“Oh…” Kaylin said, looking sad.
Vexx glanced over. “Did you not know that?”
“Did you know them?” she asked. “I’m sorry you lost nine friends, Vexx.”
Vexx fell silent, trying to think of something to say. Instead, he just shook his head. By the time he raised it, they were at the outskirts of Cloudbury, the raucous sounds of the market rising up, mixing with the shouts and rhythmic thudding of axes, courtesy of the nearby loggers. His spirits lifted as his boots slapped on the soft cobblestones of Cloudbury itself, a smile filling his face as—
“Hey, Vexxy!”
Vexx stiffened as he glanced over at a huge red bearded logger, an enormous grin plastered on the man’s face. A moment later, Vexx blinked in shock as he recognized the man. They’d just been boys then, but they had grown up together. Before Vexx had been accepted into the magical academy.
“Tad Armstrong,” Vexx muttered. “I guess it’s good to see you.”
“Hah! You don’t have to pretend with me,” he said, grinning over at Kaylin. “Hey, Miss! Has Vexxy told you about all the wedgies I gave him?”
Kaylin blinked. “Is that a fruit?”
“I’m busy, Tad,” Vexx snapped. “I’m a dungeoneer now, if you didn’t know.”
“Oh, are ya?” Tad scratched his beard in thought. “I heard you got expelled from the Magical Academy for doing stuff with corpses.”
Vexx grimaced, glancing at the onlookers around him. “First of all, what I was doing was research, which those cowards were unwilling to…you know what? I don’t have time for this.” He tugged at Kaylin’s arm. “Let’s go.”
“See you around, buddy!” Tad called out as Vexx stormed away towards the tavern, mumbling to himself as he dragged Kaylin along with him.
“I was building on Mistress Sarcafaulantris’s undead investigations,” Vexx grumbled to no one in particular. “Literally making groundbreaking advancements in necrology, and yet—”
“Hey, Vexx?”
Vexx glanced back and let go of Kaylin’s arm. “What?”
“You just walked past the door,” Kaylin said, jerking her thumb back at the tavern entrance, rowdy noises echoing out of it. “And what’s a wedgie? Can I try one some time?”
“Yeah, sure thing,” Vexx muttered, pushing open the tavern door and walking past a party of dwarves engaged in a drinking contest. The air smelled thick here, but it was an improvement on the rank stench of the goblin ear, and Vexx lost no time in approaching the bar counter. A silver-haired elf in rich merchant’s robes finished his order, clasping an iron cup filled with red wine, and then Vexx was face to face with the barkeep.
The older man raised an eyebrow. “So did you get him?”
“What does this look like?” Vexx asked triumphantly, all but tossing the goblin ear on the counter.
Pollander sniffed. “Well, it looks like a pig ear, but it smells like shit.” He tilted his head and poked it. “It’s burnt too. What are you playing at, kid?”
“It’s a goblin ear.”
The barkeep snorted. “Like all the hells it is. Goodman Harolds sells pig ears just like this down on Main Street. If you think I’m going to—”
“I hate to butt in,” a high-pitched voice said, and together, Vexx and the barkeep glanced over at the elf merchant, who was carefully sipping his wine. “But I have a very keen sense of smell. That is clearly a goblin ear, and unless my senses desert me entirely…” he paused and sniffed again. “That’s the left ear. Mountain goblin, from the Lifeless Hills. I’m detecting a whiff of Breithian cave mushroom as well.”
Vexx grinned, nodding at the man. “Thank you!” He looked back at the barkeep. “See?”
The barkeeper nodded reluctantly.
“And also, a hint of juniper,” the elf continued. “And perhaps oak?”
“Ah, that would be the drink, sir,” Pollander cut in. “Aged in oak barrels they are, with a touch of juniper.”
“Oh.” The elf blinked, glancing down at his drink. “So it is.”
Pollander drummed his thick fingers on the counter. “Alright, well I’m glad that rascal was dealt with. Let me get you your coins.”
Vexx nodded to himself, then looked over to see Kaylin appear next to him. “Where’d you go?” he asked.
Kaylin frowned. “Well…if you must know, I went to powder my ears. A bit of freshening up wouldn’t hurt you either.”
Before Vexx could reply, the barkeep had returned and coins clanked onto the counter. “Fifteen, like we agreed on.”
Vexx scooped them up and handed one over to Kaylin, who blinked down at them in surprise. “That’s half?”
“Yes, after you consider the initial investment of course.” Vexx said, looking back at the barkeep. “Got another job for us?”
“As it happens, I do have a job for someone of your astoundingly meager talents,” he said, then glanced at Kaylin. “But you’re not going to like it.”
15
Discount Fashion
Vexx browsed through Market Street, still thinking about the barkeep’s words. Pollander hadn’t been shy about calling the old man who’d put the request in a ‘strange, old creep.’ Still, it was a job…of sorts. And that meant experience along with a few coins. Vexx stuck his hand in his pocket and felt the solid weight of the coins.
My first dungeoneering haul, and here I am about to spend it all.
Kaylin and Vexx had split up to do their own shopping, though Vexx was not entirely sure she’d be safe on her own.
Time to sharpen up my wardrobe, anyway. I left the Magical Academy for good. It’s time I got myself a dungeoneering outfit.
Vexx shuffled through the racks at a cheap vendor, pausing at a white tunic. Or pinkish, anyway, with noticeable splotches. He poked his finger through a tear near the top.
“Gently used,” the vendor commented.
“I see. You took this off a corpse?”
The vendor shot him a look. “Never mind where I took it from.”
Vexx shrugged after a moment. “It’s fine. Doesn’t bother me. I think I’ll stick with black, though,” he said, patting his worn black robes.
The vendor nodded, waving him over. “Come around the back, let’s see what I have.”
Vexx stepped through the musty interior, the aged wood creaking under his feet, casting his eyes in wonder at the headgear around. A sultan’s hat with a peacock feather, a solid steel helmet with a dent on one side, a shimmering magical hat of some strange design. Subconsciously, Vexx ran his fingers through his chestnut brown hair, eyeing a collection of bandanas.
That’s about all I could afford. For now, let’s stick to the robes.
He bent down and stepped into an adjoining room where the vendor was perusing dark-colored robes. He bent down and sniffed a dark purple robe.
“Frost resistant,” the vendor said as he hovered nearby. “This one is also known to boost your proficiency at healing.”
Vexx snorted. “It’s almost summer, and I’m no healer. Besides, purple isn’t black. Get me something that says—” he snapped his fingers and cocked a brow at the shop owner as flames burst from the tip of his pointer finger, “badass dungeoneer on the prowl.”