Chapter 93

Panting and exhausted, Sabine finally slowed as they turned down the street for the Prancing Cockatrice.

In spite of his recent wounds and the ashen color on his face, exhausted from the trauma of healing, Tobias sustained his breathing while Riley moved beside, too panicked to think of anything but escape.

"Ok, ok. I think we're safe," Sabine said, placing her hand on the hilt of her sword, "This way."

She turned down a small chase that led to a back alley, stopping short of the Prancing Cockatrice, then pulled out a key after making certain they hadn't been followed, entering the backroom of the clothing shop next door, or so they thought.

They were instead in a small anteroom, more a sally port than anything, with two more doors, one to their right, one to their front, leading into the clothing shop.

Riley could hear faintly the merry songs of the tailor as he sang to himself, hard at work; Sabine opened the door to their right, leading down to a flight of stairs.

"Remember this route. You'll be using it from now on to leave the tavern," Sabine ordered, descending into the depths, revealing a small basement with a collection of furnished rooms. It was devoid of windows but otherwise identical to the ones on the second story.

"You'll be billeted here for the remainder of your assignment. Any objections?" She asked.

"It beats sleeping up against a tree," Tobias replied, rubbing at his shoulder.

"The stairs here lead up to the larder. The door is hidden behind a shelf, but you should avoid using the main entrance from now on," she continued all business.

"Ok, great, I just have one question; what in the heck is going on? Who were those people?!?" Riley exclaimed.

"Assassins, they weren't wearing torcs so they were probably hired from one of the city's criminal syndicates. As to what's going on, you already know," Sabine replied, sitting on the bed.

"That's three times the bastard has tried to kill me," Tobias glowered before thudding down in a chair, staring at the floor.

"I've never used my magic to kill someone before. When my shoulder broke, I just lost it. It feels different than killing a monster," he trailed off as Riley felt the surge of guilt and confusion rampaging through his soul.

"The first one is always the hardest, but don't let it get easy or let yourself off easy. This is something you should struggle with, even if you did the right thing, and the sons of krauses had it coming," Sabine snarled.

"I burned people. I saw them cook," Riley shuddered, her words echoing Tobias' tortured conscience.

"You did. There were a hundred and one things you could have done better, but that's combat; it's a shit show. Thankfully, you survived it. Now, learn and be better next time. You two need to stop operating under the assumption that the Ashenvale is somehow a safe place. You're rangers; that black cloak and torc make you more of a target than you know, even when you don't have enemies amongst the royals," Sabine launched into full lecture, thrusting her finger into Tobias' chest.

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"Will it be investigated? Will there be consequences?" Riley asked as Tobias stared at the ground, unmoving in the face of her criticism, nodding along with the words that were pounding him like hail. His outer façade of shock hiding the chaos of the storm within.

"This is my home. I know these streets; I've walked them my entire life." His face took on a look of deep confusion, then anger, as his right hand clenched into a fist. The tensing muscles causing him to wince.

"You're to remain here the rest of the day and give yourself time to recover and process. This was a hard lesson. I'm sorry you had to learn it, but we all do. As to consequences, officially, it never happened. I'll update Ranger Central on the particulars and get full reports from you tomorrow, but this will go down as just another bunch of unsolved murders. Neither side wants this to get out, so it won't. It happens every day in Ashenvale," she said, rising, beginning to pace.

"Yet we've been tasked to investigate twenty-three murders?" Tobias asked, with a tortured look of confusion on his face.

"Enough nobles got eaten for it to draw our attention. You and I both know this world isn't fair. We're outnumbered, we're surrounded, and we've got snakes that have full access to our bed chambers. In spite of this, we have held the line against chaos and death for two thousand years because that's what we do, Rangers. It's the core of our order; no matter the cost, no matter what it takes, and no matter the trial, we come through and watch out for one another," Sabine intoned with a seriousness that lent a special gravity to her words.

"That's why you followed us." Riley surmised.

"Mavora showing up was fucking amateur night tactics. You don't telegraph to an enemy like that, even if it's personal, which I know this is," Sabine spat.

Riley could see how much she cared.

"Thank you for being there," She said for the both of them.

"It's what we do for each other. From now on, you will move with discretion, you will work on your coordination, and you will not die on my watch, do you get me?" Sabine snapped.

"Yes, Ma'am," They each said in unison.

"That means more training. Do you think Riley and I can use the commons area down here? Beyond that, I have some ideas, but I'll need funding. How long till my monthly stipend begins?" Tobias asked.

"You'll be granted two silvers a month retroactive to the start of your training. I'll get on the crystal and see what I can do to expedite payment. As to the basement, it's all yours. No one's going to hear you down here," She replied.

"Thank you, for now, though, if permissible, I'd like some time to think. This was a lot," Tobias asked, looking up from the floor at her.

"I'll send some lunch soon with a healing potion. You two are to stand down for the rest of the day. You can move what items remain in your former quarters later. You might not think so, but you did well; you survived, and that counts," at that, Sabine left, shutting the thick banded door behind her.

Riley, like an unleashed rocket, hopped up on the bed and pressed up against Tobias, "Hold me, I'm scared."

Tobias, with his left, held her tight, "I am too. Why is this more worrisome to me than monsters?"

"People are always more worrisome than monsters. Monsters are what they are, but people make choices. Those choices can lead to terrible consequences," Riley replied offhandedly, her mind drifting.

"That was profound," he chuckled sadly.

"Do you remember the antlions?" She asked.

"Of course, I'll never forget Landon," Tobias scoffed.

"They were all drive, nothing else, which made them predictable. They'd still chew your face off, but that's what they do. With people, you never know if they're going to be your friend or stab you in the back the first chance they get. Take Chadrick; you never did anything that bad to him, did you?"

"I've thought about that. We had our spats, but he was always the bully, but this is far beyond a schoolyard rivalry. Assassins? I wonder how much he paid and for what? I'm indifferent to Chadrick. I'm pretty certain I hate him less than you do. He's just another spoiled noble to me, or he was. I'm taking the fact that he wants me dead pretty personally," Tobias trailed off before staring at his hands again.

"He's on my bad list. I don't like bullies, but it's not hate, or at least it wasn't. Powerful people being corrupt jerks is just," Riley huffed, searching for the word, "Infuriating."

"It is," Tobias nodded, his voice sounding as if he was a million miles away as he stroked absently down Riley's ears.

"We killed people today," he shook, holding Riley tighter. "I don't know what that makes me."

"A survivor. I'm just so glad you're ok. I love you, Tobias. I was so scared," Riley blurted out the words.

"I love you too, Riley," he replied, staring again at the floor.