“Listen, I hate to make your hard work go to waste, but the girl doesn’t know anything. Neither does her old man. He’s gettin’ up there in years. Forgets to eat his breakfast half the time, even.”
“He’d probably remember if he heard his granddaughter screaming.”
“Just think it over. This hidden treasure—why aren’t you searching for this safekeeper’s home, his woman’s place, or something like that?”
“We did already.”
“Ah. Too bad. In that case…”
“I’m not going to wait around for you to stall for time.”
I guess I was a bit too transparent. They couldn’t just block off streets like this forever. The local lord would recognize it was like announcing the town was a dangerous crime zone. I had hoped that by buying some time, we might be able to wriggle out of the situation, but I was out of luck.
On top of that, the clouds were out. I reached into my pocket for the temporary sun. I didn’t want to give away my secret, but it was an emergency. Beggars couldn’t be choosers.
“What’s wrong? Done wisecracking? You’re just wasting my time.”
“Stay back!” Arwin demanded, bristling. “If any of you lay a finger on her, you’ll pay with your lives.”
“I’m not concerned with your threats, hero.” Harrison chuckled.
“Do you think yourselves tougher than monsters?”
“We have our own methods. Humans have cleverness on their side.”
The men with throwing nets stepped forward. They were going to incapacitate her and have their way with her. I could feel my blood boiling.
“Here’s your last warning. Hand over the brat.”
Arwin drew her sword. She made an eye-opening swipe at him, but Harrison stepped back just enough to evade the blow.
“This is my response,” she said. A trickle of blood dripped down Harrison’s forehead. I’d thought he had dodged it, but Arwin’s skill was too great for a town ruffian to handle her that easily.
“Then let’s make up for lost time and get down to earning some money,” Harrison said. He raised his arm—it was about time for all-out battle. I squeezed the temporary sun in my palm, but I was distracted by a scream and a commotion behind me.
Another group was quickly incapacitating Harrison’s goons, hurling them to the ground. Among them was a face I very much did not want to see.
“You’ve really made a mess of things here.”
It was Oswald the Cirrocumulus, officer of the Birds of Prey.
“What do you think you’re doing?” Harrison demanded, stepping forward as he realized his men were no match for them.
“We weren’t doin’ nothing. I was just walking through town and found my way blocked by some ugly mugs, so I merely had the way cleared.”
They were outfitted with swords, axes, spears, and shields, completely ready for battle. It reminded me of when they ran around killing monsters during the stampede.
Aggravation flashed in Harrison’s eyes. Numbers aside, Oswald’s men were battle-tested. Their experience fighting monsters had increased their skill and determination.
“This has nothing to do with you. Clear off.”
“Afraid that’s not an option.” Oswald chuckled. “I see the town hero being harassed by fools and chumps. Who is responsible for the peace and tranquility we enjoy today? You must have a damn good reason for drawing your weapons against her, huh?”
“You want to fight in the street?”
“Don’t threaten me, boy,” Oswald snorted. “I’m ready for anything. If it happens, it happens.”
The air crackled. A fight here would mean war between the Devil’s Alliance and the Birds of Prey. The Devil’s Alliance had a major edge in numbers. They would probably win a war, but they’d suffer tremendous losses in the process. And it was quite possible they’d be easy pickings for the Spotted Wolves once they won.
“By the way,” I interjected, “I’ve noticed the town guards gathering in the distance. You sure you want to keep going?”
Harrison clicked his tongue. He took a step back, and I felt the tension in the air go slack. The last thing I wanted to see was a crime war over Arwin.
“Let’s go,” Harrison growled, turning his back. Oswald let him walk.
“You all right there?” he said, approaching once the other gang was gone.
“What are you doing here?” I asked.
“Town’s been a bit on the rough side lately,” he leered. April hid behind my back. “Don’t worry, we’re not getting involved in this one. Our business is booming right now.”
That made sense to me. After the stampede, they were making a killing with all the rebuilding and contract work. They didn’t need to risk open warfare to get even more money.
“All these folks are on edge looking for this damn hidden treasure. They were picking fights with our boys. The longer this situation drags on, the more trouble it becomes.”
“So you want us to figure it out already?”
“Us? I was speakin’ to the princess knight,” he said without a trace of shame. “You want an escort? If she needs a place to stay, we can put her up.”
“No thanks.”
The best way to deal with mobsters was not to deal with them at all. They’d claim you owed them favors and find every possible chance to collect on them.
“Well, we can share drinks some other time, then,” Oswald said, smiling widely. Then he and his goons waved us good-bye.
“Do you hate them or something, Matthew?” April asked.
“They don’t do anything unless there’s something in it for them.” Even this little intervention was meant to make us owe them. “The old man would tell you the same thing: Don’t get involved with them. You’ll only suffer in the end.”
We noticed several other shady types snooping around, but none of them messed with us. At last, we made it to Dez’s house. He looked as grumpy as ever, but he didn’t kick us out onto the street. His wife was making dinner in the kitchen. April had been through enough for one day, so we let her take a nap upstairs.
“You just had to bring your trouble to me,” Dez said. “And you show up as though you own the damn place.”
“Only because you’re my closest confidante, my bosom buddy, my one and only,” I said.
Of course I came to him. I could always count on Dez when I needed help. The unlucky sap was a mark for life, ever since the first time he helped out a lowlife like me.
“I’m sorry to do this, but you’re the only person we can ask for help, Dez,” said Arwin, ratcheting up the pressure. Dez rested his cheek on his palm, elbow on the table.
“Damn you all,” he grumbled. I followed where he was looking to see a familiar woman rocking Dez’s son in his cradle.
“What are you doing here?” I demanded. “You already apologized to him.”
“You’re supposed to stop by and say hello when you’re in the neighborhood,” Natalie said. Instead of her nun costume, she wore a long-sleeve shirt, trousers, and an apron. “I might end up being a neighbor after all.”
Dez’s home was in the craftsman district, where many blacksmiths lived.
“What, are you gonna be a blacksmith now?” I said.
“I was born to a smithing family.”
“I thought you ran away from home because you hated that.”
“Yeah, but maybe I’ve got some latent talent for it,” Natalie said. She pawed through the bottles of alcohol in the kitchen, then said she was going off to work. I had a feeling there was another career change in her near future.
As she was leaving, however, she turned to say, “Oh, right. I spotted some unsavory types loitering around the area, so I gave them a li’l walloping. Did something happen?”
“Just go to work,” I snapped. Natalie murmured something and left.
Arwin watched her go, then said, “You’re not going to ask Natalie to help?”
“That would turn the whole town into a battleground.”
This was Natalie we were talking about. She’d charge right into the Devil’s Alliance headquarters without a second thought. Only hell awaited the rest of the town.