Page 37 of By the Horns (Royal Artifactual Guild #2)

Twenty-Seven

Raptor

Raptor to Rooster: No updates other than to say I’m keeping a close eye on the woman.

Rooster to Raptor: You think she’s the one, then? Should we take her in for questioning?

Raptor to Rooster: I didn’t say she was. I just said I’m updating you. As for the woman, don’t worry, I’m all over her.

In just a few short weeks, Gwenna’s improved on the obstacle course, and I watch with pride as she maneuvers over a low wall with a sideways full-body roll.

Even though she’s short, she knows how to move.

Hemmen, on the other hand, is rotten. He’s got no stamina at all, and by the time we get halfway through the course, I’m being forced to drag him by his belt to the finish line.

“I just don’t see the point,” Hemmen whines. “I can be the group’s scholar.”

“Are you an idiot?” Arrod scoffs. “You’re a repeater. This can’t be new to you. You know you have to be physically fit enough to explore the tunnels.”

“Maybe I’m not cut out for it.” Hemmen sprawls on the ground like a dramatic child. “Maybe I should be an archivist instead.”

“You have to be invited to join the archivists,” I point out, standing over him. “And you signed up to be a fledgling again. You can’t quit now or you muck things up for all of us.”

“I don’t care.” Hemmen seems on the edge of tears, which is downright embarrassing. I want to grab him by his shirt and shake sense into him.

“It’s all right,” Gwenna soothes, moving to sit next to Hemmen.

She’s roped between me and Kipp, which means that it tugs a little on my waist and completely hauls poor Kipp over toward us.

“It’s difficult for everyone right now. We’ll get better with practice.

We just have to stick with it. You don’t want to be a repeater forever, do you? ”

“Maybe.” His tone is sulky, but he’s responding to Gwenna at least.

“You don’t,” she reiterates. “Think of all the terrible things you had to do as a repeater. I had to change chamber pots and do laundry all day long.”

“I had to help repair the streets,” Arrod says suddenly, volunteering information. “Mucking cobblestones always come up out of the street in the worst weather. It’s never when it’s sunny and nice out. It’s always when it’s snowing or when it’s so hot it can roast you in the street.”

Kipp moves to Hemmen’s side and gestures. Looks like digging.

Hemmen manages a faint smile at that. “I didn’t have to dig them, but I did have to help out with latrine duty.”

“See? Hideous work,” Gwenna continues. “And none of it paid. Even if an obstacle course isn’t fun—and trust me, it is not fun—it’s a stepping stone to getting us to where we want to be. And if you want to complain, we will all join in on the complaining…but don’t give up.”

“I guess.” He still sounds like a brat to me, but I eye Gwenna with new appreciation.

I know Hemmen irritates her, but she’s managed to soothe his feelings so quickly that I’m in awe.

I’m not good with people, because the moment someone complains, I want to throttle them.

But I appreciate Gwenna’s calm demeanor.

We need Hemmen, whether we like it or not.

“Come on.” Gwenna gets to her feet, dusting off the seat of her pants. My gaze goes there, admiring that plump, rounded backside. “Once we’re done with this, I’ll buy you a drink. Deal?”

“That’s enough of the obstacle course for today,” Master Jay says suddenly. “You can loosen the ropes. I’ve a better idea for team building.”

A short time later, our group steps inside the King’s Onion tavern, and my mouth waters.

Naiah glances over at our uniformed group, but she doesn’t let her gaze linger on me more than any other customer.

Instead, she throws her bar towel over her shoulder and offers us a cheerful grin.

“Welcome! Can I get you lot a drink or two? A fried onion?”

“What are we doing here again?” Arrod asks. “Surely there are other mucking bars in this damned city.”

I watch as Kipp heads to the bar and climbs up on one of the stools. He pats the bar, and Naiah gives him a friendly smile and pours him a bit of beer into a shot glass. Kipp holds it with both hands, and his tongue snakes out to lick the foam cap off the top.

Master Jay strides to the bar and gestures for Naiah to come serve us. “The best Fives are those that spend both good and bad times together. Work and play. I want you all to get to know one another well, and perhaps we should start with friendly fun instead of the brutal parts of the job.”

It’s a nice thought, but it also doesn’t sound much like the Jay I know.

Some teachers are strict with their fledglings about drinking, but Master Jay has always done his own thing.

And yet…is this too convenient? Does this mean he’s got something going on I need to investigate as well?

Do I need to notify Rooster about him, too?

My mucking dance card is pretty full as it is.

The others seem excited, though. Gwenna sits at the bar next to Kipp, and Hemmen pulls up a stool on the other side of her.

I resist the urge to growl at him, but he doesn’t know we’re a thing, so I can’t get mad.

It must remain a secret, at least for now.

Reluctantly, I take a seat on the other side of Kipp, and Arrod sits next to me.

“Why does everyone come to this bloody tavern?” Arrod asks, wrinkling his nose at the beer put before him. “The brew is nothing special.”

“Free onions.” I reach over and pluck the wedge of onion off his mug and pop it into my mouth.

I love onions. I could eat them all day long.

It’s one reason why this is my favorite tavern, but one reason amongst many.

There’s a Taurian-friendly menu, the beer is cheap, it’s close to home, and I can chat with Naiah when I need potions. I’m here a lot.

Arrod makes a face, wiping the spot where the onion was on his mug. “Just between you and me, if you want to impress the ladies, maybe you don’t shove a ton of onions down your gullet. Makes for terrible kissing.”

“I’ll take my chances.” I’m amused that he’s giving me advice on women—him, a human nobody all of ten years younger than me. Then again, he might have a point. Gwenna and I haven’t kissed, and I wonder if my scent would offend her if I did eat as many onions as I wanted.

I glance down the bar at her. Gwenna has clearly overheard our conversation and takes the decorative onion wedge off her mug and bites down on it, giving me a challenging look. “Real women aren’t afraid of a little flavor.”

And she winks at me.

Even though it’s just her baiting Arrod, I’m filled with a strange sense of pleasure at her response. Like she’s going out of her way to make sure I’m aware it doesn’t bother her. Like she’s got my back. I appreciate that.

Kipp hands his onion to me. It’s no more than a sliver, but I eat it all the same.

“Why are we here?” Hemmen asks, slouching on his stool on the other side of Gwenna. “What sort of training can we possibly get in a tavern?”

Master Jay gets up from his seat and puts a handful of gold crowns down on the bar.

“This should cover my students. Get them as much as they want today. Make sure they have a good time.” He turns to us.

“Some of my best memories with my Five were getting drunk together. Bonding doesn’t always come in a tunnel or on a job.

Sometimes it comes in a place like this. ”

Arrod grins. “Now, this is the kind of schooling that’s more my speed.”

“I thought you might enjoy this.” Jay’s expression turns stern, and he eyes each one of us in turn. “I don’t want to see you back before sunset, and I expect everyone to be ready to go again first thing in the morning for Prellian glyph lessons.”

Old Softy’s going easy on us. Glyph lessons in the morning? He’s practically inviting us all to show up hungover.

Jay walks away, patting me on the shoulder.

It’s a subtle reminder that even though we’re given free rein today, I’m the most senior on the team and expected to look after the others.

It’s fine. I’m not in the mood to get sloppy anyhow.

I’m distracted with other things, like watching Gwenna lick a drop of beer from the side of her mug.

“That’s it? We just get drunk today?” Hemmen gives us a confused look. “I don’t understand.”

“It’s about us becoming friends,” I say.

“Getting to know one another. Like he said, we need to start thinking like a Five at some point.” At least until I determine if one of these fledglings is the thief.

If they are, it means they’re fucking over the chances of the others, but it’s a risk we all take when we sign on. Can’t be helped.

Today should give me a good chance to watch everyone, especially if tongues get loose from too much beer.

“Well?” Arrod asks. “What do we do now? Share stories? Arm- wrestle?”

“I know a drinking game,” Gwenna says.

It’s my turn to be surprised. “You do?”

“Don’t act so astonished.” Her nose goes in the air. “Learned it while I was a maid. The staff gets bored and likes to kick back just as much as anyone else.”

Kipp puts his empty shot glass back on the counter and gives the world’s tiniest belch.

Naiah is there right away. “Another, sir?”

Kipp knocks on the bar, and she immediately fills his drink. She moves on to Gwenna’s mug, and then Hemmen’s barely drunk beer, and Arrod drains his mug before handing it back to her.

Then Naiah gives me a look, moving down the bar. “Refill for you?”

I gesture at my beer. “I’m good, thanks.” I’m also declining a refill on my potion. It’s a gamble, but I want to see where things lead with Gwenna, and if I take a dose of potion, it’s going to kill my dick dead for most of a week straight.

She just arches a brow at me. “Light drinker today.”

“I’m interested in keeping all my senses sharp.”

“Smart male.” She grins and heads down the bar, checking in with her other clients.