Just as Darcy predicted, Mina and Naomi were adept at finding food. More than once, Naomi spotted some edible berries or wild fruit by walking a bit off the road and once Mina spotted a wild rabbit. Naomi ran it down with her high Monk speed, but it was a task to convince her to let them eat it for lunch. Mina, shocked at herself, set up the campfire and knew how to properly prepare and cook the rabbit on sticks leaning over the flames. Between the rabbit, berries, and wild fruit, there was just enough to ease their hunger pains for a while.
***
The more Tom traveled with these women, the more he knew they weren’t from Farron or Saige nor anywhere that he knew of for that matter. Being a prince, he had been taught geography, culture, and been exposed to numerous foreigners and their customs, but these women were beyond his comprehension. The way they thought, spoke, acted, and saw the world was alien to him.
Darcy, the so-called cleric of Shantra, didn’t know funeral rites and didn’t pray over every meal, nor did she hold herself with a religious superiority he had come to attribute with that order. He would have believed her a fraud if it wasn’t for the fact that he had seen her use divine magic, so she must have Shantra’s favor despite her irreverent demeanor and lack of grace.
The barbarian woman wasn’t like any tribesman he had ever seen, and he had met several during his travels. They spoke very little of the Common Tongue, if at all, and had an aversion of outsiders. The Tribespeople held their heads with strict pride in stoic silence, but Mina was the complete opposite. She doubted herself and wasn’t ashamed to show discomfort, fear, or—what was most sinful in the eyes of her people—weakness.
Naomi, a girl who was almost a woman, acting with the spirit of someone years younger than herself; she fought with the skill of those from the east, but she lacked their discipline. Being nearly killed by a werewolf and fighting through a horde of bandits would leave its mark on any girl, but Naomi treated it like a tussle in the courtyard with a playmate. And she was ready for more with a ferocity that only the strongest of knights could hope to match.
And then there was Sally, the beautiful half-elf woman. He knew of half-elves living in the slums of the capital who joined gangs or bandits to eke out a living as poor souls who belong to neither world. The women were highly sought for bordellos or as mistresses for the nobility. Despite their elven blood, the pockets of elven communes in Saige had very little use or room for those who shared human blood. The half-elves were a sad, lonely race with no home that welcomed them.
But Sally was different: she often acted surprised when her background was mentioned, as if she had forgotten she was a half-elf. The relationship with her stepsister was warm and affectionate, with none of the shame most families would have for a member of non-human blood. They chatted freely, even laughed together, and teased each other, and it reminded him of the time he spent with Maureen.
Tom’s sister had been a free-spirited girl who believed herself human until she turned eight. He was the only family she had, as Tom’s father made no time for her and her mother had died in childbirth. Being the youngest of three sons of the king, with no prospects of inheriting the throne, Tom was set aside, almost discarded to his mother’s estate. Maureen made life interesting with her games and imagination and when she died, it had been a wound that never healed. Perhaps, if she had been openly accepted, then she could have led a happier life or received more care when she became ill. Perhaps she would be alive now.
In honor of her memory, Tom had led the peace effort with Saige, a neighboring country that had an open acceptance of non-humans, even electing them to low positions of power. Many elves, dwarves, and halflings had made their home in Saige to enjoy the many freedoms and privileges denied them in Farron.
It would make sense to him if Sally had grown up in Saige, but according to Sally and her friends that wasn’t the case. He didn’t know what to make of the women until it came to him in an epiphany. They weren’t what they appeared to be. In Mina, he saw a tribeswoman, but she didn’t act like one. Darcy was far from being pious or religious. And Sally didn’t have the defeat or anger of a shunned hybrid caste. None of them were what they appeared to be.
He thought back to when he tried to kiss Sally and regretted it. It had been the wine that lowered his inhibition. Being rejected stung, but he was most taken aback by the shock and confusion in her eyes. As if she were astounded that he wanted to kiss her and didn’t know how to respond to it. A woman that beautiful must have been kissed a few times in her life.
Tom wasn’t a man to force his attentions where they were not welcomed, yet, it was hard to fight the desire to be close to her. The sunlight played on hair that hung like a waterfall of gold on delicate shoulders. She moved with the grace of a dancer and had the courage of a warrior. Standing in the face of danger, Sally blocked McRando from retreating, determined to end the fight then and there, and she’d launched herself onto a werewolf, thrusting both blades into his hide over and over.
Tom admired the Rogue, and was growing fond of her. Maybe during the course of their journey together, she would lower her walls and become more open about herself.
***
“Do you think Mom and Dad are looking for us?” Sally asked. It was late in the day, the descending sun had nearly met the tree line of the horizon.
“Knowing them, they probably have an Amber Alert out for us even though we’re in our twenties,” Darcy said, but her expression held a twinge of sorrow at the thought of their parents worrying. “I’m worried about Gina. She was in the living room studying when I—I disappeared. It must have freaked her out.”
“Knowing her, she’s probably out looking for you,” Sally said kindly, remembering the feisty redhead Darcy had moved in with last month.
“Let’s focus on finding a good place to camp off the road,” Darcy said shrugging off the brooding moment. “Can you go with Mina and find one while we take a rest?”
“You sure you want to make camp now? It’s still daylight.”
“It’s going to take time to set up camp, and everyone is getting winded. The earlier we turn in, the earlier they can get going in the morning,” Darcy said, shouldering her cloak. “Don’t worry, we made excellent time today, and tomorrow we’ll be at River’s Edge. Why don’t you go hunt with Mina? We don’t have enough leftovers from lunch to make a decent dinner.”
Sally arched a brow. “Wishing you hadn’t made us throw out the rations?”
“No, wishing I had the create food and water spell,” Darcy retorted.
Sally wasn’t sure if she was being serious or joking. “Why not send Naomi and Mina together?”
“Because it’s getting late and it’s going to be dark soon and Mina doesn’t have low-light vision.”
“Ah, sure,” Sally nodded and called Mina over, and they left the road together.
Mina was mindful of where she stepped, while Sally had Rogue’s instinct of moving without sound. They moved silently among the trees that cast long dark shadows over them. Sally realized the sun was setting faster than she had expected, making Darcy’s call to make camp so soon a valid one. Mina paused and held up a hand, stopping Sally and with one finger to her lips, she pointed upward at a large bird pecking away at foliage near a bush. Its dark feathers mingled so well with the background that Sally had missed it, even with her elven vision.
Slowly, Mina took a sling and stone from her hip. It had been part of the supply package Darcy had blackmailed from Smiley Pete. Upon receiving it, Mina declared she had no idea of how to use it until Darcy prompted her to take a few practice shots at some flying birds. She had missed each time but still had been surprised by how close she had come. Maybe with a bigger target and her Survival skill, she might pull this off.
Sally crouched low, fearful that her growling belly, triggered by the thought of cooked fowl, would alarm the bird. It kept pecking away at something in the grass, completely oblivious of them. Mina loaded the smooth stone into the sling, and after weighing
it, began to swing it in a small loop above her head. Never taking her eyes off the bird, she let loose the rock. The bird died instantly as its small head was impacted by the missile and Sally whooped with arms in the air as if Mina had performed a touchdown.
“That was awesome!” Sally declared as she broke through the bushes to collect their dinner. It looked like a cross between a chicken and turkey with long tail feathers and large wings. “This should feed everyone.”
“Thanks,” Mina said, putting the sling back on her belt. “Three days ago, I was studying for a chemistry exam, and now I’m out here hunting wild birds for dinner. I never thought to ask, but what was your job before you got here?”
“Oh, me? I’m a freelance editor,” Sally said, carefully picking up the heavy bird by the leg. “People send me editorials, college papers, and novels to proofread and edit. I also work part time as a secretary for my Dad’s office. What were you studying to be?”
“A doctor,” Mina replied, looking almost wistful. “I’m still in my first semester of medical school, so I don’t know yet what kind of doctor I’ll be. I’m thinking of either cardiologist or rheumatologist. My dad wants me to be a family doctor, but the real money is in being a specialist, especially cardiologist.”
“Well, do what you think suits you best for you.” Sally pushed through some bushes, the bird swinging from her hand. “Look over here. You think this is a good spot for a camp?”
It was a small glade with tall grass, but it was surrounded by a dense copse of trees that offered privacy. There was a tall gnarled tree with firm roots bursting from the earth, which were large enough to be used as seats.
“This is a good sp—” Mina went silent, her head raised and dark eyes scanning the trees.
Sally went still, holding her breath and looking about frantically. A chill was creeping down her spine. “What is it?”
“I…I thought I heard something. It must have been my imagination,” Mina said slowly. She blinked, shaking her head to shake off the sudden alarm. “There’s nothing out there, at least, I don’t think so.”
“Maybe we should find somewhere else?” Sally suggested, still eyeing the copse warily.
“We could, but it’ll be dark soon,” Mina said with a quick glance at the sky. “Then, it’ll be harder to find another place, we might not find one at all.”
“That’s oddly brave of you…” Sally said.
“If there’s something out there, I rather face it with the others and a campfire, instead of it coming across us alone in the dead of night.”
“That makes sense,” Sally admitted. She gave the area a quick scan but saw nothing worrying. Maybe whatever it was that alarmed them had left or, better yet, it was just their imagination fueled by being in this world.
She gave her log a quick glance.
Sneak Check: Success!
After doing a quick scan of the log, she noticed that now all the skills checks were listed. There was nothing for Perception, Charm, Deceit or Intimidate. So had she never used those skills? Wait, she intimidated the Cut Throat into telling them where the hideout was, but it wasn’t listed. Odd. She’d have to ask Darcy about that later.
***
Night fell by the time they finished setting up camp. Mina cleaned the bird while Naomi and Darcy started the fire. There was no need for tinder as Darcy simply pointed two fingers at the pile of wood and cast Divine Flame. The wood burst into flames, much to Naomi’s delight, and she kept the fire fed with twigs and chips until it lit up the camp.
Sally stretched out her bedroll, trying to ignore her hungry stomach. She never went long without something to eat as her pantry was always stocked with food, and delivery was just a phone call away. If Mina hadn’t gotten the bird, then their dinner would have been a few slowly chewed mouthfuls. Sally missed the real world where food was readily available from the fridge, store, or restaurant and she had a greater appreciation of them now that she was living hand to mouth.
Once bellies were sated, mouths opened in yawns, Darcy asked who wanted to take the first watch. Since Naomi was already asleep, curled up on her bedroll like a kitten, she was out. Feeling that Mina had already done her part by getting the bird for supper, Sally volunteered.
Sally passed the time of her watch studying her character screen until she heard Tom calling her name. Dropping the screen, she looked over to where he was sitting up on his bedroll, an arm’s length away. “What were you looking at?”
“The stars,” she said dumbly. “What is it?”
“Just wanted to talk.”
She stiffened, her hands tightening on her knees. Was he trying to come onto her again? “You should really go to sleep. Darcy is going to browbeat us hard to get to River’s Edge tomorrow.”
“Yes, you need to get to Everguard in time to cure Naomi before the full moon,” She opened her mouth to protest, but he held up a gentle hand. “No, please, it’s alright. I saw the girl get bit myself, and I assumed that was why you’ve all been giving her these worried looks since yesterday.”
Since he already knew about it and didn’t seem disturbed, she asked, “Is there a cleric there that can help her?”
“Yes, perhaps a dozen. Everguard is a large city with many temples for different faiths. Once we meet with my uncle, I can arrange for one to cure Naomi within the hour.”
“That’s kind of you,” Sally said, realizing she didn’t know what they would do after they cured Naomi and claimed Darcy’s money. The plan was to look for other players, but how?
“My uncle’s manor has plenty of rooms for everyone, so you’ll be very comfortable,” he continued.
It would make things easier to have a place waiting for them when they arrived. What if Darcy’s money wasn’t there after all? Where would they stay? She certainly didn’t fancy sleeping in the streets of a crime-infested city.
“I’ll have to talk to Darcy about it. She might already have plans for where we’ll be staying,” Sally said. “I appreciate your offer, though.”
“It’s the least I can do. I would still be in that cell were it not for you,” Tom said, watching her carefully.
The fire had died down to embers, but with her low-light vision, she could easily see the affection in his eyes, and it troubled her. Was he offering them a place to stay to be close to her? Was he going to try something else now? Stop it, she told herself, she was being paranoid. Tom had been a gentleman since they first met, and they have been through so much together that she ought to trust him.
He was just a character in a game, a Wikipedia entry about Shadow’s Deep lore. Yet, here he was talking to her, had befriended Naomi, took orders from Darcy graciously, and fought side by side with Mina. And he had almost kissed her last night.
Sally didn’t know how to feel about that and wished it hadn’t happened so she could be more relaxed around him now and not be looking for ulterior motives. She never had to be on guard around a guy before as boys had never been interested in her in high school or college. It was the tall, leggy pretty girls they were interested in, not the quiet wallflower chubby girl.
It’s not me he wants. He’s attracted to this shell I inhabit. If he saw the real me, he would run in the opposite direction. That’s why I can’t be attracted to him because I know he would have nothing to do with the real me.
“Saving you was an accident,” Sally said, feeling a bit annoyed now. “I was trying to find Darcy and Mina.”
He shrugged. “It was a happy accident.”
If she could have, she would have stapled her mouth shut or kicked her own ass to keep the words from leaving her mouth. “Like your sister?”
God, why did I say that?
The silence filled the air between them, almost suffocating her as shame filled her throat.
“I’m sorry,” Sally said, feeling tears prick her eyes. “I shouldn’t have said that. You were trying to be kind, and I’m a bitch.”
“Be quiet,” he said harshly.
A tear rolled d
own her cheek. “I’m sorry.”
“No, listen! Did you hear that?”
Sally pricked her ears and listened. At first, she heard nothing, and that was it. The crickets had stopped chirping, and the owl that had been asking its eternal question had gone silent. There was a stillness in the air, now charged with a kinetic energy that threatening to burst. Chills swept down between her shoulders, and she slowly drew her rapier and dagger.
“Darcy,” she whispered in a low voice. Rising slowly to her feet, she stepped over the embers and scanned the edge of the glade. Nothing so far, but she felt it out there watching them. “Wake up.”
Darcy curled up in her bedroll, but after a few prods with Sally’s foot, she was awake. “What?”
“Something’s out there,” Sally repeated, lowering herself. “I don’t know what it is, but it’s watching us.”
“Shit,” Darcy hissed, rising to her feet. “Get the others up and get that fire burning. Maybe if it sees us all up, it’ll go away.”
Tom added kindling to the fire while Sally went to rouse Mina, who was already awake, as if she had sensed the danger in her sleep. It took Sally several prods to get Naomi up as the girl kept rolling away from her boot. Soon, all that could be heard was the fire crackling and their own hurried breathing and beating hearts. They stood in a circle facing outward with their backs to the fire, providing a wide swath of light. Their eyes searched the dark trees but could see nothing.
“Sally, do you see anything?” Darcy said in a low voice.
“No,” she said, frantically looking. She could see several yards beyond the edge of the light, but there was nothing there. “Should we throw out a torch?”
“Yeah, we’ll be able to see better in a forest fire,” Mina muttered darkly.
“Stay on guard,” Tom said. “If it wants to attack us, it has to come into the light first.”
Not one second later, Tom was proven correct.
A streak of gray dashed between the trees like a missile towards Mina. She barely had time to step to the side as the snarling wolf’s teeth grazed her leg. It could have been a severe injury if she hadn’t reacted so quickly. The wolf snapped its jaws as if furious for missing and immediately lunged for Darcy with razor teeth and murder in its eyes. Before it could reach its mark, Naomi barreled into it from the side and both girl and wolf rolled away in a ball of flashing teeth and flying fists.
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