I awoke to a gust of cold, bitter Cleeve’s Landing air, crashing the window shutter against the brick wall over my head. The latch to my window had come undone, which is not uncommon in the late winter when the winds are high. What was uncommon was the lack of heat in my room. I peered across my tiny quarters to the stoke nestled in the corner. Not even a hint of a flame peeked through the grill. I mustered up the courage to get out of bed and come to terms with the severity of the beating I took the night before

I planted my feet on the floor and stood up. I felt a sharp pain in both sets of ribs as I straightened. I surveyed the rest of my body and found the usual bruises, aches and cuts that I would expect from getting my ass-kicked by trained knights in chainmail, with only leather armor to protect me.

I limped over to the stove, every step causing shockwaves through my ribs. The knights really knew how to get in between them with their iron boots. I opened the grate, and found no coals, just ash. The night manager hadn’t refilled my stove during the night. I assumed they likely had something to do with my window not being latches as well.

I was hoping the Duke would show some discretion and not draw any attention to himself and the case I was working on, but news spread quickly in Cleeve's Landing. Something that I've used countless times to aid my cases. One of the Duke's men must have swung by to "encourage" the night manager to expedite my departure from the Mermaid's Folly, which had been my home for the last three years.

I took inventory of my room. The only items not securely packed away were my boots and my bedroll. I packed up my bedroll and stuffed it into my messenger bag. I then took out my flask of mead.

Removing the flask didn’t change the bag’s weight as it should, and there was no sign of the bedroll I placed in just before. I took a moment to silently praise the wizard who paid me with what he called a “bag of vastness” for saving his life. A tale for another day.

I could stuff the bag with whatever I wanted, and it wouldn’t get heavier, and the items wouldn’t take up space in the bag. If someone besides me looked inside, they would merely see an empty bag, but when I opened it with an idea of what I needed, it would appear only for me. It quickly became my most prized possession, and arguably the only thing I owned with real value, besides my bow.

I took a swig of the mead to dull some of my pains and returned it to my bag before I bent over to put on my boots. It took more will than I thought I had left not to scream out when my pain in my sides blazed. I managed to get on and lace up my boots without anyone breaking into the room to save a damsel in distress, and I headed to the innkeeper to settle up.

As I walked towards the stairwell, I had a moment to reflect. I hadn’t intended to accuse the Duke when I went to his manor yesterday. I was merely following up on a lead that he was having a private party at the tavern the girl I was tasked for finding worked at. With him owing me more than one favor, I figured he would spill some names of other folks at the party in exchange for clearing the books, but when I brought the girl up, there was a mood shift, and I became certain that he had something to do with the Smith’s daughter going missing.

I knew the Duke liked women on the younger side and enjoyed the occasional seedy establishment. This is why he requested my services to steal embarrassing evidence collected from a rival family. I was too naive to mistake the man for having limits, though, and it never crossed my mind that he had it in him to go that young. I knew the only reason I got out of his manor alive was the Duke’s assumption that my death would lead to my “network” releasing unsavory details about him from his past escapades. he was right to assume.

I made my way down the stairwell and entered the tavern room. The place still reeked with the stale sweat and spilled mead left over from the patrons the previous night. I could see where the night manager poorly mopped up the blood I tracked across the room as I stumbled up to my room last night. From the look of it, my blood had seeped into the wood. I was pleased to see that Mermaid’s Folly would have difficulty getting rid of me for good.

I made my way down the stairwell and entered the main tavern room. The place still reeked with the stale sweat and spilled mead left over from the patrons the previous night. I could see where the night manager poorly mopped up the blood I tracked across the floor as I stumbled up to my room last night. From the look of it, some of my blood had seeped into the wood. I was pleased to see that the Mermaid’s Folly would have difficulty getting rid of me for good.

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“I see you are off then, eh, ranger?” The innkeeper called from across the room, doing a poor job of hiding his lack of surprise. He was prepping the breakfast for the morning crowd that would likely start showing up soon.

“Mac, we’ve known each other for three years, and I can read you like a book,” I replied. “So don’t bullshit me. How much did I step in it this time?”

“Enough to where you can’t trust your neck will survive another night in this establishment. Or any in Cleeve’s Landing, for that matter.” Mac lit the flames of the stove. After sleeping in the cold, my body craved the heat, and the smell of bone broth and onions began to replace the smell of booze and sweat. “What I’ve heard is you got until sundown before the Duke’s grace runs out and he sicks his men on you.”

“And I’m assuming the night manager will have a go at my neck if I overstay my welcome at the Mermaid’s Folly?”

“And I’m assuming the night manager is the one having the go at my neck if I overstay my welcome here?” I asked.

“From the blue in your lips, I’d say he already had a go. That would be Thomas. He’s a vet from the Duke’s army and my latest hire. He lost a kneecap to an arrow, and they kicked him out. I’d assume one of the knights came by and filled him in so he could win the Duke’s favor and get a cushy job back at the castle. You know how the vets take care of their own.” Mac began stirring the soup as it started to boil, “He’s honestly not that bad of a guy, he’s just a bit desperate to get back to a sense of duty. I’m sure you can relate.”

“Yeah, I’m sure he and I would get along just fine if given the time,” I said sarcastically, adding him to the list of folks I needed to avoid if I wanted to make it out of the city alive. “Can I still count on you to leave the package with the crier if someone decides to get a little hasty and ignore the duke’s grace, as your night manager was so bold to do?” I asked. Mac was the closest thing to an ally I had in the city, and even then, I knew that he would cave if someone offered a substantial amount of coin. The Mermaid’s Folly was about a decade past needing a renovation.

“If you knew what he did, you would-”, I stated, but Mac cut me off.

“I don’t want to know what you think he did!”

I knew Mac’s angry yell well. It usually came out when he broke up a fight that threatened to damage any of furniture that still remained intact. This yell was new to me, though. This yell came from fear.

“I haven’t gotten to the age of fifty without wits,” he said, gaining his composure. I suppressed the surprise on my face. He looked seventy, at least. He had lived a harder life than I had given him credit for.

Mac continued, “And I know when the tides are turning. Our deal stands until midnight. After that, I’m washing my hands of you. I like you, ranger, but not enough to go up against the royals. I never agreed to put my neck on the line.”

“I’m sure an honest man like you won’t dare cash my coin after going back on our deal.”

Mac rolled his eyes and gestured over to the bar. There, I saw the sack containing the ten gold coins I gave him to hold onto as part of my insurance policy. I felt like an ass.

“Mac, I can’t—” I started, but he raised a hand to silence me.

“I know you can’t, but you're right. I was dumb to think you’d never actually go head-to-head with the Duke when I drunkenly made that deal, and I should have never taken that coin. I also know that you have a reputation for being bad at collecting payments from the folks you help.” He picked up the coin and forced it into my hand. “Just take it. If it makes you feel any better, I lied about them increasing my taxes when I jacked up your rent. We’ll call it even.”

I could see the look of pity in his eyes. He knew I had no coin to my name. Otherwise, I would have paid my outstanding rent for the month. Everything I had was riding on this case, and I’d invested what little coin I had into paying leads to get me closer to finding the Smith’s daughter. I should have cut my losses when signs started pointing at the Duke. But that’s not me. All the messes I find myself in are from not knowing when to quit.

“I appreciate it, Mac,” I replied, “More than you know.”

A few patrons started to filter in. Based on their appearance, I figured they sought nourishment before working the fields the rest of the day. Their faces told a different story. I could practically see gold coins replacing their eyes as they sneered and whispered to each other, sneaking glances in my direction. I had no doubt they were planning what they would do with my bounty once they caught up with me after the Duke’s grace wore off. It was going to be a long day getting out of the city.

“I’ll be going. Maybe I’ll see you around, Mac,” I said as I stowed the coin in my bag.

Mac handed me a food pouch, likely filled with dried fruits and meat that would last days outside a cold chest, and I bagged it as well. Mac looked at it suspiciously. I expected him to take his last chance to ask me about the bag's magic, which always seemed to catch his attention, but he was ready for me to be gone. “I don’t expect you will. May Tera watch over you, Ranger.”

With that, I took my leave of the Mermaid’s Folly for the last time.