the biggest, snazziest stable he can find.”
“Our logic,” Torin said, “is that they’re going on a sea voyage, so they’d be looking to economize on their long-term storage.” Then the grin returned. “At least, that is how we will justify our mode of search when we put in the overtime request.”
All four of them laughed. “Good move,” Dru said. “Who knows when you’ll get a shot like this again?”
“Damn straight.” Danthres got up. “First round’s on me.”
“Try twelfth round,” Hawk said, “but we’ll be takin’ it.”
Chuckling, Danthres worked her way to the other side of the Chain, where Urgoss stood behind the wide, wooden bar. The surface was pockmarked with the nicks and scrapes of six years’ worth of drunken guards’ actions, including several attempts at initial-carving and amateur relief sculpture. Urgoss never bothered to fix it up, on the theory that it didn’t interfere with his ability to provide drinks, so why should he bother? The dwarf himself stood on a raised platform that gave the illusion of greater height.
Three guards wearing the crest of Mermaid on their armor were nursing flagons at the bar as Danthres approached. She recognized one of them as Horran, a veteran; the other two weren’t old enough to shave every day. Horran was regaling the youngsters with some tale or other.
“…so they fall on top of each other, and I have to actually draw my weapon. They both start going on about how they can’t defeat Chalmraik if I take ’em in, and Zaile starts peeing in his shorts ’cause he’s out two passenger fares.” Horran shook his head. “Lousy way to start back on day shift.”
Urgoss saw Danthres and started to walk down his platform toward her. She held up four fingers; Urgoss stopped, nodded, and grabbed four flagons.
“They’ve got you back on days, Horran?” she said to the old guard.
He laughed. “Yeah, Lieutenant, starting today. Time off for bad behavior. So I get these two nutcases who think they’re ‘destined’ to stop Chalmraik.”
“Isn’t Chalmraik dead?” one of the infants asked.
“Wizards don’t die, ever’body knows that,” the other said. “I heard he was on some island somewheres.”
“So did these two shitbrains,” Horran said. “And they both —not one, but both—fell for the Runes of Tyrac scam.”
“Looks like an epidemic of heroism,” Danthres muttered.
“Yeah, I heard about Brightblade when I brought the two morons in,” said Horran. “You and Lieutenant ban Wyvald caught that one?”
Danthres nodded. “The good news is we get unlimited overtime, and we plan to take every advantage.”
Horran laughed. “No wonder you were so late comin’ in.”
One infant whispered to the other one, “Maybe she can make enough to buy a new face.”
No doubt the guard made the comment secure in the knowledge that no one could possibly have heard him aside from his friend. Danthres debated whether or not it was worth pursuing—she had been in a bad mood all day because of this damned murder, but the overtime revelation had improved it a bit.
Oh, why not? “Did you say something, child?”
The infant’s face went whiter than a vampire’s. “Uh, n-no, Lieutenant, not a—not a thing. Really. Honest.”
“Good. Because if you had said what I thought I heard you clearly say, it would be you requiring a new face, not me.”
Urgoss then came over with the four flagons, which were now filled with the house ale. “On the tab?” he said.
“Of course.” Aside from Grovis—who usually went straight back home to Mommy and Daddy’s mansion in Unicorn when the shift ended, no doubt to regale the family with exaggerated tales of his exploits over brandy and cigars—all the lieutenants on their shift came to the Chain virtually every night, so Urgoss was more than happy to let them build up a tab, to be paid on the first day of the new month, which was payday.
She curled her fingers through two flagon
“Our logic,” Torin said, “is that they’re going on a sea voyage, so they’d be looking to economize on their long-term storage.” Then the grin returned. “At least, that is how we will justify our mode of search when we put in the overtime request.”
All four of them laughed. “Good move,” Dru said. “Who knows when you’ll get a shot like this again?”
“Damn straight.” Danthres got up. “First round’s on me.”
“Try twelfth round,” Hawk said, “but we’ll be takin’ it.”
Chuckling, Danthres worked her way to the other side of the Chain, where Urgoss stood behind the wide, wooden bar. The surface was pockmarked with the nicks and scrapes of six years’ worth of drunken guards’ actions, including several attempts at initial-carving and amateur relief sculpture. Urgoss never bothered to fix it up, on the theory that it didn’t interfere with his ability to provide drinks, so why should he bother? The dwarf himself stood on a raised platform that gave the illusion of greater height.
Three guards wearing the crest of Mermaid on their armor were nursing flagons at the bar as Danthres approached. She recognized one of them as Horran, a veteran; the other two weren’t old enough to shave every day. Horran was regaling the youngsters with some tale or other.
“…so they fall on top of each other, and I have to actually draw my weapon. They both start going on about how they can’t defeat Chalmraik if I take ’em in, and Zaile starts peeing in his shorts ’cause he’s out two passenger fares.” Horran shook his head. “Lousy way to start back on day shift.”
Urgoss saw Danthres and started to walk down his platform toward her. She held up four fingers; Urgoss stopped, nodded, and grabbed four flagons.
“They’ve got you back on days, Horran?” she said to the old guard.
He laughed. “Yeah, Lieutenant, starting today. Time off for bad behavior. So I get these two nutcases who think they’re ‘destined’ to stop Chalmraik.”
“Isn’t Chalmraik dead?” one of the infants asked.
“Wizards don’t die, ever’body knows that,” the other said. “I heard he was on some island somewheres.”
“So did these two shitbrains,” Horran said. “And they both —not one, but both—fell for the Runes of Tyrac scam.”
“Looks like an epidemic of heroism,” Danthres muttered.
“Yeah, I heard about Brightblade when I brought the two morons in,” said Horran. “You and Lieutenant ban Wyvald caught that one?”
Danthres nodded. “The good news is we get unlimited overtime, and we plan to take every advantage.”
Horran laughed. “No wonder you were so late comin’ in.”
One infant whispered to the other one, “Maybe she can make enough to buy a new face.”
No doubt the guard made the comment secure in the knowledge that no one could possibly have heard him aside from his friend. Danthres debated whether or not it was worth pursuing—she had been in a bad mood all day because of this damned murder, but the overtime revelation had improved it a bit.
Oh, why not? “Did you say something, child?”
The infant’s face went whiter than a vampire’s. “Uh, n-no, Lieutenant, not a—not a thing. Really. Honest.”
“Good. Because if you had said what I thought I heard you clearly say, it would be you requiring a new face, not me.”
Urgoss then came over with the four flagons, which were now filled with the house ale. “On the tab?” he said.
“Of course.” Aside from Grovis—who usually went straight back home to Mommy and Daddy’s mansion in Unicorn when the shift ended, no doubt to regale the family with exaggerated tales of his exploits over brandy and cigars—all the lieutenants on their shift came to the Chain virtually every night, so Urgoss was more than happy to let them build up a tab, to be paid on the first day of the new month, which was payday.
She curled her fingers through two flagon
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