Chapter 30 Lodging

“This is the closest I have ever been to Safeharbor.” Jala told Isaac and Lenna. The team had stopped as soon as they had entered the massive cavern that Safeharbor was located in. The five of them were standing together but only four of them had eyes for the city as Kahtesh was ever vigilant in his task of keeping watch over Fen.

“You are about to get as close as it gets.” Isaac told her. They continued to stand and stare for a little while until they collectively decided that their rest was done and the party finished the last leg of their journey, well, the walking part at least.

As usual they were stopped at the entrance by a guard asking to see their badges that proved that they weren’t doppelgangers. This time however, they were also halted because of the extra bodies and the race of some of them. “Lord Wexler, Lady V’Nova.” The guard greeted them each with a polite nod and quickly looked over their badges. They were, of course, glowing as they were expected too. He then moved on to the next issue. “Your… companions…” The guard began but Isaac waved him off.

“Prisoners.” Isaac corrected. “Send a runner to Izen and tell him that I have the architects of his most recent set of problems with me and we will be at the Guild Hall.”

The guard looked past Isaac at Jala and Fen who both had their hoods up but it was clear that they were both dark elves. “As, as you say.” The guard replied absently. “Lord Wexler, if I may, where are their bindings?”

Isaac shrugged. “I didn’t have any.” He glanced back at Fen with a smirk. “Not that they are likely to do much.” He looked back to the guard. “Just send a runner and let us in. I’m hungry for warm food.”

“You should get a cook.” Fen commented.

“That costs money.” Isaac replied with a frown and the guard hesitantly turned and started talking to one of the other guards quietly.

“Aren’t you supposed to be someone important?” Fen jibbed.

“Being important doesn’t mean being rich in human society.” Isaac explained as if he hadn’t noticed Fen’s prodding.

Fen shook his head with exaggerated disappointment. “The mighty Lord of Darkness relegated to doing jobs for coin.”

“In all likelihood I will always be doing jobs for coin. I get bored and refuse to work for free.” Isaac replied lazily. “Right now though I need to think about getting a set of dragon scale armor enchanted but hopefully bringing you two back with me will cover that cost.” He grinned at Fen mischievously. “I don’t work for cheap.”

The guard returned and gave Isaac another respectful nod. “The messenger has been sent.” He gestured towards two of the guards that had joined him. “These two will accompany you,” The two guards also had shackles in hand. “these are antimagic cuffs as well.”

Isaac waved him off. “They won’t be necessary.” He told the guards.

“My Lord, I’m afraid I must insist.” The guard explained with weariness and concern in his face and voice.

“Insist on which part guardsman?” Isaac asked evenly. He didn’t like getting ordered around by the guards.

The guard swallowed. “Both I’m afraid.”

Isaac nodded. “Fine,”

Fen cut in: “I don’t like chains, Darkness.”

“take the chains off of the cuffs and only cuff him. Her and I have a deal.” Isaac explained. “The guards can accompany us under the condition they can beat Kahtesh in a fight.” Fen and Jala shared a look and then each took a step apart to reveal the bone dragon who had his gaze still locked on Fen’s heart as if he could see through the sorcerer.

The guards paled. “Lord Wexler?” The one guard asked. “Is that yours?”

Isaac grinned. “Yes. Isn’t he adorable?” He looked back to Fen. “Right, Fen?”

Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

Fen wrinkled his nose. “Yes.” He replied with obvious distaste. “Adorable.”

The guard who had taken charge nodded defeatedly. “As you say Lord Wexler. I hope you understand that this will all be in my report to the duke.”

“Naturally.” Isaac replied. “Also let him know that I was only mostly uncooperative.”

The guard gulped. “As you say.” He replied and stepped out of the way.

Another guard walked up with the antimagic cuffs. “Apologies, Lord Wexler but we are unable to remove the chains without a blacksmith.” He offered the cuffs to Isaac.

Isaac shook his head. “We will be in the Guild Hall should you manage to get the chains off.” He told the guard and glanced back to the rest of his party. “Let’s go.”

Isaac led them through the gate and no one attempted to stop them. He might have felt bad for making trouble for the guards but they had ‘insisted’ which rubbed him the wrong way just enough for him to no longer care. There was a decent amount of chaos in the streets surrounding the group as they walked the few blocks to the Guild Hall. By the time they arrived Edward was already waiting for them at the entrance.

“You, a master of shadows, are incapable of not causing a scene aren’t you?” Edward asked rhetorically.

“Oh no, I am completely capable, I just chose not to.” Isaac returned with an amused grin.

Edward sighed and gestured inside. “At the very least this should make for an interesting story.” He grumbled.

“The library?” Isaac asked.

“I’d prefer anywhere else.” Edward replied.

“Your office is too small.” Isaac returned.

Edward nodded. “That’s what the conference room is for.”

Isaac motioned forwards. “Lead the way Blade Master.”

Edward led them through the Guild Hall and up to the door right next to the entrance to his office and opened it. He turned around just in time to see Isaac take a bite out of an apple. He narrowed his eyes. “When did you get that?” He asked.

“Like a minute ago.” Isaac replied in between bites.

“Did you pay for it?” Edward asked.

“No.” Isaac replied simply and took another bite.

“This is going to be a long day.” Edward grumbled.

Fen chuckled. “That’s what I said.” He told the Guild Master as they all filed into the room. “Good to know he’s a problem for everyone.”

Shadows caught Fen’s foot mid step and he stumbled. He barely got his other foot under him before he hit the ground and somehow managed to preserve his balance and dignity. “Oops.” Isaac said and plopped into a soft cushioned chair, punctuating it with another bite of apple.

Fen gave Isaac a withering look but took his own seat without issue. With the entire group seated, Isaac made Lenna give the report, only jumping in to explain things here and there as Lenna’s version left much to be extrapolated and imagined. Halfway through Edward had dinner brought up to them by one of the waitresses. Nothing of note was left out as there was much to fill Edward in on.

“The Ori-Masa is troubling. Something has to have caused them to migrate. This ‘mushroomancer’ business also sounds like trouble.” Edward said once they were finished.

“An assault team could handle them within a day but I would really like to get my hands on the caster if it is at all possible.” Jala began. “Animating via fungi could remove the requirement of killing and reanimating lesser monsters to use as grunts for an army, not to mention reinforcing the nervous system of larger creatures to an extent that might even allow them to function for a short time without a brain. It is all extremely fascinating.”

Edward looked at her like she had grown a third eye. It took him a long moment to find his words before he settled on what he wanted to say. “You are aware that you are in a human city right? Even if you are permitted to continue your research it would be under the condition that it would be used against your fellow drow, more specifically, Contantis, where you are from.” He explained.

Jala shrugged. “Can’t do anything about it now. I’m a researcher of the fusion of alchemy and necromancy first and foremost. Where I conduct my research means little to me. I am in service to Lord Wexler until a time when something is proven to be stronger than him. If he survives whatever it is and it doesn’t want me then I will remain in his service. That is the nature of the world.” She explained as if all of the information was elementary and absolute fact.

Edward’s eyes searched her for any hints of anything not explicitly aligning with what she had said and he found nothing. He scratched the back of his head and then looked at Fen. “What about you?” He asked.

“She traded her allegiance for my life, I’m stuck here until I can find a way to put down Darkness over there for good or something else kills him.” Fen replied honestly. “Having said that, I am not going to do anything that puts either Jala or myself at unnecessary risk. I also expect decent treatment and refuse chains. Constant surveillance is fine but I don’t want someone hovering over me.”

Edward’s eyes moved from person to person before he sighed deeply. “I don’t know how you do it but you have managed to drop more work on my desk in the month I have known you than the rest of the guild combined has this year.” He told Isaac and then sat up straight. “I’ll talk to Duke Arbencroft. For now, Fen and Jala L’Vore are confined to this room, the hallway, and the bathroom at the end of the hall. We can work out permanent housing at a later date.”

Isaac stood and stretched. “Good enough for me.” He told no one in particular.

“You are just going to leave us here?” Jala asked.

Isaac looked at her with a deadpan look. “There’s only one bed in our room and, well, two’s fun, three’s weird and four’s an orgy.”

Lenna’s look could have stopped a dragon in its tracks. “I’ll start throwing things at you like Jala does to Fen.” She threatened.

Isaac laughed and waved her off. “On a serious note though, you guys can’t stay with us. There really just isn’t enough room and I don’t want a riot in front of Celeste’s Inn. People here… feel a certain type of way about, drow.” Isaac explained to his crush’s aunt and uncle.

“So we are just supposed to sit on our hands in here?” Jala pressed.

Fen stretched out in one of the chairs and closed his eyes while folding his hands behind his head. “Fine by me.” He told them.

Isaac thought for a moment. “Okay, okay, I might have an idea but Edward needs to talk with the duke first. If he doesn’t have a heart attack or explode or something then I’ll bring up my idea. If you two behave until then I’ll find a way to get you two library access at least.” He offered.

Jala sighed and collapsed in her chair defeatedly. “Should’ve just left me in my lab until you were ready.” She grumbled under her breath which brought a smile to Isaac’s face.

Edward moved to leave. “I’ll try to get lodging sorted out as soon as I can but if you cause any trouble whatsoever it is going to make that exponentially harder. The harder I have to work to get you lodging the worse the lodging is going to be, got it?”

Fen yawned, his eyes still closed. “Yeah, yeah.” He replied but otherwise didn’t react.

Jala huffed an exaggerated sigh. “Got it.”