Tell her you understand.
No! This is going too far. Way too far. And—
Dashing and daring, courageous and caring, faithful and friendly, with stories to share. All through the forest, they sing out in chorus, marching along, as their song fills the air.
The… I… okay. Fine… stop. You’re being unreasonable, however. We’re going to need to talk about this, because it can’t keep going like this.
You can’t dictate my life to me.
I are you, you are me. We are we.
I’m just telling you what you actually want.
Because I’m you.
Feeling like someone had just rung his bell, Rene didn’t know how to respond to the Monster.
“I understand, Odelia,” he said, looking down and to the side.
Then he ran away.
Chapter 25
Slipping in through Aurora’s front door, Rene adjusted his mask.
“Aurora?” Rene called out loudly. He didn’t want to shock her.
“I… who… I’m armed,” she said, her tone becoming as firm as steel.
Ah, yes. The ever-determined and brave soul that she is.
“No, you’re not. You’re stabbed and you have a goose egg on the back of your head,” Rene said, walking slowly toward her bedroom. “And I know that, because I was the one who stabbed you.”
Rene leaned up against her doorframe and looked inside.
Aurora was laid up in her bed, a bandage wound around her head and holding up a short sword in her right hand. Her left shoulder looked like it was rather heavily bound up as well.
“What?” Aurora asked, staring at him over the blade.
“I stabbed you,” Rene said. “I made sure it was a flesh wound that wouldn’t cause any long-term problems.”
“What… why?” Aurora said, the sword in her hand slowly dipping down. “I was working with you. Why would you do that? You killed all my troopers?”
“Ah, you misunderstand,” said Rene with a sigh. “Your troopers were going to kill you. And possibly rape you, I might add, but it sounded like they were disagreed on that point. They clubbed you behind the head and you went down.
“Then I stepped in, killed them, and stabbed you. The stab makes it seem like you were going to die as well, not that you killed your own people.”
Aurora slowly shook her head back and forth.
“No, it’s not true,” she whispered.
“It’s very true. They were paid off by Ronder,” said Rene as he stood up. Walking toward Aurora, he put his hands behind his back. “He noticed you snooping around. Not very sneaky, are you?”
Aurora’s fingers went limp, and her sword slipped free from her grasp. It slid down across her bed and clattered to the floor.
“They… wanted to kill me?” Aurora asked.
“Indeed. They were paid by Ronder to do the deed,” answered Rene. He came over to her and sat down on the edge of the bed. “And I saved your life. Because your life is mine, and I can’t have anyone snuffing you out.”
“Is… is the entire guard corrupt…?” Aurora murmured, her eyes moving down toward her bed sheet.
“Probably to some degree or another,” Rene said with a nod. So far, he hadn’t met anyone who couldn’t be bribed or bought, in one way or another, since coming here.
People’s morals were much more fluid here and could change far easier.
“Would everyone have taken the money to kill you? No. Everyone has their own limit,” Rene said, reaching over to pat Aurora’s leg. “I mean, what if I offered to pay you ten gold to let a teenager go who got caught stealing an apple to feed his little sister. Would you take the bribe?”
“I… I would,” Aurora said, still staring at her bedding.
“Well, I’m glad to see you’re alive and well. I didn’t spend all the effort on you, just for you to back out and crumple,” Rene said.
Aurora snorted at that.
Then she started to laugh to herself.
“I want to get paid,” she muttered, then turned her eyes to Rene. “You want me to do this? To be your pawn? Fine. Pay me.”
Good. Paying her makes everything easier.
“Alright,” agreed Rene. “Can we start at two hundred gold a year?”
Aurora coughed twice, then grabbed at her arm with her free hand while wincing.
“Yeah… more than I’d make in a decade,” she muttered. “Stupid. So stupid. Fine. Consider me… bought. I guess.”
“Lovely,” Rene said patting Aurora’s leg again. “I’ll have the money sent over or I can deposit it in the Anatolis bank in your name. Whichever you prefer.”
“Oh, that’s right. The money lender you’re robbing,” Aurora said, then laughed. “Sure. Put my money there, so when you rob it, I won’t lose it.”
“Perfect. Then all that’s left is for you to show up with guards to arrest Ronder as he breaks into the Anatolis office to arrest me, only to find no one there. All you have to do is make it seem like he was the one robbing the bank,” Rene explained.
“Yeah, got it,” Aurora said, then sighed and leaned her head against the wall behind her bed. “You saved me.”
“I did,” Rene admitted. “I promise it won’t become a habit though. So you’ll need to develop a better awareness of people and situations.”
“Yeah… clearly,” Aurora murmured and closed her eyes. “Especially since I’m probably selling myself rather cheap.”
“Not really,” Rene said. “For what you are, a squad leader who is going to serve one job, you’re making considerably more than you likely would from any other gang leader.
“Now… if you were a lieutenant… you could get a cut of the action.”
“Suppose that’s my goal, then,” groused Aurora. “Get promoted, so I can get more money. Since it… doesn’t matter at all. And I’m more likely to get killed just for trying to look into things.”
“If you actually get promoted to a lieutenant, I’d spend the effort on making sure you stayed alive,” Rene said, smirking behind his mask.
“Figured that, yeah. If I’m your pawn, a lieutenant would be more like a rook,” Aurora said. “Mind watching over me while I sleep? Kinda… feeling jittery. Not every day, you almost die and wake up in a hospital but can’t remember any of it.”
“Sure, why not,” Rene said. He had a few things he could work on while he was here. Nor was he without distractions to keep his mind occupied.
Not to mention, his next stop was here anyway.
Just as Rene, not Mask.
“Thanks,” Aurora mumbled.
Then, almost instantly, she fell asleep.
Pulling out The Elemental Way, Rene settled in for some reading. He could keep working through this and mentally practicing while he watched over her.
He wasn’t completely sure Ronder wouldn’t try again anyway. Staying here was a good idea for the time being.
He stayed with her for several hours and ended up going into the other room to practice while she slept. He saw no reason not to do so. Not to mention, with her door closed, he’d definitely notice her long before she walked in on him practicing.
After that she’d eventually woken up. At which point he’d excused himself and left, stating he had other things he needed to do.
Before he left Aurora, he’d told her he was going to leave information for Rene about the robbery. As an anonymous source, of course, through a channel that Rene was likely to trust.
And that Aurora would have to act surprised when it came back to her.
Going back home, getting his things together, and coming back to Aurora’s house, gave him a strange feeling. Like he’d never really left.
Knocking on the door firmly, Rene was definitely feeling odd about this.
When you were both the person you were going to rob, and the robber, everything got a little muddled. On top of having three different personas and a Monster you talked to, as well.
Behind him was his carriage and his tw
o bodyguards. They would be waiting outside while Rene spoke with Aurora.
Standing there, Rene waited.
And waited.
And waited some more.
Finally, he lifted his hand and knocked on the door again, though much harder this time.
Putting his hands behind his back once again, Rene stood there.
Wondering if Aurora had gone to sleep again, he briefly considering just trying to open the door.
If she was planning on sleeping the whole day away, he’d have to get pushy, he couldn’t waste anymore of the day. He had plans to start and put into motion.
“Who is it?” called Aurora from beyond the door.
Clearing his throat, Rene made sure he was using his normal voice, rather than his Mask voice.
“My name is Rene Anatolis,” he replied. “And I was given some critical information today that… well… that doesn’t look very good for the guards of Felicie. Your name was suggested as someone who might be able to help me.”
“What?” Aurora asked, sounding genuinely confused.
Opening the door, she stuck her face in the space between the door and the frame.
Smiling while trying to lean into his good looks, upbringing, and charm, Rene snared Aurora’s eyes with his own.
“My name’s Rene Anatolis,” Rene said again. “I was given some information that, apparently, I’m likely to be robbed.
“A most worrisome situation to me. I’m sure you can understand. Anyway, I was given your name from someone I trust as a person who could help me.”
Aurora was staring at him, seemingly completely at a loss.
“Squad Leader Dean?” Rene asked. “Are you well? Should I come back another time?”
Giving her head a quick shake, Aurora threw the door open and stepped aside.
“Please, come in, Master Anatolis,” Aurora said.
“Ah, please, just call me Rene,” he said, moving past her and into her home.
“You were given my name?” Aurora asked.
“Indeed, by someone I trust and shall not betray, but they told me you were above reproach, and that you’d be someone I could talk to about this matter,” Rene said as Aurora closed the door. “Mostly because… well… apparently the person intent to rob me is actually a lieutenant in the guard.”
Walking past him, Aurora gestured to a hallway he knew led them to her living room, as it were. She was definitely favoring her left arm and looked to be lacking in energy, to say the least.
Not that he could blame her, given what had happened.
“A lieutenant,” Aurora said moving into the living room.
“Indeed,” confirmed Rene. “A lieutenant by the name of Ronder. Apparently, he’s going to rob me the day after tomorrow. In the middle of the night, after I’ve retired to my home. I’d like you to be on hand to make sure that doesn’t happen. Or at the least, to stop them mid-crime.”
In two days, in the middle of the night, the Mask was supposed to rob Rene. And that’s what he’d be reporting to Junk and Ronder.
Aurora sat herself down on a couch slowly and then sighed, putting her hands in her lap.
“Are you well?” Rene asked, avoiding the chair across from Aurora that she likely wanted him to sit in. Instead, he sat himself down next to her on the couch.
“I, ah… yes, I’m fine. I had a close encounter with a blade and a club,” she said with a weak smile, turning her head toward him. “Though I’m quite well.”
Smiling in return at her, Rene leaned forward and casually inspected her very visibly bandaged shoulder.
“Well, I’m glad to hear it,” he said, looking back at her face and maintaining his smile. Rene had learned that since he’d been blessed with the right genetics to look “handsome,” he could often use it as a weapon. “So, can you help me, Aurora?”
Aurora stared at him, then slowly nodded her head.
“I believe I can, Rene. I, ah… I think the simplest thing is for me to just… interrupt him mid-robbery,” explained Aurora. “Hard for him to claim anything other than guilt, after that.”
“Simple, efficient, effective,” Rene said nodding his head. “I’ll prepare some correspondence and speak with my lawyer about this. Make sure we have everything documented beforehand, in case someone tries to say we’ve framed him.”
“Oh, yes, that’d make sense,” Aurora said, her body shifting on the couch to face Rene more directly.
“Hm. I suppose… that’s it then. Since I’m here and we’re working together, tell me more about yourself, Aurora,” Rene concluded.
Looking nervous, and not exactly thrilled at that, Aurora smiled at him and nodded her head.
“Ah… of course,” she murmured.
***
Standing outside Aurora’s house, Rene really didn’t know what to do with himself. After imposing on Aurora for an hour or so, he’d finally let her off the hook.
It was far too enjoyable to him to watch her squirm, clearly uncomfortable with the fact that she was partially using Rene.
Except as soon as that amusement ended, his mind slammed right back into the massive lode stone he’d been trying to avoid.
He had a large number of balls in the air right now.
Far too many.
Redemption house, my own robbery, Aurora, the Mask, Irini, the Black Hood, university, the kidnapping, Laetus Lending the Felicie branch… ugh.
I’m stretched far too thin. I need to put some of this off. I need to… get rid of some.
Redemption House goes to the Billings.
Yeah… that’s definitely one.
I could have Irini work on the kidnapping. She might even learn more than we could.
Unfortunately, university and Laetus Lending must remain with you.
True enough.
We’ll just… write Irini off. If she flees, she flees; if she stays, she stays. I don’t have the time or resources to spend on her.
Robbery will be done soon—that’d get that off the list. Technically it’d get rid of Aurora, too, would it not?
Yes. Unless she becomes a lieutenant. Then she’ll become more useful.
Besides, I don’t mind her. She’s a nice woman.
You just like her because she’s in her mid-twenties. More of a ‘woman’ to you.
Anyway. The Mask and the Hood I can’t give to anyone else either. That’s mine.
Which means… Mask, Hood, university, and the business are all mine. The rest can just… go away or be finished quickly.
Good. Though there’s one lingering problem that you haven’t addressed.
Oh?
Alana.
Groaning, Rene nodded his head.
Alana. We’ll go… see her now, actually. It’s only an hour before the library closes. She’ll be there to clean up and put things away.
Should help her. Maybe take a bite of her.
I do think her blood will be irresistibly sweet.
Perhaps we should open a drink business. Bottle carbonated Elf blood. I bet it’d sell very well.
Why are you so messed up?
Why are YOU so messed up? It isn’t as if these desires are mine alone. You’re the one who wants to sink his teeth into the Elven maiden.
Grumbling, Rene got into the carriage, and his knights both joined him inside.
“Felicie library,” he said offhandedly.
The order was relayed and in seconds, they were off for the library. They arrived faster than he was expecting.
“You may remain outside the library or in the carriage, but not inside,” Rene murmured as he got out.
Neither knight responded, though both exited the carriage with him.
Rene didn’t stop or bother to talk to anyone as he walked inside. Instead, he headed straight to the room he knew Alana was living out of.
Her studies and her job left her with precious little in the way of available time. It was likely one of the reasons she’d latched onto the idea of working with Rene so tightly.
All of her possessions were gone.
Nothing of her remained here.
Rene raised his eyebrows, not quite sure how to process this change.
Looking at the ground, he tried to track anybody who’d been through here. At the top of the list was Alana.
Focusing on that, he kept it firm in his mind. Then he stepped to one side, out of sight of anyone, and started to Sneak. He pulled the mask from his inventory, slipped it over his face, and then started to follow the trail.
It circled the room endlessly for what seemed to be miles and miles of walking.
Shit. Something happened.
Then the prints went to various spots in the room, as if packing things away, and then straight out the door.
Following those prints, Rene trailed them through the library. Right out through the front door and down the boulevard to the city.
Moving amongst people going through their end-of-day business, Rene was completely oriented on his quarry.
He owed Alana. She’d brought him in and then given him safety and a place to lay his head, when she owed him nothing.
In fact, she could have made his life absolute hell if she’d chosen to do so.
If I were her, and I needed a place to crash, I’d head for the school.
Nodding his head with that thought, Rene was fairly confident where she’d end up. The question became whether she was hiding there or trying to live there openly.
And beyond that, what would she say when he caught up with her?
When he reached the gates of Redemption House, he had his answer.
Though it wasn’t the one he’d been expecting.
Alana’s belongings were all piled up just on the inside of the wall, beyond the gate. The Elf herself wasn’t far away, sitting on what looked like a trunk, with a very forlorn look on her face.
Pulling his mask off, Rene jumped up and grabbed the lip of the wall. He shimmied over the top of it and landed in the grass near Alana.
Her head snapped around and focused intently on the spot Rene was occupying.
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