Still chuckling to myself as I read the daily announcement sheets. The sight of Val stumbling over herself trying to pick up her cloths as she scampered out this morning crossed my mind again. I shake my head. I can't be sure if she is going to want to try that again or find a less intense partner. If it's the latter, I should give Strike the nod.
"Room service." Oasis says carrying a tray with coffee and sweet rolls.
"Did she say anything to you on her way out this morning?" I ask her.
"I am impressed she could still walk. Speech may have been a little too complex a task." Oasis giggles.
"Where did the others run off to? Did they tell you?" I ask.
"The island. Nix is stopping to see family, but heading to the island after that as well." Oasis says.
"Well that leaves what to do about me, doesn't it?" I ask myself.
I pull down spells books and catch up on some neglected study. Head over to Downers for lunch to get an ear full from Rogue. The rumors run wildly despite Val's discretion. By dinner time she just admits publicly that she spent the evening with me. And just like that the chatter stopped, much to her surprise. For someone as smart as she is, sometimes she misses the obvious.
Sitting down with a spot of brandy, I try to work out a schedule. I don't even make it through the brandy before abandoning the idea. It was easier when they were doing the chasing. All I had to do was stop running. Now they are waiting and I have to decide. My brain is getting used to the idea that a half-blood like me is so wanted.
"Hey, jackass." Strike says as he tops the stairs.
"Hey, dip-shit." I reply.
"You want to get out of here?" Strike asks.
"What do you mean?" I ask knocking back the rest of the brandy.
"I got a job." Strike says.
"So you mean out of the Vale." I mutter.
"Yeah. Out of the Vale. You hang around here to long and Valkyrie might expect you to date her." Strike says pulling a chair to the other side of the table.
"I kinda made it clear. I ain't the dating kind." I say flatly.
"So. She is more about public opinion than what we say or think. Have you not been paying attention to what goes on around here." Strike says shaking his head.
"But the brothel." I try making the accuse.
"Get over it. Scelene has that under control. Val won't go against a mind-eater she owes favors to." Strike says, "Or are there other reasons you don't want to see the outside?"
"My dealings in the country, so far, have been unusual to say the least." I'll admit.
"Yeah, I get that. You married a mermaid. Caroused with a pool on Nixie. Seduced away a half-demon. Hooked a Lord and his wife up with a lady in wanting... Need I go on?" Strike says.
"Where did you hear all that?" I ask staring him down.
"Nix told me." Strike says.
"Why?" I ask in disbelief.
"I have been her friend for years. She talks to me and I her. I know how to keep a secret unlike other pointed eared residents in this town." Strike says.
"What's the job?" I ask holding off on blaming him or Nix for doing anything wrong.
"Lord Ethneldis of Del' Krourt, I think you know the name, has taken nearly sixty maidens hostage. Guess what he is asking for their return." Strike says.
"Crys and Tempis?" I ask not needed an answer.
"The guilds of the northern province have all been hit by this. The leaders of a few of them sent me word. If an attack to get them out is going to be made, it had to be done by someone outside all of their guilds they could agree upon. Soon as my name came up, all the masters were on board. I have seven days to gather up a small team and get the women out. I'm coming to you for a number of reasons. Not saying protecting your ladies isn't high on your list of concerns." Strike rattles out.
"Look you have my attention. What I haven't heard is what my part is." I ask. "I could go in there and lay waist to the entire city, but that's not the goal here. What do you want from me?"
"I have two others in mind to help us. I need you to get one of them. He was turned to stone. I know he is alive, but he is in a Dryads glade." Strike says.
"And the other?" I ask.
"She'd follow me into hell. I keep your secrets you keep mine. I won't say anymore about that right now. Look I need to know if you're in. If you're not I am heading out tonight. If you are coming, we'll leave in the morning. I need to get another flying ring." Strike says.
"I'm going. I may have an extra flying ring as well." I say.
"I have two. I need a third for Stone." Strike says.
"Is that his name or code?" I ask.
"Code, but after this I will call him that just so he never lives it down." Strike says.
"There is a story there, you going to share?" I ask.
Strike gives me a grimace, "Not here."
"Fair enough." I say standing up and going over to the ring case.
"I know you got your fare share of baubles but traveling in the wilds, lighter is better." Strike says.
"I have done this before. If you can't carry it all day, don't carry it. Right?" I say tossing the ring to him.
"I guess you have." Strike says standing up and checking the ring.
"You said seven days. If you want to head out tonight, give me an hour and we can hit the sky." I say.
"Here I thought you were timid."Strike says.
"Not timid. Just not good at winging it when I don't have a goal." I admit.
"Fine. Don't get crazy on the magic stuff. Don't need you sticking out light a beckon in the dark. I'll be back in an hour. When done is done I'll give you the ring back or pay for it." Strike says heading for the stairs.
I give him a wave and start planing on what I want in my gear. Strike is right, I'll have to limit how much magic I'm carrying. Flight ring is on the list. A book of spells to relearn any I cast during the day. I dig through and find the casters wand. It is the same as a spell book only better.
It holds a web spell twice, leaving room for six to nine more spells. I think about whats in my head at the moment. I put the missile spells in the wand, all three of them. I grab the other wands and transfer two lightning bolts and two fireballs in to it as well. Leaving only room to catch a low level spell. Not as easy as it sounds with only a one in six chance of it working, and those odds are if the wand wasn't holding spells.
"Oasis." I call downstairs.
"Where you going?" She asks when she sees everything out on the table.
"Strike has a job. He asked me to tag along. We have any potions at the moment?" I ask.
"Three healing and a few other random ones. Not sure what they are." She answers.
"Bring the odd balls and a healing potion. And could you cut me some meat and cheese for the road?" I ask picking up the sling bag with the money pocket.
"What are going to do about armor?" She asks opening the cabinet.
"Enhanced leather... I will cast spells if I am going into anything heavy." I say tapping my temple.
She nods slicing meats and cheeses. "Carry a sword."
"What? Why?" I ask stopping to look at her.
"If you don't it'll give you away as a mage." She says laying meats on to wax paper.
"I don't have a sword." I say looking around.
"You should stop out at the island. There are plenty of extras out there." She suggests.
"Where are we stopping?" Strike asks as he tops the stairs again.
"I'd ask how you got in but why bother." I say.
"I picked the lock." Strike chirps. "No one answered when I knocked."
"Yeah. Let me get my armor on and we'll be ready to go. I need to stop by the island to grab a sword. I don't have any on hand." I say.
"We can grab you one out of the my stash. The island is in the wrong direction." Strike says, "Unless there are other things you need to pick up."
"I don't think I need anything else. It will keep Cross and the others from trying to jump on the hunting party as well." I admit tying the last of the armor straps.
"Yeah, small team. An army of hot powerful women might give us away." Strike says.
"Oasis, tell them where we went if you don't here from us in, um, eight days, you think?" I ask looking at Strike.
"Sure, tell me where your going." Oasis says.
"Northern Province." Strike says. "Don't ask anything else."
She puts her hands up.
"If you're ready?" Strike asks.
"Lead on." I say.
Once out the back door we are airborne. He doesn't say anything during the first leg of the flight. We land twenty or so miles from the Vale. He pulls a small disc from his pocket. He flips the disc like a coin with his thumb. It sings in the silence of the night. Strikes grabs it out of the air lightning fast.
The hum of the singing metal hangs in the air. "Nightshade, I'm coming in, plus one."
"That is a different kind of magic." I say.
"It cost quite a bit to have it made." Strike says. "No shut it and follow."
Rising in the air a few feet, we travel along the ground for a mile. We reach a spike topped wall ten feet tall. Blades and spears jut from the wall like porcupine quills. Strike holds his hands up and rises over the height of the wall. He signals me to do the same.
"You're an ass." An accented female voice says.
"Sorry, honey. But he can bring your brother home as something other than a statue." Strike says.
"Honey?" I ask.
"Funny. What else have you been saying?" She asks.
"Nameless, this is Vorpal Stilette. My wife. Honey, this is Nameless. The Nameless." Strike introduces.
"Fine, both of you may enter." She says.
Strike puts his hands down and floats forward. I follow. Once over the wall I see the garden of carnivorous plants. A rather vicious breed that will only answer to a single tender. Strike's wife is turning into one interesting cookie. She is also quite stunning. Slender, porcelain features, an etheric beauty. Strike grunts.
