by C A A Allen
Dread cut in front of me and extended his hand. “The king of the lava sphere! Chawett Loinchop, my man!”
The magic user did not return Dread’s handshake. He just stared at us. “If this conversation isn’t going to make me a huge pile of gold, then I don’t know why you’re talking to me right now.”
CHAPTER 15
“Whoa,” I froze in my steps. “Did William let you know of our situation?”
Chawett sat down and twisted in the seat. “He did, and I appreciate the opportunity to be part of Beeston’s first questing team. You must have noticed that I am ranked as a soothsayer on the magic user tote board.”
Chaz came over and took a seat. “You’re ranked last, Chawett. Dead last. And what kind of soothsayer gets ranked behind conjurers and even magicians? Word around the tavern is your spells stop working prematurely, and in the heat of battle.”
Tigress, Dread, and I took seats around the table. I peered at Chawett’s hands, but he dropped them out of sight, into his lap. Not before I saw them, though. “With a bad reputation, and low ranking, you won’t see that huge pile of gold. I noticed all your fingers are intact. They’re actually really well manicured. Tell me, are you willing to get your fingers dirty?”
“Watch this.” Chawett slightly raised his hand. “Keep your eye on Captain Gabbiano’s meal.” He pointed one finger at the giant mutton shank on Castillo’s plate. It elevated along with his finger.
Tigress gave me a nudge and whispered in my ear. “Look at the nail on Chawett’s finger, it’s glowing. What he’s doing is amazing.”
Chawett twitched his hand. Castillo’s greasy mutton shank dropped off the table and splattered directly on a burly passerby’s boot. The man stopped, looked down at his slatternly boot, and glared at Castillo. He then gave a thrusting kick sending the sloppy shank flying across the room. It slapped into the side of an unsuspecting man’s face, knocking him off his feet to the floor.
Dread howled and slapped his hand on the table. “Now that was some great magic right there!”
Tigress had tears in her eyes from laughter. She covered her mouth and ducked behind Dread’s shoulder.
Castillo reached for his dinner to find it gone. He looked around confused then grabbed another shank.
Chawett leaned into the table and lowered his voice. “Lookit here, Castillo hired me on a failed quest a while back. I signed on for a five-day run that ended up going ten days. I can cast magic great on short runs, for long runs not so good. My lava sphere fizzled at a bad time on the seventh day and some men were lost. Castillo’s all but had me blackballed ever since. As for the appearance of my fingers, I’m not willing to get them dirty for you, William, Castillo, or anyone else. Dirty fingers equals less magic in the soul. I don’t do less magic partner.”
“All good Chawett,” I said. “We’re planning on a short, three day run with just one day in the actual Maze. We’re not even going more than a few levels deep. This opportunity is a perfect match for you family.”
Chaz gruffly cleared his throat. “A perfect match at a big blackballed discount of course.”
Chawett leaned back slowly and sunk into his chair. “A successful run in the Maze will do a lot to restore my name up on the tote board. I’m only one in-and-out away from the journeyman level, so your run does interest me.”
This sounded better and better.
“The problem is I don’t play that discount nonsense. Blackballed or not, I’m a ranked magic user for a reason. I can help you Cave Maze tenderfoots stay alive. Now considering that we all have Beeston lineage, I am willing to work with you. The current minimum for a ranked magic user is sixty gold coins per day, plus in-and-out pay. I’ll do you the favor of settling for that, but I want ten percent of the spoils too. We are home town family after all.”
Chaz shook his head. “Oh no! There is no way I’ll pay that much to a reject. We’ll be going off the board for our magic user thank you.”
I didn’t like how quick Chaz chose to back out of an option. Had he never heard of bargaining?
Chawett chuckled. “Off the board, in the grave. Some of these mercenaries will set you up to get robbed, or will desert you as soon as they smell the stench of an orc’s breath. Do your best off the board Chaz, you won’t live to regret it.”
“Hold up my man,” Dread said. “We have a map that’s going to make this run easier than a Cock’s Lane wench. Believe me Chawett, you want a piece of this.”
Chawett ran two fingers along his hats ostrich feathers. “William told me your team is working with the house map. The house map doesn’t do a damn thing to make me want a piece of what you’re doing, Dread.”
I bit my lip trying not to reveal the truth about our map. Going off the board meant we could end up with a no-good, fairy floss magic user like we met earlier. Chawett was accredited, and we knew his magic was legit. I needed to make this happen for the safety of the team, and the success of our run.
I went for it. “Well in actuality we’ll be using a map Dread and I got from our fathers. It’s not a common entrance we’re going to use. You know better than I do not to make that public to William…or anyone else for that matter.”
“Now that might make a difference,” Chawett said. “A run that utilizes a map from Riff and Mack Jenkins does pique my interest. I’ve heard some implausible stories of your fathers’ Cave Maze endeavors.”
Dread elbowed me. “See that cousin? The Jenkins name got pull.”
I waved Dread off. “So you know this opportunity is good business then Chawett.”
“Can’t do it.” The magic user rocked back and forth in his chair. “I get paid board plus ten or I’m out.”
“How about this,” I said. “Lets do one-fifth of the take after total expenses. We’ll go in as a true questing team, splitting the profit even amongst the five of us.”
Chawett stared at me for a moment. “You can count me in with the even gold split.”
“Ah-ha!” I wiped sweat from my forehead. “We’ve got what is soon to be an accredited questing team then.” We all stood and shook hands.
Tigress gave Chawett a hug. “Can you tell me how you did that thing with the mutton shank? What spell was that?”
“I call it floating fair.” He beamed up at her, soaking in her attention. Admittedly, a twinge of jealousy hit my gut. “That spell gives me the ability to levitate and move all types of meat. I can conjure up that nonsense at full power over ten times in a three-day span. If you don’t know that’s at the wizard level of proficiency. Unfortunately floating fair is not considered a Cave Maze useful spell, so I don’t get no love for it.”
“How did you get so good at such an oddball spell?” I asked.
“I come from a family of butchers,” Chawett said. “I started to build strength with that spell when I was young to help my family with the business. My father encouraged my power over meat and was grooming me to be the best butcher in Broxington. I didn’t want to be a butcher, I wanted to be a quester, so I had to run away in order to learn Cave Maze useful spells. That’s why you won’t see me back in Beeston, my father will never forgive me for that move.”
Chaz rolled his eyes and chuckled. “Very impressive, if we get into a Cave Maze food fight that floating meat thing you do will come in useful.” His playfulness died and he leaned both hands on the table. “Let me make sure you understand this contract Chawett. We will split one-fifth of the total take after expenses, and the expenses have been adding up quick.”
I pulled Chaz back. “The man’s a professional, Chaz, he understands what after expenses means.”
Chaz hesitantly put three keys in my hand. “Speaking of expenses here are your room keys. I had my eye on a pile of hay in the stable, but William was kind enough to arrange discounted rooms for each of us at his Inn.”
“Nice.” I handed keys to Dread and Tigress. “I’ve heard good things about the Questers Inn. I’m sure we can all use some rest, let’s meet up here early in the morning.
”
Dread dropped the room key in his pocket, clapped his hands, and smiled. “You aren’t my daddy Raff. There’s no way I’m going to sleep until I see our team listed up on that tote board. I’m going to find William and inform him our lineup is complete. Chawett, let’s catch up over an ale my man, I’m in the mood to celebrate.”
Mustela leaped from Tigress’s shoulder to Dread’s and bobbed her head up and down.
Dread stroked her neck. “See that? Mustela knows where the party is. Let’s go get that drink girl. We about to be some Cave Maze heroes!”
Tigress and I stepped out into the brisk evening air.
“The Inn is just next door,” I said. “You know William only lets registered questing team members stay here.”
The Questers Inn was a small structure but stood out as the cleanest and most well kept in Trosworth. We showed the old man at the desk our keys and were waved up. Just as we got to the top of the stairs a random room door slammed shut.
Tigress inhaled a sharp breath and grabbed my hand tight. “I’m a little stressed out about tomorrow. I don’t know how I’m going to get any sleep. I could really use a nightcap.” She leaned close and whispered, “Do you still have some of that good honey mead?”
“I do, and a night cap with you will hit the spot for sure.”
“I’ll come to your room after I clean up,” she said.
“I look forward to it Miss Tigress.” Did Tigress want a nightcap to wind down before bed, or was this going to be a romantic interlude? She blew me off at her house, but this was neutral ground. Either way I liked where this was going.
My small room contained only a wooden framed bed and side table, which held a welcoming pitcher of water, two cups, and a brass washbowl. I flung my gear into the corner, washed up, and plopped down on the bed. A quiet knock brought me back to my feet. I opened the door to see a thing of beauty. Tigress smelled like moist fresh cut roses, and wore a skimpy chemise of thin, fine linen. My knees weakened. I now remember why I had such a crush on her while at the abbey.
“There is a God.” I said.
Tigress pushed me aside and sat on the bed. “Boy you crazy.”
I sat next to her and poured two shots of honey mead. “To a blessed run in the Cave Maze.”
We clanked shots and took the drink immediately to the head. I poured another round. “There’s plenty more where that came from.”
Tigress leaned back into the bed. “Thank you Raff, I really needed that. Are you scared about tomorrow?”
“Not at all. That questing captain from the wagon is praying for us. We also have Chawett on the team now. We got as solid of a plan as there could be. I’m sure we will achieve our goal. After going through the five rooms my father listed, we’ll have all the treasure we need. You and your mother should easily be able to purchase a new breading sniffer. Or two.”
“You know Mustela likes you. She thinks we should be a couple. That means a because she doesn’t like anybody that way for me.”
I leaned on one elbow, sinking into the mattress and bedding. “I think Mustela is my favorite sniffer in the whole world right now. All I need is to get my dad to think that same way. He always made it clear to me that you are off limits. If you weren’t obviously mixed with elf, I would think you might be my sister or something. I wonder if our parents ever messed around.”
Tigress shook her head. “Knowing your dad they probably did.”
“Messing around,” I mumble. “There’s a rumor amongst questers that a kiss from the girl of your dreams before a run makes for amazing luck, and sure riches.”
Tigress clasped her hands in front of her and looked at her lap. “That’s an interesting rumor. If the girl of your dreams were here, you could put it to the test.”
I scooted in close and put my arm around her waist. “You know what? Right now you are the girl of my dreams.”
BANG, BANG, BANG! The room rattled with a loud knock at the door. I jumped off the bed, grabbed my dagger and took a position near the handle. “Who’s there?” I took a brief pause, then snapped the door open. I jumped into the hallway to find it empty. “Dread I know it’s you! Stop playing!”
Tigress glided past me ducking into her room directly across the hall. She cracked open the door and peeked out, batting her eyes. “Goodnight Raff.”
“Hey pretty girl, I was really looking forward to that good luck kiss.”
Tigress tilted her head to the side and squinted. “Raff I know your daddy. They say like father, like son, and your father’s a player. If I’m really the girl of your dreams then you’ll get that kiss.” She slowly licked her lips. “Besides, you said it yourself. We got a solid plan, so there’s no luck needed to get these riches. Goodnight Raff.”
“Damn Dread!” I yelled out loud. “You play too much!” I ran down the stairs to the inn’s lobby. “Where are you?” I’d give that man a piece of my mind when I caught him.
The innkeeper was asleep. His chair propped against the wall, and his head cocked back over the top. I stepped outside and took a deep breath to calm down.
A man across the street pestered everyone that walked by. “Speak with a real live locked up hag! Only one gold coin!”
I latched onto the distraction or, rather, the reminder of my heritage. This could be a hoax, but I had to know more about hags. What if the magic inside of me could be deemed Cave Maze useful? I could be a magic user, and command their pay in the Maze. All the girls loved magic users too. I had to take a chance on this.
Across the street the man baited me in. “Right this way my friend. For one gold coin you can spend all the time you want questioning the hag. Some questers have got her to tell them of secret rooms in the Maze, while others have coxed her into divulging the recipe to make powerful potions.”
“Is it safe?” I asked.
The man pulled a glassy stone with a natural hole in it from his pocket. “It is if you have this on your person. The adder stone will protect you from the witch. I have also placed a trough of crickets, mealworms, grubs, and waxworms in front of her cage. You must not cross it.”
I pulled a coin from my pocket, and clinched it tight in my fist. “Is it a real hag?”
“You’re a big, bad quester aren’t you? If the hag is a fake you can come back here with your team and kill me. It’s real, it’s real, it is real.” He inched closer to the building where the supposed hag resided.
“Here is your payment,” I said. “Show me to the hag.”
The man stuffed the coin is his pocket, and then strung the adder stone into a necklace. “Put this around your neck, and don’t remove it. Also don’t cross the trough.” He patted me down. “Weapons?”
“I’m unarmed.”
The man lifted five iron bars, and then pulled hard to open the heavy oak door. He then showed me down a stone stairwell lined with upside-down hanging brooms. At the bottom we took a sharp turn into a dungeon lit with only two torches. I couldn’t see past the row of bars in front of me. “She talks to some, others nothing. Take your time with it.” He walked up the stairs. “Knock on the door loudly when you are ready to be let out.”
I sat on a wood stool and looked into the dark cage. “Hello.”
Two flaky black and blue hands wrapped around the cage bars. The hag moaned and brought her face up between her hands. She had one dilated blood-red eye. The other was a swollen black slit dripping dark green slime down her face.
“Tell me a story of the Maze,” she said in a cracked voice.
Her tart breath forced me to lean back. All that I had heard about a hag’s breath was true, hers smelt like the foulest stench of forty thousand year funk. “I am one-fourth hag. And need to know how to harness it’s magic.”
“You are not a-fourth hag. You are a half succubus, a hag bastard. If you have any magic it will be foul and limited, but I sense you want it anyway. Remove that nasty stone, lie down next to the trough, and close your eyes. I will assess your abilities, if you have something we
could arrange a trade.”
I rolled the adder stone to the wall, laid down on the floor, and closed my eyes. The hag did the same in her cell, she moans, which soon turned into a wonderfully sung lullaby. I opened my eyes to see a beautiful smiling woman sitting cross-legged on the stool in the room with me. She wore only a white fur cloak.
“I am here to turn on your power to slip from your skin,” she said softly. “Out of your skin you will be invisible, and able to float through cracks, crevices, and keyholes like a ghost. Eavesdropping on conversations can be a lucrative activity, slipping into a fair maiden’s body while she sleeps can be exhilarating. Imagine making love to the most inaccessible princess in an exotic dream world.”
I sit up. “Who are you? Where is the hag?”
The torches flickered and went dim. “The hag will activate your magic, but she will demand freedom from her cell first, something you can not provide. All I want is a piece of your affection as trade.”
The woman was attractive, and I needed the power of magic. “Seems fair.” I stood and faced the woman. She stood, dropped the cloak, and held both hands out my direction. “Yes, seems fair to me.” I took her hands and pulled in close. When our bodies touched, I blacked out.
CHAPTER 16
“Wake up!”
I opened my eyes to find the hag that was behind bars now standing above me. I strained to stand up but stumbled and fell against the wall. Short of breath, I ached all over, my back felt like it was on fire.
“That was fun.” The hag’s one eye bulged with popping red veins. “Your magic is now active, you can slip your skin once a year. Of course you must hag ride someone to death once a year also.” All ten of the hag’s fingernails grew into pointy black talons. “I’ll be damned if I let you live to do either.”
What did I do? How did she get free? I stumbled back toward the stairs. The moment I turned, her talons ripped across my calf, tearing my pants to shreds. “Help! Open the door!”
I continued to crawl up. The hag snatched my ankle and dragged me down. I kicked her hard in the face, she spun and smacked into a bundle of broom straw. She tore the broom off the wall, and then sat down cross-legged counting each strand, one by one.