We get dragged into vans by mysterious men?
“Aidan?”
Aidan shakes his head. "Dryad territory? No can do. They eat warlocks for breakfast."
"I doubt that," says Dean "They're gentle people."
"Who don't like demons."
"You're not a demon, Aidan,” I say.
"Most of the time," says Zara and chuckles.
That's it. "Zara. Can you drop the attitude? You might love your role, but some of us don't like the cards we’ve been dealt.”
"Yeah, did you get to choose or something?" adds Dean.
Zara's cheeks turn pink and she picks at the grass. "No. I apologise about my attitude, as you call it. Usually I suck at the game online and people are shit to me."
"What do you usually play?"
"Same class, but I can never find people to group with and I fail at questing solo."
I rub my nose. She's talking about how I was in my early days, but I had Aidan to show me the ropes.
"Haven't you made any friends in the real life game? Joined a guild?" asks Dean.
She shakes her head. "I'm too shy. Too embarrassed that I'll fuck everything up."
I blink at her confession. Shy?
"Don't be," says Jay and I look at him in surprise. I'd never pin him as a player forgiving of other's weaknesses. "What game do you play?"
"Just the Game."
"Hey, when we get home, you can join my guild."
Her dull expression transforms into a smile at his words. "You take noobs into your guild?"
"Hell, yeah. We were all noobs once. And we are again, here. We all suck but we’re learning."
I chew my lip. I don't feel any more skilled. I feel I've been lucky.
"So." Dean slaps his hands on his leather-clad thighs. "Do we venture to the Grove or not, Zara?"
"Do you have a quest too?" I ask.
Dean pulls out a dagger. “No, but I'll help. I’m happy to go as your bodyguard, as ever, El.” He winks at me. “I need to practice my moves and it’s guaranteed something will try to kill us."
"Especially me," grumbles Jay.
"We'll protect you." I nudge him.
Jay stands. "You know what’s good here? We’re moving zones. You know what that means."
Yes. Higher level zones equals higher level monsters.
And more chance of death.
Our walk through the outlying countryside towards our new destination—and hopefully closer to the edge—begins briskly but ends with dragging feet and complaints.
Jay scowls as another party passes by on horses, too fast for the band to register if they're game characters or players.
"Have you noticed how isolated everything is?" I ask Dean.
"Yeah. I wonder if we're the beta," pipes up Jay. "I mean, they haven't finished building everything yet."
I swallow and look across the nearby fields, which stretch to the bright blue horizon with nothing between but forest. "Or that's a wasteland."
Aidan pauses and joins me in staring across the expanse. Or the way to the edge, deceptively safe with no sign of life.
A reluctant Zara trudges along beside us. We exchanged words earlier about her sulking, and how her lack of team skills is probably what stops people wanting to game with her. Dean interrupted our altercation and she’s been quiet since. I can’t reconcile the two Zaras in my mind—the uncertain one she said she is in real life versus the borderline bitchy one.
I half wish she had stayed away, but then that would make me a bad team player too. I’d usually walk away from conflict, much the same way Aidan does, even at cost to myself. I never fought back against Lee for my gear he took when he left me. If I get back, I’m changing that.
When I get back.
We reach the town shortly before sundown and I’m unsurprised to see it’s almost a replica of Grunwald. The place is a picture-perfect copy of settlements from fantasy books I've read—from the narrow streets with stalls and beggars, to the finely dressed people walking through.
I am surprised that nothing attacked us on the trip, but we didn’t stray from the path. I didn’t want to meet any more gremlins.
The guards watch with boredom and nobody asks for proof of who we are as they did at Grunwald. More people mill around, and I study faces, attempting to discover if there could be players in this town.
"Tavern," says Zara with purpose. "Too late to do anything now."
“Not the bloody tavern again!” I complain. “We spend half our time in there.”
“Like at home?” Dean suggest. “I spend a lot of my free time in bars.”
Zara stands outside and stares at the sign above the low door: King’s Head Tavern. She taps her wristband and smiles slowly. “In here.”
“Aidan?”
He yawns. “We need somewhere to sleep too. Rather here than in the street.”
He has a point about staying in the street after dark. I haven’t told anybody what happened to me—or what I think happened. They think I hallucinated at the tavern in Grunwald; who would believe me?
The tavern's layout mimics the one in Grunwald, but larger and with more customers. Amongst the dwarves, elves, and orc-like creatures I’m used to, goblins sit. I almost run, convinced they’ll recognise me from the village, but their expressions are suspicious but not aggressive.
I attempt to suss out if any others are players too, but nobody’s wrists are on show. I try to forget the freak out I had last time when I swore the place matched my old life, but the only way I can do that is to warm myself with mead and ready myself for sleep.
But I don't want to sleep.
The tavernkeeper allowed us to buy rooms, and I swear he overcharged us. Not that whether I have a room matters; I refuse to sleep tonight. The tavern noise grows as the place fills and I feel myself getting drowsy, even though I didn’t drink anything. The air stifles and the stench from unwashed bodies assaults my nostrils. The two burly men squeezed around the next table smell as if they haven’t seen a bath in weeks.
"I'm going outside," I whisper to Aidan. "Fresh air. I won't go further than the tavern front."
"Are you okay?"
“Feeling sick. I’ll be fine.”
Outside, the air remains warm. I sit on a stone bench and watch people. Everywhere I look, characters and scenarios match variations from the game I once played.
I tip my face to the starry sky. Does this world exist? Are the stars shining from lightyears away or placed there by the game gods? Somebody joins me on the bench, and I look around to Aidan's concerned face.
"You're not okay," he says.
He places a warm hand on my leg and the soft, caring nature I've known for years pokes at my aching heart. "I'm scared," I say. "Confused."
He nods. "Yeah. Same."
I chew on the edge of my hand. I don’t want to hide what happens from the others, and know I shouldn’t, but I feel insane even saying this. “I had a strange dream last night. Or at least, I thought it was a dream.”
I tell Aidan the story in stilted words, all the time downplaying and suggesting it was all in my imagination. His hand tightens on my knee as I speak, head dipped forward.
“And Ethan couldn’t give you an answer?” he asks.
“No. Do you believe that Ethan is part of the game? Maybe a quest that’s messing with our heads?"
Aidan stares at his band as he twists it around. "I have to believe his story isn’t true. Otherwise, I think I'll go mad."
I lace my fingers through his. "But everything feels so real, Stabzz.”
His mouth tips up. "I remember you used to call me by my badly chosen character name all the time, instead of Aidan. Now I'm Aidan and a freaking demon."
"Badass," I say and smile.
He shifts his hand and takes mine between his. "There's something I never told you and I feel I need to. In case anything... happens."
"That you're madly and hopelessly in love with me?" I chuckle then elbow him in the ribs.
&
nbsp; "Well, hopefully not hopelessly."
My stomach lurches. "Aidan. Why are you saying this to me now, you weirdo?”
"Huh. Thanks." He traces a finger along the back of my hand. We've been friends for years—close. I joked we'd friend-zoned each other, but the truth is we never really spoke about how comfortable we are with each other; how stolen glances at drunken parties opened up something we both hid from. There’s a mutual attraction beneath the friendship, but I never wanted to be that cliché ‘friends to lovers’ couple. I wasn’t keen on adding to the public idea that guys and girls couldn’t be friends.
Then I met Lee and mine and Aidan’s connection retreated to friendship as the relationship with Lee grew. Since I split with Lee, Aidan has been there to listen. I’d lost touch with most female friends when my life became time with Lee, or time gaming.
And now? Aidan’s firmly in my life and I don’t want him to leave.
"Sorry. It's just... I'm sitting in the middle of a game that could kill me, and a demon shifter is expressing his affection."
"Can you be serious, El? That’s the reason I want to tell you. I don't know what the fuck is happening here, but how I feel is sharpened into focus."
He reaches out and touches my face. I've thought about kissing Aidan before. Many times. But it never quite felt right, as if we were taking steps we shouldn't. I've watched him and tried to deny how I feel for a long time. Missed the cues, lost amongst the everyday and the fact we're rarely alone.
He smooths his thumb across my cheek as he looks at my mouth. My stomach flip flops and, for the first time since I arrived in this place, I forget I’m in a nightmare. He grazes his teeth along his bottom lip and his darkened eyes meet mine.
I move my face and our lips are close. My heart thumps away the seconds as we hesitate before crossing the line. I may be looking for comfort in the middle of this hell, from a guy who’s always cared for and protected me.
"I thought you guys were just friends?" Zara stands in the doorway, ale mug in hand and attractive girl with her arm around Zara's waist. "That's very friendly."
I turn my head, the moment broken. "He's drunk."
"That's not the reason," protests Aidan.
"Not as drunk as the cleric and assassin." She jerks her finger towards the room where noise and people spill from inside. "Jay's back to his 'I'm not a spell caster' complaining. He’s challenging people to test his combat skills."
"Shit." I stand. "But his strength and dexterity aren't high enough for that."
Zara smirks. "Yeah, I guess he needs to hope his wisdom is high enough for some decent self-heals."
I don't miss Aidan's sly smile. "This should be interesting."
Chapter Thirty-Four
Inside the tavern, Dean's half-sprawled out, legs resting on a chair and arms outstretched on the table behind him. An impressive number of empty mead bottles fill the space, one upturned with the sticky liquid spilling across the wood. He looks up, his eyes swimming with alcohol.
"Sorry El. Spilled your drink."
With a shake of my head, I set the bottles upright. "How many have you had?"
He wipes the back of his hand across his mouth. "Dunno. Enough to make this seem like a reality. This could be a Medieval Feast Night. Went to one once. Food. Guys jousting. Chicks serving." Dean wrinkles his nose. "Though the place didn't smell as bad as this."
"Where's Jay?" I ask.
He tips his head. "Went into the cellar with some guys. Big guys—bigger than him." He snickers. "Man, the dude gets antsy after a few drinks."
“Dean! Why did you let him go?” I glance at Aidan. "What do we do?"
Dean struggles to stand and fumbles around for his dagger, missing taking hold of the hilt several times. "I could help."
"Of course, you could." Zara laughs. “One of you should go and help Jay.”
"Aren't you staying?" I ask.
"If he's going to be a dumb fucker and ignore his class stats and abilities to take part in an illegal brawl, I'm not getting involved." She nods at Dean. "You saw the size of the guys he walked away with."
Dean hiccups. “Yeah. That’s why I didn’t interfere. Both were this high.” He raises a hand over his head to indicate. “And as wide.”
I turn to Aidan. "What do we do? We can't let them beat the crap out of our healer."
"Oh, for fuck’s sake..." Aidan strides across the inn, knocking into a sour-faced patron as he does. He doesn't apologise—seems I'm not the only one changing my attitude.
“Zara? Coming to help?”
She looks to the girl with her. "I'm tired."
The girl smiles and touches Zara's nose. "I'll show you where you can sleep."
"Well that's a turn up for the books," whispers Aidan.
Zara catches his words. "El should be happy. She has you all to herself now."
"What does that mean?"
Zara points at Aidan. "Does Aidan know he has competition? Doesn't he, Dean?"
Dean blinks up from beneath his fringe. "What am I competing in now?"
"For the fair maiden's heart," smiles Zara. "Is that a quest you share with the other guys?”
Dean purses his lips. "I'm not saying a word. I'm too drunk."
I gape. "Are you on a quest to seduce me or something?"
His elbows slip from behind him and he rights himself. "Nobody gave me a quest. How about you, Aidan?"
Aidan crosses his arms, tucking his hands beneath. Zara arches a brow at our not telling Dean what happened outside.
I'm now unsure what happened between us outside, or how I feel about it.
Zara pulls a face. "Well, this isn't what I had in mind for tonight. Why are you all so bloody unpredictable? I’m going to bed."
I step forward and look her straight in the eye. “You can’t.”
“Watch me.”
I take a steadying breath. Zara’s new ‘friend’ isn’t the only one with an arm around a patron. Some girls stand together talking others on laps. As I watch, one approaches Dean and runs fingers along his chin, whispering something in his ear.
Dean shifts, eyes wide, and the movement slides him to the floor, where he lands on his arse. I close my eyes in despair, but the jealous knot disappears when the girl walks away, and Dean’s more bothered about the sticky liquid he sits in.
"Did you deliberately bring us here?” I ask Zara.
“Maybe I wanted some fun. Take your guys to bed and have some fun while you’re here too.”
“I’m on a quest, Zara.”
“We all are.”
“And I don’t jump into bed with multiple men, even if I wanted to.”
“This is a different reality, Eleanor. You could sleep with one or all of them. Do whatever you want. Nobody here will judge you. Once you’re out of here, nobody will know or care.”
I glance at the girl with Zara, now chatting to another beside her, but whose arm remains linked through Zara’s. “Honestly, I have more important things on my mind than getting laid.”
Zara breaks into a grin. “I don’t.”
I'm coming to the ridiculous conclusion that Zara knows more than us about the situation. Her blasé attitude doesn’t fit the fear we have. Have the others noticed she speaks as if she’s separate to us? I get this could be her ego, but something doesn’t feel right. I’m increasingly convinced she here for different reasons and knows how to get out.
My stomach sickens again. I can't climb onto that train of thought and end up in a wreck. Whatever, or whoever I am, I have one goal. Get the fuck out of here—a goal Zara should share, whoever she is.
I incline my head at the girl. "If you leave for your fun now, are you definitely going to come with us to the Grove tomorrow?"
"Depends what time you’re leaving."
"What the fuck?" I retort. “We need our defender.”
Aidan takes my hand. "Come on. Everything is stressful, but we need to work as a team."
A drunk Dean raises his arm. "Can I sleep too? I'm t
ired." His head lolls forward and eyes close.
"This is a mess," I mutter.
Zara waves a hand at me. "Catch you in the morning. Don't die."
Arm around the girl's shoulders, she moves her towards the back of the inn.
Aidan takes my hand and squeezes as I watch Zara in disbelief. "Come on, let's rescue the idiot."
Two men stand either side of a doorway to the rear of the inn, reminiscent of security at the club I go to on occasion; although these ones wear bashed-up leather armour and don't conceal their weapons. Dean was correct about their height. They’re humanoid but something in their faces isn’t. Their eyes are unnaturally close together, noses squashed into and across their faces. I can’t tell where their neck ends, and their powerful shoulders start. I eye them as warily as they do me.
"Two gold," one says gruffly.
"For entry," adds the other at my confused look. "Unless you're taking part."
A commotion from behind distracts the two men and the yelling grows louder as footsteps thunder upstairs. I'm knocked back as a magical force pulses through the doorway and into the room, the air shimmering around.
"What the fuck?" snarls the heavy close by.
The force hits him too, swatting him to one side as if a blast from a hurricane hit. Aidan avoids the magic by stepping behind the second guy.
Jay hurtles towards us and for a moment I think the magic is pushing him.
Until I see the magic pulsing from him.
"I thought you'd left?" he calls as he makes a beeline for the doorway. A guy reaches out to grab Jay but a sound like someone thumping a wall echoes back at him. He howls and sucks on his knuckles.
"Zara said—" I side-step as he barrels towards us, "—that you were in trouble."
"I'm fine." I double-take as the crazy cleric runs through the inn, knocking tables and chairs from either side as his barrier holds.
Aidan stares after him, mouth open, then turns his head to more commotion as other faces appear. "Shit. Come on."
"That fucker stole our gem!" yells another goblin.
"I won it!" calls back Jay as he reaches the door.
"Are you with him?" snaps the goblin in a rasping tone.
The heavies turn to us, as an alternative to catching Jay, whose magic pulses ahead like a wall of water as he moves.
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