Grand Game 252: Restart (Patreon)

I exited the hotel with my thoughts in turmoil.

My conversations with Loken never seemed to turn out the way I envisioned. Once again, the Shadow Power had me questioning what I knew. Was there a kernel of truth behind his words?

Had the ancients been monsters?

I wasn’t sure, but ultimately, I didn’t think it mattered. Whatever the Primes of old had done, I was not them. My path was my own to forge. And despite Loken implying otherwise, I was not doomed to repeat their mistakes.

It was clear the new Powers would not see it that way, though. They would hunt me down if my heritage came to light. Trouble undoubtedly loomed on the horizon. Still, those were problems for another day.

Today, I had cause to celebrate.

I had stopped the mantises from hunting me, and I’d gotten rid of the tracking spell. Both accomplishments in their own right.

Better yet, I felt I was finally beginning to unravel Loken’s schemes. The Shadow Power played a deep game, no doubt, but I got the sense he’d been forced to reveal more than he wished in our conversation, laying bare some of his true motives.

The future looks brighter, I thought.

A grin slipping on my face, I let my feet lead me to the emporium. It was time for some shopping.

✵ ✵ ✵

“So,” Kesh mused as I walked into her office. “You survived.”

I smiled. “You don’t have to sound so surprised,” I said, seating myself across from her.

The old merchant scrutinized me for a moment. “From that foolish grin you’re wearing, I take it your scheme succeeded?”

“It did,” I agreed.

Kesh sat back in her chair. “Well, well. Don’t tell me you actually managed to cut a deal with the mantises?”

I peered at her sideways. “What do you know about it?”

Kesh chuckled. “You told me you were going to see Tartar, and when not long after, I received word that Menaq had entered the city, it was easy to put two and two together.”

I nodded slowly. “I’m impressed. Your sources are better than Loken’s.”

Kesh blinked owlishly. “The trickster? What does he have to do with this?”

I waved aside her question. “How did you find out about Menaq?”

Kesh eyed me speculatively but said nothing.

“If you tell me, maybe I’ll tell you what happened in the meeting with Menaq and Tartar,” I suggested.

“So, you did meet with the Dark Powers?”

I nodded.

Kesh pondered my offer for a moment before answering. “All Powers are required by city law to notify the Triumvirate when they enter the sector. It’s not easy to access the list, but let’s just say… I have my ways.”

“Ah,” I exhaled. I should’ve guessed. I’d known from her Pact with the Triumvirate that Kesh had a cordial relationship with the city’s Powers, but I hadn’t realized the extent of their dealings. “But that still doesn’t explain how you tied Menaq and me together.”

Kesh tilted her head to the side. “You’re joking, right?”

I folded my arms and stared back at her.

“I see that you’re not,” she murmured, then grinned abruptly. “You’re famous.”

My brows furrowed. “What?”

“You didn’t think the mantises’ hunt went unnoticed, did you?” Kesh asked. “You were chased by Menaq’s disciples on multiple occasions, and more importantly, was seen to be chased and escape. It’s not every day that the assassins turn out in numbers on the streets to hunt a mark, you know. Of course, it got people talking!”

My frown deepened.

“For nearly a year, the entire city has been buzzing about the ‘one that got away.’ And the tale has only grown in the telling.” Kesh snorted. “If you believe the gossip, you didn’t slay a handful of assassins but scores.”

“I see,” I said, clenching my fists as I considered the implications of my unexpected infamy.

Kesh’s lips twitched. “Oh, relax. Few know the real identity of the assassins’ mark.”

“That’s good,” I said, not bothering to hide my relief as I looked up. “How did you figure it out?”

“The reports I received from my agent in the Triumvirate citadel made it clear who the mantises were after.” She eyed me for a moment. “I can’t say I was surprised. You always did smell like trouble.” Despite her words, a smile played at the corner of Kesh’s lips.

“Trouble does seem to follow me,” I allowed, grinning back.

“In case you were wondering,” Kesh continued, “your latest escapade has the rumor mill churning again. Word on the street is you slew over a dozen mantises in another daring escape.”

“If only,” I muttered.

“We know better,” Kesh agreed. She leaned across the table. “Now, tell me everything about the deal you struck with Menaq and Tartar.”

Taking a deep breath, I told her.

✵ ✵ ✵

By the time I was done with my tale, Kesh had lost her smile again. “You swim in dangerous waters, Michael,” she said, throwing me a look that made plain what she thought of my scheme.

I shrugged. “I had no choice.” I’d not told Kesh everything, of course. I’d left out all mention of my bloodline and the reason for Loken’s keen interest in me.

“A Force artifact,” the merchant murmured, still musing over my tale. “That is no small matter.”

I’d told Kesh about the heist Loken wanted me to pull off. The merchant’s Pact with the Triumvirate meant she was constrained from sharing the knowledge, and given her own impressive sources of information, I thought she was more likely to discover something of value on the chalice than I was. “Will you look into it?”

Kesh hesitated. “This is not something I would normally involve myself in, but a Force artifact…” She shook her head. “That is worrisome. I make no promises, but I will see what I can find out. Discreetly.”

“Thank you,” I said gravely.

Kesh’s expression cleared. “Now that that’s out of the way, let’s get back to business.” She paused. “I take it business is why you’re here?”

I nodded. “First, though, I want to see Saya’s letters.”

Wordlessly, Kesh handed over the thick pile of missives. Breaking the seal of the first, I scanned its contents.

The letter was unremarkable and contained only an account of the daily happenings in the tavern. From Saya’s colorful—and sometimes quirky—tales, I got the impression that both the gnome and tavern were thriving. Chuckling at some of the incidents she described, I set aside the letter and picked up the next.

It continued in the same vein as the previous one, as did the next dozen or so—except that with each letter, just as Kesh said, Saya’s concern at my continued silence grew.

But that was not all.

In her more recent correspondents, Saya’s tone grew… gloomier, less cheerful. My brows furrowed. Something was amiss. Flipping through the missives faster, I searched for any mention of what could be troubling Saya, but the gnome had studiously refrained from passing on any darker tidings, almost as if she didn’t want to worry me.

“You sense it too, don’t you?”

I looked up to find Kesh watching me, a somber look on her face.

“Something’s wrong,” I stated.

Kesh nodded. “I think so, too, but I don’t know your tavernkeeper well enough to be certain if that’s the case.”

I grimaced in frustration. “Saya doesn’t say what’s troubling her, though. There’s not even the least hint of what it could—”

“Check the last letter,” Kesh interjected.

Doing as the merchant bade, I set aside the rest of the missives and scanned the parchment in question. One particular excerpt caught my eye.

…then there are those who see our enterprise’s success and want it for themselves. You won’t believe some of the underhanded tricks I had to fend off. Disappearing helpers, tainted beer, and food stolen before it could be delivered—the lengths some players will go to is truly shocking! They’ve even taken to intimidating our customers—can you believe it? Don’t worry, though, I have taken steps, and soon, all this nonsense will be behind us.

But enough of that. Let me tell you about…

I folded up the letter with a troubled frown. The mischief Saya had described didn’t sound especially concerning, but I got the feeling she was downplaying the extent of the problem.

The Game seemed to agree, and an alert dropped into my mind.

On behalf of Wolf, the Adjudicator has allocated you a new task: Tavern Trouble! The missives from one of those you consider Pack suggests she needs your help. Aid Saya as soon as possible. Remember that, above all else, the wolf is the protector of the Pack. Guard your kin, scion!

Objective: Investigate the disturbances at the tavern and put a stop to them.

Just how bad are those annoyances? I wondered. If the Game itself was taking an interest, I could not afford to take them lightly. Dismissing the Adjudicator’s message, I glanced at Kesh. “When did the letter arrive?”

“One month ago,” she replied.

My consternation grew. Given the number of missives in the stack Kesh had handed me, I’d assumed Saya was writing more often than that. If I had to guess, I’d say she’d been penning a letter at least once a week. “But that—”

“—doesn’t fit her pattern,” Kesh finished for me. “I agree. I’ve had no contact with Saya since that last letter.”

I blinked. “What? None?”

Kesh nodded grimly.

“You’ve tried reaching out to her, though?”

“I have,” Kesh said. “But all my own letters return unopened.”

My worry ratcheted up a notch. That could not be good.

“It’s what I wanted to speak to you about earlier,” Kesh added. “It’s time we sent someone to sector 12,560 to investigate in person. Do I have your permission?”

“Of course,” I replied absently, then paused as something occurred to me. “How do you correspond with Saya?” The gnome didn’t have aether magic as far as I knew and couldn’t directly receive remote missives.

Kesh smiled. “I have an arrangement with one of the merchants in the sector. I send him my correspondences through the aether, and he delivers them. According to him, nothing is amiss at the tavern.” She shrugged. “But I can’t vouch for him.”

I pursed my lips. “So, the merchant could be part of the problem?”

Kesh nodded. “That’s why we need to send someone to investigate.” She paused. “One of my own agents will do, I think.”

I shook my head. “No. We need to send a fighter. While protected from harm, your agents will not be able to assist Saya if necessary.”

“Oh, I know that,” Kesh said. “I was thinking more along the lines of stationing an agent in the sector as a permanent liaison. I don’t normally open offices outside of Nexus. Still, given the artifacts the Awakened Dead have been finding in the nearby dungeon, the sector may be an ideal location for an outlet.” She paused again. “Not to mention the money your tavern is raking in.”

I blinked. “It’s that profitable?”

“It is,” Kesh replied simply.

I rubbed my chin thoughtfully, taking her word for it. If sizable amounts of money were involved, it was no wonder the tavern was drawing hostile interest. All of which made my own decision easier: this was a matter I would have to address myself. “I’ll go,” I said abruptly.

Kesh eyed me skeptically. “Aren’t you forgetting about the Awakened Dead? You may have rid yourself of the mantises, but that will not stop Erebus and Ishita from hunting you.”

“Oh, trust me, I’m not likely to forget those two.” I paused. “And how do you know them anyway?”

Kesh raised one eyebrow. “You didn’t think I did my research? Seeing that I’m considering setting up an office there, I commissioned a report on sector 12,560. That’s when I learned about the unusual bounty Ishita took out on you.”

“Huh,” I grunted. “I see.”

“But in all seriousness, why go back yourself?” Kesh asked. “Wouldn’t it be better to let someone handle this?”

I shook my head. “I need to set my own eyes on Saya and make sure she is alright. I feel… responsible for her.” It would also be the perfect opportunity to check on the dire wolves.

I was sure Wolf’s task was not just about Saya. It was also a not-so-subtle reminder—not that I needed one—that others in the valley might need my help too.

Kesh was still studying me but didn’t object further.

“You mentioned earlier that the tavern had excess funds. How much do I have to play with?” I asked. If I was going to return to the valley, I wouldn’t do so in haste.

This time around, I would be ready for whatever Ishita’s minions could throw at me—not that I planned on letting them know I was around, but it never hurt to be prepared.

Kesh smiled. “Quite a bit, actually.” Reaching beneath her desk, she retrieved a leather-bound book and placed it between us.

“What’s that?”

“The Sleepy Inn’s ledger,” Kesh answered. “Since you appointed me the tavern’s factor, I’ve been keeping a close tally on its profits and expenses.”

Leaning forward, I peered at the pages as she opened the book. They were filled with flowing lines of numbers, rows upon rows of them, itemizing every expense and transaction.

I sat back. “Give me the highlights.”

Kesh’s lips twitched. “The highlights? After Saya’s last deposit—which was also a month ago, I might add—the tavern has 22,350 gold available in its bank account.”

My eyes widened in shock. “Did you say twenty-two thousand?”

Kesh nodded. “It would have been more, but Saya has re-invested a considerable sum in the tavern, upgrading the building. The renovations are complete now, though, and going forward, the monthly profits should see an increase.”

“How much can I withdraw for my own use?” I asked, still trying to process the extraordinary amount.

Kesh shrugged. “All of it. The money required for the tavern’s upkeep is kept in a secondary account under Saya’s direct control.”

“All of it…” I murmured, bowing my head to think. The Sleepy Inn had generated a shocking amount of money and, from what Kesh said, could be counted on to do so in the near future too. Having access to such wealth would make everything I planned easier—which made it all the more imperative that I lay to bed whatever troubled the tavern.

My plans took shape slowly. I knew now what I needed to do, how to go about raising House Wolf and protect those who depended on me. But before I could finalize anything, there were a few other things I needed to find out first.

I raised my head. “Tell me what you learned about the resistance skills I requested.”