8. Fenric #2
Seriously, who was this kid?
Shaking the thought off, Fenric picked up the tale. “I was the last one to join. In fact, we connected because of a job. I’d taken one but had no idea how to get there, as it was on the Maveem Steps—you know where that is?”
“I do,” Maxie answered promptly. “The very northern part of the continent, on the western edge.”
“Right. So I had to get up there, but I needed a pirate crew, in essence. Someone who wasn’t on the right side of the law. I saw Rain’s ship in port, a couple of skeletons swabbing the deck, and thought to myself, Perfect. If a necromancer’s on board, these guys can’t be legit.”
Rain laughed, though it was more a cackle, really. “I do appreciate a skeleton crew!”
Malfas joined him in laughter and high-fived him for the well-timed pun.
Fenric just rolled his eyes and kept going. “So, I bought the guys a round of beers and asked if I could hire them to get me up there and take me back. They promptly said yes. That should have been my first sign they’re all idiots, as they should have asked more questions.”
Belstrom snorted as he lifted his tankard to his mouth. “We were wretchedly broke and desperate for work.”
“Oh, now you tell me.” Fenric, remembering the fiasco of their first job together, felt there was not enough alcohol in his glass.
“Anyway, despite the many problems that followed, we hit a good rhythm toward the end and pulled off the job successfully. How, I’m not sure.
But they were so happy with me, they asked if I’d do another job with them, and I—riding the high of a successfully completed job—stupidly said yes.
So, we did another job, and it was somehow even more of a fiasco than the last one. ”
“But it was successful,” Malfas pointed out.
“Don’t get me started. I still haven’t forgiven you for throwing me off a building.”
Malfas threw up his hands. “What? You’re a cat and can land on your feet!”
Fenric smacked the table and leaned toward Malfas across from him. “Ever try to shapeshift midair? No? Then shut your trap.”
Malfas snickered and devoured the rest of his muffin, eyes dancing.
Pure mischief, that one.
Maxie’s eyes grew round with wonder. “Fen, you can shapeshift? I don’t believe I’ve ever met someone who could. It’s a rare gift, correct?”
“It is, and I can. Er, to a limited degree. I can’t do every creature, and I can’t do people. I have about six animals in my repertoire. Anyway, somehow I ended up joining their party, and to be honest, despite living through it, I can’t explain why. Then, of course, I dug you up.”
Maxie’s smile was beautiful in its simple happiness. “I am ever so glad for that. I hope to be a villain like all of you.”
“One of the truly critical first steps to becoming a dastardly villain is to improve your execrative vocabulary so that it can achieve a more desultorious way of speaking to your foes,” Belstrom told him with a pat on the shoulder.
“Your most recent attempts have not flowed off the tongue in a natural manner.”
Rain stared down the table at Fenric and the others, his face scrunched up in question. “Huh?”
“He said Puppy needs to practice swearing,” Hapi supplied.
“Ah. True, true.” Rain nodded. “Your poisoning is coming along nicely. The swearing still needs work.” Of course, as a pirate, Rain took swearing very seriously.
“Oh, is that my starting line? I’ve been practicing all week!” Maxie sat up straighter and touched a bit of ragged cloth to his pursed lips as if he were dabbing away a bit of grease with a piece of fine linen. “What I mean is, bollocks! I’ll bloody swear more, you sister-kissing bastards.”
Laughter erupted around the table and Fenric groaned.
Terrible. Absolutely terrible. It was just a reminder that they were corrupting such an innocent soul.
Then again, being innocent was never a good thing, not in their world.
Better to toughen Maxie up. Turn him from puppy to wolf and give him a much better chance of surviving.
“Still needs work, but we’ll get you there,” Rain promised.
“Now,” Hapi said, “something we should alert you to. We have our own personal quests.”
“Yes, Fen mentioned something about that,” Maxie stated with a bob of his head.
“Most of the time, we all say something to the group as a heads-up before splitting off. And by most of the time, I mean everyone but Mal does this.”
“Once!” Malfas protested with a pout. “I forgot to once!”
“That one time had me slogging through icy mud for two days in bear form, so I have no intention of forgetting or forgiving anytime soon,” Fenric said. “But anyway, if you have something personal you need to handle, just say the word. Don’t feel bad about it.”
A dark shadow passed over Maxie’s face. “I quite understand. I might need to. I don’t…know how to handle certain things yet.”
“It is not a personal failing to not possess all the answers when you feel you need them. This is a sign you need to gain more knowledge or experience on your journey. That is the very essence of life and the human existence.” Belstrom gave him another pat on the shoulder.
Rain cleared his throat and banged his empty wooden tankard on the table. “Attention, E.V.I.L.!”
“Fucking watch it, you muddle-headed pirate! I just fixed this table. I don’t want you breaking it in half already!” Malfas cried.
Rain stuck out his tongue at the warlock and continued.
“Puppy has been with us for more than a week. He’s proven to be a stalwart mate willing to dig in, offering a helping hand when we need him.
He’s also got some serious skills as a poisoner that could help E.V.I.L.
straight to the top of the Villain List and is possibly a budding alchemist. What say you?
Shall we make him a full-fledged member of E.V.I.L. ?”
There wasn’t a bit of hesitation. Each member of their group tossed in their yea vote, bringing a sparkle of tears to Maxie’s bright eyes.
Fenric might have felt a catch in his own throat as pride swelled in his chest. He had a good eye for treasure, and Maxie seemed to be a rare one.
Even if he had been dug up from a graveyard.
“What say you, Puppy?” Fenric asked after clearing his throat. “Will you join our slightly mad, chaotic crew?”
“Yes! Absolutely yes! I vow to dedicate myself to being a valuable member of your team. I will become the most evil, dastardly villain there ever was,” Maxie swore, even as he bounced happily in his seat.
Malfas offered him a soft smile. “You just be you. That’s all that matters to us.”
Fenric nodded. “As a member of E.V.I.L., remember that you shouldn’t feel like you must handle your personal quests alone.
Some of us are more private than others and aren’t comfortable sharing everything, which is fine.
But if you want help with something, all you have to do is ask.
It’s us against the world, young friend.
And we will burn the world before letting a friend down. ”
Maxie gave him a soft, heart-melting smile. “Thank you. I’ll keep that in mind.”
Rain poured some wine into his tankard and shoved it into the middle of the table in a toast. “To Puppy!”
“To Puppy!” they echoed, slamming their own tankards into the center of the table with Rain’s.
Welcome to E.V.I.L., Maxie.