Rafael’s face dropped. He was expecting Nick, yes, but he realized he hadn’t seen Nick since after the crash. No wonder Tyler and Evelyn were terrified of him driving another car so soon. He saw the stitches on his cheek and hairline, and the way he walked stiffly made Rafael think that there were far more injuries his clothes were hiding.

  “Dude,” Derek whispered quietly.

  Rafael agreed to whatever subtext Derek added to that one word.

  Nick glanced at Derek with haunted eyes. “I’m… just here to talk to Grizzizzik about something.” All attention turned toward Grizzizzik studying Nick. Nick stared right back.

  “Are you sure that’s wise?” Hraktar asked.

  “We won’t go far. It won’t take long,” Nick said.

  Evelyn rubbed her shoulder, concerned. “You… drove here?”

  “Don’t worry about it, Evelyn,” he said, his eyes still on Grizzizzik.

  “I just-”

  “I said don’t worry,” Nick said.

  Evelyn’s lips disappeared as she gave Nick a slight glare.

  “Hand me the keys to the car,” Tyler said, holding out his hands. “Then you can talk to Grizzizzik. Once you’re done, Evelyn’ll drive you home.”

  Without breaking eye contact, Nick reached into his pocket and pulled out the keys, dropping them in Tyler’s hands.

  “Come on, Grizzizzik,” Nick said.

  Grizzizzik watched him with narrow eyes, then turned his gaze toward everyone else, studying them for an unusual amount of time.

  Rafael held his breath, realizing that Nick probably rolled something for perception. If Nick got lucky, if he rolled high…

  “Tyler better take your phone, too. Just to be safe,” Grizzizzik said.

  There was no emotion but contempt on Nick’s face before he pulled both phones out of his pocket and dropped them in Tyler’s hand. Grizzizzik studied Tyler closely as he approached Nick. Rafael tried not to react. Grizzizzik wasn’t tipped off. The roll must have been low enough.

  Nick stayed by the door, parting it open for Grizzizzik to walk out first. Grizzizzik still kept his eyes on Nick, and he gave his character a soft glare before Grizzizzik slipped out of the tent. Nick followed.

  Once their footsteps receded, Rafael unfolded his arms and headed straight to Ezekiel and Clarissa.

  “Nick called me beforehand. He asked for you to overhear their conversation,” Rafael said before turning to Clarissa. “Grizzizzik’s got a nineteen passive perception, which means we need pass without trace if I have any chance of rolling high enough to not tip Grizzizzik off.”

  Clarissa’s frown was visible. “What?”

  “Do it,” Ezekiel said. “It sounds like Nick is in trouble.”

  Rafael took a single second to be grateful that Ezekiel trusted him so easily. Clarissa about did when Calawit appeared on the bookshelf above them. “No need. They are within range.” She snapped her fingers and the inside of the tent changed to a softer brown.

  “I don’t know why you’re so hung up on this.” Nick’s whispers were coming to them like they were having the conversation above them. “It’s not that hard to understand. We don’t need it.”

  “Yes, we do. It’s essential to the pizza. If ham wasn’t so delicious on it, then I don’t see why we can’t also enjoy pineapple.”

  Evelyn screwed up her face in confusion. “I’m sorry, are they… arguing about pineapple on pizza?”

  “It seems like it,” Rafael said with a frown.

  “No, wait…” Tyler’s eyes grew wide. “That’s-”

  “Thieves cant,” Derek whispered.

  “It’s not my own preferences here,” Nick whispered. “There’re whole threads about how much it throws off the rest of the pizza flavor. You’ve got your cheese and your tomatoes that meld great together, but pineapple is too much in your face.”

  “I don’t care if it isn’t done. No one should dictate what you can and can’t have on your pizza. If it tastes delicious, that’s all that matters.”

  “How does Nick know thieves cant?” Evelyn whispered.

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  Tyler shrugged, then glanced at Calawit. “Can you understand it?”

  Calawit listened to the words. “I can, but….” She then glanced at Ezekiel. Ezekiel had his eyes closed, his brows furrowed as he concentrated.

  “I’m not saying you shouldn’t have it on your pizza. I’m saying it’s wrong to assume everyone needs to respect your opinion,” Nick said.

  Grizzizzik chuckled. “Let me enjoy my pizza in peace, then.”

  “I’m trying to, but I can’t. Because you keep throwing pineapple on my pizza, and I don’t like the overwhelming flavor. I’d rather stick with the classic, like pepperoni. Hell, even cheese gets you a long way after a hard day’s work.”

  Everyone froze in place. Rafael stared at the d20 that appeared in front of him.

  Roll for religion with advantage.

  Rafael’s throat went dry. This was what he was afraid of. When it came down to it, whether Ezekiel understood what they were overhearing was up to a dice roll. And he needed to make that roll.

  Rafael wrapped his palm around it, feeling nauseous. This was a mathematical statistic that said there was a good chance he might succeed because of advantage. Ezekiel’s religion was a +5. It was in his favor. But it was the same sort of nausea that accompanied the roll he made for cleansing Ezekiel. So much counted on this. Nick’s life could count on this roll.

  Rafael had already ruined Evelyn’s life.

  The dice clattered, landing on a four. Rafael didn’t know if it was possible, but his nerves tripled.

  “Shit, shit, shit,” Rafael said, grabbing the dice again and shaking it in his palm. “Come on, man. Roll high. Everyone’s depending on you. Roll high. Please. It’s up to you.”

  “No, it’s not,” Ezekiel said quietly.

  Rafael jumped, then looked up at his character. He should have known the characters didn’t have to be frozen, because he’d heard Grizzizzik didn’t freeze sometimes, but it still surprised him. Enough that he felt tears fill his eyes.

  “Rafael?” Ezekiel asked, concern plainly there.

  “It’s all up to me. Isn’t it?”

  Ezekiel watched Rafael, curious. “If you roll low, we manage. If you fail, you have friends who will help.”

  “This might be Nick’s only chance,” Rafael said.

  Ezekiel shook his head. “It might seem that way. But we’ve already learned a lot from Nick’s venture here. Grizzizzik really is controlling him somehow. We will stop this, no matter how low you roll. It won’t be your fault if the dice roll low, Rafael. It has never been your fault. We take the consequences that come and make the best of what we have.”

  Rafael nodded, swallowing. He closed his eyes, trying not to fall into the hopelessness of it all. Up to chance. No one can control this.

  It’ll be fine. Somehow, no matter what he rolled, it would be fine. If he got a nat one, Rafael would still stay by Nick’s side. Get another opportunity to do something like this. Nick was not at fault for anything. They would figure out soon. If not today, another time. It wasn’t his fault.

  Rafael let out a breath, then let the dice fall out of his palm.

  Two.

  Rafael gasped, feeling a sharp pain in his gut. All his flowery words of encouragement from before wilted. They didn’t have time. There was no time for Rafael to fail this. He couldn’t let Nick be under Grizzizzik’s control any longer. All the good thoughts disappeared as he looked at Ezekiel. His character read the horror in his eyes.

  The four from his previous roll appeared with the +5. Nine. Would that be enough? Could it be? His gut said no. But he wanted it to work.

  As he stared at Ezekiel, people unfroze, his friends glancing between him and Ezekiel, expectantly. Rafael had suggested they do this, and it didn’t work. Asked them to trust him, and he rolled low. He failed. He threw everything in this one roll, this one chance, dared to make a bold choice, and it blew up in his face.

  His hands shook, his breathing erratic. Bad things happened when he made all or nothing decisions. People got hurt. His friends got hurt.

  “Pineapple is delicious, and I pity you for not liking it,” Grizzizzik said above them.

  Ezekiel had his eyes open, his brows furrowed. Rafael refused to cry. He simply turned toward Ezekiel, waiting.

  “Cal, do you understand what’s going on?” Tyler asked.

  “I refuse,” she said, a frown on her face. “This is adventure territory. The cost of revealing what they say is too high.”

  Rafael wasn’t sure what she meant by that, but it made him uncomfortable.

  “Here’s what we’ll do,” Ezekiel said, closing his eyes again. “I will translate what I can to all of you. Between all of us, we can place clues together and figure this out.”

  Rafael glanced around at everyone’s determined faces as Ezekiel braced himself against the bookshelf. Grizzizzik and Nick kept talking, and Clarissa gripped her staff, closing her eyes.

  “This should help,” she whispered, then opened her eyes. A hawk spirit flew out of her, circling around them, lighting the tent. It was one of her totems. Rafael forgot she had more than just the bear totem.

  “Pineapple is disgusting, and there are better options,” Nick said.

  “Please stop,” Ezekiel whispered.

  “When it comes down to it, it’s the person paying for the pizza who should decide what’s on it,” Grizzizzik said.

  “Choices… mine…” Ezekiel screwed up his face in concentration. “Akshi… dead…”

  “Fine, you paid for it, but you don’t have to force me to eat a slice of your disgusting pizza.”

  “Tell them… here to help… sword…” Ezekiel whispered.

  None of this made sense. What kind of conversation was Nick and Grizzizzik having?

  “I worry about a person’s sanity who flatly refuses pineapple pizza, that’s all. And I don’t see why you have to attack me because I like it.”

  “Almost done… sword…” Ezekiel cocked his head to one side. “Contract.”

  Of all the people who gasped, Rafael did not expect it to be Tyler. “Did Grizzizzik say contract?”

  Ezekiel opened his eyes, a trickle of fear entering them. “Yes.” Perhaps that nine was high enough. “Yes, he did.”

  “Contract,” Milo said, eyes widening. “There’s… a class that requires a contract.”

  “And one that involves a sword,” Clarissa whispered.

  Hraktar stiffened, eyes wide. “Grizzizzik’s made a contract with a deity to get a sword. He’s involving Nick somehow.”

  “Warlock,” Ezekiel said, his shoulders tightening as he turned toward the door. “Grizzizzik has become a warlock.” The cleric shook his head, his hands balled into fist as he headed for the tent door. “That absolute booger!”

  Rafael’s eyebrows twitched. He wanted to see the humor in this all. Ezekiel so rarely swore, and when he did, he always used the word booger. But he didn’t feel like laughing. He was more surprised than anything. They’d… done it. Partially.

  Rafael was about to follow when Hraktar placed a hand on his shoulder. “Don’t worry. Ezekiel will bring Grizzizzik back. Then we’ll all have a word with him.”

  Calawit snickered, then snapped a finger as some bookshelves moved out of the way of the opening. The whispering disappeared. “Oooh, I can’t wait to see what Ezekiel does to torture the information out of that rogue.”

  Calawit sounded genuinely excited.