The public house we had arrived at was not quite what I had expected. It reminded me of a dorm or boarding house—only more rugged. The entrance was mostly unassuming: a worn, heavy wooden door with a central knob. I paused to read the sign out front while Elara and Felix chatted with yet another group of people. Apparently, they had exterminated an infestation of something called a Carapax. This was at least the fourth time they had been approached about the incident.

Thousands of these things—they sounded like large crabs—had shown up on the other side of town with the tide and started causing havoc. Apparently, that was a thing: random monster attacks. The details were sparse, but it had taken a few days to kill them all. Actual days of fighting crabs. Felix definitely enjoyed telling the story.

I squinted at the sign out front again:

Doreen's House

Hunters Welcome

Initiates Inquire Within

Well, this was me, right? It didn’t look like my escort was keen to wrap up their animated retelling anytime soon. I was sure they’d seen me reading the sign… so fuck it. I turned the big knob and swung the door open inwards, revealing a chaotic, but homey, tavern room. On one side of the large space, eclectic chairs and couches were scattered around a fireplace, and various large paintings were crammed onto the walls, sometimes overlapping. On the other side, several communal tables with mismatched chairs were set neatly for a meal service.

I was expecting something more fantastic, like the portal room or the tower.

“I told you, I don’t care what he took, you don’t draw no fuckin’ weapon in my house!” a sharp, firm voice rang out.

Standing near the center of the room was a small, brown-furred Vildar woman—Doreen maybe? She was holding a large jar of pickles under her arm, looking up at two massive, muscular Gaian men, her eyes fierce and her stance as solid as if she were three times her size.

One of the men, his face twisted with anger, was gripping the hilt of a blade strapped to his side. His buddy, a few feet back, was trying—and failing—to look like he wasn’t part of whatever was about to go down. The room around them had gone quiet. A few people sitting at tables had turned to watch, conversations forgotten.

“That bastard stole from me!” the man growled, his hand tightening around the hilt of his sword.

Doreen didn’t even flinch. “I don’t care if he took your last fuckin’ coin! You don’t pull a blade in my house. Now, let go of that fuckin’ thing before you do somethin’ your sorry ass is gonna regret.”

The man ignored her, his eyes flicking toward the other man sitting across from him. “I’m not lettin’ him walk away with my—"

“I warned you,” Doreen said, her voice dropping in that way that made it clear she was done talking.

Before I could even process what was happening, she hurled the jar of pickles at his head.

It moved so fast, I almost missed it. One second, the man was standing there, glaring daggers at the other guy. I had never really known what someone meant by “like a sack of bricks,” but this was it. The guy went down, collapsing to the floor with a heavy thud.

The jar didn’t even break. It landed hard on the floor, bounced once, and rolled into the friend’s foot.

Holy shit, was he dead?

The other guy was frozen, wide-eyed and pale, staring down at his knocked-out buddy like he’d just witnessed a murder. I couldn’t blame him, since I was pretty sure my face looked about the same as his.

Doreen crossed her arms, standing firm, and looked to both men. “You both pick him up and get him sober. I don’t want to see any of ya’ll for work for a few days. Got it?”

The guys didn’t argue. They scrambled to grab the man by the arms, hauling the limp body up with more panic than grace. A few of the onlookers snickered or exchanged amused glances, but no one dared say a word.

As the pair of them half-dragged, half-carried the unconscious guy out of the room, Doreen turned to the rest of the room, her eyes narrowing. “Fuckin’ Strikers… Anyone else feel like causin’ trouble today?”

No one moved.

Satisfied, she turned around to face me. “You just gonna stand there gawkin’, new blood? Pick up the pickles and follow me.”

I complied, following her down a set of basement stairs on the far end of the room.

“Uhh, I’m Ben,” I said, almost scurrying to catch up to her.

“Doreen,” the mouse woman replied, her voice rough but steady. Now that I was closer, I could really take her in. She looked just like she belonged in this crazy house. Unlike Lyra, whose pink ears and smooth white fur gave her a cleaner, almost scholarly look, Doreen seemed like she’d seen some shit—and enjoyed every minute of it. Her brown fur was wild and scruffy, sticking out in all directions, like she hadn’t bothered to comb it in weeks. She wore a Monster Hunter vest that had clearly seen better days, frayed around the edges and covered in insignia pins of various shapes and colors. Her round ears, a darker shade of brown, were pierced multiple times with tiny, mismatched hoops, giving her a slightly rebellious air. But it was her eyes that stood out the most—vibrant, almost amber, and far more expressive than Lyra’s dark, analytical gaze. They sparkled with mischief; her perpetual grin said she wasn’t afraid to throw hands… or pickles.

As we made our way down the hallway, small orbs set in sconces along the walls flickered to life, casting a soft, dim glow.

“You’re kind of on my shit list, Ben,” she said as we rounded away from the stairs into a long hallway. It felt like we were going through a cellar. “You want to tell me why Elara fuckin’ Windrider is about to walk into my house?”

I froze, just for a moment, but it was enough to nearly trip. Windrider?

“I ugh, that’s hard to explain, I…”

Doreen lightly leapt up a series of shelves and looked nearly level at me from her perch.

“Actually, the less I know, the fuckin’ better… Pickles.” She asked, holding her hand out. I held the jar out gingerly, and she took it like it weighed nothing at all. “Take this hall all the way to the end. The door on the left will take you down to the old pathways. Knock on the third door you come across, ask for Jeremy. The furthest we can take you are the Central Isles; from there, you’re on your own.”

“Wait, wait, whoa… what?” I interrupted. What was she even saying… who was Jeremy?

“We’re getting you out of the city. I can buy you some time. If it was just Felix, I’d have him drunk and passed out, but Elara? An hour if we’re lucky. Go.”

I stared at her.

“But I came here with them? Why… Who’s Jeremy?”

Doreen raised an eyebrow. “They’re not here to arrest you?”

I blinked. “What? I think they just wanted to make sure I found the place… wait, am I?” I actually wasn’t sure of the answer to her question. I seemed to be free to walk around, but they were definitely escorting me here. Was it on purpose?

Doreen shook her head. “You’d probably know if you were under arrest. Maybe… Let’s just forget about Jeremy.”

“What if I wanted to leave the city?” I said, nodding toward the direction we were going. “Jeremy’s waiting.”

If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

“You’re fuckin’ crazy,” Doreen said to me with a grin, showing off sharp teeth. “I like it. How mad would Elara be if you disappeared? Would it piss her off? I’m in.”

“If I’m being honest, I’m not sure. She seemed like she wouldn’t try to stop me if I wanted to leave.” This seemed to deflate Doreen a bit. There was definitely some history there. “But I think Diana might be upset. So maybe not.”

It was like a switch was flipped. Doreen jumped into action.

“Nope!” She shoved me back toward the stairs. Damn, she was strong. “No Jeremy for you. Out.”

It was all I could do to not get thrown up the stairs; Doreen was surprisingly persistent and way too strong. Sure enough, I found myself back in the common room where Elara and Felix were chatting with some of the patrons.

“No fuckin’ way, Ellie!” Doreen shouted. “Who the fuck is this guy, and why is he sayin’ he knows the Bitch? I deal with enough horse shit, so tell me what’s going on. Now.” Several patrons in vests motioned to leave, but Doreen started. “Sit the fuck down. We’ll all find out sooner or later if she’s back.”

All eyes in the room shifted to me, then to Elara, who was looking at me like I was the biggest idiot she’d ever met.

Oops.

“I’m starting to doubt everything I know about you, Ben.” She shook her head in disbelief. “I had a whole cover story I was going to use to take things slow.”

I mimicked her face, feeling oddly soured. “She thought you were here to arrest me! You’ve had an hour to tell me a cover story, and we’ve said five words to each other on our way here. I’ve heard you tell the Carapax story like five times.”

“Oh. That was a good scrap,” Doreen said. Several other hunters in the room agreed. “But he’s got a point, you have to prioritize your fuckin’ Apprentice. Information exchanges, you know… How long’s it been?”

“He’s not mine,” Elara blurted out. “He’s hers. Or… maybe Chas. We haven’t discussed the particulars yet.”

“That’s a couple of fucking names for such a scrawny guy. He a noble?” a male hunter spoke up.

“Something like that. I shouldn’t say anything else, though. It’s been an eventful afternoon. My mother’s up to something and is throwing her weight everywhere. She…” Elara visibly hesitated. “Even managed to convince Lyra to work for her.”

Dead silence. All eyes were on me.

The room burst out laughing.

“Oh. Hah. Sucks to be you,” Doreen said between laughs. What just happened? I definitely looked confused. Doreen slapped me on the leg. “If Diana’s back and she’s interested in you? I don’t think there’s a ship in the city fast enough.”

Okay. Diana was starting to sound a lot scarier than she was when we were drinking tea together.

“Speaking of boats, is Jeremy back in the city?” Elara asked suddenly, the laughter starting to subside.

Doreen nodded. “This morning, I’ll let him know the news. Now, what can we do to help?”

Felix approached me as Elara and Doreen continued their conversation, their voices becoming more animated as they discussed the events of the day. I was still trying to process everything when Felix gently nudged me.

“There’s a room up the hall from me that’s open,” he said, gesturing toward a hallway that curved off to the side of the common area. “It’s on the ground floor, but it’s one of the nicer ones.”

I blinked, taking a moment to register. "You live here?"

Felix nodded, his expression casual. "Yeah, it's a good deal. Room and board, and you can pay with work if you're short on coins."

I had honestly expected him to live in the tower, like the other Monster Hunters, or at least somewhere more grand. This place had a rugged charm, but it wasn't what I imagined for someone like Felix. Especially with who his mother was.

He noticed the look on my face and chuckled. "I heard what Lyra said. Cassie and I had no idea what was going on with that whole situation. She nearly lost it when you got your pass at the entryway. We're not exactly swimming in resources ourselves. We take the stairs a lot."

I frowned, trying to piece together what he was saying. "No special treatment, huh?"

Felix shrugged. "Pretty much. We do jobs with Chas that pay well, but he's terrible at paperwork. If he doesn't file them, we don't get paid. And my mother... well, she helps where she can, but until I graduate, I'm on my own."

The hallway we entered was narrow and dimly lit, more small orbs set in sconces along the walls flickering to life as we passed.

Felix must’ve noticed me eyeing them because he grinned and tapped one of the glowing orbs. "Lantern orbs. They're rune-powered," he explained. "Pretty standard for populated buildings here. Not as fancy as the Tower's techno-magic, but effective. You'll recognize the rune—it's basic but reliable." He motioned toward the orb. "Incomplete light rune. It's missing some of the finer calculations to really make it glow, but that's deliberate. They're cheap. Take one for your room if you'd like. Just put it back in the morning."

I picked up the orb and held it at eye level. It was about the size of a golf ball, made of smooth glass. The faintly glowing light rune etched inside looked... incomplete. It wasn't that it was wrong, just unfinished, like it was missing paths. In my mind's eye, I could almost see where the rest of the pattern should go, but it just wasn't there. I tried doing... something that seemed to push the rune down a path, and it resisted slightly before completing a loop. The orb flickered a bit and seemed to brighten.

"It's fascinating," I muttered, more to myself than Felix.

Felix smiled. "The more you learn about runes, the more you'll start noticing them everywhere."

We reached a door at the end of the hall, and Felix pushed it open to reveal a gaudy mess. The room was like stepping into a kaleidoscope of bad taste, just like the common area. The bed had a headboard encrusted with gems, each one a different color, clashing horribly with the deep purple satin sheets. The walls were crowded with gaudy tapestries and paintings that looked like they'd been lifted from a medieval fair, each clashing with the next. A massive, gold-framed mirror dominated one wall, reflecting a chandelier that seemed way too large for the space, its crystal drops glittering in the dim light.

On the floor, an overly plush red carpet was spread out, practically drowning in embroidered patterns of animals and runes that didn't seem to match any particular theme—just excess. Even the curtains, thick and velvety, looked like they belonged in the Cave of Wonders, not a boarding house.

Felix caught my expression and laughed. "Yeah... every room's different. Donations from Hunters. Some leave behind practical stuff... others, uh... leave behind this."

"No one wants this room, do they?" I more stated than asked. Felix's sly grin told me all I needed to know.

I turned to him as we walked back up the hall. "So, the techno-magic in the tower—why don't I see more of that around here? I was expecting… a lot more pipes."

Felix smiled knowingly. "It takes a huge amount of mana to run. La-Roc is still a relatively young city, we're rebuilding it since the Hunters moved here. We just don't have the resources to make it as widespread as it is in the tower. Everything's pretty centralized for now. Even the bathrooms—ours is two doors up the street if you're wondering."

I blinked, taking in the information. "Two doors up the street?"

Did they not have plumbing?

----------------------------------------

As the evening settled in, the atmosphere of the boarding house shifted. The orbs lining the hallways and rooms flickered on, casting a warm glow across the building. Each orb had a different hue, creating a patchwork of colors that made the place feel almost festive. Outside, similar orbs began lighting up across the city, their gentle light casting bright paths through the night. The boarding house seemed to embrace the evening with a cheerful charm.

Elara had stuck around, much to my surprise. She was seated at one of the communal tables, chatting with a few other hunters. She caught my eye and offered a slight nod, her expression lighter than it had been earlier.

"Diana's plans have held off politics for a while," she said when tapping a glass of what looked like wine. "Figured I'd take advantage of it."

Felix, on the other hand, was in the middle of the room with a large stringed instrument cradled in his lap. I stared at him, unable to hide my surprise. "Is that a goddamn hurdy gurdy?"

Felix was a Musician?

He just grinned at me and began to play, the sound resonating throughout the boarding house. The tune was slow, haunting, with an underlying warmth. He started singing, his voice surprisingly deep and melodic as he sang:

My lanterns glow on empty docks I tread,

In shadows deep where fear and silence wed,

A lonely path where horrors make their bed,

This hunter's lonely life, a tear-stained thread

The shells and claws they crash like waves at night,

A dance of chaos 'neath the pale moonlight,

In endless tides where courage meets the fight,

I stand alone though darkness takes delight

It was the fucking crabs again. But this time, it was genuine, vibrant, and far more melancholic than Felix's usual recounting.

The hunters gathered around listened quietly, some nodding along, others staring into the distance as if recalling old memories. Even Doreen paused in her work, her usually sharp gaze softening as she listened.

For a moment, it felt like I was part of something—this strange, mismatched family of people. The warmth of the orbs, Felix’s song, the laughter and stories being shared—it all made the place feel alive, a haven amidst the chaos of my day. For the first time since I’d arrived, I felt like maybe, just maybe, I was safe. The worries about home and everything I'd left behind could wait. I could process it later. Tonight, I was in good company.

Later, after the festivities died down, I found myself lying in my opulent too-soft bed, staring up at the small glowing orb I had brought to my room. The warmth of the evening still lingered, a sense of comfort that was new and fragile. I turned the orb in my hand, watching the light shift through different hues, each color casting a different pattern on the ceiling. It was mesmerizing.

With a quiet sigh, I focused on the rune inside the orb. There was something about it that felt unfinished, like a puzzle waiting to be solved. I pushed at it with my thoughts, just as I had done earlier, and felt the resistance again. Slowly, I worked at it, making small adjustments, completing the missing paths in my mind.

The orb flickered, then brightened, the light turning a soft violet. I smiled, feeling a small sense of accomplishment. Maybe things weren’t so bad after all. I set the orb down on the table beside me, the gentle blue glow filling the room. I closed my eyes, letting myself drift off to sleep, feeling—if only for a moment—like I was finally safe.