“You don’t have a lot, do you?” Evin sneered.

But he had found the small amount of money she’d been saving in the dresser, and her waterproof cloak. He moved to the closet, which unlike the dresser would be empty.

“I helped you!” Harmoni cried.

She struggled so hard against her bonds that she could feel the rope breaking her skin in places.

“And now I’m helping myself, in a way that’s a lot more permanent. You see how that works?”

Evin held his hands out again, facing her.

Harmoni’s thoughts felt blurry. It was hard to function, something about this situation was causing problems beyond the obvious. Fleck was struggling too, but he was helping her focus, so she tried.

“You know, I was worried the ploy wasn’t going to work this time,” Evin explained. “I thought maybe everyone had wised up. But you? You let me in, even knowing who I am.”

“You’ve got a funny way of thanking me,” Harmoni said.

It might’ve worked better if she could glare, or sound angry, instead of sounding like a fish out of water.

She was gulping for air and staring at the floor, so she couldn’t really see what Evin was doing, but she could see his green, dripping, feet pass by her periphery. “You want thanks, you should force people to give it to you. You think anyone really does anything out of the goodness of their hearts? That's not how this works. And that includes you. You wouldn't have given me anything if I didn't force you to.”

He stopped. “Well, this room is a bust. I should see what the rest of the house has.”

There was a gigantic crash downstairs, like a bookshelf falling over.

The front door actually. Aqua had heard Fleck’s calls, and smelled Evin. Even with Fleck’s barely put together explanation, she got what was going on. She smashed her head against the front door, and the whole thing flew off the hinges, rattling against the hallway.

“Now Udo’s awake,” she said.

“Or I could go instead,” Evin said.

He shot out of her door. He slipped as soon as he was out the door, on hardwood floor instead of carpet. But he managed to keep moving, skidding forward instead of face-planting, and he was soon out of sight.

Udo came into the doorway a moment later. She didn’t have to wait long, but she knew Evin had gotten away by now. In part because she knew Aqua had gone looking for him, and wasn’t able to find him inside.

“Harmoni? Are you OK?” Udo asked.

He didn’t wait for an answer, coming in. He set the flashlight he’d brought in on the dresser. In his other hand, he had a pocket knife. He immediately set to work cutting the rope at her wrist.

Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

Harmoni was shuddering, but she tried to shake less, while Udo was working.

“I’m, I-I’m sorry,” Harmoni stammered out, dropping her head again.

Udo freed her hands, now able to put his whole focus on her. “Harmoni, what could you possibly be sorry for?”

Rather than answer, Harmoni just shook harder, her body going limp and vision getting blurry. She leaned forward slightly.

Udo caught her. He held her in a very loose hug at first. She could pull away if she wanted. But when she didn’t, even putting her head against his chest, he tightened his grip. He rubbed his hand up and down her back.

“Hey now. It’s OK. You’re alright. You’re safe now.”

~~~

Udo offered to give her the next day off, let her recover from an experience that left her shaken. (Shaken was the specific word he used.) Harmoni shook her head. Evin had taken her money, it would be good to make more. And being busy in the morning might be better than just sitting in her room, thinking everything over again and again.

And Ferren would be at work, and would notice if she or Fleck wasn't. And she didn't want to deal with that.

Besides, now that was it was over, she realized it could’ve been a lot worse. Evin hadn’t hurt her. (Unless you counted the ropes, but most of that damage had been from her own struggling.) He hadn’t killed her or Fleck. He’d barely been interested in her at all. That was lucky.

Fleck thought Harmoni needed to rethink her definition of lucky, but he was a bit preoccupied with his own situation.

Fleck wasn’t mad at Harmoni for her shyness, but he was mad at other people, and how they responded. Harmoni got pushed around a lot. He was supposed to help with that. He had confidence. He wasn’t afraid to fight, verbally or physically. But what good had that done? He hadn’t been able to protect her from Evergreen and Cembra. He couldn’t do anything against Evin last night, and an ill human like him should’ve been an easy target. He hadn’t been able to help the dragon they heard almost a week ago now.

That didn’t have to do with protecting Harmoni, in fact she still arguably hindered him, but it followed the pattern. He thought Harmoni got pushed around too much, but if he couldn’t help, why was he here? How could he keep making a fuss?

Harmoni, of course, disagreed. Fleck always helped her. He helped give her confidence, and kept her grounded. And last night, he had in fact, helped. His help was just getting Aqua.

But if she knew that, and he was still upset, no amount of telling him was going to help.

He did know how she felt. But he wanted to do more.

So they went to work, and neither felt great, but both acted normal, and both might have benefited from a normal day.

There was a comfort to be found in each other, even if they weren't so good at it. Harmoni grabbed Fleck when they had some down time, rubbing a hand on his side. He liked to be stroked, and Harmoni liked to cling to something, so it worked out.

Harmoni did, however, go to the library after work. And she went specifically to look for information on Evin Deriby. They had half a day, after all. And Harmoni wanted to know more about this man everyone else apparently knew to distrust.

He was the one who’d originally owned the fighting arena. Some of the information she found on him was expected. Like Fleck had said, he had tight control over the field. And he’d paid his fighters pennies while stacking the fights so his bets would win. Harmoni wasn’t sure how you did that with a fight. It wasn’t a card game. But that was the claim the article online said, and what the librarian agreed with, when she looked over Harmoni's shoulder.

One thing that was a surprise, was that he kidnapped someone’s sister to keep him fighting in the arena.

“He groped the cleric who cursed him too,” the librarian said. “She was being pretty patient with him before that.”

“You believe he really did that?” another library patron asked.

“Clerics can’t lie,” the librarian pointed out.

“Well yeah, but the rule is they can't knowingly lie, and no one actually saw it happen. . .”

“Oh my God,” the librarian groaned.

Harmoni sort of tuned them out. She’d gotten the information she’d come for.

She ran a hand through her hair. ‘And I let him in,’ she thought.

She stood by her previous statement. She was lucky things hadn’t gone worse.