Dolion let out a loud yawn as he woke up and stretched. He hissed in pain and remembered that his ribs weren’t fully recovered. Miss Glory’s potion healed most of the damage, but he still felt a jolt of pain from certain stretches or sudden movements. Looking up at the ceiling, he processed everything that had happened the day before. 

He didn’t want to kill anyone in front of Tegan, but he’d been left with no choice. Those men were clearly lusting after the Light Elf, something Dolion could smell coming off them. The leader reeked of arousal. He remembered the disgusted look on Tegan’s face when the leader licked his ear. It angered Dolion that he couldn’t do anything to prevent that or the overall situation. 

He just hoped that Tegan wouldn’t see him as a killer. 

Dolion picked up the book that had fallen out of Tegan’s bag. The cover was plain, dark tan leather and looked worn. It was obvious it’d been read a lot, and Dolion had read most of it last night when he got home.  

A loud knock on the door brought him out of his thoughts.

“Get your ass up!” Ilys shouted through the door. “You’ve been sleeping all day, and you need to return Tegan’s stuff!”

Dolion groaned as he got up, feeling some pain from moving. After putting on clean clothes, he walked out with Tegan's stuff and headed to the main room. Ilys was sitting at the table and reading a book. She looked up at him and scrunched her nose in slight disgust. 

“You look like shit,” she commented.

He flipped her off and grabbed an apple from the bowl in the center of the table. “And you look like you fell off a tree and hit every branch on the way down.”

She laughed, looking back at her book. “I did hit the wall pretty hard when Kara and I found that damn orb making all the lights and noises. I think we were knocked out for a few hours.” 

Dolion shook his head at that and took a bite of his apple. “That doesn’t sound good. Mine and Sal’s last job didn’t pay us what they promised, and her father accused me of sullying his virgin daughter. I didn’t even know he had a daughter. Plus, she wasn’t a virgin.”

“Next time, don’t sleep with anyone,” Ilys suggested sarcastically, flipping a page. “Pretty sure Corny is gonna die from shock if she hears any more stories about you and your many lovers. Then again, she nearly collapsed when she saw me kissing that stage performer in front of the inn a few months ago.”

“Oh yeah, I remember Anise telling me about that,” Dolion remembered. “Said Corny came in the next morning to complain about their ‘den of sin’ and saw you walking out of the stage performer’s room.”

Ilys smiled as she remembered that night. “Well, they were very loving and tender. They didn’t even mind when Corny started yelling at them and even laughed at her. They told her she should stop lying to herself and live the life she wants.”

“They’re not wrong,” Dolion stated. “She acts like she’s all high and mighty and pure because she’s the head priestess, but Corny is as lustful as a female animal in heat.”

Ilys closed her book, shuddering at the thought of it. “That’s gross! How do you know she feels like that? She’s always glaring at you and Sal, and other men too!”

Dolion took another bite and smirked. “It’s hard not to smell. She glares at us when we’re looking at her, but the moment she thinks we’re not paying attention…”

“Eww, she looks at you and Sal like…that?” Ilys shuddered again, feeling sick at the thought of their mother figure looking at her brothers that way. They might not be blood-related, but they were her brothers and she would never look at them like that.

The Vulpkith nodded. “Not me, but Sal. Why do you think she always wanted Sal to do something for her? Have him do the heavy lifting? Or chop wood? She’s lusting for him. That’s why we left as soon as we were able to.”

Ilys’s stomach twisted in disgust. It was disturbing to know that the woman who called herself their mother looked at Sal like that. “Why didn’t either of you say anything?” 

Dolion shrugged as he took another bite. “Not exactly something we can reveal. She would deny it or accuse Sal of tempting her. And who would believe us? The two troublemakers or the head priestess? We were planning to leave since we didn’t want to live in the chapel. Her eye-fucking him made us move out faster.” He stood up, finishing his apple as he walked to the door. “I’m gonna return this to Tegan. I’ll be back.”

He walked out of the house, seeing that it was already evening. He quickly made his way to Miss Glory’s shop. When he passed by the inn, he saw Sal sitting on the bench and talking to Anise. A few members of the mercenary group were also standing around and talking amongst themselves. The leader snarled at him, but Dolion shook his head and laughed to himself. He knew the Wolfkith man was still mad that he ruined his attempt to ask Tegan out.

When he reached Miss Glory’s shop, he saw her sweeping the front porch. She smiled when she saw him. “How are you feeling today?” 

“Much better. Thank you for the potion, Miss Glory,” he replied, kissing her hand. “How’s Tegan?”

She frowned, looking at her shop. “He’s woken up once since you brought him home yesterday. I checked on him earlier, but he’s still passed out. Make sure he’s okay. I trust you won’t do anything inappropriate to him.”

He smiled and bowed to her. “I won’t do anything, Miss Glory. I know that boy is special to you.” He saw Tulip sitting on the counter and eating a carrot when he entered the shop. “Tulip, good to see you again without blood.” He continued to the guest room and knocked on the door. “Tegan…?”

Some shuffling could be heard, and the door opened, revealing the younger man. His hair was disheveled and messy, and all he wore was a dark gray nightshirt that reached his knees. He yawned as he rubbed the sleep from his eyes. “What…?” He looked up at the man in front of him, feeling his face heat up and his heart pounding faster when he realized how he must look. “D-Dolion! O-One moment I-”

Dolion bit back his laughter as he saw the younger man rush back into his room. “You don’t have to worry about how you look around me, Tegan.” He saw the younger man brushing his hair, but it didn’t seem like his hair was cooperating much. “You look fine. How about we go outside and get some fresh air?”

Len blushed as he put on his cloak, grateful that it covered most of his body. He felt so embarrassed that Dolion was seeing him like this. “S-Sorry I’m such a mess. I didn’t realize that I slept for so long.”

“I slept in too. The only reason I’m awake is because Ilys was yelling that I need to get up,” Dolion told him as they walked out the back door of Miss Glory’s shop. The porch was small, but there were two rocking chairs next to each other so whoever sat down could look at the river. 

“Why would she yell at you? Did you have a job today?” questioned Tegan.

Dolion laughed, sitting down next to him. “No. She wanted me to return your stuff. I was going to return it last night after…hiding things, but Sal forced me to go home. Said I had trouble keeping my eyes open on the way back.”

“You didn’t have to bring it back today,” Len said quietly. “I would’ve gone to your house to save you the trouble.”

“And have you and my sister team up on me with the insults? Absolutely not,” Dolion chuckled. “Also, I did read quite a bit of the book you have in your bag. It fell out last night and I couldn’t help myself. It’s a good story.”

Len shifted uncomfortably in his chair. “I see…” He wasn’t mad at the other man, but nervous about the main character’s name being Tegan. It was a little embarrassing, but he loved the book that much, which is why he was using the main character’s name as his fake name. 

“You don’t have to be scared,” Dolion assured, and held his bag out to him. “You’ve already confirmed you’re on the run from someone. I also came here to say sorry you had to see me transform and…well, you know.” Dolion looked over at him and wondered if he saw him differently now. He wouldn’t blame the young man if he started avoiding him. Killing a person was not to be taken lightly.

“It’s not the first time I’ve seen someone killed in front of me,” Len revealed. He looked at him and chuckled nervously. “My brother and mother have done it to protect me and in self-defense.”

Dolion was surprised to hear that. He hadn’t expected the younger man to be okay with what happened. “You’re not repulsed by the sight of me for what I did?”

The ebony-haired man shook his head. “No, Dolion. I was mostly shocked by how…gruesome it was, but I understand you did what you did. If you and Tulip didn’t kill them, they were going to kill you, and who knows what they would’ve done to me.” Len had a feeling of what they might’ve done, but he didn’t want to think too much about it.

“Excuse me…”

Both men looked to where the voice came from. Dolion growled when he saw the mercenary leader standing there. Len stood up and held his hand out to calm him. “Hello, Mister Phelan. Miss Glory is in the shop, but please go around and enter through the front door.”

Phelan looked at him nervously. “Actually, I wish to speak with you, Tegan. Alone.” He glared at Dolion and growled at him.

Len smiled serenely and shook his head. “Sorry, but I’m spending time with my friend, Dolion. It’d be rude to leave him alone after he came to see me.”

The Wolfkith huffed and crossed his arms. “I came to ask if you would join me for a drink tonight. My group and I leave tomorrow morning, and I would love to spend some of this time getting to know you better.”

Len shivered when the other man’s eyes ran up and down his body. He could tell Phelan was trying not to make it look obvious, but failed. He felt a little exposed since he was only wearing his cloak and nightshirt. “I wish you a safe journey back to your home, but I’m afraid I’ll have to decline your request. I’m not in the mood to go out right now and wish to spend time with my friend.”

Phelan bit back a growl when he saw the Vulpkith smirk at him. He stepped forward and smiled at the younger man. “Just one drink, Tegan. Please.”

Len’s left eye twitched, and he shook his head again. “Sorry, Mister Phelan. Maybe if our paths cross again, I’ll agree, but not tonight. Have a safe journey tomorrow.” The Wolfkith let out a frustrated growl and walked off. Once he was out of sight, he let out a sigh of relief. “By the Incarnates, I didn’t think he would leave.”

Dolion chuckled. “Wolfkiths are stubborn creatures. I’m not surprised he stopped by since this is their last night here.”

Len sat back down and wrapped his cloak tighter around him. “I am. I didn’t think he would come by after last time. Guess it’s a good thing Tulip isn’t here. He might’ve gone through with killing her because she’s ‘dangerous’ and will kill me in my sleep.”

“Tulip loves you very much. That damn mangy mutt is just being stupid,” groused Dolion.

Len just laughed as he listened to Dolion complain about the mercenary and his group drinking almost all of the ale and mead at the inn. Even though he still felt tired, Len was happy to spend this time with his friend.

Varrick hummed to himself as he entered the inn. Pushing the hood of his cloak back, he smiled at the woman who walked towards him. “Good evening, ma’am. Might there be a room available?”

The woman nodded with a smile. “Yes, we have a room available! Welcome to Wisteria Mist Inn! Head up to the bar to pay for your room. We also have ale and mead if you need a drink. I’ll get your room ready.”

Varrick nodded and walked over to the bar where her husband was. “Good evening, sir. One mug of mead, and one room, please.” He handed the man some gold coins before sitting down.

“Thank you,” the man said. “What brings you out here in the middle of nowhere? Not that I don’t mind the business, but this area is quite remote.”

Varrick smiled as the man handed him his drink. “I’m waiting for a few people.”

“Waiting for a few people?” the man asked suspiciously. “You’re not here to cause trouble, are ya?”

“No,” Varrick replied. “But I can’t promise there won’t be a loud discussion. They should be here soon.”

The man nodded to his kids to leave before looking at Varrick. “Soon? As in a few hours or-”

The door to the inn opened, and three dirtied, cloaked figures walked in. Varrick didn’t bother turning around and smirked as he drank some of his mead. “Now, unfortunately. I was hoping to finish drinking before they showed up.” He turned to look at the visitors and chuckled when two of them pushed their hoods back.

“Varrick,” the one with their hood still up called out.

The ebony-haired man chuckled. “Thank you for calling me by the right name this time, Prince Regulus.”