You can read the previous chapter here!
“It talks?!” cried Annabel, horrified.
“What the hell is it?” asked Dancer.
“It knows one of us,” said Oslo, glancing around. “Asp, is this another one of your flowery names?”
Asp hung her head. “Hey, Xyz.”
“Are you gonna explain?” demanded Gunther.
“Gimme a second, everyone,” said Asp, turning to face the floating metal shape. “Xyz, I need to know how bad this is. Where were you headed?”
“I was headed for the pier that would take me to Eunax; Melwi intends me to meet an enterprising young thief for a contract, not unlike yours,” intoned Xyz.
“Your contract?” said Oslo, fury leaking into his voice.
“So Melwi is going to be upset when they find out that you’re not on the road to the pier?” asked Asp. Please say no.
“More than likely. This is the second disruption to my creator’s plan,” crackled Xyz.
“I can fix all that,” said Oslo, stepping forward. “This Melwi person needs a thief? You’re talking to a room full of them. No need to get a boat involved.”
“Oslo, Melwi is really powerful,” said Asp, trying to not offend him. “If they say they want someone specific, they mean it.”
“Tell me how you know, Asp,” Oslo said, sneering. “I dare you.”
Asp looked back, irate and distant. “Fine,” she said, her shoulders slumping again. “Those sapphires I found a few years back–that was payment from Melwi. They had me–and listen, I know this is gonna sound weird, but it’s true–they had me work as curator of the museum and assemble exhibits. I ended up getting talked into obtaining a collection of clocks–not by Melwi, either, it was one of my assistants–and it turned out that all along, Melwi knew I’d get the clocks if they just asked me to put together a historical exhibit at a museum. They knew how it would all go before it even happened.” She looked to the other members of the gang, then back to Oslo. “We just threw off that level of plan, and from the same person who gave me that locket.”
“Locket?” repeated Gunther.
“Asp has a magic locket that I never see her wearing anymore that helps us lie to people,” whined Oslo.
“Why don’t she wear it?” pressed Gunther.
“Because the Captain of the Guard pointedly remarked that he’d seen both Delia and Penelope wearing it,” said Asp, looking down. “It was a stupid mistake.”
“The Captain’s a bright man,” said Jehosaphat, more out of respect than frustration.
“But it’s still a stupid mistake,” said Oslo, a challenge in his tone..
“A much stupider mistake was ripping Melwi off!” countered Asp. “I haven’t seen them truly mad, but I can promise you we don’t want to see it. They’re capable of some very powerful magic.”
“Wait,” said Oslo, staring at Asp. “The locket came from Melwi? So when we got paid from that elf, you already knew them?”
Asp looked nervous. “I had just met them hours before. Before I could get a chance to tell any of you. Listen, let me go talk to Melwi. I’ll apologize, I’ll set things straight, I’ll be back before you know it.”
“And let you throw away a good job when you already screwed us out of one with this fiasco?” Oslo spat, gesturing at Xyz. “Screw that. We’re getting this job.” He turned to the gang. “Who’s with me?”
“I dunno,” said Kyrn, uncertain. “Asp knows them, and she seems worried.”
“She’s a tiny con,” said Gunther, puffing out his chest. “Fragile. Of course she’s worried.”
“Not as fragile as she looks, dwarf,” said Candace, smiling.
Gunther made a face. “You’re disgusting.”
“Listen,” insisted Asp, “you’re all focusing on the wrong thing. Oslo, please don’t be . . .” She searched for the right word. A surge of pain and panic flooded her mind; she was back by the alleyway seeing the blade fly. Candace. The bearded man. Wanda. Marina. Nicole. What’s the right word? “. . . don’t be childish, Oslo. This isn’t a ‘talk your way out of it’ situation. We’re in trouble. We need to be serious about it.”
Oslo looked for a moment as though Asp had hit him on the nose. Oof, maybe “childish” wasn’t the right word after all. My brain still isn’t working right. He scowled, then grinned. “Well, look at what we have here, folks,” he said. “We got little Asp here, who sends us on a journey to risk life and limb to get some unknown treasure, which turns out to be dangerous, she says, and of course, she’d know danger–she avoided it by napping while we worked.” He spun a finger in a circle while looking at Gunther. “She says we shouldn’t try to get the job, even though her job was as comfortable as saying, ‘this plow will do,’ and she got paid, oh how much now? How much was it Asp? Before you took out what you wanted for yourself?”
“Now Oslo,” began Jehosaphat, “most of us work independently too. It’s not fair to fault her for that.”
“Why don’t you knit yourself a little blindfold, Jehosaphat?” demanded Oslo. “Or do you not need to, her having pulled the wool over your eyes already?” He turned to the gang. “I say we turn this little catastrophe Asp gave us into an opportunity. Let’s get this job. Who’s with me?”
A cheer went up from the gang; only Asp and Candace did not join in, though Jehosaphat hesitated before joining in.
“Uh, is it supposed to be doing that?” asked Dancer, pointing to Xyz, who was glowing with a pulsing white light.
“It’s leaving,” said Asp, defeated. But is it taking any of us with it?
The white light intensified, then disappeared. Xyz was gone. It had taken no one with it.
“What does that mean?” asked Candace, her voice tight.
“It means we probably have about five or ten minutes before Melwi decides on a meeting,” said Asp, wringing her hands.
“Be ready for anything,” ordered Oslo. “Be back here literally as soon as you can.”
Everyone but Asp dashed from the room. She slowly followed up the stairs and got to her bedroom. She grabbed her bag and threw in the outfits for Lady Penelope and Gilbert, glancing down at the Delia costume she was wearing. She was reaching for the new fortune teller outfit when she heard her name.
“Hey Asp!” said Candace from the doorway. “Don’t forget your knife. Let’s go!” She smiled at Asp and ran back down the stairs.
Asp breathed in and out, trying to set her mind right. Be calm. You can’t talk Melwi out of this unless you’re calm. She turned back towards her pack, but a sound behind her made her stop. She spun to face the door just in time to see Gunther step in with a length of rope.
“Boss’s orders,” he said with a grin and stepped in towards her.
She looked desperately to the knife on the dresser.
“Don’t even think about it,” he said, encroaching.
She couldn’t.
-
Asp was hogtied on the floor of her room. She had struggled and shouted for help, but the big old house held sound well in certain places, even sometimes allowing sound into places it could not escape from. All those months I was grateful that no one could hear Candace and me in here, she thought. And now I’m bruised, in shock, and tied up, and all of my friends are about to be at the mercy of the most powerful individual I’ve ever met. She sighed. This is bad.
“Hey, where’s Asp?” asked Candace’s voice.
“She’ll be down in a second, I’m sure,” said Oslo.
A loud crackling sound came from downstairs, and the room fell silent.
“Hello, Melwi,” said Oslo, exaggerating cordiality. “It’s good to see you again.”
“Mr. Hollowstride,” replied Melwi, their voice neutral. “It was good to see you before, when I had intended to do so, but I fear we have new circumstances to consider.”
See, you arrogant bastard? This is really bad.
“New circumstances, indeed,” replied Oslo. “I understand that your little associate here was off to propose business to a–I believe the term used was ‘thief,’ and I must say, I am a bit hurt you didn’t return to us after we worked so well together in the past. I’ll forgive it, of course, but I am quite eager to work together again.”
He’s trying to work Melwi. This is gonna get even worse fast.
Melwi’s voice sounded cold. “I prefer to work with the same people as infrequently as possible, and the great variety of people out there makes it so that I never struggle to find new talents. It’s nothing personal, you understand,” they said as if by consolation.
“But one must admit that we are now in a curious situation,” said Oslo. “You need the talents of a thief, and of course it’s unfortunate you don’t have the thief you had hoped for, but . . .” Asp could hear a few footsteps as though Oslo were pacing. “. . . we got different types of thief. You need a light touch? That’s Kyrn. You need a bigger lift? Add Dancer, our best distraction. Is it behind a door? Candace is your lass. You need something stole, Melwi, we are here for you.”
“I think that there’s a fundamental misunderstanding,” said Melwi, frustrated. “You think that I am hungry, and dwarven stew will do when I am craving elven soup. In reality, I am building a machine, and I need the right tool. An awl will not do when I need a saw.”
Jehosaphat spoke, and his voice sounded hollow. “If you’re not here for business,” he said, “what have you come to do?”
“I am afraid that there are consequences for meddling in my affairs,” said Melwi, their voice neutral. “It is only fair that you understand how these consequences will unfold.”
“There’s no need for that, lady,” cried Oslo.
“Excuse me?” replied Melwi, jolted into displaying real anger.
“We didn’t do nothing to you,” Oslo continued. “It’s Asp is the one who hurt you. She’s the one who planned the job.”
“And yet Xyz tells me that all of you, plus some dwarven man, were present for the job. But not the one you call Asp.”
“What are the consequences?” asked Jehosaphat. I’ve never heard him sound like this. He’s scared.
“I am going to take something from you that matters. Something that affects your livelihood, as you have affected mine,” said Melwi.
“Fuck that, lady,” said Oslo, anger biting in his voice.
Asp could hear Melwi almost growl. There was the sound of a tearing and a popping, then a scream.
“Holy shit!” yelled Dancer.
“Oh my gods, your hand’s gone!” cried Annabel.
Oslo screamed and moaned.
“I am not a lady,” said Melwi. “I do not make alterable plans,” they added as members of the gang retched at the sight. “And now you are no longer left-handed. Do not disrespect me again.”
-
No one had spoken, save a few mumblings from Oslo about his hand, for about five minutes. Asp had managed to flop around on the floor enough that she could roll across the room. If I can get to the door and open it, they should be able to hear me. I think.
“It’s time we addressed the consequences,” said Melwi.
“Losing my hand ain’t consequence enough?” cried Oslo.
“You would do well to hold your tongue,” snapped Melwi, “lest I decide you don’t need it either. Besides, your hand was payment for your disrespect. We must still address your theft from me.”
“We didn’t know it was from you,” argued Kyrn. “We didn’t really know who you were.”
“It was a locked steel chest inside an armored wagon with multiple guards,” said Melwi. “Clearly, someone powerful didn’t want it stolen, but you took that as an invitation.”
Asp froze upstairs. I was greedy enough to go after an unknown target and get all my friends in on it, and now they’re suffering because of me. I gotta help them. She looked up at her dresser. The black dagger was still near the edge. She rolled into the dresser. The knife budged toward the edge.
“You do similar things as a gang, do you not?” continued Melwi. “You hurt people who investigate you? Who threaten your home? Who disrupt your plans? ‘Street justice,’ they call it. Correct?” Their voice seemed almost cheerful, but still hollow.
“Please don’t kill us,” whispered Annabel. “Please.”
Asp rolled into the dresser again, and the dagger fell in its sheath to the floor. She rolled over to it and tried to get a grip on it.
“I won’t kill anyone,” said Melwi after a moment. “Not intentionally, at least. Sometimes, people go into shock sooner than others. Sometimes the shock does it.”
“Oh my gods, no,” cried Dancer. “Please, there’s gotta be some way we can make it right.”
Asp slipped the dagger from the sheath and began running it up and down the length of rope that bound her.
“Listen,” pleaded Oslo. “We ain’t nobodies. We can pay money, we can work for you, we can do anything. Just don’t do this.”
“I don’t want to hear from you again, Hollowstride,” spat Melwi.
The blade finished slicing through the rope. Asp struggled to slip the heavy binding off.
“I’m sorry,” said Oslo. His voice was small. I’ve never heard him say that before. Not even in a con. He breathed deep “The milk was sour.”
The milk was sour! She tossed off the ropes, grabbed the dagger, and sprinted out of the room and down the stairs. In thief-tongue, sour milk means–
She came to the bottom of the stairs and looked into the living room. On the back wall, nearly all of the members of the gang cowered. In the middle of the room was Melwi, an orange magical aura spreading through the air around them. Behind them was Gunther, slowly creeping forward with his swords in hand. Sour milk means “attack them now.”
Asp focused on what Kyrn had taught her. When you can’t reach up high, go down low, she thought. She charged forward and placed her blade on the inside of Gunther’s right thigh, then pressed in, and jerked it back along his leg.
He grasped his thigh, his longswords falling to the floor with a clatter, and screamed. Melwi turned and saw Gunther with his dropped swords and his dripping wound, Asp behind him with a bloodied blade. Melwi smiled and put a hand in the air between themself and Gunther. A burst of blue light sent Gunther flying through the air and into the opposite wall. Asp was unaffected.
“Thank you, Orchid,” said Melwi in utter calm, the gang in silent shock. “I believe you have saved my life.”
“I don’t know about that,” said Asp, shaking and glancing around. She looked to the gang, all watching her in disbelief.
“I believe you have,” said Melwi with genuine warmth. “I owe you a debt. What can I do for you?”
Asp’s mind raced. “Can you spare the gang?”
Melwi’s face soured. “I would prefer not to after that maneuver,” they said with an offhand gesture to Gunther’s immobile body, “but a lifedebt is powerful. If that is your wish, then I will spare your friends.”
“It is the only thing I wish,” said Asp, looking at Candace. And now I’ve killed somebody too. The thought spread heaviness across her tiny frame, and she looked for a moment at the floor. Focus. We’re not done here yet. She breathed deep and faced Melwi again. “I am so sorry that we ruined your plan, Melwi. I know it’s already been offered and rejected, but if there is any way I or we can help–”
“Do not sour my mood, Orchid. One does not scour the ashes for unburned wood.” Melwi sounded tired. “There is one final thing.”.
“Oh no,” moaned Dancer.
“I once protected this place. But I see that having it has made you all worse for it.” Melwi considered the building. “Unfortunate. It’s a good home.” Melwi reached into their cloak and withdrew two small glass globes. Inside, a sparkling red liquid splashed around.
“Run!” cried Jehosaphat.
Melwi tossed the globes into the walls on opposite sides of them. Both immediately burst into flame.
“Goodbye, Orchid,” said Melwi, waving, and in a flash of white light, was gone.
“Run, I said!” yelled Jehosaphat.
Asp dashed back up the stairs, fighting lungfuls of rising smoke. She grabbed the bag with her disguises and tossed in a coinpurse. She glanced at her wooden seamstress dummies. Not enough time. She peered at her hidden space behind the wall–flames licked up it dangerously. I better get out while I still can.
Asp joined the gang outside of the estate and, from a safe distance, turned to watch as it burned. It was a wooden building, and old of course; it went up fast.
“My lockpicks,” moaned Dancer.
“My knitting,” cried Jehosaphat.
“Rose!” shouted Candace, and dashed back inside. Moments later, she came sprinting back out, her hands clasped around the tiny grey tabby. Rose coughed delicately and groomed herself.
“End of an era,” said Annabel, shaking her head in disbelief.
“Let’s get off the streets,” muttered Oslo, cradling the stump of his left arm. “Anybody know if the old warehouse is still empty?”
“It looked deserted last time I was over there,” said Kyrn, still watching the manor being consumed by flames.
“Should we say something?” asked Annabel. “You know, for Gunther?”
They all looked at the burning house. A few of them–Gregorio, Annabel, Kyrn, and Dancer–looked furtively at Asp, too. It was silent for a moment, a mixture of unspoken feelings and shock.
“Gunther: at least he didn’t have to bleed out,” said Oslo, glancing at Asp for just a moment. He gestured down a dark road with his stump. “Let’s go.”
-
The warehouse was very much as they had left it. Some of the mattresses in the bunkroom had gone missing, and there was certainly a lot of trash accumulated in the living area, but it was not entirely unlike a homecoming for them.
“Don’t get comfortable,” said Oslo as the gang got to work tidying up. “We got business to attend to.”
Dancer looked uncertain. “What is it?”
“Her,” Oslo spat, pointing at Asp. “We gotta talk about her.”
Asp moaned. “I just saved your ass, Oslo. What is there to talk about?”
“For your consideration,” said Oslo, “some things we just learned about our old pal Asp. Number one: Asp knows Melwi and has worked behind our backs before with them, whatever the hell they are.”
“That’s not fair–” began Asp.
“Fair? You wanna talk about fair?” thundered Oslo. “You work with Melwi behind our backs, and you think that–” He stopped and stroked his goatee. “Of course,” he said in a low voice. “The sapphires. We get them from that magic bastard, and you turn up in a few days with more. How did I not see it?”
“I can explain!” insisted Asp. “It’s not like that! It was–”
“You will wait until I’m done,” interrupted Oslo, pointing at her with his stump. “Number two: Asp is willing to kill one of us to protect Melwi.”
“Gunther wouldn’t have killed Melwi!” cried Asp. “Melwi is so much more powerful than you realize. And then what would have happened? They’d have killed all of us!”
“I said to shut the fuck up!” said Oslo, fury in his voice. “You literally killed one of us to protect someone who wanted to kill us.”
“And we’re all alive now because of it!” snapped Asp.
Oslo slapped Asp across the face clumsily with his right hand. “I won’t say it again. You shut up and you stay shut up until I’m finished. Number three: you let that thing destroy our home.”
“I didn’t know they would do that!” cried Asp.
Oslo moved to slap her again, but Candace caught his hand.
“You said we were here to talk,” Candace said, her eyes burning into Oslo. “Let’s talk with our mouths like grown-ups.”
“Let’s talk then,” said Oslo, still focused on Asp. “I think we need to consider moving forward without the arrangement we have now.”
“You want to kick me out?” said Asp, a combination of disbelief and hurt. “After I just saved everyone?”
“You can say that all you want,” said Oslo. “It’s easy for you. You got both your hands.”
“Would you rather be dead?” demanded Asp.
“At times such as this, we make our cases,” said Jehosaphat. “Oslo?”
“Well, I’ve stated much of my case. She worked against us before. She left us without a home. None of this would have happened if we hadn’t done her job. And we know about this time, but how many other times have there been that she’s done something like this that we don’t know about?” He smiled painfully. “She’s here ‘cause she can lie, and I would say she’s lied to us more than we’ll ever know. How can we trust her defense when we hear it? She’s a liar by trade.”
Asp was formulating her response. Everyone works freelance. I had no idea about the estate. Oslo voted for this job. He’s a con too.
Oslo continued. “All of this to consider, and the most important part: she killed Gunther. Remember, Asp,” said Oslo, his eyes flashing, “you’re a murderer now.”
Murderer. A bottomless pit opened in Asp’s stomach. She was a thousand miles away.
“Your turn, Asp,” said Jehosaphat, his face gentle.
Murderer. Gunther is dead. I did it.
“Your turn, Asp,” repeated Jehosaphat, his voice more insistent.
Murderer. Murderer. Murderer.
“ASP!” Jehosaphat placed a hand on her shoulder. “Your defense?”
Asp blinked a few times. “I, uh–” She stared off into the distance. “I killed Gunther.”
The gang looked at her, concerned.
“I killed Gunther,” she repeated, “and now I’m a murderer.”
“See?” said Oslo, gesturing to Asp as though she was a leper. “As soon as it hits her, what she’s done, she goes right back into shock. A liability, a liar, a murderer, a traitor.” He shrugged at her. “We can’t have her around.”
Asp looked at Oslo. She blinked a few times, then shrugged.
“It’s time. Who says she goes?” asked Oslo. He raised his stump.
“Sorry, Asp,” said Dancer, raising his hand. “You fucked up pretty bad. Gunther was one of us.”
“You didn’t have to kill him,” agreed Annabel, raising her hand.
“I trusted you,” said Kyrn, looking away. “I didn’t think you’d use what I taught you against one of us.” She raised her hand.
“We’ve been set back considerably,” said Gregorio. “This is major.” He raised his hand.
“It’s a bad ending, kid,” said Jehosaphat, raising his hand. He winked his left eye twice and his right eye once. That’s his code for “I’m only saying this to fit in.” That’s sweet of him. I guess.
The gang turned to Candace. She sighed. “I can’t,” she said, her voice small.
“What does that mean?” needled Oslo.
Candace stroked Rose. “I can’t turn against her.”
“But you’re not ready to leave the gang,” said Oslo, smiling
Candace turned to Asp. “It’s all I’ve known for almost five years,” she said, desperate to explain.
Murderer, thought Asp. She doesn’t want to be with a murderer.
“Tell you what, Candace,” said Oslo, “you can leave with her, and if you come back within the next week, we’ll take you back, no questions asked. How’s that?”
He thinks she won’t stay with me. Is he right?
“Thanks, Oslo,” said Candace, her tone diplomatic.
“Well, I think it’s time for you to go,” Oslo said to Asp, a touch of sadistic glee in his voice. “Bye-bye now, Heather.”
Asp made one last moment’s eye contact with each member of the gang and turned to leave.
“Sorry, everybody,” she said at the door, and walked out into the late night, Candace following close behind.
“Sorry, we don’t allow pets here,” said the elderly newtkin woman behind the counter. “Your cat is adorable, but so are our rooms.”
“We understand,” said Candace, tired. “Good night.”
They turned and left the inn and walked down the street. Several doors down was another inn, this one a bit shabbier than the last. They walked inside and saw a young elven lad with a candle and a book.
“Good evening,” he said, looking up. “Two rooms?”
“One room,” corrected Candace. “Is it okay to have a kitten in there?”
The elf chuckled. “Those rooms have seen a lot worse. Don’t worry about it. How many nights?”
“One for now,” said Candace.
“Here you go,” said the elf, handing her a steel key. “Second room on the right.”
“Thanks,” said Candace, turning her attention to Asp. “Let’s go, Delia.”
Candace led Asp down the hallway, unlocked the door on the right, and entered the room. Candace turned and immediately relocked the door behind her. She turned to Asp.
“You seem like you’re in shock again, honey,” Candace said just above a whisper. “Look at me. Are you okay?”
Asp turned to face Candace. “You don’t love me anymore, huh?” she managed after a while.
“Whoa, honey, what are you talking about?” said Candace. “Of course I still love you.”
“But I’m–” Asp’s eyes welled as she spoke. “But I’m a murderer,” she said, bursting into tears.
“It’s okay,” said Candace, holding Asp close. “It’s gonna be okay.”
“No!” cried Asp. “I killed him. He’s dead.”
Candace brushed Asp’s wet hair out of her face. “Honey, listen: believe it or not, it’s gonna be okay.” She sounded sure of herself somehow.
“How?” Asp gestured to the room. “Look at this. We lost so much in the last hour. So much.”
Candace kissed Asp’s forehead. “We didn’t get caught by the guards on our job.” She kissed her forehead again. “We’re alive and safe.” She kissed her forehead once more. “We’re still together.” One more forehead kiss. “We’re gonna be okay.”
“But you wanted the option to go back to the gang,” said Asp, wiping away tears. “You’re afraid of me.”
“I’m not afraid of you,” soothed Candace. “Like I said, it’s all I know. It’s like losing daily service, but much worse.”
“And you don’t have them because of me,” moaned Asp.
Candace leaned back and cocked an eyebrow. “If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you want me to be mad at you.”
Asp looked down, ashamed. “I just can’t believe that you’re not.”
“I’ve had to kill people before too,” said Candace, her eyebrows raised. “Remember? It wasn’t very long ago that you were upset about that.”
“And now look at me,” said Asp. She held up her hands. Candace had made her wash them in a drinking trough at the livery on the way, but there were still flecks of blood that hadn’t come off which she hadn’t seen in the dark.
“Stop,” said Candace, grabbing her hands. “You’re aiming for a nervous breakdown. You gotta pull out of it.”
“What do I do?”
Candace smiled. “We’re gonna rest now. Get some sleep. In the morning, we’ll reassess and figure out what to do. But for now, we really do need to relax. Here,” she said, bending to the floor and returning with Rose in her hands. “Pet Rose until you fall asleep. Can you do that for me?”
Asp peered at Rose, who peered back and meowed. Asp scratched her about the ears and stroked down her back. Rose leaned into her touch and began to purr.
“That’s a good baby,” said Candace.
“She is a good baby,” said Asp, watching Rose with a slowly-forming smile.
“I was talking about you,” said Candace, laughing.
Asp looked from Candace to Rose and back again and sighed. Maybe everything really will be okay.
You can read the next chapter here!
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