Chapter 3374: Odd Pairings (Part 1)

"Oh boo-hoo, you snooze you lose." Zinya clicked her tongue. "Solus had her opportunity and missed it. Like it happened with me and Zogar. He’s always been surrounded by better women than me, but they never cared for the man, only for his status.

"While they fawned at his Archmage robe, I listened to his stories and enjoyed his company. They love what he does, I love who Zogar is. I made my move just like you did and thank the gods he chose to spend the rest of his life with me.

"If those vixens hate me, it’s their problem."

"He wasn’t surrounded by women better than you, Zin, just richer and younger." Kamila replied. "You are a wonderful person and Zogar is a man smart enough to appreciate it."

"Don’t try to switch the focus on me." Zinya took the compliment but didn’t relent. "Does Ripha act as one of those mothers-in-law from hell?"

"Not at all. As I said, we barely talk." Kamila shook her head. "She’s always polite and thoughtful, especially around the kids. Who knows, maybe it’s all in my head."

"Speaking of kids, how do you feel about… you know?" Zinya asked.

"I’m not going to lie I was scared at first but now I’m actually excited by my second… job." Kamila turned around, beaming with a smile. "I feel happier by the day and can’t wait for the… paycheck."

"I’m glad to hear but are you sure it’s not just because of the confidence boost that comes with the job?" Zinya, instead, turned worried. "What if once your contract ends you get depressed again?"

"Gods, let’s hope not." Kamila sighed. "At least this time I know the signs and can ask for help. Believe me, I don’t plan on renewing the contract until the day I die. That said, all this walking made me hungry. Ice cream and hot tea?"

"That’s another odd pairing that works great." Zinya took her sister by the arm and walked together toward the nearest green area for a picnic.

Ashtar of Lutia didn’t miss the grace of the two women or the value of their jewelry. Even with humble dresses, Kamila never took off the silver moon pendant Lith had gifted her while Zinya always wore Vastor’s betrothal gift, a golden ring with a pink diamond.

’Those things alone would be worth the risk but those women are also loaded!’

Ashtar thought.

In his time as a pickpocket he had learned to recognize when someone looked at merchandise they couldn’t afford. Those people were often sad and dreamy whereas Zinya and Kamila studied the various luxury goods with the same expert eyes of someone handpicking ripe fruits at the market.

Not only could they afford it, they also knew their stuff.

’The only problem is the dog and how smart it is. Maybe I can lure it away with some food and-’

Ashtar knew how to blend with the crowd.

On top of that, he was observing his marks from a safe distance yet the "dog" was staring at him.

It wasn’t the spark of intelligence in the animal’s eyes that froze Ashtar to the bone but its lips curling up in a cruel smile that extended to his eyes. Tezka smiled like a kid ready to rip off the wings of a butterfly he had just caught. Like no dog should.

Ashtar found himself covered in a cold sweat, incapable of breaking eye contact. By all accounts, the wolf-fox had to look up to the pickpocket but Ashtar felt like it was looking down on him.

Like Ashtar looked at ants, assuming he noticed them in the first place.

As the two women moved away, the fox-wolf followed them, breaking the spell.

’Thank the gods.’

Ashtar wheezed, his knees weak and his muscles burning from the prolonged tension.

’I don’t know what that thing is, but enough work for today. Maybe it’s time I find myself an honest job. Lutia is too dangerous.’

With such thoughts running through his mind, Ashtar left the crowd and disappeared into one of the side alleys.

Great was his surprise when he bumped into its shadows and discovered they were rock hard.

"Thanks, kid. I needed the distraction." The shadows took the form of a humanoid single-tailed fox over three meters (10’) tall whose broad shoulders almost grazed against either side of the alley.

"I didn’t do anything! I’m innocent!" He tried to scream but his voice came out as a low-pitched whine.

"Because I didn’t let you." The snout of the creature split into an all too familiar smile that twisted Ashtar’s stomach into a knot. "Also, we both know you’re not innocent."

"I’ll change! I’m changed!" He fell on his knees, looking the creature in its eyes and recognizing its mocking gaze. "I’ve abandoned crime. I’ll turn myself in!"

"Too bad I don’t believe in second chances." Tezka’s mouth widened, swallowing the pickpocket whole. "Be them a flea or a Guardian, no one looks at what’s mine like that without paying the price."

***

Lith’s house, the following day.

The visit to Lutia had strengthened the bond between the Verhens and their community. For the kids, it made them feel at home again after the confusing and unsettling days that had followed Lith’s disappearance.

For Raaz, it meant returning to tend his beloved land and forgetting about the most recent trouble that had befallen his family. Magic brought many wonders into his life and that of his family but it seemed to come at the price of chaos.

For Elina, instead, it had made her realize the burden of carrying a noble name for the first time in her life. She felt guilty for the shopkeepers tricked by her impostors and was appalled by how much authority her words carried.

Local soldiers obeyed her even when she was just expressing a thought out loud, not issuing a command.

’I almost got that poor man arrested for wearing that horrible waistcoat.’

She shuddered at the thought.

’When I said it was a crime against fashion, I didn’t mean literally!’

Elina had woken up early and was making breakfast for everyone. Cooking always helped her to relax and clear her mind.

"Good morning, Elina." Ripha walked out of Lith’s room. "Need an extra pair of hands?"

"Sure. I can always use help and company." Elina nodded.

Actually, seeing a woman that young and beautiful other than Kamila coming out of her son’s bedroom in the morning creeped her out quite a bit. The resemblance with Solus only made things creepier.

"I must warn you. I’m good company but a terrible cook." Menadion sighed. "The gods know if I tried but even when Threin was alive we had to buy our food most of the times. Continue reading on

"Wasn’t he a good cook?" Elina had heard such stories from Solus already but didn’t want to cut the conversation short.

"If it wasn’t something more complicated than a soup or a stew, sure, but only if I checked the pots first. That airhead often left paint everywhere, to the point we all developed poison resistance." Menadion chuckled at the memory.

"For everything else, it was a contest about who could perform worse and even though I was usually the winner, that didn’t make his cooking less disgusting."

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