Could this day get any worse? With the exception of waking up in bed with Seraphina this morning, my entire day had gone entirely to hell in a handbasket. Now I had this guy to contend with. What the hell was a tavern guild? And was he even a legitimate member?

“What exactly can I do for the tavern guild?” I asked Dulmore.

He walked to the tavern's center, put his hands on his hips, and did a slow turn, seeming to take in the entire first floor. Dulmore touched one table and grunted. He moved a chair back and forth. The man walked to the fireplace and looked inside, then proceeded to a booth and looked in on both sides.

I cleared my throat, hoping he would get the message.

Dulmore ignored me and walked toward the bar. I’d had enough of this. I walked over and stood in his way. Dulmore came to a sudden stop and looked me up and down.

"Move."

“I’m going to move you outside on your ass. Why are you here other than to annoy me?”

Dulmore’s mouth dropped open.

“Well?” I said.

His mouth closed.

“You know, darling. Interrupting a guild master in his duties is very uncommon. It could be a reason to terminate your guild membership.”

I didn't glance at Ophelia, but that gave me pause. Was I hanging myself by being, well, me?

“Aye. But the look on old Dulmore’s face might be worth it,” Sir Garin added with a hearty laugh.

Ophelia floated to my side. “He’s rather uptight, isn’t he?” she whispered, her voice tinged with mockery.

Sir Garin chimed in with a laugh. “Aye, but he means well. I’ve seen his type before—strict but fair. Just show him some respect, lad.”

"Show him respect? You should show him the door. Then show him the way out of town with your foot.”

“I will kindly ask you not to impede me in my duties,” Dulmore said as he puffed up his chest.

“How about some identification? How do I know you’re not some ruffian here to case the place?”

Dulmore sputtered, but reached into his jacket’s inner pocket and extracted a packet of papers on crisp white parchment. Inside the packet was a gold seal with a mug in the center of gold foil.

"This, Mr. Vel'Naris, is a Writ of Conduct." He smacked the papers in his hand. “The Shadow’s Respite has been closed for years. Now it is suddenly open. There are dues, and back dues. You’ve opened it without permission, and now I find The Shadow's Respite to be not only out of regulation but also in business without a license. Did you know it expired ten years ago? There is also the matter of payment. And all of this is with the assumption that I will continue to let you stay open. Now, kindly get out of the way.”

He grabbed my hand and smacked the papers into my palm with a stinging slap. I had no choice but to take them.

He harrumphed as I got out of his way and went to inspect the bar.

"Wait. Listen. I didn't know, okay? I was injured during the war and have memory problems." I pointed at my head and the scar that etched itself across my forehead. "A few kind folks from Everspring took pity on me and helped me get here. Some of them even assisted me in getting funding in place to purchase this establishment. I'm sorry if I know nothing about tavern guilds and dues. The former owner died, and I bought it after it had been closed for years."

Dulmore stopped, and his shoulders lowered. His face softened, and he approached me. "Ah. A returning warrior. I apologize if I was a bit hasty," he said, and looked closer at my forehead. "Memory loss. How bad?"

"I remember nothing about my life here until about two months ago." This was one hundred percent true. I didn't mention that I was not a returning warrior and hadn't fought in the war.

"Ah. Well. Ah…" Dulmore scratched his head while he stared at the packet of papers he'd just slapped into my hand.

"Hey. It's okay. I didn't know, and now I can correct my error. But you should know that I purchased this place as-is. It sat vacant for almost ten years. Why would it have guild dues during that time?"

"I agree. Some of this is most confounding." Delmore crossed his arms and looked uncomfortable.

"What did you mean when you said you'd rather be at the capital than in Everspring? Is it unusual for someone, a… ah… guild master…" I said questioningly and got a nod. "Right. For a guild master to be summoned to a small village like this to investigate a tavern? Are you also looking at The Wandering Boar?"

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"The Boar is up on its dues and has all licenses and permissions from the tavern guild to open its doors and to remain open."

"Good for Baron Swiftwood," I muttered. "Let me guess. He is somehow involved in your visit to Everspring."

Dulmore looked away and didn't answer.

"He's had it out for me ever since the king visited me here."

"The king visited this tavern?"

I nodded and said, "Yes, the king visited The Shadow's Respite. He even sampled some of my cooking and seemed to enjoy it."

Dulmore's eyebrows shot up. "Really? That would be quite an honor. I must say it, though. I doubt the king ever visited this tavern. If that was a lie, what else might you have kept from the guild?"

"He was here," I said fiercely. "But since then, Baron Swiftwood has been trying to run me out of business. He's made it clear he doesn't like the competition." Nor the humiliation, I didn't add.

Dulmore shifted uncomfortably, his eyes darting away from mine. "I see," he murmured. After a moment, he cleared his throat and said, "Well, Mr. Vel'Naris, I'll give you a few weeks to get your tavern up to the guild's standards. You'll need to travel to the capital, Crownforge, to plead your case in person and pay any outstanding dues."

I nodded, but silently cursed that I hadn't thought about something like this. Why had no one told me? "I'll do whatever is necessary to register with the tavern guild," I assured him. "But I will protest any fees from before I took ownership. Holding me responsible for the previous owner's debts wouldn't be fair."

Dulmore listened intently, his expression thoughtful. "I understand," he said. "I'll do my best to put this before the other guild masters. They'll need to hear your story and make a decision."

"Thank you for your patience and understanding," I said sincerely. "I appreciate your willingness to help me navigate this process."

A small smile tugged at Dulmore's lips. "Of course, Mr. Vel'Naris. I'll assist you as much as I can. It's clear you've been through a lot, and I don't want to add to your burdens unnecessarily."

Phew. Perhaps this situation wasn't as dire as I'd initially feared. With Dulmore's support and guidance, I might be able to sort out this guild business without too much trouble.

"I promise you, I'll ensure The Shadow's Respite is completely legitimate before your next visit."

Dulmore nodded approvingly. "Excellent. I look forward to seeing the improvements you make." He glanced around the tavern again, his gaze lingering on the gleaming bar top and the freshly painted walls. "You've already done impressive work here. I’m sure you'll meet the guild's standards in no time."

“Hey, boss. Looks like we got an early customer. Wos wit them loud voice?” Lady Churl came out of the kitchen.

“Uh.” I held up a hand and tried to wave her off, but it was too late.

Dulmore’s mouth fell open again, and he stumbled back, hand reaching for his side, but he only patted his hip. I assumed he was well practiced in reaching for a weapon, but Dulmore was not wearing one. I was glad he wasn’t armed, because there was no way I wanted to explain to the guild how their guy got his throat slit in my tavern.

“Ale and ashes!” Dulmore exclaimed.

“Right. Maybe I'll get back to work,” Lady Churl said.

"Okay, Lady Churl," I said and widened my eyes at her while Dulmore also stared. I hoped she understood I was trying to tell her to keep Grondak right the hell out of sight. Seeing a goblin was one thing. The young orc might send this guy back to Crownforge in a coffin.

"Easy, Dulmore. She works here, okay? It’s the king’s amnesty. I took her in. She works for me. The king has even met her. Did you know she was instrumental in stopping Thalindra, Morthisal's second-in-command? It happened right here in this very room."

"A goblin! In our sacred halls!"

"My sacred hall."

"Ale and ashes. Ale and ashes!" Dulmore appeared to be in danger of blowing out a blood vessel in his forehead.

Lady Churl shrugged and went back to the kitchen.

"You've met the king, and a goblin helped stop one of the most dangerous people in all of Mythralon. What other flights of fancy do you need to pass off? Perhaps you rode a dragon across the skies?" Dulmore sputtered until he ran out of breath.

I reached into my pocket and quickly pulled out a small pouch as Dulmore continued to rant and rave. His face had turned an alarming shade of red, and I feared he might keel over at any moment.

"This was presented to me by King Alister himself after Thalindra was apprehended in this very tavern. Instead of chasing me down for some back dues, I think The Shadow's Respite would be treated more respectfully. I'm not saying this place needs a shrine…" I put my finger on my lip and tapped.

That gave me another idea, but it needed to wait until I was done dealing with this guy. I had barely capitalized on the fact that Thalindra had been stopped and captured right here. It had happened precisely where I stood.

Focus, Varix!

"'Ale and ashes..." he gasped, his voice barely above a whisper.

I nodded, a small smile tugging at my lips.

Dulmore's hand trembled as he reached out. "May I... may I hold it?"

"Of course," I said.

Dulmore cradled it as if it were made of delicate crystal, turning it this way and that. When he held it up to the light, the holographic image of King Alister shimmered into view, causing Dulmore to let out a small gasp.

After a few moments of study, Dulmore handed the coin back to me with both hands. "Thank you for showing me this, Mr. Vel'Naris. I... I've never seen one up close before."

I carefully returned the coin to its pouch. "You're welcome."

Dulmore cleared his throat and straightened his jacket. "Well, I have much to think about. It seems there's more to your story than I initially assumed." He paused, obviously considering his next words. "I advise you to be in Crownforge on time. We'll sort this all out then. I'll ensure you get to plead your case in front of the other tavern guild masters."

I nodded in relief. "I appreciate your understanding. I'll be there, Mr. Thornton."

We shook hands, and I saw him out. As soon as the door closed behind Dulmore, I sagged against it, exhaling a sigh of relief.

I made my way behind the bar and pulled out one of the last bottles of Iron Forge Whiskey. We were low on the good stuff, but I deserved this. The amber liquid sloshed into the glass, and I tossed it back in one swift motion. The alcohol burned its way down my throat and kept on applying fire. This stuff lived up to its name. What had Dulmore said?

"Ale and ashes!"