Renn now looked like a Lumen local.

She was dressed in browns and blues. A mix of the local trendy colors and the companies. She wore a blue bonnet hat now as well, and looked… far too at home amidst the workers of the company.

I was staring down at her. I stood on the second floor balcony, and was overlooking the main lobby. Renn was near the shelves on the western wall, where the ledgers and large chalkboards were located. She was with Reatti and another woman. A human woman, who I had heard actually knew about our society… though I had not ever talked to her myself. She was young, probably only twenty or so years old by the looks of it.

She was also pregnant, which surprised me. Not that she was pregnant at her age, of course… but that they were letting her work. Our company, although built for the society and not the humans, still respected their rights and treated them well. Usually by the time a woman was that far along in her pregnancy they’d be letting her stay home. Maybe there was more to her story than met the eye.

Reatti laughed, and her loud voice carried into the lobby and echoed for a moment. She and Renn seemed to be getting along wonderfully, which was a good thing. Reatti and her brother Brom were some of the few here I actually didn’t need to worry about.

I had earned their loyalty with blood… and in turn they had earned my trust with theirs.

Renn was currently learning how the company divided up the jobs and compartmentalized everything. She had a clipboard in her arms and was continuously writing stuff down as she was taught one thing or another. Thanks to Reatti’s boisterous voice, I could hear most of their conversation rather easily.

Right now Reatti and the human woman were telling Renn about a recent scam the nobles were falling for. Forged credit ledgers from the mining organizations and guilds up north. The way they spoke about it, and what I’d heard so far, told me that one of those mining companies was involved. Someone somewhere had access to stamps that were legitimate. Odds are one of the mining companies had been on the verge of bankruptcy and resorted to such methods to salvage themselves.

If they were able to acquire enough money that way and not get caught, they might just succeed.

If caught… well… This era was rather cruel in its punishments.

“And here’s my idiot brother,” Reatti introduced Renn to Brom, who just walked into the lobby from the trade depot.

“If I’m an idiot then I’d hate to think what you are. Can you even read?” Brom defended himself, and the two quickly went into their typical sibling spat.

Watching Renn as she happily watched the two argue with one another… I found myself smiling at her smile. She looked so genuinely happy, that anyone who saw her knew instantly that she was no threat.

That was probably why nearly everyone had already come up to me as to let me know they were more than happy to accept her into Lumen’s Society. Even the ones who hadn’t actually spent any time with her yet.

The only ones who hadn’t yet were Liina, Lawrence, and Tosh. But Tosh was understandable… that man wouldn’t even notice if a new member showed up or not. He was too lost in his own mind to care anymore.

Liina and Lawrence however weren’t. Especially Liina… I had thought those two would have met by now and become fast friends.

Why hadn’t she yet? Was something amiss?

Granted they weren’t… the exact same thing… But they were so close in bloodlines…

Though, also granted, just because one was the same lineage as another didn’t mean they’d just automatically get along. Look at all the humans. They hated each other for every which reason to exist.

“Lord Vim.”

A man’s voice drew me from my thoughts and I turned to look at the older human. He smiled eagerly as he slowly walked over. He had a large white wooden cane, and was leaning on it far more than he should. The thing looked stressed, as crooked as he did.

“Hey there Monroe,” I greeted the elderly human man. I recognized the little ribbon tied to his belt. It had been Sally’s.

He chuckled as he stepped up the railing, to rest on it next to me. “I’m glad I get to see you one last time… was starting to think I wouldn’t,” he said once he could.

“Hm… a poor reward for such a long and studious life, but if that’s what you want,” I waved at myself.

Monroe’s chuckling turned into actual laughter, but it didn’t last. He started to cough… a bad kind of cough. The kind that made people look up at the balcony at us.

I didn’t say or do anything as Monroe did his best to get his coughing fit under control. I heard the lungs within him spasm and fail, and then after a few moments his coughing ended. “Ah… forgive me,” he said weakly.

“It is fine, Monroe,” I said gently.

He smiled and gulped. He looked up at me, and I realized he was now shorter than me. He was… slouching rather badly now. He used to be eye-level with me. And nearly as wide.

Monroe had used to look handsome. Strong. Stout. He had also been a very funny man, able to make the whole room burst into laughter with but a few words.

It had been that humor that had won him the heart of poor Sally.

She had perished years ago, yet Monroe had remained loyal to her. A true man.

“Anything I can do for you, my friend?” I asked him. For you Sally.

He frowned and shook his head. “I’ve made my peace, Lord Vim. I’ll welcome the end when it arrives,” he said.

I believed him.

“Just name it, if you wish for anything. If it’s within my, or the Societies power, we’ll give it,” I said all the same.

Monroe looked away from me, to the lobby below. “I’m just glad to see that you’re finding more of you. Sally would have liked her. She’s vibrant,” Monroe said.

My hand gripped the handrail a little too tightly, but not so tight it broke. Yet all the same it creaked as I studied the old man.

If Renn could only have known how beautiful a compliment she had just received was. If only she had heard it, and had known this man his whole life… and the woman he had loved and who had loved him.

Even in his final moments… he had cherished the Society beyond his own self. Even though Sally had told him it would have been more than okay to not do so. That it would have been okay for him to leave, and live as a human instead.

Glancing at Renn, I noticed the way she blankly nodded and listened to Reatti. Brom was now gone, as was the pregnant woman. Reatti and Renn were now near one of the corner offices, going over some kind of ledger book.

Had she heard…?

“Monroe… I want you to know you earned it,” I told the old man, as I stared at Renn. Her hat twitched, and she actually glanced at me.

Looking back at him, I found the man had gone still. He turned to look at me, and his graying eyes had grown large. His wrinkled face, suddenly not. For the smallest moment… I saw Monroe. The man who Sally had died for. The human who had proved to many, most here, that humans could be trusted.

I nodded. “You earned her sacrifice. Well done.”

Monroe’s eyes blurred, and then tears begun to seep from his eyes. He lowered his head, and I reached out to pat the man on his shoulder. His thin bones, and thinner skin, somehow felt sturdy as I gently gave him a squeeze.

“Well done,” I said again.

With one last pat on his shoulder, I turned to go. To let the man weep alone.

Heading into the hallway I headed for Gerald’s office. I wasn’t sure if he was there… but it was about time his messenger returned to let me know of the contract’s status. The one with the mercenary captain, the buccaneer who wished to hire me.

I had worried originally about leaving Renn alone here already, but it had been a useless worry. Other than the three who hadn’t approved of her yet, everyone else had not only approved her but had done so with joy. They liked her, more than should be possible.

But that really shouldn’t have been too surprising.

This was Lumen. A place that was so intertwined with humans, their politics, and the markets… that the only way a member of our society could survive here was if they were human enough themselves to do so.

Plus, even though Renn was a genuine predator… she was also very human herself. Very understanding. Very gentle, and kind.

It would not surprise me at all if by the time this little venture was over… Renn would come to me and ask to stay here. To abandon the idea of joining me, and becoming a protector of the Society.

“If only,” I whispered as I reached Gerald’s office.

Opening the door, I frowned at the empty room. The lamps had been shuttered, too, implying he had no intention of returning anytime soon.

Great. Honestly it was time I walked around Lumen to check the city… but…

Heading down the hallway, towards the crossroads that would let me head to the depot section, I wondered if maybe I was in a hurry to fulfill that contract because of Renn.

Maybe I wanted to get away from her, if even for a little while.

I did… but was it for the right reasons?

Were my reasons ever the right ones?

Rounding a corner, I slowed to a stop at the figure walking ahead of me. Also heading to the depot.

“Wynn,” I called out to the man.

He stood up straight at the sound of my voice, and turned around slowly. He smiled at the sight of me and happily approached me as I walked towards him.

“Vim! How’s it going?” he asked.

“Nothing’s changed since this morning,” I told him. He had been one of the first to come to me in the morning, to let me know that Renn was welcome in his opinion. Though he hadn’t talked to her himself yet, he had seen her from a distance this morning talking to Herra and Merit.

“Well that just means today’s uneventful. Where ya headed?” he asked.

I gestured forward, and he and I returned to walking to the depot. “Anything new since my last visit?” I asked him.

“Hm… just getting busier. We had to hire more people, as always when we expand the company… But honestly nothing drastic. Everyone’s all been fine, the guild’s been fine, and the town’s been in a good mood lately too. Lot of new trade routes have given people more work, thus more money,” Wynn said.

“More monies is always good,” I agreed.

Wynn shrugged, and I knew like most of our kind he didn’t see the value in wealth at all.

“And as of now Vim, I don’t have any requests for you either. I know Sofia does, but not sure about the rest,” Wynn said.

“I know Sofia has one, thanks for looking out for her,” I said.

Wynn shuffled a little as we rounded a corner and headed for the large stairwell that led downstairs. “Well… yea,” he said with a smile.

As we descended, we left the well lit up hallway and into the darker stairs. As we did I noticed the obvious discoloration of his hair. Especially the spots where his horns had been at one time.

“Is Magdalena still bossy?” I asked him.

Wynn huffed. “Always. But that’s just how she is. Better a stern boss than a human one!” Wynn said happily.

“That so?” Reaching the bottom of the stairs, the building became a little noisy. We entered a new hallway, one made of pure stone and lit only by a few small windows. The kind of small that was useless, almost. Too high and too small to see in or out of. The hallway led only one way; towards the main depot area.

“So uh… I hear she’s a large cat?” Wynn asked.

I nodded. “Renn’s a jaguar,” I said. If she was so willing to let everyone know, then there was no need to hide it.

“Not sure what that is. Would it be bigger than me?” he asked.

“It’d hunt you,” I said.

Wynn paused for a moment, and then laughed. “I see!” he found that hilarious.

“More and more visitors from the east are coming here, right?” I asked him as we neared the large door that led to the main depot.

Wynn nodded. “Sure are. More trade routes have made it easy for them to come. Not just the traders either, some are even moving here,” he said.

“Wonder if I should go visit their lands,” I said. If they were able to reciprocate in trade with Lumen… maybe they had advanced farther than I had thought already.

“Oh? Are any of our members over there?” Wynn asked, interested.

“There’s actually a couple, but they’re a little eccentric,” I said.

“Aren’t we all,” he sighed as I opened the main door.

Once I did the world became noisy. People were shouting. Horses neighing. Wood and metal clanking against each other, as people moved and hauled stuff into place.

The giant warehouse had two sections. One to drop off and another to pick up. The roads of Lumen actually passed through the depot, so there were two lines. Each heading different directions.

“Well, I’ll get to work. I hear we’re going to have a feast tonight, see you there!” Wynn patted me on the shoulder and headed away.

I nodded as I scanned the depot. It was full, like always. Most the people here wore the blue and grays of the company, but other than Wynn who was now joining their ranks they all seemed to be human. I knew Magdalena was likely in one of the offices nearby, hidden by the stacks of boxes and barrels.

Walking along the edge of the depot, I stayed out of everyone’s way as I studied the building everyone was working in. The crates were stacked high, seven high, and one section of the depot’s walls was covered in barrels. I wasn’t sure if they were empty or not, but they looked full. Maybe wine?

“You said four!” a man yelled at another, but I ignored their yelling match. Someone was upset over the prices.

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There was always a few.

Above the paths that ran through the whole building, from the roads, were cranes. Large loops of ropes and pulleys. It was one of the reasons the company had been able to secure such a large portion of the storage market in Lumen. Most humans couldn’t make such things, even though they continuously tried. They could make pulleys of course… but they didn’t have the steel to make them able to handle the weight, nor the building supports to keep the roof stable as well.

I hadn’t heard of it happening lately, but when we had first built this depot others had tried to replicate us. To share in the success.

Many had died when those buildings had collapsed upon themselves.

“Oh? Vim?” Magdalena’s voice drew my eyes. She was standing at the arrival entrance gate, and waved at me. She held a clipboard in her hand and was standing in front of a large wagon. It was empty, so probably here to load up on something.

Walking over to her as she hurriedly gave orders to the men and women around her, she finished up by the time I reached her.

“How’s work?” I asked.

“Great! We’ve had…” she checked her little ledger, “Twenty seven drops offs today, and it’s not even noon!” Magdalena seemed to find our windfall in business to be a wonderful thing.

“That’s good,” I said. Who was I to burst her bubble?

Magdalena smiled and nodded, pleased with herself.

I gestured for her to follow me. I planned to walk outside of the depot for a moment. She hurriedly accompanied me as we stepped out of the gate, and out into the street.

Like the streets everywhere in Lumen, they were wide and made of stone… but the streets here weren’t made for foot traffic. The stones weren’t decorated, and also cut larger as to support the weight of the heavy wagons and horses hooves.

Magdalena and I walked along the sidewalk next to the depot, towards the other gate. The road that came from the other side of the building, which led to the port. It had been made that way so the stuff that flowed into the city from the south gate, and the ports which were the most heavily trafficked, would be easily able to reach the depot and deposit the goods as quickly as possible.

Which also allowed the goods needing picked up to the taken there as well, using the other road and path.

“I hear you’re going to take the pirate's commission?” Magdalena asked as we walked along the depots stone walls. There weren’t any other doors along the depot other than the four gates that let stuff in and out, so it was kind of a bland walk… but I wanted to make sure the structure was doing fine.

“I am. I’m supposed to hear a response from them any moment,” I said.

“Interesting. They’re giving us a port certificate in the east. Signed by the king of that country himself, I guess,” Magdalena nodded, happy at the prospect.

“So I hear,” I said.

Studying the stone walls as we walked along them, I wondered how they still looked so… new. Not only were they clean as could be, not a one was out of place. None had shifted, or cracked.

Granted this was just the outer layer. There were steel rebar bars within the stone walls, and another two layers around them, but…

The outer layer usually showed failure first, when building a place like this.

Magdalena happily watched me as we rounded the depot corner, rounding to the north.

A few coaches passed us by on the street, and I noticed the people walking on the other side of the street. People going and coming from work.

“How’s the city been, Magda?” I asked her.

“Well enough? I heard from Brandy that there’s a plague of some kind down south, but nothing like that’s appeared here yet,” she said.

“If it’s a real plague, it will. It’ll come with the goods,” I warned her.

“Hm… But it just infects the humans’ right?” Magdalena said callously.

“Right,” I said softly. Did she forget we had hundreds of human employees here? Many of them good people, like Monroe?

Plus…

Pausing at the next corner of the building, I studied the massive structure that continued on for many city blocks. Beyond the depot was the storage warehouse, and then the societies households. Then the bank and its massive vault.

Walls circled the building with the bank vault, but not this section.

Only once had anyone tried to break into the bank, as far as I was aware. It ended very abruptly and no one has tried since.

They had been unlucky that I had been here at the time.

Rounding the depot, we headed for the entrance on the other side. The northern gates had lines in front of them, longer even than the ones in the south. I studied the wagons waiting to get into the depot, and the crates loaded on them.

“Most are from the fleet that docked yesterday night. Most of the goods are perishables, foodstuff and types of spices,” Magdalena said.

“Whose our current port authority representative?” I asked.

“Liina’s turn. She doesn’t like it. She hates the sailors,” she said.

“Ah…” maybe that was why she and Renn hadn’t met yet. Too busy.

Watching the wagons enter the depot, and the rest of the lines following suit, I had no choice but to accept that this business was not just flourishing… it was probably the most prominent in Lumen. At least for this sector of the market.

Add this to the bank…

I gestured for Magdalena to follow me back into the depot. It was time she got back to work, and I stopped bothering her.

Entering the northern gates, I noticed Wynn as he directed a group of workers who were unloading a large wagon of crates. They were using one of the ceiling pulley cranes to do so.

Wynn could lift those boxes without such help of course, but the entire point of this place was to blend in as much as possible.

“Any odd goods or people lately?” I asked Magdalena.

“Just the eastern folk,” she said.

“They’re not true eastern people, Magda,” I said with a sigh.

“To me they are. I’ve never been beyond this mountain range, Vim,” she said.

I nodded. She was right. To her they’d be people from the east in that case.

I couldn’t imagine seeing the world as massive, when only knowing such a tiny piece of it.

Didn’t they ever get the urge to go see beyond the next hill? To see the mountains just beyond their sight? Even today I sometimes felt that tug, that calling, from sights just beyond reach.

A man whistled, signaling another wagon to be allowed into the depot. Wynn and the rest quickly went to work unloading the next wagon.

They were swift, and experienced. Odds were most the workers here had been with the company for a long time.

“Do you still close before dark?” I asked her.

“Of course. One hour before dusk, as you want us to,” Magdalena nodded.

Good. At least Brandy hadn’t circumvented my rules that much yet.

“Alright, I’ll see you later Magda,” I said to her.

She immediately lost her smile, but nodded understandingly. “Okay. See you at dinner.”

Leaving the depot, I re-entered the company’s main building. This time I used a different door, and followed a familiar unlit stone hallway until it merged with an even bigger and brighter hallway.

Stepping into the larger main hallway, I returned to the main lobby area. Instead of heading to the lobby itself however, I took a left into a smaller hallway. One that had a few young women walking together, they were dressed in the company attire and carrying folders. They stared at me as I passed, and I heard them wondering who I was as I went to check a certain office.

The office of Lawrence was open. It was a large room with multiple people, mostly women, and in the back I saw the familiar man. He was at his desk, writing diligently.

“Can I help you sir?” a younger woman asked, but another stood from her desk and coughed.

“He’s here to see Lawrence, Trip,” an older woman said quickly. I didn’t recognize her, but she obviously recognized me.

The young woman raised an eyebrow as I smiled gently at her and stepped past her. Walking in-between desks and cabinets, I ignored the stares of those watching me.

Lawrence was focused in his writing. He was staring intently at the papers he wrote on, looking almost out of it.

The man had long hair as usual. It was thick and a deep glossy black, reflecting the lamplight and sunlight from the windows in the ceiling. He had at least tied it behind him today. The little strap he used to make his pony tail looked like a piece of common rope that had been smoothed.

Walking up to Lawrence’s desk, I reached out and tapped the edge of it. The man’s desk, like always, was cluttered. Papers, books, folders and even a rock? A hand sized rock was sitting not far from where he was writing. It wasn’t ornamental, or being used as a paper weight so I wasn’t sure what it was for.

“One moment,” Lawrence said as he continued writing.

Smiling at him, I waited.

Then waited some more.

A few of the women started to whisper amongst themselves, but I ignored them. Especially since I didn’t want to laugh.

Tapping the desk again, Lawrence sighed. “One moment,” he said again.

One of the women nearby coughed. Loud enough to make it apparent. Lawrence paused in his writing and looked up. His long black hair smoothly fell along his shoulders as he sat up straight to see who was bothering him.

Then he smiled and shot to his feet. “Vim!”

He dropped his pen without a thought, and reached out to take my arm. We clasped arms, reminding me of the old days, and I nodded. “Lawrence,” I greeted him.

“When’d you get back?” he asked as he squeezed my arm. His squeeze betrayed his appearance. He looked thin. Weak. Young.

He was far from weak.

“Yesterday. Just came to make sure you hadn’t been absorbed into your desk yet or anything,” I said.

“Oh please… Hm…” he looked down at his desk and huffed. He was probably quickly trying to think of who he could push his work on so we could go have a chat.

“I’ll be here for awhile. Or well, not really. I expect to leave on a commission here in a few days, but I’ll be back soon enough and will stay for awhile,” I told him.

“Oh! Wonderful. Good. Very good… shall we meet over dinner then?” he asked.

“There’s a feast tonight Lawrence, did no one tell you?” I asked.

“Uh…” he hesitated and a nearby woman stood from her seat. The one who had coughed and got his attention.

“Herra came in and informed you about it a few hours ago, Sir,” she reminded him.

“Ah… yes. I suppose she must have…” Lawrence nodded, pretending he remembered.

“We’ll share a drink then, at least. Don’t forget,” I pointed at him as to imply he better not.

Lawrence nodded and smiled. “Of course. I’m sure I can scrounge up a bottle or two,” he said.

“Or two,” I scoffed. A few of the women in the office giggled.

Yes. He was a drinker. And not just that… a hoarder. At least, of things he found precious. Valuable alcohol just happened to be one of those things.

“Tonight then,” Lawrence nodded as I turned and left.

Waving him off I ignored the odd smiles from the women as I left. I didn’t close the door behind me since it had been open originally, and I headed for the main lobby.

Before I even reached the lobby, Reatti found me.

She, like usual, ran straight at me. She rounded the corner, saw me, and in the next instant broke out into a full burst run right at me. Which was impressive considering she was wearing high heels.

I stood firm, but the moment she tackled me I stepped back to absorb her impact. So that she’d not get hurt or break anything, I spun a little. Letting her cling onto me as she was spun around. She laughed in joy, and I made sure her feet and ankles didn’t smack into the nearby walls or decoration.

“Found you!” she happily said.

“You did.”

“Gerald’s looking for you. He’s with a boy from those pirates,” Reatti said as she gave me a squeeze. She buried her face into my chest as she hugged me, as if to mark me with her scent.

Meerkats were so odd.

“That’s good,” I said.

Patting her on the shoulder, I gave her a tiny push… to let her know enough was enough.

She complied with my wishes. She stepped back and released me… but not before giving me one last squeeze.

Glancing down the hall where she had came from, I found Renn standing there. Staring at us.

She had been walking around with Reatti, it seemed.

“Psst,” Reatti whispered and gestured for me to bend down a little, so she could quietly tell me something.

I obliged and knelt a little to let her whisper into my ear.

“She’s smart. Really smart. She can do any job here, easily,” Reatti said seriously.

“Oh? Think so?” I asked as I stood back up.

Reatti nodded quickly.

Smiling at her, I was glad to hear it.

I mean, it had been obvious already. Renn wasn’t just smart… she was able to remember everything and anything in nearly flawless detail.

She was perfect for a place like this.

“Is Gerald in his office?” I asked.

“He’s on the second balcony, waiting for us to find you,” she said.

“Then I better let him know I’ve been found,” I said and stepped away.

“Are you going to become a pirate?” Reatti asked as we began walking towards Renn.

Renn had seemingly chosen to stand there, watching us. Letting us be.

“Well… for a short time. Unless they want help with something else,” I said. Gerald had said they wanted help reclaiming a stolen ship. In a way that was piracy… kind of.

“Wish I could help, bet that’d be fun,” Reatti said with a sigh.

“Oh? Really want to come?” I asked.

Reatti’s happy smile quickly died off and she groaned… and then pretended to remember something. “Actually you know what? I have something to do here! Yea… my brother needs me to break his legs on Sunday, before the church bell rings, you know?” she said with a nod.

Renn giggled as we got close, and I studied the way she stood. It was the first time she’s ever worn heels, so I had heard, yet she wore them comfortably as if she’d done so for years.

She really was comfortable in her skin, and it showed.

“Going well Renn?” I asked her as I stepped up next to her.

With a happy smile she nodded. “So far,” she said.

“She’s been doing great. Though she keeps looking at certain people like she’s going to eat them, but I think as long as we feed her snacks throughout the day we can avoid that in the future,” Reatti said with quick nods.

Glancing at Reatti, I then glanced back at the woman who had been the brunt of a joke… and was giggling happily because of it. Seemed Renn had spent enough time with Reatti to learn her personality well enough to know Reatti would never say something like that with actual spite or cruelty.

“You two go back to work then, I’ll go say hi to the pirate,” I said.

Renn’s bonnet shifted a little, but I ignored her odd look as I stepped around her and headed for the nearby stairwell. Entering the main lobby, I walked up the stairs to the second balcony while ignoring Renn and Reatti’s happy teasing. The two seemed to be becoming fast friends. That alone made me bringing her here worth it.

“Ah, there he is,” Gerald noticed me as I reached the second floor. I studied the young man who sat across from him… and was a little surprised at how accurate Reatti’s comment had been.

Boy indeed. He wasn’t a man yet at all. Although tall and his tan and salt hardened skin gave him a very firm and healthy look, it was undoubtedly clear he was still a boy. Maybe not even fifteen years old yet, based off the slight pudginess of his cheeks and the fuzz on his upper lip.

He must be liked within his band, or hated maybe… usually mercenaries… especially the pirate variety, treated young men like him roughly. The fact they hadn’t made him shave off that fuzz meant he was either hated and thus not given a hard time, or loved and thusly not given a hard time either.

“Sir Vim?” the young boy spoke, and I noticed he was trying to make his voice sound deeper than it was. All it did was make his voice crack more than it needed to.

“That’s me,” I said as I walked up to the two as they stood up.

“Vim, this is young Ronalldo. The current representative of the Yin Fleet,” Gerald introduced me.

The young boy held out his hand, and I took it. Although young his hand wasn’t soft, he had probably been raised on the boats. “It’s an honor, sir,” Ronalldo said firmly.

I nodded at him. “I’m told your crew have a request of me,” I said.

He nodded quickly as we shook hands. “We do! Yes, please… We uh… we need help reclaiming a ship. One last seen to the north just a few days hence, off the horizon of the port near Whickler,” he explained.

Whickler… not far from the Bell Church, although of course on the sea. The Bell Church was nestled in the mountains nearby a large lake, fed by the many rivers from the mountains. And that lake fed the sea.

“Then we better set sail soon, no?” I asked.

“Oh yes sir. Mother…” the boy coughed. “Marshal Grilly would like to set sail tomorrow night, with the tide, if you’d be willing,” he said.

Mother…?

I was about to pester him for it, but I could tell by the boy’s face that he was now panicking a little.

He wasn’t supposed to have said that. Not here. Not aloud.

In front of me that shouldn’t have been an issue, considering my relation with the Yin family… but we weren’t alone. Even if Gerald was the leader of the Animalia guild, who was my de-facto representative… the Yin family didn’t trust the Society. They trusted me.

“Then go let your marshal know I shall be on your deck by midday tomorrow. You have my blood, young Ronalldo,” I said and held out my hand again.

The boy stood up straight and went wide eyed. He quickly took my hand, and I noticed it shake this time. “Sir!”

Right after our hands separated the boy gave me a navy salute, though one from a different land’s navy. One from the east. Afterwards he hurried and turned, nearly running down the stairs as he left. He left in such a hurry a few of the workers in the lobby had actually startled at him.

“Mighty young boy for a pirate,” Gerald mused.

“The best start young,” I said.

“They call her marshal? That’s not a navy title is it?” Gerald asked.

“No. But that’s the point. They use that title to trick those who listen and hear… Consider it a tactical decision,” I said.

“Ah… don’t know how often that’d actually be needed, but sure,” Gerald said with a shrug.

“In their world, it works wonders. It makes their enemies improperly discount and improperly judge them. Since other navy’s and ship captains will think they’re fools who are commanding their first ship or fleet, from a mainland army,” I said.

“Fascinating. Wonder who taught them such a tactic…?” Gerald asked with a smile.

“Whoever it was, I bet they’re a bastardy genius,” I said with a frown.

Gerald chuckled as I glanced down over the nearby balcony’s railing. Down below, near the stairs still, were Renn and Reatti. They were talking to one another about something Reatti had heard earlier. Some kind of newly opened restaurant or something that was supposedly tasty. They were making plans to visit it together.

While I stared at her, I noticed the top of her bonnet shift a little. Then she turned her head, and then looked upward. At me.

She smiled at me, holding my gaze for a short moment before she returned to talking to Reatti.

Tapping the railing, I sighed and turned back to Gerald. “Got anything you want in Whickler?” I asked.

Maybe I’d be seeing that boat sooner than I promised.

I needed to get away from her for a while. Even if I didn’t want to admit it.