Chapter 449: Dead Ends
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Chapter 449: Dead Ends
Dead Ends
"Who are they?" Ruby almost growled the question, aiming her blade at the man they had cornered.
"I'm sorry! They told me to go this way!" He practically bawled the reply; clearly, he had served as bait, which seemed the extent of his usefulness.
"Kill him if you want," came a cold voice from the darkness. Several people appeared, barely visible; what little could be found was reflected in the steel of their daggers. "He's served his purpose."
"Please don’t," he begged.
"Sod off," Ruby told him, turning around to have her back against Martel's. "What do we do?" she asked quietly, aimed at the wizard.
Despite the situation, Martel's head remained cool. This was a trap for Ruby; his sense of magic had not indicated any golden weapons. They did not realise he was a mage, most likely; they certainly had not come prepared for it. The question was not whether he could win the fight. This handful of thugs were no match for a battlemage, and the constraints of the area might even work in Martel's favour; they stood no chance of evading his spells.
The issue was that whatever Martel did to them, it would be an escalation. If they served a Ninth Lord, and he had to assume so, it would endanger the protection he enjoyed as a Pact-sworn. And who knew what else might happen as a result.
Of course, he could invoke that protection, and they might honour it and simply stand aside. Especially if they realised he was a mage; they ought to know they stood little chance against him. But the Pact did not protect Ruby, on the contrary; she was on enemy territory.
"We run in my direction. Get ready," Martel told her in a whisper.
From either side, they closed in. "Drop your blade, girly, and both of you, on your knees," came the menacing voice from before.
It was difficult to cast a spell behind him, using memory rather than his eyes to determine how and where, but still possible. A wall of flames roared up from the ground, separating the alley. "Go!" Martel broke into a sprint. In the eerie light of his own spell, he saw the confused expressions of the thugs standing in their way, though they quickly recovered, brandishing their weapons.
Thanks to Martel's magic, specifically, which was also why this felt like borrowed time. He had used complex fire spells. Ordinary people might not understand the significance, but some would recognise that meant he was a battlemage. If so, it would not be hard to guess Martel's identity, given the few options. "Yeah. What happens now? You can't really continue investigating."
"No. This is a dead end. Thanks for your help, Martel. Looks like I won't need it again."
For the best, given that Martel suspected his status as Pact-sworn had just become endangered. But he accepted the trade if it meant Ruby was safe rather than what those thugs had in store for her. "Alright. We should probably split up and get out of here."
"Agreed." She gave him a look and a resigned smile.
He preferred that to the smirking kind she usually gave him, though he wished that he might once see a genuine smile from her. "Goodbye, Ruby."
"Take care, wizard."
***
Martel walked home on quick feet, eager to get back to the Lyceum. As expected, nothing good had come of his involvement with the underworld of Morcaster, just like every time before. But he had known this when he made the trade with the Friar, buying Sparrow's freedom.
At least, it was nothing like when he first encountered this part of the city; training and experience had burned away his hesitation, weakness, and cowardice. He had survived numerous fights and ambushes by now, generally for the same reason; people did not understand magic, and despite their fear of his power, they still underestimated it. Or they simply did not know how to counter it, other than putting their trust in gold.
Granted, a couple of times, Martel had needed help; he would have been in trouble against the inquisitor the other night if Ruby had not lent him a hand. That seemed the remaining weakness in his arsenal of spells; he had no good defence against someone wearing gold from top to bottom. Something to consider.
As for Ruby, Martel hoped tonight was the end of it; that things would grow quiet, and she would have no further need of him. At the same time, that seemed foolish to believe. She lived in a world of constant scheming, and in the end, she was not a player, but a pawn. If it came to it, Martel suspected that Lady Pearl would gladly sacrifice Ruby if it meant some decisive advantage in the feuds between the Nine Lords.
Trying not to feel weighed down by it, Martel prepared himself for the inevitability that Ruby would most likely need him again in the future, to protect her. And though he tried to ignore it, some small part of him was not entirely displeased at this notion.
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Chapter 449: Dead Ends
Dead Ends
"Who are they?" Ruby almost growled the question, aiming her blade at the man they had cornered.
"I'm sorry! They told me to go this way!" He practically bawled the reply; clearly, he had served as bait, which seemed the extent of his usefulness.
"Kill him if you want," came a cold voice from the darkness. Several people appeared, barely visible; what little could be found was reflected in the steel of their daggers. "He's served his purpose."
"Please don’t," he begged.
"Sod off," Ruby told him, turning around to have her back against Martel's. "What do we do?" she asked quietly, aimed at the wizard.
Despite the situation, Martel's head remained cool. This was a trap for Ruby; his sense of magic had not indicated any golden weapons. They did not realise he was a mage, most likely; they certainly had not come prepared for it. The question was not whether he could win the fight. This handful of thugs were no match for a battlemage, and the constraints of the area might even work in Martel's favour; they stood no chance of evading his spells.
The issue was that whatever Martel did to them, it would be an escalation. If they served a Ninth Lord, and he had to assume so, it would endanger the protection he enjoyed as a Pact-sworn. And who knew what else might happen as a result.
Of course, he could invoke that protection, and they might honour it and simply stand aside. Especially if they realised he was a mage; they ought to know they stood little chance against him. But the Pact did not protect Ruby, on the contrary; she was on enemy territory.
"We run in my direction. Get ready," Martel told her in a whisper.
From either side, they closed in. "Drop your blade, girly, and both of you, on your knees," came the menacing voice from before.
It was difficult to cast a spell behind him, using memory rather than his eyes to determine how and where, but still possible. A wall of flames roared up from the ground, separating the alley. "Go!" Martel broke into a sprint. In the eerie light of his own spell, he saw the confused expressions of the thugs standing in their way, though they quickly recovered, brandishing their weapons.
Thanks to Martel's magic, specifically, which was also why this felt like borrowed time. He had used complex fire spells. Ordinary people might not understand the significance, but some would recognise that meant he was a battlemage. If so, it would not be hard to guess Martel's identity, given the few options. "Yeah. What happens now? You can't really continue investigating."
"No. This is a dead end. Thanks for your help, Martel. Looks like I won't need it again."
For the best, given that Martel suspected his status as Pact-sworn had just become endangered. But he accepted the trade if it meant Ruby was safe rather than what those thugs had in store for her. "Alright. We should probably split up and get out of here."
"Agreed." She gave him a look and a resigned smile.
He preferred that to the smirking kind she usually gave him, though he wished that he might once see a genuine smile from her. "Goodbye, Ruby."
"Take care, wizard."
***
Martel walked home on quick feet, eager to get back to the Lyceum. As expected, nothing good had come of his involvement with the underworld of Morcaster, just like every time before. But he had known this when he made the trade with the Friar, buying Sparrow's freedom.
At least, it was nothing like when he first encountered this part of the city; training and experience had burned away his hesitation, weakness, and cowardice. He had survived numerous fights and ambushes by now, generally for the same reason; people did not understand magic, and despite their fear of his power, they still underestimated it. Or they simply did not know how to counter it, other than putting their trust in gold.
Granted, a couple of times, Martel had needed help; he would have been in trouble against the inquisitor the other night if Ruby had not lent him a hand. That seemed the remaining weakness in his arsenal of spells; he had no good defence against someone wearing gold from top to bottom. Something to consider.
As for Ruby, Martel hoped tonight was the end of it; that things would grow quiet, and she would have no further need of him. At the same time, that seemed foolish to believe. She lived in a world of constant scheming, and in the end, she was not a player, but a pawn. If it came to it, Martel suspected that Lady Pearl would gladly sacrifice Ruby if it meant some decisive advantage in the feuds between the Nine Lords.
Trying not to feel weighed down by it, Martel prepared himself for the inevitability that Ruby would most likely need him again in the future, to protect her. And though he tried to ignore it, some small part of him was not entirely displeased at this notion.
Chapter 449: Dead EndsDead Ends"Who are they?" Ruby almost growled the question, aiming her blade at the man they had cornered."I'm sorry! They told me to go this way!" He practically bawled the reply; clearly, he had served as bait, which seemed the extent of his usefulness."Kill him if you want," came a cold voice from the darkness. Several people appeared, barely visible; what little could be found was reflected in the steel of their daggers. "He's served his purpose.""Please don't," he begged."Sod off," Ruby told him, turning around to have her back against Martel's. "What do we do?" she asked quietly, aimed at the wizard.Despite the situation, Martel's head remained cool. This was a trap for Ruby; his sense of magic had not indicated any golden weapons. They did not realise he was a mage, most likely; they certainly had not come prepared for it. The question was not whether he could win the fight. This handful of thugs were no match for a battlemage, and the constraints of the area might even work in Martel's favour; they stood no chance of evading his spells.The issue was that whatever Martel did to them, it would be an escalation. If they served a Ninth Lord, and he had to assume so, it would endanger the protection he enjoyed as a Pact-sworn. And who knew what else might happen as a result.Of course, he could invoke that protection, and they might honour it and simply stand aside. Especially if they realised he was a mage; they ought to know they stood little chance against him. But the Pact did not protect Ruby, on the contrary; she was on enemy territory."We run in my direction. Get ready," Martel told her in a whisper.From either side, they closed in. "Drop your blade, girly, and both of you, on your knees," came the menacing voice from before.It was difficult to cast a spell behind him, using memory rather than his eyes to determine how and where, but still possible. A wall of flames roared up from the ground, separating the alley. "Go!" Martel broke into a sprint. In the eerie light of his own spell, he saw the confused expressions of the thugs standing in their way, though they quickly recovered, brandishing their weapons.Thanks to Martel's magic, specifically, which was also why this felt like borrowed time. He had used complex fire spells. Ordinary people might not understand the significance, but some would recognise that meant he was a battlemage. If so, it would not be hard to guess Martel's identity, given the few options. "Yeah. What happens now? You can't really continue investigating.""No. This is a dead end. Thanks for your help, Martel. Looks like I won't need it again."For the best, given that Martel suspected his status as Pact-sworn had just become endangered. But he accepted the trade if it meant Ruby was safe rather than what those thugs had in store for her. "Alright. We should probably split up and get out of here.""Agreed." She gave him a look and a resigned smile.He preferred that to the smirking kind she usually gave him, though he wished that he might once see a genuine smile from her. "Goodbye, Ruby.""Take care, wizard."***Martel walked home on quick feet, eager to get back to the Lyceum. As expected, nothing good had come of his involvement with the underworld of Morcaster, just like every time before. But he had known this when he made the trade with the Friar, buying Sparrow's freedom.At least, it was nothing like when he first encountered this part of the city; training and experience had burned away his hesitation, weakness, and cowardice. He had survived numerous fights and ambushes by now, generally for the same reason; people did not understand magic, and despite their fear of his power, they still underestimated it. Or they simply did not know how to counter it, other than putting their trust in gold.Granted, a couple of times, Martel had needed help; he would have been in trouble against the inquisitor the other night if Ruby had not lent him a hand. That seemed the remaining weakness in his arsenal of spells; he had no good defence against someone wearing gold from top to bottom. Something to consider.As for Ruby, Martel hoped tonight was the end of it; that things would grow quiet, and she would have no further need of him. At the same time, that seemed foolish to believe. She lived in a world of constant scheming, and in the end, she was not a player, but a pawn. If it came to it, Martel suspected that Lady Pearl would gladly sacrifice Ruby if it meant some decisive advantage in the feuds between the Nine Lords.Trying not to feel weighed down by it, Martel prepared himself for the inevitability that Ruby would most likely need him again in the future, to protect her. And though he tried to ignore it, some small part of him was not entirely displeased at this notion.
