grinned. “You’re the cook.”

“You are the best of us in that regard,” Stern nodded. “Trish is taking over collecting firewood. Pawly and I will do the hunting, and I’ll clean up after dinner.”

“Okay,” Cyra smiled. “I’m glad you both like my cooking.”

“You have a knack for it,” Trish said.

“Agreed,” Stern nodded.

They reached the Walkers’ guildhall and filed inside. Only two tables had people at them— the occupants gave the women appreciative glances, then soured when Stern followed them in.

Stern did his best to ignore the emotions from the groups. He came to a stop behind Cyra and Trish, who’d gone straight to the quest board. Peering over their heads, he looked at the quests in the lead and tin ranks. Since they had Trish in their group, they could take any of the tin quests.

“Waterrock collection,” Trish said, tapping a notice. “Collect twenty dark willow shoots. Take to Curmudgeon’s Corner for payment.”

“Off-road for that,” Stern said, “which isn’t horrible.”

“Kill scurriflies,” Cyra said, pointing out another quest. “Redeemable in Waterrock. Bring tails to Kuster’s Coats for payment.”

“Pick them up,” Stern said. “Hmm... we should officially register as a crew while we’re here, too.”

“We should do that, then pick them up,” Trish said.

Stern nodded. “Let’s go.”

The same male receptionist who’d given Stern the delivery quest for Brightstone was sitting behind the desk. “Walkers, how may I help you?”

“We want to register as a crew,” Stern said.

“You’re the lead?” the receptionist politely.

“He is,” Cyra nodded.

“Stern is our leader,” Trish added.

“Just the three of you?”

“Yes,” Stern said, wondering why he’d been thrust forward as the leader.

“Very well. I will suggest you all find at least another couple members before tackling any of the tin dungeons,” the receptionist said as he drew out a tablet and placed it in front of them. “I need you,” he said to Stern, “to place your dominate hand on this first. Speak the name of the crew when you feel the tablet get warm.”

Stern felt the eyes on his back in the room and could hear muted voices. He knew they were questioning why Trish and Cyra were with him. He pushed the distractions away and placed his left hand on the tablet, waiting. “Pawsitively Irregular,” Stern said once the tablet had grown warm.

The receptionist blinked at him, then down at the tablet. “Remove your hand. I need both of you to touch the tablet and agree that you are part of this crew. You’ll need to remove yourselves from it if you leave, and your leader can remove you from it, as well.”

Both Trish and Cyra agreed they were part of the crew before stepping back again.

“Very well. Your crew is formed,” the receptionist said. “If you come up with a crew emblem, you can bring it to any hall and we’ll add it.”

Stern hesitated, then sighed and unbuckled his bag. “I have one.”

“You do?” Cyra asked in surprise.

“My mother draws,” Stern said. “When dad suggested the crew name, she drew up an icon for it. I think she liked his idea.” He dropped his bag and began to dig into it. “It’ll be a minute. Go pick up the quests.”

Trish chuckled as she touched Cyra’s arm. “Come on.”

Cyra hesitated. She wanted to see the emblem, but let Trish lead her away.

It took Stern a bit of digging to pull out the small scroll tube he’d been carrying since he left home. With a sigh, he opened it and pulled out the parchment inside. He thought of his parents and, knowing they’d be told about the crew before they got the letter, sighed again. He put the tube back and got his bag settled onto his shoulders and hips again.

“We got them,” Trish said, coming back with Cyra.

Cyra smiled happily, as he hadn’t shown the drawing yet.

Bag in place, Stern held the parchment out to the receptionist. “Here.”

Taking the rolled paper, the receptionist unfurled it on his desk, allowing Cyra and Trish to see it. A polydactyl cat paw in multiple colors was depicted with the crew name under it. Both women giggled as they looked at it.

“It’s Pawly’s paw!” Cyra smiled broadly.

“She’s part of the crew,” Stern said a little defensively.

“An important part,” Trish agreed, touching his shoulder. “We like it.”

“Yes, we do,” Cyra nodded emphatically.

“I will update your crew,” the receptionist said. He placed the paper onto the tablet and then pressed some buttons on the side of it.

The page glowed for a few seconds, then burst into glowing lights that got sucked into the tablet. Once the lights were gone, the tablet depicted the image.

“Your crew is registered. The icon is unique to your crew, so only you can openly display it. Most don’t ask to have their badges updated with their crew icon, but if you want to, any hall can manage it for you,” the receptionist smiled.

“Please,” Cyra said, fumbling with her badge.

“Mine, too,” Trish said as she began to pull her badge off.

Stern sighed, but feeling only happiness from them, he smiled. “Okay. Might as well make it part of being in the crew as a full member.”

“Did you want to add that to your crew rules?” the receptionist asked as he accepted Cyra’s and Trish’s badges.

“Yes,” Cyra nodded. “Can we have Stern be the one who gets all the dungeon points and payment, too?”

“We can’t do that with dungeon points,” the receptionist said. “That’s up to the shopkeepers. We can add that quest payments go to your crew leader.”

“I agree with her,” Trish said. “I know Stern won’t try to screw us… not that way, at least.” Her smirk made her other meaning clear.

“That’ll make it harder to bring others in,” Stern cautioned.

“We’ll see,” Trish replied. “A lot of crews do it that way. They expect the leader to pay for accommodations in return.”

“It means splitting the coin differently to set up a crew fund,” Stern said. “I can do it, but are you both sure?”

They both agreed, and Stern nodded to the receptionist. “Please?”

The man handed their badges back as he fiddled with the tablet, updating the crew rules. Stern looked at his badge, smiling as he rubbed his thumb across the icon of Pawly’s paw.

“See? You do like it,” Trish grinned, bumping her hip against his.

“I do. Makes it feel more like she’s a real part of the crew and not a disposable summons,” Stern agreed.

“She’s never that,” Cyra said with feeling. “Pawly is special, not a tool.”

“Agreed,” Stern said, meeting her eyes. “But watch what others think of her when they join. Don’t get angry at them right away. Summons are used as tools for everyone else. She’ll be an oddity… another oddity,” he finished lamely, thinking about himself.

“All done,” the receptionist smiled. “Anything else?”

“We’re good,” Stern said. “Thanks. We need to get on the road.”

“Safe trip, Walkers.”

“Thank you,” Cyra and Trish said as they turned with Stern for the door.

Cyra’s ears twitched as they left the hall. She’d clearly heard all the comments being made by the other groups. Part of her was furious at them for thinking and saying what they had, but she did her best to ignore them. She knew she’d have to tell Trish and Stern what she’d heard if she didn’t, and neither of them deserved that.

Trish caught Cyra’s arm, giving her a knowing look, but then a bright smile. “This is it— the open road before us, some collecting and killing and days camping in the wilderness, and maybe a chance to grow a little closer while we wander through the woods.”

“I like that,” Cyra smiled back, glad that Trish hadn’t asked her to tell her.

“Away from people,” Stern said with feeling. “We’ve stocked up on everything else already, so we’re ready.”

They started walking for the north gate. Crossing the city took some time, as it was a large city. Stern felt the eyes and emotions of those who looked his way, and he started to hunch to limit his height, and maybe get the eyes off him.

Trish traded a smile with Cyra, then let go of her arm and moved up to take Stern’s. “Bet you never thought your dungeon crew would be like this, huh?”

“No bet,” Stern said. “Though, like I told you, this isn’t out of line for my family.”

“Yeah,” Trish acknowledged. She smiled again, when Stern stopped hunching, as he walked with her. “If I recall right, your mother— your birth mother— is infernal?”

“Yeah, I’m half-infernal,” Stern nodded, “not that you can tell that.”

“You didn’t get the wings,” Cyra said. “Did you ever wish you could have them?”

“Not really,” Stern said. “I did want to fly away a few times, but I didn’t dwell on it. Besides, the lack of wings might be what gave me Pawly.”

“There is that,” Trish nodded. “You have an infernal’s vision and fire resistance. The empathic perk and the summons must be from your father.”

“Also because of what I am,” Stern added a touch bitterly.

“I didn’t want to ask and hurt you,” Cyra said, “but what does being irregular really mean?”

Stern grimaced, then exhaled softly. “No one really knows.”

“Irregulars were killed at birth for so long. It was only in the last thirty years that they really got the chance to live. The Goddess commanded the senseless killing of the babies to stop,” Trish said.

“Guess I’ll have to thank her eventually,” Stern muttered.

“There’s one thing that’s rumored to be true of irregulars,” Trish went on. “Like the name suggests, they get unusual perks. Both the empathy and summons are that.” She hesitated, then added, “Steve had one where he could ignore any damage for a few seconds.”

“That’s a known perk,” Stern said. “Diamond Skin.”

“Which is down the line from Thick Skin, Iron Skin, and a couple more,” Trish nodded, “but he had it from birth.”

Stern’s lips pursed. “Oh, that makes sense, then. And yeah, I’ve heard the same rumors. But there haven’t been enough irregulars who’ve been Walkers long enough for people to get a firm grasp of it.”

“We’ll get a good idea of it,” Cyra said. “We’re going all the way to the Goddess, right?”

Stern blinked, then gave her a smile. “I want to.”

“And we’ll be beside you,” Trish said.

“Thanks,” Stern said softly. He took in their feelings and wondered if maybe his long-hated perk might not be something he should be grateful for now.

Chapter Three

It was past noon by the time Stern found the first dark willow shoot. The small, black growth was barely a hand’s length above the ground. “Hold up!” Stern called out. “Found one.”

Reaching to the side of his bag, he pulled the spade free, then knelt down and carefully dug around the shoot. While he worked, Cyra came over to see what the plant looked like, and Trish kept a passive watch on the area.

“That’s it?” Cyra asked.

“They might grow up to a foot, but most are only a few inches tall,” Stern said.

“Oh, I had no idea.”

“It’s a common component in a lot of alchemy concoctions,” Stern explained. “I’m sure the quest was reposted an hour after we took it.”

“Then why ask for a set amount?” Cyra asked.

“To make sure they get enough to be useful,” Trish answered. “If we bring more than twenty, I’m sure the quest giver will be more than happy to take them from us.”

“I see...” Cyra said slowly. “I still have a lot to learn.”

“I’d say over half the Walkers at our level have no idea how useful black willow shoots are,” Stern said. “I do because I’ve talked with alchemists. Well, my parents did, but I was there, so I learned, too.”

“And I heard it from other crafters,” Trish grinned. “The raw goods go to specific types of crafters. I used leather and metal, but the tanners and smelters took the raw goods, not me.”

Done digging, Stern wrapped his hands around the plant, then yanked hard. There was a crunching pop sound, and the shoot came free of the ground. Broken just above the root ball, Stern nodded and set it aside.

“Why didn’t the roots come with it?” Cyra asked.

“Because those roots are sunk into this tree,” Stern said, pushing the loose dirt back over the root ball. “This shoot will regrow in a few weeks. They’re nearly impossible to kill.”

“Sunk into the tree?”

“They’re a type of parasite,” Trish said. “They pull the nutrients they need out of the tree they’re next to. Normally, it’s willows, but like this one, they’ll use other trees.”

“But…” Cyra started, then trailed off.

“If allowed to continue growing to their full length, they’ll kill the tree,” Stern said. “They’ll drain it dry and then, after a couple of years, they start to become true dark willows.”

“Which is a plant monster,” Cyra said, thinking about one of the monsters she’d learned about from Stern.

“Yup. Hard to kill monster, too,” Trish agreed, “unless you get them before they start to grow leaves.”

“When the leaves grow, they become mobile,” Stern said. “In the north, there are some dark willows that reach thirty feet tall or more.”

“So when they have leaves, they can latch onto people and drain them?” Cyra said questioningly.

“Yup,” Trish nodded.

“Shouldn’t we dig the root ball out and kill it, then?” Cyra asked.

“No,” Stern said. “If people did that, we’d run out of the shoots. The shoots are used in the healing salves, among other items. As Walkers, we need those.”

“Oh…” Cyra murmured, clearly thinking.

“Circle of life,” Trish said.

“But like this, they’re harmless?” Cyra asked.

“Yes. If it has even a single leaf growing, though, it can try stabbing you,” Stern said, “which is why you always check the shoot before digging. The closer to the root ball, the more likely it can hurt you.”

“I see. Can I dig up the next one?”

“Sure,” Stern said. “Could you reattach the spade, please?” He stood up, holding the shovel out to her as he slipped the shoot into a bag on his hip.

“Of course.”

Cyra was reaching for the spade when a chitter came from above them. Stern shoved Cyra back, using the force to fling himself backward, too. An angry scurrifly landed where they’d been standing a moment before. The monstrous flying squirrel was large— a couple of feet long and wide with its wings extended. Its bony tail just missed Stern as it hit the ground.

There was a yowl from a dozen yards away as Pawly rushed back toward them. She didn’t get the chance to reach them, as Trish had spun at the first chitter. When the beast landed, Trish smashed down with her hammer. The scurrifly’s head cracked open and the rodent spasmed a moment before going still.

“And that’s why one of us should always be on guard,” Trish said. “Are you two okay?”

“Yes,” Cyra said, leveraging herself back to her feet. “I had no idea they were so big.”

“They’re more long than wide, normally,” Stern said. “We’re fine, Pawly.”

Pawly came bounding back to them, then sniffed. She approached the dead mob and sniffed it before sneezing. After pawing it once, she nodded.

“Why did it attack?” Cyra asked.

“We were close to its tree,” Stern said. “That chitter came from above us.” He pointed into the branches above them. “We must have woken it up.”

“That would be my guess, too,” Trish agreed.

“Are we going to skin it?” Cyra asked.

“Not worth it,” Stern sighed. “Only their tails are worth a damn.” He picked up the dead beast by the tail. “Look at their fur.”

Cyra did, denoting the mottled look of the fur, then gingerly touched its back. “That’s stiff.”

“Now touch its tail,” Stern said.

Cyra did and frowned. “That’s soft... What’s that on the end of it?”

Stern used his thumb to prop the tail end up, showing off the bony knob there. “A weapon and counter weight. When they glide, they use their tail weight to keep them level. And yeah, the fur is very soft, which is why people want their tails.”

“Oh...”

Stern pulled a dagger to collect the tail. Pushing the carcass against the tree, he cut the tail off right at the base of the monster. He had to saw a little, as the tendon holding it in place was a tough one.

“I hate wasting them, but something here will find it and eat it,” Trish sighed.

“Pawly, do you want it?” Stern asked.

“Should she?” Cyra interjected.

Pawly chuffed, bumping Cyra with her head before moving over to the body on the ground. With a single bite, Pawly chomped the carcass in half. Cyra turned away, not watching the sight, and then started to walk to get away from the sounds of it. Trish went with her, giving Stern a look. Stern sighed, staying with Pawly as she finished off her snack.

When Stern caught back up to them, he fell into step with Cyra. “You okay?”

“Yes. I just wasn’t prepared for her to eat it like that,” Cyra said. “I’m fine, now.”

“Are you sure?” Stern asked gently.

“I think so. I’ll get used to it,” Cyra said. “I think it was just the fact that it was intact. The crunch of the bones…” She trailed off with a shiver.

“Hmm, okay. We’ll let her have them when we’re leaving the area,” Stern said.

“Are they really safe for her?” Cyra asked him.

“She’s never gotten sick from food,” Stern said. “Even then, if I send her home and summon her back, I’m sure that it would be fine.”

“Okay,” Cyra said. “Half of it was the brutal sight and sound, and the other was worrying that Pawly would get sick or choke on a bone.”

“We wouldn’t let that happen to her,” Trish said. “If she shows any distress, Stern will send her home.”

Cyra nodded, exhaling. “I know. It was just a worry.”

“Better now?” Stern asked.

“Yes. Sorry.”

“I’m not going to let you apologize for worrying about my best friend,” Stern said. “I’m glad you and Trish care for her.”

“Of course we do,” Trish smiled.

They lapsed into silence as they walked through the woods. Pawly chuffed ahead of them, having heard everything, a smile on her muzzle.

~*~*~

They found two more of the dark willow shoots and killed three more scurriflies as they went. Cyra had tried to pull one of the shoots, but found that she couldn’t manage it.

Cyra did hit one of the scurriflies when it came gliding out of a tree, screaming at them. It had been problematic, as she’d pinned it to the tree a good twenty feet up. Stern was able to climb up enough to snap the bolt, bringing both him and the carcass falling down to the ground. He was fine, with only his pride getting hurt.

By the third snack for Pawly, Cyra didn’t turn green. She even stood not too far away, waiting for Pawly to finish her meal. Trish was impressed with how quickly Cyra adapted. That did prompt a question from Cyra, though, about how much food Pawly could eat.

“She never seems to get full,” Stern said. “She just normally eats what we give her happily. But yeah, three of those should have filled her up.”

Pawly meowed at them, giving them sad eyes.

“Or not,” Trish laughed.

Pawly chuffed and bumped Trish’s hip with her large head.

“We’ll make you little for bed,” Stern told her. “The tent will already be snug with three of us in it.”

Cyra’s steps slowed as they walked away. “Oh, right.”

“I’m going to sleep between you two,” Trish smirked. “I’m going to enjoy it.”

“I slept next to him before and it was fine,” Cyra said softly. “In the tent, in fact.”

“That’s true,” Stern agreed, “but will you be comfortable with it?”

“I think so,” Cyra said. “Can I sleep between you both tonight?”

Stern and Trish exchanged a glance, smiles crossing both of their faces.

“Yes,” Stern agreed.

“Of course. We just thought we’d ease you into it, but if you want to dive right in, go ahead,” Trish grinned.

“Speaking of,” Stern said, looking at the setting sun, “we should find a place to camp for the night.”

“How many days is it to Waterrock?” Cyra asked.

“A week by road,” Trish said. “Going like we are, closer to two.”

“Oh. We’ll have plenty of time to change up who sleeps where, then.”

Stern gave her a sideways glance, feeling her hope. “That’s true. If you handle tonight well, we can rotate who gets to be in the middle.”

Trish’s eyes sparkled. “And if it’s me, you can both have fun.”

Cyra blushed and Stern just shook his head.

They found a good spot a few minutes later. Cyra stayed to set camp, while Trish went to grab firewood and Stern took Pawly out hunting.

Coming back into camp as the sun finished setting, Stern handed Cyra the gutted rabbit. “Here you go.”

“Oh, skinned and gutted,” Cyra said, taking the rabbit. “That’ll make this quicker.”

“Only one?” Trish asked.

“Yeah. It’s the only thing that I found nearby. The game might start showing up more after tomorrow when we get farther from the city.”

“Good point.”

“Nice collection of firewood,” Stern said, looking at the small stack.

“Found a downed tree. Was easy enough to use the hatchet to pull the bigger limbs off and trim them down. Been dead for a while, so it burns well.”

The sizzle of cooking meat came just before the scent did. All three of them felt hungry, and their stomachs soon rumbled in agreement.

“This is nice,” Cyra said as she watched the food cook. “Even more than when it was just Stern and I.”

Pawly huffed.

“Stern, Pawly, and I,” Cyra amended.

“Meow.”

“Sorry,” Cyra said, giving Pawly a smile before mixing the meat and vegetables in the pan.

“How was that?” Trish asked. “Just the two of you traveling. No issues?”

“None of that kind,” Cyra said. “Stern’s never triggered those reactions in me.” She suddenly blushed a deep red.

Stern chuckled at her surge of embarrassment.

“What?” Trish asked, wanting to know.

Cyra covered her face for a moment before exhaling loudly. “The, uh… the first night, I… might have cuddled him.”

Trish’s eyebrows went up, and she gave Stern a surprised look.

Stern chuckled. “Hang on. It was freezing, and we were back-to-back, sharing the blankets when we went to bed. When I woke up, she was curled up to my back with her arm and leg over me.”

Trish began to laugh and Cyra blushed more. “She was the one holding you?”

“She was only trying to get warm,” Stern sighed.

“I dreamt a fluffy cat was there to warm me up...” Cyra muttered.

“Well, he has a fluffy kitty,” Trish laughed harder.

Cyra was flushed red, but she giggled. “It’s fine now. I wonder if I’ll do it again, though?”

Trish grinned. “If you do, I’ll be holding you, too.”

Stern was the one blushing now. “I… wouldn’t object.”

Cyra snuck a glance at him, her heart soaring and her hope high as she went back to cooking.

Chapter Four

Stern was glad when, in the early afternoon, Waterrock came into view. “A hot bath…” His words held a wistful need.

“I’m looking forward to it, too,” Cyra agreed.

“Me, three,” Trish sighed. “Even cleaning up when we could, I still feel disgusting.”

“The long treks are always like this,” Stern said. “Nothing that can be done about it except to accept it.”

“We could have stuck to the road and had a couple of inns over the week it took to walk to the city,” Trish said, “but we don’t complete quests that way.”

“Which we need to do to make money for when we’re in the cities,” Cyra said. “I can handle it, but a hot bath sounds wonderful.”

“If you two want to go secure rooms at the inn, I can handle the quests,” Stern said.

“Rooms?” Cyra asked with a pang of sadness.

“I think we did okay together,” Trish said, glancing at Stern.

Stern had to admit that the last couple of weeks had been better than he’d thought. Cyra had curled up with both of them, no matter who slept in the middle. She didn’t panic or become fearful, even the one night Stern had his arm over her waist when she woke up.

“I… uh… was thinking about more than sleep,” Stern said slowly. “I think it’d be best to have separate rooms for that, still.”

Cyra’s face went red. She was imagining Stern being in the room when she and Trish explored each other, or if she was there when Stern and Trish did things.

Trish looked thoughtful. “Hmm... I can see your concern.”

Stern blinked as the feeling of Cyra’s embarrassment and lust hit him. “Cyra?”

“Umm... we could do a single room,” Cyra said, not looking at them. “If it gets to be too much, one of us could just leave for a bit... Right?”

Trish’s lips grew into a wide smirk. “Oh? Fluffy bunny is feeling brave?”

Cyra flushed hotter and nodded slightly.

“Okay. We can... uh, we can do that,” Stern said, his own emotions becoming tangled— eagerness, lust, worry, concern, and more became a ball of uncertainty.

“Cyra and I will take you up on the offer, Stern,” Trish said softly, taking Cyra’s hand. “We’ll head to the inn first and arrange things. We’ll probably get a bath before you get there.”

“I don’t blame you in the least,” Stern said. “It shouldn’t take too long to deal with the quests. Even then, you’ll probably have a good hour of time alone before I get to the inn, much less get a bath.”

“We’ll make good use of that time,” Trish purred, squeezing Cyra’s hand.

“Are we going to do the dungeon tomorrow?” Cyra asked, feeling a little guilty about having time alone with Trish.

“Probably not,” Stern answered her, thinking she wanted off the previous topic. “We’ll need to ask around and find at least two more to go with us. It might take a day or two to manage, as we’d like to find people who’d go on with us, not just a stop-gap for this dungeon. These three dungeons are where a lot of crews start their climb together.”

“And where most fail,” Trish said softly. “This is the first big breaker of groups.”

“Yeah, tin is that, as well,” Stern agreed. “Trish, are you going to be the one looking?”

“Might be for the best,” Trish nodded. “Two-fold— I’ll meet with them first, then invite them to meet with you both and see how they react.”

Cyra glanced at Stern, seeing his creased forehead. “They won’t go because…?”

“Many might balk because of me,” Stern said a little stiffly. “Dead weight, and a blighted.”

“But—!”

“That’s what they’ll likely think when meeting him,” Trish cut Cyra off gently. “We might know better, but it’s probable.”

“Okay...” Cyra exhaled. “We need to try to find a trap finder at least, right?”

“A big must for later dungeons,” Trish nodded. “We could use a caster of some kind, as well, preferably not entirely focused on a single element. That isn’t as big of a must have, just useful.”

“Casters can be a big help, but finding one who understands that diversity is better than a narrow focus can be harder,” Stern said. “Later Walkers know that, but down here, many just pour into a single type.”

“Is that all?” Cyra asked curiously as they got closer to the city.

“There’s a lot of variety,” Stern explained. “We have Trish for the bulwark, you for healing and extra damage, and Pawly for flexibility and damage. I wish I could do more by myself.”

“We’ll find a lot of melee-damage-oriented people,” Trish picked up his thread. “A few who might focus on the bow or crossbow.”

“Animal handlers,” Stern said, but his voice wasn’t pleasant. “Most of them are not… good people.”

“Why?” Cyra asked.

“Because their animals are more tools than friends,” Trish said. “They’ll go through a lot of salve to keep their favorites alive, but if the animal dies, they’ll train another or buy one who’s already been trained.”

“Oh... We should probably not accept one of them,” Cyra said.

“Yeah. I prefer not to, anyway. Their animals are normally aggressive, and Pawly would not get along with them,” Stern agreed.

“If I’m the first contact, we’ll have a lot of interest to start, but weeding out from there will be the rough part, especially for Stern,” Trish said.

“I’ll handle it. Besides, it’ll give us a good feel for who’ll work with us for a longer period of time.”

“There is that,” Trish nodded.

“Will me being a part of the crew help?” Cyra asked.

“It should. A lot will try masking how they feel about Stern just for the security that a healer can bring to the run,” Trish said. “Stern can let us know who’s faking it, though.”

“Which will make it harder on him,” Cyra said, her ears drooping.

“I’ve expected it all along,” Stern said, taking her other hand. “I’ll be fine.”

Cyra glanced at him with a tentative smile. “Okay. Maybe it won’t be that bad.”

“Maybe,” Stern said, but internally he winced at her saying it out loud.

“Cyra...” Trish sighed. “Those kinds of things shouldn’t be said. ‘It’ll be fine,’ ‘Maybe it’ll be nothing,’ and similar are known to make things worse.”

“Really?” Cyra asked.

“Okay, maybe not,” Trish hedged, “but it’s a commonly held belief among Walkers. I heard it as raising a flag. It’s just begging for bad luck to prove you wrong.”

Stern snorted. “Yeah, the worst being, ‘Don’t worry, I’ll be back. Nothing will stop me.’ Dad called that a ‘death flag.’”

Trish nodded. “Yeah. I’ve heard that, too. The talk of flags is only a couple of decades old.” She glanced at Stern with a raised eyebrow.

“That probably came from them. Dad says a lot of weird shit.”

“Oh...” Cyra said as they continued walking. “I still have a lot to learn.”

“And we’re here to help,” Trish said, squeezing her hand.

“Yes, we are,” Stern agreed, also squeezing her hand.

Cyra’s heart soared, a smile coming to her.

~*~*~

The city guards didn’t give them any trouble, but they did give Stern a hard look, which dimmed his attitude. Cyra squeezed his hand, helping bring him back up some before they split apart.

Stern flagged down a random patrolling guard to get directions to where he needed to go. The guard was fearful, but when Stern stayed polite, he felt embarrassed. Stern thanked him before heading off toward Kuster’s Coats first.

He found the shop; the sign outside bore the image of a fur coat and “Kuster’s Coats” written underneath. The tinkle of a bell announced Stern as he entered the building. “Hello,” he said in greeting.

The man behind the counter looked haggard. “Afternoon. How can I help you?”

“Picked up a quest in Darkstone to bring you scurrifly tails.” Stern said, confused about the angelic with light skin. All the angelics he knew were dark-skinned, and this man had the feathered white wings of an angelic.

The man looked a little happier. “Oh? How many did you bring?”

“A few,” Stern chuckled, glad that he didn’t radiate fear or hate. It took a moment for Stern to pull the sack free of his bag. “Here you go.”

Opening the bag up, the angelic grinned, showing gleaming teeth. “Ah, these will be good.” He quickly counted out the tails, his smile growing as he did. “Nice haul.”

“Thanks…?”

“Kuster. This is my shop.”

A cough came from off to the side, and Stern looked over to find a couple of women standing in the doorway. “Ladies?”

“This is our shop,” Kuster coughed. “We have scurrifly tails in.”

“Oh, zenk goodness,” the one smiled.

“We need those to complete our…” the other one started before trailing off. “Sorry. Pay him and we’ll take those.” She snagged the bag, shoving the tails into it.

Stern was impressed at how fluidly she moved. It was a lot like his mother who preferred combat. “I’m good with that arrangement.”

“Forty-two tails,” Kuster said as he quickly placed some money on the counter. “Is that good for you?”

“Sure,” Stern said, not going to complain about the extra. He collected the coins with a grin. “You do fur coats?”

“Normally, but we’ve needed these tails for something important. Did you need one?”

“Not right now, but it’s always good to keep quality workers in mind.”

“Quality is always hard to find unless you’re lucky,” Kuster grinned, giving his two wives a glance as they left the room.

Stern watched the door shut and nodded. “Lucky twice over, in fact. I hope to be that lucky.”

The angelic gave him a look, then chuckled. “Most men would hope for that. Maybe you’ll be one of us lucky few.”

“Perhaps,” Stern smiled. “Have a good day.”

“You, too.”

Stern stepped out of the shop and headed down the street. He had a ways to go to reach his next destination. He walked slouched with his hood drawn, trying to minimize his height. People glanced his way, but covered, they didn’t feel as hateful. There were a few that were curious about why he was walking with the cloak, as the weather was good.

Curmudgeon’s Corner dominated a corner of a square. Opening the door rang a bell, but also allowed the scent of the shop to waft out. It was an almost unpleasant smell— the clash of herbs and other items— but not bad enough to stop Stern.

Letting the door close behind him, Stern looked around the shop. He saw a balding head bent over something behind the counter. “Excuse me, sir?”

The man muttered a grumbled complaint before he looked up. “What do you want?” the old dwarf asked with a glare at Stern.

Stern blinked— the man was irritated, not angry or fearful. “I have a quest to turn in,” Stern replied.

With another unintelligible mutter, the dwarf stood up, placing a book on the counter. “Fine. Let’s get it over with.”

“Sure.” He was a little upset himself, now, and wondered at the grumpy man’s demeanor. “Dark willow shoots,” Stern said as he untied the sack from his backpack and set it on the counter.

The dwarf sighed and opened the sack, counting them out. “Useful.”

Stern looked at the book on the counter, Darkness Incarnate.

“What?” the dwarf nearly growled.

“I don’t know the book,” Stern said slowly, wondering if the name of this shop wasn’t a bit too on point.

The dwarf paused, giving Stern a long look. “You read?”

“Used to, before I became a Walker.”

“Don’t give it up just because of that,” the dwarf said. “You have plenty of time between runs to read.”

“Maybe. I wouldn’t know what to read anymore.”

“This one is interesting,” the man said, tapping the cover. “About a great evil that devours worlds.”

“Fiction?”

“Yes, fiction is fascinating. The fact that someone can imagine worlds from whole cloth...” The dwarf was now radiating happiness.

“I’m Stern.”

“Ah, sorry. Drelorin Billson. I’m the owner.”

“But your real passion is books,” Stern said.

“A hobby, but yes. I even came up with a ranking system, not that anyone cares.”

“I actually do know someone who would,” Stern said. “I’ll send them a letter. They love books, as well.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. She’ll find time between runs, no doubt about it.”

“Hmm... I would enjoy having someone to discuss them with.”

Stern gave the balding, white-bearded dwarf a smile. “I’ll drop her a letter before I leave the city. Might take her some time to come all the way down from the north, but she’ll come.”

“Thanks. Now, let’s get this done so I can go back to my book.”

“Sounds good,” Stern grinned.

Chapter Five

Arriving at The Walker’s Respite, after dropping a letter off, Stern was looking forward to the bath. The inn was moderately busy when Stern walked inside, and the majority of those present had badges attached to their clothing. Heads turned his way and Stern felt the anger, hatred, fear, and revulsion in a solid wave.

Face going stiff, Stern stood all the way up and pushed his hood back. He looked over the room, then headed for the bartender. The attractive woman behind the bar gave him a long look. It wasn’t hostile, but it wasn’t exactly friendly, either.

“Can I help you?” she asked.

“My crew should have rented a room already,” Stern said, doing his best to keep the emotions from influencing his voice. “Which room are they in?”

“Oh,” the bartender said and her expression softened some. “Bunnicorn helmet and rabbit lykian?”

“Trish and Cyra,” Stern agreed.

“Top floor. They took one of the crew suites,” the bartender said, her voice starting to warm. “Sorry. They did warn me, but it’s just…” She shrugged, then looked over his shoulder. “He’s an irregular, not a blighted, so knock that off. He’s also a Walker, in case you missed seeing his badge.”

The emotions in the room spiked, then most of them shifted or died off. Stern exhaled slowly and gave her a nod.

“I’m Sara Chapple, owner of this establishment. You’ll see my husband in the mornings, and my kids will be handling the chores. If anyone gives you trouble in here, Walker, we’ll handle it. Understood?”

“Yes, ma’am,” Stern replied, feeling curiosity rising above everything else in the room. “Which room did they take, so I can drop all this and go bathe? We’ve been in the wilds for a couple of weeks.”

“They arranged food to be brought up to the room for dinner. Said you’d all likely relax tonight before looking for more members.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Top floor, room C-4.”

Stern smiled, thinking of a dadism about explosives. “Thank you.”

Muttered conversations followed Stern, but he ignored them, just glad the feeling in the room wasn’t oppressive anymore. Goddess, why do us irregulars look like the blighted? Isn’t it bad enough that we’re not normal? To have us look like the monsters of the north, though…? It makes it so much worse. Guess I should be glad I wasn’t just killed at birth. Not that Mom or Dad would have allowed that.

Reaching the fifth floor, he went down the hall and noted seven doors, then found the one clearly marked C-4. He tapped on it before he walked in. Much like the suite they’d shared in Darkstone, this had a central room with a comfortable sitting area and dining table. Four doors split up the sides of the room, with two on each wall.

“Trish? Cyra?” Stern called out.

A gentle cry of pleasure came from one of the doors on the left, and Stern smiled. Shaking his head, he took one of the rooms on the other side of the suite. Dropping off his gear, he dug out his clothes— he had to wash the set he was wearing, and he wanted clean clothing for after his bath.

“I’ll put the rest away, afterward...” Stern muttered to himself as he summoned Pawly. “Hey, fur-face, we made it to Waterrock. The other two are in Cyra’s room. I’m on my way to the bath, but thought you might want to relax for a bit.”

Pawly purred and twined against his legs.

“I’ll give you some kibble. Dinner isn’t for a bit, yet,” Stern chuckled.

Pawly huffed, then headbutted his leg.

“Yeah, you’re still cute.” Stern dug out the container of kibble and poured some into the small, wooden bowl he used exclusively for her food. “Your food, your majesty. I’m off to bathe.”

Pawly purred, already eating her kibble.

Stern crossed the main room, feeling the pulses of love and lust from the closed room as he heard more cries of pleasure. He wondered if Trish would join him later after his bath. Cyra wasn’t ready yet, but maybe Trish and he could do at least as much as they had before. With a hopeful sigh, he left the room. He knew he needed to be clean before that happened.

He’d spotted the other set of stairs on the second floor and figured those went down to the bathing rooms. When he went down, he was proven right. Four doors were marked as baths, and two had door hangers that showed them as in use. Picking one of the others, he knocked, listened, then entered.

The room held a single tub, but it was big enough for two. The door hanger was on the inside handle, so he switched it to the outside, then shut the door and threw the latch. The tub was copper and had the runes for water, so Stern stripped down and got the tub filled with hot water.

“Glad the baths were down a second stair,” Stern murmured. “Would have hated to go through the main room again right now.”

He took his time, making sure he was as clean as possible and that his clothing was scrubbed, too. Once that was done, he soaked himself, letting the hot water ease his muscles, not that he needed it. They’d found that it was at daybreak when Cyra’s healing came back, so they’d taken to using her healing to ease their sore muscles before they went to bed.

When the water finally got too cold, he got out. He cleaned up the room as much as he could, then got dressed and grabbed his drying clothes. Opening his door, he found a couple of people standing at the bottom of the stairs.

“This one is open,” he said.

The dwarven pair gave him a hard look, but the woman jerked when she saw his badge. “Walker?”

“Yes,” Stern said a little stiffly.

“But…” the man trailed off as he looked at the badge.

“An irregular,” the woman said. “I’ve heard of them, but never thought I’d see one. Sorry.”

“It’s fine,” Stern exhaled as their emotions relaxed. “I cleaned up as much as I could, but the staff hasn’t gone over it.”

“Hmm... they seem busy,” the guy said. “You want to use the room, Cammie?”

“I’d like to. Thank you…?” Cammie said questioningly, looking at Stern.

“Stern, Pawsitively Irregular,” Stern said.

They stared at him, then Cammie started to laugh. “Oh, goodness. At least you’re owning it.”

“Laugh or cry,” Stern shrugged, but his lips inched upward at the corners.

“I’m Cammie Urs, and this is my brother, Vulk Urs.”

“A pleasure,” Vulk said, still staring at Stern with a mix of emotions.

“Mine, too,” Stern said. “Have a good evening.”

“Wait,” Cammie said. “The crew name and you have something in common... Is it your crew?”

Stern blinked at her slowly. “Yes.”

The siblings exchanged a glance. “Do you have room for more?”

Now, Stern stared at them both for a moment. “Possibly. Our bulwark was going to look for the right people to fill the gaps tomorrow. Are you staying here?”

“We are,” Vulk nodded.

“I’ll let her know, if you’re interested,” Stern said, surprised at how things were going.

“We are,” Cammie said, then elbowed her brother when he started to speak. “Aren’t we, Vulk?”

Vulk rubbed his gut, then nodded once. “Yes.”

Stern wasn’t sure Vulk really was, but Cammie had only curiosity and interest in her eyes. The same emotions radiating off of her, but a hint of annoyance came when she looked at her brother.

“Tomorrow, breakfast?” Stern suggested. “Say... seven?”

“Perfect!” Cammie said quickly. “We’ll see you in the taproom.”

“Okay,” Stern said. “See you then.” He gave them a nod, then went up the stairs.

Vulk’s faint voice trailed Stern, “What if he isn’t really an irregular?”

“Idiot. If he was blighted, he wouldn’t have the badge,” Cammie sighed.

Stern couldn’t blame Vulk— he knew a lot of people would still worry, even if they were told he wasn’t blighted. Cammie being so open and interested, then asking about the crew, had nearly broken his mind with it being so odd.

He was lost in thought when he made it back to the suite. He stopped when he entered the main room, as Trish and Cyra were sitting on one of the sofas, chatting.

“Good afternoon,” Stern greeted them happily.

“Yes, it is,” Trish grinned. “Nice to see you’re all cleaned up.”

Cyra felt a little sad, though she smiled at him. “The bath was nice.”

“Why the sadness?” Stern asked her.

“Because they didn’t have a room with a bed that the three of us could share,” Trish replied. “I did ask. This was the best they could do for multiple connected rooms, too. Then, I thought about us roping more people in and thought it’d be for the best.”

“Probably is,” Stern agreed. He gave Cyra a soft smile. “This might not be what we’d hoped for, but it’s still okay. If we’d had a single room, I would have had trouble going to get my bath.”

Cyra blushed. “Oh, I guess that’s true. Did you…?”

“Heard and felt you,” Stern said, his own face heating a little, “yes, I did. And Trish had a point about when we get others. It’s good to bond with your crewmates. A shared living space will help with that.”

“Okay,” Cyra said, but she was wistful. “I’d just hoped to slowly expand things.”

“We still can,” Stern told her. “Let me hang my wet clothes.”

“We’ll be right here,” Trish said as she pulled Cyra gently to her side.

Stern didn’t dawdle, getting his clothes hung before going back to the pair on the sofa. “Oh, before I forget, we have breakfast in the taproom at seven in the morning.”

“We do?” Trish asked.

“I ran into a brother and sister who asked about the crew,” Stern said.

“Really?” Cyra asked with wide eyes.

“Yes, but we don’t know what they can do,” Stern said. “I said Trish would need to talk with them. Cammie, the sister, was curious and open. Her brother Vulk, though... he still felt a bit worried and afraid. They were dwarves, and young, like us. Their badges were filled with the lead dungeons, so they haven’t cleared a tin one, yet.”

“Hmm... interesting,” Trish mused. “This might go a lot faster than we thought. How did all the selling go?”

“Fine in both places,” Stern said. “Did you want your cash?”

“Add it to the party fund for now,” Trish said. “This place is a small silver a night, with two meals per person, moderate drinks, and baths. Even if we had six people, the price wouldn’t go up.”

“Okay. We don’t want to stay the week, then,” Stern said. “We can easily manage a couple of days, though. Kuster was happy to pay for the tails. I hope the dwarves are perked well. We’ll find out tomorrow.”

“Yes, we will,” Trish murmured, then glanced at the window. “We have at least an hour before dinner arrives. Cyra, are you sure?”

“I’d like to try.”

Stern went still, feeling the lust from the pair, along with Cyra’s worry. “Try?”

“I’m going to have some fun with you and, if you’re okay with it, Cyra will watch. She wants to see you, and it’ll help her know you aren’t a ravenous beast who will hurt her.”

Stern swallowed as the idea sunk in. “Oh, uh… I mean… sure?”

Trish giggled and Cyra blushed a deep red.

“Okay. We’ll go slow. If needed, Cyra will leave. That also applies if you feel uncomfortable, Stern,” Trish said as she kissed Cyra’s cheek. “We understand if the idea of her watching is uncomfortable.”

“Okay,” Stern nearly croaked. “I’ll let you know.”

Cyra felt joy in her heart, and her worry ebbed some. If she could take this step, then maybe it wouldn’t be that long until she could do more with Stern herself.

Chapter Six

Taking seats at a table in the taproom, Stern motioned at the girl with a tray. “Miss?”

She turned his way with a smile, though that faltered the moment she saw him. Swallowing her fear, she came up to their table. “How can I help you?”

“Breakfast for the three of us,” Stern said, then looked at the women with him. “Black tea?”

“Black tea is fine,” Trish nodded.

“Yes, please,” Cyra added.

“And black tea for all of us, please,” Stern told the serving girl. “Room C-4.”

Her fear had faded, and the girl stared at him for a long moment. She jerked back a step when Pawly meowed. “A cat?”

“My summons,” Stern said. “Pawly.”

“A summons?” The serving girl smiled. “I wish I had a cat summons. I’ll bring your meal right out.”

“Cute girl,” Cyra smiled. “She was nice.”

“Fearful to start, but she got over it,” Stern said softly. “Glad it’s not busy in here.”

“Those needing a crew are at the dungeon asking around, or in the Walkers’ hall doing the same,” Trish said. “I’d have waited a couple of hours, then started asking among those who’d failed to find a group.”

“Hmm, a good plan,” Stern said.

A minute later, the serving girl came back with a kettle and cups. “The tea. Breakfast will be out shortly.”

“Excuse us,” Cammie said, coming up to the table. “Breakfast?”

“We just ordered,” Stern told her.

“Oh, good. May we join?” Cammie asked, looking at Cyra and Trish.

They gave Cammie and Vulk an appraising glance before Trish nodded. “Of course. We have black tea, unless you want something else.”

“Dark ale,” Vulk grunted, taking a seat. “Breakfast.”

“Tea is fine, but I also need a breakfast, please.”

“Of course,” the serving girl smiled before leaving them.

“Trish, Cyra, these are Vulk and Cammie Urs,” Stern said, doing introductions.

“A pleasure,” Cammie smiled, but Vulk just stared at Stern.

“Stern said you were looking to join the crew,” Trish said. “Is that right?”

“We’ve been asking around the last couple of days, but haven’t had anyone take us on,” Cammie said.

“Should keep looking,” Vulk said tightly, eyes still on Stern. He grunted, clearly in pain for a moment.

“Excuse him, please,” Cammie sighed, shifting in her seat. “One of the reasons we’ve had a hard time getting invited is because my brother doesn’t know how to be civil.”

“Ah, and since Stern is with us, you think we might understand having someone who doesn’t get along with others,” Trish asked politely.

Cammie’s jaw sagged a moment before she coughed. “A bit more blunt than I would have put it, but broadly. That, and I’ve heard of irregulars before. I know they aren’t blighted or cursed, no matter what some say.” Her elbow slammed into Vulk’s side just as he opened his mouth. “We’re fine with Stern.”

“You are,” Stern said tightly. “Your brother hates me.”

Cammie jerked and looked at Stern while Vulk nodded. “Cursed,” Vulk said before he winced again. “Stop kicking,” he complained to his sister.

“Then stop being an ass!” Cammie snapped. “We’ve been here for days! Our money is running out, and we’ll have to do more quests before we even get a single tin dungeon done!”

“Your ale,” the server said softly a few feet from the table.

Cammie gave her a smile. “Sorry. I’ll take it.” She held out her hand, accepting the mug. “I’m sorry.”

The server nodded, then hurried away.

“And you’re scaring the staff!” Cammie snapped at her brother.

Vulk sulked. “You are.”

“At least you love each other,” Cyra said softly.

Cammie sighed. “Just us and Mom left. We need to advance to help her. This is not advancing.” She stared at her brother. “Now, are you going to endanger Mother?”

Vulk lowered his eyes to the table. “Sorry, Cam.”

“Good.” She put the mug down in front of him before turning back to Trish with a wide, hopeful smile. “We can be useful.”

Trish watched the byplay, then nodded. “Perhaps. We need to discuss perks and see if you’ll fit in.” She glanced to the side and nodded. “After breakfast, perhaps?”

Cammie nodded, her hope fading a little. “Of course.”

“Stern is the crew leader,” Trish added, looking at Vulk. “Is that going to stop you?”

Vulk took a small sip of his ale and shook his head, not looking at Stern. “No.”

“Let’s eat, then,” Trish said, giving the server a smile. “Thank you.”

“Of course,” the server said as she quickly placed a bowl down for everyone. “Enjoy.”

Stern looked down at the soup before him, a little surprised. Picking up the spoon that came with it, he stirred the dark broth and found pieces of egg, sausage, and potatoes. “Breakfast soup? Been a long time since I had one.”

“Oh,” Cyra said, as she had done the same. “How interesting.”

“It’s their standard breakfast,” Cammie said. “Tasty and filling.”

“Smells good,” Trish said when her stomach rumbled. She took a spoonful and smiled happily.

Stern copied her, letting the pork broth carry the flavors. It was lightly peppered, but had a nice bite of garlic. The sausage was pork and not overly salty, giving the meal a good heartiness. The eggs had been soft boiled and cut into rings— the yolk melted into the broth, giving it a creamy texture by the end.

They all finished within a minute of each other, every bowl cleaned to the last bite. The server collected their bowls, letting them know she’d pass their kind words along to her grandmother. She had even brought them a second kettle before leaving them to their discussion.

“Alright,” Trish sighed happily. “Now we can get down to business. First, let’s state the position of the crew and see if you’re still interested.”

“Okay,” Cammie said, sitting forward. “I have to ask about the cat, though.”

“She’s my friend,” Stern said without explaining further.

“I see,” Cammie said. It was obvious that she didn’t understand, but didn’t want to push it.

“Firstly, if you join as a full member of the crew, you’d need to update your badges,” Trish said, tapping hers to show them the crew icon on it. “We’re going to spread our name. Secondly, we’re going to be looking at Rescue Squad, so we won’t be running all the dungeons three times.”

Cammie nodded slowly. “Both of those are fine. Are we going to run them twice?”

“No,” Stern said softly. “Rescue Squad doesn’t come down this far, but pulling souls out still happens at this tier. We’ll be looking to pull souls as often as we can. No Walker should be left fractured.”

Vulk just sipped at his mug, but his emotions were held tightly.

“Most of the soul requests down here don’t match what could be made from using the dungeon points differently,” Cammie said slowly. “I’m not opposed, but we also need money.”

“Speaking of money,” Trish said, feeling like this wasn’t going to work out after all, “our quest rewards are collected by Stern. He splits them, with an equal share being set aside to pay for the crew’s needs. That includes room and board.”

Cammie had started to object, but then nodded slowly. “I can’t fault that idea. We’d all have to pay anyway, so having a crew fund makes sense.”

“I know the cost of bringing soul shards out,” Stern said. “I’ll match that payment to you and your brother. It’ll help make it easier to not run the dungeons multiple times and make sure you can help your mother.”

Vulk blinked, then sat forward. “Why?”

Stern stared into Vulk’s eyes. “Because family is precious. I have brothers and sisters who will be Walkers in the coming years. I need to hold my runs open, just in case, but I don’t want to hinder members of our crew, either.”

“That’s generous,” Cammie said, giving her brother a pointed look. “Just us? Not them, too?” She nodded at Trish and Cyra.

“We’re in a relationship,” Trish said with a smile.

Cammie blinked slowly for a moment. “The three of you?”

“Yes,” Stern said.

Cyra was red, but she nodded.

“Oh. Well then, that won’t influence how the dungeon points are spent, will it?”

“No. Everyone will have an equal share if we can’t agree on spending them as a group,” Stern said. “I hope we never have to do that, but we might.”

“That’s fine, then,” Cammie smiled.

“Now, why should we take you?” Trish said.

“Perks,” Cammie exhaled slowly. “Okay. Vulk is up to Iron Skin, uses both hands to wield axes, can cut through light armor, and the wounds he leaves bleed. Of course, he and I are good with seeing in the dark and are resistant to poison. I’m good at dismantling mechanical problems, making simple traps, and cracking locks. I also have Thick Skin, as a lot of the lower traps are simple needles.”

“A trap finder?” Trish said. “And you had a hard time finding a group?”

“I won’t go without my brother, and... well…” She glanced at Vulk, who frowned at her. “He’s a problem child.”

“You failed to tell them how often you break things,” Vulk snorted.

“Breaking things?” Trish asked.

Cammie looked away, a touch of pink coloring her cheeks. “I have a tendency to fiddle with things if I’m bored or stressed. I can pull a lot of things apart, but I’m not as good at putting them back together.”

Stern chuckled. “So you’re a deconstructor more than a maker?”

Cammie frowned at him, then sighed and nodded. “Yeah.”

“I can kill a lot of things,” Vulk grunted. “I’m not a bulwark because I use both hands to attack. If I just used a shield and tried to protect others, we’d have found a group easier. But why hinder myself by taking away a source of damage?”

“What about you three?” Cammie asked quickly. “Stern said you’re the bulwark.”

“Yes, I’m the bulwark. A quick rundown for each of us…”

Trish explained her perks, which had Cammie nodding. Cyra then explained hers, and both Cammie and Vulk sat forward eagerly when they heard she was a healer.

“We’ll accept,” Cammie said.

“Yes. Healing can help keep us alive,” Vulk nodded.

Stern stayed quiet as they dismissed him with Cyra being a healer. Cyra glanced at him, and he just shook his head.

“Okay, we’ll do our run tomorrow. If we can find a balance, we’ll get you added as members of the crew,” Trish said. “Fair?”

“Fair,” Cammie grinned. “Thank you so much.”

“I’m glad I can finally do what I was born to do,” Vulk grunted.

“Meet at sunrise for breakfast,” Trish told the siblings. “We’ll likely be pulling shards tomorrow.”

“Okay,” Cammie said. “I need to make sure my gear is in order. Come on, Vulk.”

“Yeah,” Vulk nodded. “Tomorrow.”

When they’d left, Stern exhaled. “They stopped even thinking about me. Guess we’ll spring Pawly on them tomorrow.”

Cyra giggled when Pawly huffed. “They’ll be impressed.”

Pawly meowed, then waved a paw at Stern.

“Okay, go home. See you for dinner?”

Pawly nodded as she faded away.

“We should go check on shards,” Stern said. “We’ll pick a quest now so we can eat and go tomorrow.”

“Yes,” Trish nodded. “Then, we have the rest of the day to get our gear in order. We’ll be turning in early tonight to get good sleep. This dungeon will be longer and harder... I don’t want us not being prepared.”

“We’ll be ready,” Cyra said as she stood up. “Let’s go.”

Stern got to his feet. “Best to do it before everyone comes back from the dungeon. Did you want to try finding a sixth, Trish?”

Trish hesitated, then shook her head. “Not right now. I’ll ask around this afternoon. I want to see if a caster is available and talk to them myself, first.”

“Okay.”

Trish rose and led the way to the door. “Let’s see who we can save.”

Chapter Seven

Stern returned Cyra’s kiss happily. His arms were around her waist, and he drew her in to lean across his torso. Cyra felt lust and love in equal measure, radiating no fear at all in the moment. When the kiss ended, Stern gave her a smile. “Good morning, Cyra.”

“Good morning,” Cyra smiled back, staying where she was stretched across his pectorals. “I feel good today.”

“Yes,” Stern said as he squeezed her lightly. “That’s a wonderful feeling.”

“I think seeing you and Trish the other day helped. You were so concerned for me, even when she was scrambling your brains,” Cyra giggled.

“I was,” Stern agreed, his body reacting to the memory.

“I talked with Trish last night, after…” She trailed off, biting her lip gently. “And we think that maybe I can go a little further tonight. Not like her, but maybe a little closer... if you’re okay with that?”

Cyra’s worry spiked as she asked, and Stern ran a hand gently down her back. “If you’re sure, then yes. I would welcome anything. I just don’t want you hurt. You mean too much to me for me to let my lust control me unthinkingly.”

Cyra swallowed hard, her love for Stern spiking, and she kissed him again. It was demanding, deep, and passionate as she tried to show him how much his care for her meant to her.

Stern groaned and broke the kiss before she was ready. “Cyra, we need to stop. We have a dungeon to run,” he panted lightly.

Cyra blinked slowly at him, not having wanted to stop, but his words penetrated her brain. “Oh, right. I… sorry.”

“No,” Stern soothed her. “Nothing to be sorry for. Your kisses are starting to make me want more, and it’s not time for that, yet.”

Cyra blushed, but she was smiling as she leaned over him. “As much as you want Trish?”

“Yes,” Stern said, meeting her green eyes. “Equally.”

Cyra beamed, then leaned down and rested her forehead against his. “And I want you as much as I want her. I’m going as slow as I can because, if I rush, it might mean a setback. So I end up awkwardly trying to do more, but hold back, too.”

“I know,” Stern whispered. “As much as you love me, I love you back. Trish loves us both just as much, too.”

Cyra sighed softly, then sat up beside him. “Okay. We’ll be waiting for you.”

“I’ll hurry,” Stern said when Cyra got off the bed.

It was only a few minutes later when Stern came out of his room, buckling his backpack in place. “I’m ready.”

“The full bag?” Trish asked.

“My parents have told me of their runs,” Stern said. “The later dungeons go a lot easier if you have your bag… from the length of the dungeon to things like needing rope.”

“Hmm...” Trish said. “That would hinder my ability to fight.”

“Cyra and I should be the ones to carry them,” Stern said. “Anyone who’s going to end up in melee can just carry a first aid kit.”

Cyra was already heading for her room. “I’ll grab my full bag. Train as you fight, right?”

“In this case, fight as you fight,” Stern chuckled, “but yes.”

Trish tapped the back of her belt. “I have my kit. What you say makes sense... I wonder how the siblings will take the bags?”

“We’ll find out shortly,” Stern said.

“True enough,” Trish agreed.

Cyra came out, buckling her pack on. “Okay. I’m ready.”

“Let’s go,” Stern said. He grinned at Pawly, who was already sitting by the front door. “Sorry, your majesty. Your attendants needed their gear to serve you.”

Pawly meowed and lifted a paw as if in benediction.

Cyra giggled. “She’s always so cute.”

Stern and Cyra had to put their bags beside them when they took seats at the table. Pawly claimed the chair to Stern’s left again. The same serving girl came out to take their order, but paused when she saw the dwarven siblings coming to the table.

“Breakfast, dark ale,” Vulk said as he dropped into a chair.

“Breakfast and tea, please,” Cammie said, giving her brother a glare.

“Please,” Vulk added, looking away from his sister.

“Five breakfasts, a kettle of black tea, and one dark ale,” the girl said before hurrying away.

“Why the bags?” Vulk grumbled.

“Later dungeons require many things,” Stern replied a bit tersely, unable to help himself. “Rope, spikes, sleeping bags. I will always carry my bag, as we might need the items later, and getting used to it now is just smart.”

“You’re not going to fight?” Vulk snorted.

“Brother,” Cammie said overly-sweetly as she turned a death glare on him, “are we going to have to talk again?”

Vulk looked away from her. “No. I don’t remember hearing his perks yesterday, though.”

“Because you both agreed and left before I could,” Stern shrugged. “And my perks are easier to show than explain.”

“We’ll explain in the dungeon,” Trish said. “Stern was the bulk of our damage before.”

Vulk snorted softly. “I see.”

Pawly hissed and glared at Vulk. He jerked, startled.

“Easy,” Stern said, soothingly rubbing Pawly’s head. “He’ll learn.”

Cammie frowned, clearly trying to put things together, but was derailed when the server came back with the kettle and cups for the table and her brother’s ale. “Thank you, Keita.”

“You’re welcome,” Keita replied, her gaze going to Pawly. “Is the kitty nice?”

Stern gave Keita a nod. “To those who respect her. She also loves petting. Did you want to try?”

Keita looked back at the bar where her father was serving someone. She nodded, then moved around the table and held her hand out to Pawly. Pawly sniffed it, then pushed her head into the girl’s palm. Keita smiled and gave Pawly a light scratch behind the ears.

“Keita, breakfast is up!” an older woman called from the kitchen.

Keita scurried off, glancing at her father who gave her a questioning look. “Sorry, Father.”

Her dad looked toward their table, frowning when he saw Pawly’s head. “Hey, the cat—?”

“Is mine,” Stern said. “A summons. She won’t leave a mess.”

“A summons? Well, okay…” The man was clearly doubtful, but he did his best to keep his suspicion and distrust off his face.

“A summons?” Vulk asked. “The cat?”

Pawly growled softly, eyeing Vulk like he was lunch. She cut off when Stern stroked her head.

“We’ll explain in the dungeon,” Trish said again, firmly, “unless you want to walk away now?”

“No!” Cammie said quickly. “We’ll wait. Won’t we, Vulk?”

Vulk grumbled under his breath. “Fine. Whatever.”

Keita was back with their food a minute later. It was the same breakfast soup as the day before. She wished them all a good day and, with another look at Pawly, left them to eat.

Stern and Cyra both pulled out chunks of sausage for Pawly, who ate them as if it was her just due. Cammie watched with interest while Vulk snorted softly.

There was some tension, as Vulk was obviously not sold on the idea of Pawly being a summons. That meant they ate in silence, leaving the inn in the same silence.

~*~*~

Cammie led them to the dungeon behind the Walkers’ hall. The wooden overhang took up half the space of the inn. The support posts for the covering were steel and looked aged, but cared for.

The guards stood around a waist-high wall, allowing a single group at a time over it. All around, groups of Walkers were waiting to go in or talking to others. Stern could pick out the loners or pairs who were hoping for groups. A lot of attention turned their way when someone noticed Stern and quickly spread the word. The conversation dropped off, and the majority of the Walkers stared at their group.

“Problems?” Trish asked as she took up a broad stance.

“He’s not blighted, right?” an angelic man asked, his wings rustling nervously behind him.

“Irregular,” another said. “He’s staying at the inn. Innkeeper told us to leave him be.”

“A crew?” an elven female asked.

“Pawsitively Irregular,” Cyra said. “We’re pulling shards today.”

Silence followed her word for a second before someone laughed. More joined in until laughter filled the open air. Pawly was unsure if they were laughing at her, so she bristled a little. Stern could feel contempt, amusement, and curiosity, but the anger and fear had faded.

“What happened to your armor?” a dwarf asked.

“Camouflage,” someone else answered. “I hear a lot of the Rescue Squad has taken to doing it. Darkhand does it, and it’s spreading.”

“It looks ugly as sin. Darkhand really does that?”

“At least the colors aren’t bright and gaudy,” someone else said.

The conversation turned away from them and toward the last speaker who was suddenly trying to answer questions.

Trish approached the guards, as no one else had. “We’d like to go in. The five of us.”

The captain looked the group over, then at Pawly. “Cat?”

“Summons,” Stern said tightly, aware that some were still listening in.

“The cat?” the captain asked incredulously.

Stern sighed, then enlarged Pawly. That got a lot of attention, especially when she chuffed and shook. “Yes.”

“Right… uh, go ahead.”

Trish looked over the wall and found swirling mist on the ground. “I almost forgot the drop.” Without another word, she stepped over the wall and dropped into the mist.

Cammie and Vulk went right after her. Cyra looked at Pawly, who chuffed, before she vanished. Stern looked back at the stunned expressions, ready to go after his friends, when someone yelled at him.

“Hey! You got a summons and an upgrade for them, already?”

Stern snorted, then motioned to Pawly. “I thought it was obvious.”

A couple of people laughed.

“But in what dungeons?” the questioner pressed.

“Dude!” someone snapped. “That isn’t right.”

“But—!” the questioner started to defend himself.

Stern didn’t stay to listen— he just hopped over the wall and vanished. The crowd jerked when Pawly was suddenly gone from where she’d been sitting a few feet from the guards.

“She really was a summons,” another person said, causing more conversations to pop up.

The captain watched the Walkers, then glanced at the dungeon entrance. Pawsitively Irregular, hmm…?

Chapter Eight

Stern blinked— the transition from hitting the swirl to being inside the dungeon was instantaneous. He was just standing there, not falling, as his mind had wanted to tell him he was. “That was disconcerting.”

“Lots of Walkers hate this dungeon because of the entrance,” Trish said. “It disorients you.”

“Yes,” Cyra said.

“She’s huge,” Cammie whispered, staring at Pawly with bright eyes.

Pawly huffed, looking away from Cammie.

“What did I do?” Cammie asked.

“She’s sensitive about her size,” Stern said with an eye roll. “Anything about her weight gets her huffy.”

Pawly let out a soft yowl which echoed in the stone room.

“Pawly, let’s keep it down, please?” Trish asked. “We don’t know what the mobs are and we don’t want to bring them all to us.”

Pawly chuffed, moving to the hallway.

Stern looked over the dungeon room. It was a cavern made of natural stone, with dim light coming from two patches of glowing moss by the tunnel. They provided the only illumination in the room, casting everything in darkness and shadow.

“She’s how you killed the mobs before?” Vulk asked, eyeing Pawly. “How does she heal? She would take damage doing all the killing for you.”

“When I dismiss her, she heals,” Stern said.

“How did you get through the dungeon until you got that perk?” Cammie asked.

“I got it with the first dungeon, and with injuries,” Stern told her. “I’m not done with her, though.”

Both Vulk and Cammie looked surprised, then quickly turned to face Pawly, who was watching all of them. Stern added Pawly’s other two perks and watched the dwarves. Both of them went slack-jawed, staring at the now tentacled and shifting cat.

“Two more perks?” Cammie whispered. “All three were upgrades for her?”

“‘Best friends keep giving back,’” Stern said softly, quoting his own perk.

“Is she teleporting?” Vulk asked.

“Illusion,” Stern said. “She’s still seated where she was. You’ll note that she doesn’t move more than two feet from where she’d been.”

“Oh, right,” Cammie said, having been watching intently. “She’s going to be a major asset.”

“Yeah,” Vulk said, a hint of grudging admiration in his voice.

“That’s what Stern brings to our crew,” Trish said. “Now, we’re pulling two shards out at the end of this dungeon. A Walker named Harold Pazzil has been fractured for six years, with two shards having been collected so far. We’ll be completing his recovery.”

“Okay,” Cammie said as she drew out a dagger.

Trish looked her over, noting the light leather chestguard and knowing they’d need to upgrade her armor before tackling any other dungeons. Trish’s eyes then went to Vulk. He was wearing toughened leather, much like Stern had worn for his first three dungeons. She nodded— it would do for now.

Vulk pulled the two short-hafted, large, curved blade axes from his back. “I’m ready.”

Stern had his pneumatic crossbow in hand, and Cyra had her crossbow loaded and ready. Seeing them ready, Trish pulled her shield on and grabbed her hammer. “Okay. Pawly leads, and Cyra will be right behind me. Her perk can let her detect life. Vulk, behind her, then Cammie, and Stern to follow up. After our first encounter, we’ll pause to come up with real plans.”

“Sounds good,” Cammie said. Her brother just grunted.

“Pawly, lead on,” Trish said.

The first tunnel wound on for a while, with patches of the moss giving dim illumination. Stern thought about how things would have to be different if any of them needed light for the trek.

Dark vision or a similar perk are near mandatory in the later dungeons, Stern’s father’s voice came to him. When dealing with intelligent mobs, the hint that people are coming can mean ambushes at every turn. Now, you might still give away your presence with the scrape of armor, but light... well, that’s a beacon.

Stern shook his head, pushing his father’s voice away. He agreed with him, but he needed to focus on where he was now, not past lessons, especially with how twisty the tunnel was. The longest straight stretch might have been ten feet, meaning he could only see Cammie most of the time. When Cammie came to a sudden halt, Stern was just able to stop before he ran into her.

Cammie held up a hand with three fingers showing, and Stern lifted the crossbow up into a ready position. He could easily fire over her head, with her being nearly two feet shorter than he was.

Waiting to move forward, Stern felt a bit of anxiety form in his gut. He was too far back to assist Cyra or Trish if they needed it, but holding the back was a danger of its own later. In any big dungeon, they would leave hallways and rooms behind them, meaning he had to keep them safe from ambushes from the rear.

Pawly’s battle roar came a moment before a single word echoed down the tunnel from Trish, “Bakruma!”

A second later, Cammie was rushing forward, and Stern was hot on her heels. Rough pillars of stone broke up the line of sight in the large room. Trish and Cyra were standing a dozen feet from the tunnel entrance. Cyra had her crossbow up, waiting to find a shot, with a dead bakruma at her feet. Vulk was several feet from them, spinning his axes in his hands, obviously eager for a fight. Cammie came to a stop just inside the room, scanning for threats.

Stern had just entered the room when five bakruma came swarming around the stone pillars, rushing the group. Bones— human leg bones— were clutched in each bakruma’s hands. Stern and Cyra both fired in that instant. Neither was aiming for the neck, as that was unlikely to hit, but they went center mass, hoping they could break one of the ribs holding the animating stone inside of them. Both of the mobs stumbled for a moment, but continued on behind their allies.

Vulk roared and rushed to meet them, and Cammie cussed and shouted after him. Trish hissed, knowing the idiot would be mobbed if she didn’t help.

“Stern, cover!” Trish shouted as she ran forward.

Stern fired another bolt, stepping around Cammie and going to Cyra’s side, who was reloading. “I got her!”

Vulk got to the charging mass, his axes slicing into the first two. One bakruma dropped dead when it was beheaded. The second one just took the hit and bashed the dwarf with its leg bone. Vulk grunted at the attack, undeterred. Before he could attack again, Trish was there, slamming her shield into the third— which had been circling around Vulk— as her hammer came down on the second, snapping the bakruma’s head back and breaking its spindly neck. She turned to where the last two should be only to find one left. Another crossbow bolt hit it and it stumbled again, but then Vulk’s axe cleaved its neck.

With the threat dealt with, Trish hissed in anger, scanning for more. “Back up,” she said tersely.

Vulk snorted at her, then did as he was told. He winced as he moved— the one hit he’d taken had been far stronger than he’d expected.

“Nothing,” Cyra called.

Pawly came out from behind the pillars a moment later, a couple of bakruma dangling in her tentacles. She chuffed when she saw Stern, dropping the bodies.

“Good job,” Stern called out to her. “All gone?”

Pawly chuffed again.

“We’re clear,” Trish exhaled, then spun on Vulk. “What the hell were you thinking?!”

“What?” Vulk asked, perplexed. “I did my job.”

“Rushing into a group isn’t your job!” Trish snapped. “That’s how Walkers die! You went forward with no help! I had to leave the others unprotected to reach you!”

“They died easily. They’re only a few feet tall!” Vulk said angrily. He turned to her and winced again. “Not a real threat.”

“Your rib hurts, doesn’t it?” Trish said. “Because they hit as hard as either of us can. Did you know their necks were the weak point, or did you just get lucky?”

Vulk frowned, wondering why he was being chewed out.

“Because you were being stupid,” Cammie said, recognizing her brother’s expression. “It’s not just us two. We’re in a crew. We have to work with them, not on our own.”

“But—”

“No!” Cammie snapped. “We talked about this.”

Vulk looked at the floor, his jaw set. “Yes.”

“I know when combat happens, you want to rush in, but rushing in is how people die,” Cammie said, softening. “Part of a machine, not a loose screw.”

Vulk looked embarrassed, shuffling his feet a little. “Sorry...”

“Not me,” Cammie said gently.

Vulk glanced at Trish, then back to the floor. “Sorry. I won’t rush ahead again.”

Trish stared at him for a moment, then sighed. “I understand. I’ve cleared these three before. What you did is what a lot of crews do, and it’s why we’re pulling shards today. Luckily, the only damage was to your rib. Sometimes, we learn from pain.”

“Thanks...” Vulk mumbled.

“We can salve it,” Cyra said softly, already pulling a tin from her bag.

Vulk looked at her, then nodded. “Okay.”

Stern nodded, too. Vulk had gone from angry to bewildered, then upset and flooded with embarrassment. Now, he felt sorry and chagrined. Seeing the moment was done, he went to the bodies and waited for them to fade, collecting the crossbow bolts that were left behind. Checking the four that had been fired, he brought two back to Cyra.

“Thanks,” Cyra said as she put the tin away. She took the bolts, inspecting them. “Still good.”

“Yes,” Stern said. “Good shooting.”

“Thanks,” Cyra smiled.

Stern popped the magazine off the crossbow and fed the recovered bolts into it. “Trish, plan?”

“Yeah, plan,” Trish nodded. “Bakruma are cave spirits that use bones as weapons and hit like full-grown men. They’re more animal-intelligent than person-intelligent, but they know how to use weapons. We likely won’t see any traps, but this room had at least seven mobs, meaning we’ll be seeing similar in the following rooms. We’ll stay by the tunnel entrance and let them come to us so we can back up into the tunnels if needed. We don’t know yet if we should expect an attrition dungeon or a boss dungeon, so be prepared, either way.”

“Attrition,” Stern said. “Seven or more bakruma in a room feels like attrition. Swarm with numbers. I’d expect five or less if there was a boss.”

“A solid point,” Trish nodded, “but it could still go the other way.”

“True,” Stern agreed. “The first room is normally the easiest, too.”

“Fair enough,” Trish said. “Questions?”

“Why did Vulk’s second attack do nothing? There wasn’t any blood at all, either,” Cammie asked.

“Bakruma are more evil spirit than body,” Stern said. “Their weakness is their neck and the two ribs holding the animating stone in their chest. You break one or the other to kill them. Hammers beat axes, unless you bring the flat to bear on the chest.”

“Oh,” Vulk said, looking at his axes. “I can do that.”

“You know that about them?” Cammie asked Stern with surprise.

“I know about a lot of monsters,” Stern said. “I studied every known mob for years.”

Cammie blinked, then grinned. “I did that for traps, so I understand.” She grimaced. “And now I’m useless if there aren’t any traps.”

Stern turned his back to her. “Crowbar. Use it to bludgeon them if they get to you.”

Cammie looked surprised, but laughed and untied the crowbar. “Got it.”

“Okay,” Trish said. “Pawly, you’re still the lead. Cyra, you good?”

“Yes,” Cyra smiled. “Since we had these in the mock dungeon, I’m ready for them.”

Pawly chuffed at them, then padded farther into the room, heading for the tunnel leading out.

~*~*~

Stern was thinking that he was right as they fought their way through the dungeon. Each room was fairly large with rough stone pillars, helping the bakrumas close the distance to the group.

Not that it did the soulless monsters any good— when the small cluster of mobs rushed them, they found the group waiting. Seven bakruma per room started to really add up for them, but they’d cleared through a score of rooms without further injury to themselves and all felt like the end was coming soon.

Cammie paused, causing Stern to stop behind her. Like all the tunnels in the dungeon, it had been a twisty one, denying them a clear line of sight.

Vulk spoke softly, but Stern could still hear the whisper, “Bigger room. Bakruma in sight, and Cyra says she can feel ten just where she is. Trish wants to use Pawly to pull them back to the last room.”

Stern thought about it. He disliked using Pawly as bait, but she could outpace the mobs easily. If they bottlenecked them at the tunnel in the next room, it would make the final fight easy.

Cammie had turned back to tell him, but Stern replied to Vulk, even though the dwarf was out of sight, “Understood. Heading back now.”

Cammie looked at her brother and nodded, then followed Stern as he led the way back to the previous room. “This will be easier,” Cammie said softly.

“It should be,” Stern agreed. “If Cyra felt ten, we might be looking at three or four times that many.”

Cammie blanched, not having considered that idea. “Staying in that room would have been terrible.”

“Yeah,” Stern agreed. “We could have bunched them up at the tunnel there, but then only Trish would have had a real chance to do anything.”

Stern moved to the left when he got to the last room, posting up to face the tunnel. Cammie went to stand beside him, holding his crowbar in her hand. Vulk came out and turned right next to the tunnel. He stood in front of Stern, as they’d already found out that Stern could easily fire over the dwarf. Cyra looked worried as she stood next to Cammie, giving Stern a strained smile. Finally, Trish took up her spot in front of the entrance, angled a little to the side so Vulk could help out when the mobs arrived.

“Pawly will pull them back and slip past,” Trish said. “She understands a lot.”

“She does,” Stern agreed. “She’s smarter than some people.”

“We just hold this line until they stop coming,” Trish said. “Vulk, if you get wounded, fall back and I’ll cover it alone. Cyra, if I get injured enough that it impedes me, I’ll call out to you.”

“Okay,” Cyra said.

A distant roar told them all that Pawly had announced her presence.

“Here we go,” Trish said, setting her feet and waiting for Pawly.

Chapter Nine

Stern grinned when Cyra called out that the mobs were dead. “Pawly, can you go check?”

Pawly chuffed, then went past Trish and over the piles of dead bakruma.

“At least thirty of them,” Trish said with a rough breath. “Tiring.”

“Glad we took them in the tunnel,” Cammie said.

“It was smart,” Vulk said.

Cyra beamed. “Thank you.”

“Use the terrain where and when you can,” Stern nodded. “Good plan, Cyra.”

“Do you want this back on your bag?” Cammie asked, holding up the crowbar.

“Is it damaged?” Stern asked.

“Nope.”

“Then please?”

“Vulk,” Trish said, “thanks for staying near me.”

“It worked better,” Vulk said. “Did I make up for it?”

“For me, you did,” Trish said.

“You were in the right place and did the job,” Stern said. “I’d say so.”

“Yes,” Cyra smiled. “You even caught that attack at Trish’s legs, saving her. It means I didn’t have to use my healing.”

Vulk nodded, then looked at his sister.

Cammie cleared her throat as she finished getting the crowbar reattached. “So... do we pass?”

Trish looked at Stern and Cyra, who both nodded. “Yeah. If this is clear, we’ll do perks, deal with shards and points, and then we can register you both, if you want to stay on.”

Cammie grinned broadly. “Thank you!”

Pawly came trotting back and chuffed.

“All good?” Trish asked.

Pawly sat down and waved a paw.

“Go home. See you for dinner,” Stern told her.

Pawly faded away and Cammie gasped. “Goddess, that was… unexpected.”

“Yeah, it can rattle you,” Stern agreed, “especially if she’s inside a slime at the time.”

“You bring her back for dinner?” Vulk asked.

“She’s part of the crew,” Stern said evenly.

“She did all the scouting and helped with the plan,” Cammie agreed. “Besides, she’s cute.”

Vulk sighed. “You always wanted a cat.”

“It’s clear, so let’s go see the shopkeeper and finish up,” Trish said with a hint of amusement.

~*~*~

Ria smiled broadly when Stern and the others appeared in the shop. “Greetings to you all. Did you wish to start with your points or with your perks?”

“Perks,” Cammie said.

“Very well. All at once, or one at a time?”

“One at a time,” Trish said before anyone else could. “What one of us takes might influence another.”

“That’s true,” Cammie agreed. “Do you mind if I go first? What I take is unlikely to influence anyone else.”

“Go for it.”

Ria smiled at the dwarf when Cammie came to the counter. “Are you ready?”

“Yes.”

Three pages appeared on the countertop and Cammie pulled the first off to look it over. Setting it down, she checked the second and third in quick succession, then frowned. “Okay, that’s just…”

“Problem?” Vulk asked.

“Good perks,” Cammie said. “I could get Iron Skin to improve my survivability, or something called Rigging that would let me improve my trapmaking with suboptimal materials. I also could get Long Trapper, which would let me craft single-use projectiles that would deploy my traps.”

“Oh,” Vulk said, “tough one.”

Cammie looked at the others. “Opinions?”

“We’ll try to never get you into the thick of it, if we can,” Trish said, “but extra survivability is always good. The last one sounds like a good idea for later dungeons. I’m not sure about the middle one, though.”

“The middle one could shine in later dungeons,” Stern added. “When we’re dealing with humanoid mobs, which will have gear, she could repurpose it for traps.”

Cammie nodded slowly. “Yeah. It’s not useful right now, but possibly later against survivability or the ability to deploy traps ahead of the bulwark.”

“We’ll be carrying a lot into the dungeons already,” Cyra said. “How much will you need for traps?”

Cammie grimaced. “That breaks it down easily for me. I hope the others come up again in the future.” Turning back, she took the second page and willed it to be hers, gasping and leaning against the counter as it soaked into her.

Ria collected the other two pages, then smiled at Cyra. “Helping your crewmates is always good. Do you want to go next, Cyra?”

“I will,” Cyra nodded. “Unless…” She trailed off, looking at the others, who just waved her on.

“That’s always so unpleasant,” Cammie grumbled as she stepped back. “I hope you have good ones, too.”

Cyra gave Cammie a smile as Ria placed three new papers on the counter. “Me, too.” Cyra looked over the options, then looked back at Stern. “Help?”

“Tell all of us,” Stern told her. “You helped Cammie. Maybe she’ll be the one to help you?”

“Okay. I have Improved Life Sense 1 again, which would let my crewmates know where I am sensing life,” she explained so Vulk, Cammie, and Trish would know what that did. “Then, I have Moderate Life, which is a bigger heal once a day. The last one is Mirrored Ally. If I target an ally with an ability, I can select a second one to give them the same boon, usable once a day.”

All four of her crewmates whistled softly. Stern was the first one to speak, “The second and third ones are clearly more powerful, but that’s the third time you’ve seen the Improved Life Sense 1.”

“Fourth,” Cyra said. “It was an option the third time, too.”

“You’ve had the option for the same perk in all four dungeons?” Cammie asked in shock.

“Yes.”

“That…” Vulk shook his head.

“Shouldn’t be possible, but clearly has happened,” Stern said.

“And the way it’s phrased makes it seem like there will be others to come after it,” Trish said.

“But the other two are better,” Vulk said.

“They do seem that way, but what would become available if she took the upgrade?” Stern asked. “It’s a gamble, but it could be a huge payoff. All of my perks came because of the first one.”

Cyra nodded, then looked at Stern with hopeful eyes. “Help, please?”

“Both of the other two are usable once a day. They might increase, too, or maybe not,” Cammie said. “The Life Sense isn’t limited, is it?”

“I keep it running as often as I can,” Cyra said.

“Cyra,” Trish said softly. “Any of them are good. None of us will gainsay your choice.”

Cyra had been looking at Trish when she spoke, but her gaze shifted back to Stern.

Stern exhaled slowly and summoned Pawly… but nothing happened. Stern blinked in shock, then quickly turned to Ria.

“Summons aren’t allowed in the shop. I’m sorry,” Ria explained. “I’d have liked to have had her here. I thought you knew since she didn’t follow you in before.”

“I didn’t think about it...” Stern said as he tried to calm his mind. Being separated from Pawly against his will was unnerving.

Ria pushed some hair back and licked her lips. “I could ask for you.”

“Please!” Stern blurted out.

“A moment,” Ria said, closing her eyes.

“Pawly can’t come in?” Cyra asked in confusion. “I thought you always dismissed her.”

“Not always,” Stern said softly.

“Are you okay?” Trish asked, touching his shoulder.

“I… no,” Stern admitted. “She’s always there when I need her.”

Ria cleared her throat. “I’ve been informed that an exception has been made and Pawly can be summoned.”

“Thank the Goddess,” Stern exhaled shakily, then quickly summoned her.

Pawly sat there, looking at the group, clearly surprised as she blinked and looked around. She let out a soft squeak when Stern picked her up and held her. She tolerated it for a moment, then huffed in annoyance.

“Sorry,” Stern coughed, embarrassed at his actions.

“Why did you want her?” Vulk asked.

Stern put Pawly on the counter. “Pawly, pick a perk for Cyra, please?”

Cyra laughed and nodded. “Please.”

“Seriously?” Vulk asked incredulously.

“She’s part of the crew,” Cammie said, glaring at her brother.

Vulk threw up his hands.

Pawly walked over the papers, looking down at them intently, before she meowed and tapped the first page with a paw.

“Okay,” Cyra said, touching the first page and willing it to be hers. Gasping, she leaned on the counter as the light fused into her being.

Pawly chuffed and groomed Cyra’s eyebrow as Cyra let the change happen.

“I’ll go next, if that’s okay,” Vulk said as Ria collected the other two pages.

“Go ahead,” Trish said.

Cyra stepped back and leaned against Stern a little. “It does get worse.”

“Joy...” Stern whispered to her as Vulk looked over his choices.

Vulk looked over his options, then picked a page that burst into light and infused him.

“Brother,” Cammie said sweetly as Vulk breathed heavily through the change. “You didn’t share with the rest of us.”

Vulk grunted. “It was an easy choice. Better chance for bleeding.”

Trish was annoyed, but she didn’t speak against him. She even came to his defense slightly. “Perks are a personal choice. Just because the rest of us are considering input from others doesn’t mean he has to.”

Cammie nodded brusquely. “That’s true, but building comradery is important.”

Vulk looked surly as he moved away from the counter. “It was the best choice,” he grumbled under his breath.

Trish motioned to Stern. “You’re the last of us. I’ve cleared these dungeons before.”

“Right.”

“Stern,” Ria smiled as she motioned and three pages appeared before him. “I hope you find a good one.”

Stern nodded, then looked at the first. Dark Beam; unleash the darkness inside you. You can release a beam that deals dark element damage. Useable once per day.

Setting it down, he picked up the next one. Empathic Resonance; feel you, feel me. Those you truly care for can feel a hint of your feelings for them.

Staring at it for a moment, he set that one down carefully before picking up the third page with a slight tremble. Improved Companion 4; best friends are forever generous. Another improvement to your companion. Improvement based on summon.

Stern set it down slowly, his eyes going to Pawly who looked back at him. Looking up, he found Ria watching him intently.

“Well?” Trish asked.

“I…” Stern started, then trailed off. “I want them all.”

“Sadly, that can never be in a single run,” Ria said.

“If you try, the Goddess gets upset,” Cammie said. “We’ve all heard of people who’ve tried, haven’t we?”

“Pain and a curse,” Trish nodded. “Not a good idea.”

“But is that real, or just stories to stop someone from doing it?” Vulk asked.

“It is very real,” Ria said softly.

“Of course you’d say that,” Vulk said.

“The curse stops you from entering dungeons until you redeem yourself,” Cammie said, giving her brother a hard look. “Do you want to stop?”

Vulk looked away. “Whatever. I was just saying.”

“What do the perks do?” Cyra asked Stern.

“Let anyone I care for feel my emotions, let me fire a beam of darkness, or improve Pawly again.”

“That first one doesn’t sound great,” Cammie said.

“You have no idea,” Ria said gently. “Stern, did you not tell them your perks?”

“Not all of them,” Stern said, shrugging.

“I’m missing something,” Cammie said.

“I can feel emotions,” Stern told her. “Your incredulousness, your brother’s ongoing dislike, Cyra’s protectiveness, Trish’s anger over me being questioned. I feel everyone around me, all the time, indiscriminately.”

Cammie’s incredulous questioning became horror. “You can feel everyone?”

“Yeah,” Stern nodded, staring at the papers on the counter.

“That must have been terrible...” Cammie said, her voice echoing her deep pity.

“Yeah.”

Vulk’s dislike became fear. “All emotions?”

“Yeah. What you feel is common, normally replaced by anger.”

Vulk blinked at him. His fear faded and anger had started to kindle, but it, too, faded. “That must be double tough with your looks.”

“Yeah.”

“All three are useful to you,” Trish said, moving up to stand beside him, “but which do you really want?”

“I want to be useful on my own, so the magic would be good, but letting you and Cyra feel me like I feel you might make things easier for us. Upgrading Pawly has been key for me in all the dungeons. I’ve tripled down on it already, so going one more time just makes sense, too.”

Cyra went to his other side and began to pet Pawly. “You don’t need the empathy one,” she said softly, touching his hand with her free hand. “I know you love me. I’ve seen it in what you do and in the way you look at me. We are Walkers. Improving our chances to make it through is the most important thing for us to keep going.”

Stern swallowed as her love and concern crashed over him, drowning out everything but Trish’s same emotions. Hands shaking, he edged the one page toward Ria. She placed her hand on it and, after meeting his eyes, it vanished.

That left Stern with a tough choice: being able to do something on his own or improving Pawly again. The beam as it was wasn’t groundbreaking, but he knew he could add to it. All users of magic could, like Cyra’s healing.

Pawly meowed softly, flopping over so she lay with her belly exposed to him. Stern snorted and smiled. His hand went to her belly and he stroked her for a moment before nodding.

“It wasn’t really a choice, was it fur-face?”

Pawly chuffed, wiggling.

He touched the page and willed it to be his, then groaned as his very being was altered. Stern stared down into Pawly’s eyes, a match to his as the change happened, and he would have gasped if he could have. He saw light spark in Pawly’s eyes— it was a cascade of light, much like a lightning storm in the summer, when the lightning jumps from cloud to cloud.

“Which did you take?” Cammie asked excitedly.

“The improvement,” Trish answered for him.

“Yes,” Ria smiled. “You may try it here, if you want.”

Stern panted and Pawly meowed, then jumped off the counter, going to Cammie’s side. The improvement was there in his mind, clear as a summer day. Turning to face Pawly, Stern rotated his right wrist in the correct motion.

Pawly sat there with a curious look on her face, but nothing seemed to change.

“Did you do it wrong?” Vulk asked.

“No,” Stern said. “Pawly?”

Pawly stood up, then vanished. A microsecond later, a meow came from behind Stern.

Everyone was shocked to find Pawly on the counter.

“Teleportation,” Ria smiled. “A useful improvement… ahhh, limited.”

“Wait, you know?” Stern asked her.

Ria was silent for a second, then nodded. “She can teleport to any place in her line of sight, but only a few times per day. It is usable even with all of her other improvements. I can’t say more.”

“Wow... the utility,” Cammie breathed out with wide eyes.

Stern could only nod— it could be used for offense or defense. “Yeah. She just keeps getting better.”

Pawly chuffed, headbutting his chest, since she was on the counter.

“Now you have points to spend,” Ria smiled.

“Did the group make enough to pull shards?” Trish asked.

“The group’s combined points are enough for that,” Ria nodded. “I can break down the points gained for you all, if you’d like.”

“Stern gets all of mine,” Cyra said.

“Hmm... if they’re pooled, it does open up better options,” Trish agreed. “Add mine to his.”

Vulk grunted. “I’ll keep mine.”

Cammie glanced at her brother, then at the other three. “If I combine with you, will you help improve our gear?”

“We will,” Trish said. “I’d prefer us all to pool and then decide, but that’s your choice.”

“But he’ll spend them on the shards,” Vulk said.

“And we’ll be paid for it,” Cammie said pointedly. “If he spends for shards, he’ll pay us back. He’s said so.”

“We haven’t seen it yet,” Vulk said stubbornly.

“True, you haven’t,” Stern said before Trish could speak up. “I understand why you want to be cautious.”

“He can have mine,” Cammie said, staring at her brother. “I’ll show trust in the crew we’re joining. None of the others ever said they’d take us.”

“Because you fight all the time,” Stern said. “They worry about domestic unrest. I grew up with a lot of siblings, so you two just remind me of my family.”

Vulk rankled at Stern calling them family, but Cammie felt a touch of hope.

“How much does the crew have, minus Vulk’s?” Stern asked Ria.

“Skipping the breakdown, then— Vulk has one hundred points, and the combined crew points to Stern is six hundred and seventy-five.”

Eyebrows rose and Stern grinned. “Good. We need two shards for a Harold Pazzil.”

“Yes,” Ria smiled. Two shards equaling half of a heart appeared on the counter. “His last two shards. That will leave you with one hundred and seventy-five.”

“Expensive,” Cammie murmured.

“He’d cleared all the tin dungeons and was running this dungeon a second time when he fractured,” Ria explained. “The more perks someone has, the more expensive they are.”

Vulk coughed lightly. “I don’t have enough for at least a rune?”

“Short by twenty-five,” Ria said.

“Give him twenty-five, please,” Stern said.

Vulk blinked, then sighed. “No. Give all of mine to him.”

Stern nodded, feeling Vulk’s shifting emotions. “Okay. We can afford two least runes, which are a solid investment. Your axes can use them?”

“Just the one axe… it was a gift,” Vulk said. Though there was a deep sorrow inside of him, it didn’t show in his voice.

Stern inhaled slowly, pushing the sorrow away. “I see. Come choose the rune you want.”

“Ice,” Vulk said without moving.

A single small rune appeared on the counter. “That leaves you with one hundred and fifty,” Ria said.

Stern picked the rune up and tossed it to Vulk. “Rune up.”

Gratitude radiated from Vulk, but his voice was again neutral when he said, “Thanks.”

Cammie was smiling, her joy growing.

“What about you, Cammie?” Stern asked.

“Nothing worth a rune right now,” Cammie shrugged.

“I can take one,” Trish said. “My hammer is empty. I’d go fire, but since Vulk went ice, let’s switch it up to dark.”

“That will leave you with twenty-five points,” Ria said as the rune appeared before Trish.

Stern looked at Ria. She had given them the runes and deducted the points, but he hadn’t verbally told her he agreed— she’d just seemed to read his mind. Ria’s cheeks flushed lightly and she smiled at him. Now, he flushed, as he knew what some of his thoughts had been upon seeing her the first time.

“Twenty-five,” Stern said. “Not a lot to work with.” A smile touched his lips as he remembered something. “Five chocolates.”

Five chocolate squares appeared on the counter, and Ria beamed at him. “Well done, Walkers. I look forward to seeing you all again.” With that, she vanished.

“One for each of u—” Stern began, but Pawly darted down, snagging a chocolate and eating it. “Pawly!” Stern said sternly, then sighed. “One for each of you. Pawly… go home.”

Pawly gave him a cat grin as she faded away.

Cyra giggled as she picked up her chocolate and ate it. “She can be a real brat.”

“She is a cat,” Trish laughed as she passed a chocolate to Cammie, then tossed another to Vulk, who caught it on reflex.

Vulk looked at it and shook his head. “I don’t care for plain chocolate.”

“I’ll take it,” Cammie said, darting over to take it from him. She quickly ate it, then her own.

Stern laughed at the emotions radiating from Vulk. “Yep. Siblings.”

Cammie grinned as she chewed.

Vulk gave Stern a look. “Sisters?”

“A few. She’s older, though, isn’t she?”

“Yeah. How did you know?”

“I’m the eldest, but I know sisters.”

Vulk nodded. “Pains, aren’t they?”

Stern laughed as Cammie slapped her brother in the back of the head. “No comment.”

Trish picked up the shards. “We’re done. Let’s go turn these in, get these two added to the crew, and have a celebratory dinner. Shall we?”

“Yes!” Cammie cheered.

“I accept,” Vulk said, bowing his head to her.

Cyra clapped. “Goody. I was so worried we wouldn’t find good people.”

You and me both, Stern thought as he looked at the dwarven siblings. Looks like we got lucky, though.

Chapter Ten

Stern blinked at the afternoon sunlight hitting him in the face.

“Full group back out,” the portal guard captain said with a nod. “Good.”

“Wasn’t as bad as some I’ve been in,” Trish said.

“You caused a bit of a stir when you went in,” the captain said. “I believe a few people are interested in knowing how you all did.”

“I’m sure they are,” Trish snorted. “Word will spread shortly. We have shards to turn in.”

A faint smile touched the captain’s lips. “Rescue Squad hopefuls?”

“We’ll be signing up,” Trish said.

“Good. Have a good day.”

“Thank you,” Cammie smiled. “We will.”

“Walkers’ hall first,” Trish said.

“What about your cat?” the captain asked Stern.

“I sent her home,” Stern said. “She ate my chocolate. Have a good day.”

As they walked away, Cyra heard one of the guards ask the captain, “Cap, I thought summons didn’t eat... They don’t, right?”

“Normally, but most summons aren’t a fluffy house cat, either. I hope they don’t get sick, at least.”

Cyra smiled as she walked beside Stern, feeling happy. “One of them asked about summons needing to eat.”

“Pawly’s unusual,” Stern said with a smile.

“I was curious about that,” Cammie said. “Does she… use a box?”

Stern laughed, thinking back to the first conversation he’d had from even before Pawly was named. Seeing and feeling Cammie’s questioning gaze, he held up a hand. “Sorry. My family asked the same question when Pawly was first summoned. They set everything up and were surprised when she didn’t use the box, especially considering how much she ate and drank when it was offered to her.”

“Oh...” Cammie said, thinking about it. An upwelling of sadness suffused her.

“When I dismissed her the first time, my dad fell over,” Stern chuckled. “None of them knew she was a summons and not a stray cat that’d found me.”

“That must have been hilarious,” Trish chuckled.

“Yeah,” Stern said. He glanced at the siblings, both of whom were suppressing the feelings of sadness and sorrow they’d felt. “Cammie, I’m sorry for whatever I stirred up.”

Cammie’s pace faltered for a second, then she nodded. “Right, empathic. It’s fine.”

Cyra looked at the dwarven woman, giving her a timid smile. Cammie gave her a big one back, but Stern could still feel her suppressed sadness.

“Here we go,” Trish said, leading them into the Walkers’ hall.

The place was moderately busy— some groups were already done for the day, and others who’d failed to find a group had been there for hours. When Trish walked in, the conversation dimmed, then dropped off entirely as the others walked in behind her.

Stern inhaled slowly as a jumbled mix of emotions slammed into him. He managed to stay impassive as he followed Trish to the receptionist’s desk. The male infernal behind the desk sat up straight when the group approached him.

“We’ve finished the quest,” Trish said, placing the two shards on the desk.

The infernal touched them reverently, then slid a tablet over, placing the shards on it. After a moment, he smiled. “You have, indeed. I will give you a follow-up quest: take these to the temple and turn them over to the sisters there. Let this Walker be reborn.”

Trish accepted the shards back and bowed her head. “I accept.”

All five of them felt the quest settle into their minds.

“Before we go, we need to add these two into our crew,” Trish said before stepping aside for Cammie and Vulk.

“I’m glad to see you both found a crew, even an unusual one.”

“An irregular one,” Trish said, a little louder so everyone could hear her. “We’re Pawsitively Irregular.”

A few snorted laughs came from the room, and Trish flashed a smile over her shoulder.

“Yes,” the receptionist said blandly. “I need your hand on the tablet first,” he told Trish.

“No,” Trish rebuffed him. “You need the leader. I’m more of a mouth.”

“I’d buy that for a silver,” a snarky voice said.

Trish glanced back at a man being glared at by a number of women. “Sorry. That’s reserved for special people, and they’re already with me.”

Laughter filled the room, and Stern stepped up to the desk and placed his hand on the tablet. When the crowd noticed that, they started to whisper amongst themselves. Stern stepped back, and Cammie and Vulk agreed to the rules the receptionist told them about, then touched the tablet.

“You are now members of… Pawsitively Irregular,” the receptionist slowed before saying the name, then shook his head.

“Thank you,” Cammie beamed.

Vulk just nodded.

“Okay, slight deviation of plans,” Trish said. “Off to the temple first.”

Stern looked at the receptionist. “Can we get paid for the first part of the quest, sir?”

“Of course,” the receptionist said. He pulled out a coin purse and counted out the large copper. “You’ll be coming back for the rest, won’t you?”

“Split it and set it toward our recovery fees, please,” Stern said. “You’ll know when the quest completes.”

“Very well.”

Vulk looked upset, but kept quiet.

Trish led the way out of the hall, grinning at the crowd as she went. She had to pause when someone yelled out from the group, “Where’s the cat?”

“She’s a summons,” Stern said, looking at the crowd. “She’s home right now. She’ll be back for dinner.”

“For dinner? But summons don’t eat,” someone said.

“They can, it’s just most don’t feed them,” Stern shrugged. “I’ve had her all my life. She’s a friend, not just a summons. Excuse us, we have a soul to bring back.”

The conversations got louder behind him as he walked out, the rest of the crew following him. He made it ten feet before he stopped and turned back to Vulk, tossing him the small bag of coins the receptionist had given him. “Payment for both quests, for you and your sister.”

“But…” Vulk said slowly after catching the bag.

“I consider recovery fees to be a necessity for the crew,” Stern said, “which means the crew will pay for them. Now, you’ve been paid for the quests and us spending the points for the shards.”

“That’s fair,” Cammie said. “Also, our thanks for thinking about recovery. We all know that no one goes far without dying at least once.”

Vulk nodded and handed the bag to his sister. “Thanks.”

“I felt your anger when I took the money and told him to set the rest for our recovery,” Stern said. “Explaining it in there wasn’t the time, so thank you for waiting.”

Vulk nodded again, but he was confused, as Stern kept throwing him off-kilter. “Sure.”

“Trish, do you know the way?”

“Yes. Follow me.”

~*~*~

The temple was only a few blocks away in the main square for the city. Stern braced himself for entering the temple, following the others into the imposing structure. He often wondered at the nature of the temples— they were all identical, made of white marble, but the spiraling columns out front had the red and black veins. Those veins were the only other color than white in the entire structure.

When he crossed the threshold, feelings of pain and loss hammered into him. This temple had two dozen slabs. Half of them had people on them, being healed, or covered in a white shroud. Next to the two covered slabs, people wept as if their hearts had been torn in half, and that’s what it felt like to Stern.

Taking a deep breath, Stern snagged Cyra’s sleeve. “I’ll be outside.”

Cyra looked at him in puzzlement, then with concern. “I can go with you.”

“No. Stay and watch the start of it,” Stern told her. “It’s a joyous thing.”

Trish looked back at Stern and was about to say something when one of the sisters came hurrying up to them. “Can we help you?”

“We have shards, and you have the other two,” Trish said, forced to answer, though she was worried for Stern.

“Oh, yes. Thank you, Walkers. Please, come with me.”

Stern nodded to them, but went the other way. When he cleared the door to the square, he walked across the street to distance himself more from the pain and sorrow. Taking several deep breaths, he leaned against the wall of a building and waited for his emotional turmoil to subside. He slid down the wall, taking a knee as he calmed down.

“Irregular?” a stern voice asked.

Stern looked up to see a guard standing a few feet away. “Yes, and a Walker.” He turned enough to show him his badge. “My crew is dropping off shards.”

“Ah, that explains it. I saw you leave the temple and came to investigate. The odds of you being a blighted were nearly non-existent, but it never hurts to verify. The shards… one of yours?”

“No. A Walker six years fractured,” Stern said softly, glad the guard wasn’t being a dick. “We took the quest to pull his remaining shards. We had just enough points for it.”

“Rescue Squad?” the guard asked.

“We hope,” Stern said as he stood up.

The guard blinked, his square-pupiled eyes widening in surprise, and quickly took a step back. “Damn, you’re a lanky bastard.”

“The height comes from my grandfather, I’m told,” Stern said. “The rest… well…”

“Yes,” the guard said, nodding. “Just like one of those undead abominations. Not that I’ve seen one, but you look like it, with the pale skin and gaunt visage.”

“I’m aware,” Stern snorted. “Can I help you with anything, sir?”

“No. Like I said, just coming to investigate. I’m curious... you have a crew?”

“They were kind enough to give me a chance,” Stern said.

“And you cleared our dungeon. Off to Springwater next?”

“Probably. We cleared this one today, so it might be a day or two before we leave.”

“I’ll let my sergeant know that,” the guard said. “Maybe we can spread word enough that you won’t get harassed too much.”

Stern looked past the guard to where people were watching the pair of them. “Just speaking to you might help.”

The guard looked around, then nodded. “True, but if we know ahead of time when someone comes running to us, we can set them right.”

“Fair.”

“I won’t take any more of your time,” the guard said, giving Stern a nod. “A good day, Walker. Safe runs.”

“Thank you, sir. May your shift be uneventful.” Stern told the goat lykian guard.

“Goddess willing,” the guard smiled before walking off.

No one else approached him. For a few minutes, he felt revulsion and disdain, but no fear or hatred. When his crew came out of the temple, he went to meet them.

“All taken care of,” Trish told him.

“I felt the quest complete,” Stern smiled. “Now off to clean up and have dinner?”

“An excellent idea,” Trish smiled. “Cammie, Vulk, we have two open rooms in our suite. Did you want to move in tonight?”

“Are we staying long?” Vulk asked.

“A day or two,” Stern said. “It’s always good to decompress after a run and double-check our gear.”

“A good idea,” Cammie agreed. “I’d like to hear about that crossbow you were using, too.”

“Dinner, or after,” Trish said. “Back to the inn to clean up, first.”

They started walking, and Cyra fell into step with Stern. “Are you okay?” she asked softly.

“Too much grief and pain,” Stern said. “I’m fine, now.”

“Are the temples always so hard for you?”

“If it was just pain, I could have pushed against it more easily, but two recently dead…” He shook his head.

“Oh... the families in mourning,” Cyra said, understanding.

“Yeah. Their grief was too much.”

“And now?”

“Now, I have a beacon of love beside me,” Stern murmured, a smile on his lips.

Cyra smiled up at him, taking his arm in hers. “Always.”

Chapter Eleven

Entering the Walker’s Respite, Stern was leery of the large group of people. His interactions with groups had always been less than positive. A surge of fear and hatred started, but those emotions quickly ebbed, replaced mostly by curiosity.

“So why the dad-joke of a crew name?”

Trish turned to the crowd with a laugh, not knowing which person had asked it. “Well, because of the last member of our crew. Stern, can you bring her out?”

“She’ll want dinner, anyway,” Stern muttered as he summoned Pawly.

Pawly appeared, head bonked his leg, then looked at the crowd. Laughter started up, which had her yowl lightly in anger. Stern smiled, then made her bigger. Their laughter cut off when the now much larger cat chuffed.

“Pawly, paw up, please?” Trish requested.

Pawly lifted a massive paw, showing off her polydactyl nature to the crowd.

“Pawly is a key member of our crew, and the crew name is because of her and her summoner.”

All eyes went to Stern. He shifted uneasily, scanning the crowd.

“Wait, he named her Pawly?” another anonymous voice called out.

Laughter followed the question and Pawly chuffed, then sneezed.

There was even more laughing, and Stern relaxed. There was no anger or fear, just amusement and curiosity.

“Can I ask you to put her back to a smaller size, please?” Sara Chapple asked Stern from behind the bar.

Stern looked at Sara and bowed his head. “Yes, ma’am.” He quickly reverted Pawly back to the size of a large house cat.

“Will you tell us about your run?” an elven man asked Trish, motioning to a few empty seats at his table.

“Tomorrow?” Trish asked. “We’d like to ungear, bathe, and welcome our new crewmates with a private dinner tonight.”

“Of course,” the elf smiled brightly.

“Get your stuff,” Trish told the siblings. “Cyra and Stern will be on the top floor so you can find our room.”

“We’ll wait there for you,” Stern told Trish. “Come on, Pawly.”

Trish gave him a smile before going to the bar. “Sara, we’d like as good a meal as your kitchen can provide. Not only are we welcoming two new members into our crew, we helped bring a soul back today.” Trish placed a glinting coin on the bar. “As such,” she raised her voice and looked over her shoulder to the room, “a drink for everyone. A soul was reborn today! Let all Walkers raise a glass.”

Sara blinked. She knew about the tradition, but it was rarely seen in this city. “The payment exceeds—”

“Pass the extra— and word— along next door, please,” Trish said, turning back to her. “And the best meal we can have. If you need to send out for a dessert, well, I’m sure it’s covered. Oh, can you clear out a few of the bathing rooms for us? We’ll be right down.”

“Yes, of course,” Sara smiled as she collected the money. “Have a good evening, Walker.” Sara motioned to her daughter to go check the baths.

“I’m sure I will,” Trish smiled. She waved to the cheering crowd and went up the stairs to drop off her gear.

She paused on the second-floor landing as Cammie and Vulk were heading her way with their bags in hand. Gesturing to them, she started ascending again. The siblings fell in step behind her, climbing the stairs. When they reached the open doorway, Trish led the brother and sister inside. Stern and Cyra were standing in the main area, smiling in welcome.

“Those two rooms are open,” Stern said, pointing to the unclaimed rooms.

Trish unbuckled her helmet and pulled it off, placing it on the coffee table. Her hair was still hidden by the quilted coif she wore, which she was untying. “Cyra is on that side, and Stern’s over there,” she motioned with her head.

“You don’t all share the same room?” Cammie asked in surprise.

“The beds aren’t big enough,” Cyra said, her face red.

Stern glanced at her, then nodded. Cyra obviously didn’t want to mention her problems that she was working past. “The next tier of cities will probably have inn rooms with large enough beds. I’m fairly certain of it,” Stern said.

“Haven’t been up there,” Trish said as she pulled the padded coif off, “but we’ll be there in time. Okay, baths, then we’ll be having dinner here. I’ve arranged for a small feast so we can celebrate properly.”

“Thank you,” Cammie smiled broadly.

“I’ll take that room,” Vulk said, going toward the room on the same side as Stern’s.

Cammie frowned at her brother, then shook her head. “Will they have enough baths for us all?”

“Stern will be sharing a bath,” Trish smiled, “so it should be fine. Let’s go. The sooner we’re all clean, the sooner we eat.” She gave her lovers a wink as she said the last word, heading for Cyra’s room.

“You’re terrible,” Cyra giggled as she went with Trish.

Cammie blinked, an amused smile on her lips as she watched the two women. She looked back at Stern, who was watching them walk off. “Does it bother you?”

Stern jerked slightly, then looked at Cammie. “No. Why would it?”

“Just wasn’t sure if there was any jealousy. If there was, it would make me worry for the crew,” Cammie said.

Stern had felt only curiosity from her, so he shrugged. “None for any of us. See you in a bit.”

“Yup,” Cammie said as she watched him go.

Stern ignored the tendrils of emotion that had crept out around Cammie’s curiosity. Pawly chuffing as she went with him made him smile down at her. “You’ll be staying here when we go bathe, fur-face.”

Pawly chuffed again, bumping into his leg as he entered his room.

~*~*~

The bath was a bit awkward, as Stern, Cyra, and Trish shared the single bath. Cyra had been flushed for the majority of it, and Stern had a light blush for the start of it. Trish conducted them through the entire embarrassing event. Stern felt hope as he washed Cyra’s back and she washed his in return.

Since none of them had soaked, they were done faster than if they’d had separate baths. Because of that, the three of them left the bath just as Vulk and Cammie came out of their separate baths.

Cammie’s lips twitched as she gave them a nod. Vulk stared at them for a second before shaking his head and starting away. Cammie followed her brother, with the other three trailing them.

Stern’s lips pursed as he walked. Vulk had felt mostly indifferent, but maybe a touch jealous, too. Stern couldn’t fault the dwarf— there were three women in the crew, and none of them were eligible for him. Poor bastard... his sister and my two lovers? Then again, his attitude is kind of shit. He’d still probably have trouble finding an interested partner, Stern thought.

Trish laughed when she entered the suite. Stern wondered why, but a moment later, he saw Pawly curled up against the bunnicorn helmet on the coffee table. She was looking up at them, obviously just waking up.

“Comfortable?” Trish asked.

Pawly yawned, showing off her teeth before closing her eyes again.

“She’s waiting for food,” Stern said, “but she’s happy.”

“Cyra, can you take my clothes?” Trish asked. “I’ll let Sara know we’re ready to eat.”

“Of course,” Cyra said, taking the damp clothing. “I’ll get it hung up to dry.”

“Be right back,” Trish told the others. “Get comfortable. This is our home for a little bit.”

Vulk grunted, heading to his room, and Cammie smiled and went to get her own clothing settled.

Stern paused to give Pawly a quick head rub, then went to his room.

~*~*~

Dinner was a decent impromptu feast. The food was good, but not spectacular, excluding the desserts. The desserts were a collection of small finger foods, a sampling that let everyone find something they enjoyed most.

Cyra had a chocolate-covered strawberry. She ate it slowly, watching Stern the entire time. He gave her a smile, knowing she was remembering the first one he’d given her. Vulk favored a small coconut and chocolate cake. Trish had taken the palm-sized mixed berry tart as her own. Stern preferred the caramel and chocolate cookies, which reminded him of home. Cammie liked anything with nuts, loving the thin slice of pecan pie.

“Welcome to our crew,” Trish sighed happily when they finished eating.

“That was delicious,” Cammie said.

“Good,” Vulk said. “How long will we be staying in the city?”

“At least through tomorrow,” Trish replied. “Tomorrow will be gear maintenance and getting supplies for the journey to Springwater. It’ll give you a chance to buy whatever you need.”

“Cammie,” Stern said. “I’m just asking, so please don’t take this wrong, but is the armor you had all you could afford?”

Cammie’s smile slipped for a moment, and Stern felt Vulk get angry. Cammie shot her brother a warning look before she said, “Yes.”

“Okay. Tomorrow, will you come with me?” Stern asked.

Cammie licked her lips once, then glanced at Trish, who had let out a mild snort. “I need to know more, Stern.”

Trish’s reaction made Stern think about how what he’d said might have been taken. “Oh... sorry. I want to get you better armor. You shouldn’t be in the front of things, but ambushes will happen, and helping you stay alive is important.”

Vulk’s anger vanished, replaced by shock.

“This is part of the crew helping its members?” Cammie asked, her curiosity high.

“It is to me,” Stern said. “We also need to get you something better than just your dagger. Again, not that you should need it, but if you do, it’s better to have it on hand... unless you want to just use my crowbar?”

Trish snorted again. “Stern, should you just be offering your tool out like that?”

Cammie laughed, watching Stern’s cheeks heat. Cyra giggled nervously as she watched the dwarf with uncertain eyes.

“Sorry for her,” Stern said. “Trish’s mind only seems to know the midden.”

Vulk stood up abruptly. “I’m going down to drink.”

Cammie started to object, but shook her head and let her brother go. When the door shut firmly behind him, she sighed. “Sorry.”

“He’s afraid you’ll leave him,” Stern said suddenly, figuring out the tangled mess of Vulk’s emotions.

Cammie jerked. She stared at Stern before looking toward the closed door again. “That… is possible.”

“I’m sorry,” Trish said. “I didn’t know my joke would cause him that much distress.”

“He’s... uh... a little jealous, too,” Stern said.

“Because he has no one?” Cyra asked.

“The crew is his sister, myself, and you two,” Stern said. “I’m sure there was hope that he’d find someone with whatever crew they joined.”

“Oh...” Cammie said. “Yeah, we’ve talked about that. That he, I, or both of us might find someone special in a crew.”

“And it worried him and you,” Stern said.

Cammie tensed up before relaxing. “That’s unnerving... it’s almost like you read my mind.”

“Just your emotions,” Stern sighed. “And I’m sorry. Not my choice.”

“You’ve said. I can’t even imagine. I’ll get used to it, I’m sure. As for my brother, he’ll calm down when I don’t jump into bed with you all. Not that I would,” she added quickly, giving Stern a look.

“I don’t think the three of us are looking to expand, so it’s fine,” Stern chuckled. “Nothing wrong with small flashes of emotion. I can ignore them most of the time. Your brother felt a spike of lust when he saw them fresh out of the bath, but it was gone quickly. I can’t blame him, either. Cyra and Trish are beautiful.”

“You’re handsome, too,” Cyra said.

Stern shrugged. “I’m still trying to accept that. Anyway, besides the armor tomorrow, I think we should do something as a crew.”

“What?” Trish asked.

“Sparring,” Stern said. “Hand to hand, maybe training weapons. Cyra?”

Cyra thought about it, imagining Vulk rushing her, and she nodded slowly. “If it’s all of us, it should be fine.”

A pang of sorrow came from Cammie again, but it was quickly quashed. “Haven’t done that since the academy. Might be good to see what we can all do. I’ve only seen you two use the crossbows.”

“That sets tomorrow, then,” Trish said. “Breakfast at sunrise, then shopping and sparring.”

“I’m going to check on my brother,” Cammie said, then gave Trish a smirk. “Which also helps if people have other plans.”

Trish laughed, putting her hands on Stern and Cyra. “Oh, we have plans, but we’ll try not to make things too awkward for either of you.”

Cyra flushed red and Stern just sighed.

“Have fun,” Cammie laughed before leaving them alone in the room.

“Now,” Trish said softly, “I’m going to enjoy both of you. While I’m with Stern, Cyra is going to lend a hand or kiss here or there. When it’s me and Cyra, Stern, I need you to focus on me, but if Cyra reaches for you, let her do as she wishes. Okay?”

Both of them were red and exchanged glances. Stern felt the love, hope, and lust radiating off Cyra, with a faint undercurrent of fear. He swallowed hard and agreed. Cyra, seeing his nervous and hopeful expression, felt her fear vanish and agreed softly.

“Good. I want to start with Cyra. Sorry, Stern, but I’ll make it up to you,” Trish grinned as she stood up.

“We both will,” Cyra whispered as she held out her hand to him. “Come with us?”

“Oh, he will,” Trish laughed.

Chapter Twelve

Laying there in the predawn gloom, Stern felt happy. The previous evening had worked out better than he’d hoped. Cyra had been more active with him— she’d taken an active role in bringing him pleasure. When it was her turn, she’d asked for light touches and kisses, which he was more than happy to give her in return.

“What do you think, fur-face?” Stern asked Pawly, who was waking up on his chest. “This is going to work, right?”

Pawly purred loudly and snuggled against his chest.

“Me, too, but I still worry.”

Pawly chuffed, then stretched up and headbutted his chin.

“Thanks. We should go wake them…” He trailed off when his door cracked open and a single green eye peered into the room.

“You’re awake?” Cyra whispered.

Pawly stood up, then jumped off him. Being a cat, she pushed all of her weight down on his gut with a single paw.

“Oof!” Stern grunted.

Cyra opened the door, letting Pawly out as she slipped in. “Awake before I came to kiss you?”

“I woke up a minute ago,” Stern said as he slid to the side, making room for her to sit on the bed. “How are you?”

Cyra’s smile was wide when she sat down, then immediately leaned in to kiss him. Her love and happiness pushed into Stern, and he accepted them, letting her emotions mix with his as he returned her kiss. When Cyra broke away, they were both breathing fast and Stern realized that he’d drawn her partially on top of him.

“Sorry,” Stern whispered, worried that he’d gone too far.

“No,” Cyra whispered back. “Feel me.”

Stern blinked as he processed what he felt. Happiness, contentment, joy, and love were all Cyra was feeling in that moment. “Oh. That’s amazing.”

“Yes,” Cyra replied, then kissed him again.

Again, the kiss lingered. Cyra stiffened a little when his body inevitably responded to her being atop him. Stern felt a small spike of fear, but it was quickly drowned out by lust.

“We need to stop,” Stern panted when the kiss broke again.

Cyra was flushed and staring into his eyes, nodding slowly. “Yes. I want more... I do.”

“I know, but I still felt the fear,” Stern whispered back. “Soon, but not yet.”

Cyra bit her lip, blaming herself. Stern brushed at her ear gently like he’d seen her do to soothe herself. Cyra blinked, startled, but tilted her head a little so he had a better angle.

“None of that,” Stern said gently. “We’re already going much faster than I’d dared to hope for before. Last night was amazing, as is this morning.”

Cyra sniffled once and let him soothe her. “Okay. Sorry.”

“No sorry,” Stern said, kissing her nose. “I’m not upset, my dear healer.”

His nickname for her sent a spike of love through her heart, and she managed a trembling smile. “My dear healer…?” she whispered. “Yes, I’m your dear. I like that.”

“My dear healer, my dear lover, my dear fluffy bunny,” Stern said, tacking on Trish’s nickname for her, as well.

Cyra giggled and kissed his nose. “Okay. Thank you for being so understanding.”

“How can I not be when you’re with me?” Stern half-asked her. “You and Trish both accept my problems, too.”

Cyra shifted to sit on the bed again, and Stern let her go. “I hope that we’ll be able to do more before we become nickel-tier.”

“I think we will,” Stern said as he sat up. “Can I hold you? It might mean… uh, a poke.”

Cyra thought about it, then nodded slowly. “Please.”

Sliding his legs to either side of her, he held her from behind. He did indeed poke her gently as he positioned himself. Cyra breathed slowly and deeply, but didn’t feel fearful. “There. A steady presence that you know you’re safe from with you being dressed. I thought it was the sudden jolt that was the problem.”

“Maybe...” Cyra murmured. She felt safe and warm when he put his arms around her. “I like this.”

Kissing her cheek, he held her for another few minutes. “Anytime you want a cuddle, dear, I’ll gladly give it to you.”

“I’ll remember that,” Cyra murmured, then tilted her head back and to the side. “Kiss me once more?”

Stern did as she asked, kissing her softly. The kiss lingered before Cyra broke it and stood up.

“I’ll see you soon,” she said, looking back at him before she left the room.

Stern exhaled slowly before dimly noting that he wasn’t standing at attention anymore. “For the best,” he muttered as he got out of bed and started to dress for the day.

~*~*~

Stern gave Trish a smile when he stepped out of his room. “Where’d Cyra go?” he asked when he failed to spot her.

“Went down to get breakfast delivered,” Trish replied as she crossed over to him and kissed him hotly.

Stern grabbed her and kissed her right back. The two of them only broke apart when the door opened. Both of them were a little flushed when Cammie stepped out of her room.

“Did I interrupt?” Cammie asked with a raised eyebrow.

“No,” Trish said. “We shouldn’t be kissing in the main room, as it is. It isn’t fair to the rest of the crew.”

Cammie shook her head. “I don’t mind, but my brother might have problems.”

“How are you this morning?” Stern asked.

“Fine. I didn’t drink much, and I made sure he drank a lot of water before we went to bed. We should still probably let him sleep a bit longer.”

“Wake him when food gets here?” Trish asked.

“I’ll get him, then. Are we still sparring today?”

“Yeah, we’ll grab a room at the dojo,” Stern said.

“I’m going to take your brother to arrange for travel goods while you get armor with Stern,” Trish said. “We’ll meet back here, then go over to the dojo. All of that is after breakfast and checking on our gear.”

“Sounds like a solid plan,” Cammie agreed.

~*~*~

Stern walked with his hood pulled over his face, slouched and moving at a speed that was comfortable for Cammie. He was mostly being ignored, for which he was grateful.

“You hide who you are?” Cammie asked after a few minutes of walking.

“Their fear and hatred are difficult for me,” Stern said. “The more of it I feel, the more of it affects me. That’s true of every emotion, but out here, that’s what I would get.”

“Must have been terrible,” Cammie said.

“Only the majority of it,” Stern shrugged. “I had a loving family, at least.” He felt the spike of sorrow from Cammie, but didn’t comment on it.

“Family is special,” Cammie said softly.

“You and your brother obviously think so, even when he’s being… unpleasant.”

“He doesn’t drink to excess often.”

“There’s a story there,” Stern said, “but I won’t pry. You both might feel comfortable telling us in time.”

Cammie watched him from the corner of her eye, then nodded. “Maybe. I think it’d be like asking about what you endured.”

“Not much to tell,” Stern shrugged. “It’s fairly obvious how I’m viewed by most people.”

“But what about people who got to know you?” Cammie asked.

Stern was silent for a few minutes as they kept walking. “Most grew to hate the fact that I knew their feelings. They couldn’t hide what they felt and, in time, it broke even good friendships.”

Cammie didn’t know what to say. Her own experiences had been unpleasant at times, but she had had friends. Being cut off from everyone but family would have made things much harder.

The silence stretched out until they got to the shop Stern had been directed to. He opened the door, leading Cammie inside. The small jingle of a bell announced them to the woman with jutting horns standing behind the counter.

“How can I help you?” the bovine lykian asked.

“Stiffened leather for my friend, or a partial brigandine, if you can pull it off,” Stern said, keeping his head down.

“The first is easy. What do you mean by the second one?”

Stern exhaled slowly, then stood up, letting the shopkeeper see him as he pushed his cloak back to show off his chestguard. He started on the straps as the woman took in the sight of him.

“You… you’re…!” the shopkeeper began to stammer.

“An irregular,” Cammie said, stepping forward. “A Walker, too.”

The shopkeeper blinked at the dwarf, then looked back at Stern as he set the armor on the counter, his badge still attached to it. She touched the badge, then exhaled noisily. “Walkers…? Could have warned me.”

“I’ve tried that before,” Stern said a little tightly. “I still get the same response.”

Nostrils flaring, the lykian stamped a foot. “Fine. What’s special about this armor?”

Stern knocked on the strike plates, then explained the concept. The shopkeeper’s fear had faded and, in its place, curiosity and interest surged forward. By the end, she was nodding along with Stern’s explanation.

“I can make a set, but it’ll take a month.”

“Too long,” Stern said. “We plan to leave tomorrow.”

The shopkeeper exhaled noisily again. “I can modify a chest piece and leggings in a handful of days. She looks pretty average for a dwarf.”

“I doubt she’s average,” Stern chuckled, “but you can size her.”

Cammie’s eyebrow went up at Stern’s words. “How would you know?”

Stern looked at her, then sighed. “I was thinking of your perks and personality.”

Cammie snorted. “Guys. Right?”

The shopkeeper brayed a laugh, nodding. “Men. Come with me.”

Stern sighed again and went to wait for Cammie.

He wasn’t waiting too long before the two women came out of the back, laughing. The shopkeeper gave Stern an appraising glance, her laughter dying off.

“How much?” Stern asked, stepping back up to the counter.

“For the armor, I’ll say a silver,” the lykian replied.

Stern frowned, but nodded. “Can you dye them?”

The shopkeeper looked at the armor Stern was wearing again. “Like that?”

Feeling and hearing the doubt in her voice, Stern nodded curtly. “Yes. You might want to ask about this. It’s becoming more common. Darkhand is starting a trend.”

“They are?”

“Yes. The news is just reaching the city.”

“Oh. Hmm... okay. The dye is another large copper.”

Stern pulled out the coins and placed them on the counter. “See you in five days.”

“I’ll have it ready.”

Cammie stayed quiet as they left the shop. Once they were on their way back to the inn, she said, “You didn’t even try to haggle her.”

“The price was good, and crew safety is worth any cost,” Stern said.

She gave him a side-eye for a moment. “Really?”

“My father always says so,” Stern said softly. “And I’ve seen what losing crew members can do to people.”

Cammie was quiet, but the same sorrow she’d felt repeatedly came back and lingered. After a few minutes, she finally said, “Thanks.”

“No thanks needed,” Stern said. “You and your brother are crew, which is as close as one can be besides family.”

“Yeah,” Cammie said sadly. “That’s what it should be.”

“Yes,” Stern nodded. “Maybe one day, everyone will feel that way.”

Cammie snorted. “That’s never going to happen. People will always be people.”

“True enough,” Stern agreed. “Most people are only out for themselves, first.”

“Looks like we see people the same way.”

“Yeah. Something in common is always good.”

“Yes, it is,” Cammie smiled.

“Now let’s go see about weapons,” Stern said.

Chapter Thirteen

“We’re back,” Stern announced as he and Cammie entered the suite.

“Looks like we’re back first,” Cammie said, looking at the empty room.

“Grab a drink downstairs?” Stern asked.

“Might as well.”

Trooping back down, Stern grabbed a two-person table off to the side as Cammie got them some drinks. The room wasn’t busy yet, as the people who would be filling it were either trying to join a crew for a run or were actively running a dungeon.

Cammie came back to the table with two mugs, handing him one as she took the other seat. “Hope you don’t mind the choice.”

“I prefer light ale, actually. Dark ale is too much like chewing my drink.”

“Yeah,” Cammie laughed, “I understand that. My brother loves them dark, while I prefer them light.”

“Siblings can be vastly different,” Stern agreed, thinking about his own brothers and sisters.

“You have some. Your comments make that obvious.”

“I’m the eldest,” Stern said.

“Only irregular?”

“Thank the Goddess,” Stern said softly.

“How long until they run?”

“A year or two. A few of them are within a year of each other, so they might run together for the first few, at least.”

“The first few?”

“A couple of them will probably stop after the first three dungeons. They just don’t have the mentality for it. It’s good, though. It’ll mean less worry for our parents.”

“There is that,” Cammie sighed.

“Just you and your brother?”

“Yeah. Some of your family will run like you?”

“Probably.”

“Why didn’t you just wait for them?”

Stern took a long drink before answering, “They don’t care for my perk, either. It bothers them as much as it does others. They try to not let it, but the longer I’m nearby, the more it does.”

“Even family?”

“Not as badly, but yeah. Some of my sisters were better about it, but they felt a lot of pity, which was a different kind of bad for me.”

“Oh,” Cammie said softly, understanding dawning. “Every emotion... so yeah, younger sisters feeling pity must have cut deep.”

“My parents loved me, so I managed.”

Another deep surge of sorrow flooded Cammie, and she drank deeply from her mug. Setting it down, she looked up. “You’re not going to ask?”

“Not my place. Honestly wish I didn’t have this perk. If or when you want to tell that story, you will.”

She looked at him for a long moment, then nodded. “Thanks. Vulk won’t ever tell it, but I might in time.”

“That’s fine. Speaking of...” Stern drained his mug and stood up. “How did the shopping go?” he asked over Cammie’s head.

“We got everything we needed,” Trish said. “Let us drop it off, then we can go.”

“We can help,” Stern said, going to Cyra and taking her bag.

“Thank you,” Cyra smiled. “I could have carried it, though.”

“Yeah, I know,” Stern murmured, meeting her eyes.

Cyra flushed a light pink and ducked her head. “Thank you.”

“Are we going to go or just stand here?” Vulk asked pointedly.

Trish gave him a look, then went up the stairs.

They dropped off their bags and headed right back out.

“What about the armor?” Vulk asked Cammie.

“Five days,” Stern said. “They’re refitting a couple of pieces for her instead of making them from scratch. That would take a month.”

“Chest and legs,” Cammie told her brother. “Part brigandine, a lot like his and hers.” She nodded at Stern and Cyra.

Vulk looked thoughtful as they walked. “Is that armor better than mine?”

“Mostly different, especially down here,” Trish said. “We’ll be upgrading as we go. I’ll end up in plate, and you’ll likely end up in scale. All three of them won’t really go beyond what they have. We might get Cyra into heavier armor. She doesn’t need to be stealthy as much as she needs protection, but we’ll want to ease her into the heavier gear.”

“So I can get used to it?” Cyra asked.

“Exactly. You’re still filling out all the way and getting used to what you have now,” Stern said. “Cammie and I will be stealthy and fast, which means lighter armor, especially if we want her out in front to disarm traps.”

“Just enough to give me time to retreat,” Cammie nodded. “That’s the way trap finders work. But why you?” Cammie asked Stern.

“You’ll see shortly,” Stern said with a smile.

Vulk snorted, but didn’t say anything.

Trish’s lips quirked up when she thought about what Vulk was about to find out.

~*~*~

The city dojo wasn’t far from the inn, so they reached it quickly. Stern had arranged one of the larger rooms for them, along with padded armor and training weapons.

“We start with stretching,” Stern said. “We normally do this every morning, but we put it off today because we wanted you both to join us.”

Vulk looked sour, taking those words as an attack on his drunkenness last night. Cammie nudged her brother, giving him a warning look.

“After stretching, we’ll spar,” Stern went on. “We’ll begin with unarmed, have a small break after we face off a few times, and then we’ll move onto the weapons.” He nodded at the worker who brought in the gear he’d requested. “Thanks.”

The worker bowed and left, giving Stern a worried look.

“Okay, we’ll start with legs. Stretch until you feel the stress and hold it there. Don’t push it. We’re only loosening the muscles.”

Stern led them through the routine he’d taught Cyra and Trish in Darkstone. They had to pause for Cyra to heal Vulk— he hadn’t listened and pushed one stretch, straining a hamstring. After that, Vulk listened more, intent on not failing again.

Once they were loose and limber, Stern nodded. “You two are free to join us every morning to stretch. How do you feel?”

“Loose,” Cammie said. “Good.”

“Fine,” Vulk said a little tightly.

“Vulk, I know you don’t like me,” Stern said without any heat, “which is fine. But we need to trust each other to defend each other. I don’t think you believe I can do that.”

Vulk shrugged. “Too thin and you don’t fight. You just use a crossbow.”

“Which is one of the reasons we’re here,” Stern said. “Trish, I’ll be sparring with Vulk first. Please officiate. Rules are the same as when you learned during the academy.”

Vulk nodded, a hint of happiness rising in him as he thought about showing the others how strong he was. Stepping back, he put his fists up and started to bounce lightly on his toes.

Stern took in the pugilist stance and nodded as he set himself into a defensive posture. Stern gave Trish a nod and focused on Vulk.

Trish checked both of them, then told them to fight. Vulk came forward with control, clearly knowing how to use his fists. Stern waited, knowing the first attack was likely to be a probing jab.

The first exchange was fast— Vulk jabbed, but pulled back when Stern blocked and tried to grab his arm. Having been able to avoid the grab, Vulk tried a short hook with his other arm. Stern blunted the bulk of that hit with his other hand, but not as cleanly.

“I’ve beaten enough martial artists to know your tricks,” Vulk told Stern as he started to circle.

“Because most only know the simple things they were taught,” Stern said as he pivoted to keep Vulk in front of him.

Vulk came forward again, but Stern was suddenly closing and going low on him. Vulk tried to backstep as he drove his right fist down into Stern’s back. Stern grunted at the bruising punch, then grabbed Vulk’s legs. With a heave, he pulled the shorter, stouter man from his feet and drove them both to the floor.

Vulk grunted when they slammed into the mat— he hated being on the floor, but knew how to grapple. He pummeled Stern, who was trying to wrap him into submission. Vulk grew concerned and hit harder when he realized that Stern was more slippery than he’d thought. None of his blows were landing cleanly.

Stern had to abandon the first few holds, as Vulk was a fighter to his core. But Vulk had never trained to use his legs, so Stern shifted fast, grabbing one and using it to gain the upper hand.

Vulk grimaced when Stern shifted suddenly, as he knew what Stern was doing. He lashed out with his one free foot, aiming to kick Stern away, but again, Stern managed to slip just aside so that he only lightly grazed him. With a grunt, Vulk jerked his torso upright, using his abdominals to get into position to punch at Stern again.

The moment Vulk jerked upward, Stern spun, abandoning the leg and grabbing Vulk’s waist as he slid around. Using his momentum and Vulk’s lack of knowledge, Stern was able to roll the other man face down onto the mat as he mounted him from behind.

Elbows flew back at Stern as he kept his grip and slowly transitioned for the win. Vulk had a bad feeling about his position and tried to fight out of it, but he couldn’t find the right angle or leverage to dislodge Stern.

The end came quickly— Stern was able to get up to Vulk’s neck and get a choke applied. Seconds later, Vulk went limp and Stern let him go, standing up and wiping at his face. Looking at Cammie, he raised an eyebrow.

“He’ll give you respect now,” Cammie said slowly. “What was all of that?”

“What my parents taught me. Too many focus on a single discipline,” Stern said. “Next time, I’ll box him. He’ll probably win, but I had to prove first that I can win.”

“Can I fight Cammie next?” Cyra asked. “I’ll lose, but I want to test myself.”

“That’s fine,” Trish said as Vulk began to stir. “We’ll be here for hours. Stern, you factor in the salve for this?”

“Yeah,” Stern said as he drew out a small tin. “Can you dab me?”

Trish grinned. “Sure.”

“What... happened?” Vulk groaned as he came to.

“Choke,” Stern said as Trish took the tin from him. “You’re good, but you’ve only worked on boxing, haven’t you?”

Vulk sat up, blinking slowly as he tried to understand. “Yes. Granddad taught me.”

A pang of sadness from Cammie told Stern more of the siblings. “And when we fight again, I’ll box you and probably get my ass kicked, but holding to just one discipline isn’t the best.”

Vulk turned a hard eye to Stern, then exhaled slowly and nodded, letting go of the surge of anger. “And you can teach us?”

“Trish and I,” Stern said. “You’ll be teaching us in return. Now, come on. Cyra and Cammie are going for a round.”

Vulk took Stern’s offered hand and got to his feet. “Okay.”

Chapter Fourteen

They spent the week mostly training, with Vulk leading them in boxing, Trish handling weapons, and Stern leading martial arts. It helped ease Vulk into the crew, and there was less disdain from him toward Stern.

Because they stayed at the inn for a while, the other Walkers mellowed more to Stern. There was even a handful of people that asked to pet Pawly. Stern was fine with that, but warned them to not pet her belly. One person didn’t listen to the warning, and Pawly drew blood. Stern made sure to salve the wound, and the guy wasn’t terribly upset, agreeing that he’d been warned.

Now, it was time to leave Waterrock behind— they’d collected Cammie’s armor and had double-checked their gear and supplies. They spent the last night enjoying one more good meal, and even spent time in the taproom sharing stories with the other Walkers.

For the trio of lovers, they did their best to not cause problems for the siblings. They kept their intimacy to the bedrooms, outside of kisses on the cheeks. Trish spent a couple of nights with each of the other two, and the three of them spent one more night together, but didn’t go further than they had previously.

~*~*~

Stern woke to soft lips on his, and he reached out to hold the one kissing him. Cyra let out a happy sound as she let the kiss linger, resting her hands on Stern’s bare chest. After a few minutes, Cyra pushed away from him to sit up, looking down at him with love and yearning.

“Good morning, my dearest bunny,” Stern murmured.

“Good morning, dearest,” Cyra murmured back, the words making her feelings of love surge higher.

“Time to move on,” Stern sighed as he sat up.

“Yes, on to the next city and dungeon,” Cyra agreed. “And maybe… more?”

Stern gave her a smile. “Perhaps, if you’re ready then. During the trip wouldn’t be right.”

“No. Just cuddles during the trip itself,” Cyra agreed. “I already talked with Trish about the trip and after. I’m wanting to do a little more with you... she’ll be there with us.”

Stern cleared his throat as his imagination was spinning into overdrive. “Yeah...”

Cyra giggled, then leaned in to kiss his cheek. “I didn’t mean to tease you.”

“Trish must be rubbing off on you.”

“When she isn’t with you,” Cyra giggled again.

Stern chuckled. “True. I’ll be out there in a bit.”

“Okay.” Cyra collected another kiss on his cheek before she left the room.

Stern swallowed when she left, forcing himself out of bed. She does feel happier and safer around me, he thought. Maybe this is working in the right way, after all... I’m glad she wants to do more, but I’ll have to keep a close check on her emotions to make sure she doesn’t press too far...

~*~*~

The group broke their fast with the breakfast soup the inn always served as the first meal of the day. Saying their goodbyes to the staff and the few Walkers hanging about, they left the inn behind.

Entering the Walkers’ hall, Trish led them to the quest board. They found a collection quest for more dark willow shoots, along with a kill quest for scurriflies.

“Hmm...” Trish mused, looking thoughtful. “Might be a wild boss for them, considering the number we killed on the way here.”

“Agreed,” Stern said.

“I thought those were rare?” Cyra asked.

“They are,” Cammie replied. “A quest hasn’t been posted, but if we find and kill it, we should get a reward.”

“It would be the second wild boss for Cyra and I,” Stern explained, “and yes, they should be rare.”

“That would make it irregular, like you,” Vulk said.

Stern laughed. He caught the current of humor from Vulk, even though he’d said the line without giving away any. “True.”

Seeing Stern was okay with the banter, Cyra and Trish relaxed.

“It’ll take us longer to get to Springwater if we take the quests,” Cammie said, “but money is always welcome.”

“Yes, it is,” Trish grinned.

Stern nodded, thinking he might need to visit a bank in the next city— he’d taken a chunk out of what he’d been carrying, with Cyra and Cammie needing gear. However, he put the thought aside for later.

Trish touched the pages and accepted the quests. “Okay, let’s go.”

As they turned to leave, a few people called out wishing them well, and they returned the standard Walker reply. As they went down the road toward the city gate, Stern was quiet.

“Stern?” Cyra asked softly.

“Think I might miss it here,” Stern told her. “They’d mostly started accepting me.”

“And more will,” Cyra said, taking his hand.

“You’re always more optimistic than I am,” Stern smiled.

“That’s true,” Cyra said, “but I also know how selfless you can be. Us pulling the shards out helped a lot.”

“It was good,” Stern said softly, thinking back to the rebirth. “I’m not surprised he decided to retire.”

“He was dead longer than I was,” Trish said. “It can take a toll on you.”

“How bad of a toll?” Cammie asked.

“Depends on the person, who’s there for them, and how long they were dead,” Trish said. “Most retire if it’s been years. Their crew probably split apart if they weren’t pulled out… or the entire crew was killed.”

“Walkers, may the road be smooth for you,” one of the guards on the gate nodded to them as they left the city.

“Have a good day,” Trish replied.

“Half day on the road, then into the woods?” Vulk asked.

“That’s the plan,” Trish agreed. “About two weeks of travel to Springwater, collecting all the dark willow shoots we can while killing scurriflies. Should be pretty straightforward... at least we hope it is.”

~*~*~

Settling down for the night, the group had to divide up the camp work again, since they had new members. With five of them, they had more people than tasks. Cyra was the cook every time— that was clearly set by Trish and Stern. For hunting, Stern went with Pawly to bring down fresh meat if possible. That left Cammie, Vulk, and Trish to handle the other tasks; gathering wood and setting the camp. The three of them came to an agreement that they would rotate which of them had what duty each night.

When Stern returned with a few rabbits, he found the camp all set. “Looks good,” he said as he took a seat beside the cutting board. “I’ll have these ready in a few minutes, Cyra.”

“Okay. You gutted them already?”

“Wanted to make sure we keep the camp as clean as possible. Besides, Pawly wanted a snack.”

Pawly, the size of a small tiger, bumped Stern’s back, nearly bowling him over.

“Easy,” Stern chuckled. “If you make me ruin the meat, Cyra will be upset.”

Pawly sat down, looking away as if she was innocent.

“You’re going to skin them?” Vulk asked.

“Yeah, then debone and slice them for Cyra,” Stern nodded. “She’ll get them cooked enough for travel food tomorrow.”

Vulk shifted over to watch. “Never seen it done before.”

“I’ll go slower on the second one,” Stern said as he began skinning the first rabbit. “I want Cyra to be able to get the food started.”

Cammie took a seat on Stern’s other side. “We’ve never hunted and cleaned game before.”

“A learning experience, then,” Stern said as he kept his eyes on his task. “Once you do it enough, it’s pretty easy. Cyra can manage it easily now with all the work she got during our bunnicorn hunting.”

“Oh? How did that go?” Cammie asked.

“Good. That’s where Trish’s helmet came from.”

Trish chuckled as she patted the helm beside her. “He brought it into my shop and asked me to make a helm out of it. He was going to use it, but it suited me better, he thought.”

“It does make for a striking piece,” Vulk said. “The horn is sharper than it should be, isn’t it?”

“Yes. When it was plated, I asked my friend to give it a good point. If needed, it can do the job. Of course, if I have to use my helm, I’ve probably made numerous mistakes.”

“Or they got the jump on us,” Cyra said.

“True, but that means we all failed to see the ambush.”

“Which would be terrible,” Cammie said. “If the ambush goes for you, that’s better for the rest of us.”

“There is that,” Trish chuckled.

“Tea is ready,” Cyra said, pulling the pot off the fire.

“Pour for me? I’ll get to it after I’m done and cleaned up,” Stern asked Cyra.

Cyra nodded as she passed around a cup of tea to everyone. “I’ll get a second pot on after dinner.”

Cammie sipped the steaming tea. “Mint… very relaxing.”

“Dark for the morning, mint for the evening,” Cyra said.

“You’re quick,” Vulk said, his eyes focused on Stern’s hands.

“Years of practice,” Stern explained. “My family always went camping and hunting. We all learned… well, most of us. Some of my siblings refused.”

“Why?” Vulk asked.

“They don’t want to kill people or animals,” Stern said. “Oh, they don’t mind eating them, but the blood bothers them. They’ll clear the first three dungeons, but probably stop there.”

“Soft,” Vulk snorted.

“Not everyone is suited for being a Walker,” Trish said. “Most people clear the basic three and no more. Only Walkers and the serious crafters clear more.”

“A few don’t even do a single dungeon,” Cammie added. “I never understood that. Few die in the lowest three if they go in with others.”

“But they can still die...” Cyra said softly, visibly recalling her own death.

Cammie jerked, clearly hearing the sadness in Cyra’s words. “Sorry, I didn’t mean—!”

“It’s fine,” Cyra said, cutting her off.

“Your story?” Vulk asked cautiously.

“Yes,” Cyra nodded as she took the first pieces of rabbit meat from Stern. “It’s how I met Stern, in fact.”

Stern’s hands stilled. “You don’t need to tell them.”

“It’s fine. It might help me,” Cyra said. She set the meat into the hot pan, the sizzle and smell filling the air. “I went in with five others…”

~*~*~

Vulk and Cammie were aghast and angry when Cyra finished the tale.

“That thing deserved to die. Good job,” Vulk told Stern.

“Too quick,” Cammie said tightly. “He should have suffered more.”

Pawly chuffed, staring at the sizzling pan.

“Yes, it’s ready,” Cyra said as she pulled the meat and vegetables from the pan. “Anyway, Stern offered to take me into the dungeon, and, well, we’ve been together since.”

“Why?” Cammie asked as she took the plate Cyra offered her.

Stern finished cleaning his hands, having prepared the second rabbit during the story. “She wanted to be a Walker. I understand the drive to be more than how others see you. After the first one, we both had to get out of Bloodstone, so it just made sense.”

“And Trish?” Vulk asked, giving Cyra a thankful nod as he took his plate.

“They met me in Darkstone,” Trish said. “Cyra charmed me and Stern impressed me. Friendship grew into something more.”

Cyra gave Trish a kiss on the cheek as she passed Trish the plate of food. “And we’re glad for that.”

“Very glad,” Stern smiled. “Thank you, Cyra,” he said, taking his own plate.

“And for Pawly,” Cyra grinned as she set a bowl down beside herself. “You need to be smaller, though.”

Pawly chuffed, sitting up and staring at Stern.

Stern chuckled and shrunk her down, also removing her other improvements. “Eat up, fur-face.”

“This is good,” Cammie said as she finished her first bite. “How did you manage that in a camp?”

Cyra smiled broadly. “Spices.”

“And she’s magic with food,” Trish added.

“Yes, she is,” Stern agreed.

Cyra blushed a little, smiling as she ate her own food.

Chapter Fifteen

Days ticked by as they dug up dark willow shoots and killed scurriflies. The crew was finding what was a good balance for them. The conversation that happened focused mainly on monsters and the best ways to kill them. Cyra had initiated almost all of them, asking so she might be better able to help. Stern was glad that Vulk and Cammie were interested, as well, as it made it easier to discuss with everyone. Trish and Stern were able to expand on monsters, but it was mostly Stern, impressing even Trish with how much he’d memorized.

“How do you know all of this?” Cammie eventually asked.

“I studied a lot,” Stern said, shrugging. “It was something I could do that didn’t involve others.”

“Oh, right. Sorry,” Cammie said with a wince.

“It’s fine. I enjoyed learning because I knew what I would be doing. Dad approved when he found out, and he’d told me things that the books didn’t mention. For instance, toros can be distracted by a vigorous cloak flap. It’s enough to get them to veer just to the side and give yourself a chance to hit them in the back of the neck.”

“Not for us,” Vulk snorted. “Toros are seven feet tall, at least.”

“When they charge, they lower their heads,” Stern said. “You might have to reach for it, but for most, it brings the neck down to a viable level.”

Before anyone else could say more, a scream echoed through the woods.

Cyra’s ears quivered as she turned her head a little. “That way,” she pointed.

They took off at speed, going off the lightly-used trail.

“What do you think it is?” Cammie asked as they ran.

“A person in distress,” Stern said. He was leading the way, his longer legs eating up the ground, until Pawly passed him in a rush.

Another scream came, different in tenor, indicating a second person.

“People in distress,” Trish amended as she chased Stern.

Cyra’s eyes widened and she called out to them. “Scurriflies ahead! I hear them!”

“Shit,” Stern said as he got ready to put the crossbow to use. “Not a wild boss, then.”

“A swarm,” Trish grimaced. “This is going to get bad.”

They all felt the edges of the fight ahead of them as Cyra’s Life Sense extended to them. Dozens of smaller life forms scurried around a group of four larger forms, which were clustered together.

Stern broke into the clearing a few seconds after Pawly. With his crossbow raised, he began to fire at the monsters closest to the four people. He took aim and fired methodically as the rest of his crew arrived. Pawly went barreling past the other side of the group, her claws hitting the scurriflies on the ground while her tentacles lashed a few from the air.

Trish went rushing straight for the group. Two people were on the ground, weakly trying to apply salve to themselves. Her shield and hammer were in motion, knocking gliding monsters back while her hammer whipped around, launching others away.

Cyra was next, and she paused just inside the clearing, raising her crossbow to aim for the scurriflies gliding down from the trees. Seeing the wounded, she tried to heal them, but nothing happened. Cammie came to a stop beside her, her own smaller crossbow also picking off the easier-to-hit gliders.

Vulk had both axes out and rushed heedlessly into the clearing— he was a near whirlwind as he slashed left and right, cleaving small bodies to pieces. He was grinning the entire time as he dealt death.

“Who are you?” one of the people asked in surprise.

“Allies,” Stern said. “Cyra, help them if you can.”

Cyra was about to say she’d already tried, but she tried again. Her eyes widened slightly when her perk worked this time. One of the two people on the ground gasped, suddenly feeling better. Cyra immediately healed the second person before going back to firing.

The two wounded Walkers pushed themselves to their feet, grabbing their fallen weapons and starting to help kill the mobs. With nine people pitching in, the swarm was quickly destroyed.

When Cyra felt the last scurrifly die, she relaxed. The rest of the crew did the same while the other four were tense, looking around and waiting for more.

“It’s over,” Trish said.

“Maybe,” one of the men said. “They could be in the trees still.”

“No, they’re gone,” Vulk sighed. “We know.”

“A perk?” one of the wounded Walkers asked.

“Yes,” Trish said. “What happened?”

“We were killing scurriflies for the quest out of Springwater,” the one with the shield said. “Easy quest, we thought, for some extra money on the way to Waterrock. We got to the clearing… then it exploded. Scurriflies everywhere.”

“Swarm,” Stern said.

The man looked at Stern, then jerked back, turning to bring his weapon and shield to bear on him. “Blighted!”

“Walker,” Stern said, tapping his badge. “Irregular, if you must.”

“They saved us, Danny. Stop it,” one of the wounded said, pushing the hair back from her face and behind her elven ear. “One of them is a healer. Healed me and Lincoln.”

Danny glanced at her. “But Liz—!”

“No buts,” said the feline lykian male that Liz had called Lincoln. “They saved us from a lot worse, possibly the worst that could have happened.”

The fourth member of their crew just nodded, staying silent as his angelic wings flapped lightly. He was eyeing Stern wearily, but also with interest.

“Are you four going to be okay?” Cammie asked.

“We’ll head for the road,” Danny grunted, taking his eyes off Stern. “We’re done with this quest.”

“You came from Springwater?” Trish asked to double-check what she’d heard.

“Yeah.”

“We might as well head to the road, too, then,” Trish said. “They’ll have killed the easy ones on the way here.”

“A good point,” Stern nodded. “Might be best, and it would be good to be in a larger group to get out of the woods. Sometimes, there are multiple swarms.”

Liz nodded. “Agreed. Safety in numbers.”

“Yeah,” Danny said, clearly unhappy as he glanced back at Stern.

Liz walked up to get into Danny’s face. “Who’s the leader of our crew?”

Danny grimaced, looking away from her. “You.”

“That’s right,” Liz replied firmly. “Me. Beech Wood is my crew. We’re going with them to the road, where they’ll head on to Springwater, and we’ll go to Waterrock.”

Stern watched with a blank face, but he was amused internally. Liz had the same forceful personality that Karen did— his mother could back down people in much the same way.

“Yeah, sure,” Danny sighed.

Lincoln finished salving his wounds. “Liz, you want me to patch you?”

“Please?” Liz asked, going up to him, but looking at Trish. “Sorry. We’re Beech Wood.”

“Bitch Wood...” Danny muttered under his breath.

“Only to those that upset me,” Liz smiled brightly.

“Pawsitively Irregular,” Trish said. “Glad we could help. And in case you’re wondering, Stern is our leader.” She nodded at Stern so everyone knew who she was talking about.

Liz blinked, then began to laugh. “I thought my name was kind of bad.”

A chuff got her to look to the edge of the clearing where Pawly was sitting, cutting her off.

“Pawly, wave to her,” Stern chuckled.

A large, many-toed paw rose up and waved at the group.

Liz blinked, then laughed even harder. Lincoln joined her, followed by the silent member of the crew. Danny just frowned at them, then looked at Pawly again.

“I don’t get it,” Danny said.

“She’s polydactyl,” Trish grinned. “Hence why she’s named Pawly. Pawly is Stern’s summons.”

Danny frowned for a longer moment, then winced. “Oh, Goddess. That’s terrible.”

“Blame my father,” Stern sighed. “Nice to meet you all. I’m Stern, and these are Cammie; her brother, Vulk; Trish; and last, but not least, Cyra.”

“Thank you,” Lincoln said, directed at Cyra. “You’re the healer, right? He called to you, and then my wounds closed.”

“I have a minor perk that lets me help,” Cyra replied.

“I wasn’t sure I’d be able to get to them all before I bled out. Pretty sure we would have if they’d kept coming, too. So thank you again.”

“Yes. Our deepest thanks,” Liz smiled. “Just give us a minute to get our stuff together again and we’ll be ready to go.”

Stern nodded, having been collecting bolts and checking to see if they’d still be useful. Since he’d finished, he knelt and began to reload the magazine for his crossbow.

The silent member of the Beech Wood crew sidled over to Stern. “What is that?” The question was quiet, and the man felt timid.

“New type of crossbow,” Stern said, not looking up. “I can tell you more about it tonight, if that’s okay?”

“Oh, yes. Of course.”

“Never caught your name,” Stern said, looking up at the angelic.

“Dustyn Sawall.”

“Nice to meet you, Dustyn,” Stern said, looking back down at what he was doing.

“You, too.”

~*~*~

Stern exhaled as he set his pack down. The rest of the day traveling with Beech Wood had been trying. Danny stayed quiet, but the anger and resentment poured off him. Lincoln and Liz tried to be friendly, but even they were both wary of him. Dustyn had been the only one who hadn’t made Stern feel bad— the angelic man was calm and felt a bit hopeful.

“I’ll be back,” Stern said as he started to head into the woods with Pawly beside him.

“Where’s he going?” Danny asked pointedly.

“Hunting. He brings in our meat,” Trish said. “Cyra cooks, and Vulk gathers the wood today while Cammie and I set camp.”

“Since we’re sharing a camp,” Liz asked, “Stern, are you okay if Dustyn goes with you?”

Stern gave Dustyn a look, and the angelic lowered his eyes. “I don’t mind.”

“Danny, go help… Vulk?” When Vulk nodded, Liz continued, “With the wood.”

Danny grimaced and dropped his shield and pack before stomping off into the woods. “Sure. Whatever.”

“Lincoln, help with the tents, please,” Liz sighed.

“Of course.”

“He’s a problem,” Trish said, watching Danny walk away with Vulk.

“He’s been getting worse,” Liz shrugged. “Thinks he should be the leader because he’s the bulwark.”

“Bulwarks aren’t hard to replace. I should know,” Trish snorted.

“He’ll either start to understand, or…” Liz trailed off with another shrug.

“A crew that fights is a crew that’s going to fracture,” Trish said softly. “Take it from me... I’ve been in a couple.”

Liz grimaced. “Yeah. I was planning on looking for another one in Waterrock.”

“That’s going to be a problem,” Lincoln sighed. “He might be an ass, but his perks make him a great bulwark.”

“And yet two of you were down and bleeding,” Trish said softly. “It’s your call, but with his attitude… I’ll be worried for you.”

They lapsed into silence as they got the camp set up. Cyra glanced at Trish, who shook her head. Cyra started to get tea ready for a fire, and pulled the cooking equipment out.

Vulk was the first one back, his arms loaded with wood. Danny came back a minute after him with a few decent-sized chunks. Vulk knelt next to the fire pit and arranged the kindling to get a fire going.

“I can start that,” Lincoln offered, “once you have the wood set.”

“Thanks,” Vulk said as he backed away. “It’s ready for the flint.”

Lincoln just grinned as he knelt down and put his hand over the wood. “Warmth, light, comfort... let this fire bring these things to us.” A thick ember of fire dropped from his hand into the tinder, which started to burn instantly.

“Interesting,” Trish said. “A perk, obviously.”

“From birth,” Lincoln said. “Useless for combat, but great for starting fires.”

“Is there a limit on it?” Cammie asked.

“None, but the ember only starts fires and burns out in seconds.”

“Great for camps, though,” Liz grinned. “He’s also our caster. Lincoln will go far with his perks.”

Lincoln shrugged awkwardly, but was smiling broadly. “I’ll go as far as our crew goes.”

“How long does it take the bli… irregular to bring back game?” Danny asked, changing his sentence when Trish’s eyebrow rose.

“Since he’s hunting for a double group? Might be a bit, but he’ll bring it back if it’s out there,” Cyra said. “Does Dustyn hunt for you?”

“He’s our trap finder,” Liz said. “Doesn’t say much, but he’s skilled.”

~*~*~

A half-hour later, Stern and Dustyn came back to camp, grinning, with Pawly walking proudly ahead of them. Stern raised his right hand in greeting, as his left was holding a thick branch over his shoulder. On the branch between Stern and Dustyn, there were six rabbits lashed to it.

“We’re back,” Stern said. “Dustyn’s a great hunter. His work with Pawly netted us the majority of these.”

“I did little,” Dustyn murmured.

“Too modest,” Stern said. “If he’s even half as good in a dungeon, your crew has a damned good member.”

“I’ve told him that repeatedly,” Liz grinned at the angelic. “Told you, Dustyn.”

Danny snorted softly. “The majority of a dungeon is dealt with by me.”

Lincoln frowned at the bulwark. “Dustyn, Liz, and I kill them. If we didn’t, you’d lose eventually. It’s a group effort.”

Danny rolled his eyes. “So how long ‘til food?”

Stern’s mood soured now that he was back in camp, Danny’s emotions twisting him. “Once I skin and pull the meat off, Cyra can start.”

“We can help,” Cammie offered, “since there’s so much to do.”

“Yes,” Vulk added.

“Me, too,” Dustyn said quietly.

“So, not long,” Stern said to Danny. “Besides, it will be worth the wait.”

Cyra blushed lightly and smiled at Stern. “I’ll do my best.”

Chapter Sixteen

They were glad when they’d reached Springwater. They’d spent another day with Beech Wood, and Danny was as abrasive as he’d been the day before. The others warmed up a little more toward Stern, and they wished the crew well when they separated.

Even after that, it took a few more days by road to reach Springwater. Now, the walls of the city were in sight. The land around it had been converted from forest into farmland, giving the fifteen-foot walls clear lines of sight for at least a mile in all directions.

The sun was low on the horizon when they made it to the gates. The two guards there saw their badges and waved them through the opening, and Trish’s question about inns got them directions. Both guards gave Stern long looks when he passed them.

“Are you turning the quests in tonight?” Vulk asked as they strode down the street.

“Want some spending money?” Stern asked.

“A bit.”

“Then sure,” Stern said. “Trish, can you get rooms for us? I’ll meet you at the Steaming Cup.”

“Easy enough. Same as Waterrock?”

“Probably. Just do what you think is best,” Stern told her.

“I’ll go with Stern,” Cyra said.

“And I’ll go with my brother and Trish,” Cammie said.

“We have a plan,” Stern said.

“Of course we do,” Trish said. “We don’t have a Danny.”

All of them shuddered at the idea of having Danny in the crew.

“Thank the Goddess,” Cammie said. “He was worse than my brother.”

“Hey!”

“What?” Cammie asked with a glint in her eye. “You’re the worst of what we currently have.”

“Vulk isn’t that bad,” Cyra said. “He’s rough, but not overly abrasive.”

“Thanks. Wait…”

Trish laughed. “Okay, let’s break this up. Cyra, come with me. Cammie, you go with Stern. If we leave you two together,” she said, looking directly at the siblings, “we might have trouble before we even get to the dungeon.”

“Okay,” Cyra giggled.

Vulk grumbled under his breath. “I’m not that bad.”

“You aren’t. Not now,” Cyra smiled. “When we first met you, though, you weren’t as nice.”

Vulk looked away. “Yeah. I know.”

Cammie slugged his arm. “Look at you, growing up already and admitting your faults.”

Vulk growled at his sister. “I’ll show you—!”

“And this is why we’re splitting you two up,” Trish cut in with a sigh. “This way. Stern, see you in a few.”

“Yeah,” Stern said, shaking his head. “Come on, Cammie.”

Cammie grinned at her brother as she took a few quick steps to go beside Stern.

“Just like my siblings,” Stern muttered.

“Well, siblings are siblings,” Cammie snickered.

“Not always,” Stern said evenly. “Mine didn’t banter with me like you two do, but they did with each other.”

“Because of…?” Cammie trailed off.

“Maybe, but also age. I’m a couple of years older, at least.”

“But aren’t the others also separated by a year or two?”

Stern hesitated, then shook his head. “No. Dad has multiple wives. My brothers and sisters were born right near each other in groups. It made it easier for them to plan that way.”

Cammie stayed quiet, considering what he’d said as they entered the Walkers’ Hall.

The hall was busy. The afternoon into the evening was when the first sets of Walkers were done for the day, and the ones who hadn’t run were still hanging out. Stern exhaled deeply. As he walked toward the reception desk, he felt the eyes and emotions in the room shift hard.

“Blighted?” It was more of a question than a denouncement.

“Irregular!” Cammie snapped. “He has a damned badge on. Do you think a blighted would?”

The emotions in the room became even more hostile, and a majority focused on Cammie, instead.

“Look, we just want to make sure we’re safe. If he’s not a blighted, then we won’t gut him.”

“Irregular,” Stern said tightly. “Thanks.” He never stopped moving to the desk.

“Freak,” someone said loudly in a stage whisper.

“You might be, but everyone’s fine with you,” Cammie shot back. “Now, if you’re done, some of us have quests to turn in.”

“Collecting babies?” someone else asked. Macabre laughter came from a few people.

“But you’re already here.”

“Cammie, stop...” Stern said softly. “Engaging only ramps them up.”

Cammie glanced his way, then shrugged. “Fine.”

“At least he knows his place,” another person piped up.

“Rescue Squad is his place,” Cammie said. “Already pulled two people out.”

The room went silent as people tried to put those words together with Stern’s appearance.

“Walkers?” the receptionist asked.

Stern gave the balding man a nod. “Sir, quests completed.” Placing the dark willow shoots on the desk, he held out his hand. “Those and scurriflies.”

The receptionist moved his tablet over and placed the sack on it, then nodded. Once it had a moment to check the contents, he pushed the tablet toward Stern. Stern put his hand on it and inhaled as it checked him. Shaking his hand when the sensation passed, Stern waited. The receptionist looked it over before putting the sack into the bottom desk drawer, then pulling out a coin purse.

“Half on the accounts of my crew for retrieval,” Stern said. “I’ll take the other half.”

The receptionist paused as he counted, then removed a couple of coins and passed the stack to Stern. “There you go, Walker.”

“Thank you, sir.”

“Thank you for helping to retrieve the lost,” the receptionist smiled.

Stern bowed his head. “It’s the right thing to do.”

“Good luck in your run.”

“Thank you.”

As Stern turned to walk away, he saw the whole room staring at him. He scanned their faces, seeing disbelief, curiosity, fear, and a few etched with hatred. Without speaking, he led Cammie to the door.

“Walker?” someone called after them.

Stern paused and looked back. “Yes?”

“You’ve pulled two people out?”

“Yes. We’ll be joining the Rescue Squad in the next tier. It might not be the most profitable way to advance, but it’s the best thing for me.”

Silence fell again, and Stern left the Walkers’ Hall behind.

“That shut them up,” Cammie said softly as they headed for the inn.

“Most people don’t like to be reminded of how easy it is to be fractured and left behind,” Stern said. “Also, the comments and hatred are normal. Just ignore them unless they actually get in the way.”

“Just let them belittle you?” Cammie asked.

“No. I have to value their opinions for what they say to matter.” He gave her a sardonic smile.

Cammie blinked, then chuckled. “Okay, I’ll try to stay quiet next time. I have a question, though, if it’s okay?”

“Go ahead.”

“How can you afford it?”

Stern glanced at her, then shook his head. “I won’t say, but I can. As long as you and Vulk are willing to pull shards, we’ll be fine.”

“We’ll miss out on the gear,” Cammie said.

“No. Next tier, we can easily start picking up runes and other bits we’d spend points on, instead.”

“The auctions?” Cammie asked.

“Maybe a little,” Stern said. “Mostly alternative payment from the Walkers.”

“That’s a thing?” Cammie asked.

“It’s not common knowledge, but yes. Instead of money, you can ask for other payment. It’s sometimes lesser than what you would have gotten, and sometimes greater. It depends on who put up the quest for the shards.”

“Why isn’t that talked about?” Cammie asked. “It would get more people to pull shards.”

“At inflated prices,” Stern said sadly.

Cammie started to disagree, but thought about it and sighed. “Yeah, probably.”

“People being people, you know it would.”

Cammie couldn’t refute him, thinking about how badly it could go if more crews demanded gear to pull shards. “None of the families could easily get their loved ones back... It wouldn’t be a matter of slowly increasing the payment. It would mean having the right gear to entice a crew.”

“And needing enough to make pulling all the shards in multiple runs worth it,” Stern added. “The only way to get gear is from the Rescue Squad.”

“Retrievals?”

“Yes. There’s no bidding that way. You take the money or the items they give you. That’s it.”

“Hmm...”

“It’ll work out.”

“I trust you, Stern,” Cammie said as they approached the inn.

Stern felt the emotion behind the words and inhaled slowly. “Thanks. I’ll make sure you never have to change that trust.”

The inn was almost as lively as the Walkers’ Hall had been. People were drinking and exchanging stories when the pair entered. Silence fell quickly when everyone saw Stern.

“Ah, you must be the rest of Pawsitively Irregular,” a gray-haired angelic said from behind the bar. “Your bulwark did say to expect you.”

“Yes,” Stern said. “She arranged rooms?”

“I did,” Trish said as she came down into the common room. “Top floor, first room, same type as Waterrock. I thought you’d be here soon. Vulk’s waiting in the room, Cyra went for a bath, and I’ll be heading there in a minute. I wanted to arrange dinner.”

“See you in a bit, then,” Stern said, crossing the room.

Trish looked over the room as Stern walked. “As I said when I came in, he’s an irregular and a Walker.”

Stern felt the emotions bleed off a little, and he exhaled as he climbed the stairs. Cammie looked thoughtful, considering what Trish had said and how she must have prepared the place for Stern’s arrival.

Opening the suite, Stern found Vulk sitting in a comfortable chair, clearly waiting for them. “Here.” He flipped the dwarf a few coins. “Enjoy yourself.”

“Make sure to get a bath before bed,” Cammie told her brother pointedly.

Vulk just grunted as he stood up and went past them.

“Which room did you take?” Cammie asked as Vulk went by her.

He pointed, not stopping, and shut the door behind him.

“Oh, you’ll pay for that later, Brother.”

Stern wondered about why Vulk wanted to drink as soon as they got to the city, but didn’t ask. Instead, he wondered which room he was supposed to take.

Cammie glanced at him, then smirked. “Leaves you two choices, doesn’t it?”

“Not really?” Stern muttered. “Not sure if Trish is staying with me or Cyra. Ah, well. Pick a room, I guess.”

Cammie frowned. “Does it matter?”

“A bit,” Stern said.

“Oh…” Cammie said as realization dawned. “I thought the three of you…?”

“Not really,” Stern said, not looking her way. “There are things… that need to be done slowly.”

Cammie winced as she put the last few pieces together. “Cyra… poor thing.”

“Yeah.”

Trish came in and looked at them. “What?”

“What room am I in?” Stern asked her.

“The left, with me and Cyra,” Trish said. “The bed is large enough if we snuggle.”

Stern stood frozen. “Okay, but—”

“We’ll try it tonight and see,” Trish said softly, but glanced at Cammie. “Hopefully it works.”

Cammie headed for her room. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to put myself into it.”

“You’d find out eventually,” Trish said. “Cyra doesn’t mind, if you and Vulk are respectful.”

“We will be, or I’ll box his ears so hard he can’t see straight.”

“I figured,” Trish smiled. “But I doubt he’ll do wrong.”

“Not if he knows what’s good for him,” Cammie said, shutting her door behind her.

“Trish, is this the best idea?” Stern asked.

“Cyra asked,” Trish said softly. “You agreed she could try more.”

“I did and I want to, but I worry for her, too.”

“We know. Trust us.”

“I do.”

“Good. Now, let’s go bathe. They have a couple’s bath, and I asked them to mark it for us. No fun times allowed, but I still want you to clean me up.”

Stern chuckled as Trish’s eyes smoldered. “Clean you up? Is that possible?”

Trish let out a wicked giggle. “No, but you should try anyway.”

Stern laughed as he went to drop his bag and get his clothing in order.

Chapter Seventeen

“Good thing we opted to do the dungeon tomorrow,” Stern said, glancing at Vulk’s room.

Cammie sighed. “Sorry. I’ll make sure he’s good for then.”

“Is he going to do this in every city?” Trish asked Cammie.

“He…” Cammie trailed off, then exhaled deeply. “Probably.”

“There’s a reason,” Stern said softly, having felt the sadness, shame, and anger from Cammie.

Trish glanced at Stern, then gave her attention back to Cammie looking at the table. “One day in each city is fine, but it might be better if he explains it to the rest of us. At the moment, he’s not making himself look like a solid crewmate.”

“I’ll try...” Cammie whispered.

Cyra touched her hand. “Most of us know personal pain. You’ve heard my story, you can guess Stern’s, and Trish is reborn with her own story. None of us will cast aspersions for things that came before.”

“I should talk to him first. It’s not just my story... it’s our story.”

“Okay,” Stern said. “Trish, let’s give them a day. We agreed to skip running today, as it was. We all have things we want to do.”

“Yeah, we did. I just worry his behavior in this regard will get worse. We all know it can,” Trish said. “Cammie, we don’t expect him to bare his soul. You don’t even have to tell us the whole story. We just need to know that he’s not going to end up in the bottom of a mug or bottle.”

“Okay,” Cammie said. She looked up, glancing at each of them before giving a tentative smile. “I’ll try my best.”

“Which is all anyone can rightfully ask,” Stern said. “Mom always said, ‘you can only ask a person to try. It’s up to them to take the next step.’”

“Well, breakfast is done,” Trish said. “Cyra and I have a few places we want to stop at.”

“Would you mind if I came, too?” Cammie asked.

“We’d be glad to have you,” Cyra said.

“See you all back here for dinner?” Stern asked as he stood up.

“Or before,” Trish said. “If we get back before dinner, I’m going to ask around and see if a solo caster is about. One who will be okay with our group.”

“We got lucky in Waterrock,” Stern said. “I’m not sure we’ll be as lucky again here.”

Cammie flushed with embarrassment— Stern was saying it was lucky to have her and her brother, and Vulk was drunk in bed.

“I think he’ll be okay, Cammie,” Stern said. “Even if he isn’t… we were still lucky. See you all later,” he added before heading away.

“He’s not wrong,” Trish said.

“Alchemist first?” Cyra asked as Stern left the suite.

Stern looked down to find Pawly beside him. “Coming with me, huh?”

Pawly meowed at him.

“Like old times,” Stern smiled sadly before he started walking. “Bank first. I need to make sure I can keep paying the crew.” Going downstairs, Stern wondered if his parents had envisioned him using the savings that they’d given him the way he was going to use it.

The random conversations dimmed when Stern went through the taproom. The bartender was an infernal woman who gave him an appraising look as he went past. She’d clearly heard about him, however, as she didn’t radiate worry or fear like others, though her brow contracted upon seeing Pawly beside him.

“Hey, the cat—” the infernal started to say.

“A summons,” Stern told her, looking back, stopped by the door.

“Interesting,” the woman said. “Fine. Sorry to stop you.”

Stern gave her a nod, then left the inn. Pawly chuffed as she walked out beside him, her tail up and ears turned slightly to listen behind her.

The walk to the bank was a bit long, as it was nearly on the opposite side of the city. Stern’s mood had dipped, and he was back to his usual slouch as he walked. Pawly just trotted along beside him, meowing to the children that made excited sounds upon seeing her.

The imposing structure was made of the same marble as the temples. The major difference was that the pillars out front had gold flecks in them instead of black and red veins. Other than that, the bank also had more windows along the front, allowing natural light to help illuminate the lobby. Inside, lamps hung from the ceiling, adding additional lighting.

Stern got into the small line to see a teller. Waiting for his turn, he met the eyes of the single guard in the building. The elven man frowned and headed toward Stern.

“Sir?” the guard asked, coming to a stop a few feet from Stern.

Stern turned so his Walker badge was visible. “Walker, sir. Just here to conduct business.”

The elf nodded slowly. “Irregular?”

“Yes,” Stern said. He was a little confused, as the guard was curious more than anything.

“Ah, no offense… my daughter is, as well.”

Stern softened when he felt the emotion from the guard. “Sorry, sir. Did you need something?”

“Will you have a moment, after you’re done, to talk?” the guard asked.

“Yes,” Stern said softly.

“Thank you,” the guard exhaled in relief. “My post is right over there.” He pointed to where he’d been standing.

“Yes, sir.”

It didn’t take long for Stern to reach one of the two tellers. The woman’s eyes went wide and fear radiated off her. Stern tapped his badge and gave her a strained smile.

“Walker?”

“Yeah. Irregular, not blighted.”

The woman glanced at the guard and exhaled slowly. “I see… I’m sorry, sir.”

“Happens… a lot.”

The teller’s face heated and she looked down at the counter. “Of course.” Clearing her throat, she looked up at his eyes. “How can Delta Trust help you?”

“Withdrawal,” Stern said as he put his hand palm up on the counter.

The woman nodded and placed a tablet on his palm. After a moment, she took it back and looked at it. Her eyes began to widen, continuing until they looked about ready to pop out of her head.

“Yeah, please don’t mention it,” Stern said softly. “I need ten gold; three in gold, six in silver— mostly small, please— and the rest in large copper.”

“Right away, Mister Masterson,” the teller exhaled as she rushed off.

Stern watched her go and sighed. He was sure he wasn’t going to get out of this without something complicating things.

A couple of minutes later, the teller came back with a rotund man. The man wore an expensive suit, and his ears were porcine in nature. “Masterson, a pleasure to have you here in our bank,” the man nearly squealed.

“I asked her to keep my name quiet,” Stern said a bit tightly.

“Ah, apologies,” the pig lykian said. “Would you come with me, please?”

Stern exhaled slowly, shaking his head. “I’m sorry, sir. I have other business to conduct today. I just need the money, please.”

The manager looked disgruntled, but nodded. “Of course. Pay him.” With a snort, he stormed off.

The teller watched the manager go, then gave Stern an apologetic look. “I’m sorry, sir. When we withdraw anything over five gold, we have to notify him who the account is for. When he heard your last name, he all but ran out here.”

“Yeah, lots of people want something,” Stern said. “I don’t blame you.”

The teller was relieved and began to stack the coins onto the counter, counting them so he could see that the amount was correct. When she finished, she gave him a smile. “Will there be anything else?”

Stern slipped the gold off the counter and quickly secreted them and the few large silver into his belt. With that done, he pulled out his coin purse and put the rest of the money into it. “Nothing. Thank you. Have a good day.”

“You, as well, sir.”

Stern turned away from her and went straight over to the guard. “Sir?”

The guard looked around, then held up a hand. He turned to the closest teller. “Mike, tell Steve to get out here. I need to step away for a bit.”

“Sure thing, Joe.”

“It’ll be just a minute, okay?”

“Sure.”

Stern moved to the side and looked over the bank. He watched the various people who came in to do business, mentally guessing why each was here.

“Sorry, Joe. Go ahead,” Steve said as he approached.

Joe gave the other guard a nod. “Thanks. I’ll be back in a bit.”

“Sure, sure.”

“This way, please,” Joe said, heading toward a side door.

Stern followed him, curious as to what the bank guard wanted. The door led outdoors to a small picnic area. An overhang covered the table and chairs there, giving some shade to the break area. Joe took a seat and motioned at Stern to take the other.

“Okay,” Stern said, “what’s up?”

Pawly jumped onto the table and flopped in front of Stern, but her eyes were on Joe.

“It’s odd to see a cat following someone around like that,” Joe said.

Stern could feel the worry radiating off the guard, and he knew a clear evasion when he heard one. “You wanted to ask about irregulars, didn’t you?”

Joe jerked, eyes going wide. “How did you know?”

“Can’t think of any other reason you’d ask to speak with me. It’s fine. Just start at the beginning.”

“My daughter… she’s like you. We fear what she’ll have to endure,” Joe spoke hesitantly.

“And what she might be like?” Stern asked, phrasing it as nicely as he could.

Joe jerked again, but then nodded. “Maybe a little of that, too. She’s so pale and thin. We thought she was sick, but the sisters say she’s healthy.”

“I’ve looked like this from birth, too,” Stern said. “She’ll always be pale and thin, which makes us look a lot like the blighted. It means she’ll deal with a lot of fear and hatred. Shower her in love and give her a place to be safe. That’s the best thing you can do for her.”

“Of course we will,” Joe said a little hotly before looking away. “Sorry. We will, but will she be… dangerous?”

“Depends on her perks, like it does for everyone else,” Stern said. “Pawly, here,” he stroked Pawly’s belly, “has been with me since I was a child. She’s one of my perks... my oldest friend.”

Pawly purred loudly and wiggled, enjoying the attention.

“I didn’t have any terrifying perks when I was born. I did have one for empathy, which makes being an irregular harder. I pray to the Goddess your daughter won’t have to endure that.”

Joe blanched. “Goddess, that must have been torment.”

“Yes. Honestly, your little girl will be a little girl. The only thing you should have to worry about is how everyone around her will treat her. Get her out to meet your friends and neighbors and have her meet the other children her age. If she’s known ahead of time, she’ll have a much easier time of it.”

“Okay, yes, of course,” Joe nodded. “We’ve been worried about doing that, but it makes sense.”

“How old is she?”

“Not even a year, yet.”

“Perfect,” Stern smiled. “You’ll do fine.”

Joe exhaled. His relief was clear on his face, and even clearer to Stern. “I feel like a right fool now. Your parents did this with you?”

Stern shook his head. “We moved too often. I didn’t have friends like your daughter will. Her path will be much easier than mine.” Standing up, Stern patted Joe’s shoulder. “May the Goddess bless you and your family.”

Joe bowed his head. “Thanks.”

“Glad to help,” Stern said. “Come on, Pawly. We have a long walk back to the inn.”

“May the Goddess watch over you, Walker,” Joe said. “Safe runs.”

Stern gave him a nod as he headed away with Pawly trotting along beside him.

Joe watched him go, then stood up. He was ready for the day to end so he could go home and see his little girl.

Chapter Eighteen

Entering his next destination, Stern again got into line. The post was like the bank, built of the same marble as most governmental buildings. There were no pillars out front of the post, though. It was a thoroughly utilitarian structure— there were no chairs or tables to sit at, just locked metal boxes along the biggest wall inside. The business counters were on the far side of the room, serving people one at a time.

Pawly chuffed at him as she sat beside him.

He glanced down at her. “Yeah, it’s always a wait here, but I want to see if they sent a reply.”

Pawly looked at the line, then back up at him and waved a paw.

“Wish I could do that sometimes,” Stern chuckled. “Fine, go home.”

Pawly faded away, and a harsh gasp came from behind him.

“Sorry,” Stern said, not looking back. “She’s a summons, and that’s just how she leaves.”

“Oh, uh... right.”

The line moved slowly, slower than the bank’s line had. He could hear one woman at the counter being a pain. Her voice grew louder and, eventually, she demanded to see a manager. When she did, Stern heard his father’s voice in his head: Why do people think that, just because they ask for a manager, they’ll get their way?

Stern shook the thought away as he watched a tall man with large, gray ears come out of the back. The drama at least gave Stern something to watch while he waited. The woman continued to argue with the manager before eventually, she stormed away.

The manager sighed, then raised his voice to be heard by everyone waiting, “Sorry for the delay.” With that, he left the front, going back to his office.

The clerk that had been getting yelled at waved at Stern, as he was the next in line. “How can… I help you?” The pause and then almost croaked last three words went along with the man’s fear.

“Checking to see if I have mail,” Stern said, holding his hand palm side up, using the other to tap his badge.

The clerk’s eye went to the badge. With a shuddering breath, his fear abated. “Of course, of course.” Snatching the tablet off the counter, the clerk set it on Stern’s hand. After a moment, he removed it and looked at the name, his eyebrows going up. “I’ll be right back.”

Stern exhaled slowly, hoping it wasn’t going to be like the bank. He didn’t wait long— just a minute— before the clerk came back with two letters. Stern thanked the man as he took them and left.

Pausing on the street, Stern considered reading the letters right there. No... might need a shoulder. I’ll head back to the inn. With that thought in mind, he let his feet carry him back to the Steaming Cup.

~*~*~

Entering the suite, Stern paused. Vulk was sitting at the table, holding his head with one hand as he slowly ate the breakfast that had been left for him. “Afternoon, Vulk.”

Vulk winced and glanced back. “Not so loud, please,” he whispered.

“Didn’t hydrate before bed?”

“Forgot...” Vulk grumbled.

“You drinking now?” Stern asked.

Vulk touched the steaming mug in front of him. “I hate willow bark tea, but it helps.”

“Yeah, it can, I’ve heard,” Stern said.

“Where is everyone?”

“Shopping for things. We’ll be hitting the dungeon tomorrow.”

“I’ll go light tonight, then,” Vulk muttered.

“We’d appreciate it.”

Vulk sipped at the steaming cup and grimaced. “Me, too. Hate this tea.”

“Did it to yourself,” Stern said. “See you in a bit. We’ll probably have dinner together tonight.”

Vulk muttered something that Stern didn’t make out.

Shaking his head, Stern went into the bedroom. He didn’t want to read his letters in front of Vulk, since he wasn’t sure what they said. He opened the curtains to allow as much light in as possible, then took a seat on the bed.

Both envelopes had his full name on them, and Stern grimaced. He knew it had to be done— otherwise, he’d never get his mail. One had an elegant, cursive script, and the other had a rough, block print. Stern touched the block print that was obviously his father’s writing. He set that one aside and opened the cursive one first.

Stern,

I cleared up the issue in Bloodstone. Mary was upset with what they tried to do to you, and even more upset about Cyra. That city got my full attention for a few days. It was fine, as we were taking downtime from the last run.

We’ll be heading north soon, maybe by the time you read this letter. The next dungeon was found and construction of the city is already starting. There’s hope that the next one of the tier will be found soon, as well.

It’s going to be unpleasant for a bit, as the blighted are currently being pushed farther back. We’ll be leaving the children with your siblings, who are studying to go down to the first three dungeons.

I’m glad I gave you that letter now. If I had known it would be needed for things like that, I would have made the wording more pointed. It did the job and gave you a fair go, even if you did have to invoke the zone of truth in the end.

Mary wanted to go and see you, but decided against it in the end. We understand your drive to prove yourself separate from the rest of us. We will come to see you eventually, but we’ll be discreet about it, so don’t worry.

You did the right thing for Cyra. Your father and mothers will be proud. I’m holding off on telling them, as I’m sure that would cause a real blowup in Bloodstone. Know that you did the right thing for the right reasons. That’s not surprising, though, considering your parents.

Until we see each other again, try to stay out of trouble?

Gerald

Stern exhaled slowly as he set the letter aside.

Stern summoned Pawly, scooping her up right away and holding her to his chest.

Pawly let out a soft meow and headbutted his chin.

“It’s okay. I read Gerald’s letter first. Basically what I thought. They cleared the last starium dungeon and are already pushing north. No idea what that tier is going to be called, but I’m sure we’ll find out after they finish it.”

“Meow.”

“Yeah. Time for dad’s letter,” Stern said, setting Pawly on the bed beside him. With a deep breath, he picked up the second letter and just looked at the envelope for a moment. Rubbing his face with one hand, he opened it and began to read.

Son,

That was quite the letter. A lot to unpack in it. First, we’re proud of you. Very proud. What you did, collecting Cyra’s shards, was the right thing to do. Bringing her out and giving her a chance, all because of her grandmother asking you to? That made all of us happy to hear.

The bullshit with Skippy... well, you did what had to be done. I have a story to tell you when we see each other again. Two stories, actually. I’ve never told any of you my full past and what it all means. I’m going to change that; I’ll be telling your siblings before they go off to the academies. It’s even more important for them, as the Travelers will likely be here by then.

I cussed Gerald out after I heard about the letter and that he kept the court stuff from us. Things got tense for a minute, but Mary and your mom got us to settle down. I apologized and thanked him. He did something I didn’t do, and you obviously needed it. I thought about doing something similar, but your request for us to stay out of it stayed my hand. I’ve given you a second letter with this one— it’s similar to Gerald’s. Use it as you need to, but I wanted you to have a second safety net.

Now, as for the news of your relationships, I’m happy to hear it. Your mothers are all talking about taking a trip down to meet them. I got them to wait until you hit the copper ranks, at least. It’ll also give us the chance to do it, while giving you the deniability you might want, to keep the separation you asked for.

That means we’ll be heading north to the new city and hitting that dungeon. Your brothers and sisters are staying put for now. The blighted are being a pain as the new city goes up, and we won’t risk our children like that. We’ll wait to hear that you’ve cleared the tin ranks and are going north to the nickel dungeons. Make sure to send that letter.

As for your request, I’ve hired some people to dig into it. Might take a bit to find out. That was years ago and before Rescue Squad, but we’ll find something. It’s up to you if you tell her, but we’re working on it, or people are for us.

We’re all glad you’re safe, and happy, from the sound of it. Now, a confession from me: I had an acquaintance head down and wait around to check on you. Frank is a good guy and he helped fill me in on what happened. It was how I knew to get on Gerald about the court. Hope you’ll forgive me, but as a parent, I’ll always worry for my kids. No matter how old you get, you’ll still be my little boy.

Okay, I’ve got to end this, or else it’ll turn into a book all on its own. Give Pawly our love and thank her for us. She was a blessing, always being there for you. Tell your girlfriends hi and that we’re looking forward to meeting them. Take care of yourselves. Remember, keep your eyes open and stay wary.

Your proud father and loving mothers,

Seamus, Stacia, Karen, and Julia

Stern swallowed the lump in his throat and set the letter down. Pawly immediately pushed into his lap, purring as she sat on him. Stern sniffed once, then held her lightly, letting her love sink into him.

“They say they love you, and thanks for keeping me alive,” Stern whispered in a thick voice.

Pawly chuffed and headbutted his chest.

“Yeah, you know I love you already. They want to see us when we reach copper. Probably use the Rescue Squad guildhall to do it.”

He heard the door to the suite open and female voices. Taking a deep breath, he let Pawly go and wiped the few tears away from his face. Pawly chuffed before jumping down and going to the door.

It took him a moment to compose himself. He got the letters tucked away, then went out to the living area. “Welcome home,” he said.

“Thanks. We got salve for everyone, and other odds and ends,” Trish said.

“That a new shirt?” Vulk asked his sister.

Cammie nodded. “It is. My old one was wearing thin. Trish and Cyra got a new shirt each, too. If you’d been awake, you could have come with us.”

Vulk looked away from her. “No need. My clothing is fine.”

“There’s a small tear in the back of your shirt,” Cyra said softly.

“I’ll get it replaced after the dungeon, then,” Vulk said tightly.

Cammie started to say something, but Trish beat her to the moment, “Vulk, we’ll be hitting the dungeon tomorrow. You’ll be ready?”

“Yes!” Vulk snapped. He coughed, then said it again, more calmly, “Yes.”

“We’ll be doing dinner in an hour or two,” Trish said. “I suggest an early night for everyone so we’re at the top of our game for tomorrow.”

“Yes,” Cammie said, her eyes digging into her brother.

“For the best,” Stern said.

Cyra was watching him, looking pensive. “Everything okay?”

“I’ll tell you after dinner,” Stern said. “I’m sure others will be having conversations then, too.”

“Oh, we will,” Cammie said, her eyes still glued to Vulk.

Trish saw the stiffness in Stern’s posture and nodded. “Okay. Let’s get everything put away before we do anything else.”

Chapter Nineteen

Stern woke slowly, his dream drifting away without his recalling what it was. A soft sound and warmth along his left side had him look that way. Cyra was smiling in her sleep, murmuring nearly inaudibly, as she snuggled against him. Stern’s heart beat a little faster, and his lips formed a smile without thought.

A shift to his right caused Stern to turn his attention that way. A very naked Trish was mostly uncovered as she squirmed a little more. One of her arms crossed his chest as she hugged him in her sleep. Stern’s smile grew as his heart soared.

They were understanding, Stern thought. They read the letters and were happy, excited, and a little worried... Both of them want to meet my family, and not because of who they are, but because of who I am to them. Dad, you never said how much love one could feel when you have multiple women in love with you... nor the worry about screwing it all up.

Cyra murmured a little louder, but unintelligibly. Her leg suddenly hooked over his, stopping Stern’s train of thought. Cyra let out a soft, happy sound as she snuggled as close as she could, trapping Trish’s hand between her and Stern.

I want Dad and all of my moms to meet you both, Stern thought. I really do. I’m not sure if this dream will last, but please, Goddess... please let it.

Trish grumbled and woke up a second after she tried to move her arm and couldn’t. “Hmm? What?”

“Cyra caught you,” Stern whispered. “Caught you with me.”

Trish blinked slowly for a second, then smiled at him. “Then I’m good,” she whispered back before she laid her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes again.

Leaning over, he kissed her head. “So am I.”

“Me, three,” Cyra added sleepily. “Is it time to wake up already?”

“Probably,” Stern exhaled, “though I really don’t want to get up.”

“Really?” Trish chuckled throatily. “I’d think that, with where you are, you’d really want to get… up.”

Cyra giggled. “You’ll always be bad.”

“I’m at my best when I am,” Trish replied, then kissed Stern’s chest.

“She’s also not wrong,” Stern admitted, “which is why we should get out of bed.”

Cyra shifted, tightening her leg around him. “We should, but a minute more. Please?”

“I can’t go anywhere,” Trish snickered. “I’m held captive by my love for you both.”

Cyra frowned, but when she felt Trish’s fingers wiggle, she laughed. “Stern, we caught her.”

“You caught her. I’m just helping,” Stern chuckled. “Though since you have her pinned… I could exact some revenge on her.”

Trish gave him wide, frightened eyes. “Oh no…”

Cyra giggled and she grabbed Trish’s forearm on Stern’s stomach. “I got her. Get her!”

Stern spun to the side and grabbed Trish. She started to speak, but was suddenly laughing as Stern tickled her.

“No, no, stop!” Trish laughed as she squirmed. “Mercy?”

Stern laughed with her and stopped tickling her. “Only because you asked.”

“Aw, you stopped,” Cyra giggled.

Stern felt Cyra get out of bed, so he rolled over to watch her. Trish was instantly pressed into him, watching over his chest, too.

Cyra looked back, her face flushing when she saw them. “What?”

“We’re just enjoying the sight of our fluffy bunny,” Trish murmured.

“Captivating...” Stern murmured.

Cyra ducked her head, a smile on her lips. “I’m not that appealing.”

“But you are,” Trish said as she climbed over Stern and out of bed, advancing on Cyra. “Both of us think you are.”

“She’s right, Cyra,” Stern agreed as he also got out of bed. “I understand. I find it hard to believe you both like the way I look.”

“You’re handsome,” Cyra said.

“Agreed. He is,” Trish nodded, “and his insecurity is like yours. Both of you are beautiful to me.”

A group hug happened with Trish gloriously naked, Stern in his underwear, and Cyra in a lightweight shorts and tank top nightgown set. The three of them just held each other for a few moments, basking in their love for one another.

Stern was the first to break the hug, stepping away to grab his clothes. “We should get going.”

Both women exchanged a look— they’d felt why Stern walked away. Trish leaned in and whispered to Cyra, who bit her lip, but shook her head slightly. Trish nodded, whispering again before she kissed Cyra’s cheek.

Stern felt Cyra’s disappointment and looked over at them. “I don’t know what was said, but I know what I’m feeling. Cyra?”

Cyra hunched over some, holding Trish a little tighter. “Trish suggested I try something… with you. I just… I don’t think now is right. Not yet.”

Feeling her disappointment spike again, Stern nodded. “Then we’ll wait. As I’ve said before, Cyra, I will wait as long as you need me to.”

Trish watched Stern as she held Cyra. “She knows that, as do I. But small hints and suggestions are good to help her consider things a bit more. That’s all I was doing, suggesting an idea.”

“I know,” Cyra said. “I want to… I really want to.”

“But you’re not ready yet,” Stern said. “And that’s fine. When you are ready, I’ll be here.”

Cyra shook, her anger at herself warring with her fear. With a grunt, she pushed away from Trish and spun on Stern, who was standing there with his clothing in hand. Seeing him looking at her with concern, she exhaled and closed the distance to him with strong, sure steps.

“Cyra, it’s—” Stern began.

Cyra put a finger to his lips, meeting his gaze. “No. I want to. I won’t let anything stop me from being who I want to be. Not even me.”

Stern’s brow furrowed as he tried to understand. His eyes went wide when her fingers hooked his underwear and pushed them down, and they nearly bulged out of their sockets when Cyra dropped to her knees. He looked at Trish, who was just as shocked as Stern, but her shock was replaced with a soft smile. Stern let out a gasp of pleasure as Cyra took another step forward for herself.

~*~*~

“Good morning,” Cammie greeted them when they came out of the bedroom.

Trish grinned at Cammie. “It is, indeed.”

Both Cyra and Stern were a bit red in the face as they muttered their own greetings.

Cammie saw the two of them, then snickered. “Oh, I guess it is for some. Stern, Pawly slept in my room last night. That’s okay, right?”

“Uh, sure. We meant to let her in last night, but fell asleep,” Stern said.

“I can guess why,” Cammie laughed. “Vulk went to get breakfast for us.”

“After breakfast, we’ll gear up and head in,” Trish said. “How did your talk go?”

Cammie frowned, then shrugged. “Not sure. He understands, but I’m not sure if he really heard me. We’ll find out if he repeats his actions or not.”

“We will,” Trish nodded.

“Before we head in, we need to swing by the hall and see if there are any retrieval quests for two shards or less,” Stern said.

“Of course,” Trish nodded. “Building our reputation as saviors now is for the best.”

“And it’s a good thing to do,” Cyra added.

“That, too,” Trish conceded, “but if this is the path we’re taking, it’s best to establish it as a fact now.”

“If we’re joining the Rescue Squad, establishing ourselves as willing to use our runs for saving others is a great thing. If we keep going, then at the higher ranks, people might seek us out specifically,” Cammie said.

“That does happen,” Stern nodded. “Mostly, though, people just put the quests up through Rescue Squad, but at times, someone does ask for a specific crew. When they do, the pay is almost always higher.”

“Okay,” Cyra nodded.

“Before we leave the city, I want to spend another couple of days sparring,” Stern said. “Vulk seemed to become more invested in the crew when we did it last time.”

“He did enjoy it,” Cammie said. “It can’t hurt to use that as a possible avenue to get him to understand.”

“Agreed,” Trish said.

“Getting more practice in is always good,” Cyra smiled.

The door suddenly opened to admit Vulk and one of the barmaids, and they all jerked around to face the door.

Vulk eyed them for a moment before he grunted and carried the tray he had to the table. “Breakfast.”

“Thank you,” Trish told him, then looked at the barmaid, “and you, as well, miss.”

The woman nodded, setting down her tray of drinks. “Just set the empties outside, please. Enjoy.”

They all thanked her as she left before taking their seats at the table.

“Did I miss something?” Vulk asked a little tightly.

“We were discussing spending a couple of days after the run to get more training in,” Stern said. “I’d like to work on my boxing.”

Vulk’s lips twitched up into a smile briefly. “I’m fine with that. You promised to teach me that armbar next time we trained.”

“And I’ll gladly do it,” Stern nodded.

“That’s tomorrow, though,” Cammie said. “Today, we run.”

“Today, we run,” Vulk agreed.

~*~*~

Geared up, they made it downstairs, finding the inn nearly empty of other customers. They thanked the bartender for the well wishes before trooping outside.

“Walkers’ first,” Trish said. “Check on shard quests.”

Vulk grunted, turning to the right. The others were a step behind him as he led the way to the hall. Vulk entered the building, but stepped to the side and leaned against the wall.

“Stern, you want to go check?” Trish asked.

“Sure.”

Stern headed over to the thin woman behind the desk. Her furry ears and narrow face made Stern think of a weasel. “Miss, are there any requests for recovery of shards of two parts or less?”

“A handful, at least,” the receptionist replied.

“I’ll take the one for the longest wait,” Stern said.

“Oh. That is a single shard left. If you want to do two, there is another available.”

“I’ll take both,” Stern said. “Names?”

“Louis Adecer and Amelia Haman.”

“Thank you. We’ll bring them back.”

The lykian receptionist watched him go with a curious gaze. Her eyes flicked to the others who were waiting for him, her lips pursing as she studied them. Once they left, she pulled her tablet to her and checked who they were.

“Pulled out others already? Interesting,” the receptionist murmured.

Stern informed his crew about the two shards they were going to pull as they walked around the academy to the dungeon entrance.

“Why those two?” Vulk asked.

“I requested the ones who’ve been waiting the longest.”

Trish’s eyebrow twitched and her expression softened fractionally. “How long?”

“I didn’t ask,” Stern replied, glancing back at her. “They’ve waited the longest out of the ones with two or fewer shards left. Today, we end their wait.”

“That sentiment... that’s nice,” Cammie said. “I fully endorse this plan.”

“As long as we get paid,” Vulk said.

Cyra shook her head sadly at Vulk’s back.

They came around the corner of the academy and saw dozens of people waiting under some awnings. The majority of them were Walkers, but a handful were selling various items.

“Do you need more salve?” one of the merchants called out to Trish. “Don’t go in under-prepared!”

“We stocked up yesterday,” Trish said.

The man quickly turned toward another group, calling out to them.

A gangly young man moved to stand in their way. “Excuse me, do you have room for another?”

Trish eyed the man’s badge, then met his eyes. “Perks?”

“I am a master of matters arcane,” the man said, trying for mysterious, but failing.

Vulk snorted. “Why take a man who isn’t taking himself seriously?”

The gangly man looked hurt. “What? I am serious.”

“How many times have you failed to find a crew?” Trish asked.

“I… uh…” the man stammered.

“What’s your name?” Cyra asked with a friendly tone.

“Oh, I’m Michael J Hyde Jr,” the man replied to Cyra with a smile.

“Mike,” Trish said, “how many times have you been rejected?”

“Five or six,” Michael replied, not meeting her eyes.

“Dozen?” Cammie asked.

Michael’s head jerked up. “How did you know?”

“I heard about you in Waterrock,” Cammie said. “The groups coming from here would tell others about you. They all said the same thing: you made them laugh, but they wouldn’t trust you to run with them.”

Seeing Michael deflate and feeling the man’s emotions— which had started hopeful and confident— now broken and worthless, Stern sighed. “What are your perks?”

“I can cast a few spells, and I can use Dark Beam once a minute,” Michael mumbled.

“Once a minute?” Stern asked, intrigued. “Really?”

“Yes.” Hope started to seep back into his voice.

“You can’t be serious,” Vulk said.

“Some people just need a chance,” Stern said. “Chances others don’t give them.”

Vulk looked away, thinking of how hard it had been for him and his sister.

“It’s your crew,” Trish told Stern.

Michael looked on hopefully, his eyes wide and his heart rising.

“We have a few rules,” Stern told Michael. “If you agree to them, we’ll take you on for this dungeon, at least.”

“Yes! Anything!” Michael blurted.

“Okay,” Stern said, “but let me explain them first.”

Chapter Twenty

Stern went still when he looked around the dungeon. Tall trees towered over the group, and light underbrush dotted the area. “Open dungeon,” Stern said.

“Which means what?” Michael asked, looking uncertain.

“That the mobs will be scattered all over. It’ll be easier for them to group up on us while coming from all directions,” Trish said tightly. “No funneling here.”

“Find the wall?” Cyra asked.

“What wall? We’re outside,” Vulk said.

“Open dungeons have an invisible barrier that stops you from moving outside the prescribed area,” Stern answered him. “My father always advised finding the edge and following it around.”

“The limited visibility is going to hinder my ability to help,” Michael said anxiously.

“You’ll have to cast in close combat,” Trish said.

“Cammie, take my crossbow,” Stern said as he unhooked it from his armor. “I’ll use my daggers to help guard.”

“Suboptimal, but probably for the best,” Trish sighed. “Vulk, Stern, and myself will be the outer guard. Cyra, Cammie, and Michael will stay inside our triangle.”

Stern upgraded Pawly. “You’re our outermost defender,” he told the tiger-sized Maine Coon. “And our pathfinder.” He hooked a thumb over his shoulder. “That way first.”

“What in the Goddess’ name?” Michael choked out, seeing Pawly.

“My perks,” Stern said. “Trish, you’re technically our lead as the bulwark.”

“Pawly, you ready?” Trish asked.

Pawly meowed and moved the way Stern had indicated.

“Double arm’s length on the outside,” Trish told Vulk. “Pivot around trees as needed.”

“I have Life Sense running,” Cyra said.

Stern kept glancing up, wondering if the mobs would come down from the trees.

The path was far from straight as they maneuvered around trees and bushes. Pawly walked with slow, deliberate strides, making sure to give them time to follow her.

“Does this mean an attrition dungeon?” Michael asked, his fear rising slowly.

“Possibly,” Stern said. “Could be there’s a boss wandering around out here instead, though. If it’s a boss, then killing it will summon the stone. The plus side of open dungeons is that you don’t have to kill everything to get out if there’s a boss.”

“Keep the chatter down,” Trish said softly. “We don’t know what’s out there and we don’t want to be surprised.”

Stern was glad there was no wind, as it meant they wouldn’t have their scent carried to the monsters. On the other hand, it meant Pawly couldn’t sniff out the mobs, either.

Michael was growing increasingly anxious as they walked, and his hands started to shake. Stern started worrying about the mage breaking on them during the run.

Stern felt it a second before Cyra started to call out. He spun to find a wolf charging him, teeth bared and ready to bite him. Stern threw his right-hand dagger as he turned, presenting a narrower target, as his left hand gripped his other dagger tightly.

“Wolf!” Cyra called out when she saw what had triggered her Life Sense.

The dagger grazed the wolf’s muzzle, making it twist its head to the side. That saved Stern from being bitten, as it didn’t get its head back around before Stern closed the distance and stabbed it.

The wolf let out a whine of pain as it bounced off Stern, ripping itself off the dagger and stumbling away. The moment it separated, two crossbow bolts hit it in the chest, one sinking deeply. A beam of dark energy slammed into it and the wolf whimpered as it stumbled, dropping to the ground and struggling to rise. Vulk was there in the next instant, his axes carving into the mob, tearing bloody wounds.

“Nothing,” Cyra said, though the rest of the crew was feeling her Life Sense at work.

“Need to get my dagger,” Stern said.

“Wolves?” Trish hissed. “This is going to get ugly.”

“Why?” Michael asked, feeling confident now. “Combined, we can take them.”

“Because they’re pack animals,” Vulk grunted as he wiped his axes on the dead wolf.

“This must have been a loner to set the tone for the dungeon,” Cammie said as she looked around the quiet forest.

“If we don’t get too loud, we should only pull one pack at a time,” Trish said as Stern retrieved his dagger. “Hopefully...”

“If there’s a boss, that might not hold up,” Stern said. “Of course, if this is an attrition dungeon, we’re going to find a lot of packs.”

Michael’s confidence fled and now, he was even more frightened than before. “Oh…”

“Same plan?” Stern asked Trish.

“Best one we have for now. Using the wall to guard our backs isn’t a bad idea.”

“‘Use the terrain when you can,’” Stern agreed, quoting his father.

Pawly huffed, watching the wolf sink into the forest floor.

“Next time, maybe it’ll be on your side,” Stern told her.

A soft yowl was Pawly’s reply as she started forward again.

“Form up. Let’s go,” Trish said.

Michael swallowed hard, but made sure he was inside the rough triangle of guardians.

~*~*~

They had to deal with another lone wolf before they found the wall. Cyra’s Life Sense let Pawly know that a wolf was lying in wait, and she struck first. It lunged at her, but only caught the illusion. Her tentacles raked its muzzle, making it whine and cower. Crossbow bolts, magic, daggers, and even one of Vulk’s axes— thrown— hit it, ending its life.

That display got Michael to start feeling a little bit more confident. Stern had them stop long enough to dig a small pit, as he wasn’t sure they would know when they made it around, otherwise. With that done, Pawly led them along the left-hand wall.

Lone wolves attacked them as they made the long loop. None of them took any damage, as they had plenty of warning before the beasts could get to the group. Michael was smiling and joking with the others as they worked. Eventually, they made it back around to the pit Stern had dug.

“Big area,” Stern said, looking up at the sun.

“About two miles,” Vulk nodded.

“This is going to take a while, then, but we’ve done well so far,” Trish said. “Now, the harder part: being away from the wall.”

Michael’s confidence drained. “Away from the wall?”

“Yes,” Trish said. “We have to start spiraling inward.”

“Trish, what if we let Pawly trek in a hundred yards or so, and then we pace her from the wall?” Stern asked.

Trish looked thoughtful for a moment. “Pawly, you want to do that?”

Pawly yawned and walked into the woods.

“She does,” Stern said.

“Okay,” Trish said. “Pawly, you’ll need to keep an eye on us.”

“You’ll be harder for us to spot than the other way around,” Cyra added.

Pawly vanished into the undergrowth.

“How long do we give her?” Cammie asked.

“Good question. This might not work,” Stern sighed, as even he had lost sight of Pawly. He let out a soft whistle and waited.

Pawly padded back out of the forest a dozen feet to the left.

“We can’t track you,” Stern told her.

“We do it the hard way,” Trish said. “Okay, we’ll know which direction the wall is in if combat begins, at least. If need be, we can do a fighting retreat to the wall.”

Michael swallowed, his worry climbing. “Are you sure?”

“Yes,” Trish said bluntly. “You were fine a bit ago.”

“He had a wall then,” Stern said. “I think it’s the fact that he could be ambushed from any side.”

Michael looked away, not refuting Stern.

“Look, Mike,” Trish said, “we’ll keep you as safe as we can, like Cyra, but you need to be ready to help out and not cower.”

Michael nodded, not meeting her eyes.

“Let’s go,” Trish said.

It wasn’t too long before they all felt the next attack coming at them. This time, it was a trio of wolves. Trish, Vulk, and Pawly all intercepted the attackers, and Stern called out targets for the others to focus on. They killed the one on Vulk, then Trish, before ending with Pawly’s.

“Go home,” Stern said once the third wolf fell.

“But if she leaves, we’ll be missing her,” Michael stammered. “We can salve her, surely?”

“She’ll be healed when she comes back,” Cyra said soothingly.

Stern resummoned Pawly and gave her the increases again. “See?”

Michael swallowed. “Oh... right. Sorry.”

Trish exchanged a look with the others, Micahel was helping out with his magic, but he was only inches from panicking. She cleared her throat, “Mike, look. We managed it. You’ve been safe this entire time. No problems.”

Michael nodded meekly. “Right. Sorry.”

“Probably find them in small groups now,” Vulk grunted. “We have to be ready.”

“Let me salve that arm, first,” Stern said, pulling a tin from his hip pouch. “It might be a small bite, but it’s best to stop it from becoming a problem.”

“I think I’m going to get bitten more,” Vulk grunted.

“We have plenty of salve and, if it’s a problem in combat, I have you,” Cyra told him.

Vulk gave her a nod, his lips almost forming a smile. “Thank you.”

“Okay,” Trish said when Stern put the salve away, “let’s keep moving forward. Slow and steady.”

~*~*~

Stern wiped away the blood from his face, panting as he looked at the others. “This is not going well.”

“Not at all,” Trish agreed. “Cyra, you okay?”

“Fine,” Cyra grunted, “but I only have one heal left.”

“I think we’re almost done,” Stern said. “Vulk, need some help?”

“Please,” Vulk hissed. “I can’t reach that spot.”

“I got him,” Cammie said, letting the crossbow fall on its sling. “Turn around for me, Brother.”

Michael huddled on the ground, shivering with wild eyes as he looked around.

Stern exhaled slowly. He was having to work to keep Michael’s emotions from overriding his, but his friend’s steady emotions helped. “Pawly?”

Pawly limped over to him, letting out a soft yowl.

“Go home. I’ll bring you back in a moment.”

Michael looked away as Pawly faded. “We’re going to die.”

“Shut it!” Trish growled. “No one is dying on my watch.”

“When it was just three or four, we managed it better,” Cammie said as she sat down and started filling the second magazine for the crossbow. “Six is too many for us to handle easily.”

“We’ll make it,” Trish said. “There can’t be many left now.”

“It’s a much larger area than I thought it would be at the start,” Stern said, resummoning Pawly and adding her upgrades as soon as she reappeared. “Pawly, what do you think? Are there a lot more left?”

Pawly sat and looked at him, then the others, before looking toward the woods. She patted the ground once.

“Just one more group?” Stern asked.

Pawly chuffed, then sneezed.

Stern went cold at the emotions he felt from Pawly. “Shit.”

“What?” Trish asked.

“Boss.”

“She’s sure?”

Pawly chuffed again.

“Have you seen it?” Stern asked.

Pawly let out a soft meow.

“Yeah.”

“Just it?” Trish asked.

Pawly sneezed.

“She’s not positive,” Stern clarified.

Vulk flexed his shoulder as Cammie put the salve away. “Okay. We can step out once it’s dead, right? We don’t have to kill everything.”

“True,” Stern nodded. “Trish?”

“Is it by itself, Pawly?” Trish asked.

Pawly meowed at her.

“Yeah,” Stern said. “I’ll add that it might have a howl or something to pull any nearby wolves to it.”

“We’ve killed everything close to us,” Vulk said.

“True,” Trish nodded. “Pawly, can you drag it toward us?”

Pawly shook her head.

“Okay, we’re going to it, then,” Trish said, rotating her arms to loosen them.

Michael whimpered, hunching further into his huddle.

“Do we leave him or try to drag him with?” Vulk asked. “I say leave him.”

“We can’t leave him,” Cyra said.

“Leave him until the boss is dead, then get him,” he clarified.

“Oh...” Cyra said, “I see. Sorry.”

“I wouldn’t leave him trapped in here,” Vulk said. “Even the worst person doesn’t deserve that.”

“He does have a point. It might be better to leave him here until the boss is dead, then drag him to the exit,” Cammie said.

“If another wolf wanders this way, though...” Trish countered.

“The boss will be a pressing threat. Can we do everything we need to and try to guard him at the same time?” Vulk asked.

“He helped with the last pack,” Cyra pointed out. “He’s not completely lost.”

“I’ll carry him,” Stern said. “It’ll be easy enough to put him next to Cyra when we get close.”

Trish sighed. “Okay. Let’s go.”

Chapter Twenty-one

Stern grunted as he hoisted Michael onto his shoulders and bag. Vulk watched him, curious, but not interrupting. Stern hooked one of Michael’s arms and legs, holding them with his right arm.

“Let’s go,” Stern grunted.

Trish frowned at the caster. She’d been so hopeful that he’d fit in with them, but Michael had shown his lack of ability to deal with being a Walker. Shaking her head, she followed Pawly into the woods, closer to the center.

“Are you okay?” Cyra asked Stern.

“He weighs more than I thought,” Stern grunted as he kept walking.

“Why do you carry him like that?” Cammie asked.

“Field carry,” Stern grunted. “Mom taught me.”

“It’s easier on him. That I can see,” Vulk snorted.

“For wounded normally,” Stern managed to grit out.

Vulk nodded slowly. “Oh. That makes sense.”

They traveled for a while, and Stern was feeling the burn of carrying not just his pack, but Michael, too. Trish came to a sudden stop, forcing them all to stop. Stern grunted and let go of Michael’s arm and leg, pushing himself fully upright and dropping the man off his back. Michael gasped, then grunted when he hit the ground, curling into an even tighter ball.

“Is that a wagon?” Cyra asked, staring at what Trish was looking at.

“Old and overgrown, but yeah,” Cammie said.

A deep growl came from up ahead, and they all felt the life rushing their way. Pawly came bolting toward them and, behind her, a massive wolf followed. Standing as tall as the dwarves, the thing towered over the other wolves they’d fought.

Trish braced for the creature, and Vulk went a pace behind her. Stern rushed up to flank Trish to her left. Pawly darted to the left and, a second later, there were the distinctive twangs of the crossbows firing.

The wolf had turned to follow Pawly when two bolts hit it. One of them seemed to graze off its shoulder, but the other one sank into its hindquarter just in front of its hip. The wolf yipped and went sprawling.

Pawly came to a sudden stop and rushed back at the wolf, but it was back on its feet before Pawly got there. Tentacles lashed down, scoring only minor cuts through its thick fur. The wolf lunged, snapping at where Pawly’s image was.

“We have to pack it,” Stern said.

Trish grunted and started forward. “Just let me grab it.”

Another bolt flew and they discovered a major problem with Pawly’s perk— Pawly let out a yowl, suddenly visible as a crossbow bolt sunk deep into her side.

“Shit! Sorry!” Cammie yelled.

That hit gave the wolf the target it’d been looking for, and it lunged again. Pawly swatted at it, but she was clearly hurt. The two beasts came together, clawing, biting, and growling at each other.

Stern’s heart raced— he wanted to rush to help Pawly or dismiss her, but he didn’t do either. Trish sprinted forward suddenly, closing the gap while the wolf rolled with Pawly. Stern raced after her with Vulk beside him.

“Dismiss her!” Trish shouted, pulling her hammer back as she was almost in range.

“Go home!” Stern shouted.

Pawly faded away and the wolf hit the ground, the supporting weight underneath it gone. Before it could figure out what had happened, Trish’s hammer came down. The wolf rolled at the same moment and, instead of crushing its skull, the blow hit the canine on the shoulder.

The wolf let out another pained yip it tried to get away from them, dodging and ducking the next two strikes from Trish. As it went, it howled a deep tone that locked Trish’s muscles. It suddenly darted at her, but Stern and Vulk swung around Trish, both attacking the monster.

Vulk’s axe carved a deep gouge that sprayed blood, and Stern’s dagger punched into the soft spot just behind its foreleg. Before Stern could pull his dagger back, the wolf spun in a frenzy, knocking Stern’s hand away. Its back legs kicked Vulk— who had stepped in again— and staggered the dwarf back, taking another deep cut on its flank in return.

The wolf tried to run off, but it was more a stumble, as two of its legs had been injured. Trish shook off the stun and advanced with Stern and Vulk as they closed on it. Twin bolts sunk into its side as Cammie and Cyra fired again. A black beam of power slammed into it a second later, causing the wolf to falter again. The fight ended quickly with the three in melee finishing it off.

Stern was about to comment when he felt a pulse of life coming their way and spun to face it. “Five!” was all he managed to say before the five wolf pups came rushing in, splitting for each of them.

Spread out as they were, the crew wasn’t going to be able to do what they had done before, especially with Pawly gone. Trish and Vulk had no trouble with theirs— the wolves were a quarter the size of the boss they’d killed. Stern took a bite to his right arm, but that let him gut the one that came for him.

There was a feminine scream of pain from Cyra when she was bitten. She kicked the wolf and it backed up a step and stood there, dazed. Yanking her dagger free, she grabbed it by the muzzle and stabbed it in the throat repeatedly.

Cammie gritted her teeth, refusing to cry out as she attacked her own wolf a dozen times, its teeth sunken into her knee. She felt hot warmth surging down her leg, along with the crunch of bone, and knew it was bad.

Michael was a tight ball crying, pleading to not be bitten.

“Cyra, heal Cammie!” Trish yelled.

Cyra blinked against the pain in her arm and did as Trish commanded. Cammie exhaled in relief as the pain ebbed enough that she could think.

“Thanks,” Cammie said as she dropped to the ground and fumbled for her salve.

“Salve up!” Trish snapped. She saw the orb by the decrepit wagon and pointed at it. “We have our way out!”

Those words got Michael’s head to jerk up. When he saw the orb, he let out a cry and staggered to his feet, rushing for the orb.

Stern glared at the mage as he yanked his salve out to heal his bite. “Useless...”

Michael shied away from Stern and, as soon as he was past him, he started running for the exit again. Michael never saw Trish swing her arm out directly into his path. The dull thunk of his body hitting Trish’s shield was loud to the others as Michael fell unconscious to the floor of the forest.

“There might be more or a trap up there,” Trish explained, seeing the others looking at her.

“Agreed,” Vulk snorted.

Stern finished salving his arm and looked back at Cyra and Cammie. When he saw where Cammie was applying salve, he grimaced. “That might have crippled her...” he muttered.

“Which is why I had Cyra heal her. I’m hoping that it’s enough to make sure her leg is saved.”

Cyra knelt next to Cammie and helped her finish salving the injured knee. “Does it still hurt?”

“Yeah,” Cammie said. “I hope it’s not broken.”

“That would be bad,” Cyra said as she put her salve away. “Only one way to find out.”

Taking Cyra’s hand, Cammie got to her feet and gently put her weight onto her injured leg. After a second, she took a step and exhaled. “Okay. It’s a bit stiff, but I can use it.”

“Thank the Goddess,” Vulk sighed.

Stern summoned Pawly back, adding her perks in the next instant. “Welcome back.”

Pawly chuffed, then looked at the pups and hissed at them.

“Yeah, they came during the howl,” Stern told her, “but you gave us the opening we needed. Are you okay?”

Pawly chuffed, headbutting his gut.

“Form up,” Trish said. “Stern, can you grab him?” She motioned toward Michael, who was still out cold.

Stern grunted, but Vulk snorted and grabbed the downed man, plunking Michael onto his shoulder. “I got him, Stern.”

“Okay,” Trish said. “Pawly, go ahead.”

Pawly chuffed, but moved to Cammie, who looked away. With another chuff, Pawly pushed her head into Cammie’s chest. Cammie swallowed, then used one arm to hug the big cat.

“Sorry...”

Pawly chuffed again, pulled back, and licked Cammie’s face from chin to hairline.

Cammie coughed and spluttered, wiping at her face. “Gak!”

“She forgives you,” Stern snickered.

“She does,” Cyra giggled and patted Pawly’s back. “Thank you, Pawly.”

“That’s an issue we’ll have to work on,” Trish said. “It’s the first time it happened, so it might happen again. Glad Pawly is forgiving about it.”

Pawly chuffed again, walking away from the still-sputtering dwarf. She meowed as she passed the others, heading for the wagon.

When they got there, they found the scooped-out den the wolves had been using. Bones littered the area, humanoid enough to be one of the non-monster races. There were pieces of old broken cargo littering the area, as well.

Trish frowned at the scene. “This is unusual...”

“For this far down in tier, it is,” Stern agreed.

Vulk went to the orb and threw Michael onto it. The moment Michael touched it, he vanished. “There. That’s better.”

“Why is this unusual?” Cyra asked.

“Something like this screams treasure,” Stern said. “Cammie, take a look for us?”

Cammie nodded and stepped forward slowly, staring at the wolf den.

The others stood on guard, looking into the woods.

Cammie grumbled and moved onto the wagon after a handful of minutes. It took another ten minutes until she exhaled in excitement. “I found something!”

“Is it safe?” Trish called back, not looking away from the forest.

“Checking,” Cammie called back.

After another couple of minutes, there was a thunk, and everyone looked back to see a small iron chest on the ground. Cammie leapt down to land beside it.

“It was in a compartment under the driver’s bench,” Cammie said. “I didn’t see any traps there. Give me a minute to work on the lock.”

“Take your time,” Trish said. “Everyone, back to watching.”

The other three turned back around to keep an eye on the woods.

Time seemed to crawl by before Cammie laughed. “Got it. Oh, nice.”

The others pulled back to look into the chest with her.

A padded interior held three vials of a light red fluid with white sparkles suspended in it. Besides those, there was a small pouch that clinked metallically when Cammie picked it up.

“Healing potions and some coins,” Stern said. “Damned good haul, especially for a tin dungeon.”

“Cammie, how’s your knee?” Trish asked.

“Not healed all the way, but a day or two—”

“Drink a potion,” Trish said. “You had a joint injured. Let’s not mess with it. We’d take you to the sisters, which would cost us, but that potion will fix any problem that might linger, saving us the money.”

“Wait,” Stern said. “I’d rather pay for it and save the potion for when it can save us in a dungeon.”

Trish hesitated, then nodded. “That’s a good point, but a joint injury isn’t cheap.”

“It’s cheaper than one of these potions,” Stern countered.

“I might be able to heal it tomorrow, too,” Cyra said.

“Valid,” Trish nodded. “Cammie?”

“I can wait.”

“Okay. We should split the potions between us though.”

“Cyra, Vulk, and you,” Stern told Trish. “You two are likely the ones who’ll need it the most,” Stern said, looking between Vulk and Trish. “Cyra carrying the last works, since she’s our healer.”

“Agreed,” Vulk said.

“Okay,” Trish nodded.

“I agree, too,” Cammie added.

“How much is in the bag?” Stern asked Cammie.

Cammie opened the coin pouch and looked inside. “Maybe a few large copper? It’s all in small copper.”

“A bonus is a bonus,” Trish said. “Okay, let’s go get our perks and loot.”

Cammie tossed the bag at Stern, who caught it. “There you go, Boss.”

Stern grunted as he caught it and pushed it into his hip pouch. “Boss?”

“You are the crew leader,” Cyra giggled.

“They have you there,” Trish laughed.

Vulk snorted. “I’m not calling him Boss.”

“Please don’t,” Stern sighed.

Chapter Twenty-two

“What do you mean I have to wait for them?! They attacked me!” Michael shouted at Ria.

“No, we stopped you from possibly setting off traps or making other wolves attack,” Trish said flatly.

Michael grimaced. “They’re here. Give me my points to spend.”

Ria glared at Michael. “You have accrued a total of one hundred and five points.”

“Yes, but I get part of the group, too!” Michael snapped.

“No,” Stern said. “You agreed to the terms before we came in. In the end, you were more of a detriment than a help. However, you don’t have enough for even a lesser rune, so Ria, give him twenty from my own personal total.”

Michael ground his teeth together, but nodded tightly. “Of course. Fine. A fire rune.” The rune appeared on the counter and Michael snatched it up. “Finally.”

The others stepped aside so he could make it to the door. Pawly hissed at him when he passed her, and Michael let out a small scream and bolted for the door.

That made Vulk laugh, and he reached over to pat Pawly. “Nicely done.”

Pawly chuffed.

“Someone who didn’t work for you,” Ria said with a long sigh. “It will happen at times. I’m glad to see you all made it out.”

“Open forest with wolves,” Stern told her. “It wasn’t a good match for us, and disastrous for him. Michael was afraid of being ambushed, and it just got worse as it went on.”

“Perks, first?” Cyra asked.

“Yes,” Trish told her. “Vulk, go ahead.”

Vulk grunted, then stepped to the counter. “Please,” he said.

Ria gave him a smile and her hand passed over the counter, leaving three pages behind.

Vulk looked them over, then pushed one of them back to Ria. “Either of these I would take. Sis, please look?”

Cammie nodded, smiling as she stepped up to his side. “Hmm...” she murmured as she examined the two perks. “Tight Grip would be useful later to make sure you don’t get disarmed easily. Reinforced Joints would have helped me here, but with you always in the thick of it, it might be a good idea, too. Trish, comments?”

“Tight Grip is useful now and later,” Trish said. “He’s a major damage dealer for us and, if he gets disarmed, it would hinder all of us.”

Vulk nodded, touching the page. “I choose this one.”

Ria smiled and Vulk grunted as the page dissolved into light and infused him. She passed her hand over the second page and it vanished. “Very well. Cammie, do you want to do yours now?”

“Sure,” Cammie smiled.

Cammie took a few minutes looking over her choices before pushing one back to Ria. “Okay... Treasure Finder or Sharp Eyes?”

“What do they do?” Cyra asked.

“Sharp Eyes will help me spot traps better. Treasure Finder is a once-a-day ability that points me at the closest hidden treasure within a hundred feet.”

“Damn, that’s a rare one,” Trish said. “A tough choice.”

“Stern? Brother?” Cammie asked.

“More treasure is always good,” Vulk said.

“He’s not wrong,” Stern agreed. “That perk is rare to see before the precious metal ranks. Sharp Eyes is common for trap finders, but very useful for them, too.”

“I hope to see it again, then. Rare is better,” Cammie said as she chose Treasure Finder.

Ria collected the remaining perk as Cammie gasped and held onto the counter. “Who’s next?”

“Go ahead, Cyra,” Stern said.

Cyra went up to the counter. She touched Cammie, stopping the dwarf from stepping back. “Help me choose?”

“Okay,” Cammie smiled.

Cyra took a few minutes to look over the perks. Cammie looked thoughtful as she did the same. “Well, this is difficult. I have Mirrored Ally again, Thick Skin, and Improved Life Sense 2.”

“What does the improvement do?” Trish asked before Stern could.

“Takes away the pulse of energy,” Cyra said.

“Oh, making it undetectable,” Stern said.

“Yes.”

“Tough,” Trish murmured. “The mirror would have helped with the healing we just had, but the improvement would be useful later with intelligent monsters.”

“And likely needs to be taken for the next improvement to be available,” Stern added.

“I think so,” Cyra nodded.

“Mirrored Ally is useful now. The other one later,” Vulk said.

“True,” Cyra sighed. “Okay, keeping us all healthy is my primary task.” She touched the page she wanted and it burst into golden light, infusing her with her new power.

Cammie helped keep her upright as the change happened. “It’s a good choice.”

Stern looked down at Pawly, who looked back at him. “Well, time to see if it’s another perk for you. First, though...” He undid her upgrades.

Pawly bumped his leg. “Meow.”

When Cyra was able to step back, Stern moved up to the counter. “Okay, Ria, what do I have?”

“A good crew and solid friends,” Ria replied with a grin. “But you’re asking about your perk choices, so these.” Her hand passed over the counter and the pages appeared.

Shaking his head, he gave Ria a put-upon look before giving his attention to the perks. Knife Fighter; death by a thousand cuts. When using a dagger or similar small blade, you inflict more damage than others. Shaking his head he set it aside, not likely to take it. The next perk was one he’d heard about from his father. Elemental Summons; it’s who they are. Choose an element and your summons will embody that element; gaining resistances, acquiring weaknesses, and dealing damage in line with that element. Once an element is chosen, it is permanent.

“Fuck,” Stern exhaled.

“What?” Cyra asked.

“Hang on,” Stern said as he turned to look over the last choice. Self-Healing; ‘tis but a scratch. Once a day, imbue yourself with life, healing minor wounds and cleansing lesser poisons.

“A tough choice,” Ria said.

“What’s the verdict?” Trish asked.

Stern pushed the first page back to Ria before he turned to the group. “A self-healing perk, usable once a day, that probably has later upgrades. It’s like Cyra’s Minor Life. The other option is Elemental Summons. It would let me imbue a summons with an element, giving them the damage type, resistances, and weaknesses inherent to that. Once chosen, it’s permanent.”

Pawly chuffed and cleaned a paw.

Vulk chuckled. “She thinks you’ll pick for her.”

“She’s not wrong,” Cyra said. “Stern has always taken the perk that upgrades her.”

“Stern being able to heal himself in an emergency is pretty big, though,” Cammie said.

“Ria was right. It’s a tough choice,” Trish said. “Either of them is good. The trouble will be if we hit a dungeon where Pawly is weak to an element.”

“Yes, but there are metal-imbued dungeons right now where she’d be weak,” Stern countered. “Besides, this might lead into other perks.”

“Hmm... there is that,” Trish agreed. “But what element would you give her?”

“Dark is the obvious choice,” Vulk said. “She’s a cat, after all.”

“Fire would look amazing with the fluff,” Cammie said. “A glorious fire mane.”

“What about wind?” Cyra suggested. “Maybe she’d get to fly down that path?”

“Does that mean she’d get to breathe underwater if she took water?” Vulk asked.

“No idea. We don’t even know if there will be upgrades to this perk,” Trish said.

Stern inhaled slowly, taking in their suggestions. Each of them had pros and cons, but no one type of dungeon outweighed the others, since the dungeons were random.

Pawly meowed, looking up at Stern expectantly.

Stern returned her gaze, then snorted. “Expect me to pick for you?”

Pawly chuffed.

“No way, fur-face. It’s your body,” Stern said. “Dark,” he pointed to himself. “Wind,” he pointed at Cyra. “Fire,” he said, pointing at Cammie. “Water.” Vulk blinked when Stern pointed at him. “Earth,” Stern added, motioning at Trish. “Or light,” Stern finished, pointing to Ria.

Pawly sat there, looking at each person in turn slowly.

“How smart is she?” Vulk asked.

“Smarter than most people,” Stern replied. “She hates having to make decisions, but something this big has to be her choice.”

Pawly was still sitting there, looking from one to the next, clearly thinking it over.

“How long are we going to give her?” Vulk asked.

Pawly stood up and went over to Cyra.

“About that long,” Stern said. Turning back toward Ria, he took the elemental perk and gasped when the perk fused with his soul.

“Meow.”

Stern exhaled as he finally stood back from the counter and turned to face Pawly. Closing his eyes, he concentrated on the new perk. His arms began to move in the pattern he had just learned, his hands and fingers rotating and flexing through a complex pattern. “Wind,” was the single word that came from his lips.

Pawly let out a strangled yowl as she floated off the ground. Her fur was puffed up, making her look like an unexploded ball of fluff. A second later, she dropped to the ground, her fur waving in an unseen breeze.

“She changed,” Vulk said.

Pawly’s coloration had changed, as Vulk had pointed out. Her fur was no longer browns and blacks— it was now light and dark gray, reminiscent of storm clouds. Her eyes had stayed the same, matching Stern’s.

Stern knelt down. “You okay, Pawly?”

Pawly meowed softly. It had an odd whisper to it, like a breeze. Crossing the room toward him, everyone noticed how she seemed to glide across the ground as if barely touching it.

Stern frowned at the light smell of ozone around her. Stroking her back, he jerked when he felt the static electricity that tickled his palm. “Wow... you are different now.”

Pawly chuffed, headbutting his hand.

He went back to petting her, the snap-crackle of electricity obvious to those in the room.

“Did her upgrades change?” Cyra asked.

“Oh, right,” Stern said as he stood up and backed away a few feet. “Ready?”

Pawly chuffed, sitting there and waiting for him.

“First one is size,” Stern said and he went through the motions of the spell.

Pawly expanded to the tiger size of her perk.

“Second was tentacles,” Stern said as he did the spell.

Her tentacles appeared, and Pawly sniffed at them.

“Looks good,” Stern sighed. “Illusion,” he said as he cast the third perk.

Lightning crackled over Pawly’s fur instead of her shifting places. Everyone took a step back as Pawly sniffed at a tentacle, then licked it.

“No more illusion,” Trish said. “But…” She reached out and touched Pawly, and an unpleasant tingle ran up her arm. “Hmm... I thought maybe it would shock me.”

“It will, but only those who are hostile,” Stern said as understanding filled his mind. “It has a chance to stun, based on the enemy’s resistance to wind.”

“Oh, interesting,” Trish said.

“Last one was the limited teleport,” Stern said as he cast it.

Pawly lifted off the ground, looked down, then sneezed. Standing up, she walked toward Ria, gaining altitude as she went.

“She can fly?” Cyra whispered with wide eyes.

“Yeah,” Stern said. “Well, flying mobs will have a real problem with her now, and she can keep out of reach of others.”

“This will change things,” Trish said. “Pawly, are you still good with being a scout?”

Pawly looked back at her and chuffed.

“Okay. Stern might have to dismiss you a lot more, though.”

Pawly chuffed again, then glided down to Stern, sitting beside him.

Stern petted her, ignoring the sensation of electricity. “Still my best friend.”

Pawly purred, leaning into him.

“Now that all of your perks are chosen, we can move onto the dungeon points,” Ria said.

“All of mine go to Stern,” Cyra said quickly.

“Mine, as well,” Trish added.

“Make that three,” Cammie said.

Vulk coughed. “Four.”

Stern just blinked at them all, then snorted softly. “Well, that’s kind of intimidating, honestly.”

“Set that to my default,” Cyra said.

“Ditto,” Trish nodded.

“Same for me,” Cammie said.

Vulk hesitated, then sighed. “Fuck it. Go ahead.”

“A united crew is a rare thing,” Ria beamed at them. “Stern, the breakdown—”

Stern held up his hand and she cut off. “A breakdown separates it from a combined crew into individual again. Please, no more breakdown if it’s our crew without new members.”

“Of course. You have one thousand and fifteen points to spend.”

Stern inhaled slowly. “That’s a good amount.”

“There were circumstances that gave you bonuses.”

Cammie did a small fist pump, knowing she’d helped in that regard.

“I need shards for two people; Louis Adecer and Amelia Haman,” Stern told Ria.

“That’ll take five hundred points.”

“A lesser rune, please,” Stern said.

“Which kind?”

Stern paused, then looked at Cammie with his crossbow. “What do you think would be best for it? You’ll be using it occasionally, as well.”

Cammie looked thoughtful for a moment. “Earth.”

“Earth, please, Ria,” Stern said, “and three chocolates.”

Two shards, three chocolates, and the earth rune appeared on the counter. “Here you are. You are out of points to spend. You are working well together as a crew, which makes me happy. It means I’ll continue to see you all. Safe runs, Walkers.” She vanished as the last word left her mouth.

“Where do they go?” Vulk asked.

“Maybe the same place as Pawly?” Stern suggested. “They won’t say.”

“Let’s go turn in the shards, get two people started on being reborn, and celebrate our successful run,” Trish said. “We did a great job today.”

“Want to install it?” Stern asked Cammie, handing her the rune.

Cammie grinned as she pressed the rune onto the crossbow stock. “So, do I get to keep it?”

“We’ll see,” Stern laughed. “A chocolate for each of you.” He tossed them to the women. “Come on, let’s go turn in quests and get paid.”

“That I can agree to,” Vulk said as he walked out the glowing doorway.

“Surprised at him doing what he did,” Trish said.

Cammie exhaled. “He knows what he’s doing wrong and he’ll try. I think this was him trying to show that he wants to be here with the crew.”

“It’s a good step,” Stern said. “He was vital to our success today.”

“He was,” Trish agreed.

“But he’s not ready to tell us what bothers him?” Cyra asked gently.

“No, not yet. I think he will in time.”

“We all have things we don’t share,” Stern said. “As long as he’s there when we need him, we can give him some leeway.”

“Come on, we shouldn’t keep him waiting,” Trish said, heading out.

Chapter Twenty-three

The area around the portal was empty of everyone but the guards. “Hoped the rest of you would be coming out,” the captain on duty said.

“Oh?” Trish asked.

“When just the one came out a little while ago, we were concerned he was the only one. Then, he came out,” the captain nodded toward Vulk, “so we were a bit confused.”

“Oh, you mean when Michael came out alone,” Trish snorted.

“Yeah, the dramatic mage,” the captain said. “He was pretty pissed. Nearly livid, in fact.”

“We should be with him,” Cammie said tightly. “He was nearly deadweight.”

The captain’s lips pursed. “Hmm, he was saying otherwise.” He glanced at Stern. “The mage said unflattering things about some of you.”

“I’m sure I’ve heard worse,” Stern shrugged.

“Thought you should know, as he’s had time to go spouting off ahead of you,” the captain said. “Have a good afternoon.”

“We will,” Cyra replied. “We hope your shift is peaceful.”

“From your lips to the Goddess’ ears.”

Trish spoke up as they walked away, “Drop off the quests and likely get another two to deliver the shards to the temple. After that, we can relax. We might have a bit of trouble waiting at the hall or inn, though.”

“You mean because of rumors Michael might spread?” Cammie asked.

“Exactly. Our reputation is surely getting some mud on it right now,” Trish nodded.

“But won’t us having brought out two shards help even that out?” Cyra asked.

“It might,” Stern exhaled, “but then again, with me as the leader of the crew…” He trailed off, worried about what might come.

“Fuck that,” Vulk said. “If that coward wants to start trouble, we’ll give it back to him. The fact that he cowered on the ground for the most dangerous parts of the dungeon should be known. Other groups should know so they don’t get saddled with him.”

“Vulk isn’t wrong,” Trish said. “I wasn’t going to shout it from the rooftops, but I was going to spread the word about him. If it had been a group other than us in that dungeon with him, people might have died.”

“It got bad at the end for us,” Cammie said, her knee still not right.

“Okay, but we don’t start it,” Stern said. “Trish can have a quiet word with the guild receptionist if there’s not any trouble.”

The others nodded, all wondering if it was really going to be quiet.

~*~*~

The room went silent when Stern entered the building. He did his best to ignore the hostility and curiosity from the crowd as he crossed toward the receptionist’s desk. Pawly let out a soft yowl, drawing eyes to her. Some of the hostility faded, replaced by fear and more curiosity.

“Excuse me,” Stern addressed the female weasel lykian, “we finished the quests.”

The woman blinked at him, then at the two shards he presented her. Taking them, she nodded slowly after checking them with her tablet. “Yes, these are the correct shards. I charge you to take them to the temple, Walker. You will be compensated for doing so.”

“Put the reward for that on our accounts for retrieval, please,” Stern said, his words oddly loud in the quiet room. “I’ll take the payment for collecting them, though.”

The receptionist was quick to count out his payment and pass it to Stern, along with the shards. “Here you go, Walker. Our thanks to Pawsitively Irregular for bringing the fractured back to life.”

“It’s the right thing to do,” Stern said. “Good afternoon.”

Stern put the money and shards into his pouch, then turned back to the room, which was staring at the crew. The hostility had faded to near nothing, and the curiosity had ratcheted through the roof. With a nod, he headed toward the door with his crew falling in behind him. Pawly led the way, floating a foot above the ground.

“Hey,” someone called out, “did you stiff your mage?”

Trish spun and answered before Stern could, “Michael panicked and cowered into a ball for most of the dungeon, but we didn’t stiff him. We even gave him extra points so he could afford a rune. He did help, but he’s afraid of being ambushed. I’m not sure what he’s said, but the truth is that he’ll be fine in a normal dungeon, but in any open dungeon, he’ll be a major liability.”

“He’s not a blighted?” someone else asked.

“Irregular, like our crew,” Trish grinned. “And you can see we’re pawsitively captivating, as well.”

Vulk winced at the pun, and people began to laugh.

“I heard the cat was called Pawly,” another voice called out.

Pawly turned to the crowd at the door. Sitting on the air, she raised her massive, extra-toed paw to them. After a second, more people laughed, and Pawly chuffed before following Stern out the door.

Stern exhaled when they were on the street. “Well, that went better than I’d feared.”

“Pawly has a way of breaking down their preconceptions,” Cyra said, giving the cat a smile.

“She does do that,” Cammie agreed.

“Michael did spread rumors,” Vulk grunted.

“Yeah, and now we’ve countered that,” Trish said.

“We have a quest to complete,” Stern said. “Trish, can you lead? I’ll get the coin split up.”

“Sure,” Trish said. “Pawly, are you going to float the rest of the way there?”

Pawly chuffed, clearly enjoying her ability to fly.

“Maybe this was for the best,” Cammie said. “Now I won’t have to worry about hitting her again.”

“There is that,” Trish agreed.

~*~*~

It wasn’t as far to the temple— only a couple of blocks from the Walkers’ hall. Everyone they passed stared at Pawly in shock, awe, and, in some cases, fear. No one seemed to notice Stern, which was a little jarring to him.

When they got to the temple, Stern pulled out the shards, intending to hand them to Trish. She shook her head. “You’re our leader. You should take them in.”

Stern grimaced, knowing that the inside of the temple would be difficult for him. “Okay. Stay beside me, please? You, too, Cyra?”

Pawly chuffed as she drifted to the ground.

“Not like that,” Stern said. A second later, Pawly was back to her normal size, minus the tentacles and static electricity, but Stern left her flying alone. “There.” Taking another deep breath, he entered the temple.

There were a half-dozen people being tended to by the sisters of the temple. Their black and red outfits were distinctive as they comforted and spoke with the families of the people being healed.

A little girl, maybe six years of age, saw Pawly and gasped in wonder. “Momma, the kitty flies!”

Her mother had been speaking to one of the priestesses while holding the hand of the man on the stone table. She frowned at her daughter, then looked to where the child was pointing. Her mouth opened as she stared at Pawly walking on air ahead of the group. “Goddess…”

The entire room looked their way, but the attention was on Pawly, who floated proudly as if all the attention was her just due. One of the sisters left the patient she’d been checking and headed their way, her wonder dimming when she saw Stern. There was no hatred or fear in her, just curiosity.

“How can we help you?” the priestess asked when she got closer.

“We have the final shards for two people,” Stern replied, using the love from Cyra and Trish to help keep the pain the injured felt at bay.

“Two?”

“Yes, Sister. Louis Adecer and Amelia Haman are the two Walkers.”

“Oh? We’ve been waiting years to be able to bring them back,” the sister said with happiness.

Stern held out the two shards. “Here they are.”

“We will bring them back as soon as we can. Who brought them out?”

“The last shards were brought out by us, Sister,” Stern said, wincing as he finished his sentence, “Pawsitively Irregular.”

The priestess stood with the shards in hand, blinking at him, before she stifled a laugh. “That is the name of your crew?”

“It is,” Stern said. “Because of Pawly and I.” He pointed to Pawly above them.

“Well, bless you and your crew,” the priestess smiled broadly. “I do hope you come back tomorrow and the day after to see the rebirths.”

“We’ll be here,” Cyra said. “It takes a full day, correct?”

“It does.”

“We’ll return at this time tomorrow, then,” Stern said. “May the Goddess smile down on your temple.”

“May she shower you in blessings,” the sister replied, bowing to them.

Stern turned to leave, feeling the gazes on the crew as he went. He glanced back to see Pawly going to the little girl. Slowing his pace, he watched as the cat floated around the ecstatic child. Pawly chuffed and let the little girl pet her for a few moments before she flew away. Stern smiled at the child, who was beaming as she watched Pawly go.

“We’re coming back to see them both?” Vulk asked as they walked away.

“It’s a tradition,” Trish said, “and it helps the person being reborn, in case no one else shows up for them.”

“Grandma was there for me,” Cyra said softly. “Stern was, too, but he left before I was fully aware of everything.”

“Old friends were there for me,” Trish said. Her tone was light even though Stern knew the real story. “I’ve also been there for others who weren’t as fortunate. Knowing that someone is there for them means a lot. Trust me.”

Vulk nodded mutely.

Stern wondered at the hints of tightly held sorrow he caught from Vulk.

“I’ll be happy to welcome them back,” Cammie said in a subdued tone. “I can’t imagine how hard it would be to have no one there. Even the man who retired was happy to see us.”

“We’ll always be there to welcome them back, if we can,” Stern said. “We’ll take breaks from training to make sure we’re here.”

“Agreed,” Trish said.

“Trish, Cammie and I are going to swing by a weaponsmith,” Stern said. “We’ll meet you all at the inn.”

“Should I go, too?” Cyra asked.

“No. Cammie and I need to grab them. We’ll be the extras who add into the melee, if needed,” Stern explained. “That will never be you.”

“Oh, that’s a good point.”

“If they get to you, just do what you did to the wolf— kick and stab.”

“Okay.”

“We’ll see you at the inn,” Trish said. “Pawly, you coming with us or going with them?”

Pawly hesitated, then went to Trish.

“Heh... you’re just hoping you’ll get a snack before dinner,” Stern laughed. “Trish, please get her something? If not for her, we’d have been in a worse place.”

“I was already planning on it,” Trish grinned.

“We’ll need to test and see how effective her shocking ability is,” Vulk said as he went with Trish and Cyra.

“We should be able to do it tomorrow,” Trish said.

“Which way to the weaponsmith?” Cammie asked Stern.

“Good question,” Stern said, already waving to a patrolling guard. “Let’s ask him.”

Chapter Twenty-four

Stern was glad to see a group of others waiting in the temple. The body was obviously a dwarven male as it glowed with golden light. The sisters of the temple all moved to the altar with their heads bowed. Kneeling at the altar in unison, a single note rose in perfect harmony from the six women.

The golden form lifted into the air and came to a stop, floating behind the slowly spinning heart. A deep, peaceful feeling permeated the room, and all eyes went to the altar. The once-fractured heart was now solid, its revolutions slowing. When it stopped spinning, the heart and body merged into each other.

An overwhelming presence filled the room, and everyone held their breath for that moment, unable to do anything. The golden light vanished, leaving Louis Adecer reborn. The presence vanished as Louis opened his brown eyes. The sisters rose to their feet, helping guide Louis from the air above the altar down to stand beside them.

“Welcome back,” the acolytes greeted the reborn man with wide smiles.

“Louis!” a woman cried out and rushed to hug him.

A few feet behind her, a young boy watched with wide eyes. “Poppa?”

Louis blinked as he squeezed the woman back fiercely, tears spilling from his eyes. When the child spoke, his eyes widened and he stared at him. “Have I... been gone so long?” The question was choked out.

The woman sobbed, but let him go, kneeling and waving the child forward. “Samuel, this is your poppa.”

The young boy went to his mother slowly, looking at the well-armored dwarf with wide eyes. “Hello, Poppa.”

Louis fell to his knees, his arms out as he continued to cry. “Hello, my boy,” he said as he hugged his son gently.

“I named him like we talked about... after your father,” the woman sniffled.

Cyra sniffled, too, wiping at her face. Trish was choked up, but managed to keep her emotions in check. The surprise was Cammie and Vulk, both of whom had to clear their throats and look away.

The majority of the priestesses went back to tending the wounded, but one of them stayed beside the family, surreptitiously wiping her own tears away.

Stern felt the sadness and joy, and latched onto the joy, as it was what he wanted to feel above everything else. He knew this scene wasn’t unheard of, and it was the very thing he wanted to see: a family being reunited.

It took a few minutes, but in time, the sister introduced the group to Louis and his family.

“We can never thank you enough,” Louis’ wife told them. “I’ve been waiting so long.”

“Thank you,” Samuel said, staring at them.

“Did you bring all of me out?” Louis asked after thanking them.

“Just the last shard,” Stern said. “The others were picked up before we got to the city.” He paused, then added, “It’s been a year since you’ve been waiting on the last shard.”

Louis’ wife, Stephanie, gasped. “A year for the last shard?”

“Yeah. Other shards have more money being offered for them. We took the two longest that we could pull out.”

“Two?” Louis asked, trying to focus on anything that wasn’t as bleak.

“We pulled out the last shard for Amelia Haman, too.”

“Mel? She died, too?” Louis asked.

“We’re going to start her rebirth shortly,” the priestess said.

“She was part of your crew?” Trish asked.

“Yes, she was our trap finder. If I died and she died, did anyone make it out?” Louis asked.

“Roberto and Dwayne,” Stephanie told him. “They told me about it and also said they’d increase the payout for your shards.” Her face set, eyes narrowing. “Which they obviously didn’t do.”

“You’d have to check with the guild,” Trish said softly. “It’s possible that they did, but others increased the other shards even more.”

Louis sighed. “I’ll have to see what happened to them.” Shaking his head, he shook their hands one more time. “Thank you again, Walkers. I’m done being one of you. I have a family to support now.”

Stephanie grabbed his arm and took Samuel’s hand with her free one. “Thank you. Let me show you our home, Louis.”

“Momma, can we get sugar cones on the way home?” Samuel asked.

Stephanie looked away. “I’m sorry, Honey... we can’t right now.”

Cammie stepped forward and held out a large copper. “Take him. This day should be a big celebration for him. Today…” she paused, clearly trying to master herself. “Today, he got his father back.”

Louis met her eyes, then took the offered coin. “We will. Thank you. I hope your pain is met with such solace in time.”

The family left, leaving the crew with the priestess. She excused herself and went to get the ritual started for the next rebirth.

“Cammie?” Cyra asked softly, touching the dwarf’s shoulder.

“Later, please?” Cammie whispered. “We were going to train.”

“Yes,” Vulk grunted, stone-faced. “Training.”

Trish exchanged a glance with Stern, who started heading for the door. “Training, it is,” Trish said.

~*~*~

Training was different— Vulk was more aggressive than normal, and Cammie would blank out at times. By the end of it, both of them had started to calm down. They went back to the inn, separating to do what each wanted to do.

Stern, Trish, and Cyra were in the large bathing room. They’d been quiet, each lost in their own thoughts. Stern looked up as he toweled off to take stock of the two women he loved, thinking about what it might be like in the future if the crew failed and people died.

Cyra chewed her lip, but she caught his gaze. She gave him a timid smile. “Do you think it was their father and mother?”

“Huh?” Stern asked, jerked out of his own thoughts.

“Cammie and Vulk. Do you think both of their parents are fractured?”

“Not sure,” Trish said, joining the conversation. “Mother, maybe. Cammie’s said they need money for her.”

“Obviously not down in these tiers,” Stern said. “Has to be higher up, where the cost of shards goes up sharply.”

“Yeah. That was my thought, too.”

“But what about their father, then?” Cyra asked.

“Only they know and they aren’t talking about it,” Stern sighed. “Cammie knows we’re interested in hearing their story, but she obviously wants to wait on telling us.”

“We can only be here for them,” Trish said, dropping her towel and pulling Cyra into a hug. “I understand you wanting to help.”

Cyra exhaled. “I do. She was in so much pain during the reunion.”

“She and Vulk both were,” Stern agreed. “We’ll hear about it in time. After they tell us, maybe we’ll be able to help them.”

“I think Vulk will end up drunk again tonight,” Trish said softly. “I won’t fault him if he does.”

Stern considered it, then nodded. “If what we think is true, yeah.”

“Maybe let Cammie know so she doesn’t yell at him?” Cyra suggested.

“Yeah. I’ll pull her aside and have a quick word,” Trish said. “Should we try holding a dinner tonight?”

“Let’s see what they want to do,” Stern said as he began to dress.

~*~*~

When they made it back to the room, Cammie was there, sitting on the sofa. Pawly was in her lap, enjoying the petting Cammie was giving her. Cammie jerked a little when the door opened, then looked back down at Pawly. “Welcome back.”

“Thanks,” Stern said. “Has she been keeping you company?”

“Ever since I got back from my bath,” Cammie said. “As soon as I sat down, she was in my lap.”

“She can feel when people she likes are in distress,” Stern said. “We were talking about a crew dinner. Are you and Vulk interested?”

Cammie’s face flickered through a few emotions. Stern blinked against the onslaught of the tangled ball.

“Vulk won’t join us tonight,” Cammie finally said tightly, anger burning in her gut.

“We thought he might go out and drink,” Trish said, sitting beside Cammie. “We can’t fault him. We think it has to do with your family and the rebirth.”

Cammie’s head snapped up, and she stared at them before snorting. “Kind of obvious, wasn’t it?”

“Yes, but we don’t know what it is,” Cyra said as she sat on Cammie’s other side. “We’ll wait to hear it, but we want you to know that you aren’t alone.”

Cammie swallowed, her anger turning to ash as sorrow— deep, heart-wrenching sorrow— filled her. “Mo… mother…” She trailed off as tears dripped from her eyes.

“Fractured?” Stern asked, moving to sit on the table across from Cammie.

Cammie’s head jerked up and down.

“That’s what we thought. I take it she didn’t have a recovery fund?”

“Too small,” Cammie whispered as she cried.

Pawly meowed softly and wiggled, showing her belly to Cammie.

“Pawly—” Trish began, going to admonish the cat for trying to trick Cammie.

“No,” Stern cut Trish off softly. “Cammie, she’s offering you her rarest gift. She wants to make you feel better.”

Cammie blinked down at Pawly as her tears began to fall faster. “Belly rubs, huh?” With a tentative hand, Cammie stroked Pawly’s belly. Sniffling, she cleared her throat. “Mother died in the Winterspring dungeon.”

“Platinum tier,” Stern nodded. “What about her crew?”

“All of them,” Cammie whispered. “Full wipe.”

“Shit...” Stern whispered. “How long ago?”

“Five years ago.”

“Your father?” Trish asked softly.

“We didn’t have one. Mother… only told us he left. We asked if he fractured, and she said no.”

“I know what it’s like to not have a father,” Cyra said, placing her hand on Cammie’s arm. “Both of my parents died looking for new dungeons when I was too young to remember them. It was how I came to be with Gran.”

Cammie blinked slowly, her hand still stroking Pawly’s belly. “Oh...”

“I almost lost my family the same way,” Stern added. “My father, three mothers, and their two best friends are a crew. Only Dad made it back from a dungeon once. I was that close to being without any of my parents. It took him months to assemble another crew to go in and start pulling them out.”

Cammie looked up at him. “Really?”

“Yeah. It’s why I want to pull as many people out as possible. I want all the families to be whole again.”

Pawly meowed, getting Cammie to look down at her. The cat reached up and hugged Cammie’s head with her large paws.

Cammie sniffled and lowered her head.

Pawly pulled her down to hug her better, then began grooming Cammie’s face.

“See? All of us are here for you,” Trish said.

“Vulk… drinks because he thinks it’s his fault,” Cammie whispered. “He was being a pain just before Mother left for her run, and he said we’d be better off without her. Then, she didn’t come home.”

“Shit...” Stern breathed out. “That scar has to be deep.”

“It's still a raw wound,” Cammie said. “I’m not sure he’ll keep being a Walker once we get the money to help increase her payment.”

“What about you?” Cyra asked.

“I don’t know…” Cammie trailed off, lifting her head when Pawly let her go. “Thanks, Pawly.”

Pawly chuffed, then rolled off her lap.

“Today has been a rough one,” Stern said softly. “Why don’t we order some dinner and call it a day?”

“That sounds good,” Cammie said, wiping her face.

“We’ll be going to Amelia’s rebirth tomorrow,” Trish said. “You okay for that, Cammie?”

“I’ll be better.”

“Okay.”

“Can we ask about fish for Pawly?” Cammie asked. “I want to thank her for being here for me.”

Pawly chuffed and bumped into her leg.

“Of course,” Stern said, standing up. “I’ll go let the bartender know.”

Chapter Twenty-five

Stern woke with a smile on his lips. His memory was happy to replay the previous evening for him. Cyra had taken a major step— not the ultimate one, but a big one. When she joined Trish in using their mouths on him, Stern had thought he finally knew what true bliss was.

Cyra had been worried about doing it wrong, but with his encouragement and Trish’s guidance, she was able to relax. Her relaxing made it even better for Stern, and seeing him enjoying it brought her happiness.

So close to us all being equal, Stern thought. We’ll have to take the last step or two even slower to be safe for her, but she’s been progressing so quickly... When she let me return the favor, I’m not sure if that was my joy, hers, Trish’s, or all of us, but it was glorious.

Cyra murmured as she squeezed him tighter. Her eyes slowly opened and she gave him a sleepy smile. “Morning.”

“Hello, beautiful,” Stern whispered back. He tilted his head and kissed her ear beside his head, as her head was pillowed on his chest. “How do you feel?”

“Warm,” Cyra murmured and kissed his chest. “Last night… it was wonderful.”

“Agreed,” Trish said, clearly just waking up, her voice fuzzy with sleep.

“It really was. I was nearly beside myself with happiness last night,” Stern said. He rubbed both of their backs as they pressed into his sides. “Before we went to bed, I couldn’t tell my happiness from either of yours. It just made everything better.”

“I wish I could have felt that,” Cyra sighed. “I wouldn’t have been so hesitant at the start if I could feel your happiness.”

“You might have been uncertain, but you caught on quickly,” Trish said, reaching over to stroke Cyra’s cheek. “And when he started to make pleased sounds, you became invested.”

Cyra’s face burned as she recalled exactly what she’d done last night. “I can’t believe I did that... but I wanted to do more than just use my hand. Seeing you enjoying it and him clearly enraptured... I swallowed my worry and went for it.”

“I’m so glad you did,” Stern said, running his hand up and down her spine. “Even happier when you let me return that attention afterward.”

Cyra’s face heated further. “Both of you at once was a bit much. When you were dueling over my…” She trailed off, shivering as her body started to grow warm.

“Oh?” Trish smirked at Cyra. “Is someone getting worked up thinking about it?”

“She’s lustful right now,” Stern said softly. “We know Vulk will be sleeping in, so we could have a little more time for us?”

Cyra let out a shuddering breath, then shifted abruptly. Stern was caught by surprise when Cyra was suddenly kissing him, but he gamely returned her attention. Trish murmured appreciatively as she shifted on the bed, intent on getting behind Cyra.

~*~*~

“Good morning,” Cammie said with a slightly strained smile on her lips as she petted Pawly.

“Good morning,” Cyra replied first, her cheeks burning.

“How are you today?” Trish asked.

“Fine,” Cammie replied. “Just waiting to see if we were having breakfast together. Luckily, Pawly was here to keep me company.”

“Should we wake Vulk?” Stern asked, wanting to shift the topic away from why the three of them were up later than normal.

“He got in late, but didn’t look as bad as he has before,” Cammie said. “I’ll go get him up if one of you wants to go get the food.”

“I’ll go,” Stern said quickly, heading for the door to the suite. “Be back shortly.”

When the door shut behind Stern, Cyra spoke up, “Cammie, I’m sorry. It’s my fault.”

Cammie’s brow furrowed. “What?”

“That we kept you waiting,” Cyra said.

“It’s all of our faults,” Trish said, gently touching Cyra’s shoulder.

“No, it’s mine,” Cyra said, licking her lips. “I have been working through some things, and Trish and Stern have been helping me.”

“I... uh, it’s fine,” Cammie said, clearly not knowing what else to say. “I was just a little hungry, is all.”

Cyra looked at Trish, who sighed and held her lover. “Cyra has been dealing with the trauma of almost being raped. We’ve been going very slowly for her, and this morning, she felt like she could do more.”

“Oh...” Cammie whispered, shocked that they were telling her.

“It’s my fault,” Cyra said again, not looking at Cammie. “Sorry.”

“No. No need to apologize,” Cammie said quickly. “I had no idea you’d been traumatized like that. The fact you’re working through it is pretty amazing.”

“I have the most patient boyfriend and girlfriend,” Cyra said, her cheeks heating again. “I woke up this morning and thought I could take another step… and that delayed us.”

Cammie set Pawly down. “It’s fine, really. I won’t say anything again. Sorry for making this awkward. I just heard the muted noises, and…” She trailed off, clearly not wanting to say more.

“We’ll be more mindful in the future,” Trish said. “Thanks for being understanding.”

“Of course,” Cammie said, stepping away from the pair. “I’ll go wake my brother so we can get on with the day.”

“Thank you,” Cyra said, glancing up, “for being understanding.”

Cammie stopped retreating, seeing the vulnerability in Cyra’s face. “Cyra, you’re a friend. You three are my only friends at this point. I felt just as grateful for you all understanding my story last night.” She stepped forward, just inside arms’ reach of Cyra. “Friends?”

Cyra sniffled and reached out, and Cammie went forward into the hug, sandwiching Cyra between Cammie and Trish.

Trish chuckled. “Good thing Stern left. He might get the wrong idea, otherwise.”

Cyra snorted. “You’re so bad.”

Cammie coughed, breaking the hug and quickly heading to Vulk’s room. “I’ll get him. Be right back.”

Trish’s eyebrow went up and her lips pursed as she watched Cammie flee.

“Trish, she ran away.”

“She did, but what was she running from?” Trish murmured.

“What?” Cyra asked.

“Nothing important right now,” Trish said. “Can you try something for me?”

“Anything.”

“When Vulk does come out to join us, use your healing on him. I want to see if it can flush the hangover out of his system.”

“Okay. Will that work?”

“Alcohol is a type of poison, which is why people get drunk. I think it might.”

~*~*~

Stern came back to the room with a barmaid and a tray. “Sorry for the wait.”

Cammie, Trish, Cyra, and Pawly were all seated at the table.

“It’s fine,” Cammie said. “Vulk should be out shortly.”

Stern helped the maid set the table, thanking her and seeing her out, but not before giving her a copper for her help. He was just taking his own seat when Vulk’s door opened. The dwarf looked hungover as he headed for the table.

Cyra focused and used one of her healing spells on Vulk, watching him intently.

Vulk stopped suddenly, blinking in confusion, before looking up. “What just happened?”

“I healed you. Did it work?” Cyra asked.

“Uh... yeah,” Vulk said. “The headache is gone, and I don’t feel woozy.”

“Good. You can eat without getting sick, then,” Trish said.

“Thanks,” Vulk said as he made it to the table and took his seat. “I didn’t think that would work.”

“I asked her to try it,” Trish said. “I’d like to be able to train as well as we can today, after the rebirth.”

Vulk nodded. “Training, right. About yesterday… sorry.”

“None of us got hurt enough for it to be a problem,” Stern said. “Did you get the aggression worked out?”

Vulk looked at his plate. “Yeah.”

“Will you be okay for another rebirth?” Cyra asked, clearly concerned for him.

Vulk glanced at her, then back down at his plate. “I should be.”

“If not, we’ll help as much as we can,” Stern said, “even if it means being a punching bag for a bit.”

Vulk looked up, seeing everyone but Pawly, who was already eating, watching him. “Ah... It shouldn’t be a problem.”

“Okay,” Stern said. “Let’s eat.”

~*~*~

The temple was the same as the day before— Louis was there, but not his son or wife. Amelia’s golden figure declared her heritage easily— she was a rhinoceros lykian. The horn jutting out of her head was prominent.

“Good to see you all again,” Louis greeted them.

“Did your son enjoy the sugar cone?” Cyra asked.

“He did. We had a big meal, and I stayed up with him well into the night, reading him a story.” Louis swallowed hard, giving them a tight smile. “It was good.”

“Just do what you can,” Stern said. “Spend time with him and your wife and get your life straightened out. Those two things are all that matter. My parents said that after their rebirths.”

When the time came, the sisters went to the altar to sing and welcome Amelia back. Everyone felt the overwhelming presence in the room as the rebirth happened. A minute later, Amelia was standing on her own two legs and looking around.

“Mel!” Louis called to her.

Amelia jerked, her eyes focusing on him. “Louis,” she smiled. “Where are the others?”

“They aren’t here,” Louis said. “Mel, it’s been years.”

“Years?” Amelia asked.

“My son is this tall,” Louis said, holding up a hand.

“Son?” Amelia whispered. “Stephanie?”

“Yes.”

The large woman exhaled slowly. “I see. It’s over, then.”

“It is for me,” Louis said. “Let me introduce you to Pawsitively Irregular. They brought out our last shards.”

Amelia looked at the group, her eyes going a little round when she saw Stern. “Thank you...”

“It was our pleasure,” Stern said. “I’m always happy to bring others back out.”

“Stephanie said I should bring you home for dinner, Mel,” Louis said. “We have room, so you can get your bearings.”

Amelia exhaled a long, rough breath. “Thanks, Louis. I could use the help.”

The groups said their goodbyes before they went their separate ways.

Vulk was subdued, but clearly better than he’d been the day before.

“Feeling better?” Stern asked as they headed for the dojo.

“Better than yesterday,” Vulk admitted. “Still going to pound you in sparring, though.”

“You mean try to,” Stern smirked. “I recall you losing most of our fights.”

“Only because you’re a damned monkey,” Vulk snorted. “I win all our fights that don’t devolve into kicking and grappling.”

“You mean you win all the boxing matches,” Stern scoffed. “I’ll get better, and then you won’t win those, either.”

“You’ll never be good enough to beat me at boxing,” Vulk laughed.

The women followed them, happy to see the two men bonding.

Chapter Twenty-six

They spent the next few days training their combat skills, both armed and unarmed. Besides that, they restocked their supplies and got ready to head off to Whitewater. Stern found the Walkers in the city were starting to treat him with respect, having heard about the double rebirth the crew had pulled off.

Cyra was smiling broadly as she got her bag in order. She hadn’t been able to go any further than she had previously, but she’d managed to reach the same level of intimacy with her lovers repeatedly. Trish and Stern encouraged and celebrated every time, making it easier for her to keep doing so.

“Another couple of weeks off road to get to Whitewater,” Trish said. “Probably more dark willow shoots and maybe another kill quest.”

“Sounds about right,” Stern said as he got his pack on. “I’m thinking of trying to expand on Vulk’s willingness to be part of the crew.”

“Oh?” Trish asked as she hefted her own backpack.

“He drinks when we reach a new town,” Stern said. “I think I’ll accompany him.”

Trish’s eyebrows went up. “Really? You’re not that big of a drinker.”

“I’m not, but I can nurse a few and hang out with him.”

“Ah. Maybe get him home before he gets too drunk?” Trish said.

“Maybe once he starts, he’ll open up some, too,” Stern said.

“I can heal his hangover the morning after,” Cyra said.

“That’s not ideal,” Trish said. “We wouldn’t want to go into the dungeon down one of your spells. Also, it doesn’t help teach him if there are no repercussions to him getting that drunk.”

“Oh... right,” Cyra said, deflating a little.

“It was a good thought,” Stern said.

“Thanks,” Cyra said as she shifted her pack onto her shoulders. “Trish is right, and I like your idea. It might help him more if he can unburden himself.”

“We ready to get breakfast and head out?” Trish asked.

“I am,” Stern said.

“Yes,” Cyra smiled.

When they left their room, they found Cammie and Pawly on the sofa. “Good morning,” Cammie smiled. “Vulk went down to get breakfast.”

“Has she been okay for you?” Stern asked.

“Pawly? She’s a sweetheart… normally. She either puts all of her weight on a single paw before she gets off me in the morning, or she’ll flex her murder mittens and prick me.”

Pawly chuffed and rubbed against Cammie’s stomach, since she was draped over the dwarf’s lap.

“And then she does this and acts all cute,” Cammie said.

“Cat,” Stern chuckled. “Murder mittens… I like it.”

“She does kill a lot of things with them,” Trish laughed.

Pawly purred and rubbed harder.

The front door opened, admitting Vulk and a maid. “Breakfast,” Vulk said.

“Thank you,” Cyra smiled.

“Thank you for staying with us,” the maid said as she set the table for them. “Have a safe trip, Walkers.”

“We will. Thank you,” Trish replied for all of them. “Have a good day.”

~*~*~

The Dungeon Walkers’ guildhall was mostly empty when the crew entered it. The handful of people there greeted them amiably enough, but Stern still caught undercurrents of worry from a couple of them.

The crew went to the quest board and gave it a good look. After a few minutes, Trish tapped a single quest. “Just as I thought: dark willows needed.”

“No kill quest,” Vulk sighed. “Guess the swarm we killed on the way here really took out a chunk of the problem.”

“Or we missed another one by an hour or two,” Stern said. “Do we want to take the quest and take our time collecting, or head straight there?”

“Quest,” Cammie said. “It might not be the best, but money is money.”

“Yeah,” Vulk agreed with his sister, clearly disappointed there was no kill quest.

Stern touched the page and accepted the quest. “Turn it in to the Walkers, hmm? Must be waiting for a stockpile to approach a crafter to sell them.”

“Which nets the guild a nice little bit of change, and the crafter gets the supplies for a good price,” Trish nodded. “Supply and demand.”

“And it keeps the shoots from sprouting,” Cyra smiled.

“There is that,” Cammie agreed.

“Well, we have the one quest we can take that’s worth anything and that goes all the way to Whitewater,” Stern said. “Time to hit the road.”

They were almost to the door when a pair of people entered the hall. Stern stopped, giving them a bow of his head. “Officially retiring?”

“Yeah,” Louis said. “Mel decided it was time, too.”

Amelia sighed. “I just can’t find the heart to try getting a new group. Besides, I think I want to go see my sister.”

“Family is good,” Cammie said.

“We fought before I left to be a Walker,” Amelia said. “I’m not sure she’ll be happy to see me, but… well… she’s still family, and I missed her.”

“Where does she live?” Cyra asked.

“Waterrock, so it’s not too far,” Amelia said. “You’re heading out?”

“Whitewater bound,” Vulk replied.

“Safe runs,” Louis said, extending his hand.

Vulk shook it. “Safe runs… err…”

“Live well,” Stern said, taking Louis’ hand when Vulk faltered.

“I will,” Louis said.

They went through a round of goodbyes before they separated.

As they walked down the street, Vulk glanced at Stern. “Live well?”

“It’s one I heard a lot for retiring Walkers,” Stern said, “since they no longer run.”

Vulk grunted. “Got it. I hadn’t heard that one before, but you’ve heard it a lot?”

“Family,” Stern said. “My parents are all Walkers.”

Vulk lapsed into silence again, and Stern felt the surge of sorrow.

~*~*~

The days went by with nothing of note happening as they traveled. They collected dark willow shoots, killed the few monsters that attacked them, and walked. The conversation was light, not touching on any sensitive topics.

On their sixth day out of Springwater, Pawly yowled from ahead of them. A second after that, a second yowl came floating back to them. Trish sprinted forward, as two yowls was Pawly’s signal for help. Stern was on Trish’s heels, with the others trailing them.

Trish caught sight of a flash of light ahead of her. She managed to get her shield onto her left arm just before she saw what Pawly was fighting. A dark-barked willow tree lashed at Pawly as she flew above it. The tips of the short tree had a handful of leaves on them.

“Shit!” Trish hissed as she gripped her hammer tight.

Stern came to a skidding stop when he saw the willow. “Fire! We need fire!” He saw the others coming his way and shouted at Cyra, “Get my quick starter out and the flask of oil!”

Cammie came to a stop beside Stern, knowing her hammer and crossbow would be useless against this monster. “Fire... fire…? Wait, I can help.” Dropping her pack, she began to dig into it.

Vulk went racing past Stern, just behind Trish, closing on the plant monster. His axes gleamed as he closed on the mob.

Pawly hissed and flew past the dark willow as quickly as she could, her electrical discharge not seeming to do a lot to it. In return, she got hit and yowled again before floating higher out of its reach.

Trish’s hammer came down on its trunk, a small flash of blackness emanating from it. “Shit, forgot I put a dark rune on it.”

The monster spun on her, its branches sweeping down to hit her. Trish grunted as she took the sweep on her shield, but was pushed back a few feet in return. That let Vulk dart in, his axes gleaming as he struck. One of the axes flashed white when it impacted the trunk of the tree, and a patch of ice appeared as he drew back.

The tree shook, then spun to swipe at Vulk, who had hurt it more than the others. It didn’t make any sounds, not having a mouth, beyond the rustling from its movements.

Cyra thrust Stern’s striker, tinder box, and a flask of oil at him. “Is it a good idea to burn it in a forest?”

“Only way to keep it down,” Stern said as he knelt and started to get a spark to catch in his tinder box.

“Stern, give me the oil,” Cammie said from beside him. “I can whip up a quick trap they can lead it onto. It’ll be better than an improvised fire flask.”

Stern looked at her, then handed the flask over. “Okay. Cyra, grab a torch from my bag. They hate fire, and we can use it to scare it off one of us if needed.”

Cyra fumbled at the torches strapped to Stern’s bag as she watched the fight.

Trish used her Protector perk to switch places with Vulk. Her shield was up again, deflecting the multiple branch attack. “Ready when you are!” she shouted back to the others.

Vulk struck again and again as the dark willow tried to reorient on him. He tore frozen chunks of wood from the monster. There was a manic grin on his face the entire time he attacked.

“Twenty seconds!” Cammie yelled to Trish as she fiddled with some wire, the bottle, and other parts to make a quick trap.

Stern got the torch lit and pulled the hand axe from his belt. He wasn’t going to rush in, as he wanted Cammie’s trap to be set before he scared it with the torch. He did see the chunks Vulk had taken out of the monster, though. “Vulk, can you gash it a couple more times?”

Vulk grunted as he dove to the side to avoid the branches. “Trying!” One of them clipped his foot, and he screamed, as it felt like his foot was torn off.

Trish bull-rushed the short tree, using her shield to knock it off Vulk. “Best hurry!”

Vulk hissed as he scrambled away. He looked down to see his foot intact, but from the ankle down, it was numb. “I can’t stand up.”

“Trap!” Cammie shouted as she rushed toward her brother.

Trish backed away from the dark willow, angling it away so she could see Cammie. The device Cammie had in her hand looked flimsy as hell to her.

Cammie set it on the ground, then went to help her brother. “Lead it over, Trish.”

“My back will be to it!” Trish shouted. “I won’t know where it is.”

“I’ll guide you,” Cyra yelled. “Just listen when I tell you the direction.”

A yowl came from above as Pawly glared down at the monster.

“Run. Pawly will guide it,” Stern told Trish.

Trish knocked the branches aside, then sprinted away. Stern advanced, waving the torch to discourage it from chasing Trish.

Pawly yowled louder and dove at the monster. The large, flying, electrical tiger was eye-catching. Unfortunately, the dark willow didn’t have eyes, but it could feel the static charge Pawly gave off.

Pawly swiped it as she flew by, just dodging the return swing from its branches. Between her attack and the heat from the torch, the monster lumbered after Pawly, away from Stern.

Cammie got her brother onto his feet and hobbling away. “Come on! I’m not sure how big that will get.”

Vulk hissed. The pins and needles from his foot waking up was more painful than anything he’d ever experienced before. “I’m coming.”

A few seconds later, the willow stepped onto the improvised trap. Nothing happened for a long second, but then a whoomph sounded and a geyser of flame engulfed it. It panicked, flailing wildly and trying to put out the flames that were coating it. The wounds Vulk had cut into it started to burn brightly as the ice melted and the flammable sap of the tree ignited.

“Back off! We might have to go in when the fire dies,” Stern shouted. “Let it wind down first.”

Everyone backed away, including Pawly, who hissed at it from above. After a handful of minutes, the creature fell over and stopped moving, still burning. It took nearly twenty minutes before the flames died down enough for Stern to advance on it. When he did, the others went with him. The dark willow was a blacked husk, the interior having been gutted by the fire.

Stern exhaled as he snuffed the torch out on the ground. “Well, that was exciting. Vulk, how are you?”

“Foot’s still waking up,” Vulk grumbled. “That was unpleasant.”

“It sucked the life from it when it hit you,” Trish said. “That’s why they’re dangerous. Imagine that being your weapon arm or your head.”

Vulk blanched. “Damn...”

“Good work, Cammie,” Cyra said, patting the dwarf on the shoulder.

“Thanks,” Cammie shuddered. “My perk works well. That was mostly Rigging and Trap Smith.”

“Damned good perks,” Stern said. “If you get the chance at the range deployment option again, get it.”

“I will,” Cammie said. “It was a bit frightening to have to run in closer to it.”

“Is any of this worth our time?” Vulk asked, kicking the smoldering trunk.

“Maybe. We’ll need to crack it all the way open and see if anything is still viable inside,” Stern said. “On the plus side, this part of the woods is safe. It would have killed everything dangerous in the area.”

“Set camp early?” Trish asked.

“It would give us time to do a thorough job on the husk,” Stern said.

“Anyone object?” Trish asked, and no one spoke up. “Okay, let’s do it.”

Chapter Twenty-seven

The gates of Whitewater came into view ahead of them. Vulk exhaled in relief, glad the trek was finally over. The others were also happy to see the city, as two weeks in the woods had left them all wishing to clean up.

“A lovely, hot, soapy bath...” Trish murmured. “I’m going to just soak in the water for a bit. Let it wash all the grime off.”

“We need to clean and repair our gear, too,” Cammie grumbled.

“Tomorrow?” Cyra asked hopefully.

“Tomorrow would be best,” Stern said. “Taking the days off before and after a dungeon run is good for us.”

Vulk grunted. “Yes, they are.”

“You going drinking tonight?” Stern asked, moving up beside the dwarf.

Vulk glanced at him. “A bit.”

“Would you be good with some company?”

A single eyebrow rose fractionally. “You’re not much of a drinker.”

“Normally, but I’d like to get some time away, too.”

“Fine, but I’m not carting you home when you pass out,” Vulk said.

“Not sure I could cart you back without a wheelbarrow to help,” Stern laughed.

Vulk chuckled. “Fair.”

“Ladies, you’ll be on your own tonight,” Stern said, looking back at them. “No idea when we might stumble in.”

Cyra nodded. “Okay. Umm... can you take the empty room when you get back, then?”

“This way, you don’t wake us,” Trish said.

“Sure,” Stern replied.

“I’ve been wondering, Stern, why doesn’t Pawly travel with us on the road?” Cammie asked.

“She hates the time traveling between cities,” Stern explained. “In the woods, she can hunt and have fun, but on the road, it’s boring for her.”

“Oh, I guess I can see that,” Cammie said.

“Just the way she’s always been,” Stern shrugged. “Even if traveling by carriage, she would prefer to not be on the road. I don’t push her on it.”

“For the best,” Trish said. “Might find a hairball in your boot if you tried.”

“No. No messes from her ever. No hairballs or other surprises. She might shred something, though.”

“Even worse,” Trish chuckled.

“Clean up, then head out?” Stern asked Vulk, turning back to the dwarf.

“Yeah. Cleaning up first is always a good idea.”

When they reached the gates, the guards eyed Stern warily, but seeing their badges, they waved the group through. Stern slowed though as he had questions. “Sir, which direction to the Walkers’ hall and inn?”

“Five ahead, and two north,” he pointed to make sure it was plainly understood. “Uh... irregular, right?”

“Yes, sir,” Stern said with a trace of tightness to his voice. “Thanks for not calling me the other thing.”

“No blighted is going to come strolling up with four others,” the guard snorted. “Just wanted to know.”

“Thanks,” Stern said as he walked past the guards.

“You were better with them,” Cyra said, going over to take his hand as they headed the way the guard had directed them.

“You and Trish being nearby helps,” he said. “The love that you two radiate really does help mellow the other emotions.”

“Glad we can help,” Trish said, giving him a smile.

“Me, too,” Stern replied.

It took a little while to reach the square where the guard had directed them. The Walkers’ guildhall stood sandwiched between the inn and the academy. The inn had a sign over it, declaring it to be River Rest, with the image of a camp beside a river.

“I’ll drop the quest off and then come over to bathe,” Stern said. “I’ll see about selling the parts from the dark willow tomorrow.”

“I’ll get the rooms settled,” Trish said. “Don’t take too long if you’re going out.”

Stern nodded as he split away from them to go into the Walkers’ hall. It was early afternoon, so the place had a good amount of people, but was far from being as busy as it would be later. When he entered, the emotion in the room shifted. Keeping a neutral expression on his face, he headed for the receptionist. The matronly woman behind the desk gave him a sorrowful look.

“What do you mean he’s not blighted? Look at him!” a strong male voice rose above the background murmur.

“He’s an irregular and the head of a crew!” another person snapped. “He’s pulled shards out and paid my crew to do it, too.”

That got Stern’s attention, and he looked over to see a massive man staring at him. Standing beside that individual was a wolf lykian. After a second, her name came back to Stern— Sarah Kalma, the leader of the Sharp Ears crew.

“Sarah, have your runs been good?” Stern asked as he slowed his pace.

Sarah gave the large man a “see, I told you so” look, then gave Stern a grin. “Yes. We’ve had no troubles at all since we met you. This is Blake, the newest addition to my crew.”

Stern gave Blake a nod. “Irregular, not blighted.” The words were a little clipped, but not overly so. “Go into the dungeon here yet?”

“Yesterday,” Sarah said. She tapped her badge, which had all the tin dungeons on it. “Taking a few days before we run it again. How about you?”

“You heard about my crew?” Stern asked, a little puzzled on that point. He stopped beside their table, aware that the whole room was listening in.

“Word spreads,” Sarah barked a laugh. “Your crew— which is funnily named, by the way— has been making a name for itself. How many have you pulled out now?”

Stern paused, then shrugged. “Four in total, if you count Cyra. As a crew, three.”

A louder murmur went up at his words, and Sarah blinked at him.

“I heard you’d done it, but not the number. That’s… a lot of dungeon points.”

“Yes,” Stern agreed, “but that’s four Walkers who have a chance at life again.”

Sarah looked away. “I didn’t…” She sighed. “I understand what you’re saying. It’s just that the majority of us need those points for equipment.”

“I understand,” Stern said. “The last two we pulled were a single shard each. If we’d just done one, we still would have had plenty of points left for equipment. Sometimes, just bringing a single shard out can give a family hope that their loved one might come back to them.”

The room was quiet again, staring at him.

“I didn’t mean to stop you all from your discussions,” Stern said to the room. “I’ve just always felt strongly about doing what I could for those who’ve fallen. One day, it might be me fractured and waiting to be reborn. I hope that someone like me comes along, if that comes to pass. My crew is waiting for me to drop off the quest and get paid so we can relax from our time in the woods. Please excuse me.”

Sarah didn’t try to stop him, and the room started to slowly pick up again, as everyone had food for thought and debate now. The receptionist gave him a long look as he approached her desk.

“I have dark willow shoots to turn in,” Stern said, pulling the two sacks from his backpack.

The older woman set her tablet before Stern. “Place them on there, please.”

Stern set the sacks on the tablet one at a time.

She took the tablet and looked at it before nodding and taking the sacks, placing them into her void drawer. With them gone, she pulled two empty sacks and a pouch out. Taking a few minutes, she counted out the coins, then stacked them in front of Stern. “Payment.”

“Thank you,” Stern said. He pushed half of the money back to her and pocketed the rest. “Put that on my crew’s retrieval accounts, please.”

The woman nodded, putting the coins back into the pouch before dropping it into the void drawer. “Will there be anything else?”

“Not right now. Thank you, ma’am.”

“My pleasure, Walker. Will you be pulling shards out of the dungeon here?”

“Yes.”

“Might I request a specific person?” the receptionist asked softly, her eyes meeting his.

“How many shards?” Stern asked.

“Two.”

“I would normally go for the longest waiting. Has this person been fractured long?”

“Two years.”

“Good enough,” Stern sighed. “Who?”

“A friend of mine,” the older woman said. “He’s a smith who wanted to get another perk. The whole crew was killed. They’ve been recovered, but he still languishes.”

“Name?” Stern asked, feeling the sadness radiating off her.

“Patrick Smithton.”

“It’ll be a couple of days, but we’ll make his shards our priority,” Stern told her.

She blinked at him. “I haven’t given you the quest yet or said anything about increasing the payment.”

“I’ll take the quest, and there was no need,” Stern said, holding his left hand out. “I’m ready.”

The room behind him grew louder as word of what was happening spread.

It took a few moments for her to give him the quest that he’d accepted. Once he felt the knowledge in his brain, he nodded. “Have a good night, ma’am. We’ll see you in a few days.”

“Thank you...” the older woman choked out. Her gratitude was a hammer to Stern’s mind.

“It’s the right thing to do,” Stern said softly. “What’s your name, ma’am?”

“Rebeka,” she sniffled.

“Give us two or three days, Rebeka,” Stern said. Without waiting for a reply, he spun on his heel and walked away.

The hall was buzzing as they all discussed what they’d just seen and heard.

Stern rolled his shoulders as he entered the River Rest inn. Like the Walkers’ hall, it was busy, but far from packed. Conversation dimmed when he entered, but then picked up again. Stern was about to ask the innkeeper which room his crew had when Cammie came downstairs.

“Stern, fourth floor, second to last on the right,” Cammie said.

Stern saw the clean clothing in her hand and nodded. “No back stairs?”

“Nope,” Cammie said, “but more bathing rooms, so it’s a decent trade. See you later.”

Stern went for the stairs, ignoring the emotions and words from the patrons of the inn. He was glad it wasn’t all negative, but it was still intense.

“We’re in the second to last room on the right,” Cyra said when she saw him come up the stairs.

“Cammie told me,” Stern smiled at her. “I’ll be along shortly.”

“We’ll have the bath ready,” Trish said, coming out of the suite. “I made sure that we have the largest bathing room.”

“All the more reason to hurry,” Stern grinned.

“I’d hope so,” Trish winked. “See you soon, lover.”

Cyra giggled as she headed downstairs.

Stern went into the suite and had a moment of confusion, as there was no sign of who’d picked what room. Vulk came out of one of them with his clothing in hand. “Which rooms are taken?” Stern asked him.

Vulk pointed at two others. “You’re in that one,” he said, pointing to one he’d already pointed to. “The other is my sister’s.”

“Well, tonight, I’m in the empty one,” Stern chuckled as he went that way. “See you soon.”

“Stern?”

“Yeah?”

“Why?”

Stern paused a few feet from the empty room. “Kind of want to work on the friendship we’ve been building. I won’t get fall-down drunk, but I did want to hang out for a bit.”

“Okay. See you.”

Stern heard him walk out of the suite, and he exhaled. “It’s the truth,” he murmured after looking back to make sure he was alone. “It’s just not the full truth...”

Shaking his head, he went to drop off his stuff and get clean clothes.

Chapter Twenty-eight

Vulk led the way across Whitewater. “Still sure you want to come with me?”

“Yup.”

“Instead of being back in the room with Cyra and Trish? Really?”

“Gives them some time without me, and Trish said something about a girls’ night in. It’s good, as it means they have time to chat with Cammie.”

“Yeah,” Vulk said softly. “That’d be good for her.”

“Having friends is good. Still kind of novel for me, but I’ve been enjoying it.”

Vulk glanced at him from the corner of his eye, then grunted. “I guess that would be true. No friends at all?”

“One or two, on and off,” Stern explained. “My family moved a lot, which made it difficult enough for my siblings. For me, though… nearly impossible. Even when I found someone who was okay to start with, it didn’t end well.”

“Because of your perk?”

“Most got angry over me always knowing what they felt. Even my siblings were leery of me because of it. Well, to be fair, some of my siblings. A couple were better about it.”

“Must have been hard.”

“It wasn’t a picnic, that’s for sure.”

“You don’t seem as upset over it as I would be.”

“I mostly gave up on expecting positive things out of people. I was rarely disappointed that way, as opposed to if I expected people to be nicer.”

Vulk snorted. “Yeah. I can see that.” He fell silent for a moment before asking, “What’s it like? The emotion thing?”

Stern thought about it, trying to find a way to explain. “Hmm... Your emotions are a part of you. They’re always there... sometimes small and, other times, all-consuming. Other’s emotions are a membrane that wraps around me. I can fight them and push them away, but the stronger the emotion, the harder it is. Get a dozen people together and it’s nearly impossible. It’s why I shut down and go cold whenever we reach a new city.”

“Because they see you for one of them. Huh. That makes sense.”

“It’s been easier with Cyra and Trish nearby. Their emotions have acted as an insulator, helping me resist being inundated as easily. I can focus on them to help.”

There was a pause as Vulk considered what Stern said, then pointed at the tavern just ahead of them. “Deep Mug. That’s the place I was told about.”

“Told about? We just barely got into the city,” Stern chuckled.

“I asked a few of the Walkers at the inn while waiting for you.”

“Best place to drink?”

“Good, but cheap,” Vulk corrected. “The cost to quality ratio is important.”

“I didn’t consider that. I’ll keep it in mind.”

“Good quality liquor that can actually make it through my resistance is tough. Finding drink like that that doesn’t cost too much is harder still.”

Stern just nodded as he followed Vulk into the tavern. The place was smaller than Stern thought it would be— more of a hole-in-the-wall pub than a full tavern. There were only a handful of tables in the room and six stools at the bar itself.

Since it wasn’t evening yet, it wasn’t busy. Vulk went to a table near a corner and took a seat. Sitting next to him, Stern noted that all of the tables were round and the seats were stools instead of chairs.

The tavern had a couple of lanterns that gave it soft lighting. It was far from bright, but more than enough for anyone with good night vision. Behind the bar, a dwarf eyed them with a questioning gaze.

“What can I…?” the barmaid began. She trailed off, staring at Stern.

“Dark ale, and whatever hits the hardest,” Vulk said.

“Golden ale?” Stern asked.

The barmaid continued to stare at Stern until Vulk coughed loudly. That got her to jerk and look away from him. “Sorry. Uh, dark and golden ales, and one hard drink. Be right back.” She hurried away from the table.

“Sorry about that,” Stern sighed.

“I’ll deal with it. Must get old for you,” Vulk said.

“She was frightened. I don’t fault them for being scared of the blighted. Just wish they didn’t automatically think I was one.”

“True. Considering all the stories, fear is understandable. From the shamblers to the wise, old ones, they all have the same pale skin and gauntness that you do.”

“And eyes that are nearly colorless,” Stern sighed.

“I didn’t know that one.”

“Your drinks,” the barmaid stammered as she set the mugs and shot glass on the table. “That’ll be five copper.”

Stern put a small silver on the table. “We’d like to run a tab.”

The barmaid and Vulk were both taken aback by the amount of money Stern set out. The barmaid recovered first, collecting the coin. “Of course… sir.”

“Thank you,” Stern smiled. “Does the place get busy in the evening?”

“Yes. Every seat normally fills up,” she replied, her fear abating as Stern acted like most patrons did.

“Any food offered?”

“Just snacks,” the barmaid replied.

“Can we get a little of whatever you recommend? Been on the road all day, and some food would be good with the drinks.”

“Of course, sir. I’ll be back with them.” With her fear gone, the barmaid was all curiosity as she swept away from the table.

“A silver?” Vulk asked once she was gone.

“My personal money,” Stern shrugged. “I’d rather just have everything paid for and enjoy myself.”

Vulk grunted, downing the shot before taking a hearty swig of the ale. “I was curious about that. The armor, weapons, and gear, all of it’s expensive. You’ve outfitted my sister, too.”

Stern just took a drink and waited, as Vulk hadn’t asked a question.

Vulk watched him, then sighed. “Yeah, I shouldn’t have asked.”

“Ask? You never asked a question. I wasn’t sure what you were asking.”

Vulk gave him a flat look, then looked to the side where the barmaid was coming back to the table. He waited, giving the woman a smile as she set a number of finger foods on the table between the two men.

“I hope you enjoy them,” the barmaid said. “If you need anything else, I’m Emma.”

“Thank you, Emma,” Stern said.

“We appreciate it,” Vulk added.

She gave them a smile, then left them alone. Vulk watched her go with an appraising eye.

“Pretty sure she’s the daughter,” Stern said softly, having caught a pulse of worry and protectiveness from the dwarf behind the bar.

“Oh,” Vulk sighed. “Yeah, she’s half-dwarven.”

“Old enough to make her own choices,” Stern said as he picked up a piece of grilled chicken. “Maybe she’ll show some interest a bit later.”

Vulk snorted. “Yeah, right.” He snagged a piece of salted bread, but paused before eating it. “How do you manage to pay for it all?”

“Family,” Stern admitted. “They sent me off with some money and my gear. They wanted to help me, but also wanted to respect my decision to make my own way. I have a much easier road, but I still fight my own way up the dungeon ranks.”

“Which is how you can pay us to pull shards?”

“Yeah.”

“You’re spending your money to do that?”

“Yeah.”

Vulk fell silent and tried the food.

~*~*~

The two sat there, drinking and polishing off their food. A couple more people trickled in and, as the hour wore on, the place really began to fill up. Stern got a lot of looks, but the emotions always stabilized after the new patrons spoke quietly with the bartender or Emma.

“Friendly place,” Vulk said, stifling a belch. “Good food and drinks, too.”

“Emma and her father have been helping ease their minds,” Stern said. He was only on his second mug, while Vulk was on his fifth mug and third shot.

“That explains it,” Vulk nodded. “Can’t believe you’re spending your own money to pull strangers out. That’s just not right.”

“It makes me feel better,” Stern shrugged, noting Vulk’s buzz.

“Me and Cam are just mooching off you, then,” Vulk grumbled.

“Not at all,” Stern countered. “You’re being paid as Walkers should be for retrieval jobs. It’s just me paying you instead of the guild.”

Vulk frowned at him but, before he could open his mouth, someone stopped by the table.

“Do you want more food?” Emma asked.

“Not yet, but we might in another hour,” Stern told her. “This is a nice place.”

Emma’s professional smile became real. “Thank you. We try hard to make everyone feel welcome.”

“I appreciate that,” Stern said. “I noticed some of the others having some concern when they saw me, but they all mellowed out after a word from you or… your father?”

“Yeah, that’s my father,” Emma said, glancing back at her dad behind the bar. “Mother made the food.”

“Which was delicious,” Stern said. “My friend loved the salted bread. Ate all of it himself.”

“They’re called pretzels,” Emma grinned. “She learned it from one of the Darkhand crew.”

Stern’s smile went wooden for a moment before he laughed. “Really? They drank here?”

“Yes. Father loves talking about it.” Emma looked at Vulk. He was sitting there, watching her, before he jerked his gaze away. “I’ll let Mother know you liked it.”

“Thanks...” Vulk mumbled.

Stern felt embarrassment rising from Vulk and he nodded slightly. “Emma, a question? Vulk,” he motioned to Vulk, “and I were discussing the differences between our two ales. Vulk loves them dark, while I don’t like needing a knife and fork for my drinks. Where do you stand on them?”

Emma looked up for a moment, clearly considering, and Vulk shot Stern a glare.

“Well,” Emma said slowly, “my father’s like you, Vulk.” She looked at the dwarf with a smile. “He loves dark ale. You haven’t tried his own brew. If you want, I can bring it for your next round.”

“Yes, please,” Vulk said, meeting her eyes briefly before looking away.

Emma’s lips twitched when she caught sight of his reddening cheeks under his beard. “I’ll make sure that happens.”

“Ah, so he was right, then,” Stern sighed.

“Personally, I’m a disgrace to my family,” Emma shrugged. “I don’t care for ale at all. I take after my mother. I’d rather have a good wine.”

“Oh?” Vulk asked, looking at his mug like he was reconsidering his drink.

Emma lightly touched Vulk’s shoulder. “Just wait until you get the next mug. If you liked that, you’ll love the next one.”

Vulk ducked his head, nodding. “I’ll look forward to it.”

“Emma, I need another round!” someone called out to her.

“Enjoy your drinks,” Emma smiled at the pair before she left them to get drinks for the other table.

When she was gone, Vulk glanced up at Stern. “What was that?”

“Huh?”

“We didn’t talk about drinks.”

Stern hesitated, then leaned forward just a little, as if wanting to keep the conversation muted, “You aren’t interested in her?”

Vulk’s jaw sagged before he clicked it shut. His gaze darted to Emma, who was going to the bar to get refills. “I didn’t…”

“Vulk, you’ve been shooting her glances. Now, take into account that she works in a tavern, a family-run tavern. She’s likely to have been hit on before… a lot. If she took offense, she would have given us a cool response and left quickly. Instead, she gave a real smile and chatted, then touched you and promised her father’s best dark ale for your next round.”

Vulk blinked at Stern slowly for a moment, then looked back at Emma. She looked their way at that moment. Vulk quickly averted his gaze and took a big gulp of his ale.

Stern saw a soft smile touch Emma’s lips as she went back to work. “Besides… you know my perk.”

Vulk jerked, his eyes going wide as he stared at Stern. “What?”

“She’s curious and intrigued, and not with me,” Stern said. “But if I were you, I’d slow down some. I doubt she’d be as interested if you fell off that stool.”

Vulk lapsed into silence and Stern sipped his ale, looking over the room. It was a cross-section of the city. Every major race was present, and while the men outnumbered the women, it wasn’t, as his mother would call it, “a sausage party.”

After a minute, Stern spoke up again, “Look, I might have overstepped. Honestly, I never thought I’d get to be the shieldbearer for a friend.”

Vulk snorted, his lips going up. “Honestly didn’t see it ever happening, either. Was really expecting this to end up with a bar fight because of… you know.”

“You got told the right place to go to,” Stern shrugged. “But if that’s what you want instead, I’m sure—”

“No,” Vulk cut him off. “No... at least, not yet… just in case.”

Stern lifted his mug a little to Vulk. “Good luck. We’ll be staying in the city for a few days after the run, like normal, so you have time.”

Vulk blinked at him, then picked up his mug and tapped it against Stern’s. “Thanks.”

~*~*~

Fifteen minutes later, Emma came back to their table with a tray. She set a mug in front of each of them. She also brought out another plate of pretzels, though she set that closer to Vulk than Stern.

“Mother said that, if you liked the first batch, you should have them fresh,” Emma smiled at Vulk. “I brought some sharp cheddar and mustard, as well. Some people like one or both with their pretzels at times. And last, but far from least, a mug of Darkhand.”

“‘Darkhand’?” Stern asked with raised eyebrows.

Emma chuckled. “Named after the leading crew of Rescue Squad, of course. He calls it a powerful drink, so I’d suggest sipping like your friend’s been doing.”

Vulk nodded. “I will. Thank you, and your mother.”

“When are you going in?” Emma asked slowly.

“Maybe tomorrow, perhaps the day after,” Stern said. “Depends on the others.”

Emma touched Vulk’s shoulder lightly. “I wish you both safe runs. If you need anything else, just call for me. I’ll be back to check on you.”

Vulk nodded mutely, his face burning. Emma gave him another smile before she swirled away from their table. Vulk watched her go.

“I’d suggest you take a sip quickly, and then give her father a nod,” Stern said softly, his lips barely moving.

Vulk blinked and moved on reflex, doing what Stern had suggested. Setting the mug down, Vulk’s eyes went wide as the flavor, depth, and strength of the dark ale registered. He looked at Stern blankly, then turned his gaze toward the bar where the bartender was watching them. Vulk touched the mug, then bowed his head deeply. The bartender nodded, a huge grin spreading across his face.

“He was watching you watch his daughter. Think you just ducked that trap.”

Vulk exhaled. “Shieldbearer, my thanks.”

Stern laughed and took a drink of his own mug. “No thanks needed. Tonight has been… good. Now, pass over one of those pretzels, and some cheese.”

Chapter Twenty-nine

The soft kiss that woke Stern had him smiling.

“Are you awake, princess?” Trish snickered.

Stern groaned, opening his eyes to find Trish leaning over him. “I knew mentioning that story to you was a mistake.”

“How did it go last night?” Trish asked, sitting on the edge of the bed.

“He didn’t drink as much,” Stern chuckled.

“Okay. Did something happen?”

“He flirted with the barmaid and moderated his intake so he wouldn’t be a fool.”

“Really? Was she cute?”

“She was pretty good-looking. The tavern’s a nice place. The owner helped keep people calm about me. The drinks were good and the snacks— they don’t do full meals— were decent. Vulk loved the pretzels.”

“What’s a pretzel?”

“A type of bread with salt. It was different, but good.”

“Did he open up at all?” Trish asked.

“Not about his pain, but we were doing good when we came back here. I think he’s more receptive now.”

“He didn’t mind you being there?”

Stern chuckled. “I was his shieldbearer for the night.”

“Oh, so you helped him with the barmaid?”

“Broke the ice for him, since he couldn’t bring himself to do it. Once it was broken, she was interested. Made him promise to come back after we finish the dungeon.”

“Hmm… maybe a crew night to celebrate our ascension up to the next tier?” Trish suggested.

“Could be, if we give him room to be approachable.”

“I’m more than willing if it helps him,” Trish said.

“Not sure he’ll really do anything,” Stern said slowly. “He’s shy, reserved... uncertain? He’s not going to rush forward to her.”

“Odd, considering his fighting style.”

“I think it might tie back into his family.”

“Oh, I can see that,” Trish nodded. “They didn’t have a father. Anyway, time to wake up. Cyra went to get breakfast, and Cammie’s already up.”

Stern reached over and pulled her down to him, kissing her. Trish let out a happy, surprised sound and returned the kiss for a bit before she broke it and stood up.

“Okay, time to start the day,” Stern said.

“Going to start being assertive with me, hmm?” Trish asked as she went to the door.

“I want to initiate things a little with you,” Stern replied. “We’re easily past the point where kisses and light affection can be given without problems.”

“That’s a fair point,” Trish grinned. “I’ll look forward to it. Don’t take too long.”

She left the room and Stern started to get dressed. Today, they were going to do maintenance on their gear and get their stuff ready for the following day. He ran through an idea in his head as he got his boots on, thinking it might be a better choice than the celebration after.

When Stern entered the main room, he saw that Cyra was back with the food. Trish, Cyra, and Pawly were at the table, but Cammie was missing. Before he could ask about it, Cammie came out of one of the bedrooms.

“He’s awake,” Cammie said. “Be out in a few. We can start without him.”

“We should wait,” Cyra said. “They have covers, so they won’t chill quickly.”

“Good morning, Cammie,” Stern greeted her as he took a seat at the table. “Did you three have a good night?”

Pawly huffed.

“You four have a good night?” Stern corrected.

“It was relaxing,” Trish said.

“We just talked, mostly,” Cammie said, looking down at the table.

“We had girl talk,” Cyra said, “and we petted Pawly.”

Trish opened her mouth, but Stern beat her to it, “Don’t…”

Trish gave him a raised eyebrow then smirked. “Yeah, it was an easy one to spot coming.”

Vulk’s door opened. “Sorry for the delay,” he said.

“It’s fine,” Stern said.

“How about you two?” Cammie asked. “How was your night?”

“Fine,” Vulk grunted, taking his seat.

“Today, we’re doing work on our gear and getting ready for tomorrow,” Stern said. “I was thinking that we could take a break this afternoon and go to a tavern for a quick bite to eat.”

Vulk’s head snapped around to look at Stern. “There’s no need for that.”

“What?” Stern asked, going for misunderstanding. “The pretzels there are amazing. Trish likes dark ale, so she’d probably like what you had last night.”

“But…” Vulk began, then trailed off before nodding. “So just a quick break?”

“Well, if we finish our gear up before we take the break, I’m sure we’d all split apart to take care of our own things.”

“Sounds good,” Vulk said, taking the cover off the plate in front of him.

Cammie frowned, her attention going from one of the guys to the other. She caught a slight shake of the head from Trish and let her expression fade. “What’s a pretzel?” she asked instead as she took the lid off her food.

Stern tried to explain as he uncovered his meal. His plate held scrambled eggs, biscuits and gravy, and some sausage. The aroma coming off the food made his stomach growl, but he finished explaining before he dug in.

“Sounds interesting,” Cyra said. “Were they better with the cheese or the mustard?”

“Mustard,” Vulk said.

“Cheese,” Stern said almost at the same time. “We agreed to disagree on that last night,” Stern added.

“We’ll just have to try them both ways and see which we like,” Trish grinned. “Breakfast, then gear.”

~*~*~

When breakfast was over, the quintet assembled in the front room. Armor, weapons, and other odds and ends covered a majority of the floor space. They sat on the floor, spread out so they all had plenty of room.

“Trish, I need you to see if you can patch some of these for me,” Stern said. “There are no major problems right now, but they might turn into major problems if they’re not touched up.”

“Set aside the ones I need to look at. I’ll have to get to patching after lunch.”

“Because it takes time?” Cyra asked her.

“Yeah. I’ll have to pull out my tools.”

“Can you toss the oil over here?” Cammie asked. “I just need to touch up a few spots on mine.”

Cyra tossed her the closed bottle. “I’m glad I was able to heal your knee.”

“Saved us the temple and the potion,” Cammie smiled. “It’s something to keep in mind for later.”

Vulk stopped sharpening his axe and switched to oiling it to help keep the rust off. “The rune helped with the wolves. I’m looking forward to seeing what the bigger runes can do.”

“They can have a significant impact, or be worthless if we’re fighting the wrong monster,” Stern said. “At our tier, the elemental runes are the best we can reasonably get. Later, though, they aren’t as sought after.”

“Because the dungeons can have an elemental affinity, and that can hinder us if it’s a bad match,” Trish added. “Of course, if we have the right weapons, it can make it that much easier, too.”

“Very true, though most crews at that point favor boosting runes. Making you faster, stronger, or more agile has a better overall effect. Get a heroism rune, and you can become a force to be reckoned with.”

“Isn’t the rate of that working low?” Trish asked him.

“It is,” Stern nodded, “but if the person using it is a fast attacker, the chance it procs is increased. It would work for you, Trish, but it’d be better for Vulk or Pawly.”

“What does that rune do?” Cyra asked as she worked on her crossbow.

“A little bit of everything. It increases your entire being— making you faster, stronger, and so on. It’s a marked difference, too. The thing is once you get it to proc, you can almost keep it going if you keep having monsters to kill.”

“Proc?” Vulk asked.

“Chance runes,” Stern said. “My dad calls them ‘proc runes,’ and the effect of the rune activating a proc.”

“Sounded like you’ve seen the heroism rune in action,” Cammie said.

Stern was silent for a second before he answered, “I did once.”

“When?” Vulk asked, stopping his work to look up.

“Years ago...” Stern said softly.

“We don’t mean to pry,” Cammie said quickly, seeing Stern’s distant look.

“Thanks. I’m sure I’ll tell you about it later, but not right now. Okay?”

“Of course,” Cammie said.

Vulk grunted, clearly a little peeved at Stern being unwilling to tell the story. After a second, though, Vulk felt like an ass. After all, he had plenty of things he hadn’t talked about. Wanting to distract himself, he asked, “What do you think the dungeon will be like?”

“Always a wide-open question,” Stern chuckled. “Anything is possible. Down here, it’s more likely to be animals or low intelligence monsters like bakruma. Normally, of course, because one can never tell with the dungeons.”

“I’m not sure if I’d rather have more beasts or intelligent monsters,” Cyra said. “We got hurt worse with the wolves than we did with the bakruma.”

“The openness of that dungeon was why, and it was also why we had wolves. We’d have been unlikely to see wolves in a normal dungeon,” Trish said. “The monsters normally fit the environment.”

“That is roundly true,” Stern said. “I’ve heard of outliers, but, yeah, it’s normally a good assumption.”

“Okay, let me ask it differently: what would you like to see?” Vulk asked.

“Lizrots,” Cammie said before anyone else answered. “They can make some traps, but not good ones. I sometimes feel like I’m not doing enough.”

“Says the person who found a treasure chest for us,” Stern coughed.

“Well, that was nice, but I haven’t really used my perks at all.”

“Tell that to the dark willow,” Trish grinned. “Woosh.”

“Exactly. I want to do more,” Cammie said.

“I don’t have a preference besides us all coming out alive,” Cyra said. “Uninjured would be good, too.”

“Agreed, Cyra,” Trish said. “I would like to see lizrots or similar, though, too. It would help us get ready for more organized foes.”

“I’d be fine with that,” Vulk nodded.

“Not lizrots,” Stern said. “They use their size to their advantage. Unknowingly, maybe, but they do. Having to worry about all the small tunnels behind you is less than great.”

“But I could trap them as we move forward,” Cammie said.

“Hmm… a good point. They wouldn’t sneak up on us that way.”

~*~*~

They continued to chat about monsters and fix their gear for a few more hours. When they were done with everything except what Trish would patch, the crew packed away their things and headed out to the Deep Mug.

It was just past noon when they arrived at the tavern. The only customer there was an angelic who was chatting with the bartender. The angelic startled when Stern walked in, but the bartender tapped him and started talking quietly.

“Thanks, Ruddy,” Stern said.

The dwarf waved to them as Vulk led them to the table he’d shared with Stern the previous night.

“Quaint,” Trish said. “Nice place. Locals mostly?”

“Almost exclusively,” Vulk said. “Turns out the Walker who told me about it is Ruddy’s nephew.” He was about to say more, but he went quiet and looked past Trish.

They found out why a moment later. “Oh, you brought friends,” Emma said. Her voice was a little cool, and her smile had gone from real to professional upon seeing the table.

“Let me introduce my crew,” Stern said. “Cyra and Trish are my girlfriends, healer and bulwark, respectively. Cammie there is Vulk’s sister— older sister— and our trap finder.”

“Oh...” Emma’s cheeks took just a hint of blush. “A pleasure to meet you all.”

“Vulk told us all about the dark ale and pretzels,” Trish grinned. “We had to come try them for ourselves.”

“He did?” Emma’s smile grew warmer.

“Very eloquently,” Stern nodded.

“If you count grunting as eloquent,” Cammie said, giving Emma a long look.

Cyra giggled. “He didn’t grunt.”

Seeing the group being friendly, Emma’s smile became real again. She blushed a bit more under Cammie’s stare. “So pretzels for the table?”

“Yes, please,” Stern said, “along with the dark ale for these two.” He pointed at Vulk and Trish. “Wine for the rest of us. Something that would work with the food, please?” He flipped her a silver. “And maybe some of the other food, too, as your mom gets a chance to make it? This is going to be our lunch.”

“Okay. I’ll be right back.” Emma left them at the table, happiness radiating off her as she walked away.

“The dark ale is made by Ruddy,” Vulk said, wanting to distract his sister from staring at Emma. “His personal batch of ale. He named it after the lead Rescue Squad team. They drank here before.”

Both Trish and Cyra glanced at Stern, who shook his head minutely side to side.

“Really?” Cammie asked, turning back to face her brother. “Did they like it?”

“I like it,” Vulk said. “I think the name was more of a nod to them. He likes to tell the story, according to Emma. We just didn’t want to bother him last night. It was packed in here.”

Cammie looked at the bar, where the angelic was chatting with Ruddy, then sighed. “Ah, well, I’m sure it was just them stopping in for a drink.”

Emma was back after a few minutes with their drinks before hurrying off.

Trish picked up the mug and took a sip. Her eyebrow went up and she sipped it again. “This is damned good.”

“Right?” Vulk grinned. “So good.”

Stern took a sip of his wine. “Not bad. It’ll work with the pretzels.”

“Do they take long to make?” Cyra asked, feeling hungry.

“Hopefully not,” Trish said.

“I’d say no,” Cammie grinned. “Here she comes.”

Emma carried a tray to the table and placed three baskets of soft pretzels down, along with a variety of cheeses and two types of mustard. “This is everything we offer with the pretzels. I hope you enjoy.”

Stern wasn’t watching the food like the women were. He obliquely watched Emma. Since he was, he caught the smile and wink she gave Vulk, and Vulk’s shy smile in return.

“We just tear a chunk off and dip it in the mustard?” Cammie asked.

“Yes,” Emma said. “Use the cheese with or without the mustard, as well. I’ll give you some time to enjoy it.”

Chapter Thirty

The crew stretched together, having finished breakfast a few minutes ago. Stern was still grinning internally over the previous afternoon. When they’d gone to leave the Deep Mug, Emma pulled Vulk aside and spoke with him quietly. Vulk had blushed, nodded a few times, then given Emma a big smile before hurrying after them.

“Dinner after we clear tonight, right?” Trish asked as they worked on their legs.

“Uh, I’m going to miss it,” Vulk coughed.

“Hot date?” Trish grinned.

“How did you—?”

Trish’s laughter cut Vulk off. “We all saw her pull you aside yesterday. Good for you. We’ll be in the city for a few days after the run like normal, so enjoy yourself, but don’t miss training.”

Vulk was red as he stretched.

Cammie watched her brother, then spoke up as they switched to their arms, “Just treat her right and know that it might just be while we’re here.”

Vulk paused. “I know.” His words were soft and held a riot of emotions.

“Been there,” Stern grunted. “Wondered how things would all change— if she would ask you to stay, or what if you hope she does and she doesn’t? Will it hurt if she considers it just fun and doesn’t want anything serious? Been there, Vulk. Sadly, it means you’ll likely be jittery while you wait to see how it all falls out.”

Vulk stopped stretching, exhaling deeply. “That’s all for later. We have a dungeon before us now.”

“Good focus,” Stern said.

~*~*~

Less than a half hour later, the entire crew— including Pawly— walked around the academy to the dungeon area. A permanent roof had been set over it, giving respite from the warm spring day. The overcast sky added to the humidity, making it uncomfortable for anyone unaccustomed to the wetness.

The few vendors smiled at the group, but didn’t call out to them as they were selling to other crews. Their potions and salves were on clear display for those who wanted to buy any.

A clear line had formed, heading to the shaft by the guards. They got in line and waited for their turn. It was barely a minute later when someone tapped Stern on the shoulder.

“Stern, good to see you again,” Sarah Kalma said. “First run?”

“Only run,” Stern said. “We’ve been leaving our other runs open, just in case. Let me introduce you. Cyra, this is Sarah Kalma. Her crew helped me get your shards. Sarah, this is my crew: Cyra, Trish, Vulk, Cammie, and Pawly.”

“You name the cat as part of your crew?” Blake asked.

“Pawly is an integral part of our crew, even if she is my summons,” Stern rebuffed the man. “Oh, wait, you don’t see her as she can be.” Stern’s hands and fingers flew through the motions to add every upgrade perk to Pawly.

Blake took a step back, his mouth falling open in shock. Others nearby did likewise, staring at the tiger-sized house cat that started to float off the ground as she stretched. Her tentacles waggled and electricity coursed down her body. The air tinted with ozone and the hair raised on the people closest to her.

“Goddess,” Sarah breathed out. “She’s amazing.”

“That’s going to inflate her ego,” Stern chuckled, “but she really is.”

Everyone was looking at Pawly hovering seven feet off the ground, preening as she stared down at everyone.

“How did she do that?” someone asked in awe.

“Perks,” Stern said. “Summoners get the chance at upgrade perks.”

“A flying, electrical, tentacled cat is a perk?”

“A couple of perks, but yeah.”

“Wish I was a summoner...” someone sighed.

“You’re next,” an official voice said.

Stern looked toward the guards, finding the line was gone. “Sorry, sir. Pawly, dungeon time. Sarah, safe runs.”

“Safe runs,” Sarah replied.

Stern led his crew to the shaft, which had a ladder leading down. He was about to start climbing when Pawly shot past him. Snorting, he grabbed the ladder and went down.

~*~*~

The dungeon was rough stone, but showed signs of being worked. The ceiling was a good ten feet overhead and had a few stalactites hanging that would just miss Stern’s head. There were rough spots that showed where stalagmites might have been previously, but they’d been removed. The dim glow moss scattered across the ceiling was more than enough illumination for all of them.

“Well, something removed the stone,” Trish said. “So intelligence is in play, though how intelligent is up in the air.”

“Agreed,” Stern said. “We’ll have to at least see the tunnels to get a better idea.”

Cyra, Cammie, and Stern all got their crossbows ready while Vulk and Trish pulled their melee weapons. Pawly chuffed, having already weaved around the hanging stone pillars to the tunnel leading out of the room.

The crew stacked up on the exit, looking into the tunnel. From three feet off the floor, the rough stone had been crudely smoothed.

“Hmm... might be lizrots,” Stern said, “or possibly muki.”

“Muki?” Cyra asked.

“Two-foot-tall, horned, broad-shouldered monsters,” Stern said. “They like to mine and work stone. They’re resistant to physical attacks and a few elements because of their nature. It would be odd to see them this far down in tier.”

“Intelligent enough for traps,” Cammie said. “They prefer pit traps and deadfalls.”

“Let’s go see what we have,” Stern said. “Pawly, we follow.”

Pawly hovered a foot off the ground as she floated forward. The tunnel stretched for a good distance before it abruptly ended in a T-intersection. Pawly paused as she sniffed both ways.

“Well, this is already going to be our most challenging dungeon,” Stern said. “Either way, we leave our backs open.”

“Never been in a dungeon that didn’t lead into a room first,” Trish said. “Not an enclosed dungeon, I mean.”

“They do this, especially higher, from what I’ve heard,” Stern said. “I say we go left. Trish and Vulk should lead. Cyra, you stay right behind them with Cammie following you, and I’ll take the end. I’ll be looking backward a lot.”

“The tunnels twist and turn, so we won’t have a lot of warning,” Trish said. “Maybe Vulk and I should split? We’re best suited for melee.”

“I’ll give Cammie the crossbow and have daggers in hand,” Stern said. “The tunnels are at least straight enough that the crossbows can be used, even if we have to give ground at times.”

“Not enough room for two of us to be in front,” Vulk grunted. “I’ll take the rearguard.”

“Okay. Pawly can get to either side, since she can fly. That way, no matter what, you won’t be isolated.”

Cyra took a slow, deep breath. “Okay. This will be normal going forward. Okay...”

Cammie gave her shoulder a squeeze. “We all feel those nerves. Kind of like the last dungeon, but not as bad, since there are tunnels.”

“That’s true,” Cyra said, feeling a little better.

Stern kept his mouth shut— he’d been about to point out that they didn’t have the sightlines that they’d had in the open dungeon, but that wouldn’t calm Cyra. He met Trish’s eyes and saw the same realization in her.

“Okay, Pawly, left first,” Stern whispered.

They all felt the tension as they followed the flying cat down the hall. The only sounds were the slight shink-shink of Trish’s armor, their breathing, and the occasional pop of electricity from Pawly’s fur.

The tunnel had a sharp double bend in it, and Cammie came to a sudden stop halfway through it, forcing Stern and Vulk to do the same. Stern breathed slowly, listening to hear anything if Trish spoke.

A moment later, Cammie leaned forward to see around the bend where Cyra’s back was barely visible to Stern. She leaned back after a moment and held up five fingers. Stern repeated the gesture for Vulk behind him and got ready to go in.

Time seemed to drag for Stern before Cammie suddenly rushed forward. Stern was right on her heels, crossbow up and ready to fire over her. The bending tunnel led into a cavern similar to the entrance.

Five monsters rushed at Trish, who was standing ready to meet them a dozen feet inside the room. Two-feet tall and almost that wide, the creatures’ heads seemed a little small for their bodies. The horns that came out of their foreheads glinted metallically in the dim light, as did their abnormal eyes. They wore crude outfits made of leather and vines.

“Muki,” Stern said. “Crap, do the best you can. Cammie, your crossbow won’t be effective.” He fired his first bolt as he spoke. It impacted the one farthest from the group, staggering it back a step as it sank a couple inches into its torso.

Pawly came darting down, her tentacles slapping the next farthest. The electricity coursed down the monster and it shuddered, falling over. Pawly flew past it, raking her back claws across it.

Cyra’s crossbow fired at the same mob Stern had, but her bolt barely penetrated it at all. “Ineffective!” she called out.

Vulk was beside Trish before the other three muki reached her. Together, they attacked the smaller monsters. Trish’s hammer blows came down hard and her shield darted down, then sideways, catching the horns that tried to puncture her legs. Vulk’s axes dug into the third muki, but like the others, his axes didn’t quite dig in the way they should have. Fortunately, one of the wounds pumped blood slowly, but clearly.

Stern kept firing at the one he’d hit before, sinking bolt after bolt into it until the monster collapsed. He then switched to the mob Pawly had attacked, which was slowly struggling back to its feet.

Vulk hissed in pain as the muki’s horns scored a deep gouge on his left hand, almost making him drop his axe. Gritting his teeth against the pain, he relentlessly hacked into the monster, intent on killing it.

Cyra used her Minor Life to heal Vulk’s injured hand so he could continue to fight to his best ability. Her eyes darted from Trish to Vulk, ready to assist again if she was needed.

Cammie grimaced. She pulled out her hammer and was wondering if she should go in to help when Pawly came strafing down into the scrum. Her tentacles lashed out, stunning the one attacking Vulk when the electricity discharged into it. She then landed on the back of the muki Trish was fighting, biting its shoulder as she raked it with her back claws.

Taking advantage of the stun, Vulk hacked the creature in the head repeatedly until he finally dug into its hard skull. When it slumped over, dead, he spun to help Trish with the two attacking her.

The fight was over soon after. They were breathing fast as they took in the dead monsters. Stern knelt and started reloading his crossbow, glad that it was able to punch far enough into the tough monsters to do what was needed.

“I couldn’t help,” Cammie said.

“Me, neither,” Cyra sighed.

“You helped my brother, at least,” Cammie corrected Cyra.

“Muki,” Trish said bluntly. “Tough like the stone they dig. No easy kill spots and they’re dense, making it hard to damage them at all.”

“Pawly was able to stun them,” Vulk said. “Her electrical discharge works if she touches them, and it locked up the one on me.”

“And the other one she attacked, too,” Stern added. “Good job, Pawly.”

Pawly chuffed as she floated above them, proud of herself.

“Okay, this room had five,” Trish said, shifting gears. “That means we’ll likely find groups. They don’t really go in for weapons. They use their horns to dig and attack.”

“Cammie, can you rig up some traps?” Stern asked. “Anything sticky would work to help separate them or slow them down for us. We might be able to use them to give us an edge.”

“Oh, yes,” Cammie nodded as she pulled her bag off. “Can I have a few minutes?”

“Easily,” Trish said. “Vulk, how bad was the injury?”

“Almost lost an axe,” Vulk grunted, then gave Cyra a nod. “Thanks.”

“I wasn’t sure if I should right then or not,” Cyra said, “but it looked like you were going to drop your weapon, and you needed them.”

“It was a good call,” Trish said. “Muki are strong like the bakruma. Him using both of his axes gives him options to defend and attack.”

“We’ll go a bit slower,” Stern said. “Getting ambushed will be bad.”

“Yes, it will.”

“No other ways out, so we went the right way, at least,” Vulk said.

“Good thing. Getting those five behind us would be bad,” Stern said as he inserted a fresh magazine. “Let me grab my bolts and I’ll be ready to stand sentry while Cammie works.”

~*~*~

The group backtracked to the T-intersection and went the other way. They walked as quietly as they could with Pawly flying ahead and above them. The natural tunnels wound and twisted, but with the way behind them clear, they were comfortable with not being ambushed.

They found another offshoot that quickly ended in another room. This one only had three muki in it. With the number of mobs reduced, they didn’t have any trouble killing them without injury.

They discovered that the tunnel system was the same general layout. Alcoves came off the main tunnel— some were just wide enough for a single muki, while others were large enough for twenty of the monsters, but they only found five at a time at most.

Cammie got to deploy traps a few times when a straight section of tunnel was near an alcove. Those traps were based on a natural glue that slowed the muki, keeping them from charging quickly. They’d cleared dozens of alcoves before they reached another T-intersection.

“Right or left again,” Trish murmured.

“The boss has to be just up here somewhere,” Stern whispered. “Instead of picking, we should let Pawly go scout both.”

“Pawly?” Trish asked.

Pawly chuffed, then flew down the right-hand tunnel. After a few long minutes, she came back and flew down the other tunnel. The wait seemed longer to the crew this time. Pawly came floating back to them eventually, then chuffed. She pointed right and one of her tentacles patted the air three times. Facing left, she patted the air five times, then paused, chuffed, and patted the air once more.

“Three to the right, and five plus the boss to the left,” Stern said.

“Can’t leave the extras behind us,” Trish said.

“Cammie, can you put one of your traps down here? We’ll collect it on the way back.”

“To make sure we aren’t hit from behind without warning while we take out the smaller group? Sure.”

“Shouldn’t be a problem,” Trish said, “but it’s good practice for later.”

“Will the boss have anything special?” Vulk asked.

“Advanced muki are said to be able to suffocate you if they can get their hands on you,” Stern said. “It makes doing anything difficult.”

“Okay, so the boss needs to be targeted quickly,” Trish said. “Pawly, when we go to it, that’s your job. Keep it stunned as long as you can. Stern, pin-cushion it. The best thing to do is to take away that advantage. That just leaves the problem of five regular ones for us to deal with.”

“Pawly, is the tunnel straight?” Cammie asked.

Pawly nodded.

“So we trap it, then just pull back,” Cammie said. “We’ll have an easier time cutting them down that way.”

“Hallway means only one of us can fight at a time effectively,” Trish said.

Vulk nodded. “Yes. Your shield would be the best for this. I’ll be ready to jump in if needed.”

“First, the others,” Stern said.

“Yes,” Trish nodded.

Chapter Thirty-one

Stern exhaled slowly as he lowered his crossbow. “I need to get another magazine or two.”

“It did take a lot of bolts,” Trish nodded as she salved Vulk’s arm.

“I’m glad Pawly can stun a mob now,” Cyra said.

“Me, too,” Cammie agreed. “I’ve also learned that a dedicated rush eats through my trap quicker than I would have wanted. I’m glad you didn’t get badly hurt, Brother.”

“It was unpleasant,” Vulk sighed in relief as his pain dimmed. “I shouldn’t have tried to angle in like I did, but they were able to get two at a time on Trish.”

“My shield can only account for one at a time,” Trish said. “You stopped them from getting around me and to the others, so it was still a good job. I could have traded spots to stop that attack from hurting you, but then you would have taken my position.”

“Which would have been worse,” Vulk said. “No, I’d rather have had the wound from one than wounds from two.”

“The orb is glowing, so that was it,” Stern said. “That was longer than our other dungeons and some offshoots, which means the next tier will show us even more variation.”

“And more intelligent monsters,” Cyra said. “These looked like they had just started working together. The next ones might be worse.”

“No ranged attacks yet,” Trish agreed. “The sixth dungeon for my original group had to deal with ranged attacks.”

“Which might be an issue,” Stern agreed, “but for now, we have perks to select and shards to collect.”

“And then, a bath,” Cyra said with a smile.

“Someone has dinner plans,” Cammie smirked at her brother. “We’ll be training tomorrow, so don’t stay out too late.”

Vulk looked away from his sister. “I’m not going to do more than have dinner with her.”

Stern shook his head as he finished collecting his expended ammunition and checked each bolt. “Hmm… I need to get some replacements. I’ll have to do that tomorrow after sparring.”

“Will you have to send to Winterspring for the magazines?” Trish asked.

“Possibly,” Stern said. “I’ll find out tomorrow.”

~*~*~

It took a few minutes until they were all ready for the store. Stern was the last one to approach the orb, looking over the room. Cammie had used her newest perk to find treasure, but nothing had shown up when she used it. Not like there will always be treasure to be had, he thought as he finally touched the orb.

“Welcome back, Walkers,” Ria greeted them with a broad smile. “I’m glad to see you all again.”

“Thank you, Ria,” Cyra smiled back at the shopkeeper. “Can I go first?” she asked the others, who agreed she could.

“Here are your choices, Cyra,” Ria said. Her hand passed over the counter and the perks appeared as she did.

Cyra looked over all three before she pushed one back to Ria. “Not that one.”

“What was it?” Vulk asked.

“Poison Resistance. I’m not as interested in it compared to the other two.”

“What are they?” Trish asked.

“Agile Friend. I could increase a person’s agility,” Cyra said as she touched the first page. “And this one,” she touched the second page, “is Improved Life Sense 2. It removes the energy pulse so it’s not felt by anyone else.”

“Which would help with us sneaking up on monsters,” Stern murmured.

“Exactly,” Cyra said, “and it’s an upgrade to an existing perk. We’ve seen that those are the only way to improve a perk again.”

“That’s true,” Ria nodded. “If there’s an Improved Life Sense 3, you’d never know without picking up the second.”

“Hmm... tough call,” Cammie said.

“The agility one would make me even more dangerous, and my sister would have an easier time with traps, with all that fiddly work,” Vulk opined. “The other would be nice, but without knowing if there even is a third rank, it’s a large gamble.”

“Maybe,” Trish said, playing devil’s advocate. “The third rank, if it exists,” she added to make sure it was prefaced, “would likely be a really good one.”

“Increased perks are almost always good,” Stern agreed. “Being able to stay stealthy a little longer is never a bad thing.”

“Ria, has the Walkers’ guild ever seen this perk and its improvements before?” Cammie asked.

“Perhaps,” Ria replied with a smile. “I couldn’t say.”

Stern paused, her question hitting a memory. “Wait…” He closed his eyes and tried to bring it up in his mind. “There’s a perk that lets you know the weaknesses and strengths of monsters.”

“There is,” Ria nodded.

“Evaluate,” Trish nodded. “Yeah.”

“What if her Life Sense gets something similar?” Stern suggested.

Trish blinked slowly. “That would be huge, especially if we knew before we saw them.”

“Exactly,” Stern said. “Or maybe her perk will expose weak points in a mob? We have no idea what it might become.”

“I can’t argue that, but the buff would be nice,” Vulk sighed.

“It lasts an hour and is usable once per day,” Cyra said.

“That makes it less ideal,” Vulk conceded.

“I’ll take this one,” Cyra said, touching the perk for improving her Life Sense.

The page broke into golden light and suffused her. Cammie helped steady her while she gasped through the transformation.

“It really doesn’t get any easier,” Cyra exhaled noisily.

“I’ll go,” Cammie said. “Ria, if you would, please?”

Ria nodded as she collected the perks Cyra didn’t want, then placed three more pages on the counter. Cammie looked them over, her lips pursing as she studied them.

“Well, this is… huh,” Cammie said.

“What do you have?” Vulk asked.

“This one will turn a small pouch into a trap container,” Cammie said, touching the first page. “I’d be able to store ready traps in it, making it easier for me to have the right answer on hand.”

“That’s impressive,” Stern said. “Spatial perks for those who need them are rare.”

“The second,” Cammie said, “would let me summon a common ingredient once a day. I’d have an hour to make a trap with it, but it would make the trap only usable by me and break it if I gave it to anyone else.”

“That with your perk for suboptimal equipment would make it possible for you to make some impressive traps,” Trish said. “And the way you said it makes me think it can be upgraded.”

“Yeah. That was my thought, too.”

“What’s the last one?” Cyra asked.

“Extra Treasure Finder,” Cammie said. “It gives three uses of the perk.”

The others looked between torn and impressed.

“That perk is impressive,” Stern said.

“Tough choices,” Trish nodded.

“I want to do what you bring me along for,” Cammie said. “I’m going to take the spatial perk.”

“Not a bad choice,” Cyra said.

“If I can get the range perk again, it’ll give me a lot of flexibility.”

“Agreed,” Stern nodded.

Cammie touched the perk she wanted, then took a deep breath and willed it to be hers. Vulk was beside her to help her through the moment.

Once Cammie was good, Vulk exhaled. “Ria, if you please?”

He bent over his options for a minute before pushing one back to Ria.

“What was it?” Cammie asked.

“Improved Poison Resistance,” Vulk said. “It’s already hard enough to enjoy a drink.”

“There is that,” Stern agreed. He knew Vulk wouldn’t take a perk like that, but he also kind of wished he had.

“Clotting Blood, which is a minor self-heal, usable once a day,” Vulk said, tapping one page. “Or,” he tapped the second one, “Stunning Shout. It’s a low chance stun, but it’s a cone effect. Because of the chance, it’s limited to once a minute.”

“Which can hit allies,” Stern said. “I’ve heard of it before.”

“Dammit. I liked the idea of it,” Vulk sighed.

“It’s a possibility,” Trish said. “You’d need to be completely aware of your positioning on the battlefield in regards to all of us. If you can do the shout, it might turn the tide against packs or swarms.”

“He gets hurt,” Cammie said. “Being able to heal could be vital for him.”

“And it would allow me to keep mine back for others, or him, if he gets hurt again,” Cyra added.

“Good points,” Stern nodded. “Well, Vulk, healing or low stun chance?”

Vulk hesitated for a long moment, then sighed. “I have a lot of offense already, and a little more defense is good, Clotting Blood it is.” He chose his perk and gritted his teeth as it bonded to him.

Stern wasn’t looking forward to his turn. He stepped up beside Vulk and patted his back. “Not making me think it’s going to be okay.”

Vulk panted as the moment passed. “It’s not. Goddess, how do the higher-tiered Walkers manage it?”

“Passing out,” Stern said.

“I believe it,” Vulk exhaled. “Good luck.”

Stern nodded, then gave Ria a smile. “Ria, I’m ready. Please show me my choices.”

Ria had collected Vulk’s untaken perks, so she now spread Stern’s before him. “Choose well, Stern.”

Stern looked at the first one and he blinked at it stupidly, but he managed to set it down and move on. Once he’d made it through all of them, he just stood there, blinking slowly.

“Well?” Vulk asked from beside him.

“Uh... well... I can gain a second summons,” Stern said, “but I can’t have two of them out at a time.”

The others fell silent, then looked at Pawly watching Stern.

“Some summoners have more than one out at a time, though,” Trish said.

“Yes,” Stern said. “I think this is needed for that.”

“What are the others?” Cammie asked.

“Marksman,” Stern replied. “It would make me better at shooting a crossbow or using a bow. The last one is Dark Beam again.”

“So it’s really a question of if you want a second summons,” Cyra said.

Pawly chuffed, then floated over to the counter and flopped on it, covering the entire counter space.

Stern began to pet her out of reflex. “Not sure I’d even use it until I got the next perk. If I get the next perk in its line.”

“But you could make it an earth element. You’d have your full power if we end up in the wrong dungeon,” Trish said softly.

“But…” Stern trailed off, looking down at his oldest friend.

“But it means she wouldn’t be with you in that dungeon,” Cammie said.

Pawly sneezed, then grabbed Stern’s arm with her paws gingerly and pressed it down past her fur.

Stern felt the paper underneath her, but didn’t know which one it was. “This one?” he asked.

Pawly chuffed.

“Okay,” Stern exhaled as he willed it to be his.

Stern rocked in place— his very body felt like it was being ripped apart. He felt twin ropes catch him and hold him upright. When he could see again, he saw Pawly’s tentacles holding him up.

“Thanks,” he wheezed.

Pawly chuffed, then waved a paw at him.

Stern blinked as his brain told him what perk he’d picked. “Oh… okay. Go home.”

Pawly vanished and, when she did, Ria collected the other perks.

“Was it—?” Cyra began, then cut off, unsure of if she wanted the answer.

“Yes,” Stern said. “She directed me to the summon perk.”

“Do you want to summon it now?” Trish asked softly.

“She wanted me to,” Stern said slowly. “A new friend, or a monster? At least my friends… most of them… are here with me.” He swallowed the lump in his throat, then exhaled slowly. “Ria, may I summon them here?”

Ria was silent for a long few seconds before she nodded. “Yes.”

Stern’s hands shook as he considered summoning someone other than Pawly. He wasn’t sure he really wanted to.

Cyra touched his shoulder. “We can wait.”

“No... she left so I could,” Stern replied gently. “Okay, let’s see what we have.”

He was aware that this summons used his opposite hand. Maybe that means I can summon both easily later? he thought as he went through the motions.

Everyone watched intently as he finished the spell. They blinked in confusion for a moment before Vulk started to laugh. That got the others to laugh, and even Stern smiled as he knelt down to greet his new friend.

The brown-furred beast looked at them all with curious eyes. It was as fluffy as Pawly was, and its tail was curled up and resting against its back. The only color it had besides brown were its eyes, which matched Stern’s light blue-gray eyes, just as Pawly’s did. With a woof, it trotted over to Stern, sitting down and raising a paw.

“Hello,” Stern said softly. “I’m Stern. You need a name, don’t you?”

Another woof, but this time, it was accompanied by a tail wag.

“Look at the size of those paws,” Trish said.

Stern looked down to see that the puppy’s paws were massive. “A big dog breed.”

“Yes, he is,” Ria said softly.

Stern stared into the dog’s eyes for a moment searching for a name. The dog stared back just as intently.

“Watcher seems appropriate,” Cammie whispered.

“Zasha,” Stern said after a moment.

The puppy barked happily, then started to prance in a circle.

“Almost as big as Pawly when she’s in her smaller size,” Cyra said.

“Yeah,” Stern said. “They can be friends, hopefully, in time.”

“Going to see what her improvements do to him?” Vulk asked.

Zasha stopped prancing, sitting down quickly.

“As intelligent as Pawly,” Trish said.

“Okay, this is the first one, which increases Pawly’s size,” Stern said. He worked his fingers through the pattern needed.

Everyone took a step back, as Zasha was now massive.

“Increases his size, too,” Vulk choked.

“Can I ride him?” Cammie whispered in awe.

Zasha now stood four feet at the shoulder and was thickly-muscled.

“You’d be bow-legged if you tried,” Trish said.

“Second perk,” Stern said. “Tentacles for Pawly.” Again, he wove the magic to upgrade his summons.

Everyone went silent as they stared at Zasha.

“Three heads?” Cyra whispered.

“That’ll make him able to deal with multiple foes,” Trish whispered.

“Wait,” Cammie said. “When you gave Pawly an element, it changed her perks. Maybe give him his element first?”

Stern blinked slowly, then nodded. “Yes. Zasha, would you be okay with being tied to the earth?”

Zasha chuffed.

“Okay,” Stern exhaled, then wove the magic to infuse Zasha with an element, choosing earth.

Zasha shuddered and the extra heads vanished. Instead, he now had armor. There were stone plates that shifted as he shook himself.

“He’s a bulwark,” Trish said.

“Looks like it,” Vulk nodded.

“Okay, third perk,” Stern said. “Pawly got electricity.”

A few moments later, Zasha woofed and the ground rippled.

“No!” Ria said sharply. “None of that in here.”

Zasha whined and cowered.

“Sorry,” Ria coughed when they all looked at her. “I’m not mad at you, Zasha. You just wanted to show them.”

Zasha looked up with puppy eyes.

“I’m really not, but no doing that in here.”

“What does it do?” Cammie asked.

“A localized earthquake,” Stern explained, suddenly understanding. “Enough to make it difficult for what he directs it toward to stay standing. It could cause a bit of a mess wherever it’s done.”

“Okay,” Vulk said. “Single target?”

“Localized to a three-foot circle,” Stern corrected him. “Not a person, but a spot.”

“That has potential,” Trish said.

“Last perk,” Stern said slowly. “Pawly got flying.”

When he finished casting it, the knowledge filled his brain.

“Well?” Cyra asked softly.

“Uh... he can spit out a spike of earth,” Stern said. “Thank you for not doing that, Zasha.”

Zasha looked at Ria, then back to Stern, chuffing.

“Well, he is impressive,” Vulk coughed. “We might want him for some dungeons just based on what his upgrades are.”

Stern felt a spike of pain at those words, feeling like he was betraying his oldest friend.

Zasha whined and rolled onto his side, looking at Stern.

He patted the stone hide Zasha had now. “We’ll use you when we can, okay?”

Zasha whined again and wiggled a little closer.

Stern blinked. “You feel guilty? Why?”

“Because he’s part of you, much as Pawly is,” Ria said softly. “Your empathy works for them, too.”

Stern jerked, twisting to look back at her.

Ria grimaced and touched her head. “I said more than I should have.”

“Are you okay?” Cyra asked.

Ria grimaced again. “I need to help you with your points. Please?”

“We need shards,” Stern said quickly as he got to his feet. He stopped and looked back at Zasha. “Go home, boy. We’ll figure it out, okay?”

Zasha chuffed lightly, then sank into the floor.

“Better than his eyes and teeth staying,” Vulk said.

“Okay, Ria, let’s do this quickly. I’m sorry,” Stern said. “You’re in pain because of me.”

Ria tried to smile, but failed. “No. I chose what I did, so I will take what is coming. Worry not for me. Now, first, the shards…”

Chapter Thirty-two

They stepped out of the shop, finding the dungeon area empty of everyone but the guards.

“Welcome out, Walkers,” the captain on duty said. “All of you?”

“This is our full crew,” Trish said.

“Good.”

“Did another crew lose someone?” Cyra asked.

“There’s hardly a day that at least one person doesn’t come out, miss.”

“We’ve brought one out with us,” Stern said. “Excuse us, sir, we have to deliver the shards.”

“Our thanks,” the captain said. “It’s a good day when someone is brought out. May the Goddess watch over you.”

As they walked away, Stern summoned Pawly and gave her flight. “Hey, fur-face. Are you okay?”

Pawly chuffed and floated by his head.

“The new summons is a puppy that turns into a massive stone dog,” Stern said. “He’s called Zasha.”

Pawly chuffed again, floating along.

“You’re okay with that?” Stern asked, feeling nothing but contentment from her.

Pawly floated over to rest on his head, then began grooming his hair.

Cammie laughed. “Looks like she’s okay.”

“Yeah,” Stern said slowly, “but what if I use him in dungeons?”

Pawly purred and kept grooming him.

“Okay, as long as you’re okay with it,” Stern said. “I didn’t want you upset, Pawly.”

Pawly shifted so she was looking down at him. With a loud purr, she nuzzled his head, then floated off him.

“Feel better?” Cyra asked, walking up beside him.

“Yeah,” Stern exhaled. “I was worried.”

“And she’s okay with it,” Trish said, coming up alongside Cyra.

“She doesn’t lie to me,” Stern smiled. “If she was upset, she would’ve let me know.”

“Claws to the face?” Cammie asked.

“If she was really upset, maybe. She would have just floated away from me or sneezed at me. Things like that.”

“Cats,” Vulk snorted. “I like Zasha.”

Pawly looked back at Vulk.

“I also like you,” Vulk was quick to say, seeing her look. “No need to sneeze on me.”

The others laughed at his quick act of diplomacy.

“What do you think happened to Ria?” Cyra asked.

“I think she broke a rule,” Trish said.

“Probably,” Stern said. “It was enough that she knew and spoke about them. Shopkeepers are supposed to be as neutral as possible. Ria’s been very friendly with us.”

“Will she be replaced?” Vulk asked as they got closer to the Walkers’ hall.

“I’ve never heard of one being replaced,” Stern said slowly. “We’ll have to wait and see.”

Entering the hall, the group went straight for the receptionist desk. The conversation dipped when they had entered, but it didn’t die off.

“Ma’am, we collected the shards,” Stern told the receptionist.

Rebeka swallowed hard, her eyes shining with unshed tears when she heard him. “Thank you. Let me just verify for the quest, then I’ll pay you.”

Stern presented the two shards to Rebeka, who took them. A tear slid down her cheek as she looked down at the shards. “Oh, Patrick... it’ll be good to see you again.”

Stern swayed in place as her emotions flooded his soul. Trish and Cyra steadied him, and their concern helped him ground the excess emotion. “Thanks,” he whispered.

Sniffling and wiping at her face, Rebeka handed the shards back. “Please deliver those to the temple.”

Stern felt the quest and accepted it when he took the shards. “I’ll take the reward for collecting them, but please, put the money for delivery to the temple on my crew’s recovery fund.”

“Of course,” Rebeka swallowed. “Thank you again.”

“You’re welcome, ma’am,” Trish said. “It’s what our crew does.”

“It is, indeed,” Rebeka sniffled, her smile wide. “Obviously a good fit for Rescue Squad.”

“We hope so,” Cyra smiled. “Have a good day, ma’am.”

Stern led them toward the door, but he stopped when Sarah led the Sharp Ears crew into the hall. “You okay?” Stern asked her.

“Worn,” Sarah exhaled. “Had a few close calls. We all made it out, though.”

“Good. We have to take some shards to the temple.”

“Rescuing souls? Yeah, that’s you,” Sarah said as she moved out of the way of the door. “Have a good night.”

“You, too,” Stern said.

~*~*~

It didn’t take them long to deliver Patrick Smithton’s shards to the temple. With the quest complete, they went back to the inn to clean up. Vulk had a date to get to while the others were going to share a meal together.

Cleaned and back in their room, Stern waited with everyone, as Vulk was still bathing. Cyra and Trish bookended him on the sofa, and Pawly was curled up with Cammie in one of the big chairs.

Vulk walked into the suite and paused, seeing them all sitting there. “What?”

“Nothing. We’re just relaxing,” Cammie smirked.

“Taking a small break before we order dinner,” Trish added, but she was smirking, as well.

“Ignore them,” Stern chuckled. “We really are just waiting before having food brought up.”

“And being hopeful for you,” Cyra said.

Vulk blinked at Cyra, then looked away, his face heating slightly. “Thank you for being honest.”

Cammie got to her feet, setting Pawly into the chair. “Look, Brother, I’m happy for you and I hope it works out. I met her and, besides being interested in you, she seems intelligent.”

Vulk was nodding, but when Cammie snuck in the insult, he exhaled. “Thanks, Sis.”

Cammie hugged him. “You’ll be fine. Just relax. We’re going to do gear checks tomorrow instead of training, and that’ll start around lunch. Okay?”

Vulk hugged her back briefly. “Okay. And thanks. You being supportive…”

“Yeah. Otherwise, you’d have to worry that I was following you around,” Cammie laughed.

Vulk barked a laugh and let her go. “And what you might do.”

“We’ll keep her here,” Trish said.

Vulk started to nod, then froze, his head turning slowly to Stern.

Trish began to laugh hard. “Just friends, just friends!”

Stern exhaled, giving Trish a put-upon look, then gave Vulk a shrug. “It’s who she is. Sorry.”

Cyra giggled. “She’s bad.”

Cammie was laughing when she went back to her seat, scooped Pawly up, and sat down. “But his expression was priceless.”

Vulk rubbed at his face. “Yeah... Well, now nothing can phase me.”

“Challenge acc—” Trish began, but Stern put his hand over her mouth.

“You might want to go,” Stern laughed.

Vulk shook his head, going to drop off his washed clothing and leave.

They said goodbyes as he walked out the door.

“I think they’d make a good couple,” Cyra said.

“They probably would,” Cammie whispered.

“But then that leaves you alone?” Trish asked gently.

“Leaves her with us,” Stern said. “Never alone if she’s part of our crew.”

Cammie looked up at them. Seeing the three of them all together and her removed from them, she felt a bit of sadness. She dropped her gaze back to Pawly.

“Cammie?”

“Yeah?”

“Your brother won’t stop. He might come back eventually, but he won’t stop. He has a goal, an important one to him,” Stern said. “Same goal you have, isn’t it?”

Cammie swallowed. “Mother.”

“Exactly. Do you want our help?”

Cammie nodded slightly. “Please?”

“Okay. We’ll make it happen,” Stern said. He stood up and stretched. “So cheer up. You’re part of our family here. Even Pawly accepts you.”

Cammie smiled at Pawly, who snuggled in more. “I appreciate it... I really do.”

“Okay, I’ll go see about getting dinner brought up.”

“We’ll wait for you and gossip about how awkward Vulk is going to be,” Trish laughed.

“Oh, he’ll flub the first line,” Cammie laughed. “I can almost hear him now.”

Stern shook his head and went to arrange their dinner. His thoughts drifted to another idea about how to help his friends. He wasn’t sure he should, but it was something he could ask for. Would it be right to ask, though? he questioned himself. Would they listen if I did?

~*~*~

Dinner had been good, and Vulk hadn’t come home. They’d retired to the sofa and chairs again, sipping the last of their wine.

“Cammie,” Stern said slowly, feeling his way to the question, “if your mother was brought back out, would you stop?”

Cammie sat there, her hands stilling and just resting on Pawly. “That… why?”

“I was thinking about it,” Stern said. “About Vulk and Emma, about his drive and yours, and about what might be if a group brings your mother out before we get there.”

Pawly meowed and wiggled.

Cammie blinked, going back to petting Pawly. “I’d like to think I’d keep running with you three.”

“You’ll always be welcome,” Trish said. “You’re good at what you do, but more than that, you’re our friend. Running with friends is always better.”

“We’d be sad if you left,” Cyra said.

Pawly chuffed, pushing her head into Cammie’s hand.

Smiling down at Pawly, Cammie gave her a scritch under the chin. “Thanks. I don’t want to go anywhere. I wouldn’t be upset if Vulk settled down, either.”

“Sorry,” Stern said.

Looking up at him, Cammie gave him a soft smile. “It’s fine. I never thought about it. Mom’s shards won’t entice anyone to collect her. Like you said, people offer more now for the newest shards, which means the ones already sitting there sit there longer. It’s why we’re going up to get them.”

Pawly exposed her belly, but Cammie kept her hand away from it.

“I’d been thinking about how we’d have to scrimp and save everything we could to offer more. How Vulk and I would need to pool our dungeon points and run all three times to even have a chance to pull the few we might be able to... but with you, that isn’t necessary, is it?”

“We’ll pull her out if she isn’t already out when we get there,” Stern said simply. “My word on that.”

Cammie’s face softened and she quickly looked down at Pawly, then gently began to rub the exposed belly. “You won’t hurt me, will you?”

Pawly had started to curl up to attack her, but slumped back and meowed instead.

“Oh, someone else gets her belly?” Cyra smiled. “Not just me.”

“She still bites me, but she can’t hurt me without a perk,” Trish chuckled. “I think she likes it, though, knowing she can be a fierce hunter and not hurt me.”

“Thank you....” Cammie whispered. “All of you make me smile. If you keep running, I will, too. I don’t want this friendship to end.”

“Then it won’t,” Stern said. “We might want to get to bed, though. Vulk won’t be happy if he finds us all sitting up for him.”

Cammie laughed. “No, he wouldn’t. Can Pawly come with me?”

“She sleeps where she wants,” Stern said as he stood up. “I don’t tell her where she can go.”

“Thanks. Pawly? Sleep?”

Pawly chuffed, jumping down and heading toward her door.

They said their good nights before heading off to their rooms.

When Stern shut the door behind him, he noticed Cyra and Trish watching him. “What?”

“You were thinking of asking for help, weren’t you?” Trish asked gently. “For their mom?”

“Yeah.”

“I love you,” Cyra said, approaching him and hugging him tightly.

“I love you, too,” Stern said, a little confused by her words.

“Because you always look to help others,” Trish said before coming up to sandwich him between them.

“It’s what feels right.”

“I agree,” Trish said. “Cyra, how about we do what feels right?”

Cyra blushed deeply, biting her lip, but nodding. “Yes.”

The lust and love from the two women holding him soaked into him. “What feels right?” Stern croaked.

“I want to… do more,” Cyra whispered as she stepped back and took his hand. “Please?” she asked as she led him to the bed.

There wasn’t much more they could do besides the final act, and Stern’s blood rushed south. “Oh! Uhm... yes?”

Trish snickered as she guided him along. “We’ll be going slow, but she said she wanted to take this step after the dungeon. Tonight is about Cyra taking that step.”

Cyra was crimson when she reached the bed, and she gave Stern a tentative smile. “You said you’d welcome me gladly.”

Stern’s heart thudded as he drew her into his arms and kissed her gently.

Chapter Thirty-three

Stern woke up with a smile. The intimate moments with Cyra and then Trish after would be something he’d always remember. Not just because of the acts, but because of the emotions involved during those moments.

Love— deeper than any he’d felt before— had swallowed him whole. Even the lust that’d spiked during those moments was pale compared to their love. He could feel the echo of that love on either side of him now.

She’d been so worried, but so determined, Stern thought, looking at Cyra’s head nestled on his right arm. But she did it, and her fear vanished. I can still feel the memory of the moment when she felt free and loved...

He turned his head to see Trish snoring lightly on his left. And you, Trish... helping her through her fear, then helping both of us accept the moment before joining in… Stern smiled as he let his thoughts continue. And when she was sated and done, you had to have your turn, and Cyra encouraged you the entire time. I was so afraid I’d fail you in that moment, but both of you helped coax me to climax again.

A deep well of love filled him as he gazed from one of his lovers to the next. I love both of you so much... Do I dare take the next step? Not yet. Maybe after the next tier? We’d be seeing my parents after those dungeons. That would be a good time, right? I’ll need to see about getting the items if I want to do that.

A soft murmur had him looking at Cyra as she woke up. “Good morning, Cyra.”

A languid smile crossed her face as she opened her eyes. “My prince.”

“Princess,” Stern murmured, bending his head to kiss her lightly.

He felt her love grow, but also a small hint of worry.

“I hope you enjoyed last night,” Stern whispered. “I was drowning in love the entire time.”

Cyra’s worry faded as she stared into his eyes. “Yes. You felt my love?”

“All of yours, and Trish’s.”

“Good,” Trish murmured, kissing his chest as she woke up.

“I felt your worry fade, and then only love and lust… the lust was pale, so very pale, in comparison,” Stern explained.

Cyra went crimson. “Oh? I thought you’d only feel my lust. I was…” She trailed off and began stroking one of her ears.

“I was, too,” Trish said to help ease Cyra’s embarrassment. “I’m not surprised our love drowned out our lust.”

“Neither am I, when I think about it. I do love you, both of you,” Cyra said.

“I know,” Stern said, inhaling deeply. “I can feel it, and I love you both, too.”

“Think we got too loud?” Trish snickered.

Cyra’s embarrassment had been fading, but now, it flared again. “Cammie will understand.”

“She went to bed when we did,” Stern said. “She shouldn’t have heard anything.”

“What about Vulk when he came home?” Trish snickered again.

“Now you’re just being mean,” Cyra said, lightly slapping Trish’s arm.

“A bit. I never heard him come home, though.”

“Me, neither,” Cyra said.

“Maybe he stayed out?” Stern suggested.

“I didn’t think Emma would be that forward,” Trish mused, “but maybe Vulk swept her off her feet.”

“Maybe.”

“We should go see if he’s home or not and get breakfast,” Cyra said.

“Yeah,” Stern exhaled. “One of you needs to get up first, though. I’m pinned.”

Trish rolled out of bed. “I’m up. Come on, you two.”

Cyra kissed Stern’s chest, then got out of bed, too. “Gear after lunch today?”

“That’s what we agreed on,” Stern said as he leveraged himself up.

It only took a few minutes for them to get dressed. When they stepped into the front room, they found Cammie there, petting Pawly.

“Good morning,” Stern greeted their friend.

“Good morning to you three,” Cammie said.

“What time did he come back?” Trish asked with a smirk.

“No idea,” Cammie said. “I was waiting to wake him. Thought he might like a little bit of sleep, at least.”

“You can get him up and I’ll go get breakfast,” Stern said.

“We did say we’d give him until around midday,” Cyra said.

“That’s a good point,” Stern nodded. “I’ll go get breakfast for the four of us.”

“See you shortly,” Trish said.

~*~*~

Stern was back with breakfast in short order, and they all ate their fill— except for Pawly, though she still had plenty. After putting the dishes into the hallway, Trish looked back at the others. “Should we start on our gear and see if he’ll show up while we work?”

“It’s still early, so might as well,” Cammie said. “We can go shopping after lunch while he works on his things.”

By the time they finished, it was nearing midday, and Vulk still hadn’t made an appearance.

Cammie grumbled as she knocked on Vulk’s door, then threw it open. “Get out of be…!” She trailed off, staring at the empty room. “What?”

“Damn. He stayed the night with her?” Trish asked appreciatively.

“We enjoyed the food at the tavern,” Stern said. “Maybe we should swing by there?”

Cammie exhaled, melancholy filling her for a moment before she nodded. “Yeah.”

“Let’s go,” Stern said.

They left the inn behind, walking a little quicker than normal. They had to match Cammie’s pace, as she was the one in the lead. When they entered the tavern, Cammie looked around, but only saw the bartender.

“Afternoon,” Ruddy greeted them. “Wine and dark ale?”

“And food, please,” Stern said.

“Be right out.”

They took the seats at the table they’d used before.

A minute later, Emma came out of the back. Seeing them, she smiled, but her smile dipped when she didn’t see Vulk. Collecting the drinks, she came over to their table. “Welcome back. Where’s Vulk?”

“We kind of had that same question,” Stern said, taking his glass. “He wasn’t in his room this morning.”

Emma looked puzzled. “He didn’t go back?”

“What happened?” Cammie asked a little tightly.

“What?” Emma blinked. “We had a good date, and then he said he needed to get back.”

“Okay,” Trish said slowly before Cammie could interject again. “We’d like to hear everything. It might help us find him.”

“Emma, food is ready,” a female voice called from the kitchen.

“Yes, Mother,” Emma said before rushing back to the kitchen.

“She’s worried...” Stern said as Emma left. “She’s worried for your brother.”

Cammie exhaled slowly, swallowing the lump in her throat. “So am I.”

Emma came hurrying back to them with a tray of food. She didn’t bother to unload it— she just set the tray on the table and sat in the empty chair. “Okay... umm… let me see. He came to get me in the early evening. He was smiling and told me about how you pulled another soul from a dungeon.”

Stern snagged a pretzel, but paused for a moment, thinking about how much Vulk liked them. The others reached for the food, too, as they knew it would be a little while before they had enough information to work with.

“We went to a small place run by some friends for dinner,” Emma said, her cheeks dusting pink. “We stayed for a bit, talking about ourselves. He’s such a sweet man.”

Cammie watched Emma intently.

“After dinner, we took a walk…” Emma’s blush deepened. “We... umm... stopped by my place. I let him sample Father’s newest batch of dark ale.” Her face was heating more as she pressed on. “We kissed. He’s so shy and reserved, timid. Not like so many others.”

“Emma, what happened after the kiss?” Trish asked softly.

“We came back here,” Emma said. “We sat at this table, and just snacked, drank, and talked more.” She looked up at Cammie. “Vulk is special, Cammie.”

Cammie met her eyes, and softened slightly. “I’m glad you see him that way, but we don’t know where he is.”

Emma’s brow furrowed. Her eyes closed as she obviously tried to recall anything she could. “He left when we closed for the night, a couple of hours after midnight. Said he had to be awake before midday. Promised to come see me again today… kissed me good night… in front of my father.”

“Bet that wasn’t well received,” Stern said softly.

“Father stays out of my love life. We’ve settled the argument about me being an adult. If anything, he was happy to see Vulk being so respectful with me.”

“Was he drunk when he left?” Trish asked.

“No. He drank very slowly,” Emma smiled. “Said his sister was worried about his drinking and he was trying to be better about it.”

Cammie swallowed. “Yes. I have been.”

“He left, and that was it?” Stern asked.

“I headed home with Father and Mother beside me, and Vulk went toward the Walkers’ area,” Emma nodded.

Everyone fell silent for a moment, and then Stern looked at Pawly. “Pawly, go home, please. I need Zasha.”

Pawly chuffed and faded from his lap.

“Zasha?” Cammie asked.

“Hunting,” Stern said. “I’ll need some of his clothing, anything with his scent on it. We’ll see if Zasha can track him.”

“Emma,” Trish said softly, “can you think of anything unusual that happened or that you saw?”

Emma started to shake her head, but she slowed, a frown appearing as she thought about it. “There was a new customer last night. He sat at the bar, always looking around.”

Stern got up and went to Ruddy. “Sir, Emma said you had a new customer last night. Was always looking around. Can you tell me about him?”

Ruddy frowned— he hadn’t heard much of what’d been said at the table, but he saw that his daughter was upset and Vulk was not there. “This have to do with your friend?”

“He never came home last night.”

Ruddy’s lips pursed. “Emma’s upset. Let me see... short hair, strong hands, had some scarring on them. Acted like he was used to wearing armor, even though he was in clothes.”

“None of that is likely to help,” Stern murmured. “No facial scars?”

“None. He wasn’t talkative much, either. Just sipped at his few ales slowly. I tried to get him talking once about things and he brushed me off.”

“Fuck,” Stern exhaled. “Okay.”

“Wait…” Ruddy said. “He did let drop that he came from Bloodstone. Seemed upset when he said it, like he hadn’t meant to.”

Stern’s blood went cold. “Bloodstone?”

“Yes. Does that mean something to you?”

Stern thought about Bloodstone, Skippy, the old mayor, and finally, the guards. “Maybe.”

“You think that man had something to do with it?”

“Yes.”

“That man left when I announced last call.”

Stern exhaled slowly. “Thank you, Ruddy.”

“I hope it isn’t what you think it might be.”

“Me, too, because Vulk had nothing to do with that.”

Stern went back to the table, looking at Cyra. “Ruddy said the man at the bar was from Bloodstone.”

Cyra’s face went pale, and her hands went to her mouth. “Oh, no. Not…”

“Bloodcoin,” Stern said. “I think the old mayor is still upset, after all.”

Trish’s lips thinned. “He went after Vulk?”

“Maybe. We’ll have to see what we can find.”

Stern summoned Zasha to him, kneeling down. “Zasha, my friend is missing. I want you to track him. Can you?”

Zasha barked and snuffled Stern.

“We have to grab his scent,” Stern said, petting the puppy.

Trish got to her feet. “We should get our gear.”

“Shit, you’re right...” Stern said.

“Will you… tell me?” Emma asked, her voice breaking.

“We will,” Cammie said softly as she touched her shoulder.

“Thank you,” Emma whispered, her shoulders hunching as she began to cry softly.

Chapter Thirty-four

The four rushed back to the inn and quickly geared up. Cammie snagged Vulk’s axes, strapping them to her back so she could give them to him. The last thing she did was grab her brother’s brush— he used it every day, and it had a lot of his hair trapped in it.

“Will this work?” Cammie asked when she came out of Vulk’s room.

“Let’s find out,” Stern said. “Zasha, scent, please.”

Zasha sniffed the brush for a long moment, then nodded.

“Bring it with, just in case he needs to find the scent again,” Trish said.

“Let’s go,” Cammie said, striding for the door with determined steps.

They spilled into the street, heading back to the tavern, as that would be the best place to start. They’d only made it a dozen yards down the street when someone called out to them.

Stern looked over to see Sarah Kalma coming out of the Walkers’ hall. “What?”

“I asked what the problem was. You all look like you’re off to kill someone.”

“One of our crew went missing last night,” Stern said. “We think Bloodcoin had something to do with it.”

Sarah’s shock was easy to see. “The mayor from Bloodstone?”

“He was ousted after the trial,” Stern said. “We have to go. The trail is going to fade.”

“Good luck!” Sarah called after them. She stayed there for a minute, watching them go, before she nodded and headed back into the Walkers’ guildhall.

They weren’t stopped again, so they were swiftly back to the tavern. Cammie let Zasha get the scent off the brush again. Zasha sniffed around, his head down as he started back toward the Walkers’ area. It was almost a square back the other way when Zasha paused and sniffed the ground again.

Zasha whined and patted the ground.

Cyra was the first to see it. There were a few drops of blood that were already fading from between some cobblestones. “His?” Cyra asked.

Zasha whined, then sniffed again, and started away from the hall.

“I’m going to gut them!” Cammie hissed as she followed Zasha. “They hurt him. I’m going to repay that.”

Stern swallowed and fell into step beside her. “We all will, but we might need someone alive, first.”

“For information, if we aren’t led directly to him,” Trish said, understanding what Stern was saying.

Cammie nodded tightly. “I’ll leave them alive.”

Cyra spotted drops of blood every few yards. “It was a minor wound. He wasn’t bleeding a lot.”

Cammie exhaled. “Good.”

The trail started to duck down alleyways and off the streets as much as possible. After another few minutes, Zasha came to a stop and whined again. He was facing a door that had obviously been broken recently.

“I’ll go first,” Trish said as she got her shield on her arm.

Cammie’s hands twitched, waiting to rush in behind Trish.

Stern touched Cammie’s shoulder. “Dungeon protocol. There might be an ambush.”

Cammie grimaced, but nodded.

Stern upgraded Zasha with everything but his size increase. The puppy was now stone-covered. “Zasha, follow Trish and go the opposite way, look for dangers, and if you see something threatening, attack.”

A soft growl came from the stone dog as it got into line behind Trish. Cammie was behind Zasha, then Cyra, and finally, Stern. Once they were ready, Trish bashed the broken door out of the way and charged in, going hard to the right.

The rest funneled in after her. Zasha went to the left while Cammie came in behind with her small crossbow in hand, aimed high right. Cyra aimed high left and Stern came in behind her, focused on the middle of the room.

“Clear,” Trish said tightly. “I have a doorway on this side.”

“One left, too,” Cyra said.

“All clear,” Stern said. “Zasha, scent?”

Zasha sniffed the air, then went past Trish, leading to the doorway on the right side of the room.

They followed him, with Trish taking over to burst into the next room. Stern stayed back, watching their backs before following them in.

“Clear,” Trish hissed. “Trash... people were here.”

Zasha went to a scrap of cloth and whined.

Cammie was there before anyone else could react. She picked up the cloth and saw the dried blood. “It’s a piece of his shirt,” Cammie said. “It was cut.”

“Used his shirt to clean and bind the wound,” Trish nodded.

“Why?” Cammie growled.

“Hostage,” Stern exhaled. “Shit.”

“What?” Cyra asked.

“Look around some more,” Stern said, “and see if we can find out anything about where they went from here.”

The rest of the building turned out to be useless— Zasha led them out, following the other thick scents from the building, but that only led them to a spot where a horse had been the previous night. Pieces of leftover manure hadn’t been fully cleaned away.

“Can you track the horse?” Cammie asked Zasha.

Zasha sniffed, then trotted down the street.

They were led back and forth across the city before Stern called it off. “They took him as a hostage.”

“Why?!” Cammie demanded.

“Probably for me,” Stern said softly. “Bloodcoin is upset that I killed his son.”

Hands clenching, Cammie stared at the street, her anger bubbling up. “The one who tried to rape Cyra?”

“Yeah, then attacked me in the street,” Stern said.

“Back to the inn?” Trish asked softly.

“I’m sure they’ll send us a letter,” Stern exhaled. “I’m sorry, Cammie.”

“I’m so sorry...” Cyra sniffled.

Cammie spun on Cyra, grabbing her and crushing her in a tight hug. “No! I won’t accept it from you or him. You both did the right thing. This is that asshole’s fault.”

Stern considered their options, though they didn’t have many. They could wait for a letter about Vulk, or try to search and find him by luck. They could notify the guard, but there was no real proof of a crime at the moment. Whoever had Vulk wouldn’t keep him in a place the guards would just stumble upon, and Bloodcoin had corrupted guards before. If he tried to enlist the Walkers, that would surely tip Bloodcoin off and possibly get Vulk killed.

“Back to the inn,” Stern whispered as he dismissed Zasha’s upgrades. “Thank you, Zasha, for trying your best.”

Zasha whined, then laid down.

Cammie sniffled and bent down to pet his back. “You did the best you could. Thank you.”

Zasha whined again, but licked her hand.

“Go home,” Stern said softly.

Zasha faded into the ground.

Dejected and lost in their thoughts, the four of them headed back to the inn.

When they got inside, Stern had to stop, as the place was full with only standing room. He found out why a moment later when Sarah Kalma stepped out of the crowd.

“Stern, we’re ready to help,” Sarah said.

Stern looked at the room, full of Walkers, then back to Sarah. “We don’t have any leads. They abducted him and took him to a house. They patched him up, then took him to a waiting horse or wagon. We tried to follow the horse, but it was useless.”

“Why’d they take him?” someone asked.

“That’s a long story, and it’s only conjecture at the moment,” Stern said, “but if you want to hear who we think is behind it and why, I’ll tell you.”

“Please?” Sarah asked. “I think I know why.”

Stern went up to the bar, accepting a mug from the bartender as he turned to address the room with his crewmates beside him. It took him a while to explain the full story, which he did after Cyra jumped in and explained why Skippy wanted her shards. The crowd was upset as the story progressed. Stern didn’t explain about the letter, instead focusing on using the zone of truth to get out of court.

“Is that why the Hand of Law went to Bloodstone?” someone asked. “I know he showed up and the mayor got ousted.”

“He heard younger Walkers were being pushed around,” another person said. “Bloodcoin was thrown out.”

“He’s here for you, then?” Sarah asked.

“I believe so. I think Vulk was taken to force me to hand myself over, but we haven’t heard from them yet.”

“What can we do?” Sarah asked.

“Nothing,” Stern exhaled. “I fear that if Walkers start poking around, Bloodcoin might kill Vulk. The Walkers thwarted him in Bloodstone once.”

The crowd grumbled, but none of them could fault his fear.

“What if…?” Sarah began before trailing off. “What if we just walk around town for the next day or two? Just in regular clothing, strolling about? In a very directed way, but without intent?”

“Please?” Cammie asked. “Just no armor or weapons.”

The crowd agreed, and the bartender pulled out a map of the city. The heads of crews stepped forward, ready to segment the city. Stern explained what Bloodcoin looked like, as well as the guards he thought might have helped take Vulk.

An hour later, the inn was mostly empty, except for one stealth specialist staying in case someone came to drop off a letter. Stern, Trish, Cyra, and Cammie went up to their room to wait.

Closing the door behind them, Stern felt the anger and fear boiling in all three women. While it was stronger in Cammie, it was still present in them all. “Now we do the hard part: we wait.”

“Are you sure this is going to be a hostage issue?” Cammie asked tightly.

“No,” Stern said. When Cammie spun on him, he held up his hand to forestall her. “I believe it’s likely, but I’m not sure. I try not to lie if I can, even when a lie might be for the better.”

The fear rose higher than the anger, and Cammie began to cry. The other three moved in, holding her and forming a circle around her. Cyra cried with her, then Trish, before Stern couldn’t attempt to hold on anymore, joining them as their fear crested high.

Stern had no idea how long they just held their friend and cried, but in time, the fear abated and the tears slowed. He didn’t remember moving, but he was sitting on the sofa now. Cammie was between him and Trish, and Cyra was on the floor, facing Cammie.

“I hate him...” Cammie whispered. “I want to hurt him so much.”

“I know,” Stern nodded. “I’d foolishly hoped that when he had the heart attack, he’d leave us alone... That Gerald showing up would dissuade him from chasing us.”

“Gerald?” Cammie asked, puzzled.

Stern exhaled. “The Hand of Law.”

“His name is Gerald? How do you know that?” Cammie asked.

Stern froze, but recalling his words earlier, he exhaled roughly. “I’ve spoken with him before. He hates the nickname, but his wife loves it. She started it, in fact.”

Cammie stared at him, her brain not wanting to function. “You... ran into them before?”

“Yes,” Stern said, speaking truthfully, if incompletely.

“All of them?” Cammie asked. “Like the tavern owner?”

“I’ve spoken to all the members of Darkhand,” Stern said.

Cammie sniffled. “I was right…” She choked as she swallowed the pain she felt. “I told Vulk you came from the north. You have too much money to be from this far south.”

“You’re right,” Stern said softly.

“And you do so much for us,” Cammie sniffled.

“I would do anything for my friends,” Stern said, patting her knee.

“Thank you...” Cammie whispered before she pushed into his side. She held him as she began to cry in earnest again.

Chapter Thirty-five

Stern woke slowly— he hadn’t slept well. The previous evening had crawled by for them. He’d gotten them some soup for dinner, remembering how his father had a hard time eating when he’d been stressed before. It took all of them cajoling Cammie to get her to eat at all, but she did, in time.

After dinner, the women had all curled up on the sofa as they waited for any news. The evening turned to night, and the stress of the day eventually claimed its toll. Cammie was the first to fall asleep, with Pawly on her lap, purring away. Cyra and Trish weren’t far behind her. Neither of them had been willing to move, fearful of waking Cammie. Once they’d all fallen asleep, Stern snagged a blanket and carefully covered them. He’d taken a seat in the chair nearby and waited for sleep to claim him, too.

Now, he woke up a little stiffly from the angle he’d slept in, but he stifled any sound as he popped his back and neck. All three women were still asleep, so he snuck out of the room. He was back up the stairs a few minutes later with a tray of broth, bread, and tea.

As quietly as he could, he snuck into the room. Three soft snores greeted him, so he exhaled in relief and set the food and tea on the coffee table. He settled back into his own seat and had breakfast.

The watchers downstairs hadn’t seen anyone suspicious, and no letter had been delivered. Stern was getting a little anxious, but he also figured Bloodcoin would try to get information out of Vulk before making his move.

Can’t tell Cammie that, though... she’d panic more, Stern thought as he finished his breakfast.

A soft sound of complaint came from Cammie, and she stirred. That roused Cyra and Trish, causing them to shift and wake Cammie fully.

“Morning,” Stern said. “I have some broth and bread on the table for you.”

Three sets of eyes focused on him as sleep slowly faded away.

“Any word?” Cammie asked.

“Not yet,” Stern replied. “We can go take a poke around the city today. It would be for the best, and Bloodcoin shouldn’t think anything of us doing it. I also want to drop a message off at the post.”

Cammie’s grief and anguish rose when he said there was no word, but she pushed them down. “Okay. Let’s—”

“Breakfast first,” Trish said gently. “It won’t do any good if we faint before we find him.”

Cammie gritted her teeth together, but couldn’t refute Trish. She jerked when Pawly’s head popped out from under the blanket. “Pawly…!” Exasperation and relief filled Cammie’s voice in that moment.

“Meow?”

Grabbing Pawly, Cammie squeezed the cat to her chest. “Thank you for last night, but please, no surprise wake-ups.”

“Meow...” That one had an edge of complaint, but not much.

Setting Pawly down, Cammie picked up the bowl of broth and her bread. “Nothing at all?”

“Not yet, but the sun is just barely rising. I’m sure Sarah will be here before too long to tell us what everyone found.”

“I had a thought,” Cyra said. “My dream was about a manor outside the city. Bloodcoin was all about power and money. Can those places be rented?”

Stern inhaled slowly. “He’d have no trouble getting a bound Vulk out of the city. The guards don’t check outgoing wagons... Hmm, that’s an idea. We can start there if Sarah doesn’t have anything.”

Cammie nodded, trying to hold her worry in check. “Okay.”

~*~*~

The sun was fully risen when there was a knock on the door. Stern was the first one to his feet, so he answered it.

“Sarah, come in.”

“Thanks,” Sarah said. She gave the others a sorrowful look, the dark circles around her eyes telling them that she hadn’t slept. “We couldn’t find any hints during our walks yesterday. Others are taking over so we can get some sleep. We’ve been keeping it as quiet as we can.”

“Thank you,” Stern said. “We appreciate you all doing what you can.”

“Not that it’s done much good,” Sarah sighed.

“But you’re helping,” Cammie said, getting up. “We’ll be checking things ourselves today, as it’d be right for us to do so.”

“Understood. I’ll let the others know. Are you going to bring in the guard?”

“Not yet,” Stern said. “Bloodcoin has corrupted guards before.”

Sarah nodded, then stepped farther into the room to address Cammie directly. “We’ll be heading back out as soon as we get a nap and some food.”

“Thank you,” Cammie said, choking up a little.

“We know how much your crew is doing,” Sarah replied softly. “If we didn’t help now, why should we think others would help us later? Walkers should stick together.”

Cammie closed the distance, hugging Sarah. “Thank you... All of you. Let them know that, please?”

Sarah patted Cammie on the back. “I will. Just trust in the Goddess to keep him safe.”

“I will, but I’ll trust in my crew a little bit more,” Cammie said as she stepped back. “Rest well.”

Sarah patted her shoulder, then left the room.

“Okay, here’s my idea,” Stern said. “We check with the people who would rent out the expensive properties. I’ll be the one to approach and ask, because they won’t be able to hide their responses from me.”

“It might tip our hand,” Trish said.

“If I feel that they’re in on it, we just apply pressure and, if needed, we’ll bring in the guards or Walkers to help,” Stern said. “For this, I need to go in my best clothes, not armor, so I’ll need one of you to bring it with us.”

“I’ll bring it,” Cyra said.

“Okay, let’s get ready,” Stern said.

~*~*~

It took them a little while to get their gear on again, and for Stern to pull out his best suit. Once they were ready, they left the inn. Trish paused to speak to the few helpers who were staying there.

Stern flagged down a guard as they walked down the street. “Sir. Question: who deals with renting manors?”

“A few people. Do you mean inside the walls, or outside?”

“Outside, preferably,” Stern replied, feeling the man’s unease. “I know that my being an irregular makes people nervous.”

The guard exhaled slowly. “Ah, yes. Sorry. You’ll want to see Garton. South three squares, then west two. Big building called Garton’s Exquisites.”

“Garton’s Exquisites?” Stern asked.

“He deals with… specialty undergarments,” the guard coughed. “For women.”

Stern blinked. He’d heard of such things before, but knew they were a rarity. “Ah, hmm... very well. Thank you. Who else? Just in case I can’t come to terms with Garton?”

“Kelick, right next to the south gate. He has a few, but also has a handful inside the city.”

“Very well. Thank you again,” Stern said, shaking hands with the guard before striding off.

One street over, Cyra, Trish, and Cammie joined him and he filled them in.

“Garton and Kelick,” Cammie nodded. “Okay.”

“Garton first,” Trish said. “It’s closer.”

“My thoughts, exactly,” Stern agreed.

The trek over to Garton’s wasn’t long. Stern walked straight into the shop, slowing when he did. Mannequins stood around the massive front room, showing off provocative attire.

“Good morning…” a jolly voice started, but it faded fast.

Stern turned to see a portly man losing his smile as fear washed over him. “Good morning, sir. I’m looking for a manor to rent for a few months,” Stern said.

The man gave him a hard look, but he was still afraid and apprehensive. “I do not have time for jokes.”

Stern pulled out a large gold coin, holding it up. “Jokes?”

The man smiled cheerfully. “Well, I do apologize, good sir. I do have a number of buildings that might suit your needs. We get wealthy travelers in who find that they’d rather stay outside the walls.”

“Exactly what I want,” Stern smiled as he approached Garton. “But have you rented to the rich merchant families? I can’t let my family name be lowered by staying in a place that our contemporaries like Bloodcoin would disdain.”

“Bloodcoin? Ah, the merchant family from Bloodstone,” Garton nodded. “My properties were too expensive for him. He went with another who has lesser properties.”

Stern managed to keep his mask in place. “Good, good. Wait… he’s in the city? I will have to go snub him. Do you know where?”

“I don’t, but he rented from Kelick,” Garton said. “A truly deplorable man. He has no understanding of station. He’ll rent to Walkers if they can pay for it.”

Stern’s eye twitched, but he laughed, making it seem like a wink, instead. “Walkers? Those poor souls?”

“Exactly. I never entered a single dungeon, but look at me. I created this whole shop from nothing.”

“Impressive,” Stern nodded. “Can I see one of these manors for rent? To verify it for myself.”

“I can easily do that. Would you be free in an hour? I have to arrange for someone to take over for me.”

“Of course. I’ll return in an hour,” Stern smiled. “Thank you.”

“No,” Garton laughed, “thank you. Knowing that you chose me over Kelick will keep me smiling all day.”

“I’ll return,” Stern said, shaking hands with the man as he put his gold away.

“I shall be ready upon the hour,” Garton called after him.

Stern walked right past the women, his chin up as if he were superior. Once he was around a corner, he paused and waited for them. “Okay, Kelick rented to Bloodcoin. Kelick and Garton are old foes for renting to the rich. Let me slip into an alley to put my armor on. As soon as I do, we go to the city hall.”

“City hall?” Cyra asked.

“They’ll have all the property records,” Trish said. “We’ll find out what he owns, then stick some stealthers on them to spy out which place it is?”

“Exactly,” Stern said. “Might take a few hours, but we’ll know without tipping our hand.”

Cammie exhaled slowly. “We’re coming, Brother.”

“Yes we are,” Stern said. “Come on, let’s go.”

Chapter Thirty-six

The four of them entered city hall, heading for the records department. A few people shied away from Stern, watching them with worried expressions. Stern ignored them all, making his way to the office he wanted. He was glad that all government buildings were identical, regardless of the city.

The receptionist behind the counter jerked in fear, but calmed when she saw the badge on his chest. “How can I help you?”

“I’m looking to find out what properties Kelick owns, please,” Stern said as he placed a small silver on the counter. “I need it expedited.”

The woman blinked, then quickly scooped the coin off the counter. “Of course, sir. Give me just a moment.”

Cammie whispered. “A silver?”

“A small bribe to get the information quickly,” Stern whispered back. “If she wasn’t receptive, she’d have given me change back and told me it would take her a few hours.”

“Does that mean she’ll tell Bloodcoin?”

“Doubtful. There’s nothing in her emotionally to say she knows me.”

They stood there for what felt like forever to Cammie. She was starting to shift in irritation when the clerk came back with a smile.

“Here you are, with a map to point them out to you,” the receptionist said. “Was there anything else?”

“If anyone asks about us, you didn’t deal with us until tomorrow, please.”

The receptionist blinked. “Unless it’s the guard.”

“Acceptable. Good day, miss.”

~*~*~

When they made it back to the inn, Stern stopped at the waiting stealther’s table. “I have this map— it shows six properties outside of the walls. I need them all checked carefully. Get the ones you know can manage it and let us know. We’ll be upstairs.” Stern placed a large silver on the table.

The elf nodded as she scooped up the coin and slipped out of the building.

“Four mugs and a kettle, please,” Cyra said, having gone to the bar.

“Progress?” the innkeeper asked.

“A hopeful lead,” Cyra replied.

“Should I send for another of her type?” the innkeeper asked, nodding to where the elf had been.

“Might as well. It might give us another lead, just in case,” Trish said.

“We’ll be upstairs,” Stern said.

~*~*~

They sipped tea, and Pawly helped keep Cammie occupied. All of them still felt the anxiety of waiting for the other shoe to drop. Midday came and went, and they double-checked their gear, just to give them something to focus on. Cammie went over Vulk’s gear for him, having Trish repair a small hole in one of the arms.

Dinner was approaching when a knock came on the door. Trish was the closest one, so she answered it. Sarah Kalma came into the room, thanking Trish.

“We have the house,” Sarah said to the others. “He didn’t come alone. Janet spotted at least ten armed men, all of whom look familiar with their weapons. She got close enough to hear… an interrogation, but not close enough to confirm it to be Vulk.”

“We’ll make it work,” Stern said. “How many stealth-based Walkers are willing to help?”

“The half-dozen we’ve been using,” Sarah said.

Stern rubbed at his chin, then nodded. “Okay. Gather those who are willing to get bloody. We’ll want them to be waiting just out of sight. The stealthers need to sneak up and remove the guards. We’ll go for non-lethal, as we don’t know if they’re aware or not. If things go sideways, though, we go hard.”

Sarah nodded. “Kidnapping is a crime. I’m sure the magistrates here will understand that we were just freeing a friend.”

“On that note, we might want someone to tip the guard in an hour,” Trish said. “Just a ‘check on such and such place’ note drop.”

“Okay,” Sarah said. “When do you want to do this?”

“You show us the house and we move,” Stern said. “We’ll give the stealthers a half-hour head start.”

Sarah nodded, pulling the map out and showing him the location, an hour from the city. “No one is near the farm. We can hit and fade before the guard shows.”

“Okay. Thirty minutes and we’ll head out.”

When Sarah left, Cammie turned to Stern. “Why are we waiting? We can be in the first part of this.”

“No,” Stern said softly. “We aren’t them. Even you aren’t. We let them work and then use the easier path.” He looked at Pawly. “You’re with us. If I need Zasha to help protect Vulk, though, I’ll bring him out.”

Pawly chuffed, floating off the sofa and stretching in midair.

They did one last check on their gear before they went downstairs.

~*~*~

It turned out that the farm was a massive place. The main house was more of a manor than a farmhouse. There were two massive barn structures, and a half-dozen lesser buildings scattered over the acreage. Stern snuck along with Cammie while Trish and Cyra followed them. They paused when they got to the edge of the tree line.

“I don’t see any patrols...” Stern murmured.

“Because they’ve been removed,” a soft whisper came from Stern’s left.

Stern gave the elf a smile. “Nice job.” He looked past her. “It’s okay, Pawly.”

The elf looked back, inhaling sharply when she saw the tiger-sized, floating, tentacled cat behind her. “Goddess...”

“You’d have known she was there with her last upgrade on,” Stern said before he added it.

Pawly meowed softly as electricity crackled over her fur.

“She must be impressive in a fight,” the elf whispered.

“She is. Now, what are we dealing with?”

“At least five guards are left inside. They might come out to change soon, which would ruin the surprise. The interrogation was in that room.” She pointed to a third-story window. “I can climb it and get inside, but you’d need to have someone who can take him from me.”

Stern removed Pawly’s electricity. “Pawly.”

A soft chuff was Pawly’s answer.

“If I can manage that, we might get him out without anyone knowing,” the elf said.

“Thank you…?”

“Janet,” the elf replied.

“Thank you, Janet, but they need to know,” Stern said. “You get him, and Pawly will help. We’re going to make a point while you do that.”

Janet nodded, then slipped toward the house, going in a crouch. Pawly went along behind her, floating an inch off the ground.

Stern looked at Trish and Cyra, then stood up. “Front door.”

“Damned right,” Cammie growled as she took off at a jog.

“Front door, it is,” Trish said, getting her shield onto her arm and jogging after the others.

Cammie got to the front door before them, and she didn’t slow down— she launched herself into it, shoulder first. The small lock wasn’t able to withstand the angry dwarf, and the door crashed open.

“Brother!” Cammie roared as she stumbled.

A shouted curse came from above them, along with booted feet.

“Go, go!” Stern shouted.

Cammie raced up the stairs. She was just making it to the second floor when she fired her first bolt. A gurgling scream came from her target as she went racing down the hall to the next stairway.

Stern didn’t spare the downed guard a glance as he rushed after Cammie. His attention was pulled to a door that was opening just short of the stairs. A fully-armored man with a heavy crossbow stepped out and fired at Cammie.

Cammie had seen him, and threw herself sideways as the trigger was pulled. She crashed into a door and into the room behind it. Stern was not as lucky— he twisted, but the thick bolt punched clean through his armor, missing the strike plates, and lodging into a lung. He crashed to the ground, coughing blood as the pain made him pass out.

~*~*~

A soft hand was touching his face when he came to. Cyra was kneeling beside him, her other hand covered in blood as she healed him. “I’m good,” Stern grunted.

“That was too close,” Cyra said, her voice shaky.

“Trish? Cammie?”

“Upstairs,” Cyra said, helping him up, then hugging him tightly.

“Later. We need to go,” Stern said softly.

“Yes.” Cyra let him go and raced off ahead of him.

Stern exhaled, as the hug had been painful. He had to walk instead of run— his side felt tender, as if it might rip open if he exerted himself. “Thank you, Goddess...” he whispered as he went.

Stern passed the dead crossbowman at the bottom of the stairs, his head caved in. There was another man with a broken arm and skull at the top of the stairs. On the third floor, he found the others outside an open doorway.

“If any of you come in here, he dies!” a hateful voice snapped.

Stern knew that voice— it was Victor Bloodcoin.

“Then kill me!” Vulk hissed. “If you do, they’ll tear you apart.”

“I don’t want you, you worthless dwarf. I want the blighted. Give him to me and you can have your trash back.”

Stern wondered what had happened to Janet or the fifth guard that was supposed to be inside. A startled male voice outside suddenly cut off and Stern exhaled, glad they weren’t about to be ambushed.

Cyra’s eyes flicked to Stern, who was limping their way. She started to speak, and he shook his head.

“Is that him? Give him to me and I’ll cut this one free.”

Stern made it to the doorway, and the women let him pass. “Your guards almost killed me, Victor.”

“Damn those fools! Useless trash,” Victor spat. Victor Bloodcoin was a shade of his former self. He was thin, his skin hanging off him like a coat, but his eyes were feverishly bright. “You cost me my son, my home, and my city! I want you to pay for that.”

“How?” Stern asked. He knew Victor was beyond sanity. His emotions were set on hatred, set hard, thick, and solid.

“The manacles beside the door: put them on. Take off your weapons, and then come into the room to my side. Once you are here, I’ll cut this trash free. Then they can leave and we’ll balance the scales.”

“Stern, no,” Cyra whispered.

Vulk spat. “No.”

Stern got a good look at Vulk. His beard had been shaved off, a hateful thing to a dwarf. He was strapped to the chair in just his underwear. From his head to his toes, he was covered in bruises, welts, and cuts.

“Vulk, I’m sorry,” Stern said as he started taking his weapons off. “This man is like this because I killed his son. You were captured to bring me to him. Isn’t that right, Victor?”

“Yes. Just a game piece. Only useful to be sacrificed.”

“Stern, no!” Cyra began to cry.

Trish shifted, hugging Cyra and pulling her out of the doorway.

Cammie watched Victor, her eyes gleaming with hatred. She wanted to charge in, but Victor was holding a knife to Vulk’s throat. Her hands shook at her own uselessness.

Stern turned to show himself unarmed, then picked up the manacles and locked one wrist closed, then put his hands behind his back. “Cammie, lock me.” As he said that, his fingers ran through a quick motion that Bloodcoin couldn’t see.

Cammie blinked before locking the manacle onto his other wrist. “What?”

Stern turned around, again showing his manacles to Victor. “Okay?”

“Yes,” Victor breathed like a junkie about to get a fix. “Come here.” His words started to go manic. “Come here! Come here now!”

Stern exhaled and locked eyes with Vulk for a second. “This is my duty, as your leader. Get your sister and go. Do not try to save me.”

Vulk glared at Stern, upset that his suffering was being thrown away. He had withstood the torture since his capture, refusing to tell this broken man anything at all. “I hate you,” Vulk hissed.

“Good,” Stern said sadly as he entered the room. “Let that lead you far away.”

Victor’s hands twitched, and a small trickle of blood came from Vulk’s neck.

“No!” Cammie shouted.

Victor snarled at her, then sliced down, cutting the rope knot holding Vulk to his chair. A solid kick sent Vulk and the chair spilling forward as Victor lunged, grabbing Stern by the neck and dragging him toward the far wall. “Get out! Get out, get out, get out!”

Cammie rushed forward, grabbing Vulk and pulling him to the door. “I got you, Brother! I got you.”

Trish looked into the room to see Stern and Victor by the window, and her eyes went wide as she caught a flash of light from just outside. That made Vulk stumble, pulling him and Cammie to the floor in a heap. Both of them looked at the window in shock.

That same flash caught Victor’s attention, and he looked to the side as the window flew up and an electric tentacle lashed into the room. Both men were locked in place as the current surged through Victor to Stern.

Trish rushed in, leaping clear over Vulk and Cammie, and slammed her shield into Victor. There was a snap of bone before Stern fell to the floor and Trish slammed into the window ledge, then tumbled back into the room.

Cyra rushed around the corner, throwing healing onto Stern, then Vulk. “What happened?”

Janet climbed into the room. “The bad guy just fell. Your cat is dangerous in many ways.”

Vulk groaned as he pushed himself up with Cammie’s help. “He’s dead?”

“Not many survive a broken neck and skull,” Janet said. “Sorry. I tried to do what we said, but when I got here, he wasn’t alone.”

Stern gasped as the shock wore off. “Pawly, I love you.”

A deep chuff came from outside the window where Pawly was floating.

“Can you walk?” Cammie asked Vulk.

“If we find my boots,” Vulk said. Turning, he grabbed Cammie and squeezed her tight. He sobbed as the moment passed. “I was afraid they’d get you next.”

Cammie began to cry, holding him right back. “We came as fast as we could...”

“We should go,” Trish said. “His clothing is right there.” She pointed to the corner. “So get dressed and let’s go. The guard will be here soon.”

“Sarah had a good idea about a Walker party,” Janet said. “See you all there.” With that, she slipped back out the window.

Trish helped Stern to his feet, hugging him tightly. “I knew you had a plan.”

Cyra rushed over, slamming into them both. “I thought…!”

“Sorry,” Stern whispered. “I couldn’t give you a hint.”

Vulk looked over his shoulder. “That was the guy whose son you killed?”

“Yeah.”

“Prick deserved it,” Vulk said, sniffling as he wiped his face. “Okay... dressing. What party?”

“A victory party,” Cammie sniffled, going back to Vulk to help him. “Emma will be there.”

Vulk paused as he got to his clothes, his fingers touching his hairless chin. “Shit...”

“She won’t care about the beard,” Stern said. “Vulk… she was just as worried for you as we were.”

Vulk looked at Stern, then swallowed hard as he nodded. “Really?”

“It’s love,” Stern said. “I know the feeling now.”

Cammie sniffled again. “I approve, Brother.”

Vulk exhaled noisily. “Come on, we need to go.”

~*~*~

The crew didn’t dally— they left the house as quickly as Vulk and Stern could move. The tough part for the injured was that they stayed off the road, not wanting to encounter the guards at all. They paralleled the road, following Pawly, who led the way by floating ahead of them.

The sun was starting to set when they came out of the tree line next to the river. The fast-moving river was churned by the large boulders, giving the city its name: Whitewater. A hundred yards from the bank of the river, a large bonfire was just starting to burn, tents were being set up, and people were chatting happily with each other.

Janet was talking to two people, and she noticed the group first. She smiled and motioned to them, causing Sarah and Emma to look their way. Sarah started to call out to them, but she was drowned out by a single word.

“Vulk!” Emma shouted, rushing toward him.

Vulk stopped, his eyes wide as he watched the half-dwarven woman charging him with her arms wide.

Trish stepped between him and Emma, holding up her hand. “Emma, easy. He’s still injured and needs more attention.”

Emma slowed, then looked past Trish to see Vulk. “Oh, Goddess... what did they do to you?” She never stopped moving, so she was to him in seconds. “Let me help you.”

Stern smiled softly as he felt the emotions coming from the pair. “It’s love,” he whispered.

Cyra took his hand. “Come on.”

Stern glanced at Cammie, who was watching her brother being taken away. Her emotions were a tangled mess, and she was wiping at her face. He motioned with his head so Cyra looked at Cammie, then stepped over to her. “They’ll make a good couple.”

Cammie jerked away from him, then exhaled slowly and scrubbed at her face. “Yeah, they will.”

“There’s no saying what they’ll decide,” Stern said softly. “It’s not over until it is, Cammie. Even if he settles down, like we said, we’ll be glad to have you with us.”

“I know, and I’m happy about that, but…” Cammie trailed off, swallowing. “I always thought we’d be together until we reached our goal.”

“And you might still be. Plenty of Walkers have a loved one waiting for them while they run,” Trish said, coming over to join them.

“I know,” Cammie said, then snorted. “I’m happy for him, and I want Emma to be good for him, but I also hate her a little right now.”

Cyra took Cammie’s hand in hers. “Because you think she’s taking him away from you?”

“No… yes,” Cammie objected, then changed her answer. “I know she isn’t any more than him stopping here would be him abandoning me. But…”

“But it still hurts,” Stern finished for her as he shifted to take Cammie’s other hand. “We’re here for you.”

She looked at Stern, then Cyra, and finally, Trish. Her emotions tangled further before she exhaled a long, slow breath, and happiness started to grow clearly in her. “Thank you.”

Sarah made it over to them, having been approaching slowly, not wanting to interrupt. “Come join the celebration?”

“A celebration of freedom?” Cammie asked.

“A celebration of Walkers doing what they should— sticking together,” Sarah replied. “Your crew is the guest of honor.”

“We should find the other few healers in the celebration and have them look at Vulk,” Cammie said.

“Then let’s go,” Sarah smiled.

As a group, Sarah led them to the gathering, where people cheered them.

Chapter Thirty-seven

Stern woke groggily— his dreams had been disjointed and nightmarish. All of them centered on rescuing Vulk, and each had gone horribly wrong. Every fresh nightmare had been worse than the last, but Stern would only go back to sleep each time, too tired to try waking up fully. Soft snoring came from either side of him. He smiled at Trish and Cyra curled up with him. The tent they were in took him a minute to place, and then he recalled the party.

The Walkers who’d gathered had celebrated Vulk being free. The few Walkers who had healing got Vulk fully patched up. The only thing showing he’d undergone any trauma was his missing beard. Emma had clung to him the entire evening, as if afraid he’d vanish again if she let him go.

A couple of hours into the party, just as the drinks really started to flow, a contingent of city guards approached the camp. Sarah met with them and explained they were just having a party for a friend who was recently returned to them. The captain in charge of the unit reminded her about the laws regarding parties held by the river, then left with his men.

Cammie had been a little distant for the rest of the party, just keeping an eye on her brother. She brushed off the few men who tried to cheer her up. Cyra sat with her for a while, speaking softly, and Cammie relaxed before everyone finally called it a night.

I’m going to cover the loose ends, and we might as well settle in for a week or two. It’ll give Vulk a real chance to be with Emma and make his choice, Stern thought. And if we’re doing that, it’s time to send the letter, as well.

Trish shifted, murmuring as she did, “Mhm? Is it time to wake up?”

“I can see the edge of light against the tent,” Stern whispered.

“Time to wake, then,” Trish sighed.

“Is it?” Cyra mumbled, wiping at her tired eyes.

“Probably,” Stern replied.

“How long are we staying?” Cyra asked softly.

“I’m thinking two weeks, at least,” Stern said. “Give Vulk and Emma a chance to figure out what they want.”

“Probably a good idea,” Trish agreed. “We can spend that time with Cammie, driving home the point that we’re here for her.”

“Yes,” Cyra nodded, then kissed Stern’s chest. “Thank you for holding me.”

“You’re very welcome,” Stern said, kissing one of her ears. “Did you sleep okay?”

“A nightmare or two about your plan, but I was able to shake them off,” Cyra said.

“Same,” Trish said. “Also a bad one where we were all ambushed. You?”

“Nightmares all night,” Stern exhaled. “My last one was like yours. “

The sound of people stirring outside the tent got them to sit up. The whispered conversations going on were benign, so the trio relaxed.

“Are we staying at the inn?” Cyra asked as she started getting her clothing situated.

“No. I want to cover a loose end. I’m going to get dressed in my good clothes and go back to Garton and rent a home from him. I can play off the delay as one of my retainers getting injured and delaying things.”

“So when he hears about Bloodcoin, he doesn’t think to tell the guards about you?” Trish asked, getting her boots on.

“Muddle things a bit more, at least,” Stern said.

“Is two weeks going to be enough?” Cyra asked.

“No idea, but it’s a good start,” Stern said. “I’m going to see if the dojo here has specialty training rooms. If they do, maybe we can help Cammie by giving her something else to focus on.”

“I’ve heard about those,” Trish said. “Never used one myself.”

“Use that and normal training with her. Then, we can see about distracting her with other diversions.”

“I wanted to go clothes shopping with her,” Cyra said. “She doesn’t have a dress, like Trish and I do.”

“Sounds good. If Vulk is going to stay with us, I’ll see about taking him out for a bit, too.”

“Good,” Trish smiled. “I hope he stays with us, but this was…”

“Rough,” Stern finished for her. “Yeah. I’m also going to send my parents a letter asking for help.” They both looked at him and he explained further, “Going to ask them to have someone pull their mother out of the dungeon. After that, I want to have her transported down here to them.”

Trish inhaled sharply. “That might take both of them from us.”

“But it would be good,” Cyra said. “They’d have what they always wanted, what they thought they had to do. It would be up to them to choose their path from there.”

“I…” Stern trailed off, taking a deep breath before pushing on, “I think it’ll mean Vulk stops. If Emma is serious and his mother is back, he’ll stop. I won’t fault him at all, considering what he just endured.”

“Cammie might go on with us,” Cyra said hopefully.

“We can hope,” Trish nodded.

“I’ll hope, but I’ll prepare for the worst,” Stern said. “I know that, if they do, it’ll be my fault.”

Both of his lovers hugged him. “No. You’d have given them a grand gift,” Trish told him.

“You would have helped them,” Cyra added.

“While costing us,” Stern said. “Maybe not friends, as I doubt they’d stop being our friends, but quality crewmates.”

“Everyone chooses when they stop,” Trish said gently. “You doing this just proves how selfless you are.”

“We should go,” Stern said, hugging them back.

“Breakfast in ten,” a voice echoed over the camp. “Get up and get ready to pack up, clean up, eat, and go.”

“Damn,” Trish chuckled. “Sarah can be a real alpha when she wants to be.”

Cyra snorted. “That’s bad, Trish.”

“And yet not wrong,” Stern said, kissing both of them before releasing them. “Let’s go.”

~*~*~

Sarah had everyone ready and the camp broken down in short order. Breakfast turned out to be a breakfast soup— it wasn’t as good as they’d had before, but it had still been decent. During breakfast, Sarah asked Stern how he wanted to handle going back into the city, as the guards would surely hear about an irregular being involved. Stern explained his plan for getting back in, and then how he planned to settle in for a bit. After hearing it through, Sarah agreed and moved off to make arrangements.

That’s how Stern and Vulk ended up in the middle of the few dozen Walkers. They were both covered by cloaks and walking stooped over, slowly trudging along. When they reached the city, Stern could hear Sarah talking to the guards, then them being told to enter. Shortly after entering the city, the Walkers split apart, all going separate ways. When they were out of sight of the gate, Stern and Vulk removed their cloaks, as it was too hot for them.

“What did they ask?” Stern asked Sarah.

“About the six people in cloaks. I told them they were hungover, and the sun was too bright.”

“It can be,” Vulk grunted.

Emma held his arm. “Are you going back to the inn, Vulk?”

“Yes,” Vulk said softly. “We’ll be here for a few days, at least.”

“Emma, can you come with us?” Stern asked. “I have an idea and, since you’re invested in Vulk’s wellbeing, I think you should hear it, too.”

Emma stared at him for a few seconds before she smiled. “Please?”

“Okay, back to the inn, first. I need to change,” Stern said. Before he started walking again, he turned to Sarah. “I owe you, Sharp Ears. If you have need of us, just send word and we’ll come.”

Sarah bowed her head. “I would say you don’t, but I’ll keep that promise in my pocket for if the worst happens.”

“We’ll honor it,” Trish said, “especially if it comes to that.”

“I’m glad we were able to help,” Sarah said, watching the other crews and Walkers walk off. “It was good to see more people united.”

“Won’t they talk about what happened?” Emma asked.

“Walkers stick together,” Vulk said softly. “They won’t.”

Emma fell silent, her lips pursed as she thought about what Vulk said.

The Sharp Ears and Pawsitively Irregular crews said their goodbyes before they separated, the last two crews to do so.

~*~*~

It wasn’t too long before they made it back to the inn and up to the room. Stern motioned everyone to sit. Once they had, he spoke up, “Okay, I had an idea. If you agree to it, I’m going to rent a home for us to stay at for the next two weeks. We’ll stay there to decompress and train. I’ll also check with the dojo to see if they have specialty training rooms, and rent one or two of those, if we can. This will let us recover and still hone our edge. It also means that some of us have a chance to figure out what it is we want.”

Vulk and Emma looked at each other when Stern said that.

Cammie’s lips twitched down, but she said, “I’ll agree to this plan. Will you see if they have a trap room?”

“I was planning on it,” Stern smiled. “Your skills will be needed even more when we advance north again.”

Vulk glanced back at his sister, then to the others, and exhaled slowly. “Yeah. I’ll agree.”

“I’d like to have more time with Vulk,” Emma said, reaching over to take Vulk’s hand.

Trish and Cyra both agreed.

“Okay, I’ll go set things up. Get your stuff packed up. I hope to move as soon as I get back, which might be an hour from now.”

“Can I go with you?” Cammie asked.

“If you want to, but I’ll need you to get fully geared, like a guard.”

“I can do that,” Cammie said, as she was in her armor. “Do I need anything else?”

“Take my crossbow,” Stern said, unstrapping it from his bag. “I’ll be back shortly.”

“I should go see my parents,” Emma sighed.

“We’ll walk with you,” Stern said. “Just give me a few to change.”

“Yes, please,” Vulk said quickly.

“We’ll get her there safely,” Stern said, heading for his room.

~*~*~

It took longer to leave than Stern had thought, but that was because it took Vulk longer to let Emma go. Eventually, they let go of each other, and Stern, Cammie, Pawly, and Emma left the inn behind.

They’d barely started down the street when Emma asked, “Cammie… would you hate it if I loved your brother?”

“No,” Cammie said. “I would love it if he found someone to care for him… but will you tie him down?”

Emma fell silent for a moment. “I want to say no, but I worry that he’d never come back to me. Maybe it’d be a dungeon that kills him, or he might meet another woman while out with you and forget about me.”

“He won’t forget about you,” Stern said softly. “The love you feel for him? He feels just as strongly for you, Emma.” Stern gave her a smile. “I can feel the love between you two. One of my irregular perks is empathy.”

Emma stared at Stern and almost stumbled for a second, but she caught herself and looked forward again. “Empathy… so you really… feel the love?”

“Yes. It’s the same feeling Trish, Cyra, and I have for each other. It’s real for both of you.”

“And we wouldn’t leave him in a dungeon,” Cammie said.

“But sometimes, whole crews fall,” Emma shuddered.

“That’s true,” Stern nodded, “but our crew wouldn’t stay fallen for long. You have my word on that.”

“How can you be so sure?” Emma asked.

“My family wouldn’t allow it,” Stern said. “I won’t tell you who, but they have the power and money to make sure we’re brought back out. But, as this nightmare has shown, it’s not always dungeons that are dangerous. That’s life, though.”

Emma fell silent, and Cammie shifted over to walk beside her. “I’ll welcome you as my sister, Emma, but let me tell you why Vulk and I are Walkers.”

“Your mother,” Emma whispered. “Vulk told me.”

“Yeah. That’s why he’ll keep running,” Cammie said.

“Give me a moment,” Stern said suddenly. “I need to check my mail. I’ll be right back out.”

Both women paused, seeing that they were in front of the post. “Don’t take too long,” Cammie said.

“I’ll be quick. I just need to check something.”

~*~*~

Stern was true to his word— he was back outside in a few minutes. “Sorry about that. Let’s go.”

“Your family has power and money?” Cammie asked.

“Yes.”

“Is that how you met Darkhand before?”

“It is,” Stern nodded.

“You’ve met them?” Emma asked with wide eyes.

“Yes.”

“Are they as friendly as my father says?” Emma asked.

“Were you too young to remember?” Stern asked.

“Yes.”

“All the members of Darkhand are good people,” Stern said. “They want to help others as much as they want to push to the very last dungeon.”

“The Goddess’ promise?” Cammie asked.

“Yeah. Same reason I run.”

“Isn’t that a myth?” Emma asked.

“No. There are thirty-three tiers of dungeons, each with three dungeons. When you pass them all, they say the last dungeon— the final test— is opened to you,” Stern explained.

“But they’ve only found twenty-five tiers,” Emma said.

“So far, but the twenty-sixth was found recently, and at least one of the three dungeons.”

Cammie’s lips pursed. “I haven’t heard about that.”

“I have,” Stern said. “My family told me that Darkhand is going to go north to help with settling the city and running the dungeon.”

“They must be amazing,” Emma sighed. “They’ve never come back since the one time they all came to the tavern.”

“They might, in time,” Stern said. “All crews need downtime.”

“Yeah, maybe,” Emma sighed. “Is that why you’re taking two weeks?”

“One of the reasons,” Stern said.

“We take days off after every dungeon to train,” Cammie added. “This time, we’re taking longer. Emma... please don’t hurt him.”

Emma took Cammie’s hand in hers. “Sister… I will never knowingly hurt him.”

Cammie’s lips twitched into a smile briefly. “I wish Mother could be here to hear you. Can you wait on marrying him?”

“If that’s what you need to approve of us, then yes,” Emma said.

Cammie gave her a nod. “Thank you, Emm… Sister.”

Emma’s smile was bright as she squeezed Cammie’s hand.

Stern had felt the love and worry from them, but felt like they’d be okay now.

Chapter Thirty-eight

Entering Garton’s shop, Stern was wearing a look of annoyance. When Garton looked his way, Stern put on a professional smile. “Garton, I do apologize about yesterday. A family retainer ended up injured, and I was called away to deal with getting them proper treatment. The fool tried to hide the injury from me.”

Garton went from annoyed to understanding. “Ah. They are okay?”

“They are healing, but I will be reiterating— strenuously— my disappointment, as it interrupted my plans yesterday. Now, I was thinking... would you happen to have a manor inside the walls instead of outside of them? I find that I can just seclude myself and send my useful staff out for what I need. I do hate being kept waiting, and outside the city would mean waiting for anything useful.”

“Sadly, I do not have such buildings available,” Garton said with a tight smile.

“A pity,” Stern said. “You would know who does, though, surely?”

“Of course,” Garton said stiffly.

“As you can guess, I prefer to deal with as few people as possible,” Stern said. “So we can come to an arrangement, I’m sure? I’ll pay you, and you can arrange the accommodation for me. This way, you can still profit from my change of plans, and for the inconvenience of yesterday.”

Garton stared at him in shock for a moment. “I could do that. What family are you with?”

“It’s best if I don’t say. As you can guess, it would reflect badly on them. I’ve always been the black sheep of the family.”

“Of course,” Garton said, quickly backing away from the subject. “It would take me a few hours to arrange this.”

“I dislike waiting,” Stern said. “Two weeks, no staff to be on hand. If you can make it happen within the hour,” he pulled a large gold from his pouch, “this is the payment, and the change is yours.”

Garton’s eyes went wide and he reached for the coin. “I can make that happen, sir.”

Stern let him take the coin, then looked around the shop. “Go on. I’ll take a look over your inventory and see if any are worthy of my… attendants.”

Garton rang a bell and started to edge toward the door. “Please take your time, sir.”

“You need me?” Garton’s wife asked as she came down the stairs into the shop.

“Watch the shop, and assist him if he requires,” Garton told the woman before he hurried away.

Stern gave the middle-aged woman a smile. “I do not need help. I’m just going to peruse the inventory while I wait for him to complete the business deal.”

“Yes, sir,” Garton’s wife said, wondering what had happened with her husband.

Stern walked around the shop, looking over the scanty women’s clothing. He did his best to remain passive, though a few of the ensembles did make his face heat a little. Cammie followed Stern, her face flushed a deep red as she looked over the outfits. She couldn’t help but think of what they’d look like on her, or Trish and Cyra.

It was just under an hour when Garton came back into the shop. He was breathing a little fast, and had to blot the sweat from his forehead, but he was back before the hour expired. “Sir… I have… the keys,” he panted.

Stern turned from a red silk outfit. “Excellent. Two weeks and no staff, correct?”

“Yes, they’ll be gone within the hour, and the manor will be in perfect order for you.”

“I knew we could do business together,” Stern smiled. “Now, I would like a couple of these outfits. This one,” Stern said, pointing to a black velvet piece that would cover, but broadly hinted at everything covered. “And this one.” The second one was red silk that was sheer enough to see through and would do nothing to conceal the body underneath.

Garton was regaining his breath and smiled broadly. “Of course, sir. Do you happen to know the measurements?”

“I will send them along in the next day or two. My assistant here,” he nodded toward Cammie, “will be with them, so you’ll know they’re the right ones.” Stern paused, hating what he was about to say, but played into his role. “In fact...” he went on, looking back at Cammie, “if you want an outfit yourself, pick it up then. I do owe you for informing me about the incident.”

Cammie’s face went crimson and she shifted uncertainly, her eyes darting to the outfits he’d picked out for Cyra and Trish. She wanted to object, but couldn’t voice the words, flustered at even the hint of her in such clothing.

“How much would three of these run me?” Stern asked Garton.

“Since we already have an established relationship, and I can see you are a man of culture as well,” Garton laughed, “let’s say five large silver. I’ll make sure the outfits they take with them are perfectly tailored for them.” He held up a hand. “My wife does the measuring, so no fear on that account.”

Stern nodded, pulling a small gold coin out. “I’ll need change for this one, I’m afraid. Or not…” Stern slowed as he looked over the room again. “I’ll give you this and we’ll say... six outfits between them. Deal?”

“Deal,” Garton said quickly.

“Very well. The keys please, and where is this place?” Stern said, handing over the gold coin.

~*~*~

They were heading back to the inn, having left Garton’s a handful of minutes ago, when Cammie found her voice. “Stern... I can’t wear any of those.”

Stern exhaled. “I’m sorry about that, Cammie. I really am.” He felt the embarrassment from her, but also the wistfulness. “You never have to wear one, but I need you to accept one, at least, if not two. The others will insist it’s equal, I’m sure. If you just turn around and sell them or give them away, I won’t gainsay you. I’m really sorry for putting you in that position.”

Cammie exhaled, but a small spark of disappointment rose in her heart. “Thank you. I’ll talk with them about it.”

“I’m going to ask an indelicate question,” Stern said slowly, wondering if he was going too far, but wanting to know. “Why can you never wear one?”

Cammie’s face burned. “You saw them. I’m not…” She couldn’t say what she’d been going to say.

“I see.”

Cammie’s face burned hotter. “You can feel why.”

“Just the emotions,” Stern said. “You don’t think you’d look good in them?”

“Yes...” Cammie whispered, mortified, but also a little elated that she could have an honest conversation without being judged.

“I don’t think you give yourself enough credit,” Stern said honestly. “Talk with Trish and Cyra when they go with you. I bet they would say the same thing as I am. I know they’re hoping to go shopping with you for dresses, at the very least.”

“Dresses?” Cammie asked.

“We do fancy dinners, occasionally,” Stern said. “It’s why I have the suit.”

“Oh...” She paused. “It’s not because of your family?”

“They did fancy dinners at times and we had to dress up,” Stern said, brushing at his dark suit.

“It looks good on you,” Cammie said before her face combusted again.

Stern chuckled awkwardly. “I feel like a freshly-embalmed corpse. Trish and Cyra side with you, though I just don’t see it that way.”

“They’re right. I think it helps soften your severe features. You look aristocratic, but in a good way.”

Stern laughed. “Thanks?”

Cammie covered her face with a hand. “I…” She trailed off, sighing.

“I know what you felt. It’s a little flattering. Honestly, Cammie. Try one on when you go and ask them. They’ll be honest with you. We try to hold to only honesty with each other. Even when it might hurt, it helps make sure that we don’t start down the wrong path.”

Nodding slowly, Cammie considered what he said and thought back to the outfits in Garton’s. Most of them, she’d rather die than be seen in, but there had been a white silk and lace outfit that had been rather cute. She imagined wearing it with Trish in the red silk and Cyra in the black velvet, then giggled.

Stern smiled when he felt her happiness and heard the giggle. Maybe I didn’t make a complete mess of that conversation. Thank the Goddess. I shouldn’t have done that, but I want her to be one of us past this city, Stern thought. Shaking his head, he focused on getting to the inn and moving to their new place for the next few weeks.

~*~*~

It took them a couple of hours to shift from the inn to the manor inside the city. Stern left a large thank you to the innkeeper, and set up a small fund for them to give the helpful Walkers each a drink if they showed up.

By the time they finished with the move and got settled, it was well into the afternoon. Cyra said she would cook, asking Vulk to go invite Emma. Stern went with Vulk to give the women a chance to talk, as he could feel the need within Cammie.

Side-by-side, the mismatched pair strolled down the street. They got a lot of looks— partly because of the sheer difference between the two of them, and partly because of Stern being irregular.

“Would you have done that if Pawly hadn’t been there to help?” Vulk asked suddenly.

“Yes,” Stern said. “I meant it when I said I was responsible for you as a member of my crew, Vulk. I’m sure Trish would have found a way to get me free.”

“It would have broken Cyra and Trish if he’d killed you,” Vulk said with some heat to his voice.

“He wasn’t going to kill me quickly,” Stern snorted. “No, he wanted to pay me back. If given the chance, he would have taken weeks to torture me. I’m sure he would have used salve and other alchemical means to keep me alive for it.”

“You can’t know that,” Vulk growled.

“I can,” Stern said sadly. “Just as I know you’re upset, but also worried, that I would give myself over so easily. Victor Bloodcoin was filled with anger... anger so bright and hot he wouldn’t slake it with a quick kill.”

Vulk fell silent for a few minutes before he sighed. “Thanks.”

“Part of the crew,” Stern said, then glanced at Vulk. “And a friend?” The last three words were a question.

Vulk nodded. “Haven’t had a friend in years, but because of you, I was able to approach Emma. That alone would make you a cherished friend to the end of my life, even if she spurns me.”

“She’s not going to spurn you,” Stern said. “She loves you, Vulk. Deeply, madly, truly loves you, just as you do her.”

Vulk’s face heated, which was clear to see without his beard. “Loves a beardless dwarf…”

“Loves the man, not his face… because with a face like that…” Stern said, then jumped aside when Vulk threw an elbow at him.

“Look here, bony, don’t go knocking what I look like,” Vulk said, a touch of humor and happiness coming from him.

“I might be bony, but two women love me just as much as Emma does you, so they must like…” Stern’s mouth snapped shut, cutting off his words.

Vulk laughed. “Yeah, I’m not touching that line.”

“Sorry. My family is always doing that, and it started to get away from me.”

“If… If I don’t go on… would you take Cammie with you?”

“Cammie is always welcome with us, as are you, Vulk. Are you already set to stay here?”

“Emma might ask, and if I have to choose… it’s going to be Emma.”

“I thought it might be,” Stern said softly. “What about your mother?”

Vulk’s gut twisted and his emotions tangled. “I…”

“What if she showed up here in the next week? Then what?” Stern asked when Vulk paused for a few seconds. “If you didn’t have to run, then what?”

“I’d stay,” Vulk said without hesitation, then licked his lips, “if Emma wants me to.”

“She’ll want you to,” Stern said. “She doesn’t want to stop you from your goal, either.”

Vulk stopped walking, closing his eyes as he let that information sink deep into him. The joy in his heart soared. “Thank you, my friend.”

“At least this curse can do some good,” Stern told Vulk. “Now, come on. Cyra’s cooking, and we don’t want to run late.”

“I noticed you gave me the only bedroom in the west wing,” Vulk said.

“Thought you might like the privacy,” Stern chuckled. “The attached bath has a lot to say for it. If the east wing didn’t have a similar room, though… well…”

“I hear you,” Vulk laughed as he started walking again. “Tomorrow off?”

“Tomorrow off. Back to training the day after?”

“Yes. If Emma says she won’t stop me, then I need to train.”

“We’ll be here for at least two more weeks, so enjoy the time you have.”

“I will… uhm, does Cammie know?”

“She said she’d call Emma ‘sister.’”

Vulk exhaled a deep breath. “Thank you, Goddess.”

“I always wondered,” Stern said idly, “what I’d do if she responded when I said that.”

“Freak out?” Vulk suggested.

“Very possibly,” Stern conceded.

Chapter Thirty-nine

Waking to the sound of voices, Stern rubbed at his eyes. “Good morning?”

“Good morning,” Cyra said brightly.

“It was a good night, too,” Trish snickered, causing the other two to blush.

“It was,” Cyra said, her face heating more at the admission.

“It was,” Stern agreed. “I recall a certain redhead helping us in that regard.”

“Guilty,” Trish smiled.

“Surprised you’re both up already,” Stern said, shifting to his side to watch them dress.

“He forgot,” Trish smirked.

“Maybe we broke him?” Cyra asked. Her face was still red, but she was clearly trying to join in.

He frowned for a second until he remembered. “Oh, right.”

“Yes. Since we’re taking the day off, we’re taking Cammie shopping,” Trish said, seeing recognition sink in, “including the stop at Garton’s.”

Stern coughed— he remembered all too well Cammie telling the other two at dinner that detail. Vulk had started to get upset, but when he saw Stern’s panic, he’d calmed down. “Yeah. Emma is going with you, too?”

“She is,” Trish nodded. “A full girls’ day out.” Her lips twisted into an evil smirk. “Did you want to go with us? To see us try on outfits?”

He blushed again as the image of Cyra and Trish in the outfits he’d picked for them filled his mind. The burning intensified when Cammie joined them in his mind’s eye. He thought it was funny that Emma didn’t, but the other three were enough to cause him a bit of distress. “Uh…”

“You’re so bad,” Cyra gently chided Trish. “She’s not serious.”

Stern exhaled, his face still radiating heat. “Thank the Goddess.”

“Did you think about us in the outfits?” Trish asked with a wicked smile. “Did you think about the other two, as well?”

Stern froze, his eyes darting from her to Cyra, then back. “Yes to the first.” He looked away before adding, “Cammie.” The single word was a whisper.

Cyra blinked. There was a faint hint of pain coming from her, and Stern lowered his head further. That hurt faded quickly, replaced with curiosity. “Just Cammie?”

Stern nodded, trying to understand why neither of them were angry with him. He glanced up to see his two lovers exchanging a silent look. “I’m sorry,” he said softly. “I couldn’t lie, though. When Trish asked, the image just popped in.”

“You did say she could get an outfit or two,” Trish said, moving over to sit on the edge of the bed. “You did that for the cover, right?”

Again, Stern felt a bit ashamed, but he answered honestly, “Mostly.”

“Mostly?” Cyra asked, joining Trish on the bed beside him.

“You’ve been wanting to make her feel wanted. That was part of it. I also caught her emotions and looks at a couple of the outfits. I would like her to stay on the crew with us, too. So... I thought giving her the chance was okay.”

“Do you find her attractive?” Trish asked bluntly, but with no anger.

“Yes,” Stern admitted. “I try not to look at her that way, though. She’s a friend and a crewmate.”

Cyra took his hand in hers. “Thank you for being honest with us, Stern. It hurts a little, but the fact that you’re committed to our relationship and the pledge we made to be honest to each other... that makes the hurt vanish.”

“Not many women could handle that level of honesty,” Trish said. “Luckily, we’re just as committed as you are.”

Stern swallowed hard as the love from his lovers redoubled. He accepted the soft kiss from each and felt better for doing what he said he would do. “Thank you.”

“Now you have a good portion of today to do things with Vulk,” Trish said, getting off the bed to finish dressing. “I doubt you’ll do anything improper with him.”

Stern blanched a little. “Not interested.”

Cyra giggled. “We didn’t think you would.”

“But we might with Cammie,” Trish said, glancing back at Stern.

Stern flushed again. “You’re just trying to get a rise out of me.”

“And I succeeded, it looks like,” Trish murmured, her eyes not on his face.

“You’re terrible,” Cyra snickered.

“And we wouldn’t trade her for the world,” Stern said as he got out of bed. “She’s not wrong. She had a rise out of me when I thought about you in outfits from Garton’s.”

Cyra flushed and touched one of her ears. “You really picked an outfit out for me?”

“And for Trish,” Stern said. “When I saw them, I thought of each of you and how it would suit you. You don’t have to accept it, but I hope you do.”

“As if we’d refuse a gift from you,” Trish scoffed. “We might not wear them often, but we’ll wear them at least once. To see your brain melt, if nothing else.”

“We will,” Cyra said. She wasn’t looking at him as she stroked one of her ears. “I want to be as beautiful as you think I am.”

“Impossible,” Trish said. “You can never be as beautiful as I think you are, just as I’ll never be as beautiful as you think I am. But we can try to be as beautiful as we can for each other and our dear Stern.”

Cyra nodded, letting go of her ear to turn and hug Trish. Burying her face into Trish’s chest, she spoke, muffled, “Okay.”

Stern walked up behind Cyra and hugged her, making a Cyra sandwich with Trish. “I’ll never feel as good-looking as you two see me, but I try to be even a small part of that for you both.”

Cyra smiled, her voice still muffled. “I like this. Safe with you both.”

“Even if he’s poking you?” Trish asked.

“Yes, that doesn’t make me twinge at all anymore… well, not like it used to.”

“I feel that,” Stern chuckled.

“She feels it,” Trish corrected.

That got all of them laughing. After a minute, they broke the hug and finished dressing for the day.

~*~*~

The smell of food filled the kitchen and dining room. Stern was hard at work, finishing up the meal and wondering if he should be ready to keep the food warm, instead.

“That smells delicious,” Trish said as she came into the room.

“Thanks,” Stern said. “Vulk, grab the wine and glasses. I’ll have this done in a few minutes.”

“You’re done with it?”

“Yup. Glad I was already getting the last sear on the steaks. Who wants onions with their steaks?”

Everyone said they did, so Stern just nodded and focused on cooking.

“How was your day?” Vulk asked Emma as he seated her at the table before getting the wine.

“Good,” Emma beamed. “Your sister shared a few stories with us.”

Vulk froze, the bottle a scant inch off the counter. “Oh?”

“You called it,” Trish laughed. “He’s worried.”

Coughing, Vulk snagged the glasses and carried them and the bottle to the table. “I’m sure Cammie didn’t say anything bad.”

“I told them about how you always pouted if you weren’t allowed to go shopping with me and Mom,” Cammie said.

Vulk exhaled, giving Cammie a disapproving frown. “Of course you did.”

“I thought it was sweet,” Emma said, touching Vulk’s hand when he set an empty glass in front of her. “I won’t ask you to stay with me, not when it’s her you’re trying to get powerful enough to save.”

Vulk swallowed hard as he stared into Emma’s eyes. “I would if you asked. Cammie would pull her out... they’d help her. If you want me here with you, I’ll stop and stay by your side.”

The room was quiet as everyone watched the couple.

Emma exhaled. “No. You might regret that later, so I can’t ask you to do that. I never want you looking back, questioning if I was the right choice.”

Vulk inhaled slowly. “You will never be the wrong choice to me, Emma. If you want me to continue for my mother, then I will keep running... but once she’s revived, I will stop and come back here to you, if you’ll have me.”

Emma pulled him to her, hugging him. “Vulk, I didn’t cry over you to lose you. You’re what I want. So yes, once your mother is safe, please, come back to me? I’ll be waiting.”

Bending forward, Vulk kissed Emma softly, getting soft awws from the other three women at the table. Vulk ignored them as he kissed Emma with all the love he felt.

“Well, Vulk will be joining us for training over the next two weeks,” Stern said as he pulled the steaks off the stove. “We have rooms saved for us to train in, including specialized courses for each of us. Though I’m the problematic one there, they’ll take me through a tamer course to help me and Zasha understand each other better in combat.”

Pawly meowed from her seat.

“And you, too,” Stern laughed.

The others laughed with him as Pawly chuffed.

“Okay, steak and potatoes for dinner,” Stern said as he brought the plates over to the table two at a time. “I have onions for the steaks, since you all wanted some. They were cooked in the pan after the first cook on the meat, using the wine to deglaze the pan and season the onions. It let me sear the steaks with the pan so they would have hints of wine and onions to it. I hope you enjoy it.”

Pawly watched Stern serving everyone else first and huffed.

Laughing, Stern gave her a small plate of steak after he’d served Trish and just before he grabbed his own. “So dramatic.”

They fell silent for a few minutes as everyone started eating.

Cyra complimented him at the end of the meal. “The onions had a good contrast to the steak. It adds a nice flavor. The gravy has a hint of wine, too. I like it. It gives me an idea for trying something next time I make a similar dish.”

“I can’t wait to try it,” Trish said. “Stern, it’s good, but we both know she’s going to top you.”

“And I’m fine with that,” Stern replied.

“We know,” Trish deadpanned, taking another bite.

Both Cyra and Stern flushed, and the others laughed.

“Sorry, sorry,” Trish giggled. “I’ll make it up to you later. We have outfits from Garton’s.”

Stern’s face heated further, and even Vulk pinked slightly.

“They both blushed, just as you thought,” Emma giggled. “I guess we have to, then.”

“Have to?” Vulk croaked.

“I’ll put on my new outfit tonight… for you,” Emma said, her own face heating slightly.

Now, Vulk’s face turned redder than Stern’s.

Stern chuckled.

“We’ll both be wearing ours, too,” Cyra said.

Stern flushed more, but didn’t best Vulk. That might have been because he felt the pang of loneliness from Cammie, who looked down at her plate.

“A bet is a bet,” Trish said. “All of us have to wear them tonight.”

Cyra’s face burned hotter than Vulk’s, and Cammie’s wasn’t far behind her. Emma’s was a deep pink as all of them mumbled acceptance.

“Huh?” Stern asked, trying to piece together the tangled emotions that were flooding the room.

“After dinner, we’ll be putting on our outfits and showing them off to both of you,” Trish said.

Vulk’s face burned hotter. “Emma?”

“We bet her you wouldn’t blush as much as Stern,” Emma sighed. “If you object, we don’t have to.”

“Can Emma and I skip that?” Vulk asked.

“Yes,” Trish said. “We don’t want to upset either of you.”

“Thanks,” Vulk said as he stood up and offered his hand to Emma. “Ready for bed?”

Emma took his hand, rising to her feet. “I still want to show you the outfit.”

“I’m looking forward to it, Em.”

The couple left the room, and Stern smiled after them. “I’m glad you agreed. Vulk’s head might have exploded, otherwise.”

“I’m sure it still will,” Trish snickered. “Just the other head.”

Stern rolled his eyes. “Okay. Dishes, then bed.”

“Yes,” Trish said. “Can I ask you to do them tonight?”

“Sure.”

“We’ll be waiting for you, so don’t take too long,” Trish said as Stern collected the dishes.

Chapter Forty

Stern had been slightly relieved that night when Cammie didn’t try to show an outfit to him. He wasn’t sure he was ready for that, though, if he was being honest with himself, he wanted to see her in one. Trish and Cyra both wore the outfits he’d picked for them, and he’d been right— they were breathtaking. Cyra thanked him for choosing a demure one for her, while Trish posed to accentuate her more salacious piece.

The next day, they started their training routine, which consisted of stretching, running, sparring, and then specialty courses. They met back up in the early evening for dinner, most often with Emma there to join them. Some nights Vulk begged off, as he was having dinner with Emma at her place. He was always back in time for training, though.

The last day of the two weeks was rapidly coming closer. Everyone felt the tension in the air, but only Stern, Trish, and Cyra knew what was coming. Cammie was happy her brother was still going to run with them, but sad that he wasn’t going to stay with Emma, who doted on him. Vulk was similarly torn— he deeply wanted to stay with Emma, but couldn’t turn his back on his old vow.

~*~*~

Stern hoped that things would go smoothly today, but only time would tell. The shifting of bodies against his had him smiling at his two lovers. Trish started to stir, and Stern kissed her head, which woke her.

“Good morning, my attentive lover,” Trish murmured happily.

“Easy to be attentive to you,” Stern replied, kissing her head again. “I want you to feel as loved as possible.”

“Hmm, yes,” Cyra murmured, waking up.

“That goes for you, too,” Stern added, kissing the tip of her long bunny ear by his face.

Cyra shifted to hold him tighter, her face pressed to his chest. “Thank you. I never knew I could be so happy until you both showed me how.”

“And you make us happy every day in return,” Trish smiled.

“Should we get up?” Cyra asked.

“Yeah,” Stern sighed, not really wanting to.

“Today is almost our last day,” Trish said. “Is it going to be today?”

“Unless something delayed them,” Stern said. “I left instructions at the Walkers’ guildhall.”

“I hope it’s the right thing to do,” Cyra murmured, her worry spiking.

“It will be,” Trish said softly, reaching over to stroke Cyra’s ear.

“I’m a little worried, too, honestly,” Stern admitted.

“Vulk will be free to choose his own path,” Trish said. “That’s for the best.”

“It’ll be sad, but good,” Cyra sniffled. “Will Cammie leave us, too?”

“That’s the big question,” Stern exhaled. “I think Vulk will stop. Cammie, though…”

“We’ll find out tonight. No giving anything away to them,” Trish said.

“It’s been tough, as it is,” Stern said.

“I felt bad,” Cyra said. “I wanted to tell Cammie. It felt like lying to her.”

“It’s not lying. It’s setting up a surprise,” Trish said. “Come on, we need to get started with today if we want tonight to come.”

“That’s not true,” Stern chuckled. “Tonight will be here, regardless, but your point is made. We do need to continue with our plans.”

~*~*~

Once sparring was done, it was time for their specialty training. Stern had felt the jumbled emotions from both Cammie and Vulk all day. Both were clearly fighting with the idea of continuing to be Walkers. When everyone went their own ways, Stern didn’t go to train— he canceled his extra training and left the dojo.

It didn’t take him long to get home and clean up. Once he was in his best suit, he immediately set out again. His first stop was a high-end restaurant to make reservations. The receptionist had been shocked when she saw him, but was quick to conduct business when he flashed some money. With that done, Stern set out again to arrange transportation for his friends and lovers to the establishment. Once he had secured a carriage, he breathed a little easier.

The Deep Mug was calming down after the lunch rush. Emma was surprised to see him when he entered the tavern. “Stern? Is something wrong?”

“Calm yourself,” Stern said. “Everything’s fine. I’m arranging a surprise for tonight. Can you wear your best dress and meet at our current residence at the normal time?”

“Oh? Uh, yes…” Emma said slowly.

“Thank you,” Stern said. “We haven’t caused your family too many problems, we hope.”

“My cousin has been taking my missed shifts,” Emma said. “He’s been happy to have the work…”

“But that will end soon,” Stern said, finishing her sentence.

“Yes.” That single word held all of her sadness that Vulk would be leaving.

“I understand,” Stern said. “See you tonight.”

“Yes. I need to go talk with Father.”

Stern gave her a smile before he left.

The Walkers’ hall was starting to get busy as the afternoon wore on. Stern got a lot of attention as he entered the building, but when he saw a familiar face, he chuckled and waved to the man.

“Stern,” Frank called out to him. “Come on over.”

Approaching the table, Stern was happy to see Frank’s whole group, plus an extra. “Frank, thank you. Thank your entire crew.”

“We got a request from higher up,” Frank chuckled. “Calling in favors, hmm?”

“Ma’am,” Stern said, addressing the woman who looked out of place at the table. “I’m… Stern. Your daughter and son are part of my crew.”

Eyes going wide, the dwarven woman stared at him. “So it’s been that long? I’d been hoping they were wrong.”

“It’s been that long, ma’am,” Stern said apologetically. “I had plans to surprise them at dinner tonight. Would you be okay with that?”

She wiped at the tears that had started to leak from her eyes. “You made it possible for me to be reborn. If this is the price, I’ll gladly pay it. These folks have refused my meager offer of payment.”

“As I said, we had a quest and were already compensated. Handsomely, at that,” Frank said. “Stern’s family doesn’t skimp. I wonder if you’ll be seeing them soon?”

“Probably.”

“Good, because I’d rather not have another round of questions about how you’re doing,” Frank said.

“I’ve already sent them a letter, so they shouldn’t grill you.”

“Goddess willing.”

“Dinner?” Cammie’s mother asked. “Where?”

“Sorry, ma’am, and excuse me, I’ve never been told your name.”

“Urika,” she said. She still wiped at her tears, but she was getting control of herself.

“A local place that has the best food in the city,” Stern told her. “We do need to see you in a dress for that. If you’re willing, I’ll be your escort to see you attired, and then we’ll head right over to the dinner.”

Standing up quickly, Urika bowed her head to Frank’s crew. “My thanks again. You might have been paid, but you will still have my gratitude.”

“Bringing others out is a joy,” Frank said. “Go see your family. Treasure each other, because all the gold in the world is dross compared to their love.”

Stern felt the undercurrent of emotion from Frank and nodded. “Very true.”

Stern held out his arm, and Urika took it as they walked toward the door. She gave him an appraising look as Stern flagged down a carriage. “You know my son and daughter…”

“Vulk and Cammie. Yes, ma’am.”

“How are they?”

“Well, it gets complicated,” Stern said softly. “Physically, they’re both fine.”

“But?” Urika pressed.

A carriage pulled up, saving Stern from answering right away. Helping Urika in, he told the driver the destinations, paid the woman, and then climbed in.

“Well, Urika, Cammie has held up fairly well, I believe. She’s a good trap finder, a friend, and a valued crewmate.”

“And my boy?”

“Vulk is where things are a bit rough,” Stern said. “He’s had anger issues and a drinking problem. Your not coming out was a big part of that. It’s because the two of you argued just before your last run.”

Urika let out a shuddering breath. “Sweet child...” she sniffled. “He’s a good boy, he really is. It was just his time to act out.”

“I’m not saying anything against you, ma’am, but he drank to forget his anger at himself. We got him to ease off that recently, though.”

“Bless you,” Urika smiled, though her eyes were still bright with tears.

“More to the point,” Stern said, “Vulk’s found a lovely young woman here in the city that he’s fond of.”

Urika blinked slowly. “He has?”

“And the young woman in question is smitten with him.”

A soft smile came to Urika’s lips. “Oh… do they love each other?”

“They do. Vulk has been debating stopping being a Walker because of his love for Emma. Emma didn’t want him to regret not continuing on to save you.”

Urika’s mouth opened and closed for a few moments. “You… for them?”

“Crew is family,” Stern said gently. “Vulk and I didn’t start off great, but we found common ground. Cammie is a dear friend. I could help make things simpler for them, and my family is all about saving souls. It was easy to do what comes naturally to me.”

“They have no idea?”

“That you’re here? No, ma’am. That I love to save souls? Yes. They’ve helped bring others out.”

Swallowing hard, Urika wiped at her tears again. “Goddess… you truly are a blessing to my family.”

“As they are to me.”

Silence fell as the carriage rolled down the street. After a minute, Urika asked a question she was curious about, “My daughter… is she… special to you?”

“As a friend, yes, ma’am. I have two lovers already that are also part of the crew.”

“So you really did this because of friendship and not to win her heart?”

“That’s true.”

Urika wiped her face and gave him a smile. “Goddess bless you, Stern.”

“She has, ma’am. I am loved and have dear friends. That’s all the blessing I need.”

Chapter Forty-one

“Where’s Stern?” Vulk asked once training had ended.

“He wanted to make sure everything was prepared for dinner,” Trish replied.

“He’s cooking?” Cammie asked.

“No,” Cyra smiled. “He thought tonight should be special. He’s reserved a room at a restaurant for us.”

“Special?” Vulk asked.

“We know that you have a lot on you,” Trish cut in. “And we’ll be leaving in the next day or two, so yes.”

Cammie smiled softly as she considered what her friends were doing for her brother. “It sounds good.”

“He said he was going to invite Emma,” Cyra said.

“Oh,” Vulk smiled. “Let’s not keep them waiting, then.”

The women all held silent laughter as Vulk started away at a brisk walk. As they trailed him, Cyra and Trish thought about the surprise to come at dinner, and Cammie wondered if she shouldn’t try again to speak with her brother about staying in the city.

They got back to the manor as a carriage came to a stop outside of it. Vulk was instantly cautious, but the door opened to reveal Emma in a spectacular dress of black and silver. Vulk’s face softened and his eyes lit up upon spotting her.

“Emma, you look lovely,” Vulk said, moving to help her down.

“I’ll wait here for you, miss,” the driver said.

“Thank you. We won’t dally, but we do need to get prepared,” Trish said. “There’s a courtyard around the back. You can wait there in the shade, sir.”

“Much obliged, miss. Thank you.”

“I’m early,” Emma said apologetically. “I got a little impatient.”

“That’s fine,” Vulk said. “Come inside, please.”

Vulk led Emma ahead of the others.

~*~*~

Bathed and dressed, the group came back together in the front parlor. Vulk had put on a dark blue suit with a light blue shirt. He felt awkward without his beard, which had just started to get past the irritation-stubble stage. Cammie was wearing a dress similar to Emma’s, which made sense, as they’d gotten them at the same time a couple of weeks prior. They both had a long black dress that went to their ankles and sleeves that stopped at the elbows. Silver trim decorated all the hems in a scroll knotwork pattern. Trish’s red dress was tight and short. Stopping just before her knees, it hugged her figure, showing off her fit physique and a few scars. Cyra had on a blue dress that went past her knees, but showed off her shapely calves. The straps holding it up tied behind her neck, allowing her arms to be seen.

“Funny. None of our dresses have a daring neckline,” Trish grinned.

“It would have had to have been you,” Cyra said.

“I don’t know,” Trish commented. “Cammie could do it, as could Emma.”

Emma shook her head. “I wouldn’t.”

Cammie shrugged. “I don’t think I would wear it well.”

“Shall we?” Vulk asked, uncomfortable with the conversation.

“Carriage is out back,” Trish reminded him.

Vulk stopped heading for the front door and went the other way. “Right.”

~*~*~

When Vulk stepped out of the carriage, he stared at the building for a moment before turning to help the women out. Both Emma and Cammie had the same reaction, shocked at where they were.

“Is this right?” Cammie asked Trish.

“Thank you, sir,” Trish said to the driver, not answering Cammie. “They have a place to wait, if you don’t mind.”

“Not at all, miss. Enjoy your meal.”

“Yes, Cammie,” Trish replied to the dwarf. “This is the place.”

Trish led them into the reception area where a distinguished gentleman with gray temples awaited them behind a podium. “The Stern party, sir,” Trish said.

“Ah, yes. Please, this way.”

Trish walked behind the man while Emma and Vulk trailed her, both looking at the décor in wonder. The building was done in rich light wood and mithril fixtures that screamed wealth.

Cyra walked in the back with Cammie, watching the other young woman try to cope with where they were. “I was like that, too,” Cyra said softly. “Stern took us to Goddess’ Delight in Darkstone to celebrate before we left that city. It was like this.”

Cammie glanced at Cyra to see the same wonder, but not as much shock. “He’s that wealthy?”

“His family has power and money,” Cyra said. “He doesn’t talk about them much because he wants to be his own man. He still uses what he has from them to help us. If you’re his friend, he will move mountains to help you.”

Cammie looked back at the décor. “He’s singular, isn’t he?”

“He honestly is,” Cyra smiled, then took Cammie’s hand.

Cammie blinked, a smile coming to her as she squeezed Cyra’s hand back. “Thanks, Cyra. You’ve been a great friend.”

“And you are for us,” Cyra replied without hesitation. “I hope you enjoy tonight.”

“I don’t see how I couldn’t possibly enjoy it.”

The room they were brought to held a white wood table that seemed to catch the light and glow faintly back with it. Seven settings were arranged on the table, but the only other person in the room was the regal-looking elven woman in the chef’s jacket.

“Please let me,” the chef said. “I was informed of the seating arrangement. Sir, this is your seat, and the lady with you sits to your right. The other young lady who looks like your sister sits here, with you two beside her.”

Everyone took their seats, leaving just the head of the table and a seat beside Emma. Vulk wondered who the extra person was going to be, as he knew Stern would take the head seat. He also didn’t understand why Stern had put his lovers farther down the table than himself or Cammie.

The chef stepped back and smiled. “It’ll be just a moment. Dinner will be delayed another half an hour, as there was a surprise for this evening. I’ll be back when it is time to serve you.” Bowing, she exited the room through the other door.

When it was only the five of them left, Vulk looked at Trish. “Where is he, and who did he invite that’s late, too?”

Trish gave Vulk a knowing smile. “I believe he’ll be here in a second. He probably wanted the maximum impact.”

Cammie frowned, wondering at Trish’s words, but there was a knock on the door before Stern opened it. “Sorry for the delay. I brought a gift for my friends.” Stepping aside, Stern turned and motioned to the room. “Ma’am, they’re waiting.”

Vulk had to turn to see the door, but when he saw who was there, he froze. Tears came to him unbidden as he stared at his mother. Cammie was just as frozen— she forgot to breathe as she stared, wondering if this was all a dream.

Urika began to cry again as she rushed forward to grab her son. “Oh, my precious little boy!”

Vulk had barely managed to stand up when she hit him, hugging him tightly. “Momma?” Vulk asked as his tears wet her hair.

Cammie pushed herself up. “Is it… is it really…?”

Urika opened one of her arms. “Come here, my sweet, innocent Mie.”

Cammie ran around the table, hugging Urika and her brother as the trio cried.

They weren’t alone, though, as everyone else in the room was crying, too. Cyra and Trish were smiling and crying, holding hands on the table as they watched the reunion. Emma had gotten to her feet, choking back her own tears as she fidgeted, feeling awkward. Stern was leaning against the wall, silently sobbing. He’d thought he’d been prepared for the emotions, but it was far more intense than he was ready for.

It took some time, but Urika finally separated herself from her children and stepped back. “Let me look at you...” Her lips trembled as she stared at her children. “I missed so much… so very much.”

“How?” Vulk croaked, tears still streaming down his face.

Urika turned to look at Stern, who was crying on his knees. “It was… goodness…”

Cyra and Trish hurried over to Stern, their concern and love helping him once they were beside him.

“He’ll be fine,” Trish said as she knelt beside Stern, her dress getting dangerously shorter when she did. “Just give him another minute.”

“Stern?” Cammie whispered. “You?”

Stern took a shuddering breath. “When… we got… Vulk back. Family helped.”

“A powerful crew recovered me,” Urika said softly. “His family paid them. For me.”

Vulk swallowed hard as he stared at Stern. “Why?”

Stern was helped to his feet by his lovers as he finally got control again. “Because family is precious, and every Walker should choose when their path ends.”

Vulk inhaled sharply as he took a step back. His eyes darted toward Emma, then at his mother.

Urika turned to Emma. “Are you the one who my son loves?”

Emma brushed at her cheeks. “Ma’am… I…”

“She is,” Cammie said. “Emma, this is our mother, Urika. Emma was just as worried for Vulk as we were.”

“Worried for him?” Urika asked.

Cammie froze, looking back at Stern. “Uh…”

“We can discuss it after dinner?” Stern suggested.

Vulk went to Emma’s side and brought her to stand before Urika. “Momma, this is the woman I love.”

Urika took Emma’s hands in hers. “If you love my son as he loves you, then I would welcome you, Emma.”

Emma started to cry again, her smile brilliant. “Thank you…!”

The door opened on the far side of the room and the chef entered, but paused. “Do you need more time, sir?”

Stern shook his head. “No. We’ll seat ourselves. Urika, this seat is for you.” Stern pulled out the chair at the head of the table. “So you can sit beside both of your children.”

Urika kissed Emma’s cheek. “We’ll talk. Let us celebrate the love you have for my son.”

“And you being here,” Cyra said.

“Yes, and that,” Urika smiled softly. “As well as the friends who let me see my babies again.”

Chapter Forty-two

Waking slowly, Stern’s memory of the night before came back to him slowly. Dinner had been a huge success. Trish and Cyra had experienced a multi-course dinner once before, but the others never had. Their awe and delight kept Stern grinning all throughout dinner.

By the time it ended, Vulk and Cammie had explained what they’d done when Urika had fractured in the dungeon. Emma leaned over to whisper “thank you” to Stern at least a dozen times, as well.

When it was finally time to leave, Stern sent the family and Emma off back home. He’d used having to pay for the meal as his excuse to get them out ahead of him and his lovers. Trish and Cyra kissed him, praising him for being who he was. They stayed for another half-hour sipping at the last of the wine, giving the family time to be alone.

Finally home, they heard the family chatting in one of the parlors and snuck past to their room. Both Trish and Cyra made sure Stern was pampered and cared for all night, and he’d returned the favor to them before they all passed out.

Blinking slowly, he heard the soft breathing from either side of him, causing him to smile. Cyra, with her head on his chest and her ears just short of his mouth, was holding him across the chest. Trish was using his left arm as a pillow and had a leg draped over his thigh, her breath just missing his neck.

Cyra stirred, kissed his chest, then looked up. “Good morning.”

“Good morning, fluffy bunny,” Stern murmured, then kissed the tip of an ear.

“I love you, Stern,” Cyra whispered. “The more I’m with you, the deeper that love grows.”

“I know. I can feel it, and I feel the same for you, Cyra. And for Trish,” Stern said, having felt her shift.

“Glad you included me there,” Trish whispered before kissing his neck, causing him to shiver. “And I love you and Cyra just as much.”

Cyra pressed into Stern, offering a kiss to Trish, who was happy to accept.

Stern coughed after a few seconds. “Ladies…”

“Yeah, I can feel it tapping my leg,” Trish snickered. “Knock, knock… who’s there? Wood. Wood who? Hardwood for you.”

Cyra giggled. “That’s terrible, Trish.”

“Agreed,” Stern sighed.

“Who’s knocking?” Trish smirked. “Did you want to come inside?”

Stern and Cyra both flushed at her comment, causing her to giggle.

“Okay, let’s get u….” Stern coughed. “Out of bed. We can see about breakfast before they wake up.”

“That sounds good,” Cyra said, kissing him briefly before getting up.

“Aww, but I was hoping for a bit of fun first,” Trish sighed.

“I’ll go, but don’t take too long,” Cyra said.

“Oh, fluffy bunny, I’ll pay you back later,” Trish purred as her hand went down to find Stern’s hard problem. “And you, our dear lover, I’m going to take control. That’s okay, right?”

“Umm, yes,” Stern said huskily, as her hand had already found her target.

“Good.”

~*~*~

Making it to the kitchen, Stern and Trish found Cyra and Cammie, cooking side-by-side.

“Good morning, Cammie,” Stern greeted her.

“Good morning, Stern. Thank you again. I never thought you meant you’d get her reborn for us when you asked before.”

“I wasn’t positive it could be done, but I wanted to try.”

“You know that things will change now?”

“I think Vulk will stop, which will make him and Emma happier,” Stern said slowly. “I’m not sure what you’ll do, though.”

“You want me to stay with you all?” Cammie asked, not turning to face him.

“We all do, like we’ve told you for at least the last two weeks,” Trish said. “You’re skilled, intelligent, and a damned good friend. However, we also understand if you want to stop.”

Cyra touched Cammie’s shoulder. “She’s right, though I’d be sad if you did stop.”

Pawly yowled softly from beside Cammie.

“She’s agreeing with Cyra. Something about her bed…” Stern said with a straight face.

Cammie giggled. “Oh, well, we can’t disappoint her majesty, can we?”

Pawly chuffed and bumped her leg.

“But even Pawly will understand if you want to stop,” Stern said softly. “We’ll all have to make that choice in time.”

Cammie swallowed as her emotions churned and spun. “What about you, Stern?”

“I agree with Trish and Cyra. If I was the one to decide, I’d keep you beside us forever.”

Cammie’s emotions spiked hard. Stern swayed in place, and Trish grabbed him.

“Easy... I got you,” Trish whispered.

Cammie looked back at them and her emotions spiked again, but differently.

Cyra saw Cammie’s face at that moment and pursed her lips.

A second later, Cammie had smothered her emotions enough that Stern could shake free. “Sorry.”

“It’s fine. Just my curse doing what it does,” Stern sighed. “I couldn’t untangle what just happened. Did I upset you?”

“No,” Cammie said, having gone back to the food. “Since you all want me to stay, I can. For a bit, at least.”

“Thank you, Goddess,” Stern said, “for sending me these amazing people who call me a friend and show me that life can be good, even when cursed.”

“You mean being irregular?” Urika asked from behind them, causing everyone to startle.

“No. My curse is emotional, empathic,” Stern said. “Good morning. Was the room good enough?”

Urika eyed him, then laughed. “Better than any room I’ve ever slept in.”

“Sorry,” Stern said apologetically.

“Son, you have no—” Urika began.

Cammie dropped the spatula, making it clang off the pan before she snagged it. “Sorry!”

“Be careful, please, Daughter,” Urika said. “As I was saying, Stern, you have no reason to apologize. I should be thanking you forever... for helping my children, for bringing me out and getting me here to see my son and his soon-to-be-wife get married.”

“Married?!” Cyra gasped, spinning to face Urika with wide eyes. “He asked?”

“Awkwardly, but yes,” Urika smiled fondly.

“I wasn’t as prepared as I wanted to be,” Vulk said as he led Emma into the kitchen area, “but it was the right time.”

“I, of course, said yes,” Emma smiled broadly. “Can we convince you to stay for another week or two so you can be here for the wedding?”

“Yes,” Stern said simply. “We’ll stay.”

“Good,” Trish snorted. “I’d have had to hurt you, otherwise.”

“Oh, we have to plan it all out!” Cyra said excitedly.

“Breakfast will be ready in a moment. Let’s eat and discuss,” Cammie said.

“Urika, can I seat you?” Stern asked, moving to the table.

“A gentleman and a savior? My goodness, your girlfriends are blessed,” Urika smiled as she sat in the chair he’d pulled out for her.

Stern blushed lightly as he turned to seat Trish.

“We are, indeed,” Trish replied.

“I’m the blessed one,” Stern said. “I’m me, and yet they both love me and are willing to share that love.”

“Love takes many forms,” Urika said. “Sometimes even falsely, but I don’t think you’ll ever have that problem.”

“No, not with Cyra and Trish beside me,” Stern smiled. He stayed standing, waiting to seat Cyra and Cammie when they finished plating the food.

~*~*~

Stern was surprised at how quickly the women started planning for the wedding, and how efficient they were at it. Vulk and him were politely— yet firmly— told to stay out of the way. With that being stated, Stern took Vulk with him to run some errands.

Vulk’s steps slowed when they entered Garton’s, his eyes darting from outfit to outfit, his face heating. Stern, wearing his best suit, went directly to Garton.

“Garton, a pleasure,” Stern said before the merchant could greet him. “I need that property for another two weeks. Can you arrange for that?”

“Of course, sir,” Garton beamed, thinking of the money he was about to make.

“Vulk, any of these work for Emma?” Stern asked with a slight smirk, turning back to see the dwarf barely a dozen paces into the building.

Face going bright red, Vulk coughed. “Uhm…”

“Well, she’s going to be your bride soon. If you want to grab one to surprise her with, I can arrange it.”

“Would this be one of the four ladies my wife assisted a few weeks ago?” Garton asked.

“Yes,” Stern said. “The half-dwarfess.”

“Ahh. Sir, if I may?” Garton asked, sweeping to Vulk. “This way. I have an ensemble that is demure, yet gets increasingly provocative depending on how much she takes off.”

Vulk trailed Garton on reflex, and Stern watched them go with a smile. Good luck, my friend. My parents say marriage is a blessing, and you’ll find out before me, Stern thought.

~*~*~

It took them an hour with having to wait for Garton to go talk to the owner of the manor. Once he was back with the assurance that things were fine for their stay, Stern paid him for the manor and Vulk’s surprise for Emma.

“Stern, I’m sorry,” Vulk said as they walked.

“For?” Stern asked.

“Stopping.”

“No,” Stern said simply. “This is your point. We all have them. Some just find theirs sooner.”

“You’ll keep her safe, right?”

“As safe as I can. As safe as any other member of my crew, Vulk.”

“The only other members of your crew are your lovers,” Vulk countered.

Stern slowed for a moment. “I guess that’s true, with you stopping. Don’t worry. Just because she isn’t my lover doesn’t mean I will protect or care for her less.”

Vulk gave Stern the side-eye for a moment. “Hmm... Okay. Not planning on pulling her into your circle?”

“No. Trish and Cyra are special. I didn’t pull them in so much as they showered me with their love.”

Vulk snorted. “Trish is that kind.”

“Is she ever,” Stern laughed.

“But Cyra?”

“She isn’t, but her unwavering affection was something I couldn’t ignore.”

“Okay. That makes it easier to stop.”

“You were afraid I was going to try coercing her?” Stern asked, shocked.

“No. I just wondered if you would try to bring her into your circle. I’ve known you long enough to know that you wouldn’t force a woman to do anything.”

“Thank the Goddess. I don’t want to be one of those guys.”

“Where are we going?” Vulk finally asked, as they’d been walking farther away from the manor instead of toward it.

“A tailor,” Stern said. “You’re getting married. We need a suitable suit for you, and I want to see about getting a newer one for me.”

“Stern, you don’t have to—”

“I want to,” Stern cut him off firmly, but gently.

“Okay,” Vulk sighed. “Feel like I’m taking advantage of you, though.”

“Not at all. You can’t take advantage when it’s forced upon you.”

Vulk snorted. “And here we just said you weren’t that kind of guy.”

Stern opened his mouth, then closed it before shrugging. “Well, apparently I am for you.”

Laughing, Vulk slapped him on the back. “I’m not that kind of guy.”

“Good thing for the women we love, huh?”

Chapter Forty-three

Time flew by as they planned the wedding and sent out invitations. Some crews delayed moving on just to be able to attend. Emma’s parents closed down the tavern for a few days so they could help get everything in order, causing news of the wedding to spread throughout most of the city.

The night before the wedding, Stern took Vulk back to the inn. They had a small celebration with some fellow Walkers, then retired to the rooms upstairs for the night. The women had their own party, and would meet them at the venue for the wedding.

~*~*~

Dressed in their new suits, Stern and Vulk led the way for dozens of Walkers. The city park had been decorated for the event, and some of the city guards were on hand to keep an eye on things.

Streamers of multiple colors were strung from branch to branch, tying the trees into a long string of interconnected beauty. Tables and chairs had been set up, with Sarah Kalma and a few others directing guests to their appropriate tables.

Stern walked with Vulk to the podium, then stood on Vulk’s right after greeting those who called out to him. Vulk was growing increasingly nervous, his fear and worry climbing. Patting Vulk on the shoulder, Stern gave him a knowing smile.

“Thanks,” Vulk exhaled. “I don’t know why I’m starting to worry. She would have told me before now if she was going to back out.”

“She would have,” Stern agreed, “but she’s likely just as nervous. Your relationship has been a bit of a whirlwind.”

“Yeah, and you were there to help with all of it. I never would have tried approaching her on my own.”

“Shieldbearers are there for that reason, as well as giving you a chance to run, if needed.”

“I ran to, not away,” Vulk said, relaxing.

“And with good reason,” Stern grinned.

They lapsed into silence as the tables filled.

One of the acolytes of the Goddess joined them at the podium. “Blessed day to you,” she greeted them.

“Thank you, Sister,” they replied in echo.

“Not many think to ask for us to preside over weddings.”

“My father did for his three wives,” Stern said. “When I suggested it to Vulk, he was eager to have the Goddess smile down on him and his wife.”

“I am,” Vulk agreed.

“Maybe a trend will begin because of this,” the priestess smiled. “It would be nice to have more positive events to attend.”

“I can see that, Sister,” Stern bowed his head. “Maybe she’ll have heard and will bless that idea.”

A commotion came from the back of the group just before a few musicians began to play. Vulk stiffened, inhaling roughly as he turned to face the carriage. Stern clapped his shoulder again before standing fully upright to wait for the ceremony to start.

The carriage door opened, and Emma’s father was there to help everyone out— Trish, Cyra, Cammie, and lastly, but far from least, Emma. Taking his daughter’s arm, the bartender walked with her toward the podium. The other three trailed them, all in matching, light-blue dresses. Emma was wearing a cream-colored gown.

“Are you the one asking for my daughter’s hand?” Ruddy asked Vulk.

“Yes, sir.”

“Take good care of her. She means the world to me,” Ruddy said as he offered Emma’s arm to Vulk.

“She does to me, too, sir,” Vulk replied softly as he took Emma’s arm.

With the exchange done, the other women lined up beside Emma, opposite Stern. They were wearing bright smiles as all six of them turned to face the priestess.

“Ladies, gentlemen, and children,” the priestess said, her voice projecting to everyone, “we are gathered here today to see two people brought together in sight of the Goddess. Emma Pinage and Vulk Urs have faced trials of pain, separation, and love. They have asked the temple to preside over this union so that the Goddess might bless them with love and children. Let us all bow our heads for a moment in silent prayer for their wish to be granted.”

Everyone bowed their heads for a few seconds before the priestess spoke again.

“Emma Pinage, do you wish to bind your life to Vulk Urs? To have and hold, to treasure and love, through sickness and health, for as long as you draw breath?”

“I do.”

“Vulk Urs, do you wish to bind your life to Emma Pinage? To have and hold, to treasure and love, through sickness and health, for as long as you draw breath?”

“I do.”

“Do you both wish to ask the Goddess for her blessing upon this union?”

“We do,” they said together.

“Goddess, if you are watching, will you bless this union?”

Stillness settled over the crowd as a pressure seemed to grow over everyone. The feeling of a mother holding them, of unquestioning love that would support them, and of deep friendship that could survive the end of the world seeped into them all.

“The Goddess has seen and approved of your union,” the priestess whispered as the feeling faded. “You may now face the world as a married couple.”

The new couple turned to the crowd, beaming, as everyone began to cheer for them. After a few minutes, they walked to the only remaining table and took their seats. To even things out, Trish sat beside Stern on Vulk’s side while Cammie and Cyra sat on Emma’s.

As soon as everyone was seated, a host of servers came forward with trays, delivering food, glasses, and pitchers of different beverages to the tables. It didn’t take them long to distribute everything for the celebratory feast to begin.

~*~*~

Hours passed as people enjoyed themselves. The evening sun was getting low in the horizon by the time most of the crowd was done eating. That was Ruddy’s signal to stand up and tap his glass with a fork, getting everyone’s attention.

“I want to thank you all for coming to this joyous event,” Ruddy began. “Today, my little girl becomes the head of her family.” He shot Vulk a hard stare, getting laughter from the crowd. “And as such, we have a few minor speeches before the rest of the festivities. I’ll make this short and sweet— Emma, my dear girl, you’ve always made us proud. While we were shocked by your sudden whirlwind of romance, we knew you’d never choose wrong.” Emma was sniffling and touching her eyes to make sure she didn’t cry. “Vulk, we welcome you with open arms. We are glad you’re going to settle down and start a family with her. We would have supported you continuing to be a Walker, but we’re glad you wish to raise a family, instead.” He raised his glass. “To the happy couple, blessed by the Goddess. May their first child be soon, healthy, and take after their mother.”

Laughter and raised glasses answered his toast.

Urika stood as the laughter died down, and all eyes went to her. “On behalf of the Urs family, thank you for coming. I shouldn’t be here. I am newly reborn. My son’s friend arranged for my shards to be retrieved and for me to be reborn… this way, Vulk could make his choice to stop running to save me. This wedding and Vulk’s settling down are thanks to him. Please, take a moment with me to raise a glass to Stern.” She turned to stare at Stern, raising her glass. “I will forever be in your debt, regardless of your protests to the contrary.”

Vulk raised his glass high. “Here, here.”

Once the toast was drunk, Urika continued, “Emma, you are a treasure. Thank you for loving my boy. He might be a bit awkward, but his heart is good, as you’ve seen. I look forward, like your mother does, to all the grandchildren we hope you have. To you, your family, and the union of love you and my son have forged.”

Everyone drank to the toast, happy at the speeches being relatively short so far.

Cammie stood up, looking a bit unsure. When the crowd quieted, she spoke up, “I wasn’t expecting to be the maid of honor for this wedding. I tried to get Emma to pick another, but she insisted that I fill this role, as she wanted to make sure I know how much she values me as a sister.” Licking her lips, she turned to her brother. “If you upset Emma, I will thrash you so hard, you’ll ask Mother to stop me.”

The crowd laughed, and Vulk just shook his head.

“Emma, thank you for loving my brother. He’s trouble, in that he always gives everything he has. For you, this is a boon. His love will be that much stronger for you and your children. The Goddess has blessed you, and so do I.” With that, she leaned over and kissed the top of Emma’s head. “To the couple, may you have many children that I can spoil and then give back to you.”

Loud laughter came from the crowd with her last line as everyone drank to her toast.

Stern exhaled slowly as he stood up. He towered over everyone else at the table, and the crowd hushed again. He gave them an awkward smile and rubbed the back of his head briefly. “Public speaking isn’t my primary skill set, as you can all guess.”

A few weak chuckles came from the crowd.

“Yeah, that’s about how I feel, too,” Stern joked. “I’m Vulk’s best man. Vulk and I didn’t start off our relationship in the best way for, again, obvious reasons. Once I got past his tough exterior, I found a man with enough loyalty and kindness to make anyone glad to have him as a friend. Urika said that her being here and this wedding happening is because of me... that’s only slightly true. I facilitated some things, but it happened because of Vulk.”

Vulk gave Stern a puzzled look.

“Your love of your mother is deep, deep enough to throw yourself into danger every day if needed to save her. Your singular goal as a Walker was to bring her back out. It’s admirable, but it would have stopped another goal you found.” Stern grinned. “Vulk met Emma when I went drinking with him for the first time.”

Vulk covered his face, knowing what was coming.

“Vulk, for all his courageousness and fearlessness in combat, is surprisingly shy and hesitant around beautiful women. So, when he met Emma, who is gorgeous, he wanted to speak with her, but couldn’t. Luckily, he brought me drinking with him and, in the time-honored tradition, I, as his shieldbearer, entered the fray for him.”

Emma was giggling as she watched Vulk squirm while Stern talked. She took his hand in hers and leaned over to kiss his cheek.

“Vulk nearly panicked when I did, but thankfully, Emma was intrigued by him, so my task was simple: start them talking, then step back. They found things to bond over, and those bonds grew as we stayed in the city. The true depth of their love was shown to them during an... incident.” Stern’s smile slipped for a moment, and he looked at the Walkers who knew the truth.

Some people in the crowd looked around, trying to spot who Stern was looking at.

“That solidified their love, and I knew then that the only thing stopping them was Vulk’s goal to have his mother reborn. I cleared the hurdle for them so that their love could blossom into something we’ll all remember well into our elder years. To the happy couple— no matter what comes, your love will always be true.”

Everyone cheered and drank to his toast.

Emma stood up, still holding Vulk’s hand. “Thank you all for coming to celebrate with us. I’ll make this quick. Vulk, you are the Goddess’ gift to me. You will never be without love. All I ask is the same in return, and for us to shower our children with the attention and love they deserve.”

Vulk kissed her hand, then drank as everyone else did.

Once everyone was done, Vulk stood, keeping Emma’s hand in his. He looked down at her as she had seated herself again. “My dearest Emma, I was besotted with you the moment I saw you, but told myself it would never work. If not for our friend,” he glanced at Stern, “this day might never have come. Thank you for casting your eyes on me and giving me a chance. You’ve held my heart from the very first night, but now, it’s yours entirely. I will never make you doubt our love, and our children will never want for love. I’ll be forever yours.”

The crowd cheered as Vulk raised his drink to Emma alone, accepting that as his toast.

“Now,” Ruddy said, standing up, “we have three traditional dances to get through. The bride and groom, followed by parents and couple, then finally, the most awkward of the three: the best man and maid of honor. Once those are done, we will set up the collection bowls for the money dances.”

Everyone shifted as music started to play. Vulk escorted Emma to the dance floor for their dance. Vulk wasn’t as graceful as Emma, but they did fine. Ruddy danced with his daughter, while Urika danced with Vulk after the first dance ended.

When the third dance came, Stern did his best to breathe slowly as the emotions from the crowd hammered at him. When he extended his arms for Cammie, the feeling of trepidation, worry, and hope helped mute the rest of the crowd.

“Cammie, may I?” Stern asked formally.

“Uhm... yes,” Cammie said as she put a hand on his hip and took his hand in her other.

Stern rested a hand on her shoulder, as she was much shorter than he was. He spoke in a whisper, “Just move with me and I’ll make this easy. It’s a simple box— left, back, right, forward, then a quarter turn and repeat.”

Cammie blinked at him, but when the music started, she shifted with him. Her smile grew as she felt the fluidity of the dance. It was simple, but Stern made it look elegant to her.

Stern tried to ignore the rising emotion from Cammie as he led the dance. She must just be excited because of the wedding, he told himself.

When the dance came to an end, Cammie didn’t leave his arms for a moment. “Thank you, Stern... for everything. I’ll be with you for as long as you’ll all have me there.”

“As long as you wish to be,” Stern replied as he started to guide her off the floor. “Come on, you should dance with your brother. He could use lessons.”

Cammie laughed as she kept his hand in hers, but let him walk her away. “Emma doesn’t need them, but she’d probably like to dance with you, too.”

“Let’s not disappoint them, then.”

Chapter Forty-four

Stern woke slowly, his head lightly throbbing. He tried to rub at his face, but both of his arms were trapped. Blinking slowly, he found his lovers on either side of him. Cyra was higher up than normal, her ears over the top of his head. Trish was in her usual place, snoring as she snuggled closer.

The party had continued well into the evening. Everyone had gotten to dance with the bride or groom at least once, and Stern had danced with both Cyra and Trish multiple times. He also recalled dancing with Urika and Emma’s mother, Mary. As the party wound to a close, Emma had asked him for a second dance. She thanked him again for helping Vulk talk to her, saving him, and arranging for Urika to be reborn. It’d made Stern feel awkward, but that was broken a minute later when Cammie demanded another dance.

The memory of that dance made Stern’s face burn. Cammie hadn’t stayed at arm’s length— she’d pressed against him, putting her precariously close to parts of him that he was unsure she should be close to. The reason why became obvious fairly quickly— Cammie had had more to drink than she should have.

When that dance had ended, Stern excused himself to the new couple and, with Trish and Cyra’s help, they got Cammie back to the manor. The carriage ride home had been another thing Stern was sure Cammie would regret in the morning. She leaned into Trish, telling the redhead how beautiful she was. Trish fended Cammie off easily, speaking softly with her to keep her awake.

Trish and Cyra had taken Cammie to her room while Stern went to their suite. He was nearly asleep when the pair came into the room. They quickly stripped down and climbed in with him and, after a few mumbled goodnights, they were all unconscious.

“Should have had more water...” Stern murmured.

“Hmm?” Cyra muttered as she woke.

“I have the slightest edge of a hangover,” Stern said.

“I can heal that,” Cyra told him.

“One will need to be used on Cammie... possibly two,” Stern said.

“Right,” Cyra whispered. “She was very drunk last night.”

“And her emotions were all over the place,” Stern said.

“That would have been the alcohol,” Trish said as she peeled her eyes open. “Good morning.”

“Agreed,” Stern said. “Surprised by the lust she felt when she was clinging to you.”

“I’m not,” Cyra said. “Trish is sexy.”

“I agree, but Cammie never hinted she liked women,” Stern countered.

“She has, just not to you,” Trish said. “I’ll say she never said she found Cyra and I attractive, though… but now that I think about it, she might have hinted at it and I just failed to see it.”

“I never saw the hints,” Cyra said.

“They were subtle, but I did catch her eyes roving more than normal when we were trying on Garton’s clothing.”

Stern just blinked as his brain tried to keep up with the conversation. “Huh...”

“What?” Cyra asked.

“I think I understand the spike of emotion as you were leading her away, now.”

“Oh?” Trish asked.

“Hope, lust, excitement, worry,” Stern told her. “The only one I don’t understand is regret.”

“I know why that one,” Cyra said softly, kissing Stern’s chest.

“You do?” Stern asked.

“She danced very close with you, just before we headed home,” Cyra said.

“Oh, yeah, she regretted doing that,” Stern said.

“No,” Cyra said. “Over the last few weeks, I’ve seen other small hints. I think she likes you, too.”

“Huh?”

“Oh… yeah,” Trish said, pausing as things started becoming more clear to her. “I see it now.”

“Huh?”

“Can you think back to how she felt when we first met her?” Cyra asked him.

Brow furrowing, Stern tried to do that as his head continued to lightly throb. “Not easily. My headache…” He trailed off when Cyra healed him. He thought about it again now that his head didn’t hurt. “She was curious more than anything.”

“And over the last few days?” Trish prompted.

It took him a minute, but he inhaled slowly. “Oh... You think it’s because of her mom?”

“Saving her brother, helping Vulk meet Emma, Urika being reborn,” Cyra said, making a small list. “You’ve been doing more and more for her family.”

“But I already have you two,” Stern said.

“And that’s all you might ever have,” Trish said gently. “We should leave it alone for now. She’s probably going to be embarrassed over what she did last night.”

“Leave tomorrow?” Stern asked.

“As planned. Can you get the travel foods in order for us? Cyra and I will stay here with Cammie today and make sure she’s okay.”

“Okay. I’ll also pick up a quest or two.”

“Good.”

“We should get up and get breakfast ready,” Cyra said. “Trish, can you start? I’ll go heal Cammie’s hangover.”

“Yeah,” Trish said, kissing Stern’s chest before getting out of bed.

“Thanks,” Cyra said. She also kissed Stern’s chest and got out on the other side.

Stern exhaled slowly. Life is complicated, isn’t it, Dad? With that thought, he pushed himself out of bed and got dressed with his two lovers. That would make me even more like my parents... Three women and one man? Goddess, he’d have a field day. Shaking his head, he focused on dressing and not that outlandish idea.

~*~*~

Stern wondered about Cammie as he walked toward the Walkers’ hall. Cammie hadn’t come to breakfast, asking to sleep in. Stern felt that she was just too mortified to see them all, so he hadn’t stopped to check on her.

Urika had joined them for breakfast and thanked them again. After another round of promises to do their best to keep Cammie alive, Urika went to see her daughter once breakfast was over.

The hall was mostly empty, as it was early morning. A bronze-badged Walker gave Stern a nod in passing. Stern returned the greeting, feeling good about how he’d been so accepted in the city— especially by the Walkers— over the last month.

It’s going to suck going back to the fear and hate, but I’ll have Trish and Cyra with me, so I’ll handle it. When he made it to the quest board, he checked the tin and nickel-ranked quests.

Mistwood is the next city directly north of here, Stern thought. Hmm, mistweavers…? I don’t care for spiders, but it’s a good quest. We’ll take it, but we’re going to need more anti-toxins. And another for dark willow shoots? It’s normally an easy quest, so I’ll snag that, too. With his quests chosen, Stern was almost out of the hall when Sarah Kalma walked into the building.

“Stern, it’s good to see you,” Sarah smiled. “Getting quests?”

“Yeah. Heading north tomorrow.”

“You probably snagged the good ones, then.”

“Mistweavers and dark willow shoots.”

“Pass on the bugs,” Sarah shuddered. “I’ll hang around and pick up the dark willow shoots when it respawns. We’ll take the east side of the road.”

“We’ll stay more west, then,” Stern grinned.

“Glad we worked it out ahead of time,” Sarah replied. “Safe runs.”

“Safe runs,” Stern returned.

~*~*~

It took Stern most of the afternoon to finish gathering the supplies and getting them delivered to the manor so he wouldn’t have to try carrying them. He rode back with the general store wagon, wondering what Cyra was going to make for dinner.

Trish saw him ride up. With the two of them, they had the general goods offloaded in short order. Chatting as they carried things inside, Trish told him that the alchemist had dropped off those supplies already.

The pair were just finishing up stocking the bags for the next day when Cyra came to find them. “Dinner shortly.”

“How was your day?” Stern asked. He’d been discussing supplies with Trish and had spaced on asking about their day.

“Good. Urika left the manor with Vulk this afternoon. Emma’s home has a spare room that she’ll be using until she can find her feet here,” Cyra said.

“That’s reassuring,” Stern exhaled. “I figured Vulk would take care of her.”

“Cammie… is making dinner,” Cyra said, moving over to sit beside him. “We talked, Cammie, Trish, and I. She was very apologetic and asked if she should leave.”

Stern felt a small pang of sadness in his chest, his brow contracting slightly. “Really?”

“We told her ‘no,’ of course,” Trish said.

“That’s good.”

“She didn’t want to approach the topic again, so we left her alone for now,” Cyra said. “I think she’s harboring feelings, though.”

“Agreed,” Trish nodded. “She asked to make dinner, saying she hasn’t made one for us before while we’ve all cooked at least once. I’m thinking she’s going to slowly try to show that she’s one of us.”

Stern exhaled slowly. “Oh, okay. What do we do about it?”

“That depends on how things go, and if you’re willing,” Cyra whispered as she leaned into his side. “Trish and I aren’t necessarily opposed to the idea. She’s cute, funny, and has a good sense of humor.”

“I’d tumble her,” Trish said, “but I’m not sure that’s all I want. Like Cyra said, she has many good qualities. We’ve all seen each other naked when trying on different clothes, or very near naked. I do find her attractive.”

“She is,” Cyra said and stroked one of her ears, which had flopped down over one of her eyes.

“What do you think of her?” Trish asked Stern.

He took a few moments to try gathering his thoughts. “She’s attractive,” he admitted. “Different than either of you. I have found her to be steadfast, loyal, and a good companion. If you’re both interested, I wouldn’t be opposed, but she’d have to follow the same guidelines we already have. But… we shouldn’t make the first move. She’ll need to tell us that she wants that.”

Cyra nodded, brushing her ear aside. “Okay. I don’t think that’ll be soon, but I think she will.”

“She will, but yeah, not soon. She’s going to be pushing hard to show her good qualities,” Trish said. “She wants to be seen as worthy and our equal.”

“Okay,” Stern exhaled slowly. “This is going to be awkward.”

Both of his lovers took his hands, then kissed his cheeks.

“Yeah, but we have each other,” Cyra said.

“Many pillars make the relationship stable,” Trish smiled.

“Oh, dinner,” Cyra said, quickly getting up. “I said I’d get you.”

“Let’s not keep her waiting,” Stern said.

~*~*~

Cammie felt nervous, anxious, and yet hopeful as she brought dinner to the table. “I hope you enjoy it.”

Stern looked at the dish, smiling. His father had called them “Swedish Meatballs,” but no one else outside his family did besides Gerald and Marysue. The world knew them as “svergovids.” “I love this,” Stern said. “I’m sure it’ll be fantastic.”

Cammie’s cheeks dusted pink and her embarrassment spiked for a moment. “Please, don’t get your hopes up. I haven’t cooked them in years.”

“I’m sure it’ll be fine,” Cyra said. “If you want, we can compare recipes later. Maybe we can make a version known only to us.”

Cammie smiled. “If they’re not terrible, maybe.”

Trish didn’t say anything— she just took a bite. Chewing slowly, she met Cammie’s worried gaze. “What were you worried about?” Trish asked after she swallowed. “They taste good.”

Stern nodded. He took a bite, but didn’t add more, as he was still chewing.

The relief Cammie felt was obvious to everyone and flooded Stern’s empathic channels for a moment. She began to eat, as well, happy that her cooking hadn’t been a disaster. Pawly chuffed as she snagged one of the meatballs in front of her and ate it.

Dinner was mostly silent. They agreed that it was good, and Cyra asked a question or two about certain aspects of the preparation. Once they’d finished eating, Stern wanted to tell them what he’d done during the day.

The recap didn’t take long, but he finished with a summary, “We have the anti-toxins and salves to easily make it to Mistwood. Mistweavers and dark willow shoots for the quests. And, as I said, I did stock up on some sparktwigs to help us get fires going faster.”

“A good investment if we have to deal with a dark willow shrub again,” Trish nodded.

Cammie was quiet for a moment, her emotions tangling.

Stern touched her hand. “You okay?”

Swallowing hard, Cammie met his eyes briefly before looking away, her cheeks heating. “Yes. This is just leaving behind all my past goals... and now, Vulk, too. I’m a little lost.”

“Not lost,” Trish said, shifting over to touch her arm. “You’re with us, so you’ll never be lost, not as long as we draw breath.”

Cammie’s emotions blazed brightly before tangling up again. “Thanks.”

Cyra gave her a soft smile. “Cammie, we’re here for you. Friends and crewmates at the very least, but I think of you as family. We’re ecstatic that you want to keep running with us.”

The other two agreed, and Cammie’s emotions calmed slightly.

“Thank you. I’ll always do my best,” she whispered.

“As will we. Now I have dishes to do,” Stern said, getting up. “Tomorrow morning, we set out for Mistwood and our first dungeon at the nickel tier.”

“We’ll check for a caster. Not a Michael, hopefully,” Trish said. “Maybe another, as well. We’ll test out some others and see if they will mesh with us.”

“Yes, we need at least one more,” Cyra nodded.

“A caster who is useful would be good,” Cammie agreed.

Stern smiled as he collected the dishes. “Sounds like a plan.”

Character Information

Alistern “Stern” Masterson

Half-Infernal/Half-Human

Badge: Tin-3

Perks:

Infernal Heritage- Night Vision; darkness doesn’t constrain me. See in the dark.

Fire Resistance; not hot stuff. Fire doesn’t burn you as easily as others.

Empathic Soul; awash in a sea of feelings. Other’s emotions will always be felt by you.

Summoner; never alone in life. Summon an animal friend.

Improved Companion 1; best friends give back. Your summons will improve slightly. Improvement based on the summon.

Improved Companion 2; best friends keep giving back. Your summons will gain something new. Improvement based on the summon.

Improved Companion 3; best friends never stop giving. An additional improvement to your companion. Improvement based on the summon.

Improved Companion 4; best friends are forever generous. Another improvement to your companion. Improvement based on summon.

Elemental Summons; it’s who they are. Choose an element and your summons will embody that element; gaining resistances, acquiring weaknesses, and dealing damage in line with that element. Once an element is chosen, it is permanent.

Second Companion Slot; why just have a single friend? You may now summon a second companion. You may only have one companion active at a time.

Cyra Walot

Rabbit Lykian

Badge: Tin-3

Perks:

Lykian Heritage- Rabbit; did you hear that? Increased hearing.

Elven Heritage- increased vision; I see you. The sharp eyes of an elf.

Powerful Kick; kicking ass and taking names. A chance to stun anything kicked.

Life Sense; life surrounds us all. Able to sense the living in a twenty-foot radius.

Minor Life; bandages? We don’t need no stinking bandages. Refresh an ally with life, close minor wounds, and negate the least of poisons. Usable once per day.

Extra Minor Life; you’re a walking healing kit. Minor Life is now usable three times a day.

Self-help; Don’t I count? Able to target yourself with any perk or spell that you use.

Improved Life Sense 1; help others know when life surrounds you. Those in your crew will know where you have felt life.

Improved Life Sense 2; silent life makes for easier hunting. Your Life Sense will no longer be felt by those it touches.

Trish Moxxy

Human

Badge: Tin-3

Perks:

Crafter; good with your hands. You have an innate skill for crafting.

Leatherworking; the dead can be repurposed. You have an innate skill for leatherworking.

Poison Resistance; it’s like water to you. You ignore minor poisons and are resistant to stronger ones.

Protector; saving others is in your blood. Trade places with someone next to you if they would be injured. Useable once per day.

Improved Protector; now, it’s a way of life. Protector is usable three times per day.

Thick Skin; good for ignoring the barbs of life. Your physical skin will become thicker, letting you brush off the least of troubles.

Dark Vision; Low-light? No problem. As long as there is some light, you can see as if a full moon is hanging in the sky.

Iron Skin; that tickled. You become more resistant to injury.

Weighted Blow; smash them hard. Your bludgeoning weapons hit harder.

Armorer; weapons are good, but armor is better. Making armor is easier for you. This stacks with Crafter and Leatherworker.

Cammie Urs

Dwarf

Badge: Tin-3

Perks:

Dwarven Heritage- Night Vision; darkness doesn’t constrain me. See in the dark.

Dwarven Heritage- Poison Resistance; it’s like water to you. You ignore minor poisons and are resistant to stronger ones.

Mechanical Destruction; I want to see how it works. Increased ability to disassemble anything with multiple parts.

Locksmith; locked just means time. Locks are easier for you to crack.

Safe Cracker; I can hear the tumblers. With the right tools, you can make difficult locks trivial.

Trap Smith; buying time or saving lives. Making traps is easier for you, if given the right items.

Thick Skin; good for ignoring the barbs of life. Your physical skin will become thicker, letting you brush off the least of troubles.

Rigging; no parts? No problem. Able to rig up traps with suboptimal materials.

Treasure Finder; treasure calls to me. Once a day, you will be directed to any hidden treasure within a hundred feet.

Trapped Bag; I hate carrying bombs. Turn a pouch into a holder of traps. The bag you designate will hold four readied traps. A new bag can be chosen each day, but the traps left inside the old bag vanish.

Author’s Note

Please consider leaving a review for the book, feedback is imperative for an indie author. If you don’t want to review it then think about leaving a comment or even just a quick message. Remember, positive feedback is always welcome.

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If you LOVE LitRPG, then check out these pages full of awesome LITRPG goodness. You can interact with authors like me and many more. Find banter, good times and a lot of like minded people.

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A big thank you to my editors, Samantha Bishop and Sarinia Phelps. Also props to Geno Ferrarini and Sean Hickinbotham for being my Alpha Readers. I’d be remiss if I didn’t include my beta readers, in no particular order: Ian McAdams ~*~ Dame ~*~ Jay Taylor ~*~ Zee ~*~ Scott Brown ~*~ Kevin Kollman ~*~ Justin Johanson ~*~ Kenneth Darlin ~*~ Rob Bunting  ~*~ Aoife Grimm ~*~ Peter LaFemina ~*~ Tanner Lovelace ~*~ Tim? ~*~ Carl Gheradi ~*~ ~*~ Dimitri Shadow ~*~ Matt Case ~*~ Richard G Stahl ~*~ Cheyene Adams ~*~ A Madsen ~*~ J. Stone ~*~ D Smith.

The cover for Dungeon Walkers 2 is brought to you by Anthony Bishop, a very talented artist. You can find him at https://grimmhelm.artstation.com/

A big thanks to my Patreon supporters who have gone above and beyond in their support:

Robert Yarber ~*~ Michael Moneymaker ~*~ Michael Erwin ~*~ J.G. Patton ~*~ Gabe Olah ~*~ EvilZetti ~*~ Thomas Smith ~*~ Otis Coley ~*~ Brandon Haag ~*~ Robert McCoard ~*~ M. Ahles ~*~ Michael Mooney ~*~ Jeff Gaebler ~*~ James Domec ~*~ Patrick Glass ~*~ Zachary Johnson ~*~ Exempt Pie ~*~ Craig Mather ~*~ Sawyer Williams ~*~ Matt Sensenig ~*~ Brian Biggers ~*~ Shakekiller ~*~ Matthew Myers ~*~ Dwayne Bullock ~*~ Cheyene Adams ~*~ Jeremy Patrick ~*~ Shadowsteppez ~*~ Khamla Khongloth ~*~ No0neSpecial ~*~ Tanner Lovelace ~*~ Dwinald Lint III ~*~ Matt Thompson ~*~ Allen Deck ~*~ Tyller James ~*~ Christopher Cales ~*~ IntheRaccon ~*~ Jeff Ford ~*~ Daniel Glasson ~*~ Stefan Holze ~*~ David Hoerner ~*~ Lgikito ~*~ Stephen Caperton ~*~ James Parker ~*~ MadManLoose ~*~ B liz  ~*~ Randall Randall ~*~ Kurt Bodenstedt ~*~ Kenneth Freeman ~*~ Samuel DeBoard ~*~ SpartanGER ~*~ Myles Beyl ~*~ MrNyxt ~*~ Kyle Pettay ~*~ Stephen Juba ~*~ Xiao ~*~ Forrest Hansen ~*~ Matthew Parikka ~*~ General Raith ~*~ Robert Howden ~*~ Ron Abitz ~*~ John Cothrin ~*~ Philippe Bruneau ~*~ Robert Shofner ~*~ James Breaux ~*~ Tara C Mulkey ~*~ James Murphy ~*~ Alexander Rodriguez ~*~ MattMick222 ~*~ Scott Hank ~*~ Matthew Paulin ~*~ Mike Brown ~*~ Chanh Pham ~*~ Matthew Kelly ~*~ Charles Demarest ~*~ David Taylor-Fuller ~*~ Korbin Wilson ~*~ Gregory Lamberta ~*~ Jon Bryant ~*~ Jose Ibarra ~*~ Gian M ~*~ Sith ~*~ Tyler Scheibe ~*~ Dedalus Inventor ~*~ Brian O. ~*~ Top Cat 269 ~*~ Christopher Gross ~*~ BobsNemesis ~*~ Christopher B. ~*~ Gslice100 ~*~ Aristo ~*~ Dante ~*~ Council Of Nine ~*~ Alarinnise ~*~ Kurt Borek ~*~ Deme A. ~*~ Ryan Williamson ~*~ Calidia ~*~ Dances with Kobolds ~*~ Orry Mooney ~*~ Mark Kewer ~*~ Crichton Va’Moya ~*~ Charles Henggeler ~*~ Daniel Shimek ~*~ Robert Jacobs ~*~ Mike Durie ~*~ Logan Cochrane ~*~ Zifferix ~*~ Riley Dunn ~*~ PantherTheory ~*~ Byron Gobert ~*~ Michael Shearer ~*~ Brett Hudson ~*~ Eric Hontz ~*~ Seth Martinez ~*~ Michael S Pellman ~*~ David Florish ~*~ Jeffrey Buchanan ~*~ subversion ~*~ Cody Creager ~*~ Zachary Nahrstadt ~*~ Hill44 ~*~ Joel Wilkinson ~*~ Edward P Warmouth ~*~ Andrew Dyes ~*~ David Simmons ~*~ Red Phoenix ~*~ Travis Btmb ~*~ Gregory Johnson ~*~ Chad Arrington ~*~ Daniel Lynch ~*~ Richard Papst ~*~ Zachariah Miller ~*~ Miguel E Ramirez ~*~ Adam W ~*~ Jerrod ~*~ Tetsu-nii ~*~ Jeff Kollada ~*~ Matthew Caro ~*~ JakeTylerPsn ~*~ Kevin McKinney ~*~ Christopher Edstrom ~*~ Scott Baxter ~*~ Clinton Wertzbaugher ~*~ Arthur Cuelho ~*~ Adam ~*~ Justin “Johnist” Johanson ~*~ Ryan Luttinger ~*~ Sean Fitzpatrick ~*~ Spenser Jefferson ~*~ Vaeld ~*~ Kori Prins ~*~ Kyle Gravelle ~*~ Brian Sutton ~*~ Pheonixblue ~*~ Chief 37 ~*~ Robert Knight ~*~ Benjamin j Russell ~*~ Matthew ~*~ Winston Smith ~*~ Aryan Eimermacher ~*~ Michael Jackson ~*~ Tom Richards ~*~ Jose Caudillo ~*~ Rey T Nufable ~*~ Eli Page ~*~ William Merrick ~*~ Southern Celt ~*~ Abraham Madsen ~*~ Chris Cannon ~*~ Masta Matna ~*~ Kevin Harris ~*~ Don Jinkins ~*~ J. Patrick Walker ~*~ T3iain ~*~ Darkserra ~*~ Joshua McCane ~*~ Barry Dirickson ~*~ Robert Owen ~*~ Matthew Malkin ~*~ EthanK ~*~ Chace Corso ~*~ Aaron Blue ~*~ Robse ~*~ Jeremy Cox ~*~ Jacob Lawlor ~*~ Malcolm White ~*~ Derek Raines ~*~ Allderin ~*~ Brad Schultz ~*~ Rafnar Caldon ~*~ Travis Hilliard ~*~ Caleb Bear ~*~ Matthias Meilahn ~*~ Pamela J Smith ~*~ David Morrissey ~*~ Damien Osborne ~*~ Lui Adecer ~*~ Chioke Nelson ~*~ Terry Wood-Davies ~*~ Thomas Lindsay ~*~ Malcolm Wade ~*~ Kenneth Darlin ~*~ Andre Durkalec ~*~ Morgan C Williams ~*~ William Simmons ~*~ Ryan A Larkey ~*~ Dreamon ~*~ Brandon Lai ~*~ Thomas Corbin ~*~ Eliseo Rios ~*~ Josh Holmes ~*~ Andrew Nevius ~*~ David Peers ~*~ Shawn Meade ~*~ Bpgt64 ~*~ Brendon Quinn ~*~ Michael Browningkoelper ~*~ Erin Jordan ~*~ Influenza ~*~ Tanner Sealock ~*~ Kevin Kollman ~*~ Jason Broderick ~*~ Derek Morgan ~*~ Brian McDonald ~*~ Timithy Klesick ~*~ Jascha Weiss ~*~ Taefox ~*~ LarrytheEmu ~*~Mankey.

Other Books written by Daniel Schinhofen:

Binding Words:

Morrigan's Bidding

Life Bonds

Hearthglen

Forged Bonds

Flame of War

Lost Bonds

Noble Solutions

Aether’s Revival:

Aether's Blessing

Aether's Guard

Magi's Path

Aether's Apprentices

Luck’s Voice:

Suited for Luck

Cashing In

Breaking the Bank

Dungeon Walkers:

Dungeon Walkers 1

Apocalypse Gates Author’s Cut:

Rapture

Valley of Death

Gearing Up

Elven Accord

Downtime and Death

Can of Worms

Unexpected Dev-elopments

Alpha World: (Completed.)

Gamer for Life

Forming the Company

Alpha Company

Playing for Keeps

Fractured Spirit

The Path to Peace

Darkhand

Gamer For Love

Last Horizon: (Completed.)

Last Horizon Omnibus

NPC’s Lives: (Hiatus)

Tales from the Dead Man Inn

Resurrection Quest: (Hiatus)

Greenways Goblins

I would like to point you all toward some fellow authors whose works I enjoy:

William Arand: Author of the complex interconnected series in the genre which all starts with Otherlife Dreams.

https://www.amazon.com/William-D.-Arand/e/B01AY7PSG4

Blaise Corvin: Author of Delvers LLC, which is an amazing GameLit series.

https://www.amazon.com/Blaise-Corvin/e/B01LYK8VG5

Scottie Futch: Is a prolific author who can be found on Royal Road and Amazon. Scottie combines parody with zany humor that keeps me laughing.

https://www.amazon.com/Scottie-Futch/e/B00NCSEN28

Michael Scott-Earle: He’s back, but not on Amazon. You can find all of his books through his own website, and through his Kickstarters and Indiegogos.

https://www.michaelscottearle.com/

Eden Redd: She might be mentioned last but she is definitely not least, and she is very worth the read, more so if you like some adult content. Her Lewd Saga series combines erotica and LITRPG.

https://www.amazon.com/Eden-Redd/e/B00I8X8BCK

To find more LitRPG Books, please check out the Amazon store: https://www.amazon.com/litrpg

You can also find out more about LITRPG stories at: https://www.facebook.com/groups/LitRPGGroup/