Grizzizzik’s eyes traveled over Rafael’s face, taking in his unease before glancing away. Rafael wasn’t sure what to do. It was always easier to interact with Grizzizzik as Ezekiel while roleplaying. Interacting with the actual person was a different experience. The silence that trickled between them had barbs.

“So, um… how are you?” Rafael asked because he hated the silence that much.

Grizzizzik glanced at him again, raising an eyebrow. “You don’t have to talk to me if you don’t want to.”

Rafael needed to stop thinking of this rogue as Nick’s character. It made it worse. “I’m just…”

The rogue’s eyes narrowed. “You created Ezekiel?”

Rafael wasn’t sure how to take that. It wasn’t necessarily a statement. It seemed more like Grizzizzik didn’t believe it. “Yeah.”

He blinked. “You’ve got none of his naïve confidence.”

“Not… no.”

The rogue glanced back at the shelves. “And yet you want it?”

Rafael frowned. “What makes you think that?”

“Because you want to be happy like him, and you can’t,” Grizzizzik said.

Rafael glanced around, mostly to make sure no one else could overhear. “Seriously? You think you know me well enough to analyze me like this?”

“Not completely. Just enough. I only gather information about others I can exploit. A skill I picked up from Akshi. You would be… terrifyingly easy to control.”

Rafael’s eyes narrowed. “What are you talking about?”

“Think about it, kid,” Grizzizzik said. “One terrible choice had you in a choke hold for years.”

Warmth pricked Rafael’s face. “I…” he trailed off, unsettled. “We’re not talking about this.”

“No. Of course not. Because the choice still has you on a tight leash. All Akshi has to do is take you to a tall mountain, talk to you for three minutes, and you’d willingly throw yourself off it.”

Rafael almost choked on the sudden intake of air that rushed into his mouth. The calm way Grizzizzik said all this, with such a surety, made him troubled, but he wouldn’t walk away from Grizzizzik. That, too, felt like a mistake. “I’m not going to… god, Grizzizzik, we don’t talk about killing yourself so lightly here.”

Grizzizzik kept his arms folded, not looking at him. “I’m not talking about it lightly. You think he wouldn’t do it? That he hasn’t already done it to people? It was one of my first lessons as a child, watching him do that. I’m giving you information to guard yourself against Akshi. Grow a backbone, cultivate some self-respect, and Akshi won’t have power over you.”

Rafael frowned, his brows furrowing. “I don’t think you get it. I…”

Grizzizzik waited, keeping his arms folded. “You made a choice so horrible that you’re ashamed to even talk about? And you don’t think a ruthless psychopath who enjoys watching people suffer won’t use that?”

“It was horrible,” Rafael said, his voice quiet. “I hurt people. My friends. My family. I’m trying to do the best I can, but for some people, it’ll never be enough.”

Grizzizzik narrowed his eyes. “Some people. As in… you.”

Rafael dropped his gaze, feeling his breathing getting faster. He closed his eyes, embarrassed he was reacting like this. It had been a month since the news broke, and Rafael still felt the deep shame from his choice. Felt it like it happened yesterday. As much as his friends seemed to accept him, he realized Grizzizzik was right. It was never going to be enough for him.

Grizzizzik used his chin to point toward Ezekiel. “Look at him. Look at the guy you created.” Rafael glanced at the cleric, but only for a moment. He didn’t want to admit it, but he was nervous about keeping his gaze off Grizzizzik too long. “He’s got lycanthropy. Accident of the situation. Has already hurt his friends. Hurt me. What did he do you failed to do?”

Rafael studied Grizzizzik’s bored face, frowning. “He… didn’t run away?”

“No. He didn’t. And that’s the fundamental difference between you two.” Grizzizzik straightened. “That’s what naïve confidence gets him. He’s in trouble. Life dealt him a bad hand. He made choices where he hurt us. Instead of running away to deal with it himself and throw himself off the nearest mountain to keep his friends safe, he turned to us instead.”

Rafael frowned, feeling nauseous. “Why are you telling me this?”

“Because Akshi will hit this group soon, if he hasn’t already. And if I were him, you’d be one I’d watch with interest. You are the guy who used to be their leader. Perhaps he’s waiting for this sorry lot to welcome you back in, for them to care about you again before snatching you and dragging you to the mountain. The literal one or proverbial one. It doesn’t matter. All that matters is you must grow the self-respect you need to not leap off. And soon.” Grizzizzik rubbed his chin, glancing at the group. “He might even take your sister to watch the whole thing. Just for giggles. Then continue to break her before sending her back to us. The whole thing would take less than a day.”

If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

Rafael hated this. Hated how much it made sense. Hated how the nerves in his stomach turned to nausea. “I’m doing the best I can,” Rafael said.

“No, you’re not,” Grizzizzik said. “You won’t look Evelyn in the eye long. You dance around the topic with Nick. Waiting for shit to hit you in the face is a horrible way to live life. Go in there with a shovel and clean it out first.”

Rafael frowned. “Why don’t you turn to your friends? Why do you always run away?”

Grizzizzik’s eyes darkened. “Because I don’t have that naïve confidence. If I had lycanthropy, I would’ve slipped away to deal with it on my own.” Grizzizzik finally looked away, folding his arms tighter across his chest. “Would you like to end up like me?”

“No.” Rafael didn’t stop to consider whether that answer was going to hurt Grizzizzik’s feelings.

Judging by the slight chuckle the rogue gave, Rafael assumed it didn’t hurt him one bit. “I don’t know what was more unbelievable, that Ezekiel asked for help from this group who hadn’t spoken to each other in years, or that you’re actually doing what he expected by working together to solve it.” The rogue shook his head. “I’d rather keep everyone at arm’s length.”

The conversation was done. Rafael could almost see the wall Grizzizzik threw in front of him. If Rafael prodded anymore, Grizzizzik would start threatening him. He should leave, but this whole conversation brought about a burning question. “You say my sister and I are an interest to Akshi. Where’s Nick on this list you have?”

Grizzizzik continued to look at him, frowning. “Fluctuating. Like his sister. Though Evelyn is far stronger than I expected. It’s to where I can see Akshi stealing Derek before he steals her.”

Rafael frowned. “You didn’t answer my question.”

Grizzizzik unfolded his arms, pushing away from the bookshelf. “Weak. Very weak. Almost as weak as your sister. But I’m going to change that soon.”

That did not ease the nausea in his stomach. “Nick? Or my sister.”

“Nick, obviously. Your sister has a brutish half-orc protecting her. Though even that won’t be enough if Akshi really wants her.”

“What are you planning with Nick?” Rafael asked.

Grizzizzik lifted a hand, rubbing his thumb around the nail of his pointer finger. The wall he threw in front of him turned titanium, and sniper lights roamed around him. Before he could ask anymore, Calawit climbed to the top of the bookshelf, seeing the two of them there. She folded her arms, looking bemused.

“Not interested in my stuff?” Calawit asked.

Grizzizzik gave her a soft glare. “I can’t touch anything, remember?”

Her smile appeared. “I remember. It only means you’ll have to ask nicely for my help.”

Grizzizzik’s eyes shot toward the pile of trinkets on the desk before looking back at Calawit. “I don’t want any of those.”

“Ah.” She placed her hands on her hips. “Then tell me, Mr. Dark and Brooding. What item in my shop do you have your heart set on?” Grizzizzik paused, then his eyes flickered toward the shelf he had stared at when Rafael first approached him. Rafael tried to identify something there, but there was a lot. Calawit tapped her foot. “I will cast detect thought if I have to, but I don’t want to.”

Grizzizzik walked over to the shelf. “I need a tattoo.”

Calawit’s eyes lit up with delight. “Do you, now?”

“A powerful one. That can absorb poison and leave me safe from its damage,” Grizzizzik said.

Calawit snorted, then climbed to the shelf he was looking at before picking up the tattoo needle and holding it up. “You need to attune to this. It’s a lesser form of the tattoo you’re talking about, and a temporary one. You’re not strong enough for the permanent one, nor rich enough. If you suffer from poison damage, the small tattoo will absorb it before disappearing. As in, it will only save you once.” Grizzizzik reached for the needle, but Calawit held it back, studying him. “Fifty gold.”

His fingers curled into themselves as he narrowed his gaze. “So, this isn’t part of your charity?”

“It disappears when it’s used.”

“If I never use it, I can bring it back,” Grizzizzik said.

Calawit gave a slow shake of her head. “This is for your group’s safety. You waltz into my store, ignoring my items that help your stealth, and chose the object to protect you when you get attacked by your father.” Her gravely voice turned serious. “You are not on a mission of stealth with the rest of your group. Yours is a mission of revenge.”

Grizzizzik didn’t look at her, his gaze remaining on the needle. “It’s for my safety and wellbeing. If I’m safe, I can focus on the mission at hand.”

Calawit narrowed her eyes. “Fifty gold pieces.”

Grizzizzik paused as Calawit studied his every facial tick. The rogue reached behind him and pulled out a small chest, then started counting out gold in tens. Rafael frowned, wondering where he got all the coins. Gold tumbled into the air above Calawit, a hefty sum, before Grizzizzik snapped his chest shut.

She glanced at the coins beside her. “This is a hundred gold.”

Grizzizzik held out a hand. “I need two.”

Calawit straightened her glasses, then glanced at Rafael. With a flick of her wrist, the coins disappeared, and the shopkeeper picked up a second tattoo needle. “They both take attunement. Place the needle wherever you want the tattoo and concentrate on them. One at a time. If you’re successful, the needle will disappear into the skin and become the tattoo. Each attunement takes about an hour, so prepare your time wisely.” She wrapped the needles in cloth before handing them to him. Grizzizzik took them, placing them in his inventory before walking away, pulling his hood up to brood. Rafael watched the rogue, nervous. Calawit met his gaze. “I assume you’ll use the information of Grizzizzik’s purchase to warn the others, as I am sworn to customer privacy.”

Rafael’s shoulders sagged. He needed to tell the group. He needed to warn Nick. About everything.

He glanced at Ezekiel, and for the first time noticed the cleric was losing weight. His eyes were sunken in. The teeth were such a distraction that he hadn’t noticed everything else. Between the elongated front teeth and the bags under his eyes, it was clear how much Ezekiel suffered. But as Rafael approached, there was a happiness that lit up Ezekiel’s eyes that had not dimmed.

“Hey, Rafael. It’s good to see you,” Ezekiel said.

“Hey.” He moved up to him and folded his arms. Milo and Derek were talking about the different potions, but they paused their conversation to listen to him. “Grizzizzik got two tattoo needles to absorb poison damage.”

Ezekiel glanced over at Grizzizzik, who was against the wall and keeping his arms folded, hood up. “Makes sense. His father has a dangerous bite.”

“He’s not getting anything else, though,” Rafael said.

Ezekiel shrugged. “He is pretty great at stealth already.”

Rafael stared at his character, then at Milo and Derek for help. Milo leaned against the desk, watching Grizzizzik. “He’s always been a bit of a loose cannon. Thanks for letting us know. We’ll watch him.”

Rafael glanced at Derek. “Nick should know, too.”

Derek pulled out his phone. “On it.”

Rafael watched as Derek texted Evelyn, and was reminded of his conversation with Grizzizzik. He ventured a glance in the rogue’s direction and saw his eyes fixed on him. He tried not to react, but he couldn’t help but force himself to turn away.