“Get her lady friends to buy into your cause, then you’ll be singing.”
Derren stroked his mustache. “You mean, like you?”
Chloe suddenly realized what was being asked of her.
“Look, you give me what I want, and I’ll give you what you want,” Derren said. “Your friend will be free to go, and you may travel with your horses.”
Chloe shrugged, doing her best to remain nonchalant. “Meh. I’m going to need more than that, pal. You think I’d travel back the way I’ve come for a wizard and some steeds?”
Derren grinned wickedly. “Yes. Yes, I do. There’s no faster way to Nauriel than a quick gallop on a horse.”
Chloe’s cool facade dropped at that. Hearing the name of the city she had been hunting for put her off-balance.
“Nauriel—?”
Just then a loud bang came from behind them as the door was knocked off its hinges. Chloe was surprised to see Ben and Tag standing in the doorway, Ben’s bow at the ready.
“Release her or face your doom,” he said, one eye closed to aim better.
“‘Release her or face your…’ Dude, that was pathetic. You sounded like a 1950s supervillain,” Tag scolded, his hammer raised.
“And who might you be?” Derren inquired, unfazed by their appearance.
“They’re with me,” Chloe said. “Guys, I know what it looks like, but lower your weapons. He’s okay.”
“What do you mean?” Ben said, eyeing the rope wrapped tightly around Chloe’s body. “You’re tied up.”
Chloe looked down and laughed. “Oh, yeah. But seriously, the guy’s a pussycat.” She turned back to face Derren. “And I think we can work something out here."
Chapter Forty-One
Quest unlocked: An unlikely pairing
Derren McTrewern has fallen in love with the stableboy’s sister, Rosaline. Unfortunately, the two don’t exactly see eye to eye. Find a way to convince Rosaline to give Derren a chance to unlock her heart and you will be greatly rewarded
Difficulty: 3/10
Rewards: 1,300 exp, + (hidden) bonus
Accept quest: Y/N
That was the notification Chloe had received. Now Chloe looked upon the sunrise hovering over the sleepy town of Hobblesville and pawed at her eyes. Her clothes once again wet from the river. The four adventurers were down to three.
“Bit of a—” beep “move to hold Gideon for ransom until we’d completed the quest,” Tag remarked, his misery engulfing him the minute he had to reenter the water and cross once more. Luckily, this time had been uneventful, aside from the angry river crab that had pinched his ankles on the far bank.
“Can’t blame him, really, can we?” Ben said. “He’s hardly going to let us get away scot-free after breaking and entering at his premises. If I was him, I’d have hung, drawn, and quartered us all before the cock crowed.”
They reached the edge of the town, the familiar calm they’d learned to associate with Hobblesville washing over them. They veered off toward the stables, waving lazily at folks they passed as the town began to awaken.
“And we really think that he knows where this Nauriel is?” Ben asked. “I mean, seems odd, doesn’t it? We’ve spent days asking around and nothing has shown up, and now this guy brings it up out of the blue and offers to just tell us what we want to know?”
“People talk,” Chloe offered. “He’s a wealthy man with a lot of spies. It’s likely word of our presence and what we’re after reached his ears. I can’t imagine a sleepy town like this gets many visitors from the outside.”
Ben nodded. “All the more reason to be careful. If he knows what we’re after, he can use it to his advantage.”
They got to the stables, Tag bursting into laughter as they reached the stairs to the stableboy’s house.
“What?” Chloe asked.
“I’m just imagining Gideon still covered with bees!” He wiped a tear from his eye. “Just standing there with bees all over him!”
Chloe rolled her eyes, and they knocked on the door. Jacob answered and, after a quick update on their mission, let them inside the house.
Jacob’s house was nothing to brag about, particularly after Derren’s, but it was a home, and it suited its occupants fine. He made them a cup of something warm and sweet to drink before joining them in the sitting room.
“So he’s holding your friend for ransom?” Jacob asked, eyeing them over the rim of his cup.
Chloe nodded. “Horses are there too, safe and sound.”
“You said Derren had a favor to ask. You know that that’s never going to happen, right? We don’t do trades and favors with thieves and liars. That’s not how we operate.”
Chloe sighed. They hadn’t even told him what the favor was yet, and he was already refusing. What was he going to think when they asked him to hand over his sister for an indecent proposal?
Jacob sat back in his seat. One strap of his overalls hung loosely on his chest. He chewed something as he stared unblinkingly at them.
“Please, Jacob. It’s in both our interests to reach a settlement. We can’t get our friend, and you can’t get your horses unless his terms are met.”
Jacob ground his teeth. When he spoke, it was with great reluctance. “What terms?”
Chloe side-eyed Ben and Tag, who shrugged and nodded at Jacob. “Derren is in love with your sister—”
Jacob snapped to his feet. “I knew that goddamn son-of-a-whore hadn’t let that go. He’s been drooling and dribbling over Rosaline ever since he first laid eyes on her.” He waved his arms animatedly. “No way. Ain’t gonna happen. Nuh-uh. Not while I’ve got breath to breathe and horses to rear. I promised Ma and Pa that Rosaline would go to a good man, and Derren McTrewern is the farthest from a good man that I’ve ever seen.”
“You promised Ma and Pa to sell me to a good man? How noble of you.”
Rosaline stood in the doorway, one hand high up the jamb, the other on her hip. Though her words were silky smooth, there was venom in her stare as she caught Jacob’s eyes.
“Rosaline. I, well…”
“Ain’t men cute when they stammer under the glare of a woman?” Rosaline said, sauntering into the room. She loomed over Jacob, her shadow darkening his face. “What right have you to choose a suitor for me? We’ve been living in a hell-dump since Ma and Pa left, and now I find out the reason I ain’t found no man to rescue me and take me away from here is because of you?”
Jacob found the puff in his chest again. He got in her face until they were practically nose-to-nose. “You needed me, sis. The pigs sniffing around your feet ain’t been worth the crap our horses excrete. You’re better off here with us, where the take is profitable and your family can sleep safely.”
“Profitable take?” Rosaline laughed. “You’ve got five horses! What use is that for a stable? That ain’t even enough to call it a petting zoo. And don’t get me started on the quality of those mares. Half your stock is almost dead from hunger and malnourishment. What use is that for a goddamn stable?”
Chloe shifted uncomfortably in her chair, then leaned over to Tag and Ben and whispered, “I think we should probably go…”
“You ain’t going anywhere, Sweet Cheeks,” Rosaline said, pointing at her. “First y’all gonna tell me the full story of what’s going on here.”
The room was pregnant with tension. Jacob’s eyes tried to tell Chloe not to say a word, while Rosaline waited with flaring nostrils. Eventually, Chloe caved, telling Rosaline everything. What did it matter to her if Jacob disapproved? The best chance she had of returning those horses and completing two quests in one go was to unite Rosaline and Derren.
“McTrewern wants my hand?” Rosaline said at last, crossing her legs after sitting down during Chloe’s explanation.
“He’s not a bad guy, either,” Chloe said. “Maybe a little rough around the edges, but you’d be well provided for. A house and a man who runs a business, and he seems to be genuinely sweet on you.”
Jacob rustled uncomfortably in h
is chair. He turned his head and spat on the floor.
“You got a problem?” Rosaline asked.
Jacob sat quietly.
“Look,” Chloe said. “We can take you to Derren’s farm now if you like. You’d be safe out in the wilds with us, and we can get you there in one piece. If you like, we can stay with you for a short time until you’re sure you’re happy before we take our leave. That way you’re covered. Isn’t that right, boys?”
Ben and Tag nodded eagerly.
“Sounds great, sweetheart,” Rosaline replied, her warm smile lighting the room. It was almost impossible to see how Jacob could have had any hold over this woman. “Jacob, get your stuff together. You’re coming, too.”
Jacob’s eyes widened. “You’re high if you think I’m trotting over to that traitorous pig’s land. Besides, who’s going to keep an eye on Tommy and Dougan?”
Rosaline waved away his concerns. “Pssht. Tommy is old enough now to watch Dougan by himself. If we do this right, he ain’t even going to be alone for long. We’ll have your horses back by sunset, or so help me gods…” She left the thought unfinished.
Chloe, Ben, and Tag waited around while Rosaline packed a light bag and Jacob informed their little brother Tommy of what was going on. Tommy seemed more than a little bit excited to be left by himself, understandably loving the prospect of being the man of the house, even just for a short while.
Jacob fetched his hat and something that looked very much like a short blade of some sort that he sheathed down the leg of his trousers, placing a finger over his lips when he saw Rosaline looking his way.
Chloe waited patiently, her mind going back to Gideon on the farm, wondering whether he was still covered in bees, or whether Derren had released him and allowed him to stay somewhere safe for the time being.
They arrived at the farm around mid-afternoon, Rosaline’s dress still pristine and dry thanks to a heroic effort by Ben, who seemed all too willing to help an attractive lady even if she was virtual.
Jacob scowled as they passed the beehives and scowled even harder when the door opened and a beaming Derren answered, bowing low to allow them entry.
Derren offered them a drink while Rosaline paced the room, staring in awe at the extravagance. Compared to the modest house in the small town she had grown up in, this house was a veritable palace. Her mouth hardly closed as she trailed her fingers over shelves and bent to look at the ornaments and decor that were displayed around the room.
“You like what you see?” Derren asked, studying her closely, not even registering the stink-eye Jacob was giving him.
“This is all yours?” Rosaline asked, nearly breathless.
“Mine and my two daughters,” Derren said. “We share everything.”
“Truly a remarkable man,” Rosaline said, turning her attention from Derren to Jacob.
Chloe, unable to be patient much longer, rose and said, “Okay, then. Do we have a deal, or are we going to splash pleasantries around the room all day?”
“You cannot have my sister,” Jacob said firmly.
“It is not your choice to make,” Rosaline and Derren said at the same time, blushing and laughing as they realized.
Jacob stood up, red in the face. “I cannot allow this. No. No. No. You are my sister. I am your older brother. No. No. No!”
Rosaline’s lip curled in disgust at her older brother’s speech. She studied Derren for a long time, her eyes inevitably drawn to his handlebar mustache. Compared to the men she had known in town, Derren offered the promise of a new life. He had wealth beyond her imagination, and she was happy to see, wasn’t a horror.
She crossed the room, pausing beside him. “I will give this a go under three conditions.”
“Name them,” Derren said eagerly.
“Number one. I am not a pet. I have free rein to walk where I please, and I will not be treated like some prize to be won.”
KieraFreya piped up in Chloe’s head. Damn, I love a girl who knows what she wants.
“Done,” Derren agreed.
“Two. You give my brother’s horses back and pay him a price equivalent to double what you stole so he can grow his stable and make an actual living with his horses.”
“Consider it a deal.”
“Number three…” And here she paused, her chin resting on a hand as she looked him up and down. “You are presentable. A man worthy to be shown off to a girl’s friends.”
“Great.”
“But you must rid yourself of that dastardly mustache.”
Derren’s face dropped. Jacob’s, Chloe’s, Tag’s, and Ben’s mouths dropped open in shock.
Daaaaaamn! KieraFreya exclaimed. Didn’t see that one coming!
A cornucopia of emotions found their way across Derren’s face. His lip twitched and his eyebrow went up. Jacob stifled a laugh at the sudden confused anguish that filled Derren.
“You don’t have to take that from a woman,” Tag said, offering his opinion before Derren waved him down.
“It’s fine,” he said at last, wriggling his top lip and making his mustache dance. “If that is what it takes to gain the lady’s affection, then so be it.”
The room was silent for a moment, Rosaline looking as though even she didn’t believe Derren would agree to her final condition.
“Do we have a deal?”
Rosaline nodded resolutely. “It is a deal, Mr. McTrewern.”
Jacob dropped to his knees, head to the heavens. “Noooooooooo!”
He fell silent when Tag bopped him on the head with his cup.
“Sorry. I couldn’t take any more of his mouth. He was doing my head in.”
Chapter Forty-Two
Rosaline and Derren gelled almost immediately. After fanning Jacob awake, Derren had set things in motion for a celebratory feast. His daughters, Luna and Lelani, joined them downstairs and were swallowed whole by Rosaline, who couldn’t believe her luck. Having lived with boys for most of her life, the idea of being around women gave her a great amount of excitement.
Jacob took the horses and left without any further words, accepting a sackful of coins that would pay for an additional half-dozen horses to join his stable.
When asked how he’d get the horse through the river, Derren told them of a small bridge a ways farther down the road. How else could he have got the horses to his farm in the first place?
Gideon was released from his nightmare, remaining almost silent until he’d gotten some food in his stomach and some drink to loosen his tongue. When he suddenly became more animated than usual, they realized he had logged off for the duration of the bees’ swarming affections.
As the night went on, they let the spirits flow, and the food came in abundance. Rosaline was a delight. It was hard to believe Jacob was cut from the same cloth. She joined Tag for a few rounds of song and merriment, her voice a match for his, before they slumped on the sofa in laughter. The girls went to bed, and they all slept where they sat.
When Chloe awoke the next day, light streamed in through the windows. Rosaline and Derren were nowhere to be seen, but they could certainly be heard, grunting and moaning in the room directly above them.
Chloe blinked at the headache she had developed and tried to distract herself by checking her notifications.
Quest complete: Chasing Nightmares
You’ve reunited the stableboy with his steeds. Unfortunately, the cost was high, since you lost favor with Jacob. Experience still awarded, but no horses for you.
Rewards: 1,500 exp
Quest complete: An unlikely pairing
Rosaline and Derren are a match made in heaven. Congratulations on uniting them and letting love blossom in this barren world.
Extra points awarded for copulation within the first 24 hours of meeting.
Rewards: 1,300 exp, + 500 exp (copulation bonus), + map location unlocked (speak to quest-giver).
Wahoo, 3,300 experience for helping a guy find horses and leading a woman to a penis. Not bad. Chloe grinned.
/> Just an average day in your world? KieraFreya asked.
Shut up.
By the time Chloe and the others had fully woken, Rosaline and Derren entered the room. She wore a thin, open robe that left nothing to the imagination, while Derren was already garbed in his daywear, looking ready for anything, a large smile plastered on his face.
“I owe you my thanks,” Derren said after Rosaline disappeared to make them all breakfast. “I wouldn’t have believed it possible to have Rosaline here in my arms, but the dream has come true. Truly, thank you all, and a thousand apologies, bee-boy, for the hostility you experienced during these negotiations.”
Gideon shrugged, nonplussed. “No problem.”
“Your quest mentioned a hidden bonus reward,” Chloe said, her headache beginning to subside. “May I ask what that would be?”
“Ah, of course.” Derren beamed. “I heard tell on the wind that several adventurers from outside the city’s limits were harassing the town of Hobblesville for information about a little-known city by the name of Nauriel.”
“I wouldn’t say we were harassing,” Ben said before Chloe shut him up with a look.
“Would those adventurers perchance have been you?”
Chloe nodded eagerly. “That’s right. You can take us there? You know of it?”
“I’ve been there on occasion,” Derren replied. “My trade routes spoke in many directions. Nauriel admires my honeyed whiskey almost as much as Deftwinder and Gallen Hollows do. I’ve traveled often on their carts to visit my trading partners over the years, but found that carriage travel is very pressing on the spine.”
“You haven’t been in a while, then?” Tag asked.
“Oh, I’ve visited. Once your wealth far exceeds what you can spend, there are a great many things you can get access to.”
Derren stood. “Follow me.”
Derren led them through the house toward the stairs. There was a door there that led down to a cold basement that had grown dusty and thick with webbing over the years. The room was bare from wall to wall. Derren stopped in the center of the room and waited for them all to join him.
Collecting The Goddess (Chronicles Of KieraFreya Book 1) Page 30
