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Jinx

Erlis' pendant, a kiss and the key to a grave

Part I

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The two moons of the Realm popped up again on the night sky, the moment the Gish turned the large building’s corner after Calm Pollock. The lithe man, an Issir and a professional ‘fence’ of sorts; also an in-between for the vaunted Thieves Guild in Altarin and the local ruffians, but mostly the dangerous Vibrant Horns that controlled the underworld in the city, moved almost plastered to the walls to minimize exposure. It could have worked, but for her Gish’s eyes.

It was a boring job this.

Jinx had picked it though from the message board, firstly because there wasn’t much else with the Cofols raiding the countryside, or worse rumored to be outside the city’s gates, and secondly, because it seemed safe.

Find Elris Valwarin’s famed family pendant, it wrote. Stolen by a dastardly thief, believed to be Shifty Walker.

Now ‘Shifty’ was a thief alright and Jinx knew him, kind of. Was he dastardly enough to warrant such a public smear on his character?

He probably was.

Calm Pollock stopped in the midst of a dark alley, forcing Jinx back into her chase. Well, it was supposed to be a shadowing of sorts, but it had turned into a pursuit, since Pollock moved pretty fast for a human. Jinx stayed on him without problem that much was true, but Soren and Zola got lost somewhere in the market, not ten minutes back.

Either that, or they were fuckin’ like rabbits to spite her.

“Damn it,” The man said, as if he heard her mental groan. “Didn’t see ye hiding there.”

“It would’ve been nigh awkward, if ye had,” Walker answered him, bursting out of the shadows. Dressed in a black tunic and pants, hood over his head, he could’ve been anyone, but Jinx remembered the voice. Ye couldn’t miss that Lesia accent of his.

“You have it then?” Calm asked nervously.

“Are ye alone?”

“Yeah, sure.”

“Meet me behind Frank’s place in an hour,” Came Walker’s reply.

“Why not do it now?” Calm Pollock protested.

“I can hear yer people approaching.”

“My people? Haha. I told no one else—” But Walker had dived back into the shadows in the meantime, leaving him standing impotent in the middle of the dark alley.

Had he heard her? Jinx wondered, ready to hurry after the thief this time, when heavy boots were heard approaching behind her and stopping close enough to smell the first man’s odor.

Onion soup and ale, mixed in with strong goat cheese.

A brave choice for an evening meal, unless yer plannin’ on sleeping on yer lonesome, she thought turning around to see who it was, a mischievous grin on her lips.

“What do we have here, lads?” The man said, big head resting on a gigantic torso. His shorter –for the body-, but pretty muscled hands making him appear stretched on all directions.

“Do ye mind turning around?” Jinx said without batting an eyelash. “I came here to pee. Real bad.”

“In the fuckin’ alley?” The second man asked, shorter and thinner than the first, only four teeth in his mouth.

“I like open spaces. Helps wit the flow,” Whisper deadpanned, knowing each second passing was giving Walker the chance to get further away. Give him enough time, she thought, and he’ll leave Eplas altogether.

Good luck finding him then.

The third man of the group scowled, or so she thought, but said nothing. It was the first guy that reacted.

His eyes turning right mean.

“What’s that on yer face wench?”

Ah, darn it, Jinx mused, taking a precautionary step back, to better use her weapons. Ye had to be a cunt and go there.

Her back bumping onto the approaching Pollock, returning from his meeting.

“Darn it!” He griped stumbling away to avoid her. Then seeing who the men were, turned angry in the blink of an eye. “You stupid fucks, are louder than hungry cats in the market. I could hear yer lot from over there!” He paused looking at the half-smirking Jinx, squinting his eyes a couple of times. “You brought a fuckin’ girl? Have you lost yer mind?”

Give a point to Walker.

You two-timing bastard, Jinx thought, going for her bow. A rough calloused hand stopped that particular move, grabbing her by the shoulder and she went with the flow, the man pulling her back –a bit surprised at the complete lack of resistance-, while Jinx twisted around, fast as a fit feline, knee raised high.

“That’s it Big Osbert,” A man said, voice filled with glee.

“Naosis tits!” A second exclaimed rather shocked. “She’s got pink hair!”

“Oh, that must’ve hurt,” A third man noted, when her knee massed Osbert’s family jewels and doubled him over. Jinx casually poked him with a finger in the right eye, almost popping it out and sidestepped lithely leaving him groan in misery.

“Get her Fourteeth Chane!” Calm Pollock bellowed at her back and the tooth-lacking man stepped forward to block her escape. A hand clasping the handle of a machete, he had sheathed on his leather belt, in an attempt to pull it out.

“Shame?” Jinx taunted, slapping his wrist down and re-sheathing the weapon. Ducked under an incoming fist, folding in two at the waist, a hand planted firm, her forehead almost kissing the dirt on the road, left foot staying put and the right rising to deliver a devastating overhead kick that caught Fourteeth right in the mouth.

Whisper is the Queen of lithesome girls’ mother-fucker!

“Gah!” Chane went and recoiled to get away, blood on his face, as Jinx rolled where the last man waited that earlier sour look still on his Lorian face.

“Brokth me tuth!” Fourteeth squealed at her back, understandably incensed at the loss, adding with malice. “Slit her throath, Sour Hopper.”

Oh, for fuck’s sake.

Can’t ye cunts pick better names?

Who comes up wit this crap?

“Catch dis,” Jinx said and hurled an arrow she’d managed to get out on her half back-flip earlier. Good girls have two hands for a reason. Hopper saw it coming -flying true, Jinx rushing him right behind it, an angry pout on her lips and a pink halo over her noseless face and hesitated before raising an arm to deflect it. He smacked the arrow on the alley’s wall and looked to see where the girl had gone, but got an elbow on the ribs before he found out, then a shoulder and he was thrown on his back.

Jinx stepped on his forehead, when he attempted to get up and used it as a springboard to jump over him, back of said head bouncing off the cobblestone road and the girl’s chuckle grating to his rattled nerves, as he watched her impotent running away.

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Soren saw her coming out of the alley, fast as a leopard having the runs, and frowned, mouth opening to ask something silly and time-consuming.

“Shut it,” Jinx said and twirled around him to get behind his huge body. “And stay still.”

“Fuck’s wrong with you?” Zola inquired, looking freshly fucked herself, which pissed Jinx to no end, given all that had happened in the two weeks, since they’d come back to Altarin.

Before she could answer her, Calm and the roughed up ruffians appeared looking extra motivated and twice as mad, than she’d left them seconds ago.

“Hells she went?” Osbert asked, eye swollen and red, tears running freely down his unshaven cheeks.

“Hey! You,” Calm barked, seeing Soren standing tall, not four meters from them. “Did you see… a rather weird girl running away?”

“What weird girl?” Soren asked and Jinx plastered on his broad back, hoped the dark was enough to hide her from them. Assuming the Northman didn’t fuck everything up.

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“She hath pinkh hair,” The man formerly known as Fourteeth griped.

Soren smacked his lips and tensed up.

Say no, ye stupid bull!

“Yeah,” Soren replied and Jinx almost drown on her spit. “She run to the market.”

Okay that works as well.

“Hells,” Calm replied, all pissed. “Hurry up lads! We've got to catch her!”

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“Can’t believe they bought it,” Jinx said a minute later, the danger averted.

“Right then, what the fuck happened?” Zola asked.

“Where were you?” Jinx corrected it for her.

“What that’s supposed to mean?” Came her loaded reply.

“Girls come on, let’s all be friends,” Soren intervened wanting to avert the incoming quarrel.

“I think ye know,” Jinx taunted. “I was following our mark, but ye two conveniently left me on my own!”

“You were movin’ too fast!”

“It’s called stayin’ close!”

“Bah!” Zola exclaimed frustrated throwing her arms in the air. It made her tits bounce and while Jinx was angry, she found it distracting as fuck. “Is this because I slept with him?”

“Well, it was either him, or Crafton. Assuming ye don’t lick yer chops for young Liko. You kinda run out of cock.”

Zola licked her lips on que, a nervous tick appearing on her left eye.

“You just can’t take no, for an answer,” She said slowly, playing the victim card.

As if she could fall for that!

“Look in the mirror dear.”

“It was the one time, Whisper,” Zola said, sounding drained.

“That I caught you.” Jinx deadpanned.

“Uher curse you! I was grieving!” The Issir woman retorted.

“Pfft, and I wasn’t?” Whisper sneered and glanced towards Soren, the big man visibly uncomfortable with their conversation.

“You have to grow up, Pretty,” Zola answered tiredly.

But Jinx set her jaw stubbornly at that.

“I’ll do whatever the fuck I want, dear.”

The curvy Issir woman shook her white head right and left, gave a good look around them and stepping forward, got into her personal space. Jinx tensed up, fearing a slap in the face, or worse, but got a full kiss on the lips instead, Zola’s plump mouth massing hers, a current running up and down her spine and curling her toes upwards. Zola pulled away, when Jinx tried to slip her tongue in there and took a step back to examine the Gish's flushed face for a long moment.

Jinx swallowed, still tasting her on her lips.

“It doesn’t mean a thing this,” The older woman finally said. “What we did,” She pointed at an uncomfortable, or aroused Soren, Jinx’s overcharged brain couldn’t tell with any certainty. “Don’t mean a thing. It’s just sex, Pretty.”

“Sex is nice,” Was all she could say.

“Sure it is. It is also a choice, you shouldn’t force on people. I know Gish value it, but humans don’t. Not unless there’s something more involved,” Zola continued and licking her lips frowned. “Have you eaten fish?”

“Mila,” Jinx replied, avoiding her eyes.

I ate her cunt.

“What kind of a fish—” Soren exclaimed, confusion in his voice.

“She’s that whore,” Zola replied disgusted. Then bending spat on the ground. “For fuck’s sake, Pretty!”

“Ye could’ve asked!” Jinx snapped grinning manically. “Hey, it’s just sex, dear.”

Zola rolled her eyes and started walking away. Whisper rushed after her, with Soren right behind them. The big man heard talking to himself nigh impressed.

“Wow, Mila is a fish. Who would’ve thought? That’s some odd shit right there!”

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“Frank’s Place,” Zola noted half an hour later, reading the label. Jinx had led them in front of the store where Walker’s meeting would take place soon.

“It’s a jewelry workshop,” She explained casing their surroundings. “They are supposed to meet behind it.”

“Behind the building?”

“Ahm, I’m not sure,” Jinx replied, the tension between them making her uncomfortable. The feeling of Zola’s lips on hers still vivid in her memory. Burned in and playing on a loop. “The meeting kinda went sideways, what wit Calm wanting to double-cross 'Shifty' ‘n all.”

“Who’s Shifty?” Soren asked scratching the regrown part of his beard, the difference between the two parts making him look pretty darn funny.

“The Thief.”

The big Northman nodded.

"It figures."

“Is he in the Guild?” Zola inquired, rolling her eyes at his stupidity.

“That was the gossip, back in Midlanor,” Jinx replied.

“And you know him, how?”

Didn't fuck him, if yer asking.

“Well, he helped me move some stuff.”

The kind ye can’t sell over the counter.

Zola frowned, a dimple forming on her left cheek.

“Will he give us the pendant?”

“Ahm, probably not. It worth a try.”

Although it probably didn't, but Jinx kept this part for herself.

“Why do we need this job again?" Zola inquired. "You have Glen’s money.”

“You do?” Soren cut in interested. “Can I have some?”

Leading the Gallant Dogs sucked arse, Jinx thought, hanging her pink head.

“No. You can’t,” Whisper hissed, when she came around. “Forget about the coins.”

“Why?” Zola insisted callously. “The boy is dead.”

“We don’t know that, Zola.”

“The Cofols burned the fort, Pretty. He’s gone.”

Jinx sighed.

This woman's heart, was made of stone.

“We don’t give up on a mission. And Glen is a good friend.”

“Since when?” Zola scoffed, unwilling to let the matter drop. “Just because he talks to you? Come on.”

Wow, just don’t say anything. Keep it in.

“Glen is alright,” Soren said. “I like him.”

“Shut up big guy,” Zola snapped.

“I just stated a darn fact—”

“I don’t care!”

“We are not using Glen’s coins period,” Jinx said matter-of-factly, ending the debate.

> Luthos sat this one out.

>

> It's a universally known fact that most Gish's plans suck arse hard.

>

> Pun intended.

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Jinx banged on the Jewelry’s door not five minutes later. She waited for another minute, give or take a couple of seconds and when no answer came, the Gish raised her fist to try again.

The answer coming at the last moment, as it oft does.

“Who’s there?” A guarded voice asked from the inside. “We’re closed.”

“We’re customers,” Jinx countered.

“Then come back in the morning.”

“It’s a matter of... ehem, urgency.”

“And this ain’t a dottore’s house, last I checked.”

“I think you’ll want to hear us, Frank.”

“Do I know you?”

“I’m a friend of Shifty,” Whisper replied pointedly.

There was pause and then a lock was heard clunking and the door cracked half-open. A bespectacled mid-aged Lorian, eyed them suspiciously.

“Walker is a god-darn thief,” He stated, pretending to be affronted. “He steals everything that isn’t nailed down, every time he comes over!”

Or perhaps not?

Hmm.

Jinx cleared her throat.

“We’re not that good friends,” She chanced.

Frank, the jeweler, frowned. “What do you want?”

“Can we come inside?”

“You lads are pretty well armed, for a social visit.”

“We’re no thieves, Mr Frank.”

“You look like it, unnamed lass.”

Jinx puffed her cheeks out frustrated.

“This is Zola and Soren. My name is… Jinx. We’re part of the Gallant Dogs.”

Pretty much the whole outfit.

“Is that a new gang? Good grief,” The man griped. “I pay good coin to you jackals. Leave me alone!”

“We’re a mercenary company. Here to…” Think, Jinx ogled her eyes trying to come up with an idea. Something plausible. “…we’re here to make an order.”

“We are?” Soren asked dumbfounded.

Frank’s eyes though lit up, like the stars on the night sky. “Custom jewelry are a costly affair,” He started, looking them up and down with renewed interest, before adding. "I dare say, the costliest."

Oh Glen, sorry buddy, she thought. This lasted not even five minutes.

“We have the coin,” Jinx hissed, curling her lip upwards in an attempt at a smile, more a snarl.

Frank, not minding the minutiae, cracked a big smile himself, showing a good number of gold teeth and one made of platinum.

“Well then,” He said warmly, his demeanor changing in an instant and opened the door to his workshop wide. “You should’ve started with that.”

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