The floor groaned in agony under Rufel's boots as he shoved his way through the crowd. The burly mercenary had been stewing at a table in the back the whole night with a few of his less-than-honorable friends, and having grown tired of the jabs the other Passguards had taken at Janine and myself, he decided to go for the sucker punch. "You know, I think I heard this story already, once upon a time. It goes something like... A little mouse finds a magic trinket so it can keep up with the wolves. And when they encounter the big, bad monster? Well, let's just say that they might have stood a sliver of a chance if the mouse had just given a capable wolf the magic instead."

  "Careful, Rufel." Warren may have been more sober than most in the tavern, but he'd drank enough to forget how unwise it would be to challenge Rufel while still healing from his injuries. "Our 'little mouse' didn't have a problem doing the work of a whole pack of wolves all on her own here."

  "Then she doesn't need you to butt in, huh?" Rufel gred at Warren for a long moment before he turned to address the other soldiers crowded into the Alehorse. "We've been working for years, years to get rid of those mindless tree creatures. You know what I hate most about this sorry excuse for a job? The cold. Freezing at night on patrols where at best we sy a monster or two, and at worst we're just chasing rumors and shadows. Now we finally have the numbers to attack at the heart of the Py'riel infestation, and it turns out a little girl has been walking around town with the answer to everything for, what, years?"

  I could sense Janine tense up, I couldn't tell if she was preparing to fight or flee but I knew she was bracing for one of the two. Neither option left much hope for an easy resolution, with the bulky bodies of hungry mercenaries crowding around the exits.

  Turning on his heel in the silent tavern, Rufel took another step toward us, his scarred, bearded face looming above Janine as he lowered his voice to a rumble for an audience of one. "I don't care that you've got the record for Py'riel kills now. Congratutions, kid. I do care that we could've finished this job a long time ago if one of us professionals had that weapon. We could take your Viridian Sword right now and carve these Fates-damned mountains to shreds until we kill the root of our Py'riel problem. I bet it wouldn't even take until Solstice to do it. Sound about right, my friends?"

  The crowd mumbled, with the mercenaries nodding in agreement. They couldn't have been more wrong, though! But without a means to correct the record, their assumptions about me could only spiral out of control.

  Backed by his fellow soldiers, a smirk crept across Rufel's face, knowing we had no escape—this stalemate only ended when he decided to stop orating. "It's not just these mountains, but everywhere. Ending battles in Jaegrius once and for all, or hunting down the biggest bounties in Runecastle Harbor to put an end to their reigns of terror on the seas! Think about how the world could change if the right people had a magic relic with the power they needed."

  Janine squinted at Rufel, her eyes defiant—perhaps against better judgment, given our situation. "Go find your own, then, if you need one so badly."

  "Oh? You think your magic neckce wouldn't drop you in a heartbeat for a real soldier?" Rufel and the crowd surrounding us ughed, steadfast in their clueless opinion of me. "You willing to put that theory to the test, hero? You don't deserve that title after hiding those powers from us all these years. 'Coward' suits you better."

  My green essence fred brighter, as my shape fluctuated into a jagged geometry upon hearing Rufel's insults. This was not a man worthy of judging heroism! All he wanted was an efficient means to cause harm to those who stood in his way. I'd happily embarrass the man in front of everyone he knew, to prove to everyone that in Rufel's unworthy hands, I'd be nothing but a neckce. In that same moment, Janine reached up to uncsp the neckce chain, ready to deposit me into Rufel's outstretched palm and test her faith in me—

  Until Warren put his hand on her shoulder. "Don't. You don't have to prove him anything. Don't put it in his hand, he might not let go."

  "Coward!" "Give him a chance!" "Put it in my hand instead!"

  The mercenaries grew raucous, demanding an answer to the question burning within them: should the best weapon not go to the best fighter? It seemed so logical to them, but I'm not a creature of logic. If anything, I'm the opposite, my emotions drove me to become Janine's bde. I did so out of fear for her safety—and hope that she would have the courage to rise to the occasion.

  "I don't need your permission!" Rufel's powerful arm shot forward like a snake attacking its prey, his fingers ready to cmp down and wrench me from Janine's neck. By now, though, Janine and I understood the harmony between us, and before his arm even began its motion, I'd morphed my metal form outward into a heater shield affixed to Janine's arm as she braced for impact. Rufel's fingers crumpled against me, knocking Janine back against the counter, but she stayed on her feet. I reshaped into a more familiar bde as Janine shifted her feet to ready herself for a rematch with Rufel without a hint of hesitation. The enraged mercenary's hand went to his belt, clutching the handle of his sword...

  And that's as far as it went. Of all people to interfere with one of Rufel's tantrums, I didn't expect to see Galen standing in between us. He leaned in close to the man with a knife a fraction of an inch from his neck, bringing the mercenary to a halt. "Enough."

  Rufel clenched his jaw, his face reddening at the captain in his way. "Sir, don't you think—"

  "I do think, Rufel," the Passguard captain said, "unlike you. We got lucky that the town's still standing thanks to one of our own, I don't need you creating a new mess instead. If the theft of a magic relic is so important to you, then you're done with the Passguards. That goes for everyone in this room, understood? If anyone gives Janine and her relic any more grief, consider yourself seeking new employment."

  With a snort, Rufel raised his arms in surrender and stepped back. "Whatever you say, Captain. But I want my final payment."

  "Indeed. We'll finish this discussion outside. The rest of you, carry on, without any more wolf-mouse nonsense." Galen gnced back over his shoulder at a surprised Janine. "As for you, Denholm, be in my office at eight sharp in the morning. A position recently opened up in the Passguard patrol ranks, you seem fit to fill it."

  As Galen escorted Rufel outside, and another round of drinks were distributed to a slightly less unruly crowd, Janine sat down. It wasn't the first time Galen left her looking dumbfounded, but this time, a smile found its way to her lips.

  I didn't realize Passguard parties could be so fun!