Chapter 63: Hound


    Yeo was having a particrly bad day. Hed barely made any progress in his cultivation the night before, and he woke with an annoying tweak in his side. Whenever he tried to practice any of his techniques, nothing felt like it came as smoothly or naturally as it had before.


    After several hours of fruitless practice, he threw his hands up and stuffed his weapons back into his belt. For once, he couldnt bring himself to practice any longer, so he headed out to Hounds.


    His favorite booth near the back was already taken, so he flopped into one of the hard chairs and covered a yawn as he scanned through the menu. The restaurant was busier than normal, and it took nearly ten minutes just for the waitress to realize that he was there. She hurried over, handing him a menu and giving him an embarrassed smile.


    Sorry. I didnt realize youd sat down.


    Its fine. I was distracted anyway, Yeo replied, refusing the menu with a shake of his head. Dont need that though. Ill have the blueberry pancakes.


    The waitress winced. Sorry. Were out of flour. And blueberries.


    Yeo scrunched his nose. Figures. Uh the Golden Skewers then? Those sound interesting.


    Of course. Ill have those right out, she promised. The waitress turned toward the kitchen just as another waiter passed by her carrying a pot of tea and a dozen cheese pastries on a tter. He jerked to a halt to avoid the waitress and the tea and pastries pitched off the tter, sshing Yeo. A pastrynded square on his chest and slid down, leaving a trail of cheese.


    The waiter and waitress eyes grew to the size of a goldfishs and they scrambled to apologize, grabbing a napkin and wiping Yeo off as he sat there, a bemused expression on his face.


    Im so, so sorry, the waitress said for what was probably the fiftieth time. She patted pointlessly at his chest with her napkin, not doing much more than smearing the cheese even more.


    At least the tea wasnt scalding, Yeo replied with a grin. He gently took the napkin from her hands. How about that food? Dont worry about my clothes. Ive gotten them dirtier when training.


    The waitress swallowed and nodded, darting off to the kitchen. The rest of the restaurant, many of whom had been watching the exchange with undisguised amusement, finally turned their attention back to their own food.


    Yeo tossed the soiled napkin onto the table and drummed his fingers on the wood. He could practically feel Chances wordless approval. A tinyugh slipped out of his lips before he could stop it. Only Chance would be proud of someone for getting food spilled all over them and not getting angry.


    A shadow fell over his table, and he nced up. A white haired Shikari stood over him.


    Jorgin? Yeo asked. Funny seeing you here, but Im not getting a good feeling from it. Whatever you think I did, I probably didnt do it.


    No, Jorgin replied, sitting down across from Yeo. A faint chill danced over Yeos skin and his eyes narrowed. All the sound from the diners had vanished. He nced to the side, but he already knew what he would find. Everyone was gone. Hed gotten pulled into a Ward, but he hadnt even felt it.


    Yeo locked eyes with Jorgin as the mans eyes changed, turning the pale blue of cold winter ice. Yeo sighed and nodded down to his clothes. Do you really have to do this today? Im clearly a little busy.


    Now is not the time for your buffoonery. There are serious matters unfolding. Perhaps I was overzealous with your team assignment.


    Did you kill Jorgin? Yeo asked, tapping a finger on the table to the beat of a silent song in his ear. I kind of liked him. I hope you didnt.


    The Shikari is perfectly fine. I am simply borrowing his body with the aid of another Cultivator.


    I was going to ask about that. I didnt remember you having any shapeshifting or body control abilities. He wont remember this then, right? If so, mind handing me a gold or two from his purse? He wont miss them.


    Enough, Jorgin growled. There is no need to keep the act up when its just the two of us. It grates on my nerves.


    Yeos face ttened. Id really rather not. What do you want? What does this have to do with my team?


    The Preservation cultivator was deeply involved with Vex.


    Yes, Im aware. I was under the impression that we wouldnt be having any more trouble from him. Yeo examined his fingernails and licked a speck of cheese that had escaped his attention off them. He grimaced. It was too salty.


    The impression was wrong. He hase to Gleam.


    Thats problematic, but I hardly see how it necessitates a visit. I thought we were pretty clear about not talking until the Shikari saw me as a Knight. Youre really ruining my fun here, you know.


    Forget your fun. Vex has partnered with the Bncer, and Yamish is here.


    Yeos eye twitched. What? Yamish is <em>helping </em>Vex? Thats bad. Even if its just a clone.


    Jorgin shook his head grimly. Not the clone. The true Yamish was in Gleam. He is aiding Vex for the sole purpose of exiling Be and his student.


    Yeo couldnt stop the surprise from washing over his face. Impossible. He was teaching Chance.


    He considers this teaching. Yamish cares nothing for the lives of anyone else, and you are now caught in their idiocy. The Shikari will being for you shortly. Yamish has assured me that the trouble will onlyst for several months, but it is imperative that you do not get caught. I am loathe to y my hand at this point, so I would prefer to avoid aiding you if possible.


    Yamish has  wait. You were talking to Yamish?


    He was the one who aided me in temporarily taking this body.


    Why are <em>you </em>working with Yamish? Yeo demanded. Does he know?


    He knows much. I do not know how much. I do not care. He has no interest in you beyond what Chance does. Jorgin pressed his lips together and shoved a finger into Yeos chest. I trust you can see the urgency of this matter. The Shikari have sent an assassin to kill Be and Chance. It is likely that there is oneing for you as well.


    Shit, Yeo cursed, jumping to his feet and pping his palms against the table. When? Where?


    They are not your concern. Yamish has mandated that you avoid interfering with this. He sees it as training for Chance.


    Yeo bit his lower lip and lowered back into his seat. What a pain. Things were just starting to get exciting. Youre sure everything will be fine in a few months? If I have to start all over in another city, Im genuinely going to be furious.


    I do not believe Yamish was lying, Jorgin said with a small shrug. Nobody can know for sure. Yamish cares for nothing but his own goals. Vex was a fool to abide by any terms he set.


    Says the person using one of Yamishs techniques to puppet a body.


    Jorgin winced. It was a favor for Chance, from what he said. I shudder to think who had to pay the toll for that favor. I trust it will not be wasted on you.


    Yeo sighed. Yeah. I got the picture, Sensei. Illy low and then regroup with Chance and Be when they return. Man, this is going to be so boring.


    You could always take it as an opportunity to gain some solo training for your Metal path. I saw you in the tournament, by the way. Very impressive.


    Thanks. I think Im finally getting the hang of it. Much cooler than your stupid path.


    Idiot. Youll use my <em>stupid path </em>if you have any ns of surviving the assassin, Jorgin said, rolling his eyes. He rose to his feet. I will leave. We have spent time enough. Deal with the assassin and escape. I need to return this body. I trust you will be safe?


    Yeo snorted, not bothering to answer the question. Jorgin shook his head and strode out of Hounds. The Ward dropped a few momentster, and sound rushed back into the diner. Yeos waitress nced at him, still wearing a shameful expression on her face.


    Sorry, Yeo said. Pulled into a Ward. Some Soothound was walking around in the area. Got dealt with before I could even find it.


    You shouldnt be the one apologizing, the waitress said. I talked to my manager, and hell be putting your meal on the house today. Ill go get it for you.


    Thats sweet. Thank you. Yeo beamed at her, and she shuffled off to go get a te of greasy skewers from the kitchen countertop. She brought it over to his table very carefully, taking each step with deliberate intention before she slowly lowered the food safely. Please enjoy. Sorry.


    She skittered away, but Yeo had already forgotten about her. He plucked one of the skewers from the te and popped it into his mouth, pulling every piece of meat off and revealing the wooden rod.


    The food was really quite good. Not as good as blueberry pancakes, though. Hed been craving those. He spun the skewer in his fingers and picked up another one, chewing thoughtfully.


    He cocked his head to the side and a faint shudder ran through his body. A grimace passed over his lips and he polished thest of the meat on his skewer off before rising and stepping away from his table.


    An electric current thrummed through Hounds, washing over Yeos body. He let it take him, and everyone vanished for the second time in a few minutes. The door shattered as a ck d man charged into the room, a jagged de in each of his hands.


    If he was surprised to see Yeo already standing, he didnt show it. The man blurred toward him, ck energy covering his weapons as he swung them toward Yeos neck, aiming to end him with a single blow.


    Yeo leaned back, allowing the des to pass just over his nose. The wind from their passing rustled his hair. His hand slipped into his coat pocket and he pulled out a thin ck handle. It unfurled, transforming into a slender de.


    The assassin shed at Yeo again, raising his other sword defensively to deflect Yeos counterattack. Yeo shifted to the side and the de carved past his cheek, leaving a thin line of blood along it.


    No ng ever came from his sword striking his opponents. Instead, there was a wet squelch. The assassin stared down in disbelief at the de protruding from his heart. The de of his sword ttered to the ground, cut into two clean pieces.


    Yeo pulled the de from the man with no resistance. As it left, life slipped from the assassins eyes. His skin dried and grew taut, and he crumpled to the ground without a single drop of moisture left in his withered corpse.


    The de folded back into the hilt and Yeo tucked the strange weapon back into his pocket.


    Forget Gleam. I hope Hounds lets me back in, Yeo muttered. I really liked this ce.


    The Ward copsed, its owner dead, and the door reshaped itself as people reappeared all around him. Yeo plucked another skewer from his te. By the time someone spotted the dead Shikari and the screaming started, Yeo was already stepping out of the door.


    Hopefully, there wouldnt be too many Shikari after him. This was going to put a serious ck mark on his burgeoning fame. Then again, perhaps it was for the best. Every truly famous person had at least one massive scandal lying under the carpet somewhere.


    He vanished into the crowded streets of Gleam, whistling to himself as the screams for helping from within Hounds grew louder.