by Pirateaba
“Can’t you control her?”
Safry snapped at Lyonette after the last warning. Mrsha’s eyes narrowed, but Lyonette bit back her retort and apologized for her.
The door to Celum opened and Erin and Ryoka came through. Erin was laughing happily and holding something mossy in her hand. Lyon recoiled from it, but apparently it was a useful…moss?
“It might work. If Octavia’s done her job, it’s got potential. I didn’t know you could boost the growth of fungi with mana potions, but Erin, be careful. We don’t know how other species react to it, and there might be side effects—”
“Got it! I got it! But if I try just a bit on Brunkr—okay, I’ll be careful! Don’t glare! And we’re back on time like you said.”
“Yeah.”
Ryoka glanced around the inn, looking at first Lyonette, then Safry. She frowned.
“Anyone seen Pisces?”
“I think he’s still sleeping in the basement. Or practicing magic.”
The [Mage] often woke up late, still pouring over the spellbook Ryoka had bought or mumbling about proper craftsmanship and magic. Ryoka nodded. She went down into the basement and came up in a minute dragging Pisces. She shoved him into a seat and had a word with him.
She vanished after that. Pisces left too, grumbling about finding the rest of the Horns of Hammerad, and Erin was long gone into the city to give the mold—it wasn’t a moss—to Brunkr for some reason. That left Lyonette alone, well, not alone, but with Safry.
It went well for five minutes. Then Lyonette noticed Mrsha leaping up onto a table in the corner. She seemed intent on something, although there was nothing there. Someone had probably spilled a drink, but the Gnoll kept sniffing and then backing away.
And she happened to be right in the way of Safry as she was collecting dishes.
“Out of the way, Mrsha.”
Mrsha glanced up at Safry, but didn’t move. She circled the table and Lyonette called out to Safry, exasperated.
“Just leave her. If she stays there, she won’t bother anyone.”
Safry ignored her. She pointed down at the floor, and raised her voice, as if speaking to a dog.
“Down. Down.”
A glance up, and then Mrsha deliberately turned her back on Safry. The [Barmaid] lost her patience. She pushed Mrsha off the table and onto the floor.
The Gnoll landed with a yelp. Lyonette dropped the dust rag she was holding as Drassi and Ishkr looked up. Safry glared down at Mrsha.
“Down. Understand?”
The Gnoll cub stared up at her. She wasn’t injured from the small fall, but she was hurt, and surprised. Lyonette lost her temper.
“Stop that!”
She advanced on Safry, hands balled into a fist. Safry whirled and snapped at her.
“If you’d control her better, I wouldn’t have to teach her proper manners!”
“She’s just a child! She can play wherever she wants. And if you push her again I will make sure you don’t push anything again.”
Lyonette was ready to do violence, and Safry was clearly ready for a fight. She advanced, but Drassi leapt forwards and Ishkr dragged Lyonette back.
“Hrr. Hold still Lyonette. It is not the place to fight, no? Hold!”
He was far stronger than she was, even with [Lesser Strength]. Lyon struggled a bit in his grasp, but then Mrsha was between her and Safry. The other [Barmaid] struggled out of Drassi’s grip, and Ishkr let Lyonette go after a moment.
“Keep her out of the way.”
“Touch her and—”
Lyonette went to Mrsha, still glaring at Safry. She told Mrsha to play upstairs for today, and the Gnoll agreed, sensing the air in the room. But that was it.
Lyonette was going to kill Safry.
She’d grab one of the seed cores Erin kept in the kitchen and shove it down the other woman’s mouth. Or she’d stab her from behind. Or—
These were the thoughts that filled Lyon’s head as she began working and people began coming in for the midday rush. Murder. Violence. They were comforting feelings, even if she couldn’t act on them.
But she would do something. Oh yes. Erin would hear about this at the very least! Lyon wasn’t working another day with Safry! Or Maran! When Erin came back she’d—
Erin did not come back, busy as she was with Brunkr and molds. But Maran came in for her shift soon after, and then trouble really started. Safry told Maran what had happened, and as far as the inn was concerned, there were now two mortal enemies sharing the same roof. Well, three, mortal enemies but two sides.
Safry went back to the table Mrsha had been on, cleaning it and muttering about Gnoll hair everywhere. She was just going over to wring the cloth in the bucket when her feet went out from under her.
She’d tripped. Something had struck her foot, and Safry landed hard on the ground. She looked back, enraged, thinking it was Lyonette—but the girl was across the room, teaching Ishkr where Erin kept her supply of emergency potions.
Suspiciously, Safry looked around. There was only an empty chair next to a table. Angry, having no one but herself to blame and angrier still that that was the case Safry stood up and got back to work. She ended up tripping three more times throughout the day, each time when she passed by that table.
—-
[Acolyte Level 8!]
[Skill – Mass Prayer obtained!]
Pawn woke up with the memory of those words ringing in his mind. He smiled as he sat up in the darkness. In his four hands he still held the thurible, missing an ember and proper incense, but perfectly workable.
He was leveling. He was on the right path. And his Soldiers would not die.
He was also in the wrong place. Pawn had thought he was in his dirt cubicle, but instead he was in a dark room, and there was a blanket covering him! He looked around, and realized he was in a corner of the Wandering Inn’s basement.
He’d fallen asleep here, and slept the night away! Dread filled Pawn and he scrambled up the stairs.
“Pawn!”
Lyonette greeted him with a strained smile, but Pawn was in too much of a hurry to notice.
“I am sorry to intrude. Is Erin here? I wish to thank her.”
“No, I think she’s out.”
“Ah. In that case I must go. I must report in to my Hive!”
He fled, hurrying down towards Liscor. Even if Klbkch did not order him into combat duty, he still had to attend a debriefing meeting with Klbkch about his Soldiers’ performance.
But he wouldn’t be ordered into combat, right? Erin had said. She’d promised. His Soldiers would be safe. They wouldn’t die.
Part of Pawn’s dream of last night nagged at him. He’d been holding a dead Antinium, one without paint. He banished the memory. That was just a dream. He would be—
The Hive was busy as ever. Pawn navigated the streams of Workers and Soldiers, looking for Klbkch.
“Revalantor Klbkch. Have you seen him? Where is he?”
Workers pointed him onwards, towards one of the areas closest to the dungeon. Apprehensively, Pawn hurried down that way, pausing to let Soldiers rush by, alert for monsters. But he found Klbkch a good ways away from the actual front.
Because Klbkch was wounded.
Pawn halted as he suddenly came to the Revalantor. Klbkch was surrounded by a wall of twenty Soldiers, all injured, some missing limbs. Klbkch was leaning against a wall, bleeding profusely from his side.
Something had torn it open. The Antinium dropped one of his silvery swords and was fumbling with a healing potion. Pawn rushed over as Klbkch got the stopper out.
“Pawn.”
The other Antinium had noticed Pawn’s arrival. He parted his mandibles weakly as Pawn stared at the green fluid rushing down his side. He had a deep cut down one shoulder as well, a blow that had split his chitin, and more, smaller cuts down his legs.
“A moment.”
Klbkch poured the healing potion over himself, carefully sprinkling it without wasting the precious liquid. T
he wounds closed quickly. Klbkch staggered, and then looked at Pawn. He stoppered the nearly-empty potion bottle with one hand and put it in his belt pouch.
“Pawn. I was wondering as to your location. You spent the night outside of the Hive.”
Pawn was still staring at Klbkch, at where the wounds had been. They’d closed just like that. In an instant. Of course, that was how healing potions worked, but now you couldn’t tell Klbkch had been injured. You’d never be able to tell, come to that. So long as he didn’t die, he could have been fighting a moment ago and you’d never notice…
“Yes, I—I fell asleep in the inn. My deepest apologies. I had not rested since my assignment and—”
“It is fine.”
Klbkch cut him off shortly. The Antinium hauled himself up and snapped at the Soldiers.
“Return to battle.”
They immediately dispersed, running back down the corridor. Pawn could hear a monster screaming in the distance. That left Klbkch and Pawn alone. The Revalantor nodded at Pawn.
“I was visited by Erin Solstice yesterday. She had words for me regarding your deployment.”
“Yes, I—”
Suddenly Pawn’s jubilation was gone. He felt ashamed. But Klbkch shook his head.
“Her concerns had merit. I agreed with her proposal. Your unit displayed extreme efficacy in battle, despite the dangers. Your losses…depleted a valuable resource to the Hive. In light of that, and remarks made by Xrn—”
His mandibles lowered in an Antinium grimace.
“Your unit may resume patrolling above. There is no need to report for combat duty in the Hive in the foreseeable future. We will handle matters below now that Xrn has agreed to lend her abilities when needed.”
Pawn nodded numbly.
“I understand.”
Klbkch nodded as well. He straightened and picked up the other sword he’d dropped.
“Continue training your Soldiers, Pawn. Do not worry about Belgrade or Anand. They will recover. In the meantime, I will coordinate my efforts with my Queen and Xrn to maintain the defense of the Hive.”
He turned away. Pawn watched him stride back towards the sound of battle. He wanted to say something, anything. But he couldn’t.
Suddenly, Pawn realized a hole had opened back up under his feet. He’d been thinking for so long about what had happened. He’d led his Soldiers in a battle, something he thought Klbkch wouldn’t do, couldn’t understand.
But of course the Revalantor fought. He had put himself on the line. And the Workers and Soldiers—were still fighting. Why would that stop? It was just Pawn’s unit that had been granted a reprieve, safety. Suddenly, Pawn felt as useless as before. No. Worse.
What was he doing?
What had he done?
—-
Trouble had two names. Maran, and Safry. Trouble also had a Human’s face, and was multiplied about two dozen times.
Suddenly, a huge amount of Humans had come through Octavia’s door into the inn. It had happened around one, and although it had surprised Lyonette, it hadn’t come as a shock to Maran or Safry. Now these Humans laughed and ate and did all the things guests were supposed to do…but they were Human.
And Lyon had the feeling that was just the way Safry and Maran liked it.
“I had a word with some of my friends and regular customers. I told them they should eat here. It’ll balance out the inn.”
“You mean add more Humans.”
Lyonette glared as she confronted Maran over the issue. The [Barmaid] laughed.
“So what? They’re customers. Erin will be happy. Anyways, they’re guests, and probably hungry. You can take their orders. I’m going on lunch and so is Safry.”
“What?”
Ishkr and Drassi had already gone on their break, but suddenly Maran was finding a seat and Safry was bringing over some of Erin’s magically fresh food, heated up and piping hot. Lyonette protested.
“You can’t do that!”
“We get a break. That’s the Innkeeper’s Guild’s policy and Erin agreed. We’re having lunch now. We’ll be done in thirty minutes. You can handle things until then.”
Suddenly, there were over twenty hungry people all demanding drinks and food at the same time. It was like the bad old days, but worse, because there were two [Barmaids] having a grand time watching Lyonette hurry around.
“I’m going to kill them. I’m going to feed Safry to a Rock Crab and let Maran walk into an Ashfire Bee hive…”
Lyonette was cursing under her breath, struggling to open another keg when someone held it steady for her.
“Don’t bother with monsters. Let’s just push them down the outhouse hole and put the lid down.”
Drassi grinned toothily at Lyonette as the girl stared at her. She offered a mug as Lyonette finally got a dark, amber-colored liquid to come forth and the girl hurriedly filled it.
“Thanks. I know you’re on your break.”
“Don’t mind a thing. I had to help out once I saw those fleshbags lazing about. Not you, them, I mean. I don’t know why Erin hired them.”
Lyonette made a face. She hurried over to the table and spoke as she grabbed the other two mugs Drassi was quickly filling.
“I think they thought they’d be working a lot less over here. And they’re not used to Drakes or Gnolls. I wasn’t—I learned, but it took time.”
“Think they’ll quit?”
“I’m going to talk to Erin. They’d better quit, or I’ll kill them myself after Safry bullying Mrsha.”
Lyonette’s face was a thunderhead. Drassi nodded in complete agreement, and then flicked her tail to the two [Barmaids].
“I might quit. Because if I have to listen to them ask me which Drake is which when one’s an old guy and the other one’s barely hatched—”
“Don’t do that! Erin will sort things out.”
“I hope so.”
“Hrr. She had better. Or I might take up your offer with the outhouse as well.”
Someone else came to join them. Ishkr had some food ready for the Humans. He nodded awkwardly at Lyon, not as comfortable as Drassi at socializing.
“I am not cleaning myself each time I get wet walking through snow. I do not smell. Ihave a good sense of smell, and it is not problematic.”
“You smell wonderful.”
Lyonette smiled at him and got a wide grin in response. She felt better after that moment, and once the Humans were fed and given something to drink, she had a chance to have a short break herself.
The knowledge that Drassi and Ishkr felt like she did was a relief. It meant Lyonette wasn’t prejudiced, that she was right, and that Maran and Safry had better watch themselves around the outhouses from now on. But it didn’t solve the problem.
More guests arrived from Liscor. Erin’s inn was developing a reputation as a hangout for adventurers, and also as the only place you could get good, cheap honey, aside from buying it from a certain Gnoll. Lyonette hadn’t gone on a run to the Ashfire Bee hive in a while, and she worried she might run out.
But there were bigger problems to deal with at the moment. Drakes and Gnolls had come into the inn, some to play chess, others to enjoy an inn not completely full to the rafters, as many inns were in Liscor at the moment. Some wanted to go through to Celum. In any event, the inn was bustling before the sun had yet to fall far in the sky.
By now there was an invisible line across the inn. Maran and Safry circulated the tables where the Humans sat, chatting, laughing with them, while Lyonette, Ishkr and Drassi tried to cover all tables equally. But because the two Human [Barmaids] were focused only on half of the room, the non-Human staff and Lyonette had to focus more on their side. And the guests noticed.
They weren’t idiots. And they had eyes. More than a few Drakes glared and some of the Gnolls sniffed and muttered quietly under their breaths, words only they and the other Gnolls could hear, which made Ishkr bare his teeth.
“Hey yo!”
Erin came back at the best
and worst time possible. The best time because things were really heating up and every hand was needed. Safry and Maran’s pull for humanity had resulted in more people coming through via the group effect—if everyone was here, something good had to be happening—and that was on top of a weekend crowd!
It was also bad because Lyonette didn’t have a chance to pull her aside and talk about Safry and Maran. Oh, but it was going to happen soon! At any moment! As soon as she got more water, filled a few drinks, served five plates of piping hot pepper Corusdeer steaks—
“Drassi, you serve drinks, Ishkr, can you see if we have more of the Fireshot kegs in the basement? Safry, I need you to serve the Drakes. Just memorize where they’re sitting and—”
Lyonette was ordering everyone around, backed up by the knowledge that Erin was watching. However, Safry balked when she realized Lyonette hadn’t given herself a task at this busiest point.
“What are you going to do? I’ve got my hands full!”
Lyonette pointed to the stairs where she’d seen a furry white Gnoll head giving her imploring looks.
“I’ve got to feed Mrsha. She’s hungry and she needs a snack.”
“Her? Let her wait! Half of the room has an order.”
That was a good suggestion, a decent one. And because it came from Safry, Lyonette refused to consider it.
“I’ll be back in ten minutes.”
“You can’t just—”
“Hey, what’s the problem?”
For the first time, their argument had attracted Erin’s attention. Or it would be more accurate to say, this was the first time she’d been in the inn while a disagreement took place. And it was hard for Erin to miss the two [Barmaids] scowling at each other as the room heaved with work to be done.
Lyon opened her mouth to explain, but Safry beat her to it.
“Erin, Lyonette told me she’s going upstairs to take a break!”
Erin’s mouth opened. Lyon was faster.