Nyssa was glaring at me.
The bed was big enough for us to share and while I was tempted to tease her a little more before we went to sleep, all thoughts about that left my mind when she clutched a dagger against her chest like she was holding something precious.
I’d stayed on my side of the bed and slept pretty well, given the circumstances. Judging by the look on Nyssa’s face, she had regained some of her composure.
“Why didn’t you tell me you had family here? What happens when word gets out that…”
“How are you going to get me into the meeting?” I cut her off as I got out of bed.
“What?” If looks could kill, my aunt would have had a very uncomfortable call to make.
“The meeting with Sipher. You’ve been under cover for how many years?” I shook my head before she had a chance to answer. “What matters is that it’s taken years for your father to get this close. You get an invite because you’re his daughter, probably being touted as the one to take over, so you need to be shown all the ropes. What about me? Hired muscle?” I shook my head. “They don’t let anyone in who doesn’t have to be in.” I could see that she was starting to understand what role Tres, Tizon, and probably her own father had hoped we’d figure out. “The only way I’m getting into that meeting is as your significant other.”
“You can’t be serious.”
I shrugged. “Doesn’t have to be any more than it was last night, at least in private, but publicly…” I knew she was really going to hate this suggestion. “Probably should get matching rings.”
Yep. More intense deathglare.
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“If you don’t like it, then I’ll get my aunt to find me a cycle and we can go separately. You do it your way and I’ll do it mine.” I flashed her a smile. “So before I go, do you have any recommendations about where I should buy a lot of liquor?”
There was silence at my joke, so I started straightening the bed. I knew that my aunt or one of my cousins was probably going to just strip it down as soon as we left, but it was something to do while Nyssa thought.
“Fine.” I saw her eyes widen as she did the math that I’d already finished.
“Yeah, we either buy a pair of rings here, or we farm bosses here until a pair drops.” I shrugged. “There’s not another town between here and there and if we’re going to sell this, then we need to show up in character.”
At our level, clearing Tier Zero bosses would be something we could do with our bare hands, but that was only if we didn’t have to run to the boss room. If we could go to the second floor, then walk backwards into the boss room, we could probably farm a pair of rings in under an hour.
“I don’t suppose you’ve done this Dungeon?” The look on her face confirmed that she hadn’t. “So we’re back to buying a pair or I guess we could ask my aunt…”
“NO!” Nyssa cut me off. “I’ll go see what’s open. You…” She shook her head. “Just don’t make things worse.”
I chuckled as I followed her out the door. “Give me a second to give the key back.”
“When did I say you were coming?” She spun around to stare me down.
“The part where you said you didn’t want me to make things worse.” I nodded at the office. “What’s my aunt going to think if I’m in there and you drive off without me?”
“UGH! Just hurry up!”
I smiled as I jogged to the office and set the key down on the counter. “Thanks Aunty!”
“Don’t be a stranger.” A wicked smile parted her lips. “I might need weekly reminders of how important this is. I mean at my age, I forget things so easily.”
“You’re fifty-five.” I shook my head as she did a horrible fake gasp. “Your memory isn’t that bad.”
“Fine, monthly. But it better be more than just hi.” She tried to look hurt, but it was impossible to believe with a smile cracking her lips.
“Bye, I’ll talk to you next month!” I got out of the office before she could add any other conditions. With any luck, we’d be able to wrap this up in two weeks and I’d only need to make a single call to tell her that things hadn’t worked out.