July 2023 ver.

Another new day of waiting. “Now that dear Rowan has left us for the day… dish on him and that singer.” Phoebe bent way over, encroaching on Devin and Avery’s space with her lips pursed into a fiendish little smile.

Avery was confused, “What about them?” Phoebe let her head drop in her disappointment that he didn’t get it.

Devin tried to comfort her with a pat, “Unfortunately, there’s not much going on there. He’s never even spoken to her.”

“What!?” It had her shell shocked, “He pines after her all day and never even goes to speak with her?”

The girl shrugged to her elder, “He said it’s not appropriate to approach her since singing is her job. I also think he’s afraid of making an idiot out of himself. Which… if history has anything to say on that front…” He probably would.

Miss Phoebe huffed, “I thought that boy had balls, but apparently not.”

“Have you ever gone to see her, Miss Phoebe? She’s really good.” Her brother peeked around her at the other woman.

“I couldn’t possibly be spotted at a rival establishment!” She lifted her chin like the mere idea was beneath her.

Avery snickered at her declaration, “Rival is kind of a stretch when you don’t serve alcohol and they don’t have beds for rent, isn’t it? Hey, maybe you should hire her to perform here in the future. Once you have some financial footing. That’d probably really draw people in. Although then you’d have to accommodate those two jerks of hers…”

“Jerks?” Her eyebrow lifted.

Devin took over with a scoff, “More like complete assholes. Okra travels with two of her friends. These young emeran guys. They’re rude and weird. They obviously don’t like anyone with mixed blood, yet they won’t leave us alone.”

She started bouncing her leg in irritation so hard the table was shaking. “I even choked one of them out. Made him tap out like a little bitch in front of the whole bar, yet,” she threw up her hands, “we can’t get rid of them. I’m not even sure what’s more irritating: them or Rowan when they’re around. He constantly interrupts me for no reason.”

A smile spread on Phoebe’s face. A few teeth slipped out and her shoulders quivered. Then the woman threw back her head and laughed. Hard. The room reverberated with it. “Oh, darling~! He’s stopping them from courting you.”

Ears pressed flat as she zeroed in on Phoebe, “What? Courting me?”

“Remember what we talked about before? You demonstrated yourself as a suitable mate. No, not just suitable, ideal, darling. Emerans don’t do casual dating. They’re looking to see if it’s socially acceptable to mate with you. And I mean that in the emeran sense of the word, not just screwing.”

For a minute, all she could do was gape at Phoebe, embarrassment practically steaming off of her, “M-mate with me?” Why did she have to put it that way!? Now she was thinking about how topless they were all over again in a fashion she didn’t appreciate. Devin had to hide her face in her hands.

‘And I mean that in the emeran sense of the word, not just screwing.’ She shook herself out, “L-like I’d ever think about marrying someone like them. I’m pretty sure they harass Rowan because they don’t have anything better to do. Pigeon-brained bullies with nothing to offer me.”

“Don’t be too sure, determination can pay off. That’s why Rowan is keeping you quiet. If you thought human men were persistent, then emeran men are beyond overwhelming.” The innkeeper gave another light-hearted chuckle, “Says the pot about the kettle.”

Devin blinked, right, “Do you have any advice, Miss Phoebe? Surely you have a lot of suitors, right?”

Phoebe’s eyes softened in a way suggesting pity and maybe, to her astonishment, some resentment. Her tone was as solid and reassured as ever though, “No, darling.” But she didn’t say anything more on the topic, leaving them muddled.

x x x

The people strolled on and on. She had went for a walk and now sat at a plaza with a fountain. The sound of the water was soothing background noise.

Devin couldn’t stop thinking about what Phoebe had said. Emerans were weird. It also felt strange to be one and understand the culture so little. Being told things as a child, or even as an adult, was very different than experiencing them first hand. Were those two always going to be all over her if they saw her from here on? How was she supposed to refuse them if emeran men were ‘beyond overwhelming’ as Phoebe put it?

The girl’s eyes wandered the surroundings. A beautiful blue bird fluttered into the tree across from her. It hopped on its little twig legs along the branch to a nest. A bunch of beaks tweeted within it. Her ears slicked back. Cecil and Disan weren’t looking to casually date, right? Maybe if she said she wasn’t interested in starting a family they’d knock it off. The mama bird tended to each of her young then puffed and settled into the nest. The brawler scowled deeper. ‘Disgusting.’

She got up, “Learn to carry a tune, bird.”

x x x

Rowan burst in, “All right! Here’s the hub-bub, my bubs!”

Devin groaned. She had dozed back off with her head down at one of the Night Owl’s tables. Her cousin enthusiastically unrolled the map with the flick of a wrist. Avery stopped his borrowed reading to observe. Meanwhile she could barely keep her eyes open enough to feign interest. It’s what he got for taking so long to gather information and leaving them to entertain themselves.

He planted a finger on the map over a small town to the north, “It was slim pickings, but there’s rumors going around that a banshee has shown up in this town. Anyone who stays the night can hear it wailing. They say it’s taking kids too and replacing them with its own, identical spawn.” Their elder, of course, had to give them the wiggly spooky fingers. “The townsfolk are too scared of angering it to investigate. So. Ya know.” A shrug. “I say we should go anger it for them.”

“I’m all for helping people, but I thought the point was to look for leads related to your mom?” She didn’t get it.

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His posture sagged, “It is a lead. Banshees are only created when a woman dies violently.” She straightened up at what he was suggesting. Maybe she should keep her stupid mouth shut when she didn’t understand the target from here on.

Avery shifted, unsettled, but tried to nudge them past this rough spot, “Was there anything else floating around?”

“Nothing new, but there’s a little something else you’re both not privy to. There’s a town over,” his pointer slid to a new spot almost in the complete opposite direction, “here. I’ve been there in the past, but they have a huge event coming up. A big ceremonial event that will involve a lot of magic. It’s a… twice in a lifetime event. I’m thinking it’ll be too much to resist and might have, an uh, uninvited guest.”

That made enough sense to her without explanation, then she huffed, “Don’t you mean once in a lifetime event?”

“Nope!” He grinned in his usual dumbass way. “It happens every thirty-three years.”

“But if you’re an elf, you could go to like twenty of those in a lifetime.” Avery pointed out.

Rowan clicked his tongue, “Don’t rain on my word play.” He came back to the map, “That’s still a while from now. So we’re definitely going to start with the banshee. Unfortunately, it’s the harder place to get to. It’s upriver and I don’t think there will be any rides we can hitch otherwise thanks to these rumors. Drivers tend to be superstitious. Plus, I’m getting a little low on funds.”

Devin winced and let her head drop backwards, “We’re going to have to walk it?”

“Yup! We leave tomorrow.” Their cousin looked to one then the other and how they apparently had nothing else to say on the topic. “Well don’t burst with excitement or anything.”

Avery stammered, “S-sorry, it just feels like leaving home again. I was also hoping we’d be here long enough for grandpa to write back too.” Devin glanced at her brother. When had he written gramps?

Never mind that, she added on, “Miss Phoebe is the first friend of yours we’ve ever actually met and she’s been nice to us.” Her brother nodded along in agreement. She finished with, “We’re going to miss her.”

“Miss Phoebe what now? Miss me? Darlings, I was only gone an hour.” She entered, closing her parasol. The innkeeper had been out doing her own shopping, she sat her paper goods at her front desk. “And talking behind a girl’s back, shame on you.” Her smile was coy and playful.

“We’re going to be heading out tomorrow morning, Pheebs.” Rowan informed her.

“Oh! Marvelous, darlings! I’m glad to hear you found a lead.” Then she locked him in a serious gaze, “Are you all set for that?” Slowly the questions were aimed at all of them and not just Rowan. “Do you have all the essentials? Not going to be caught with your pants about your ankles, are you?”

Rowan stood proudly, “Of course we have them! And pants firmly buckled! That’s what all the shopping was for when we got here!”

Her brother thought on it, “I think I have everything I need.” They had actual bedrolls, better shoes for Avery, and restocked their non-perishables. Well. As close to non-perishable as they could get.

Something clicked again in her mind, “No, we don’t have all of the essentials.” All eyes came to her. It flustered her and she unintentionally became defensive, “What?”

Her cousin prodded, “What did I miss?” Was he really this stupid?

“We still don’t have a knife.”

Phoebe laughed, “Rowan’s been traveling for ages; he has a knife.” The man rubbed at his neck and Phoebe stopped laughing at the realization that Devin wasn’t pulling this from no where. “You don’t have a knife? How do you not have a knife? That’s basic.”

“We don’t need a knife.” He wasn’t very firm on that claim.

“Correction,” Devin snapped at him, “You don’t need a knife. I know you can get by with your wind or water magic or whatever, but I don’t have that. I know you prepared stuff for us to take with, but Avery and I need meat more than you. Which isn’t exactly easy to carry a lot of from place to place. We need to be able to get and prepare our own food without depending on you too. I’m not skinning any more bunnies without one.”

“You made that girl skin an animal with no tools?” The innkeeper smacked the mage on the shoulder with her parasol, “What is wrong with you? That.” Whack. “Is.” Whack. “A.” Whack. “Mess.” The whacking continued between each word. “To. Deal. With. You’re. Going. To. Get. Her. Clothes. Ruined!”

Rowan pleaded mercy, attempting to guard his defenseless shoulder. “Ow! Okay! Okay! I’ll give you some money for it, all right? Get whatever you feel like you need.”

She stared.

“What?” He paused on the retreat of handing her some coins.

“You’re not even going to help me pick out something appropriate, are you?” The accusation was dull yet penetrating.

“I- Well… um...” The man was fidget city. Population one.

Devin stood abruptly and went to the innkeeper, “Miss Phoebe, would you be willing to take me to a weapon smith?” While undoubtedly confused, the woman agreed to help her. Devin gave Rowan a good lash of her tail, intentionally hitting him with it, as they left. He clutched at his shin briefly.

Her companion popped her shade open before they started on a path toward the main streets. Devin didn’t think herself a parasol type, but it was admittedly more pleasant to walk this way. Especially with all the body heat adding to the sun beating down. It made people give them a slightly wider breadth as well. She was too annoyed to think of anything to say.

Phoebe would have to kick things off with, “Darling, I have to ask, what was all that? I’ve seen him take a slap to the face better than he took your words. Literally. I did the slapping.”

Her reply was blunt, “It’s because he can’t argue the truth. He’s scared of touching almost anything with a sharp edge. He has been for as long as I can remember.”

Phoebe cupped her chin, “Odd. I think of Rowan as quite near and dear to my heart. Yet I had no idea.”

“Yeah,” she sighed. “He plays it close to the chest. Maybe,” the brawler rubbed her shoulder, “I shouldn’t have called him out like that. Especially in front of you, but… it just… rrrrrgggggh!” Devin motioned a mock strangling. “I hate it when he pretends it’s perfectly normal and not going to be a constant problem when it so obviously is. He needs to get over it already.”

The woman made sure to keep guiding them along to their destination as Devin ranted. Her tone grew concerned. It was a specific fault, “How exactly did he get this way?”

Devin shook her head, “I think there was some kind of accident. I’m sorry, I don’t really know. It was a decade ago.”

“It doesn’t really matter, darling. Good on you for speaking up for your needs, because you’re right. It is a problem. What if you get separated? You need to be able to depend on yourself too. Besides, it’s only a wee little ole knife. They’re barely weapons. More like an accessory.” Phoebe looped an arm about her. “Oh! Let’s get a scabbard that matches your boots for your leg! That’ll be cute!”

Devin glanced to her bare thighs and knees, “I think maybe it’d be better to keep it out of sight, unfortunately.”

A reassuring squeeze came, “Inside the boot it is then.”

The girl blinked at the information they had glossed over, “Wait, you’ve slapped Rowan? Across the face? What did he do?”

She chuckled, “Oh, that?” The woman waved it away. “That was forever ago when we first met. He took my flirting a little too seriously and grabbed my ass.”

x x x

The next day came fast. They hadn’t been able to stay up late chatting with Phoebe since they had to be awake in the morning. Once they were asleep, that was it.

Devin put the finishing touches on tying her boot with new hidden knife compartment. Rowan and Avery were lingering in the hall already. They both greeted her with a little wave and the three headed down.

An empty room waited. Avery searched around to confirm, going so far as to jog into the dining area. He returned, frowning, “Where’s Miss Phoebe?” Their cousin walked behind the front desk to return their keys to their reciprocal hooks. His movements were slow and deliberate.

The reply weighed on him, “Pheebs doesn’t like goodbyes.”

Her heart sunk as his meaning settled in. Her brother, however, was far more upset, “Why didn’t you say anything last night then? If I’d known she wasn’t going to be here this morning I could ha-”

Rowan cut him off with the lift of a hand, “If you’d known to say goodbye last night that defeats the point. I know it doesn’t feel right, but this is a boundary of hers that I’d like to respect.”

He didn’t perk up, but nodded acceptance. They were about to make for the door when Avery noticed something at the desk. Some of the ads she had written up at his suggestion. He collected one, reading over her work. It left him more depressed by her absence.

Just like that they left the Night Owl behind.