*****

One quest pending

—

The Gift of Revenge: Find the one who tried to kill you. Repay their attempt by ending their life.

Reward: Stat Gained

Failure: Nothing but regret.

*****

“I’m going to gut them,” Grace growled as she sat with her back against a wall. Lilly was close, licking the blood off her hand, and Grace smiled, turning her hand over so that her dog could get both sides.

“Thank you for waking me up… if you hadn’t…”

Lilly didn’t reply, content to lick her friend’s hand.

Sitting there, Grace tried to figure out how someone might have found her spot. She was meticulous and always made sure to leave no evidence.

How did they find the hidden stash… it’s impossible to notice, and I always ensured it looked like the rest of the house…

No matter what she considered, nothing came to mind. She was absolutely befuddled.

Glancing down at her clothes, she couldn’t help but groan.

“Every time… every fricking time…”

Standing up, she closed her eyes and took a few deep breaths.

Someone is going to die, and I’m going to enjoy being the one who kills them once I find out who did that…

With an expression that would scare children and some adults away, Grace began her trip back home. She needed to change before Levi saw what she looked like.

“What’s wrong, sister?”

The tone in his voice confirmed that she was doing a terrible job of hiding her frustration.

“Something happened today, and all of our meat is gone… I’m afraid it will be a bit before I can replace it.”

Levi shrugged and then moved forward, hugging her hip. “It’s ok. I’d rather you be happy than us having meat.”

The rage inside her decreased a little as his words chipped away at the wall Grace surrounded herself with. Taking a deep breath, she let it out.

“I know… it’s just… someone isn’t happy we are doing better on this side of town, and I need to make sure you are ok.”

Levi pulled back a little and looked up at her. His nose was scrunched as he tried to figure out what she was saying. “Why wouldn’t I be ok? You’re here, and no one is fighting anymore. I mean, I got to play almost all day!”

His smile showed just how happy Levi really was. The last few months of him being sequestered in the room for hours on end had taken its toll on him. Only when Levi was outside did the spark of living appear, and now he was burning it all day. For so long, it pained her to see him suffering like that, and now, knowing someone might be trying to ruin the joy he had enraged her.

“I know,” Grace said, bending down and bopping him gently on the nose with her finger. “There are those who will want to take what we have, but I’ll always do what I must to protect you.”

Levi grinned and gave her another hug. “I know, sister.”

She wanted to groan. The absolute faith he had in her never made it easier. He trusted her to come home every night. To bring food and play with him. Failure wasn’t an option because if she did, he would find out how hard life was when alone.

A slight shudder ran through her as she recalled the first few months and all the children who disappeared in the coming weeks. None of them had family, and the rumors had made her doubly careful in the beginning.

“Alright. Let’s get you cleaned up. You smell like a wet dog or worse after running around all day and playing.”

Levi laughed at that description until he saw the pot she pointed at. “But that water is freezing. Can’t we heat it up?”

Sighing, she nodded and watched as her little brother celebrated a victory against her.

“Just remember, when I say we need more wood, you’ll have to help.”

The two pieces of meat she had hidden were carefully cut and shared as they made a small pot with a few vegetables she had gotten through some trades a few days ago. It wasn’t the fanciest meal, but the warm broth did wonders as it slid down her throat.

It didn’t take long once they both lay down, and she blew out the candle for both of them to fall asleep.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

Levi never tossed or turned, always smiling as he slept beside his sister.

Grace twitched as always, the same nightmare of the room and her brother burning in it, playing over and over.

“It’s the best I could do,” Nicholas stated as he helped cinch the leather chest piece Grace now owned. “Remember, pull these cords extra tight and then stuff them down inside it. They will stretch over time and, if this lasts you long enough, will need to be replaced.”

Nodding, Grace ignored the man's hands as they drew close to her chest with every hole he threaded it through. She could tell he didn’t care and had spent a life working around the human body. Nicholas’s eyes had bags from what must have been a long night's work.

Max stood there, arms crossed, and nodded in approval. The leather pants she had on were not much to look at. They felt old and cracked, but Nicholas had found them in storage, a pair that had never been picked up for a noble’s son, and they only needed a minor change to fit her.

Once he was finished, Nicholas stood back and inspected his work. A smile and nod of satisfaction was all Grace needed to see to know the man actually thought it had turned out.

The sound of the bell pealed in her head, and Grace ignored the red screen that wanted to distract her.

“I’ll be honest, this is much better than I had expected,” the man said before he yawned and stretched. “If you need something better, perhaps I can have a few weeks to prepare next time.”

Max nodded and tossed the pouch of silver he had been holding to Nicholas. “Hopefully, we won't need more, but if we do, you know I’ll return.”

The man fumbled the catch initially, recovering and securing the pouch as his fingers finally worked. “I know. I’m one of the few in town who actually like you.”

They chuckled, and Max motioned to Grace to head to the door. “Put your shirt on over that, and let's see how it looks outside. It won’t hang right, and the pants are a bit obvious, but still, it's better than nothing.”

Nicholas held up his hand as they walked toward the door to exit the shop. “One moment, Max. I need to ask you something.” He paused and glanced at Grace.

“You can speak around her. I trust her with my life.”

Nicholas scoffed for a moment, but the look he got from Max stopped that as he coughed and tucked his shirt in.

“Uh… rumor has it you’re spending a large amount of money… is this true?”

A massive frown appeared, and Max glowered at Nicholas, causing the man to shift a little in place. “Who told you?”

“No on–”

“Who told you?”

“My wife! She heard from someone in the market and–”

“Gods!” exclaimed Max, cutting the man off a second time. “I swear no one in this town has a pair of lips that can be kept shut. So why are you asking?”

“I uh… just wanted to let you know to be careful. Some are surprised by the amount, and if that rumor is true… people might come looking for you.”

Without asking, Max spat on the shop floor before he turned and looked at Grace. “We need to go. There is someone we need to see, and I don’t want to wait.”

Max waved at Nicholas and gave a forced smile. “Thank you for letting me know. Tell your wife she needs to keep her mouth shut about us being here. I don’t want to have to come back.”

The armorer’s face went white, and he nodded rapidly, stepping back without realizing what he had done.

“What happened?” Grace asked after they made it outside. “Who told?”

“That bastard Tom the ‘middleman’ my arse told!” cursed Max as he led Grace toward the far west side of town. “He’s going to find my foot up his arse, and every time he speaks, my shoe leather is going to move instead of his tongue.”

Grace laughed, trying to imagine how that might look.

As they walked, the red screen pulled her attention from a man with a boot flap for a tongue.

***

Quest Completed: Outfit Yourself - Quest completed with armor higher than expected.

Reward:

Choose one stat to gain one point:

* Physical

* Mental

* Spiritual

***

Grace smiled, not expecting a stat point, but also, she had no clue what the possible reward would have been.

Mental.

She practiced what Max had said, and as soon as she thought that word and wanted that stat, she felt a cool sensation sweep through her mind. The world became slightly sharper, and she could feel her brain absorbing everything her eyes took in.

“This is insane,” she whispered, drawing Max’s attention.

“What?”

“My reward for my new outfit. I got a point in my mental stat, and it’s as if I can see and understand more just by looking at it.”

Max started to chuckle as he shook his head, smirking at her. “I can’t imagine what that must be like. Getting smarter and not having to do anything to receive it.”

“Not do anything? Do you ha–”

The smile on Max’s face and the wink he gave her cut Grace’s tongue-lashing she was about to deliver. “You’re an arse, you know that?”

Max laughed loudly and nodded. “Since the day I was born.”

Grace felt the presence of a dozen men watching them from different parts of the street and buildings as Max led them toward a warehouse. The buildings were in slightly better condition than the ones on her side of town, each of them being a few streets north of the last row that burned. Still, it was as if no joy lived in this area. People on the street looked at each other with suspicious eyes, and even when Max nodded acknowledgment, they ignored him and walked away quickly.

“Stay sharp. I don’t like this situation.”

Grace nodded, casually glancing around the street as if she was in awe at what she saw. She could only imagine how it must look to everyone as she walked next to Max’s hulking frame. He easily outweighed her by two or three times and had a good two feet on her. His legs were thicker than she was.

“I’ve counted at least twelve men watching us. A few have already moved closer.”

Max grunted.

A whistle came from the west, and a man who could have been Max’s twin brother if he wasn’t barely taller than Grace came out of the warehouse, waddling instead of walking. Around him, six men followed, each glaring with eyes that held no love.

“Max!” the fat man shouted. “I wasn’t expecting you so soon. I was certain we agreed to meet in two days!”

“That was the plan until word reached me that someone had been talking about how much money I wanted to move through you. Perhaps you wouldn’t mind telling me why?”

The fake smile the fat man first wore was now even worse as his massive jowls stretched to show teeth that had probably never seen any care. “Well, I’ll have to try and find out which of my men broke my trust,” Tom answered, ignoring the chuckles from the men behind him. “I guess you are here then to give payment early?”

Max scowled and shook his head. “The only way you’re getting my money is when what I ordered is delivered.”

Tom’s eyes shifted to Grace, standing just a little behind Max. “I’m sure there are other ways to make you pay.”