Chapter 16 - Part 5

Quinn was holding a damp cloth against his bruises. The crushed herbs on the inside of the cloth were helping some, but not a lot. He was done telling the little that he knew to some three or four different Wardens, and now he was just sitting in a chair, a chair that had a long scratch in its back, wondering how this had happened. Blessing had been his friend, a good friend. They had gone on so many missions together, laughed together, drank together, and everything else.

He felt sick. He would have preferred a knife in the gut to this.

Greoche slammed the door, finally getting the last Warden out. They had taken Brode’s body for evidence purposes, along with the other dead men, and so Greoche and Quinn were alone with the blood. The Wardens had even taken the housemaid back to her family. The girl – a young thing barely fifteen years old - had been terrified, telling anyone who would listen how Blessing had tied her up and gagged her. The Wardens looked dark about that, and someone mentioned getting a rope to hang the elf. They all seemed to think he had done far more than the housemaid could make herself admit to.

I had no choice, Blessing had said before being taken away. I have seen what the abominations have done. I joined Tharashk because the Gatekeepers helped me.

You’re dead to me, was all Quinn had told the elf.

Footsteps came from the back of the building.

“I locked that door!” Greoche said nervously. She rooted through a box and produced a dagger. “Well?” she asked Quinn. “Get up, it could be someone else!”

Quinn gave her a disgusted look. She was his boss, and he had never even thought of disobeying her, but his world was upside down. “Don’t you think the Wardens would have found someone if they were there?” he asked her angrily. “It’s someone who just came now.” He supposed he should ready a weapon, be he didn’t care to. He would end up defending Greoche, for one thing.

“That back door is locked,” she whispered, eyeing the kitchen door. Quinn could tell that she was wondering if she had time to go get her crossbow. He could also tell that the woman was not used to the level of strain that she was dealing with tonight.

“I have a key, though,” Delegado said, coming into the room. The half-orc’s face was settled into a scowl, and he was staring at Greoche in a most unfriendly fashion. “What I don’t have are answers.”

“The elf worked against us,” Quinn said, his eyes becoming wet. “He – he let them in. Your friend Thomas and your warforged are okay, though, just in protective custody.”

“The warforged is his own master,” Delegado said, his eyes not leaving Greoche’s face. “But that’s not what I’m asking, I already know what happened to them. I asking Greoche something, and I’m hoping she’ll be truthful.”

“How dare you?” Greoche yelled, baring her teeth as she shook her dagger. “I am House mistress here!”

“Of who?” Quinn asked her, his eyes burning. “Of Blessing? He left. Our housemaid? She’s about to quit. Delegado? I doubt you can order him about.”

“Of you,” she whispered desperately.

“No, not of me,” Quinn said, standing up. “I’m putting in my walking papers and requesting a transfer. I’m also packing up and moving out tonight, whether you sign those papers or not. I have enough coin to spend a night at the inn, and then I’ll start walking.”

“To where?” she asked him with contempt.

“I grew up in Delethorn,” he replied. “So that’s a start I guess. But if between here and there Tharashk wants to send me anywhere else, that’s fine too.” He stared at Greoche one more time. “So long as you’re not there.” He walked away from here. “Delegado,” he said with a nod.

“Olladra roll your dice,” Delegado told him. Quinn was surprised when the half-orc stuck out a hand. He had been half-expecting the bounty hunter to admonish him for insubordination.

“You as well,” Quinn said, shaking Delegado’s hand.

Then Quinn walked back to his room and packed everything he owned, save for a few things that Blessing had given him as gifts. He let himself out the back and did not return.