Eamon noticed me staring off into space as I read the bold quest text twice over, disappointed by the limited details.

  At least there's no time limit.

  "Something wrong?" Eamon asked.

  "No. Thanks for keeping it safe." I slid the chaos shard into my satchel, tucking it into a groove besides the second shard.

  "Chaos shards have limitless applications, so I must ask, how do you plan to use it? The number of blacksmiths able to work with such volatile material are on a short-list, but I'd still go for a master craft sword."

  "If that's all. We must get going." I stood up and Viessa did the same.

  "Sit back down," Eamon growled.

  I complied, knowing he wouldn't let me off that easily. Jing shoved a stack of papers in front of me, and then set a single piece of parchment beside it.

  Two choices. Sign a contract, making our prior agreement of working for the guild permanent. Or expulsion.

  "Think carefully, the choice you make in the next few minutes will determine your fate," Eamon said.

  I picked up the contract and flipped through it, at the same time I considered balling it up and shoving it down Eamon's throat. Several pages outlined potential assignments and duties, which could be summed up as doing whatever Eamon said. If he wanted me to dive into an active volcano, according to the contract I had no choice. Although, ink printed on paper and the means to enforce it were two different things entirely.

  Good luck holding me to this when you're dismembered in a random ditch.

  The benefits all fit on a short, itemized list on the last page. I'd receive 10 gold as compensation every week, and the guild would provide food, housing, and healing services. Also, as an official representative of the Gilded Boar, any trespasses committed against me would supposedly be responded to with equal or greater force.

  Jing smirked, nodding at Eamon as I signed the bottom line, wondering if Xodoven had done the same under similar duress.

  Fine. They can think I'm a bird in a cage, unaware I'm a canary with a shotgun.

  "You've made the correct decision. You'll be working with Xodoven if he's still alive. I sent out a recovery team, so we should know something soon. For now, the guild can and will keep Black Diamond at bay. Jing will be negotiating on your behalf later this afternoon."

  Jing's smirk vanished. "My apologies, sir. Captain Summers never informed me of this."

  "I don't see how he could have unless he recently discovered a spell that allows him to see the future. Didn't he lend me the unrestricted use of your wisdom?"

  "Well, yes sir, but I don't think—"

  "Then fulfill your sworn duty and use your wisdom to protect our newest asset," Eamon snapped. "Buy us time. They can't strike back inside Ingcaster without infuriating the nobles who are already skeptical of their legally grey operations."

  "As you wish, sir." Jing nodded, then lobbed a nasty look my way, likely cursing me in the same breath.

  From the way Eamon was smiling, I could tell he was high off a smug sense of self-satisfaction, having taken control over a powerful asset. For having over 5000 positive karma, he sure came off as a scummy asshole.

  Enjoy the victory lap, old man.

  When the time came—if the Gilded Boar Adventurer's Guild didn't fit into Justice's vision of a balanced realm, then it too would be restructured. Positive karma or not, I’d put Eamon’s head on the chopping block.

  "Am I free to go?" I asked, keeping the disdain in my breath minimized.

  "Yes, but return early tonight. We'll be discussing your next assignment."

  ***

  On our way out, I spotted Garik and Veigan sitting at a table on the first floor, away from the morning crowd's queue at the contract counter. Veigan saw me, and I nodded toward the door.

  Making haste, head low, with Viessa close behind me, we slipped out of the guild and descended its stone stairwell, passing beneath the looming shadow of the guild's boar statue. The ground was slick with early morning dew and the air smelled of earthy damp stone.

  We crossed the bustling street, watching and waiting as more adventurers pulled up, dismounted, and tied off their horses to the hitching post. A few minutes later, Garik and Veigan appeared atop the steps, drawing attention with the striking contrast between their mismatched heights.

  I continued walking down the street with Viessa, then turned down an alley a few blocks away from the guild. Garik and Veigan caught up as I led everyone on a quick counter-surveillance loop, ensuring nobody had followed us.

  "We can't meet at the Gilded Boar anymore," I said.

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  The color flushed from Veigan's face. "I knew it. You've made them your enemy as well."

  "No, I'm working for them in an official capacity."

  "Then they'll protect me from Black Diamond?"

  "I don't trust them, so I didn't tell them about you."

  Veigan's mouth hung open, words lodged in his throat like it were broken glass.

  "Want me to crack open their skulls?" Garik asked.

  "Uh, no thanks, not now," I said, stealing a glance over my shoulder, clearing the other end of the alley. "We need a secure place to meet. A base of operations."

  Veigan raised his hand. "I have a suggestion."

  "Yes?"

  "Let me go. I've decided I'd rather evade Black Diamond on my own.

  Garik's open palm came swooping in for Veigan's cheek, but I intercepted the blow, catching his wrist. The mage reeled back and bumped into Viessa and her full suit of armor, startling him further.

  "Sorry, Boss..."

  "Don't hurt him, he's valuable." I let go of his wrist, and delved into my supplies. I retrieved 2 silver coins from my depleted reserves and placed them in Veigan's clammy palm. "If you imbue these with your mana, and we carry them with us, you can track our locations, right?"

  The mage stared down at the coins, dejected.

  "The guild's advisor is meeting with one of their representatives on my behalf this afternoon. Eamon seemed certain he could kick this Black Diamond problem down the road."

  "Seeking Sigil," he muttered as he closed his hands over the coins. "It's done."

  He handed one coin to Viessa, then one to me. "Unless another mage dispels your change for some reason, I'll always be able to track those two coins."

  "Good work," I said, turning to the towering brute, who seemed bummed not to get his own coin. "Now that you've tasted freedom are you sure you wish to follow me? The path ahead is full of bloodshed, treachery, and babysitting."

  Garik's shadow encompassed all three of us as he clasped his baseball mitt-sized hands together and bowed his head. "My life is yours."

  "Um, thanks," I said, trying not to sound unsettled by his statement.

  I retrieved one more silver coin, and handed it to Veigan. "For Garik."

  "If he gets lost, I'm not tracking him," he said, rolling his eyes as he imbued the coin under his breath.

  "I don't know when we'll be able to meet again. Try reaching out in a few days. You'll have to make contact. Just be sure it's outside of the guild's eyes. Until then, stay safe."

  "Wait, who is this warrior?" Veigan pointed at Viessa, who towered over him in her stilted armored boots.

  "My healer."

  "Oh..." Veigan let out a sickly sigh. "The one you ruined my life for? I told you Black Diamond didn't take her."

  "Her? That doesn't look like women's armor," Garik said as he bowed his head. "Hello, miss."

  Shit... I let the pronoun slip back in the tower, huh?

  I had been moving under such immense pressure, I hadn't noticed that slip-up. As I gained notoriety, keeping her identity under wraps was only going to become a greater headache. A headache for another day.

  "What does women's armor look like?" Veigan asked.

  Garik scratched his chin, thinking hard. "There's usually floral patterns etched in the plate, and the armor has more exaggerated curves. What's her name, Boss?"

  "Viessa."

  Her armor clanked as she shifted her weight, tilting her head, probably wondering what the hell we were talking about.

  "She's a foreigner who doesn't speak Aclanian. Plus her customs forbid her from being exposed to the male gaze."

  I could already see more questions forming behind Garik's gaze, so I took pre-emptive action, utilizing my newfound authority to abruptly leave with no further explanation.

  "We must depart. Time is of the essence," I said, turning and walking away in the same breath.

  "Hold on—I have several questions, concerns, and complaints."

  But it was too late, I had already cut down another alley, looping back toward the guild as I listened to Viessa's stomping sabatons play catch-up.

  I employed a similar tactic with Viessa when she realized I planned on dropping her back off at the guild. The elf couldn't catch me when I put some effort into it. Admittedly, I came back down the street once more after she had given up the chase, making sure she made it back inside.

  As rude as my departure was, I had numerous errands to run before sundown and moving alone was far simpler. With one gold and 37 silver left to my name, I set out on a budget shopping spree. First, I purchased a fresh change of clothes, a generic set of leather strapped armor, and two generic hooded cloaks out of the bargain bin for a handful of silver.

  My terrible track record of keeping my armor and garments intact stopped me from investing more than the bare minimum. I spent the rest of the morning and the latter half of the afternoon bargaining for a wagon and a tarp with my remaining currency.

  Eventually, I met an old trader standing on the corner a stone's throw away from the Ingcaster Beltway, who overheard my latest failed haggle with a stubborn merchant. He sold me a four wheel wagon with a muddy tarp and some straps, leaving me with a single silver coin in my back pocket.

  Wandering the city for half the day without anyone trying to kill me did wonders for my sanity. I enjoyed the nostalgic sensation of blending into the crowd, knowing full well life's little joys never lasted.

  I took my time, only getting lost twice before sunset. I stood on the outskirts of Oarwin, in a quiet alley only a handful of blocks away from my previously used stash house.

  I hadn't intended on returning to the dilapidated stash house nor Oarwin anytime soon since learning of the Royal Guard's evolving investigation. But Eamon forced my hand when he said they'd deep sweep the area. I couldn't risk them finding the Grimstone Mask, my daggers, and the heavy gold statue I had stolen from the Sanguine Syndicate's estate.

  As I waited out the last 10 minutes of daylight, I counted my growing list of problems and the glaring lack of solutions.

  Dear Justice, get your ass out of bed. I feel like I'm drowning here.

  Focus.

  One issue at a time.

  I cracked my neck, rolled my shoulders back, and rejoiced as night fell.

  Void Seer.

  I watched my body slump down against the cart like a nodded-off dope fiend as my vision floated up from the alley, into the sky, taking a birds eye view. Karma's Gaze lit up a few patrols. The majority of blips appeared deeper within the slums.

  I zipped back down, and hovered over the stash house, outlining the safest four block route. I ended Void Seer and snapped back into my body, feeling less disoriented from regaining my bodily function.

  Agility Burst.

  Leaving my cart behind, I shot out of the alley and crossed into the slums. I sped through the memorized route, ending up outside of the decrepit stash house. It was finally time to get paid.