Sophokleus sighed. “Fashion is such a fickle business. One moment you’re winning an award for magical pauldron of the year, the next, your partner and models are lying dead in the road in the middle of nowhere. So much for the fashion week.”
“Tragic,” Vexx said, taking in the scene. The wagon seemed an utter wreck, bundles of clothing spilled out around it, but aside from the fallen goblins, there didn’t seem to be any other treasure. Shyola and Kaylin were already going over the corpses, apparently content to let Vexx do the chatting. He peered over into the fallen wagon.
“What’s that you’ve got there?” he asked, spotting a huge chest laying on its side, crammed in with all sorts of clothing.
“Eh?” Sophokleus had bent down, trying to wipe blood off a pile of tunics. He glanced over and frowned. “Ah, that was Naruan’s lockbox. I guess there’s no getting into it now. He was a mage, you know, and a talented designer and model. Have you heard of enchanted codpieces? He came up with that, you know, though he didn’t have the sense to file for a patent. Now there are all sorts of knockoffs, and half of them just end up—”
“Hey, so this isn’t yours?” Vexx asked, nodding at the chest. Shyola and Kaylin were approaching now, the succubus turning a goblin axe around in her hand, examining it for defects.
“Oh, it is,” Sophokleus protested. “It’s just that it’s locked, and Naruan wasn’t exactly the key type. I don’t suppose any of you can pick it?”
“I know one dwarf,” Kaylin suggested, but Vexx shook his head.
The caravan master shook his head in distress. “Ah, it’s an ensorcelled chest, after all. There’s a code to open it, but he was the only one who knew it…” he pointed his finger in disgust at another fallen traveller, his robes still gleaming as it thrummed with the power of a magical enchantment.
“Is that so…Kaylin, could you help him with the rest?” Vexx asked, his gaze focused on the fallen mage.
“Hmm? Sure thing, Vexx. So what did you need a hand with?”
Vexx waited for the two to move around to the other side of the fallen wagon before taking a few quick strides to the corpse of the fallen mage. He knelt next to the mage, a dark-skinned middle-aged traveller with a jagged gash in his chest. Vexx held one open palm above the man’s head and fed it energy. A moment later, the man’s eyes popped open, radiating a peculiar green, and he rumbled something.
“Hush,” Vexx said. “I have a question for you. The chest. What is the code to open it?”
The man stirred, as if trying to rise to his feet, and Vexx put a hand on the corpse’s bloody chest to restrain the undead magician. “The code.”
“It’s…” the man rasped. “Four…seven…eight…zero…two.”
Vexx nodded to himself. “Alright, got it.”
“Gob…lins…” the mage said. “Sudden…attack…”
“Yeah, I know,” Vexx said, casually severing the link, and the corpse slumped back to the ground. He stood, brushed dirt off his knees, and walked over to the huge chest. It was an ornate design with strange markings all along the edge, and he felt the sensation of energy as he rested a gloved hand on its surface.
“That’s about everything,” the caravan master was saying, the wooden planks creaking as he stepped back into the wagon, an overloaded pack on his back. Sophokleus looked over at Vexx. “What are you doing?”
“If I can open this, can I take half of what’s inside?” Vexx asked.
The man shrugged. “Well, I can’t get it open. Sure, you can take half. I’d rather have half of something than all of nothing.”
Vexx pressed his ear to the chest, nodding to himself as he tapped against the wood with one hand, the second hand discreetly selecting the numbered symbols.
“Ah, the chest is speaking to me,” he said, rapping away as he moved from one number to another. “It calls to a worthy mage. It wants to reveal itself to one of noble heart. It whispers, you see, it says…” he trailed off, selecting the last number, and stood up to look at the latch.
“What does it say?” Sophokleus asked in an awed whisper.
“That I am worthy,” Vexx whispered, unlocking the latch and lifting up the ornate chest.
“Ooooh,” Kaylin said, crowding in close. “How’d you do that?”
“A magician never reveals his secrets,” Vexx said, grinning as he took in the gleaming silver teapot set. “Your friend, I see he liked his tea.”
“Wouldn’t shut up about it,” Sophokleus agreed, craning his neck to get a better look. “What else is in there?”
Vexx carefully pushed the tea set to the side and brightened when he saw a few scrolls. He chose one at random and unrolled it, letting out a low whistle as he took in its contents.
“Erotic dryad art,” Vexx said, shuffling through the rest of the scrolls. “This is quite the collection.” He paused, adjusting one scroll. “That doesn’t seem physically possible…”
“It is,” Shyola said brightly. “One of these days, I’ll show—”
“I’ll take the tea set,” the caravan master said. “You can take the scrolls.”
“Oh, that’s easy for you to say,” Vexx grunted. “Silver is an easy sell. But these? I’m not sure where I’d start.”
“What? They don’t weigh a thing, and it’s a good value. I tell you what,” Sophokleus said after a moment. “There’s something I need, now that…they’re all dead.” He paused, looking over Kaylin, Shyola, and Vexx—then nodded resolutely. “Yes, you three will do nicely. You said you’re for hire, yes?”
Vexx raised an eyebrow. “What do you have in mind?”
36
Cloudbury Fashion Week
“It’s Cloudbury Fashion Week, if you didn’t know, and I’m running late.”
“I don’t keep up to date with community events,” Vexx muttered. “Besides, I’ve been out of town for a while. Why do you need me for this, anyway?”
“Well, it’s not like Naruan is up for it any more,” Sophokleus snapped, pointing at the fallen mage. “He doesn’t seem likely to leap up and model for me.”
Vexx paused a moment, considering. “Ah…no. No, I suppose not.”
“So it’ll have to be you! I can’t do it; I’ll be too busy selling my merchandise. And these two fair young maidens will be showing off women’s clothing.”
“Never fear,” Shyola purred. “I’m built for it,” she said, shifting her hips below her flowing green robes. “Unlike this stick-thin elf.”
“Hah!” Kaylin glared from below her huge teal hat. “You’re as far from a fair young maiden as it’s possible to get. Vexx?” She pouted her lips and smoothed a hand over her shimmering evening gown before batting her eyes at him. “Which one of us do you prefer?”
“Ah…”
“You’re both wonderful,” Sophokleus butted in. “Now, there’s no time like the present! Cloudbury is up ahead, just show your stuff! We’ll be the talk of the town! You know…I’m kind of glad they died,” he said, gesturing over at the two corpses in sparkling robes. “They never had the same spark that you two have.”
“Glad to hear it, darling,” Shyola replied, starting down the road to Cloudbury. Kaylin hurried over in a huff.
Vexx raised an eyebrow at the fashion designer. “They’re dead, and you move on so soon? You’re quite the loyal one.”
Sophokleus shrugged. “This is fashion, young man. There is no more cut-throat or ruthless industry in existence. It’s nothing as carefree and happy-go-lucky as dungeoneering.”
“I suppose not,” Vexx muttered, falling into line behind Kaylin and Shyola, distracted by their low-cut clothing. I’ve certainly done worse jobs than this.
“Now work that robe!” Sophokleus said, clapping his hands as they rounded the corner and approached Cloudbury’s gate. “Work it, Vexx, work it! You’re a sexy magician, Vexx, a noble sorcerer from a far-off land! Shyola, you’re perfect, Kaylin, you’re a natural. Vexx! Put some sex in your step! Sell it for me, Vexx, sell it for me!”
37
A Good Night’s Sleep
Vexx wiped the sweat from his brow. Who knew modeling was such grueling work? Not to mention demeaning.
“You were wonderful, my lovelies,” Sophokleussaid as he approached, the silver tea set rattling in its chest. “Shyola? Superb, superb, I’ve never sold so much in Cloudbury. Kaylin? Wonderful, absolutely wonderful! They loved the natural elf beauty look. I’ve made quite the killing today!”
“That’s great!” Kaylin said with a smile. “Hey, which one of us did better? Me or Shy here?”
The fashion designer chuckled, then turned to Vexx. “Vexx, that was a…workmanlike performance. You really showed the people of Cloudbury that clothing can be worn.”
“Great,” Vexx muttered. “Just trying my best.” I can’t believe I agreed to this. Dred Wyrm wouldn’t have sunk this low.
“Really? Your best?” Sophokleus blinked, then shook his head. “Well, either way, here our paths must part. I have a large quantity of dyed sheep’s wool in Oerchenbrach that I’ll need to pick up—I have a hunch it’ll be in high demand soon enough.”
Sophokleus left them, bustling about and picking up stray clothing while the dungeoneers exchanged glances. It had been a long day of modelling for the good people of Cloudbury, and they all seemed a bit tired. Kaylin sighed.
“Where to next, Vexx?”
“Well…” Vexx drummed the ornate chest that bore Naruan’s silver tea set. “Where do you think we can sell a tea set?” Vexx asked. “A blacksmith, maybe?”
Shyola shrugged. “I’ve been away from human commerce for a few centuries. Do you still trade around bits of metal to buy souls?”
“They do,” Kaylin said. “Shinier ones are better. Vexx told me that. Anyway, what if we went to the inn along the Western Gate? You know, where all the caravans come through? They probably serve a lot of strange people, and it seems like strange people seem to like tea.”
Vexx raised an eyebrow. “That’s a…surprisingly good idea. Well, it can’t hurt. The day’s almost over and we could afford a night at an inn. Let’s check it out!”
“Oh yes,” Shyola said. “We can sleep together for warmth, Master.”
“Hey!” Kaylin glared. “I’m not sharing a bed with you, you big, old she-demon.”
“Ohhh,” the succubus purred, “I didn’t mean I’d share it with you, you stupid little elf girl.”
“Let’s just see what they have,” Vexx muttered and cursed as he hefted the heavy chest. The fading sun provided just enough light as they hurried through the streets, the crowds from earlier having dispersed long ago. A wagon trundled along, and based on the appearance of the caravan driver and her assistant, Vexx figured they were also visitors for Cloudbury’s fashion week. Apparently this sleepy little town did a surprisingly decent amount of business once a year. Vex had never been openly ogled so much in his life.
He felt a sudden chill and clutched his robes closer around him. He picked up his pace, glancing back to see if Shy and Kaylin were still behind him. Another party of mounted adventurers clopped their way past, and then they were close to the Western Gate, the departure point for a number of caravans. Vexx paused for a moment, taking in the ramshackle huts and rickety houses near the gate.
“Over there,” he said, pointing over to a multi-storied building with an aged gargoyle pagoda at the top. There were stables beside it and to the side stood what appeared to be an unused shed, though there didn’t seem to be much in the way of customers. Vexx approached the ancient stone steps and slowly forced open a green-painted door, the hinges protesting at the motion. “Um, hello there? We’re travellers.”
“Ah, come in, come in!”
Vexx squinted in the dim lantern light. This was by far the most squalid of places he’d ever had the misfortune to visit, and it seemed to skimp on the lighting. He squeezed his way in, chest in hand, and waited for Shy and Kaylin to crowd in behind him. A woman stood at the other side of an old, gilded desk, smiling as she straightened up and waved them over.
“Three of you? For one night?”
“Not together!” Kaylin snapped.
The clerk smiled. “Certainly. Three rooms.”
Shyola clapped Vexx on the back. “Two rooms will be—”
“Yes, three rooms,” Vexx cut in. “Also, we were wondering if you would be interested in purchasing a silver tea set?”
The clerk chuckled politely. “Sir, I couldn’t possibly answer that. The mistress of the house will be in this morning, and I can relay your request to her if you’d like. Three rooms then; we have the space. Shall I show you to your rooms?”
“Yes,” Vexx said, as the clerk carefully selected three bronze keys. “How much will this be?”
“Five coppers,” she said, and he tossed three in, prompting Kaylin to add two of her own.
Shyola patted her skimpy, skin-tight garments. “I have nothing to hide, as you see, and I’ve given the coins I plucked off those dead goblins to Vexx here. Everything I have is yours, Master…” she added, her hot breath tickling Vexx’s ear.
The clerk raised an eyebrow but said nothing. “Just up these stairs,” she said, leading them up the ancient, creaking staircase.
“I better get a good night’s sleep,” Kaylin grumbled as she walked. “I could have gotten a dozen arrows for two coppers.”
“Oh, I think you’ll be very impressed with our amenities,” the clerk said with a well-rehearsed, mechanical politeness. “One room in here,” she said, as she tapped a finger on the door. “One just across the hallway,” she added, pointing at another. “And the last in the corner here. Any questions?”
“No, this will be fine,” Vexx said, peering into one bland room. “Hey, is there any chance we can work off our room and board tomorrow?”
The clerk continued to keep her smile plastered on. “I can relay your request to the mistress of the house in the morning, sir. She sometimes has odd jobs that guests can perform.”
“Thank you,” Vexx said, then rummaged in his pockets for an extra copper, which he dropped in the clerk’s extended hand. “That’s for all the trouble—and I hope you’re extra convincing in the morning. With the mistress of the house.”
“Yes, sir,” she said, bowing and pocketing the coin. “I’ll see what I can do. Rest well, sir. We get a lot of traffic outside in the morning, and with Cloudbury Fashion Week, the mistress of the house expects more guests than usual.”
Vexx sighed . “I don’t even want to think about Cloudbury Fashion Week…”
38
The Damned Souls
Dawn’s rays peeked through the slats of the old inn’s rickety walls as Vexx White made his way downstairs. The steps creaked under his feet as he strode past, the tea set in its chest resting in the crook of his arm. He yawned, stepping gingerly down the ancient staircase and nodded a greeting to the hotel clerk.
“So, about that tea set…”
The clerk nodded, turning in deference, and a woman in a flowing emerald gown emerged to look up at Vexx. “Ah yes, our visitor from last night. The tea set, yes, set it out here and I’ll take a look.”
Vexx spread out the silver tea set. The woman picked up each piece, examining them carefully, and whistled in approval. “We do have many travellers coming through here, and I think we could do a nice side business with this. Let’s see…” she thought for a moment, then named a figure.
Vexx considered it, shrugged, then extended his hand. The two smiled as they shook hands in agreement.
“A good deal! And so early in the morning,” the hotel owner said, passing over the coins and shooting Vexx a smile. “I also heard you’re interested in a job? I wonder, do you want to earn back last night’s costs?”
“Absolutely. The name’s Vexx White, ma’am, dungeoneer for hire. How can I help?”
“What a strong name for a young man such as yourself! And I’ve heard you travel with quite the company. Look, you want to earn back your lodging?” The hotel owner pointed out of th
e window at the decrepit barn. “We stable horses there when we get a lot of big caravans coming through. Or used to, anyway…there was an incident with an exotic goods trader and a witch, and well, one thing led to another and it’s haunted now.”
“Haunted.”
“Yeah, spirits of the damned and things of that nature. You know what I mean. A jar of trapped souls fell and they need some sort of eternal release. Honestly, this sort of thing happens more often than you’d think. Don’t go into hotel work. You think it’d be easy, right? Just keep the beds cleaned? But this and that adds up, and before you know it…well, anyway, just deal with this haunting problem and we’ll call it even for the night.”
“Great. I think I can do it.”
“The sooner, the better, I don’t want this haunting business spreading into the rooms. The last thing we need are the screams of tortured souls keeping my guests up at night. Oh, and there’s also a lot of spiders.”
“Spiders?”
“Yeah. There was an infestation that just sort of, you know, grew. And now they’re everywhere. So get rid of the spiders while you’re at it.”
“I see. And was that it?”
“That should do it.”
Vexx grumbled, sticking one hand into his jumbled mess of a haircut. He examined the tea kettle for a moment. “Think I can try a cup?”
39
Ghosts and Spiders
Vexx felt fresh and ready for his new task. His spirits rose as he sipped a hot cup of green tea in the lobby. He raised a hand in greeting as Kaylin emerged and made her way over to him in another chair.
“I got us a job.”
“Ooh, a quest?” Kaylin leaned in close and took an experimental sniff at Vexx’s tea, her head close to his chest. “What’s this? Tea?”
“Yeah…” Vexx found himself gazing at her neckline, then guiltily tore his eyes away. “Uh, I thought I might as well try it. Also, I wouldn’t go so far as to call this a quest. Just an errand really—clearing out their barn out back.”
A New Beginning: A Fantasy Adventure (The White Chronicles Book 1) Page 11