“You did mention you were a swordsman,” I observed. “I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised that you’ve heard of Sage Rouden.”

“Oh, I haven’t just heard of her!” Reed beamed. “She’s the one who taught me how to use my sword!”

“Oh?” Something warm bubbled up inside of me. It was an entirely unfamiliar feeling, yet somehow, speaking with someone who had trained under my mother made me feel like I was standing right beside her.

“That’s right! She taught me everything I know. I’m assuming she taught you how to fight as well?”

I nodded. “Indeed she did.” Although my mother had been a renowned swordswoman, she had been kind enough to train me on my preferred weapon, my beloved first battle axe.

“She’s wonderful, isn’t she?” As I watched Reed grin, I wondered if he had been one of the wandering children she had taken under her wing. She’d always had a special place in her heart for orphans, and would often bring them warm meals and train them to protect themselves from the harsh world. “Of course, I haven’t seen her in quite a while. Is she…” Reed hesitated, seemingly already knowing and fearing the answer to his next question. “Is she…well?”

My smile went from warm and sincere to hollow and performative. I briefly considered the various ways in which I could sum up what had happened to her, until I settled on a single word. “No.”

“Ah…” His face fell. “I’m… I’m quite sorry.”

“As am I.” I kept the fake smile on my face, reluctant to bring down Reed’s mood any further. I was starting to like him.

“Well, in any case, it’s a true pleasure to meet you, Mr. Rouden,” he continued.

“Please don’t call me that.” I decided not to come down on Reed as hard as I had come down on Lynx and November. “The only name I use is Arrow, and I don’t want anyone else to hear my given name.”

“Ah…so sorry.” Reed shifted uncomfortably. “May I ask why not?”

“No.” I smiled more broadly, hoping to soften the refusal.

“Ah, alright then.” We stood in silence for a moment before Reed came up with something else to say. “We should hunt for beasts together!”

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“Huh?” The bold suggestion caused me to raise an eyebrow at him.

“That is, Lynx had asked us both to go hunting today, so I think it would be logical if we joined together. Oh, and Dawn, of course!” he added.

“That’s right,” I muttered, having forgotten all about that. “Well, that’s a very nice suggestion, Reed, but I don’t typically work with anyone else. The only person I ever work with is November.”

Reed nodded. “Because she’s your wife?”

“What!” The assumption came from his mouth so naturally and carelessly that I hardly knew how to react. “November’s not my wife!”

“Ah, sorry!” Reed replied quickly. “Your partner, then!”

“No, you don’t understand.” I shook my head. “We work as partners, but she’s not my partner.”

“Really?” Reed tilted his head. “I do apologize. It’s just that you two seemed so close…”

I shook my head again, determined to change the subject. “Fine. Just because you’ve trained under my mother, just one time, I will hunt with you. Dawn can join too, I suppose, but I have no idea who Dawn is.”

“Dawn is my wife.” Reed’s grin returned. “And she trained under Sage as well! She’ll be so happy to hear that you–”

I cut him off with a load groan. “I do not want my identity or my relation to Sage to be shared with everyone else. Tell your wife if you must, but it ends with her. Understood?”

Reed nodded quickly. “Yes, yes, of course!”

Our conversation was cut short by another set of footsteps climbing the stairs. November rounded the corner with the chest in her hands.

“Hold this, Arrow!” November called as she approached. I obliged as she thrust the chest into my arms. She slid the lid open and lifted two full-looking pouches. “One for me, and one for Reed. Arrow, your portion is still in the chest.” I peered inside, and indeed it was. “We counted it out downstairs,” she explained.

“Ah, yes, about that,” Reed started. “Arrow, if you’d like, you can have my share. I don’t particularly need the money, and I do appreciate you helping me out of that place.”

I chuckled. “It’s a kind offer, Reed, but I don’t particularly need the money either. This was purely about principle to me. Keep your share – you earned it by being brave enough to venture in first.”

Reed beamed as November handed him his pouch. “Lynx isn’t happy with you, Arrow,” she warned.

“He hasn’t been, ever since he realized he can’t control me,” I pointed out.

“Lynx can be a control freak,” November conceded, “but he’s a good man. I wish the two of you could be friends.”

“I don’t know about that,” I mumbled.

“He was questioning your loyalty to the guild,” she went on, “but I pointed out to him that he hasn’t given you a reason to be loyal to the guild. You only just met everyone. Most of us have known each other for a while now.”

“Well, thanks for that.” At least November was on my side. “Say, Vember, I told Reed that I would hunt monsters with him and Dawn. Will you be joining us?”

“You’re hunting with others?” November laughed warmly. “Look at you, making friends already!”

“Ha, ha, funny.” I rolled my eyes. “Are you in or out?”

“I’m in! I’ll go armor up.” She took off, running up the stairs toward her room.

“I suppose I should get Dawn and get ready as well,” Reed decided. “Shall we meet outside?”

“That will work.” I resumed my walk up the stairs. “I’ll see you then.”