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The armorer measured me in more places than I had ever been measured for a garment in my life: Around my forearms, biceps, thighs, waist, bust, and more. We placed an order for a custom set of leather armor, with hardened, studded leather pauldrons and a small steel breastplate shaped to my chest. El handed over the coin.

As we walked out, my increasing discomfort for her charity finally made its way to my voice, “El, I really appreciate this, but I don’t know how or when I’ll repay you.”

“Relax, Hal,” El said. “You need these things. Byrgir insisted I help you get clothes and order armor for you today. This money was his contribution. Which I’m sure came from Ironguard funds anyway.”

“Byrgir gave you some?” I asked. I stifled a smile at his thoughtfulness.

“Not a lot, for now. He said he’d get you weapons too, but he wanted to help you pick those out himself. I think he still feelsbad he had to drag you away from Eilith’s like he did. And if this isn’t enough, you’re welcome to dig through my closet any time.”

“Thank you, El, really. I don’t know how to thank you enough. Your hospitality is beyond anything I’ve known.”

“Does it still count as hospitality if it’s between friends? Or is hospitality only for strangers?” El smiled.

Our final stop was a butcher, where I purchased a whole lamb, much to El’s confusion. As we made the trek out to the stable, I explained to her that two of Eilith’s wolfdogs had followed us here. When we reached the stable, I left the lamb outside and whistled. Their hulking forms materialized in the dark doorway, as if light and shadow themselves, and El stepped back.

“Those are yours?” I could hear the uncertainty in her voice.

“They seem to have decided as much.” I opened the sack and dropped the lamb on the ground. They side-eyed El warily as they approached, but soon dug into their meal. I put out more hay for Anam and Byrgir’s mare, and ensured they had enough water.

“Halja, those aren’t wolfdogs. Those are just wolves. Actually, those are more than wolves.” She watched their jaws as bones snapped and cracked between them.

“Yes, I thought they were done growing months ago, but they just keep getting bigger. I don’t know what Eilith’s wolfdog found out there.”

“By the look of these two, she found a dire wolf,” El said. She watched them quietly a moment, then said, “You know, I have a back garden at the house. Quite a large one, with a little shed. If they’re well-behaved, they can stay there.”

“Would they be allowed within the city proper?” I asked, surprised that the sight of them dismantling another animal made her think bringing them around people would be a good idea, although I trusted them entirely myself.

“This city is full of people like you, me, and Eilith. Stranger beasts walk these streets all the time. But it is expected that they behave, and don’t threaten anyone unless threatened first.”

“They’re not a threat to anyone that isn’t a threat to me. So far, at least.”

“With the recent change in political climate that you nearly fell victim to, perhaps it would be best to keep them close,” El said, still watching them with a thoughtful look.

“Fair point. They did help Byrgir kill our pursuers on the road a couple days ago. Effective bodyguards,” I said.

“I would imagine these two and Byrgir would be a formidable combination. He’s somewhat of a beast himself.”

I tried to read her reaction to his name, discern the nature of her feelings or history with him. I did not dare use my power to read her emotions though, and without it I detected nothing.

“Brutal and effective,” I said, watching the wolves.

I checked Anam over and scratched behind his satin-coated ears as we waited for the wolves to finish their meal. When they finally abandoned the carcass, I picked up what was left of the shattered bones and packed it back into the sack. I whistled to them, and they followed us through the city to the house, heads low.

Although we did catch a few passing glances, El was right. Nobody reacted with fear or confusion, just a curious eye. And sure enough, to prove her earlier point, we passed a tall warrior woman followed by a huge, lumbering brown bear. The bear and wolves sniffed in each other’s directions, the wolves taking a wide berth. The bear’s nose continued to wiggle in the direction of the sack I carried as we passed. El called a hello to the woman, and she returned the greeting with a nod and smile.

“Some of the Ironguard fight alongside non-human companions,” El explained. “They’ve been particularly helpful with the increase in shadowfiend presence lately.”

“So that’s happening here too?” I asked.

El nodded. “Happening all over Elvik, from what I’ve heard. These mountains aren’t as safe as they once were.”

“Have there been problems in Rhyanaes itself?” I asked.

“No, the fae wards protect Rhyanaes from any who don’t know the way here, and that includes creatures of shadow. But there are more in the surrounding mountains than ever, and folks from other regions have said the same. Have you seen them before?”

“Yes. That’s how I met Byrgir actually, and found my way to Eilith.”

“Ah, the mysterious head injury he alluded to last night,” El said, tipping her head back in a slow nod.