2. Fenric #2
Maxie shook his head, sending his matted curls bobbing again.
“No, not at all. My parents were always rather supportive and understanding, though not outwardly affectionate. Everything about the day seemed very normal.” His lips pursed, and even his hands balled into trembling fists at his sides.
He remained silent for several seconds, as if replaying the events of his last days at home.
In the end, he released a violent rush of air.
“I don’t even know what I did wrong. No one explained it to me.
I was just tossed into a wagon, bound and gagged, taken as far from the capital as they could traverse over the past week, and then knocked out and buried here.
I don’t understand why here or where here even is. ”
“Pomor,” Fenric supplied, stepping over a deep rut in the road. “It’s a smallish town on the coastline.”
“Oh, thank you. I feel more oriented now. I know where Pomor is, although I’ve not been here before.”
“You’re angry about what happened to you?”
“Very much so. At first, I thought maybe it was all a cruel test of my knowledge and skills. But when I awoke in the coffin, I came to the understanding that their true goal was my death. I have no idea what to do about it though.” Maxie stared at his hands.
“I have no allies, no useful fighting skills, no money. How could I possibly take revenge?”
“By acquiring money, allies, and fighting skills.” Fenric clasped his shoulder and gave him a shake.
“You’re at the start of a road, young pup.
You no longer have rules or family obligations tying you down.
You can do and be anything. Trust me, I’ve been in those shoes.
Thrown out with no real rhyme or reason, not having anywhere to go or anyone to turn to.
I chose to become powerful enough to teach those bastards a lesson.
Get your revenge.” Fenric threw up his hands and grinned at Maxie.
“Or you can say Fuck ’em! and go your own way. The world is yours now.”
There was a tinge of bitterness to his words, but Fenric also remembered the swelling of freedom in his heart.
When the blinders had come off and he’d seen the world for what it truly was.
There was a value in that realization, and now Maxie could claim it too.
It had lightened the load on Fenric’s heart, and he hoped it would for Maxie as well.
“That is incredibly heartening to hear. Thank you so much for sharing your own journey with me.” Maxie walked for another moment before tacking on, “Do you think I can be evil, too?”
“Seriously?”
Maxie’s sweet face split into an even bigger grin, and he nodded at Fenric with unwavering enthusiasm.
Fenric groaned. “We gotta work on your face first.”
Maxie touched his cheek with one dirty hand, his brow furrowing. “My face? What’s wrong with it?”
“No one’s going to take you seriously with your level of cuteness.” And honestly, Fenric doubted the kid could hurt a fly. He just didn’t seem the type who could fight back. Hopefully, he’d learn, though; otherwise, he’d be a dead puppy sooner rather than later.
Glancing up, Fenric realized they had arrived. “Anyway, we’re here.”
“Oh, splendid!” Maxie gazed at the ramshackle two-story house that appeared as if it had once been a home built for a large farm.
However, the farmland had been sold off ages ago to build a few blocks of homes with small yards and freedom from the bustle of Pomor.
It might have been a nice place at one time, but now the blue paint was faded and mostly peeled away.
The roof leaked like a sieve when the rain fell, and there was a nest of pigeons in the attic that were forcing the various families of mice to congregate on the first floor.
The floors creaked and there was a weird smell that never left the kitchen no matter what they cooked.
But the rent was cheap and the landlord didn’t ask many questions, which were their top priorities when finding a place to sleep.
Fenric was eager, too, as he wanted real food in his belly. Someone had cooked, clearly, as even from outside he could smell the scent of meat and broth. Maybe a certain famous beef stew? Fenric could hope.
He put a hand on the small of Maxie’s back and steered him toward the door.
With their group of five, plus the skelebabies, they found staying at the smaller inns challenging.
Mostly because of the skelebabies. Necromancy wasn’t looked upon kindly by the majority of the population.
Renting a house like this on the outskirts was easier. Fewer witnesses, for sure.
He opened the door and only then realized he’d not mentally phrased an explanation to give his party. Oops? Welp, time to wing it.
The door led directly into the main room.
In the front was a scattering of battered chairs and a lopsided sofa they all fought over sitting on since the poor thing still had the most padding.
There used to be a woven rug in front of the sofa, but it had been used to soak up some blood and couldn’t be salvaged.
Right now, they were hoping the landlord wouldn’t notice it was missing.
Candles and oil-burning lamps flickered around the room, illuminating the long, scarred table just past the sitting area and the kitchen beyond. Everyone but Rain was gathered around the table with wooden bowls of stew in front of them. Slices of thick dark bread waited on a platter in the middle.
Upon their entrance, people glanced up to greet Fenric, then visibly stumbled over Maxie.
“I dug up a friend,” Fenric announced, kicking the door shut behind them. “Be nice to the kid; he’s had a rough day. He was buried in a communal grave—”
Rain walked downstairs at that moment, looking over them curiously. “What’s this about a communal hole?”
“Grave,” Fenric corrected with a dry look at his friend. “Anyway, I felt bad for the kid, couldn’t leave him there. This is Maxie, but he looks like a Puppy to me.”
“Hello, and thank you so much for the hospitality.” Maxie shot Fenric a confused look even as he gave a very fluid, court-worthy bow to the others.
Fenric winced, his companions shooting him questioning looks as to whether he’d lost his mind in that grave when he’d found Maxie.
Bowing was definitely fitting Maxie in among the nobility, though there were some merchants who paid to have their kids trained in the manners of nobles.
The young man lifted his head to grace them with the most charming smile. “Goodness me, Fenric. Your friends are all quite stunning.”
Well, he wasn’t wrong there. “Introductions. Starting from your right, this is Hapi—”
Hapi gracefully nodded. Elves usually had Druidic powers, but Hapi was the exception. He looked the part, with his platinum blond hair and crystal blue eyes, but he was a necromancer through and through, which was why this elf had fallen out with his people.
“—Belstrom is the big guy wearing glasses over there. He’s our barbarian.”
Belstrom possessed a beefy build of massive shoulders, strong pecs, and a stomach they could have washed their laundry on.
The only oddity was the slender glasses he wore to make himself appear more intelligent; people tended to just take him for a brainless brute.
His blond hair lay damp around his shoulders, suggesting a recent bath, and he’d not bothered to put on a shirt.
He regarded Maxie curiously but gave a friendly enough wave.
Maxie stared at him with wide eyes for a breath before finally shaking free as Fenric continued speaking.
“That’s Rain.” Fenric motioned to the man who strolled past them and dropped onto one of the empty seats at the table. “He’s the pirate I mentioned. His ship is docked about an hour from town.”
“Welcome, Maxie,” Rain intoned. He rubbed a hand over the dark beard partially hiding the laugh lines around his mouth.
Grey eyes scanned Maxie from head to toe before the corners crinkled as he smiled.
He also looked freshly scrubbed up, with his black hair damp around his ears and nothing but loose-fitting pants on.
“And finally, this is Malfas, our warlock.”
Malfas was by far the friendliest of the group, or at least, the biggest chatterbox.
He looked normal enough on the outside, and handsome, as Maxie had observed.
His hair might be bright red, but he was also blessed with skin that would tan rather than burn.
His apple green eyes made ladies, gentlemen, and majestic monarchs alike swoon.
But, well, the first impression never lasted long.
“Hiya,” Malfas greeted, already waving Maxie in closer.
“Wow, you were buried alive, that really sucks, I’ve been buried alive three times now and it’s not an experience I recommend, especially when you’re cut off from your party and there’s no one around to help dig you up, and yes, I realize Hapi can just revive us if we die, but the dying part still sucks, so I’m glad Fen found you and got you out.
You hungry? Want some food? I made beef stew.
That’s everyone’s favorite, and there’s more than enough for you to have a bowl with us. ”
Fenric was, in fact, pretty sure Mal didn’t need air anymore. He’d said all that without even taking a breath.
Maxie didn’t seem overwhelmed, though, as he sat down in the empty chair next to the warlock. “You’re ever so kind to offer. Thank you very much, sirs.”