Feral Mage Book 2: Chapter 17

Bryce walked into Mark’s office and saw the old berserker setting out two glasses and a bottle of whiskey onto his desk.

“Not the good stuff this time?” Bryce teased.

He recognized the name on the label as one distilled within Witchbrook. It was still decent whiskey, but it had nothing on the stuff Mark had served him last time he was in his office for drinks.

Mark poured the glasses and arched his eyebrow over his remaining eye.

“Why?” he asked, picking up his glass and pointing it at Bryce. “The kitsune your wifey too now or something?”

Bryce let out a tired laugh and took the seat in front of Mark’s desk.

“I’m already getting a headache imagining Vex’s reaction to you saying that.”

Mark let out a hearty laugh before lifting his glass and sipping the amber liquid. He then stared at Bryce with a smug grin, like he knew something and didn’t intend to share.

“What?” Bryce asked, narrowing his eyes. “Spill it, you old bastard.”

Mark just shrugged with that damn smile still on his face.

“I just think you need to learn more about your little wolfy-wife’s culture. That’s all.”

That was another laugh from Bryce. He had purchased three books on the culture and language of beastkin. Each and every one was destroyed by Vex the moment she saw it.

“So, apart from you quizzing me about my love life. Why are we in your office?” Bryce asked.

Mark lifted his glass and finished his whiskey, then poured another glass.

“Red Isabelle has been dropping off contracts for you daily. I think she’s even more interested in you than when you left Witchbrook.”

Bryce grimaced.

“Yeah. She used a fence to deliver a letter to me, written in blood.”

Mark shook his head.

“A letter written in blood is too weird for me, but it fits Isabelle. What did it say? Any idea whose blood?”

Bryce picked up his glass this time and threw half of it back. The amber liquid burned his tongue, leaving the hints of oak flavor.

“She said I had people looking for me, implied that’s who the blood belonged to,” Bryce answered. “Have you heard of anyone searching for me in Witchbrook?”

The old man tapped the side of his glass in thought.

“I haven’t, but one of the guards told me they’ve been finding a lot of bodies in The Rim lately. Folks, they see passing through one of the gates only to find them dead the next day. The guard described them as heavily armed.”

“You think she’s killing the people looking for me?”

Mark nodded.

“Probably Isabelle’s form of a love letter to you, hell, there are lipstick marks on the contracts she leaves for you. I’d ask who you made an enemy of lately, but I doubt you could roll out of bed without pissing someone off.”

Bryce finished his whiskey and flipped Mark off.

“It’s not related to Isabelle, or at least I doubt it is, but I may have pissed off someone lately. Ever heard of the Red-Shield Company?”

Mark clicked his tongue.

“Medium-sized dwarven mercenary company. They had a string of bad luck in the clan wars of the mountains. So they took employment with an unknown individual to raid along the Deathridge shoreline. What did you do?”

Bryce grabbed the bottle and refilled his glass before telling Mark about the gnolls in the graveyard and the ambush that followed not long after. He even brought up the red-eyed monster that killed Levi.

“They’re not working for Duchess Frozenveil, despite what most people believe,” Mark said when Bryce was done. “I’ve been keeping close tabs on that bitch ever since you brought me my new barmaid. The Duchess is embroiled in a rebellion that she started, apparently by attacking a Count under her.”

Bryce scoffed and raised his glass.

“Here’s to the Count’s health, then.”

Mark mimicked him in the toast.

“What are you going to do?” the old man asked.

The glass clanked as Bryce set it back down on the desk.

“Visit with Alice and take a hot bath. Enjoy some of the comforts of not being on the road. Then, in the morning, I’ll see what Isabelle wants,” he answered before standing. “Thanks for the whiskey, Mark.”

Bryce turned to make his way to the door, only to stop and look back at the guild master.

“And thanks again for taking in Alice.”

Mark grabbed the bottle and slipped it back into his desk.

“She might not be wearing a merc tag, but she’s one of us. Anyone who tries to come for her in Witchbrook and the Mercenary Guild will come down on them, hard.”

Bryce smiled and slipped out the door.

“Bryce over here!” Alice called out and waved.

The girls were sitting at a large table in the back of the tavern. Bryce noticed two other familiar individuals sitting with them. When Alice called out to him, two sets of feline ears perked up and turned toward him.

“Nicole, Olivia,” Bryce greeted as he arrived at the table.

Then he noticed that Janna’s gloves were off, as were the bandages she wore underneath. It seemed he had come over just as Nicole was examining the burns.

“Hello, Bryce,” Olivia said meekly.

The paladin was still wearing her set of armor, which had a more feminine shape to it. Her hair was cut short in what Nicole called a pixie cut. He also spotted one or two new hairline scars on her face.

“Bryce,” Nicole purred as her feline eyes peered at him from under her witch’s hat.

She was the opposite of her twin, and not just in the fact that she was a pure spellcaster. While Olivia was a tomboy, Nicole embraced her womanly figure. She wore tight-fitting robes that showed off her curves and bust size. Their personalities were also polar opposites. Where Olivia was more shy, Nicole was usually a smartass, at least to Bryce.

“I thought you were going to take less dangerous jobs?” Nicole asked, her tone betraying her annoyance. “This doesn’t look less dangerous.”

She pointed at Janna’s burned hands lying on the table. They were healing, but slowly. Bryce had continued to apply the healing salve to them daily.

“Yeah, getting ambushed wasn’t in my plan,” he answered, taking a seat at the table. “How does it look?”

Nicole stopped glaring at him and turned back to Janna’s hands.

“Magic backlash is not a joke. She’s lucky all her fingers still function. Hell, she’s lucky she still has hands. Whoever told you to try the mana crystals was on to something, but it will take a while that way. I have some techniques I’m going to show Janna tomorrow that might help purge the foreign magic from her body.”

Bryce smiled at the catkin.

“Thanks, Nicole.”

She just made a shooing gesture at him.

“Go talk to Alice,” she said. “The girl has been waiting every day for you to walk back through the door of the guild hall. Olivia and I will keep these two company.”

Bryce smirked and turned to face the snow elf woman. Alice smiled as his eyes met hers.

“Vex and Janna were telling me about the trip, and it sounded terrifying. Especially what happened with Janna,” Alice said.

Between the ambush and the monster stalking them, it wasn’t one of Bryce’s favorite trips either.

“Yeah, that fight was far from ideal. We’re all glad to be in the city for a bit. How are you settling in here?”

Alice smiled.

“It’s very different than being a barmaid in Sawtown, that’s for sure. I have to learn a lot about the laws of various Kingdoms for the contracts. I don’t want to send someone on a mission that’s actually illegal where they’re going.

“Guild master Mark has helped me a lot with that, he even gifted me several books on the laws of the Kingdoms. The pay is very nice, and I have my own room within the guild.”

He smiled.

“Good. Is Witchbrook treating you well? No glares like you got in Sawtown?”

Alice laughed.

“No glares. Keeping my hair black makes most folks think I’m a forest elf at a quick glance. Also, the guild members watch out for me,” Alice said with a smile. “The few times someone did try to give me trouble, the guild members were right there to help me out. It’s honestly like a big family.”

Her hand went up and touched the necklace around her neck.

“I’m very happy here, Bryce. Thank you.”

The conversation shifted to other subjects, and eventually, the rest of the table joined in. Alice left to wait on a few tables, but quickly returned with food and drinks. She ended up joining them for a round. They stayed in the tavern until most of the other occupants left. Eventually, Bryce, Janna, and Vex said their farewells to the twins and Alice, then headed to their rooms.

Bryce stashed the gear in his and Vex’s room before grabbing a change of clothing and heading to the bath. Vex was right beside him with her own set of clean clothes.

“I’m in number six, right?” Bryce said, moving for that door.

Vex shook her head.

“Number three,” she said. “I’m number six.”

Bryce was still surprised that Vex hadn’t wanted to bathe with him. He honestly thought he would have to argue with the wolfgirl to keep her from trying to make bathing extra fun. Instead, she had insisted they book separate baths, with her and Janna sharing one.

“Thanks, Vex. Have a good bath, I’ll see you back in the room.”

He opened the door and stepped inside.

Vex

Vex grinned as her Bryce stepped into the room. Quickly, she pulled out the rope she was hiding under her clean clothes and tied the door handle to the one beside it, preventing the door from being opened. She would untie it when she was done with her bath.

She loved her mate, but he was moving too slowly. The pack must grow after all, and Janna wasn’t any better at pursuing him. She knew the fox liked her Bryce. She could smell it on her. They just needed a little push.

She hummed happily to herself as she heard Bryce try to open the door and called out to her. She ignored him and moved to bath number six. She enjoyed the warm water of the guild’s baths. It was much nicer than bathing in the creeks and streams, though that was usually where she and Bryce had fun while on the road. Hopefully, soon they could mate at camp without Janna’s face turning red.

She opened the door and stepped inside, feeling the steam on her skin. She froze when the scent of another person hit her nose and stared at the bath.

“Bryc— Vex!” Alice exclaimed, holding a wet towel to her nude body.

The elf’s face turned the same color as Janna’s did when Vex talked about mating in front of her.

“Sorry, I got into the wrong bath,” Alice said, avoiding Vex’s gaze.

Vex tilted her head curiously. How did Alice get the baths mixed up? She was the one who booked the rooms they would be using.

“I’ll go,” Alice said, a hint of panic in her voice.

Vex shrugged and climbed into the large bath with the elf.

“No, stay,” Vex replied. She didn’t mind if Alice joined her. She liked the elf after all.

Alice paused for a moment, then sat back down in the tub, sinking until most of her face was covered by the water. Vex smiled, happy for the company.