Chapter Four
Eda sighed. ``Thank god.''
Raine glanced at her. ``Is everything okay?''
Eda stirred, realizing that she was suddenly back in the moment, standing next to Raine of all people. The thought filled her with both butterflies and an overwhelmingly oppressive amount of anxiety. Part of her was thrilled, a greater part wanted to flee for the hills.
``I'm uh...'' she forced a smile. ``I'm just surveying the damage.'' She whistled. ``Oh boy, someone sure did a number on that redjack table, huh?''
Raine nodded and rubbed at their arm. ``Yeah, security says it was some sort of witch.''
``Eh, probably some reject from the bestiary coven,'' Eda said, winking at them. ``I remember a couple of them from back in Hexicide. They could never hold their apple blood very well.''
Raine snorted. ``Probably.'' They then smiled and motioned towards Eda. ``But where are my manners? You came all the way to see me.''
``Hey, I only came out here because you invited me,'' Eda teased. ``It's uh...'' A little red entered her cheeks. ``It's good to see you, Raine.''
She noticed a pair of security guards starting to approach out of the corner of her eye. The sight of them made her tense as she snapped her attention back towards Raine.
``How about we go get some fresh air?'' Eda suggested, trying to keep the panic out of her voice. ``I just woke up.''
``Just woke up?'' Raine snorted. ``It's two in the afternoon, Eda.''
``Well, you know what they say,'' Eda chided. ``What happens in the Gambler's Den, stays in the Gambler's Den.''
Raine chuckled at that. ``Well, I hope you're not getting up to anything too crazy.''
Thankfully they seemed to take the hint and moved away from the casino floor. Instead, the two of them made their way towards a set of doors that were hopefully an exit.
``Eh, just a little bit of gambling and drinking,'' Eda said. ``They don't put clocks in here so it's pretty easy to lose track of time.''
``Also, it's helpful when you're on a winning streak because you have a couple tricks up your sleeves,'' Raine added, winking at her. ``Right?''
``You know me so well,'' Eda replied.
The two of them stepped outside and onto a cobblestone street.
All along this stretch of real estate were various other casinos, each themed drastically different from the last. It was like someone had taken the last millennia of architecture and vomited it onto a single street.
There was also an endless sea of people with crowds that only the capital could ever hope to rival.
Eda watched as a witch with exotic birds pawned them off on people to take photos. When these tourists were distracted, another bird would then flutter behind them and pick their wallets. It was a scam of such a calibre that it almost brought a tear to Eda's eyes.
``So how goes the new show?'' she asked.
Raine shrugged. ``It's going. The team I've put together is world class so I'm not stressing about it too much.''
``A few more hits like this and you might end up leading the bards,'' Eda teased.
Raine snorted. ``As if.''
A group of tourists crowded around a pedestal with a couple figures standing upon it. They were painted a coppery gold and stood utterly motionless; an impressive feat considering how hot the desert could get. The crowd also seemed impressed to the point that a few snails ended up in a box in front of the pedestal.
Eda was a bit smarter than that, however, noticing that an unpainted duo that looked completely identical to the statues were seated at a nearby bistro. They were idly holding together an illusion while sharing drinks and chatting with one another.
This really was the paradise for every scammer on the isle, wasn't it?
``Mostly I'm just glad they're offering me a gig where I don't need to be on stage,'' Raine said, shaking their head. ``Most of the shows want me to do some sort of violin performance but this one just wants my management skills and a couple pre-recorded acoustic segments.''
Eda smirked. ``Still have stage fright?''
Raine nodded and rubbed at their arm.
``I think that's adorable,'' Eda teased. ``It adds a certain...'' She rolled her wrist through the air. ``Mystique to you.''
``Mystique?'' Raine asked.
Eda nodded. ``This daring rogue of a musician who produces such stunning music but manages to fly completely under the radar. The best viola in the west wielded by a gentleperson who doesn't show their face to anyone.''
``You are far better at building me up then I am,'' Raine teased.
``I mean someone needs to be kind to you,'' Eda shot back as she lightly smacked them on the back. ``And I figure I owe you one for putting this trip together.''
``So, what have you been up to?'' Raine asked.
Eda shrugged. ``Took on an apprentice, been flipping off the emperor, still dealing with...''
She stopped talking, wincing internally. The curse had never really been an open topic between them.
In fact...
``The curse,'' Raine whispered.
Eda nodded.
``I wish you would let me help you with that,'' Raine said.
They looked like they were about to say something else but, in the end, they simply shook their head.
``But... maybe it's best that we just avoid that conversation for now,'' they added.
Eda smirked. ``No reason to squander a perfectly good vacation by worrying about it.''
Raine drew in a breath and their demeanour shifted, a calm smile soon forming upon their lips.
``Is your apprentice with you?'' they asked.
Eda nodded. ``She's somewhere around the city.'' She then frowned. ``I'm uh... I'm actually trying to find her.''
``She didn't feel like sleeping in until two in the afternoon?'' Raine teased.
``She's a bit of a keener,'' Eda replied, chuckling. ``I think you'd like her.''
Raine smirked. ``If she's important to you then I'm sure I will.''
They came to a stop outside of another hotel. This one was pirate themed with a massive ship sitting in the middle of an artificial lagoon. A troop of actors were in the midst of a performance, flying around the vessel upon ropes.
Meanwhile other employees dressed in a similar fashion were interacting with the public. Some simply chatted, others did little magic tricks, and a few also offered runic temporary tattoos.
Tattoos which looked very...
Eda shook her head.
``This city always amazes me,'' she said. ``No idea how the emperor allows it to exist.''
``Money,'' Raine answered.
Eda looked at them and they shrugged.
``The emperor gets a cut of every dollar spent here,'' Raine explained. ``From every redjack table down to every peddler trying to pawn off ice-cold water. I'd imagine that it's quite lucrative for his coffers.''
Eda snorted. ``That sounds like the emperor.''
Raine smirked. ``It does.'' They then stirred. ``Anyways, how about I help you find your apprentice?''
``That sounds like you're looking for an excuse to hang out with me,'' Eda quipped.
Raine chuckled. ``You caught me red handed.''
``Well in that case.'' Eda offered her hand. ``I'd love the company.''
Raine reached out and gently grabbed it, causing both of them to look away and hide their respective blushes.
Early Evening Yesterday
Eda looked around the little interrogation cell, smirking to herself as she did so. She'd spent enough time in Imperial detention centres to find this specific room more amusing than anything else.
Where imperial detention centres would've had shackles and bloodstains, this was just an office with two chairs and a cheap folding desk between them.
Though she supposed that businesses had less of an incentive to try and put the fear of the emperor into people.
The door to the room suddenly unlocked and another masked figure walked in, wearing the exact same attire as all of their colleagues. They plopped down in a chair opposite of Eda and looked at her, narrowing their gaze.
Eda smirked back at them, waiting.
``Do you mind if I remove my mask?'' the figure asked.
Eda nodded. ``Go for it.''
The figure reached up and adjusted their covering, pulling it off and placing it upon the table. Underneath was a burly looking witch with a scar on their cheek and a permanent scowl present upon their weathered complexion.
``Thank you,'' they said before sighing. ``My name is Elliot.''
``Howdy Elliot,'' Eda said, flashing a smile.
Elliot drummed their fingers against the table, tapping them against the thin aluminum in such a fashion that it echoed throughout the room.
They continued to do this, over and over again, allowing the moment to fester. Eda shuffled in her seat, starting to get uncomfortable.
The tapping was just so methodic, so unrelenting, so omnipresent...
``So,'' Eda tried.
Elliot cocked a brow but continued to ceaselessly tap their fingers upon the table.
Tap.
Tap.
Tap.
Eda huffed. ``Is this some strange method of advanced interrogation? Because I'll have you know that Edalyn Clawthorne doesn't crack under pressure. I've outwitted the emperor's coven, I've...''
``Given me your name?'' Elliot asked, tilting their head to the side. ``Eda the Owl Lady. You're wanted in the Capital for a whole lot of crimes, ranging from severe to just downright weird.'' They then snorted. ``But as far as we're concerned, you're only wanted in this city for cheating, pickpocketing, assault, and destruction of property.''
``What about public nudity?'' Eda asked.
Elliot smirked. ``Surprisingly legal.''
Eda hummed and folded her arms in front of her chest. ``I want a lawyer.''
``That would work if we were actually constables and not a private security firm,'' Elliot grumbled. ``You know that we aren't forced to abide by the same rules as those sheriffs around the Capital.''
Eda curled her face in disgust. To think she'd actually gain an inkling of respect for the authorities back home because of this. That was the worst crime of them all.
``Look Eda, there's one rule in this town,'' Elliot explained. ``And that rule is that the house always wins. You can get away with a whole lot in the Gambler's Den just as long as you don't go screwing the casinos out of their hard-earned money.''
``You claim that redjack is a game of skill,'' Eda murmured, letting out a yawn. ``And I merely displayed one of my many skills that could be used to win at it. It's not my fault that this isn't a skill you can counter without resorting to such... brutish tactics.''
Elliot snorted. ``Let me put it this way. We aren't above selling you out to the emperor. In fact, I have it on good authority that Lilith will pay above the going rate if we return you in one piece.''
Eda gritted her teeth together at the mention of her sister. Two emotions came to a head, one longing, the other the cold bubble of rage.
``But we also have room for a conwoman of your calibre,'' Elliot explained. ``All we ask is you help pay off the damages and a few associated costs of your little incident. Then we can pretend like all of this didn't happen.''
Eda smirked. ``I'm listening.''
Elliot nodded and snapped their fingers. Suddenly, the door to the little office opened and another masked guard entered. This one placed some sort of kit upon the aluminum table.
This guard opened it, revealing a whole assortment of tools that could be used for sabotage.
``A neighbouring casino is hosting a brand-new show,'' they explained. ``Apparently being put together by some hotshot bard from the Capital.''
Eda's stomach dropped. ``Oh no.''
Elliot smirked. ``You know him?''
Eda drew in a breath. ``Them. I know them.''
``Right, right, them,'' Elliot said, chuckling as they shook their head. ``Anyways, we want to make sure that this show is a bust. Can't have the IGR Grand one uping us, you know?''
``I know,'' Eda whispered.
``Now, we aren't asking you to kill them or cause any serious damage. All we want is an assurance that no one will be asking for an encore,'' Elliot said. ``You get me?''
Eda nodded. ``I get you.''
``And to make sure that you get me...'' Elliot began.
They smiled and then motioned towards the window, conjuring a quick cantrip. The shudders drew away to reveal three terrified faces peering inside.
One was Luz, the other King, and the third was Owlbert.
``You guys are cold,'' Eda said, trying to keep the defeat out of her voice.
Elliot shrugged. ``We know how to make an honest dollar. Nothing wrong with that, is there?''
Eda could only allow herself a crooked smile. These were con artists of a calibre that she wouldn't dare touch with a ten-foot pole under normal circumstances. It made her sick even thinking of being in the same room as them, watching Elliot's sickly smile.
``Pleasure working with you,'' Elliot said, extending their hand.
Eda looked at it and reluctantly shook it. ``Likewise, you son of a...''
