Chapter 183: Final Checklists

“So do we fuck tonight or not?”

The group — all five of them — looked at Ann with a mixture of confusion and disbelief. They’d gathered in Kat’s room as a matter of course, seeing as it was the only place they could plan in secret. Curtains had been drawn to prevent anyone lip reading, and they had every light source available running. It was still a bit of a gloomy atmosphere.

“What?” Ann asked. “My smites and other stuff get stronger the higher my Libido goes. If we get into a fight, we might need that extra oomph. I should be good without until tomorrow night, so the question is, do we fuck tonight and lower my immediate strength, or do we save it for tomorrow night?”

“Tactically speaking, it would not make much difference,” Bren said, trying to hide a blush on his cheeks.

“There’s no way we’re not spendin’ our last night in a bed fer the foreseeable future not tryin’ tae break it,” Kat declared.

“I’d like that as well,” Rosalyn agreed quietly. “Last chance on a soft bed instead of out in the wilds. That’ll be fun in its own way, but softness is nice.”

“Aw, you’re plenty soft for us,” Ann said, giving her lambchop a wolfish grin. “Alright. So, we’ll do that. How goes everything else for the plan?”

“Have watched. Just before midnight is best,” Lucia said. “Seen shapes change. Regular shifts. No exhaustion for watchers.”

“Good,” Bren nodded. “Then Ann can let Remmi know the timing.”

“Know was watching,” Lucia clarified. “Might change.”

“Still, it’s a better chance than blindly running out. Send word, Ann. Is there anything else you noticed, Lucia?”

“Yes. Guard patrols. On hour. Loud. Easy to notice. Not hiding. Last ten to twenty minutes.”

“That certainly cuts down our timeframe, but cannot be helped. We will leave at twenty ‘til the hour. Now, Remmi said she would handle the Inquisition, correct?”

“Yeah,” Ann nodded, leaning in conspiratorially from her seat on the floor. “She didn’t sound worried at all about fighting them, and I trust her implicitly. Should have seen the excitement on her face when I asked her. Something tells me she’s been looking for an excuse to do this.”

“Shite, kinda wish she’d trained me,” Kat chuckled.

“Nah, not your style,” Ann said. “She’d just beat you up until you got stronger or moved right. I had basics under my belt, so she didn’t have to start me completely over. I don’t think she’d do well with someone who knows nothing.”

“Fair,” Kat conceded.

“So, next up is securing our goods from Wendyl. She should have handed off our gear to Kieran and Sybil, who will be waiting outside the gates for us. Despite our encouragement of Sybil in her expedition, that is not likely enough to tip off anyone that we are connected deeper than colleagues. Kieran even less so.”

“I owe that woman so many favours,” Ann groaned. “Gonna be reaping that with interest.”

“Were me heart in it, I’d say tae repay her in other ways, but still figurin’ that out,” Kat sighed.

“No rush, hun,” Ann said, patting her shoulder.

“Did Rowena say where she was going to leave our supplies?”

“Got a letter from her earlier. It was all vague religious stuff along with a couple books that the priests put together for me. She did make mention of a mountain pass with a specific set of rocky outcroppings. That’s the best I’ve got. She’s gotta be careful not to let it slip that she’s in on this.”

“Understandable,” Bren nodded.

“Think I know where she’s talkin’ about,” Kat put in. “Should be on our way out if we stick tae the mountainside. I’ll lead the way there.”

“Good. So, from there, we need to pick up Rosalyn’s glasses tomorrow, which is when we can also pick up the cloaked tents. I am eager to see what that enchanter of ours has come up with. Always a delightful surprise.”

“Or a crazy one,” Rosalyn giggled. “Never thought I’d need glasses. Hope they don’t look bad.”

“Maybe cuter,” Lucia shrugged. “Is my bet.”

“Oh? You think she’s cute?” Ann teased.

“Not that way,” Lucia grumbled. “Is obvious other ways.”

“Suuure. So you do like bookish boys more. Got it.” Ann beamed as both Bren and Lucia turned their respective shades of blush. She’d break them on this trip. Somewhere, somehow, those two needed to get together. It was painful watching them at this point.

“Back to the matter at hand,” Bren coughed. “With that all handled, is there anything else anyone needs to get or have sorted tomorrow?”

Everyone looked around, shrugging.

“I’ve gotta lie low,” Kat said. “Can’t have me mum catchin’ any hint o’ this. Figure I’d lounge around all public. Maybe do some trainin’ when I’m not sleepin’. Get proper rest fer what we’re about tae do.”

“Damnit, I wanted to take us all out for a date,” Ann grumbled. “You’re right, though. What do you say, Rosalyn? You and me for a bit tomorrow?”

“Yeah! I would love that!” Rosalyn said. “Been a while since it was just us.”

“Sure has,” Ann laughed.

“I mean, not that I want you gone, Kat. I’d love for you to come too, cause you’re fun and I love you.”

“Nae, nae,” Kat chuckled. “I’ve gotten a few dates wit’ ye while Ann’s been busy. Only fair she gets some alone time.”

“If you’re sure,” Ann said.

“I am. Ye two have fun.”

“Alright, that settles you three. I will be keeping a similarly low profile tomorrow. Kat and I are intrinsically tied, so myself being busy would be a warning to those watching. I will stick to my usual routine.”

“Will accompany,” Lucia said gruffly.

“Hey, before we get to that, I’ve got a question for you, Bren,” Ann said, raising a hand. “You keep talking about these contacts and people you know, but you never got into who or what they are? What’s up with that?”

Kat sighed. “Here we go.”

“It is better that you not know,” Bren said, his voice growing defensive.

Ann gave him an unimpressed look. “Yeah, that’s not working. You’re stuck with me, let’s hear it.”

“I am not stuck. It is just… something I am less proud of in my life.”

“Now I’m even more interested,” Ann said, leaning forward. “Spill that tea.”

“That would be wasteful!” Bren balked, glancing at his still steaming cup.

“No, no, an idiom. Just tell us. Please? Promise not to judge.”

Bren looked at Kat, then sighed. “Fine. None of what I tell you leaves the room. Understood?”

“Bren, I’ve hidden that I’m five thousand years old from everyone. I can not talk about something.”

“I promise,’ Rosalyn said.

“Will,” Lucia said simply.

“Kat already knows this, so I will not extract a promise from her. Very well. I have a… less than glamorous side to my life. I was younger. A teenager. I have been good with numbers for quite some time, and in my naivete started playing cards. I was good at it. This caught… attention. I was taken under the wing of someone I thought was skilled in the game. Old Kirk is what he told me to call him. He taught me many things. Counting cards, manipulating odds, psychological tricks against other players. We played many a night, and I absorbed everything like a fresh rag. I was having fun. Then he brought me to a gaming den. I was still young, but he vouched for me, and they let it slide.

“I began to play with other people. I used the tricks he taught me and worked to get better at them. It was not long before money entered the equation. The prospect of earning for myself was exhilarating. Yes, my parents had plenty of money, but this was mine! Earned through my own skills. It was a rush I cannot forget.”

“Sounds pretty… well, not normal, but I think I know where this is going,” Ann said.

“It is far from a unique story, I admit,” Bren shrugged. “We were in a seedier part of town. I was playing a game against the proprietor and several others. Cards, as was my forte. The hands continued, and I was winning. My coins stacked up higher and higher. The others at the table were growing agitated, something Old Kirk had warned me about. ‘Read the room,’ he’d always say. Well, I was reading it, and nothing looked good. I was too wrapped up in my success. I had not noticed the eyes of several other tables on me.”

“Ah, they knew what you were doing,” Ann nodded.

“Indeed. As Kirk would say, the jig was up. Our time was short. I tried to get out of the game quickly, to leave without my money and run. Old Kirk was nowhere to be seen. Strong hands landed on my shoulders and forced me back into my seat.

“So, you’ve been having some fun, haven’t you, kid?” the proprietor said. “We’ve been having an uncommon run of luck with you and your old man. Too good to be true. Spill it. What’s he been having you do?”

“I could not very well tell him. Well, I could have, but I did not. I was… beaten. Rather badly.”

“Badly is undersellin’ it,” Kat scoffed.

“By my account, it was a broken nose, three broken ribs, fractured orbital, a fractured tibia, two broken fingers, a litany of bruises and cuts. I did not have my Path yet, so healing my own wounds was not a possibility. Throughout it, they asked me over and over what the plan was, where Kirk lived, how much we had taken from them. I was having a hard time staying awake at this point. Blood loss, a concussion.”

“Or three,” Kat interjected.

“Point is, I was not thinking straight. I finally caved and told them everything I knew about my mentor. Anything to make the pain stop. Honestly, I did not know where he lived. We always met at a tavern, park, or other inconspicuous location.

“They seemed happy once this was relayed and stopped the pain. Not only that, they began to heal me. After I was mostly in good repair, they brought me food and water. It was hours later that the proprietor came back. I counted. Being tied to a chair for hours is dreadfully boring. He told me that they had found Old Kirk. Made him squeal. I never saw the man again after that day. I have my suspicions that he was murdered that night.”

“Woah,” Rosalyn gasped.

“Yes. A grim lesson to learn. I was held there for longer. From the cadence of food and when I needed to sleep, I counted about three days. They must have discovered who I am, for on the third day I was brought out of the room. I was seated across from the proprietor, who everyone else had called Boss. He introduced himself as the head of the gambling consortium and informed me I had a choice. Either I die here, to keep identities a secret, or I swear to never reveal them to another. In exchange, they would remain in close contact using intermediaries and couriers. I saw no other option, and I feared for my life. I took the deal. Fortunately, they did not have the foresight to bind my word magically. I returned, still beaten and slightly bloody, to my home. Kat was waiting for me, and demanded to know exactly what happened. I refused to tell her the truth and lied.”

“Aye, gave ye no end o’ shite when ye came clean on tha’,” Kat grumbled.

“No, you did not,” Bren laughed. “It was a week before they got back in contact with me. It was a letter slipped through the window of my bedroom. They did not ask for much, just some information on certain happenings in the palace, whether I had heard of any action regarding their organisation. From this, I gathered I was to be their informant. Over the coming months, I saw an opportunity. Subtly, I started paying the couriers. From them I received descriptions and locations. From there, I got names.”

“All of this while being friends with Kat and your studying?” Ann asked.

“Seems busy,” Lucia said.

“I did not sleep much,” Bren admitted. “Once I got names, I started reaching out to informants on my own. If these criminals could do this, I, with my funding and status, could do it better. I have a few trusted contacts in each major city. My activities in higher society granted me access to even more information.”

“So, are you still under that consortium’s thumb? Ann asked.

“No, thankfully, I negotiated my way out. Kat finding out helped to no end. Once I was able to inform them that the royal family was personally aware of our connection and would be sending the Inquisition to investigate, negotiations progressed smoothly. We cut ties. They considered my debts settled, and they would be continuing their business elsewhere.”

“Wait, that’s it? Just a clean break?”

“Correct. I was surprised as well. The Inquisition inspires fear in the hearts of many, even more so in the hearts of criminals.”

“Are they still around?” Rosalyn asked. “Like, not working with you, but doing the whole gambling thing and criminal stuff.”

“I frankly do not know. That is one area of information I avoid. If they ran afoul of the law enforcement groups or a rival gang, then that is on them. I am done. Overall, I see it as a productive experience despite its cost. I learned much to keep myself safe, to keep ahead of information, and to avoid certain groups.”

“Ye’re skippin’ a part,” Kat said.

“I… did not,” Bren glared at the princess.

“Did too. Ye skipped o’er how I found out ye were doin’ all this.”

“How?” Lucia asked before Bren could say another word.

“Well, ye know me habits. Love me time in the Brawler’s guild. Was there late one night, talkin’ an’ sparrin’ wit’ some o’ the people. Get outta the ring tae get some water in me an’ cool down a bit. Tae me shock, there was Bren! Sittin’ at the bar, talkin’ tae some shady lookin’ bastard. I ducked out o’ sight real quick, an’ did my best tae listen. Wasn’t a busy night, so it was easy enough. Nothin’ was said outright, too smart fer that,” Kat glared at Bren, who wilted under the stare. “Problem was, I’ve been spendin’ time in this place fer too long. I know when people’re usin’ code. Didn’t get all the details, but I got the tone. Bren was nervous, an’ the guy he was talkin’ tae had somethin’ o’er him. I confronted him the next day. Ye were so tight-lipped about it, it made me even more suspicious.”

“That was probably the only time you have ever threatened me,” Bren sighed, shame written all over his face.

“And did ye deserve it?”

“I did.”

“Right, so I threatened tae beat ‘im senseless an’ get me parents involved if he didn’t spill the grain about what was happenin’. He still tried tae resist! Give ‘im credit for guts, lemme tell ye. Anyway, I started tae leave, all huffy, an’ he stopped me. Made me promise not tae tell anyone what he’d been doin’. I heard ‘im out, an’ recognised a situation that had gone all kinds o’ wrong. He was tryin’ tae work his way out, but didn’t have the leverage. Who has all the leverage in this kingdom, though? Me! Told him he was slower than a Grrn in a tar pit. That he shoulda asked fer me help ages ago.”

“I admitted I was foolish.”

“Cause ye were,” Kat nodded gravely. “So, aye. Gave ‘im permission tae throw our name around tae scare the buggers off. Had letters written up. Written reports wit’ me signature an’ all that. Couldn’t get me parents’ signatures, but even a young princess can wield some power. Been keepin’ that secret fer years fer the feckless boy.”

“I deserve that,” Bren nodded as Ann started to protest. “Now though? I have more at my disposal to utilise for the good of Kat and I. Now that we have found you three, and are on a quest from a Goddess, I can use it for a greater good.”

Ann, Rosalyn, and Lucia all exchanged glances. Ann wasn’t quite sure how to feel. It was definitely along the lines of what she’d expected after the first part of the story, but Bren being in deep with some criminals wasn’t something she suspected of the man.

“That’s… a lot to process,” Ann said slowly. “I don’t suppose I can blame you, really. You were young and dumb, and that’s when you get into that kind of trouble. Shit, we’re all still pretty young. Plenty more trouble to get into. Promise you’re out?”

“I swear it on my family’s name,” Bren nodded.

“Good enough for me. Rosalyn?”

“I’m scared that they’ll come back for you, now that you’re more important than ever,” the Druid said, fidgeting with her hands.

“That has been on my mind, however, recent events have me believing they are either making moves elsewhere or are too afraid to do anything regarding one so tightly associated with the royal family. Either seems plausible.”

“Well, if you do get into shit with them, don’t hide it from us,” Ann said firmly.

“Can’t,” Lucia said. “Will tell.”

“Yes. I could not hide it if I wanted to.”

“Unless lied.”

“We do have that possibility, you lying, but we will need to trust each other on this one,” Bren conceded. “Now, if that is everything, I need to see to some of my own preparations. I need to get people in place before tomorrow.”

“And we have a night in bed to get ready for that,” Ann said. Her eyes shifted to rake over Kat, so luxuriously lounged across a couch. Those muscles proudly on display under a sheer, tight fitting shirt. Her groin stirred as she remembered those abs grinding into her. Maybe she’d switch roles tonight.

“I know that look, so I will excuse myself. Good night, ladies,” Bren said, sweeping his papers into his bag with a deft motion.

“Night,” Lucia said, following Bren shortly. “Have fun.”

“Oh, we will,” Ann said, giving her a wink. “Don’t have too much fun yourself! Don’t need Bren getting children yet!”

Lucia turned an incredibly dark shade of green as she slammed the door shut.