“Kibble,” SJ called as she entered her room. The little wyvern poked his head out from where he had created a cave from the blankets on her bed. Kibble left his blanket cave and stretched his wings out before he hopped over to SJ.
“Sorry I was so long today,” SJ said, stroking him on his head. His scales were so soft and had an almost velvet feel to them. He let out a low, growling purr before he took off, heading for the window. SJ obliged, letting him out of the back and down into the yard.
That was when SJ heard a scream. She wasn’t sure if it was in terror or joy. Peering down, she noticed the boys were still both in the yard, kicking what could only be described as a ball around. SJ hurried downstairs to the kitchen, nearly sending Lurtew flying, who was on his way to investigate the scream.
“Sorry. I let Kibble out and forgot the boys were here,” SJ said as she hurried to the rear door and exited.
Kibble had ignored the boys and was busy sticking his snout into one of the plant pots where an insect was buzzing.
“Boys. This is Kibble,” SJ said to the two wide-eyed faces, looking at the inquisitive little beastie.
Kibble turned at hearing his name and snorted, a small crackle of lightning appearing at his nostrils.
“Kibble. This is Joel and Harry.”
Kibble took off and flew to SJ’s shoulder, where he perched and tilted his head sideways, looking at the two boys.
“Can I touch him?” Harry asked, the inquisitive nature of the youngest coming through.
“Of course,” SJ smiled.
Harry walked forward and cautiously put his hand out towards Kibble. Kibble stuck his snout forward and sniffed his hand before he lowered his head, allowing Harry to stroke him.
“He is so soft to touch,” Harry said with surprise.
“He is,” SJ said.
Joel had taken longer to react but slowly approached Kibble himself before also reaching out. Again, Kibble sniffed his hand before allowing him to stroke him.
“He is amazing,” Joel said.
“He is special,” SJ said. At the comment, Kibble sat upright and took an almost regal pose on her shoulder. SJ shook her head in disbelief at his behaviour.
“I better feed him,” SJ said, turning to the stairs to go to the kitchen.
“Can I?” Joel asked excitedly.
“Sure,” SJ smiled as the two boys followed her back inside.
Yawnee and Lurtew were both in the kitchen, and they had started to make the evening meal. Holly still hadn’t come back yet, and SJ was starting to get a little concerned. She had been at the bar all day. Joel collected some hogling from Yawnee to feed Kibble as SJ spoke to Lurtew.
“Did Yawnee tell you about the option to go to the alchemy guild?”
“Yes. I have no idea what they may like to see if we took samples.”
“I would start with a standard barrel. If what you are making meets their requirements, they will tell you what they need.”
“All we have known is the Brewers Guild. I have no idea how the other guilds work.”
“Hopefully more favourably,” SJ said.
Both the boys were busy taking turns feeding Kibble small hogling strips in the corner of the kitchen where a small area had been set up for a food dish and water bowl for him.
“I am just going out for a bit,” SJ said. “Do you mind feeding the boys?”
Yawnee smiled, turning to look at SJ. “Not at all. I am sure they would both enjoy a bowl of stew.”
Joel and Harry both answered in agreement.
“I won’t be too long,” SJ said, leaving them to it. Kibble would be happy with all the attention he was getting from the boys.
Now she knew where the bar was and had it marked on her map, she went to her room and shrunk before leaving via the balcony and heading directly there. The streets were still busy in District 10, the sun still providing sufficient light, and the market stalls were still open. Traders appeared to make the most of the light, and some shops opened late into the evenings.
SJ landed on a roof over from the Dragon’s Den. The bar was busy, and several patrons sat at tables outside and inside. There was quite a ruckus, and SJ heard shouting. She adjusted her dress again to a plain style, took off, and dropped down into a tight alley near the bar. As she grew, she placed her cloak on, ensuring that it covered her wings entirely, and pulled her hood around her face. Entering the street, she blended in perfectly with the various beings going about their business. She slowly walked past the front of the bar on the far side of the street and looked inside. Through the large paned windows at the front, she could see a group of beings that appeared to be arguing inside. She casually stopped by a shop window and browsed the wares inside while using her vision to be able to still watch what was happening in the bar.
A rather large goblin was standing, squaring up to a smaller goblin, and SJ noticed the glints of metal, seeing them both holding blades. Several patrons weren’t even paying the argument any attention and had just continued their drinks. This made it appear to SJ that this must be a regular occurrence. As she watched, the smaller goblin lunged for the larger. His blade was parried by the other, who then countered, swinging his dagger back at the other with a speed that defied his size. The smaller goblin wasn’t fast enough to react, and the blade caught its cheek, easily cutting across it.
The smaller goblin squealed in pain as blood dripped from his fresh wound.
A deep voice boomed from inside the bar.
“First blood to Garler. He is the winner.” SJ couldn’t see the one who had announced the win.
‘It appears this is normal for the bar,’ SJ thought.
“Seems that way. Both those goblins are wearing the same gang colours. I bet it was a leadership challenge. From the little I know about the goblin gangs that work the streets of Amathera, there are continual leadership challenges within their gangs.” Dave said.
‘I didn’t realise you knew so much about them?’
“Asterfal is quiet compared to some larger cities I have visited, and the gangs all seem to work the same way. The leaders are usually the strongest of the groups.”
As SJ watched, she saw Holly moving toward the rear of the bar through the window.
‘Holly is still inside,’ SJ said.
“Yeah. I spotted her. I am surprised she has stayed there so long today,” Dave said.
‘I am concerned as well. I was expecting her to go in and then come back out again once she identified Francis. I suppose he may never have turned up.’
As SJ continued to watch, she then realised what Holly was doing. Across her arm was draped the telltale sign of a server. A cloth rested across it, and she carried a tray.
‘It looks like she has been working. That’s great to see, although surprising.’
“It is. She said she didn’t like the place.”
‘I suppose beggars can’t be choosers,’ SJ thought before realising how poor a taste her statement sounded. ‘I may as well go and check out the emperor’s arms again. At least we know she is safe and well. I am sure she won’t be too late back with the boys still at mine.’
After continuing down the street and then turning down the next alley, SJ checked her surroundings before again shrinking and taking off. The light was only starting to fade, and she knew that she needed to be careful when flying. Several birds flew in the skies above Asterfal, her previous run-in with a carrion hawk being an example. She just hoped that if anyone noticed her with the speed she was flying, they would pay her no attention and believe her to be a bird.
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The emperor’s arms were rowdy when she reached it and landed on its roof, music and boisterous singing filling the street outside. The slanting pitch of its tiles made a treacherous landing platform for anything not wearing boots of her calibre. When she had gone upstairs to the gambling den, there were several doors leading from the main room, and she moved to the rear of the building and looked down. Below her was a yard, like many of the inns had. Old empty barrels and crates littered it. A small unattended fire was burning in a pit, and she was surprised in a district with so many wooden buildings that they weren’t more careful.
A set of steps ran up the rear of the building, leading to where SJ believed the rear of the gambling den was. The yard itself led into an alley at the rear and looked at the back of other buildings from the adjoining street. SJ scanned the building’s windows, looking over the yard, and couldn’t see any beings looking out. The rear door to the ground floor bar opened, and a human male walked out, carrying a broken stool.
“Just throw it in the pit,” SJ heard a voice call above the loud music. The man walked to the edge and dropped the stool into the fire before entering the bar again and closing the door.
SJ dropped from the roof and flew down towards the stairs to the first-floor entrance at the rear of the den. Windows were looking out to the rear, but they looked filthy and covered in grime. She hovered and peered in as best as she could. It looked like a restroom for the croupiers; lockers stood half open, and it appeared that belongings lay about the room. There was no one in view. SJ then moved to the other window but was unable to see inside, the interior darkness and grime obscuring her view.
‘I may have no option but to revisit the den,’ SJ thought. She really didn’t fancy going back inside after the last visit, but then again, after winning so much before, some may call it a ‘gamblers will,’ hoping to repeat the process again. ‘I know I didn’t ask before, but are you alright with me going back inside?’ SJ felt guilty but hadn’t communicated her thoughts to Dave.
“I am fine. I enjoyed watching the speed at which your brain was calculating the probabilities before. I really didn’t pay any attention to the gambling. I was trying to understand why there had been such a significant increase in activity. It is as though the percentage of your brain you use had increased.”
SJ was aware that on Earth, there were always statements that human beings only used ten per cent of their actual brain capacity and capability. Although science had since dictated this incorrectly as the whole brain was used, it was just that different parts activated depending upon the activities that you were doing.
‘I don’t even know if Olivia would still be working,’ SJ thought.
“Only one way to find out,” Dave said.
There were two more floors above the gambling den, and SJ flew back up towards the roof, stopping to glance in the windows. One to the third floor was open, so she moved to it. No one was visible inside, so she entered before landing as her eyes adjusted to the relative gloom of no light.
“What are you doing?” Dave asked.
‘Investigating,’ SJ replied as she landed on the floor of the room. The room contained a double bed, a table and chairs, and a changing screen. Several items of clothing were draped over the changing screen. The room was filled with the scent of oils and looked clean and well-kept.
SJ listened as she heard voices and movement outside the bedroom and a knock on another door.
“Come on. It’s your turn at the tables,” a female voice said.
“Already? I feel like I only started my break ten minutes ago,” another female replied.
“Targosa is still in a foul mood as well,” the female replied.
“Great,” the second female responded sarcastically. SJ wasn’t sure if it was Olivia’s voice or not. A door closed, and she could hear footsteps walking away. SJ allowed herself to grow before carefully trying to open the door. To her frustration, it was locked. As she shrunk, she again left through the window and moved to the next. The building was part of a terraced row, so there were no side windows, and the other windows closed tightly.
‘Looks like my choice has been made for me,’ SJ thought as she flew over the roof and across the street to the nearest alleyway she could see.
As she crossed the road towards the emperor’s arms, the latest song ended, and cheers and clapping filtered from within. The bar was packed as she entered; all the tables were taken, and many people stood with drinks in their hands, watching the performance on the stage. That was when SJ realised that Olivia was the main singer of the group on the stage. She hadn’t been expecting to see the croupier on the stage, and, rather than head towards the gambling den, worked her way to the bar, excusing herself as she brushed past beings.
As she watched, the group of musicians began to play another tune before Olivia again began to sing. Her voice was soft and matched the lilt of the music that filled the bar. Several patrons knew the song as they began to join in with the chorus as she listened.
“What can I get you?” a deep voice said.
SJ had reached the bar and had been looking at the stage, watching the performance. The group wasn’t anywhere near as skilled as Nexis and Ptolemy when they played their instruments, but they were good. SJ didn’t know the song either, but it was pleasant, and Olivia’s voice was actually quite decent.
SJ had her hood up as usual, and without turning to look at the barman, she replied, “Honey wine.”
“Three copper,” the voice replied, and SJ dropped it onto the bar. Several moments later, as she watched the performance, a glass was placed next to her. She picked it up automatically and took a sip. It tasted normal, and she doubted that they would attempt to drug people in the main bar. She also had the antidotes in her inventory if she did start to feel anything strange.
The group continued to play four more songs before taking a break. The members and Olivia moved off to the side and exited the stage through a side door.
‘I still don’t know if this is the right Olivia,’ SJ thought.
“How many other Olivia’s have you met in Amathera that could work in this bar?” Dave said.
The concept of killing someone she knew little about still concerned her. Anyone could have formulated the accusation on the quest. She wondered what had been put on the quest that had been raised against her head originally when she had come to Asterfal. It could have said anything, after all.
SJ left her glass and started to work her way through the bar towards the stage area. The conversation was loud, and her moving past beings wasn’t a problem in the throng of bodies. Eventually, she reached the area near the stage by the door where the group had left. Without stopping, she walked straight to the door and through. Behind the door was a short corridor with three other doors off it. Two were open, and she could hear male voices from one of them. SJ walked down the corridor, ignoring the closest door with male voices, allowing her vision to look inside as she passed. Olivia wasn’t in the room. The second door was open but not fully, and she heard the humming of a female voice as she neared.
A lantern was visible through the gap, and the inside of the room was brightly lit. As SJ was about to enter, a male voice spoke.
“What time are you expected back tonight?” it asked.
“I told him I would be late,” she said, her response revealing a disregard for the person she was referring to.
“So we get some time later then?” the male replied.
“Only if you behave yourself,” she replied in a seductive tone.
“I wish you would just leave him,” the male said.
“Why? He pays for everything, and I reap the benefits. If you had the coin he has, then perhaps.”
“Come on, Olivia. When will you leave that fool? The idiot still treats you like a skivvy and makes you work here.”
“He does, yes, but he is also one of the wealthiest in the district. I am also thinking of our inheritance. He hasn’t many years left in him. I have told you before that we have to be patient, and then we can be together properly.”
“I know, I know, but when you married him, you never expected him to last more than twelve months.”
“He has no children, so I will be entitled to everything that he owns, including his buildings. It will come to us, eventually.”
“You know how much it pains me seeing you go back to his every evening. Sharcastle has a lot to answer for.”
“Bingo,” Dave said.
‘Yeah. She married an older man in the hope that when he died, she would get the coin and his properties. Money grabber,’ SJ thought.
“I will be back after the show,” the male said as SJ heard the scrapping of a chair and footsteps.
‘Damn,’ SJ thought as she immediately shrunk and took off. The ceiling of the corridor wasn’t particularly, but she immediately flew next to a beam and clung onto its edge.
The door opened fully, and a male human walked out of the room, turning and blowing a kiss towards Olivia before heading to the door SJ hadn’t come through. As soon as the door closed and the figure left the corridor, SJ dropped again and grew.
Without hesitation, SJ stepped into the room, immediately pushing the door closed behind her. The room wasn’t very large, and Olivia sat at a desk looking in a hand mirror. SJ saw the flicker of surprise in Olivia’s reflection. Within an instant, SJ’s claws appeared on her hands, and without hesitation, she stepped towards her. Olivia’s back provided the perfect target for her extended claws to penetrate through the flimsy dress she wore.
Olivia let out a gasp as the blades punched through her chest, her head thrown backwards in response as SJ’s second clawed hand reached to her mouth and covered it. Olivia reached up and tried to pry at SJ’s hand, but her strength was no match, as SJ’s claws pinned her. It was only moments before SJ felt the life leave her body, and she slowly released her hand, allowing her head to drop forward before she retracted her claws from her back.
SJ paid no attention to anything in the room or her display that had triggered as she lowered Olivia’s now-dead body onto the desk she had been sitting at, immediately removing her claws and turning to leave the room. Her cloak still covered her face, and she calmly walked past the open door where the rest of the group sat and walked back into the main bar area.
“One down, two to go,” Dave said happily.
SJ ignored his comment. The callousness that she had just portrayed assassinating Olivia didn't go amiss to her.
No one paid any attention to her cloaked form as she worked her way back through the throng—her smaller size than many made her even less of a being who stood out. SJ left the bar, turning and walking calmly down the street. Taking her time, she stayed on the street for a while before dropping into an alley and transforming, taking off and heading back home.