Kasar awoke that night to a man rummaging through his belongings. Vorza roared and leaped up to chase off the thief. The thief stubbed his toe on the floorboard, and crashed through the window. Kasar almost laughed as the two Devils dashed toward the thief. An audible curse burst through the thief’s mouth as he sped away across the rooftop.

  Kasar chased after, but Vorza stayed behind.

  “Come back!” Vorza yelled!

  Kasar figured he wanted to watch their belongings, but that was why Vorza was there. He could catch up to the thief on his lonesome.

  The thief bounded across the rooftops, and jumped across the gaps in the buildings. Kasar followed, but swore as his footing struggled with the tilings atop the structures. He slipped and slid far more than the thief and soon he wondered if he even caught up, what he would do? He hadn’t stolen anything.

  Kasar halted in his tracks, but the sudden break in motion caused his feet to scrape the roofing off entirely. Down the slant he went. Tiles cracked and shattered as his body tumbled. Eventually he free-fell before crashing into a cluster of tarps and wooden stilts holding up a vendor’s stall. A large plume of dust and splintered wood erupted and Kasar rolled to a painful stop on the cobbled road.

  A groan rumbled from his mouth.

  “I should have listened.” Not the last time he’d say that, he was sure.

  He could hear the drumming of the thief’s footsteps thunder away into the distance. He could also smell smoke. Then shouts and curses. He looked up to see the sky illuminated by some great fire that had spread in the docks.

  Kasar lifted himself off the ground and followed the light. Many of the citizens and sailors alike were roaring over the wall of flames as they spread from ship to ship. The ships groaned and creaked as the masts and sails collapsed one by one. Their magical defenses had been burned away.

  Kasar searched around to see if there was any sign of what had started this.

  “Mages!” cried a man. “Any mages?”

  A few stormed in with flailing arms. Kasar could sense Red magic as water rose from the seas and washed over to douse a great number of ships. However, the damage had already been done. Many other mages and armed mercenaries began searching through the crowd for the culprit. How would they know? What if the culprit was a mage himself? He could have casted and left. Kasar frowned at that.

  He decided to test something. The range with which he could sense the casting of Red. He moved away from the last of the mages that was actively channeling. He could feel his skin prick up to the faintest bit of Red casting. He smiled. He was further to this channeler than he had been to the docks when they’d started burning.

  This arson was no caster that had burned these ships. Kasar would have detected it. He’d already been searching for any signs of the thief sending a spell his way. He chuckled and couldn’t help but feel a bit proud of his deduction. Chin held high, and shoulders spread out, he marched back home once the dock incident had cleared.

  Vorza was waiting with a disapproving look on his face.

  “The fire wasn’t me,” said Kasar. “But it was not a caster, either.”

  Vorza’s brow rose.

  Kasar explained his test and Vorza guffawed.

  “So you have some wits about you. That is good. But keep it to yourself”

  “Why?”

  “As I said, lad. You don’t want to be hired. Not here.”

  Kasar rolled his eyes. “Well, most of the ships in that dock are damaged. But there’s so many more.”

  “I imagine this dock was where the ship we sailed in from was docked?”

  “Yes, it was. Why? Do you think it was Ostrik?”

  “Bah, no! He wouldn’t burn his own ship. Then again, I thought before he wouldn’t jump into the sea to marry a goddess.”

  “So, then who?”

  “Who lost the most from our trip?”

  “The captain!”

  “Vengeance is a fiery thing.”

  “I haven’t seen or heard of him since.”

  “You likely won’t. Likely, he’s already being hunted. Or…”

  “Or what?”

  “We are.”

  “What?”

  “Ostrik has reasons to believe we have done this.”

  Kasar gulped. “What now?”

  “Keep your ears piqued.”

  “Always are.”

  “As they should be.”

  ***

  The next morning Kasar and Vorza went to see Cryppe. He was not in his room when they knocked and when they asked the barkeeper, they received some insults regarding how he’d been uncouth in his honesty.

  “Uncouth in his honesty?” asked Kasar. “What’s uncouth?”

  “He’s a dirtbag!” cried the barkeeper. “You three won’t last long.”

  “Why?” asked Kasar, arms crossed.

  The barkeeper almost bit his tongue with how much he stuttered, his face like a prune, “I should grab that sword of his, and lob it into the sea! I bet it’s him that started the fire.”

  Vorza now grew angry. “You started rumors?”

  “Oh, so it is?”

  Vorza’s fists tightened, but he didn’t say anything.

  “We didn’t do anything,” said Kasar.

  “Sure, sure,” mused the barkeeper, satisfied with the upperhand. “I am sure Asheevi would love to skin alive the fool that burned those ships.”

  “Who?” asked Kasar.

  “You really are daft, you know that?”

  The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

  “Daft?”

  “Dumb!” roared the barkeeper, waving his mug. “It means dumb! Flecks of beer sprayed out. He grumbled as he scrubbed the counters and then the mug. “Get lost! I have nothing to say to you.”

  “You have a lot to say, actually,” said Kasar, a smirk on his face.

  “Don’t be annoying. Scram!”

  “Not until you tell me where Cryppe is.”

  The barkeeper glared at Kasar, his face somehow a darker red than before. “I am going to call my bouncers and they are going to kick you out.”

  “Lad,” warned Vorza. “Let’s go. We can sniff him out ourselves.”

  A load set Kasar in place.

  “Kasar!” snapped Vorza.

  He couldn’t justify standing his ground. What satisfaction was there from this prune of a scammer. Kasar waved his hand dismissively and followed Vorza out the tavern.

  “What now?” asked Kasar.

  “We need money. And we have lost our companion. Ships have been burned and rumors have started just like those fires. Things are looking bad.”

  “I haven’t seen Ostrik and his band yet.”

  “I reckon they may have blamed Cryppe before they blamed you.”

  “We have to find him.”

  “Aye, but also we need a ship. And for that we need money. It’s only been a couple of days and already we’re running into obstacles.”

  “What if we just go right to Ostrik?” asked Kasar.

  “Are you mad?”

  “No, I am daft, I believe he said.”

  “Don’t be smart with me.”

  Kasar chuckled. “I think if we just work for Ostrik and clear our names to avoid trouble, we can get paid by him to go west.”

  “Or we walk into the monster’s den ourselves. And I thought you hated him.”

  “You said we need the money. And if we talk to Ostrik ourselves, he won’t have a reason to distrust us. Why would the people in charge of the arson ever walk right over to him?”

  “Your idea of cunning and intrigue are simple enough to where it might just work.”

  “Cunning? Intrigue? I’m just telling the truth.”

  “Uncouth indeed.” Vorza slapped his back and chuckled.

  ***

  Ostrik sat like a king with his friends seated around the circular tavern table with him. A wide grin on his face shone like mud tainted pearls.

  “To what do I owe this pleasure?” he asked, voice laced with mirth.

  “We didn’t burn your ship,” said Kasar.

  Vorza beside him groaned.

  “Butter me up with some beer before you try to prove your innocence,” said Ostrik, grinning. “What proof do you have?”

  Kasar opened his mouth, but realized he had nothing to say.

  “Don’t worry, Grim,” he laughed. “I do not believe it was you. I believe it was either Dunarik, that bastard, or our old friend Cryppe.”

  “It wasn’t Cryppe either, and you know it.”

  “Do I?”

  “He wouldn’t burn so many ships. Someone could have gotten hurt.”

  Ostrik gave another guffaw and slapped his knee. “You two both are like that. I don’t get why.”

  Rend grunted. “I do.”

  “Do you agree?” asked Ostrik, turning to Rend. Not out of suspicion, but genuine curiosity and amusement..

  Kasulta hissed at Rend.

  “Shut it,” said Rend to the scaly woman. “I understand. I do not agree.” The gaunt faced man looked at Kasar. “You won’t live long. Leave and be done with it.”

  “Cryppe didn’t do it,” Kasar persisted.

  “So Dunarik did,” said Ostrik. “Will you find him for me?”

  “If you find us a way out,” interjected Vorza.

  Kasulta shot everyone a hissing laugh. “You all think we can do that? We don’t have connections. We don’t have a ship. Much of the crew abandoned us the second they realized the sea goddess’s husband can’t do anything to them on land.”

  Ostrik rolled his eyes in apprehension. “I can cut them up just fine,” he muttered.

  “Either way, we shouldn’t exchange words with the likes of you. We’ll find him ourselves.”

  “Or,” spoke a melodic voice. “You work for me.”

  All heads turned to see a dark-oak skinned woman wearing a swashbuckler outfit. A scimitar at her side gleamed with runes. Her face bore a coy smirk and eyes glinted with mischief.

  “Asheevi,” said Vorza.

  “Old man,” she said back.

  “You know each other?” asked Kasar.

  “Devils are good hires,” said Asheevi. Her eyes drilled into Kasar.

  Kasulta snorted and went back to filing her claws. She muttered something about how she was a better hire than the two of them.

  Ostrik leaned forward as if in anticipation. Kasar could tell the energy in the room had flared up with her entrance. Vorza knew her. Ostrik and Kasulta recognized the weight of her words. Rend understood as well, but the gaunt man went back to his book.

  “What’s going on?” asked Kasar.

  “I have a deal but only one party can reap the rewards.”

  Ostrik’s grin widened. He wanted this competition and Kasar felt himself burn with the urge to act.

  “Whoever this arson is, burned a great many cargo ships of mine. One of these ships held a prisoner who I aimed to interrogate. He was seen fleeing in the chaos and now I must find him. Find me the prisoner and claim your reward.”

  “Which is?” asked Vorza.

  “A ship and a crew to sail it.”

  Ostrik slammed his fist into the table. “We’ll do it.”

  “Hold on,” said Kasar. “We don’t need a ship and a crew. We need a voyage.”

  “I do too,” said Vorza.

  “Back home, Vorza?” asked Asheevi. “Tired of adventures?”

  “It’s a young man’s game. I long to see my home.”

  “Trade ships frequent there. It can be done. And you?” she asked Kasar.

  Kasar suppressed the pang of sadness of his mentor leaving. “Mahar.”

  “Splitting with the old dog?” she asked.

  “He has his own road,” said Vorza.

  Ostrik and Kasulta hooted in amusement and cackled to one another.

  Asheevi ignored them. “Very well. I’ll find you both a voyage over if your party succeeds. Two voyages should be far less difficult than a crew and a ship to command.”

  “And if we win?” asked Ostrik.

  “Original reward.”

  Ostrik and Kasulta cheered and slapped the tables and mugs.

  “Why the competition?” asked Kasar.

  “It breeds excellence,” she said. “It is the name of the game in these parts.”

  “We could work together,” Kasar grumbled. “Or we could tear each other apart. But this just risks you not getting what you want. It makes no sense.”

  “Better figure it out then, little Devil.”

  “Why make enemies?” barked Kasar. “It’s foolish.”

  “Watch your tone now.”

  A fire ignited in him. “Give me a reason to.”

  “Okay,” she said.

  And a crossbow bolt found itself lodged in Kasar’s side. How did he not sense the crossbowman? As he fell, he detected him perched. Many others as well. A foolish mistake on his end. That’s all it was. A mistake that might cost him his life.

  Vorza roared, diving forward to catch Kasar. Ostrik and Kasulta guffawed in astonishment and cheer. Kasar saw Rend looming over him and arguing with Asheevi.

  I hope he heals me, thought Kasar.