by Sever Bronny
Augum was too surprised to respond. It seemed Bridget had given this a lot more thought than he had credited her for.
“Well, we all wanted to be included in Augum’s assassin encounters,” Isaac muttered, rubbing a sore arm. “Sure got what we asked for, didn’t we?”
“The Grizzly would be disappointed in us,” Caireen said when they got going again, everyone walking on their own. “Should have been a clean sweep.”
“They took us by surprise,” Augum replied, sticking close to Leera, eyes darting around. “I think they’re testing us.”
“It could be King Samuel’s doing,” Leera said.
“King Samuel?” Laudine asked. “Sorry, but, am I missing something? What’s he got to do with this?”
The trio looked at each other.
“We’ll explain tomorrow,” Bridget said.
“Trust us, it’s a lot to process,” Leera added. “Today’s supposed to be a nice day, right? We’ve got a womanhood ceremony to look forward to.”
The other five friends exchanged anxious looks but luckily did not press the matter.
Ollie
By the time they got to Olaf’s, they were back to full strength, and ribbing each other, until Bridget reminded them they had just taken lives, and everyone should have more respect, even for assassins. “We’re way too cavalier about this stuff,” she said, knocking on Olaf’s door while the others sheepishly kept watch. “Seriously now, you all, this isn’t a game. Not only did we almost lose the fight, but—”
The door opened and she found herself staring at Olaf. Staring … and blushing.
“Hi,” Bridget blurted.
Olaf smiled a big goofy smile and placed two beefy hands on Bridget’s shoulders, gently shaking her as he sang, “I was expecting you!” Then he yanked her inside as she yelped, “Oof—”
Everyone else suppressed their smiles and followed. Augum was the last one in, and made sure to have a good look at the street. Just to be safe, he placed his hand over the doorknob, concentrated, and incanted, “Concutio del alarmo.” Now if anyone touched it, an alarm would sound in his head.
“Why are you all checking out the windows?” Olaf asked. “Someone after you?”
“Just had a small tussle,” Leera said, plopping down on a settee.
“Tell me it wasn’t with the Canterrans—”
“Whisper Blades. Twelve of them.”
“Twelve?”
“One got away. A bunch didn’t live through the encounter, and a bunch more are rolling in the snow crying for their mothers.”
Olaf went to a window. “Gosh, that’s, uh, alarming. Maybe I should sleep at my aunt’s.” Then he whirled. “But until they crash through the doors, I will hear no more talk of it. House rules—happy thoughts only. I mean it. Not a peep. All right?”
Heads reluctantly nodded.
A distinct ahem came from Olaf’s bedroom.
“Who’s that?” Laudine asked.
“Gods, right,” Olaf said. “Guess who’s here?” He danced over to the door, placed his hand on the knob, and waggled his eyebrows. “Huh? Guess.”
“Oh, just open it already, Ollie, you goof!” a girl called from the other side. “I want to see them!”
Olaf theatrically opened the door. “Ta-da!”
Out jumped a squealing Alyssa Fairweather, who immediately gathered every single person she could snag into a group hug. Alyssa had hit her ceiling last term in the 6th degree and thus wore a plain emerald robe, the traditional color of the degree. She had deep ebony skin, a head full of thick shoulder-length dreads, and piercings—two rings in her lips, two in her nose.
“Oh my gosh, it’s so good to see you,” Haylee said when they all let go. “And those dreads—” She grabbed two in her hands and tugged playfully. “They’re so long now!”
The trio beamed as they exchanged knowing looks. When they had first met Haylee, she was revolted by anything different, even dark skin.
“How’s that Henawa man of yours?” Alyssa asked, one brow rising in interest.
“Uh, well, it’s complicated,” Haylee muttered.
“Ah. So no change. I gotcha. Sorry.”
“Nah, it’s fine, you’ll see him tonight.”
“You got two more piercings,” Jengo said in a tone of surprise, almost as if he did not approve.
“That’s just your father talking, isn’t it, you gangly tree,” Alyssa countered through her teeth, playfully jabbing at his ribs while he danced away. Then she turned to Leera, smiled, and tilted her head. “Girl, I’ve missed you.”
The pair hugged warmly.
“Come back to the academy,” Leera crooned.
“Bah, I prefer drinking and partying and carousing about. Though I do miss the adventures. Badly. Life is dull. And now we have to pay daily dues too—don’t even get me started.”
Leera’s face fell. “I took a dart to the butt.”
Alyssa’s face scrunched with mock shock at Augum.
“Not from him, you fiend. Assassins.”
“Two misfits cut from the same cloth,” Augum muttered. Alyssa had proven herself a bit of a prankster, bonding her and Leera not just during the war, but after, in the academy.
Alyssa turned Leera around, took her arm, and pointed it at Augum, flopping the wrist about. “You still with that loser?”
“Wouldn’t survive without me. Should have seen him fumbling about for the antidote in his satchel. Had to show him it was in his pocket.” She pointed at herself. “Point, girlfriend.”
“Aww, stop embarrassing him, you love him, you ain’t fooling no one. Now kiss—” She tossed Leera at Augum, who had folded his arms, pretending to be upset.
Leera unfolded his arms and put them around her waist, cooing, “I do love him.” She snuggled into his chest.
There was a collective aww from the group of friends.
“Besides, he’s the only one who puts up with your immaturity.”
Leera unglued from Augum and whacked Alyssa with the back of her hand, cheeks as red as his.
Alyssa raised a brow at Caireen. “I’ve been hearing rumors.”
Caireen, who was standing beside Isaac, promptly shoved him away. “Don’t know what you’re talking about.” Everyone chortled.
“I’ll remember that when you come crawling back,” Isaac said with a wink at Caireen, and mouthed something about begging.
Olaf clapped twice. “Hey, I hear it’s somebody’s birthdaaaay!”
Haylee pointed at herself with both hands and did a proud side-to-side head wag. “Sixteen. Officially a w-o-m-a-n!” She sang the last part. “Or I will be after tonight.”
“Really?” Isaac said. “Couldn’t tell.”
“Shut it, redhead!” But Haylee was smiling. She whirled on Alyssa. “You’re so coming tonight, right? Womanhood party. Only happens once in a lifetime.”
“Wouldn’t miss it for the apocalypse.”
Augum forestalled Leera’s coming dark jest by pressing his forearm against her mouth, causing her to blurt “Mph—” instead. She slapped his arm aside, muttering something about him knowing her too well.
Haylee turned to Olaf. “You too, right?”
“Er—” Olaf’s gaze flicked to Bridget and then down at his protruding stomach. “Hey, let’s see if the armor works, eh? Throw it on, Isaac. It’s in the next room.”
“And while that pale lanky twit gets dressed,” Alyssa jested, strolling over to a pillow and revealing a hidden sack underneath, “I brought the goods.” She overturned the sack and poured out countless golden crowns.
“Holy Unnameables, so that’s what you’ve been spending your time on,” Leera said, picking up two fistfuls and dropping the coins back onto the pile. “Bank robbing! So pwetty. Ooh, can I roll around in it?”
Olaf preened by Bridget. “We teamed up. Presented quite the case to a certain somebody whose son went missing for a few days.”
“Slimwealth senior?” Leera said, incredulous, getting up from the pile.
“No way. He’s the Lord High Treasurer. He’s, like, the stingiest of the stingy.”
“Can’t be stingy with coffers if those coffers get confiscated, can you?” Alyssa said. “Besides, he was livid that the Canterrans had carted off his own son.”
“Wait, they confiscated the kingdom’s coffers?” Laudine said, standing.
Olaf sighed. “’Fraid so. Nobody knows about it, but it’s mostly gone. They left enough in to pay for basic services, but it’s only a matter of time until the crown collapses completely. Nobody even knows yet. I only found out by doing a bit o’ wee snoopin’—” His eyebrows danced at Bridget. “Ey? I’m a regular old spy. A sneaky snoop.” He slowly twirled his wide hips while licking a finger of each hand and smoothing his dancing brows. “Missed my dancing, didn’t ya? Didn’t ya, Bridget?”
Bridget burst with a laugh while turning away, squealing for him to stop it already.
An alarm went off in Augum’s head. “Someone’s here!” He moved into attack form, hands out, readying to blow the door down. The others sprang into battle formation.
“Bleedin’ door,” someone muttered, unjamming it from the doorframe. “Why’s it always get stuck when I’m the one usin’ it?” The man froze upon seeing ten warlocks readying to blast him into oblivion.
“Oh, it’s just my Pa,” Olaf said, dropping his hands, and everyone relaxed.
The old man wore a woolen fisherman’s coat and cap and had two missing front teeth. And he was turning purple. “Why the hell are there nearly a dozen witches in me bleedin’ home, you fat goat? What’d I say about having devil-worshippin’ witches soil me house, boy? Huh? What’d I say? Enough I have to deal with your flab doing that cursed magic ’round ’ere!”
Alyssa stepped forward. “Mr. Hroljassen, please—”
“Don’t you ‘Mr. Hroljassen’ me, you demon-skinned snake-headed witch! You keep your grubby paws where I can see them! I’ll have no hexin’ in me own house!”
Alyssa raised her palms and stepped back. “So-rry. Yeesh.”
“Pa, I told you I was expecting friends.”
“You didn’t say they were witches, did yous! I thought they is goin’ to be your workmates and all.” He spied the pile of gold. “Gods be merciful, you is robbin’ people now. This your warlock bandit gang? Huh?”
“No, Pa, it ain’t like that—”
“Unnameables help me if you’re turning rogue I’m casting you out, boy—”
Olaf sounded resigned. “No, Pa, it’s donated money so they can stay in school and stuff.”
“Don’t you bring that demon school up now, you hear—”
Isaac suddenly emerged from the other room wearing the full suit of death-motif Dreadnought armor. “Guys, I’m ready—”
A pale Mr. Hroljassen whimpered like a frightened hedgehog and fumbled for the doorknob behind him. “Unnameables help me, yer bringin’ the bleedin’ Legion back …”
“Oh, no, Mr. Hroljassen,” Isaac began, voice muffled by the skull helm, “this isn’t what you think—”
But Mr. Hroljassen closed his eyes and raised a shaking finger. “I’m a goin’ to get me grub and a tankard of strong ale. When I come home, it better be to an empty house. I ever lay me eyes on yer demon-worshippin’ friends again, boy, and I’ll be callin’ ’em blessed white robes faster than ye can jinx me.”
“Sure, Pa. Whatever you say.”
“Have to put up with enough ’round ’ere as is,” Mr. Hroljassen muttered. Then, eyes still closed, he fumbled the door open and slipped away.
“Huh, I think he might actually like us,” Isaac said cheerfully.
* * *
“So now all I have to do is cast Elemental Armor?” Isaac asked, after pledging his allegiance to Augum once more.
“That’s all,” Haylee said.
“Here goes then.” Isaac’s Dreadnought-armored chest expanded as he took a deep breath. “Armari elementus totalus.” There was a rippling watery shloop as the entire armor flared with a shimmering and glass-like crust.
“It worked!” Laudine said as the group exchanged tentative hopeful looks. “All right, let’s test your Mind Armor now.” She took a few dainty steps away and adjusted the butterfly clips in her hair. “What’re you usually least able to protect against?”
Isaac tapped the chin of his skull helm with a finger in thought. “Sleep, for sure. It’s 8th, after all.”
“Sleep it is. Monitor the depth of penetration. Going to give you my all, so be ready.” Laudine cleared her throat as if she were about to recite a poem on stage. Then she gracefully swept an arm as if petting a cat. “Senna dormo coma torpos.”
Isaac waited. “Wow, barely felt a thing. There was only the tiniest itch at the back of my brain. This thing works.”
A cheer went up from the group as they congratulated each other and especially Augum for believing in the idea in the first place. Now they had a means to fight back. Now they stood some kind of chance. Now they could build an army!
“I guess it’s time to tell you the full plan, Ollie,” Augum said as Isaac went to get changed.
“We’ve been fleshing it out all day,” Leera said.
Olaf pretended to hide behind Bridget. “Uh, why am I suddenly nervous?”
“This part is serious,” Bridget said, nodding at him encouragingly.
Olaf stood but continued to hover near Bridget. “Ah, all right. Hit me with it, Aug.”
And so Augum caught him up on the entire Royal Armory plan.
“Jez is spearheading it,” he said in conclusion. “The only thing we need now is the key on the other end, which we should be able to snag from The Grizzly.”
Olaf and Alyssa glanced at each other. Augum thought they’d decry the plan as crazy, but instead they slapped hands.
“Now this is what I’m talking about,” Alyssa said. “Some action.”
“Count us in,” Olaf added. “Have you talked to The Grizzly yet?”
Augum shook his head. “Didn’t get a chance as they watch him like a hawk. But I will.”
They discussed the matter a bit more, with both Alyssa and Olaf pressing for details and helping flesh the plan out, until Jengo looked to the pile of gold and said, “I should go find us more antidotes now that we have money again.”
“You shouldn’t go alone,” Olaf said. “Streets are getting dangerous for us warlocks. The Path is emboldening people to act on their fears and hatreds and insecurities. I tell ya, it’s like the full moon out there.”
“I’ll come with,” Laudine volunteered.
“Me too,” Caireen said.
“I’m coming!” Isaac said through the door.
“You’ll need a way to get to Arinthia for the party,” Augum said, coming upon an idea. “Ask The Grizzly to teleport you. We need to talk to him anyway. Tell him it’s important. You can find him in the Arcaner dorms.”
“The Grizzly?” Jengo shivered. “That man has the most intense stare.”
“Don’t worry, just let us do the talking,” Caireen said.
“And if you see Cry, tell him to come too,” Augum added.
“And don’t forget to take some coins,” Bridget said.
“Right, right.” Jengo counted out an appropriate number of coins. When Isaac reemerged, they all said their goodbyes, promising to see each other that night. Then Isaac, Jengo, Laudine and Caireen departed. Olaf closed the door behind them, kicking it into the doorjamb for good measure, and watched their backs through a window.
“When did Isaac and Caireen start dating?” he asked.
“The moment they realized they could die at any time,” Leera replied.
“So … yesterday?”
“Pretty much.”
Augum strolled over and clapped Olaf on the arm. “Great job getting us funds, Ollie. We were in dire need.”
Olaf sheepishly glanced at his feet. “Means a lot to hear you say that, you know. Sometimes … sometimes I wish I never quit.”
“There’s always next term,”
Bridget blurted, cheeks crimson. “I mean, if Carp can try three times, you can certainly try twice.”
Olaf stared at her. “Think so?”
“Sure.”
“Nah, I can’t step back in there. Look at me, I’m the size of a castle. How many fat warlocks do you know? They’d laugh me out of there faster than—”
“There’s a dance you can come to,” Bridget said a little too quickly, blush deepening. “I mean, uh, if you want to, that is. You know, the Endyear dance. At the end of the year.”
Leera and Haylee exchanged bemused looks. Augum elbowed Leera to not spoil it for Bridget.
“I … I don’t have anyone to go with,” Olaf mumbled.
Bridget stared at Olaf, seemingly unable to speak.
“She’ll go with you,” Leera said, strolling over and placing an arm around Bridget. “Isn’t that right, Bridge?”
“Oh. Yeah, that would be lovely.”
Alyssa snorted a laugh. “Y’all seriously need to get out more. Go to some taverns. You’re men and women grown, for Unnameables’ sakes! It’s like you all’ve never dated before.”
Haylee, Augum and Leera joined in the chortling, as did Bridget and Olaf, albeit uncomfortably.
“Is that where you picked up the twang?” Leera asked when the laughter died down. “Down yonder at the tavern?”
“Absolutely. And it ain’t just about the tavern—we warlock bodyguards know how to cut loose. Ain’t no room for pretension in our trade. Simply got to get the job done as the lord or lady wishes.” She rubbed her fingers together. “Otherwise we ain’t getting that sweet, sweet coin.”
“In reply to your earlier point, Alyssa,” Haylee said, “war has a way of cutting the fun, remember? And who has time for dating at the academy? You remember how hectic it is. Barely enough time to catch lunch these days.”
Alyssa gave a bittersweet smile. “Of course. You’re right. You’ve all been studying your butts off while I’ve been boozing and cavorting about. I’m sorry. You’d think I’d know better too.”
Apparently feeling the need to get busy, Bridget started gathering and counting up the coins. Then she stopped. “Hey, uh, does your father always treat you like that?”
