Page 49

Skill Building

I t took a couple of days for the excitement to die down after Boromia’s big ceremony for us.

We had to sneak out in the middle of the night just to get everything from Sky’s place and bring it back to ours.

After everything we’d been through, he decided to become an official member of our party.

I wasn’t sure how much the sex had to do with it, but I decided I didn’t care.

Having him close was a wonderful feeling.

And right now, we needed all the good feelings we could get.

“You sure your place is big enough for all of us?” Sky asked as he settled his meager belongings into the corner we’d cleared for him. His wolf ears twitched nervously, betraying the casual tone of his voice.

“It’s not like you had much to bring,” I replied, helping him arrange the small pile of clothes and weapons. “Besides, I’d rather have you here than worry about you being alone.”

A faint blush colored his cheeks as he busied himself with organizing his gear. “The RSB might not like it.”

“The RSB can go fuck themselves,” Kuro called from across the room, where he was polishing his sword. “After what they pulled, I don’t care what they like.”

Kai looked up from the map he’d been studying at our small table. “Keep your voice down,” he warned, though there was no real bite to his words. We were all feeling the same resentment, just expressing it differently.

“So, what’s the plan now?” Rhia asked, leaning against the doorframe to the girls’ room.

Mira sat on the floor behind her, sorting through our combined stash of healing herbs.

“We’ve got five gold each. That’s more than most newcomers see in months.

There’s no reason for us to go back to the cave for mana crystals anymore. ”

“We need to be careful,” Sky said, his tail swishing with agitation. “Flashing that much gold around is what got you all into trouble in the first place.” Then he paused and shrugged. “Then again, Captain Boromia told the whole town, so do whatever I guess.”

“We need skills,” I said, the thought forming even as I spoke it. “Real ones. Something beyond the basics.”

Everyone turned to look at me.

“Think about it,” I continued, warming to the idea. “If we’re going to survive here, especially if we’re eventually going to expose the RSB, we need to be stronger. A lot stronger. We need better magic, better fighting techniques, better everything .”

“The guilds,” Kai nodded slowly. “They all offer advanced training... for a price.”

“A gold per skill if you want to learn it fast,” Sky confirmed. “Sometimes more for the advanced ones.”

Mira looked up from her herbs. “But won’t the RSB be suspicious if we suddenly show up with new abilities?”

“Not necessarily,” Kai replied, his tactical mind already working through the problem.

“They gave us gold as a reward. It would be expected for us to spend it on improving ourselves. Besides, if we make it look like we’re spending wisely, it just makes the RSB look better, right?

It’ll feed right into their narrative of us being ideal scouts. ”

“And it gives us a reason to be seen around the guilds,” I added. “Places where we might gather information, make connections outside the RSB or learn about what’s going on inside.”

“I like it,” Kuro grinned, examining the edge of his blade. “I’ve been wanting to learn some of those fancy sword techniques the higher-ranking scouts use.”

“We should each focus on our strengths,” Kai suggested, fully in leader mode now. “Kuro, you head to the Knight’s Guild. Rhia, you might find something useful at the Monk’s Guild with your hand-to-hand skills.”

“What about me?” Mira asked, her voice soft with uncertainty. “The Mage’s Guild is... intimidating. And I haven’t quite mastered my last skills yet.”

“I’ll go with you,” Rhia offered immediately, her expression softening when she looked at Mira. “We can stop at both guilds together. ”

“That leaves me with the Fighter’s Guild,” Kai nodded, rolling up his map. “And Oliver with the Cleric’s Guild obviously.”

“And me?” Sky asked, his ears twitching with mild irritation.

“Druid’s Guild,” I replied, bumping my shoulder against his. “Though I’ve never actually seen it. Where is it?”

Sky’s tail swished behind him. “It’s smaller than the others. Near the eastern wall, partially hidden by those massive oak trees. Most people don’t even notice it unless they’re looking.”

“Fitting,” Kuro snorted. “Secretive, just like you.”

Sky glared at him but didn’t rise to the bait. Instead, he turned to Kai. “There’s something else we should consider. With this much gold floating around, we’ll be targets.”

“For thieves, you mean?” Mira asked, her eyes widening.

“Or worse,” Sky nodded grimly. “There are plenty in Selas who’d kill for a fraction of what we’re carrying.”

A heavy silence fell over the room. He was right, of course. The ceremony had painted targets on our backs, announcing to everyone that we were walking around with small fortunes.

“We should travel in pairs at minimum,” Kai decided after a moment. “No one goes anywhere alone, especially at night.”

“And we should get the skills as soon as possible,” I added. “The sooner we spend the gold, the less we have to worry about being robbed.”

“Or we could just hide it,” Kuro suggested, sheathing his sword with a sharp click. “Bury it somewhere.”

Rhia shook her head. “And risk someone seeing us? Besides, Oliver’s right. The skills will serve us better than gold sitting in a hole.”

“It’s settled then,” Kai said, standing up from the table. “Tomorrow morning, we all head to our respective guilds. One gold each should be enough for a significant upgrade. The rest we use for equipment and armor. Whatever’s left can be saved for emergencies.”

“What about Sky?” I asked, glancing at him. “He’s already been a scout longer than any of us. Maybe he wants to do something different with his gold?”

Sky’s blue eyes met mine, something soft flickering in their depths before his usual gruffness returned. “I could use some new tricks too. The Druid’s Guild has a few techniques I’ve had my eye on, and I haven’t had the money to upgrade in quite a while.”

“Then it’s decided,” Kai nodded. “Get some rest, everyone. Tomorrow marks a new chapter for all of us.”

As the others dispersed to their quarters, Sky and I remained in our corner, arranging the last of his belongings. His hand brushed against mine, the touch sending a now-familiar warmth through my body.

“Are you okay with this?” I asked quietly. “Moving in with us, I mean.”

Sky’s ears twitched as he glanced around the small space. “It’s different,” he admitted. “Been on my own for so long that having people around all the time is... strange.”

I nodded, understanding. “If it gets to be too much, just let me know. We can figure something out.”

His blue eyes locked with mine, a small smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. “Having you nearby makes it worth it.”

My heart fluttered at his words, still not quite used to this gentler side of him. “Even with Kuro’s snoring?”

“Don’t push it,” he growled, but there was no real bite to it. His tail swished playfully behind him.

We finished arranging his things in companionable silence.

As night fell, the others retreated to their rooms, leaving just Sky and me in the main area.

We’d spread our blankets on the floor, creating a makeshift bed that was surprisingly comfortable compared to the hard kitchen floor we’d shared before.

“So,” I said, once we were settled side by side in the darkness, “what skill are you hoping to learn tomorrow?”

Sky turned to face me, his eyes gleaming in the dim light filtering through the window.

“There’s a technique called Nature’s Embrace.

It lets you heal using the life force in plants rather than your own energy.

Not as powerful as cleric magic, but useful in a pinch.

It might be good to have a couple options in case we get separated again. ”

“That sounds amazing,” I replied, genuinely impressed. “I’m still stuck with basic healing. It drains me too quickly when the wounds are serious.”

“Like mine was,” he murmured, his hand unconsciously moving to his side where Captain Boromia’s ice spear had pierced him.

I nodded, swallowing against the memory of his blood pooling beneath him.

“I’m hoping to learn something stronger tomorrow.

Something that could have saved you properly.

This time I might learn a few cheaper skills instead of just one big one.

Twilight Veil is still too powerful for me to keep up for long. ”

Sky’s hand found mine beneath the blanket, his calloused fingers intertwining with my own. “You did save me, you know,” he said softly. “And not just with magic.”

The sincerity in his voice made my chest tighten. I squeezed his hand, words suddenly difficult to find. Instead, I leaned forward, pressing my lips gently against his. He responded immediately, his free hand coming up to cup my face, drawing me closer.

The kiss was different from our desperate embraces before. It was slower, more deliberate, and filled with something I wasn’t quite ready to name. When we finally broke apart, I rested my forehead against his, breathing in his familiar earthy scent.

“We should sleep,” Sky whispered, though he made no move to pull away. “Big day tomorrow.”

“Mmm,” I agreed, settling against him as his arm wrapped around my waist. His warmth enveloped me, and I felt safer than I had in days. Despite everything… the danger, the uncertainty of our future, and the RSB’s watchful eyes, this moment felt right. Real.

“Night,” I murmured, nestling closer.

Sky’s tail curled protectively around my leg as he pressed a kiss to my forehead. “Night, Oliver.”

I drifted off to sleep with his heartbeat steady beneath my ear, dreams of new beginnings and stronger magic filling my mind.