Chương 27: A New Deal

I stood and brushed myself off.

"Pleasure," I said halfheartedly. What sort of weirdo had they dropped at my feet this time?

"So, stranger, got a name?"

"Rook," I replied.

"Just Rook, eh? What's your class?"

"Isn't that sort of private?" Sable looked at me curiously.

"Is it now? I wear mine on my chest, as do most, I would think. But go ahead, keep your secrets." She smiled coyly.

"What is it?" I asked.

"Oh, nothing… just that I may already know some things about you, Rook."

"If you know who I am, why did you ask?" Sable shrugged.

"It's rude not to give someone the opportunity to introduce themselves."

"And is it rude to pretend like you don't know who they are already when you ask?" Sable put a hand to her chin.

"Nope, don't think so." I sighed.

"If you want, you can take—" Sable jumped onto the cot and laid down.

"—the bed." I leaned against the wall and felt the cold of the stone permeate through my clothes. The cell smelled of damp straw and old iron.

"So then," Sable asked, "what are you in here for?"

"Why even ask?" I replied.

"Don't you already know?" Sable shook her head.

"Now that remains a mystery to me. Come on, don't hold out. I'm a purveyor of stories, and this sounds interesting." I slid down the wall into a sitting position. The floor was hard and cold beneath me, grit scraping against my palms.

"Not really interesting," I said.

"My companion stole something, and I took the heat for it."

"And what did your companion steal?"

"A potion."

"A potion that does what?"

"Supposedly it restores life to an animal or monster… don't ask me why it only works on them."

"And so your companion stole this potion for what purpose?"

"To give to a cow." Sable was quiet for a moment.

"... A cow?"

"Yep… just a cow."

"Is it a special cow?"

"She's special to me." Sable burst out laughing. The sound filled the little cell, bright and musical.

"And how much did this potion cost?"

"... Two gold coins. No, wait—three now." Sable laughed harder.

"You fed a potion worth three gold to a cow? A regular cow? Now that is quite the story. And then what happened? With the potion, I mean."

"Well, nothing… it didn't work."" Boo," Sable jeered.

"What a letdown. You need to work on that ending. It needs more pizzazz. Something to make people wonder and look up to the stars for answers. Something to make people dream beyond their own petty lives."

"Sorry it's not to your liking," I replied. If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. Sable blew a raspberry.

"Don't worry about it. I appreciate it all the same. Now then, let me pay you back by playing a song." As promised, Sable sat up, took her instrument, and began to strum. At first, I thought it would be something lighthearted and upbeat… but the more she played, the darker the tones became. The notes slid through the cell like cold water, low and mournful, touching the stone walls and coming back softer than before. When I looked at Sable now… she was no longer smiling.

No, in fact, she was grimacing at her own hands, which danced on the strings seemingly against her will. Her fingers moved too quickly for even her own eyes to follow, plucking out a melody that made the hair on my arms rise. Eventually, out of breath, she pulled herself away from the instrument as if it hurt her to do so.

"So, do you just play?" I asked.

"Or do you sing as well?" Sable turned and stared at the blank wall.

"I—" Just then, the door to the jail opened, and in came none other than the potion-maker, Marnie. She had a serious look in her eyes as she wasted no time coming to the metal bars. She gripped one in each hand.

"I'll ask you once again… are you the one who killed the dragon?" Sable, now interested again, turned to face me with an excited look on her face.

"Yes," I replied.

"But it wasn't just me. Vaelith, Darwin, and Pip all helped."

"And why did you do it? Why did you risk yourself?"

"It sort of just happened. I certainly had no intention of doing so."

"And so you were unprepared?" I nodded.

"I went to kill some stingtails for a bounty and… other reasons. Nothing more, nothing less." Marnie seemed to consider for a moment. The light from the narrow window caught on her half-glasses, hiding her eyes for a brief second.

"I think you and I can help each other out." That caught my interest.

"How so?"

"You owe me three gold, and if you do not pay, you'll face justice. Now, I don't know the penalties for thievery in Bramblewick, but in other places, a finger or even a hand is the price—especially to those who cannot pay it back. But that won't get me my potion back, nor my gold. Maybe you can pay me back in another way? You see… I've a problem that I need fighters to help solve."

"This story is gettin' good," Sable said. Marnie eyed her.

"And you are?"

"Nobody of consequence. Please continue."

"So," Marnie asked.

"What do you say? I clear your name, and you'll help me with my problem?"

"And what is your problem, if you don't mind my asking?"

"... Have you ever heard of a minotaur?"

Bram sighed as he opened the bars.

"First, you want him prosecuted as a thief, and now you up and forgive him. You know what, piss off, the lot of you."

"Apologies," Marnie said, not wishing to escalate.

"Right, well, I'll be off then," Sable said.

"Not you," Bram replied.

"You still owe for those drinks you tried to skip out on. The bar owner hasn't said a peep about forgiving you."

"Apologies," Sable said, giving me a coy wink. She reached into her pocket and pulled out a few copper.

"I've uh… actually got the coin here." Bram eyed it suspiciously.

"If you had the coin, then why did you try to run off?"

"I've been told I'm a wee bit of a troublemaker," Sable replied.

"And here's an extra for the hospitality."

"An extra, eh?" Bram said. Sable smiled wider.

"An extra few." She reached into her pocket and pulled out two more, setting them into Bram's hand.

"Fine," he said.

"Now the lot of you can piss off. And I mean all of you this time."

"Much obliged," Sable said, gripping her hat and bowing low.

"Always remember the day you met Sable Vayle, for one day the utterance of my name will carry with it the song of favor and fortune." Bram clicked his tongue and gave her a head gesture toward the door. I didn't wait as I stepped outside. There, Vaelith waited with Darwin atop her shoulder.

"Master!" Darwin said, his tongue launching to the building, which he used to swing over. He landed on my shoulder, and, oddly, it was as if I felt complete where I hadn't before, and I'd not even realized it.

"Nice to see you again. Hope you didn't steal anything else?"

"Not a thing," Marnie said.

"I've been keeping a close eye on him."

"Why?" I asked. Marnie cleared her throat.

"Well, since I learned you lot killed the dragon and you were taken away, I talked to Vaelith here over a drink. She told me what happened, and I decided I could use your help."

"She thinks we're strong," Vaelith said, flexing her muscles.

"So if Vaelith told you, why did you bother asking me?"

"To see if your stories matched up. For all I know, you lot got lucky and found a dead dragon on the side of the road. Not likely… but stranger things have happened. And I'll need people who can fight. Actually fight."

"That's her," I said.

"Me… well, all I'm good for is cooking."

"Not true," Sable said.

"I heard that you punched the nads off a dick in a duel. Not literally, of course." She put her thumb on her chin.

"Or was it literally?"

"I got lucky and beat some asshole in a duel. I'd be dead from that dragon if not for Vaelith and Pip."

"Ah yes… the half-foot. The demon mentioned him. Too bad he's already moved on."

"Oy," Vaelith said.

"I told you not to address me as 'the demon,' I am Princess Vaelith Noctara of—" Just then, I heard a cart being pulled up the cobbled road. I recognized Lina at the front, guiding some sort of beast of burden. No… not just any beast. It was one I recognized. It was Madam Moolisa only… she looked young. Healthy. Vibrant. Her coat was shinier, and she moved with such confidence. The sunlight ran along her brown-and-white hide, catching on the smooth curve of her horns and the bright swing of the bell at her neck.

"The potion," I said, unable to keep the wonder from my voice. Vaelith grinned.

"Ah, yes… not long after that guard took you away did Madam Moolisa begin to change. Although… Madam always struck me as someone who is old. This is just Moolisa now, and she is ready and willing to adventure with us. I can feel it in her heart and her will. She'd follow us into the depths of purgatory if we but asked."