《Fearshaper [Slow-burn progression fantasy] [Cultivation of Fear]》 Chapter 1: Nightmares of Ice Reserve system analysis commencing¡­ Prison breach detected. Threat level: SIGNIFICANT Threat threshold reached. Directive to the Weaver¡­ Authorise the immediate deployment of [Legendary] and [Mythic] guides from the receptacle. System message: Directive executed. Directive to main system¡­ Unseal the [Archcity of Time]. Upon reaching Threat Level: EXTREME ¨C unseal the [Archcity of xxxxxx]. Error: Main system offline. Requests unsuccessful. Sending message to Elucidor¡­. Fearshapers. Insanity stirs. Descend, or perish. Error: Main system offline. Message unsuccessful. --- Shiver watched quietly from a rooftop as the carriage rolled down the cobbled streets of Brimstone, the Archcity of Flame. She noticed flickers in the shadows beneath her, a motley gang of muggers and thieves waiting to pounce on their prey. One of the shadows strode into the light, in the path of the oncoming carriage. She licked her popsicle in anticipation. ¡®Ho there! Out of the way!¡¯ The driver, anxiously noticing that the man had no intention of moving, pulled on the reigns of his horses calling them to an abrupt stop. ¡®What is the meaning of this? You are interrupting the official business of House Flora!¡¯ The hooded interloper picked his nose nonchalantly, flicking a hardened ball of snot at the driver. Shiver hummed as she admired his nonchalance. She recognised him as Dag ¨C short for Dagger ¨C the local ringleader of the slum¡¯s finest. ¡®I just so happen to be on official business too, my good man.¡¯ The driver glanced apprehensively at the flickering shadows lining the street. ¡®Who sent you?¡¯ Dag smiled and bowed. ¡®My wallet of course. It¡¯s in dire need of some funds and you know how harsh a mistress it can be sometimes; I hope you¡¯ll forgive me.¡¯ Shiver sniffed ¨C taking another lick of her popsicle. ¡®Hmm¡­ I¡¯d give him a 4/10. He should talk less and stick to the nose-picking.¡¯ The hooded man burst into action, drawing a sword from his overcoat. His accomplices around him closed in on the carriage from all sides. The driver however, having fully appreciated his predicament, relaxed, strangely calm. He tapped his cane twice, on the floor of the carriage. Two men burst forth from within, garbed in strange armour. Shiver¡¯s eyes widened, this was way above Dag¡¯s paygrade. Their armour looked like a living, writhing mass of dark brown vine and root that encircled their bodies. Each tendril was as thick as her arm. The armed guards extended their hands towards the oncoming muggers, and vines shot outwards from their armour in every direction, spearing them through multiple points in their torsos. The driver, seemingly prepared, whipped at his reigns and sent the carriage straight into the hooded mugger. Shiver winced as she witnessed the trampling. ¡®Oh come now, his line wasn¡¯t that bad.¡¯ She sprung lithely into action, leaping for the building opposite her while keeping her eyes on the escaping carriage. As she caught the edge of the roof, her popsicle fell into the darkness below. ¡®I¡¯m sorry Mr Popsicle, looks like I won¡¯t get to finish you this time.¡¯ She stared forlornly into the darkness below. Anyone who happened to catch a glimpse of her expression might have assumed that she had lost a dear friend. Shiver would tell you that she had. Flipping dexterously onto the roof, her eyes trailed after the carriage and noticed a small shadow running across the rooftops in chase. It seemed like she wasn¡¯t the only one that had sniffed out a potential haul. In contrast to her own practiced, swift and silent steps, the figure awkwardly leapt over chimneys and fought to keep up with the carriage. Shiver adopted a pensive expression. ¡®Hmm¡­ You don¡¯t look like a popsicle¡­ But I¡¯ll bite.¡¯ Silently trailing the figure, Shiver noticed that the carriage had come to an abrupt stop close to the city¡¯s bustling night market as it rounded the corner. A hooded figure ¨C the second one that night ¨C exited the carriage, a bag clutched in his arms, out of sight from the pursuing thugs that had yet to catch up to the carriage. As he walked calmly towards the market, the carriage having resumed its furious passage through the streets. It¡¯s serving as a distraction. They don¡¯t have cause for worry ¨C Dag and his thugs don¡¯t pose a threat to them. Yet¡­ it looks like they aren¡¯t taking any chances. Her eyes glinted in the melding of golden and silver moonlight cast by Elucidor¡¯s twin moons ¨C Idriel and Valefor. It was a rare night that the Archcity was not enshrouded by a blizzard. The man hooked the bag to his belt, casting a furtive glance behind him. The lack of oncoming pursuers made him visibly relax, and he shifted his attention to the bustling night market he found himself in. Shiver chuckled softly. ¡®Go get him, little firefly.¡¯ As if obliging, the small shadow crouched on the rooftops with her leapt clumsily down into the streets below. Her fall revealed mousey brown hair tied into clumsy pigtails. She disappeared into the mass of people roiling about in the night market. Shiver smirked as she stretched lazily, giving up on the chase. ¡®Not bad, not bad¡­ I wonder what they were carrying. Now where did Mr Popsicle fall¡­¡¯ --- Blaze anxiously clutched the bags she had pickpocketed as she made her way down another one of Brimstone¡¯s alleyways. She was drawing close to the orphanage and her cheeks were flushed with the rush of pulling off her first successful theft in a while. Not to mention, one of the bags she was holding was heavy, and clinked with the telltale sign of gold. She couldn¡¯t wait to examine the goods. She slowly opened the door, entering the orphanage. She sighed in relief as the door softly clanked shut behind her. She let out a little yelp and hopped, fist pumping in the air. I¡¯ve done it! My first successful solo heist- Her thoughts of glory were interrupted by a familiar chuckle. ¡®I¡¯m impressed little firefly, you did well. But a good heist is nothing without some feedback.¡¯ Feedback. If there were two things that a young orphan in Brimstone¡¯s lower circle feared, it was starvation, and feedback. Blaze froze, her head whipping towards the dark corner from which the voice had originated. Her breath caught as her eyes adjusted to the dark. She made out Shiver¡¯s characteristic cerulean irises, the colour of snow in a thunderstorm. Or at least, ¡°snow in a thunderstorm¡± was how the older orphan had dramatically phrased it. Blaze thought it was a stupid description. In her humble opinion, the colour of snow didn¡¯t change whether it was in a thunderstorm or not. ¡®The first thing you did well ¨C you noticed those muggers and laid low. You escaped even my keen eyes, initially.¡¯ Shiver¡¯s eyes sparkled in the meagre candlelight as she drew closer. ¡®You also used your knowledge of the city roofs to your advantage to cut across to the carriage as it made its way around. Even waiting for your mark to grow more relaxed before you emerged, taking advantage of his complacency. Very impressive.¡¯Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! Blaze pouted as Shiver extended a hand to ruffle her messy and sweat-slicked hair. ¡®Lastly, you weren¡¯t fixated on the carriage and identified the passenger with the real goods.¡¯ Blaze shone with pride at the older orphan¡¯s glowing review. ¡®Did you see how I pickpocketed him? He had no idea! He was staring at Madam Knifely¡¯s bosom when I made the pass, silly man. I got both of his bags!¡¯ Shiver nodded knowingly, despite having seen absolutely none of it. She¡¯d been too busy attempting to retrieve her crucial artefact. The popsicle. Exhibiting a dexterity far beyond that of poor Blaze, she snatched the bags out of her hands. The first was made of a rich purple velvet and clunked with the sound of gold and silver. The other was a small, nondescript brown bag. The one he had hooked to his belt, assuming it would have been more secure as he braved the bustle of the market. It had hardly any weight to it, and as Shiver peeled back the edges, she caught a familiar, welcome scent. ¡®However, there were a couple of things that you failed to do. You didn¡¯t take care to notice whether there was anyone up on the roof with you. You also made a racket climbing down from that roof, you were lucky that Dag¡¯s bunch had been taken care of by those guards.¡¯ Blaze¡¯s mood immediately dampened as her spoils were taken from her. The older orphans often exacted a tax when they caught the younger ones stealing. It was all for ¡°their own good¡±, after all. An orphan who couldn¡¯t steal wouldn¡¯t last very long on the streets. Constructive criticism, they called it, which usually followed the ¡°feedback¡±. Constructive for their wallets, maybe. Shiver was the closest thing to an older sister to Blaze. She was her older sister, even if not by blood. Which meant she was especially hard on her when she caught her. Shiver¡¯s mischievous smile gleamed in the candlelight. ¡®See¡­ I¡¯m in a particularly poor mood tonight. You won¡¯t believe what happened.¡¯ Blaze¡¯s shoulders shrunk further. ¡®I dropped Mr Popsicle while I was trailing you¡­ and I couldn¡¯t find him anywhere! A true tragedy¡­¡¯ Shiver dropped the purple sack of gold coins, catching it deftly with her boot on the way down. She laid it down softly before its fall reverberated throughout the orphanage. Blaze¡¯s eyes widened. ¡®Good thing he had some chocolate on him. Off you go now.¡¯ She gave Blaze a wink as the little girl blinked, stunned at her good fortune. Then she broke out into a bright smile that did her moniker justice. Grabbing up the bag of gold protectively, the little urchin scuttled off to deposit it in her very secret spot. Shiver hadn¡¯t the slightest clue where she could have stashed it. It certainly wasn¡¯t lodged in the space between her bed¡¯s headboard and the wall¡­ that would be preposterous. Shiver chuckled. Then her smile abruptly flattened, as she heard a door creak. The matron of the orphanage had entered the room. ¡®Mother.¡¯ ¡®Shiver, there¡¯s no greed to greet me so¡­coldly.¡¯ Shiver rolled her eyes. ¡®You know, we have plenty of food here and a bed for you as well. I know what you do for the little ones.¡¯ Mother Ventra, was a portly, short woman ¨C the very picture of a friendly grandmother. But her eyes revealed the characteristic glaze of a Tranquillity addict. ¡®Now I know that you don¡¯t like Tranquillity, but a little now and then would go a long way. You don¡¯t have to force yourself to face your Fear lik-¡¯ Shiver¡¯s eyes burned as she glared at the orphanage¡¯s matron. She clenched her fists, her nails biting into her palm. ¡®You¡¯re still giving Tranquillity to the children.¡¯ ¡®Only when they need it. Not everyone is as¡­ resilient in the face of their Fear as you are.¡¯ ¡®Do I need to remind you of the risks, oh mother?¡¯ ¡®Still preferable to Insanity. Shiver-¡® Shiver chose not to dignify her excuses with a response, roughly brushing past her to exit the orphanage, back into the night. --- The cold. Brimstone, despite its name, was surrounded by it. The Archcity of Flames was bordered by mountains of towering ice ¨C the Verscallian Peaks, situated at the heart of the Winterlands. Home to the plentiful mines that House Brimstone derived their vast fortune from. The Archcity was built into a dormant volcano, reflecting the folly and arrogance of one of the great elven houses. Squat buildings of dark blue stone peppered the city¡¯s slums. They stood in stark contrast to the elegant and imposing structures that layered the city¡¯s upper circles. Aqueducts of lava flowed down from the upper circles to the slums, supplying warmth to the city¡¯s residents in their homes and along the city¡¯s streets. The lava flowed underneath cobbled pavement through the city¡¯s ingenious lavaways, feats of ancient engineering that the city¡¯s brightest minds had failed to replicate. Warmth was not denied even to the slums. Shiver walked along warm, cobbled stone, lava peaking out from the glass-like substance that sealed the stones together, separating the surface from the lava beneath. She loved the way the orange hues melded with the dark-blue tones of the city. Crouching out of the sewers through her secret exit from the city, Shiver was immediately met with a gust of cold wind, in stark contrast to the warmth of the city. In response, her heart raced with anxiety, her vision tinged red and she was overwhelmed with a sense of claustrophobia. She was revisited by a familiar terror. Her Fear. She yawned, lazily scratching an itch on her neck. Her Fear had always been more pronounced after enjoying the comfort of warmth. Trudging through the snow, Shiver¡¯s heartbeat began to escalate with each stride. In the peripheries of her vision, she saw flickers of movement. Denizens in the snow, waiting for her to trip. They came in various sizes and forms. Most took on the form of nondescript ice shades, with fingers like razors. More recently, they had begun to resemble people she knew, blood dripping from frozen orifices. Shiver looked their way, giving them a merry wave. As she approached the dark forest which bordered the city, she took her usual route through the trees, towards her grand residence ¨C a cave nestled in the nook of a mountain. As she nonchalantly walked into the dark, her Fear continued to torment her. She saw herself in the shadow of the cave before her. Frozen solid, eyes bloodshot, limbs lost from hypothermia. Her cadaver¡¯s face was stretched in a rictus of a grin. ¡®You look pleased to see me. Are you Mr Popsicle¡¯s replacement?¡¯ Her frozen caricature made no response, its eyes moving to meet her own. She sighed, leaning against cave wall, guarded from the icy gale outside. She reached her hand into the small brown bag, fingers coming into contact with the chocolate. ¡®Only a single piece?¡¯ She turned it over, her face pulling into a grimace as she realised that it was mouldy. An audible protest erupted from her stomach. Looking further into the small cave, she examined her meagre possessions. A thin sleeping roll, a bag of coins beside it ¨C magnitudes smaller than the pouch Blaze had stolen ¨C and some mouldy bread. A choice between mouldy bread, or a single piece of chocolate. With a sigh, she chose the bread, sequestering the chocolate back in her pouch. Who said beggars couldn¡¯t be choosers? ¡®I¡¯ll save you for next time.¡¯ Taking a bite of the damp loaf with a wince, Shiver closed her eyes and settled into her sleeping roll. In place of the respite of sleep, came familiar nightmares of ice. --- Silas walked through one of the dark corridors of Brimstone Manor, ignoring the bodies that hung from the ceiling. They were suspended by thin, almost imperceptible silver strings. It had been many years ago, when he had first visited the toyshop with his mother and sister as a young boy. His mother had doted on his sister, who had whined for a new doll. He remembered being jealous of how his parents spoiled Silvena. On that day of their visit, however, they both gained something from the toyshop. His sister, a beautiful doll, and him? With a Fear. The puppets turned their heads to trace his route through the corridor. They dripped in viscera, and his steps left bloody footprints that only his eyes would perceive. His family was strung up before the entrance to the Highlord¡¯s door. They stared at him with empty eyes. Silas paid them no heed. He knocked on the door. ¡®Highlord Berevan, a moment if you please.¡¯ ¡®Silas. Enter.¡¯ Silas entered the office of the Highlord of the Brimstone family in the middle of the night. The Highlord sat at a simple wooden desk, an elegant metal pen in hand. His humble desk stood in stark contrast to the beautifully furnished room around him. He was, for as long Silas had known him, a practical man. A humble and kind leader, devastatingly competent in matters of lordship and life alike. ¡®The package from Flora was intercepted, my lord. Five dead and ten incapacitated in the theft.¡¯ The Highlord rose with a heavy sigh. He was a burly man, sinewy muscle evident through the light shirt that he wore, exposing a hairy chest. Stroking his beard, he walked to the sole window in his office, which spanned almost the entirety of the wall. Silas, who had served the Brimstone family since had had been just teenager, knew the mansion like the back of his hand. He also knew that the window was supposed to provide an excellent view of the city circles beneath them. Instead, it depicted a beautiful garden, with a quaint cottage sitting in the middle, the entire scene bathed perpetually in gentle, golden sunlight. The work of Fearshapers from Somnolence, the Archcity of Dreams, at the request of Highlady Appella. A reminder of her home. The Highlord turned, to face him, his eyes tinged with a red glow. As he walked closer to Silas, he noticed the hazy patches that surrounded the Highlord, a result of the heat created by his aura. Accompanying the sight, was a wave of warmth that burned uncharacteristically hot, betraying the Highlord¡¯s barely suppressed frustration. Silas felt his sweat surface in response. ¡®With so many dead, I¡¯m surprised the theft was successful.¡¯ Silas nodded. ¡®Flora¡¯s Knights of the Dreadwood dispatched the thugs, they were not the ones who stole the package. Lord Semille left the carriage in the hopes of losing them in the night market while they gave chase. He believes he was pickpocketed.¡¯ ¡®Lord Semille Flora¡­ the worst of her children to have been entrusted with this responsibility.¡¯ ¡®Also, the one least likely to question. The most, expendable.¡¯ ¡®Indeed, Silas. I¡¯m certain his rush was driven by an urge to visit the pleasure houses, rather than by his commitment to his mission. And the thief?¡¯ Silas frowned, ignoring the bloodstained wires of silver that crept into the peripheries of his vision. ¡®It was the handywork of an orphan by the name of Blaze. Mother Ventra offered me the information in exchange for an agreement to¡­ subsidise her Tranquility purchases.¡¯ The two exchanged a glance, their discomfort clear. Many of the orphans in the slums had particularly acute Fears ¨C which were, putting it lightly, difficult to manage. The matron was cooperative and ensured that her charges stayed away from crimes of a more egregious nature. It came at a cost. ¡®She informed us that Blaze had stolen Semille¡¯s gold pouch, reporting on other spoils. It¡¯s quite possible that our package was stolen by someone else during his venture into the market.¡¯ ¡®Or, it could have been taken after the theft.¡¯ Berevan nodded to him, and he felt the heat of the Highlord¡¯s aura intensify again. ¡®I know that you think him an incompetent, hedonistic bastard, Silas. But do not underestimate Semille¡¯s cruelty. Should he find out that he was thwarted by an orphan of all things, we are certain to have a tragedy on our hands.¡¯ Silas nodded his assent. ¡®A discreet and thorough examination of the orphanage will be conducted. I will report to you with the findings shortly, Highlord. Lord Semille also ¡°kindly requests¡± an audience.¡¯ Berevan let out a booming laugh, his expression softening for the first time that evening. ¡®Something tells me those weren¡¯t the words he used, my friend.¡¯ The burly man, stood his arm extended in a casual gesture. The space beside his arm started to fill with a haze of heat, which gradually intensified. In a flash of brilliant red and gold, the Highlord manifested his Phobia, a burnished greatsword of the same colour. Running through the middle of the blade was a perpetually rotating vortex of flame. Evidence of his bond with the eternal phoenix, his guide, and of his status as a Fearshaper. Highlord Berevan Brimstone¡¯s eyes burned. If what its sender had claimed was true, the package that he had expected to receive from the Dreadwood had the power to change everything. To right the sins of the past. ¡®By all means, Silas, send our esteemed friend Lord Semille in.¡¯ Chapter 2: The Mysterious Girl Shiver woke to a splitting headache. ¡®Another wonderful night¡¯s rest.¡¯ She hadn¡¯t had a good night¡¯s sleep free from her nightmares for as long as she could remember. Sleeping in a cave utterly unguarded from the cold winter winds certainly hadn¡¯t helped. Not that she had a choice. Well, any real choice. She opened her eyes with some effort, prying apart the frost that glued her eyelids together. A familiar orphan girl stood crouched above her body. Blaze, the little firefly. With a few differences. Firstly, she was frozen. Her eyes were devoid of the girl¡¯s characteristic playfulness and life. Secondly, bloody ice spikes had been drilled into her neck and torso. Thirdly, her head lulled at an impossible angle, her neck snapped and broken. Pale bone protruded from her neck with frozen rivulets of blood coating its surface. Shiver picked up the faint metallic scent of blood as she examined the scene above her prone body unblinkingly. She took a deep breath, immediately trying to stem the anger that threatened to overcome her. ¡®You will not have power over me. Not even over my rage.¡¯ Shiver rose, pushing the frozen Blaze to her side. As her body fell to the ground, it shattered into a multitude of frozen, confirming that it was a product of her Fear of ice. A hallucination. She blinked, and the shards disappeared. The coming of the day provided no reprieve from her nightmares. --- ¡®Get your popsicles here! For the low price of three silver!¡¯ The elderly elf struggled to raise his voice over the hubbub in Brimstone¡¯s market. Elves from the other Archcities and smaller settlements all visited Brimstone for its ore and gems. It also boasted the world¡¯s most talented metalsmiths capable of crafting masterwork weapons and armour. Many a legendary weapon were made from the city¡¯s darksteel deposits, straight from Brimstone anvils. ¡®Pov, you¡¯re looking well. Business must be great.¡¯ Why would popsicles sell well in the middle of a raging snowstorm, you might ask? True to its name, Brimstone was warmed by the lava streams running through and underneath the city¡¯s cobble. It was also guarded from the cold with an invisible barrier that encircled the city. All in all, it led to a pretty toasty city. Shiver bought her popsicles for a different reason. The old elf broke out into a wide smile as he noticed Shiver walking towards him, grinning. He was dressed in dull purple tones, in flowing merchant¡¯s robes. Robes were the pride of a merchant. Yet Shiver noticed how Pov¡¯s were worn and frayed in places. He handed her one of his popsicles, free of charge as per usual. She flicked him a coin anyway. ¡®And you¡¯re looking like you didn¡¯t sleep a wink girl! You sure you don¡¯t want to start and finish your days with something warm instead?¡¯ Shiver snorted, taking a gigantic lick of the popsicle as if to spite his statement. ¡®Me? Give up your delicious pieces of terror? Never.¡¯ Pov chuckled. ¡®Never have I met someone so keen licking the very thing that torments them.¡¯ Shiver gave Pov a sly look. ¡®Are you sure about that old man? I feel sorry for Marta.¡¯ Pov chuckled, reaching into his cart to chuck another popsicle at Shiver in swift retaliation. Deftly catching it, Shiver promptly stuck it in her mouth alongside her first one. As the sensation of cold doubled, Pov flashed before Shiver¡¯s eyes, turning into a morbid, frozen statue. The sight reminded her of Blaze¡¯s frozen visage that had welcomed her that same morning. She flinched. Pov took notice, squinting at her. Shiver turned away from the old elf¡¯s discerning gaze. Where other elven men closer her own age would have been distracted by her lean physique or enrapturing eyes - by Shiver¡¯s own description - Pov took notice of the bags under her eyelids, and the twitching in her cheeks. He spoke in a low tone, voice layered with concern. ¡®Shiv, I meant what I said. You look like you¡¯re on the brink of Insanity, like you haven¡¯t caught a wink. When was the last time you got a good night¡¯s rest?¡¯ Biting back the desire to unleash an acerbic, witty quip, Shiver simply looked at her feet, avoiding his gaze. For an orphan, kindness was a commodity. Pov was one of the few people in this Feardamned city that gave it generously. Him and Marta. ¡®Just how bad has your Fear been getting?¡¯ Shiver forced a smile which Pov instantly saw through. He frowned, and she relented with a sigh. ¡®Anxiety, claustrophobia and panic attacks galore. I¡¯m still experiencing hallucinations and nightmares. The usual happy bunch.¡¯ Pov waited, listening expectantly. ¡®¡­the hallucinations have begun to take your forms, old man. I do have to admit, you look quite dash-¡¯ ¡®Shiver! You need to stop this.¡¯ He exclaimed, reaching his hand out expectantly, beckoning for her to return her popsicles. ¡®Your hallucinations are out of control. Most take Tranquility long before they hallucinate at all. My popsicles are just making things worse. Inducing your Fear.¡¯If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. Shiver backed away, raising her arms protectively over the popsicles that hung from her mouth. In response, she redoubled her sucking. Pov sighed flatly. ¡®I know that you want to conquer your Fear. Trying to desensitise yourself noble and brave, aye. But I won¡¯t sell you another popsicle until you see someone about this.¡¯ Shiver huffed, barely containing her frustration. The last thing she wanted to do was to lash out at him. ¡®I don¡¯t have the money to, Pov. Besides, what would they do? Shoot me up with Tranquility? I¡¯m doing this my way.¡¯ She was firm but looked pleadingly at the merchant. He relented, knowing that once Shiver made her mind up about something, she was as persistent and relentless as the cold that she feared. ¡®Come and stay with us. You¡¯re living by yourself, out in the frigid cold, that certainly can¡¯t be helping! You know, Marta would love to have you for dinner tonight. What do you say?¡¯ Shiver gave him a tight smile. She had lost count of the amount of times they had offered to give her a home. Yet she looked at his meagre offerings. How hard Marta and Pov had to struggle just to keep themselves afloat. Imposing on them had never been an option. So, she resorted to her usual refrain. ¡®Alright Pov, we¡¯ll see.¡¯ She widened her doe eyes, fluttering her lashes. ¡®I don¡¯t suppose you have any food that I could¡­ steal off you? All I have in my cold cave is some mouldy bread and chocolate.¡¯ Pov shook his head with a smile, before a mischievous glint entered his eyes. She knew immediately that she had failed. The statement, meant to garner Pov¡¯s sympathy for a wretched orphan living in a cave had been doomed from the beginning. ¡®Oh dear Shiver that sounds terrible. You know, you have this fascinating option.¡¯ He leaned in closer. ¡®It¡¯s called gainful employment. An unprecedented concept to you, I¡¯m sure. Mother Ventra came by earlier this morning mentioning that she had a job for you. There¡¯s a new arrival at the orphanage for you to induct.¡¯ He grinned, as the tension in his body eased slightly. ¡®You¡¯re going to reaaaally like her from the sounds of it. A stowaway.¡¯ Shiver groaned at the thought of it. Another day, another runaway or orphan to show the ropes. Who else was going to? ¡®Alright, alright. I¡¯ll bite. Otherwise, the only thing I¡¯ll be biting tonight will be more mouldy bread. See you later Pov. Say hi to Marta for me.¡¯ Pov gave her another bright grin, a devilish glint in his eye. ¡®And you stop breaking hearts with that icy gaze of yours. I heard that the smith¡¯s son has a little thing for you. What was his name¡­ Areld?¡¯ Shiver smiled politely, curtseying by pulling at her ragged cloak. ¡®An icy gaze won¡¯t be the only thing he¡¯ll get if he¡¯s not careful. You know, I¡¯ve always thought your popsicles were perfectly sized. If he tries anything, I¡¯m sure they¡¯d fit perfectly¡­ right up his-¡® ¡®Shiver! That is unbecoming of a lady!¡¯ Shiver felt a chill as Marta¡¯s voice boomed from within the tent. Before she could emerge, Shiver was off in a sprint. The old man guffawed at the sight and Shiver laughed her first true laugh that day. --- A stowaway shivered in a mouldy orphanage. It sounded like the premise of a joke to her. Just in this case, she was the butt of the joke. ¡®You¡¯re welcome to sleep here, next to little Blaze.¡¯ ¡®I¡¯m not little!¡¯ Blaze, stared up at her with a burning curiosity ¨C true to her name. Some of the other little ones peeked around a corner, staring at the newcomer. Mother Ventra tutted. ¡®Of course you aren¡¯t dearie. Now, here¡¯s a change of clothes. You must¡¯ve been freezing in that ship¡¯s hold. You look exhausted, but I¡¯m afraid that only the young ones get free food and Tranquility. While we¡¯ll give you a roof over your head, you¡¯ll need to take on some work.¡¯ The orphanage¡¯s caretaker gave her a pitying look. ¡®Shiver, one of our older orphans will give you the rundown of the city and take you out for your first job.¡¯ The girl gave her an elegant curtsey. ¡®You are most gracious mistress- wait already? Do you mean to say that I must begin work immediately? Have you no sympathy? Surely you cou-¡¯ The door to the orphanage slammed open, cutting her sentence short. Shiver gave the new arrival a once over, pointedly ignoring Mother Ventra. She extended her hand, and Ventra let out a tired sigh, begrudgingly depositing her pay for services in advance. The stranger cut a diminutive figure, reaching only up to Shiver¡¯s shoulder. Tangled, dark blonde hair framed her face and poorly concealed startling lavender eyes and shapely, arched eyebrows. A damp, but beautiful dark cloak hung from her shoulders, barely betraying her shivering. ¡®Ah Shiver, just the per-¡® ¡®Shut it, Mother. Come.¡¯ Shiver wasted no time in striding away, grabbing onto the newcomer¡¯s hand. ¡®Wha- Unhand me you-¡® As Shiver pulled the girl outside, Shiver gave the gaping Blaze a wink while slamming the orphanage door shut. She was ok. What she had seen that morning was just a hallucination, like usual. Shiver smiled, the confirmation always appreciated. A distressed voice cracked, cutting through her brief sense of relief. ¡®I won¡¯t stand for this treatment!¡¯ The stranger halted, attempting to wrench her hand weakly from Shiver¡¯s grip. Shiver allowed it, turning to face her. The girl huffed, turning her nose up at her infuriatingly. Before she could continue, Shiver stepped close to her, whispering into her ear. ¡®You know, the only things I have left to eat are some mouldy bread and chocolate. I¡¯m still reeling from the loss of my popsicle last night.¡¯ The newcomer gaped at Shiver in confusion. ¡®P-pardon?¡¯ ¡®I hear that young lords and ladies who find themselves estranged from their Houses fetch a hefty sum. If they¡¯re reported to their authorities, and promptly returned to their estate.¡¯ The girl paled, her eyes widening. Shiver counted on her fingers, biting her lip and frowning in concentration. ¡®So hefty I could buy at least a hundred popsicles if I turned you in. At least a hundred. I could have myself a whole popsicle harem, could you imagine?¡¯ The girl turned deathly pale, the familiar colour of many of Shiver¡¯s hallucinations. ¡®I-I¡¯m no lady, what¡¯re you talking about?¡¯ ¡®No? So that cloak of yours isn¡¯t trimmed in Darksilver? Forgive me, I get a bit loopy from the cold sometimes. It¡¯s a little chilly out.¡¯ They stood tensely in one of Brimstone¡¯s countless alleyways. This one, like many of Brimstone¡¯s others, was set over one of the city¡¯s ingenious lavaways. You could tell from the orange glow that emanated from in between the city¡¯s cobblestones, sealed with translucent glass-like material that gave you a peak at the lava below. In other words, it was anything but cold. The girl backed away from Shiver with terrified eyes, casting furtive glances and scoping out potential escape routes. Shiver just raised an eyebrow at her, placing a hand on her hip. ¡®Look, I¡¯m not going to turn you in. It¡¯s likely that bitch Ventra has already made a report to the authorities as we speak.¡¯ The girl looked on the verge of tears. Her shoulders slumped. ¡®But- but.. I¡¯m afraid I left some of my belongings back there. On the ship. All of my gold, my luggage.¡¯ ¡®Anything worth taking has already been taken. Trust me on that.¡¯ The girl stared at the ground, silent. Shiver felt a pang of guilt looking at the defeated girl. She softened. But not too much. ¡®Look, I¡¯ll ask around for you later. For the moment, you should take off that cloak, it¡¯s a dead giveaway. We¡¯ll get you some dry clothes and I¡¯ll show you the city.¡¯ The girl looked at her quizzically, the fear and shock slowly giving way to cautious confusion. ¡®Thank you, miss¡­ Shiver?¡¯ ¡®Just Shiver.¡¯ ¡®Is your Fear¡­ that of the cold?¡¯ ¡®No, no. Nothing so¡­ pedestrian. I Fear something far more horrifying.¡¯ Shiver gave her a forlorn look. She gazed into her eyes with a thousand-yard stare, as if preoccupied by horrors unimaginable. The girl drew closer in anticipation, eyes alight with curiosity. ¡®I have a Fear of small talk. This conversation is nightmare fuel to me. Less talking. Chop chop!¡¯ The girl stared at her dubiously, mouth agape. Shiver hid a smirk as she dragged her towards the market. Chapter 3: Hazing ¡®Ah Shiver! Back already? I¡¯m not selling you any more popsicles! What have we here?¡¯ Pov looked expectantly at Shiver, crouched inconspicuously ¨C or so she thought ¨C behind a crate. She craned her neck to look up at Pov. ¡®Psst Pov, where¡¯s Marta?¡¯ Pov chuckled, shaking his head. ¡®She¡¯s off to the grocers. You¡¯re safe.¡¯ Shiver righted herself, brushing herself off and simultaneously gaining immeasurable swagger. The girl standing beside her gaped, her infuriatingly elegant eyebrows twitching in confusion. No doubt she was doubting her ¡°choice¡± of guide. Not that Shiver gave a flying popsicle. ¡®Pov, I¡¯m in need of some clothes.¡¯ ¡®Indeed. If you aren¡¯t careful, some of the young ones might trigger their Fears just glancing at you.¡¯ Shiver gasped, raising a hand to her chest in mock outrage. ¡®Pov! How could you? I have style. I¡¯m talking about this damp young individual.¡¯ ¡®Does this ¡°damp young individual¡± have a name?¡¯ Shiver just whistled, avoiding his gaze. Pov knowingly smirked at her, turning instead to the girl beside her. ¡®You¡¯ll have to forgive Shiver my dear, she¡¯s quite socially stunted you see ¨C doesn¡¯t know how to ask after people¡¯s names.¡¯ Pov deftly avoided a kick. ¡®My name is Poverty. Pov for short. And you are?¡¯ ¡®It¡¯s Vale, sir. Forgive me but¡­ Poverty? It surprises me that the residents of Brimstone are so forthcoming with their Fears.¡¯ ¡®Ah, Shiver must not have told you ¨C no surprise, of course. Orphans like Shiver and I are often simply named after our Fears. Many of us fall to Insanity rather quickly, after all. No point assigning anything lasting, or unique, or so they say.¡¯ Vale blushed, bowing in apology but Pov only smiled warmly. ¡®No, no, it¡¯s no trouble at all. Now I hear you¡¯re in need of some clothes? Come inside, come inside, you must be freezing. Ah! Just the person to help you.¡¯ Pov shot Shiver a rictus grin. She felt the chill of betrayal about her, more terrifying than the worst of her hallucinations. A shadow enveloped the ground before her. ¡®Marta isn¡¯t at the grocers, is she?¡¯ She heard a booming voice behind her. ¡®Indeed. You left before I could say hello, girl. How fortunate of me to catch you so soon, eh?¡¯ Marta, Pov¡¯s wife stood behind her, giant in contrast to the stout and short Pov. Bulging muscles in her forearms rippled as she crossed her arms. ¡®It¡¯s clear to me that you haven¡¯t bathed in at least two weeks. Or the stench might be coming from that mouth of yours.¡¯ Shiver backed away slowly. ¡®Now, now Martha. It¡¯s only been a week and a half. If you could spare lovely Vale her some clothes, I¡¯ll just be leav-¡® Marta struck like lightning, moving faster than anyone her size had any right to be. She grabbed Shiver by the scruff of her cloak and lifted her easily onto her shoulder. ¡®Come along now Vale, it¡¯s wonderful to meet you. Time to get you two all cleaned up.¡¯ Vale tried to stifle a laugh as Shiver glared at her, bobbing on Marta¡¯s shoulder. --- Vale sighed in relief as she poured warm water over her back, it was the calmest she had been since arriving in Brimstone. Shiver¡¯s screams of protest just served as the cherry on top, perfecting the serene atmosphere. Steam rose through wooden boards, a miracle of the Archcity¡¯s engineering. It was wondrous what luxuries the circulation of lava afforded even the poorer districts of the city. ¡®Mart- Ouch! I can bathe myself, I¡¯m a grown elf. Why are yo- Gah!¡¯ Shiver gasped as Martha overturned a bucket of water at least three times the size of the ladle Vale held in her hand over Shiver¡¯s head. ¡®There we go, finally! You now smell bearable girl, I thought it would take at least another hour¡¯s worth of scrubbing.¡¯ Vale hid a snicker as she saw Shiver¡¯s eyes go round at the possibility. She slipped lithely out of Marta¡¯s grasp and grabbed a towel, running to dry herself off. Marta shared an amused glance with Vale before getting up to leave. ¡®Join us at the dining table when you¡¯re ready, eh Vale? You look like you¡¯re starvin¡¯.¡¯ ¡®Finally! Someone with some compassion. Thank you, Marta, allow me to bathe for a moment more.¡¯ While drying herself off, Shiver hissed at an approaching Marta. ¡®There, there kitty. So, you¡¯ve found yourself a proper Lady eh?¡¯ Shiver sighed, rubbing at her temple. ¡®She makes it too obvious. It¡¯ll make her an easy target.¡¯ Marta nodded, her face growing solemn. ¡®Reminds me of a certain uppity little girl that we met years ago. Speaking of which¡­¡¯ Marta paused, suddenly self-conscious. ¡®Have you recalled anything since?¡¯ Marta always asked. For all her manhandling of her, all her meddling, Shiver knew that it pained the kind giant to see her, a little girl of ten out on the streets, with her childhood memories lost. Shiver¡¯s first memories were that of a dark cave and the howling blizzard. The very same cave she had made her home. It had surprised her when Pov and Marta had told her that she had been the picture of a young, elegant lady when they had first met her. How quickly that had changed. ¡®No luck on that front.¡¯ Marta sighed, reaching out to gently rest a gargantuan arm on Shiver¡¯s shoulder. ¡®Maybe it¡¯s for the best, eh? For now, you¡¯ll need to work on the young lady¡¯s bearing.¡¯If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. ¡®She has an immense ego. My work won¡¯t be easy.¡¯ ¡®Bigger than yours?¡¯ ¡®Debatable. I¡¯ll give her the tour. She can stay with me until she¡¯s little more¡­ unpolished.¡¯ Marta looked seriously at her, making Shiver shift uncomfortably and avert her eyes at her look of gratitude. ¡®Thanks Shiv. Pov told me about¡­ the nightmares.¡¯ Shiver shifted uncomfortably. ¡®What will we have to do to convince you to stay with us, eh?¡¯ Marta shook her gently, and her voice was kind. Yet with every shake, Shiver felt the world spin, from the temptation which arose. It would be so easy to agree. If she did, she would be a curse upon Marta and Pov, another worthless mouth to feed. Better she distanced herself from them, for she knew that nothing good came of an orphan, abandoned by her birth parents. ¡®Alright, alright. I won¡¯t press ya like Pov. Be nice to our little Lady.¡¯ Shiver exchanged a glance with Marta. Occasionally, lords and ladies fled from the responsibilities of their station and from their families. Only the nobility could be Fearshapers, and they bore the weight of that responsibility, and the weight of their powers. Marta lowered her voice with a cursory glance towards the steam room. ¡®If House Brimstone is after her, we will know soon. There have been no whispers of a missing lord or lady that I know of. Nothing to suggest which house she¡¯s from either.¡¯ Shiver nodded. She didn¡¯t pry into Vale¡¯s past. Vale hadn¡¯t pried into hers, yet. There was dignity in ignorance. All she was doing was helping her find her feet like Marta and Pov had done for her. That was all. Shiver turned to the huge woman with a mischievous glint in her eye. ¡®Sorry to turn down your kind offer of a meal, but we¡¯d best be off¡¯. ¡®Are you sure?¡¯ Shiver nodded. ¡®She needs to learn what her new life holds. No more fancy delicacies or fine dining ¨C can¡¯t let you get her hopes up.¡¯ ¡®I¡¯ll show her around the city¡­ then introduce her to some job prospects.¡¯ ¡®Shiver.¡¯ ¡®What? True, a lady like her might have more legitimate ways of making a living. Doing so while keeping her identity secret? That¡¯s another matter.¡¯ Shiver avoided Marta¡¯s piercing gaze, and the sadness that undercut her expression. ¡®I don¡¯t need your pity, Marta. It¡¯s just the way of things for us.¡¯ ¡®I¡¯ve told you before Shiver, if only you would allow me to teach you-¡® ¡®How long before you¡¯re out of a job? Would you do it for all the orphans?¡¯ Marta¡¯s face fell. Shiver interrupted her mid-sentence. ¡®That¡¯s the frustrating thing. I know you would do it for all of us. It will be up to our lady what she does. If she proves us wrong, I¡¯ll be all the merrier.¡¯ Marta laid a warm hand on her shoulder. ¡®You¡¯re a kind one, eh?¡¯ Marta looked at her with pride, and Shiver refused to meet her eyes. They were interrupted by a sigh from Vale behind them as the door to the steam room opened. Shiver¡¯s lips morphed into an angelic smile. Vale was certain it would haunt her dreams. ¡®Let her be the judge of it.¡¯ Vale gulped, taking an involuntary step backwards. She shut the door to the bath ¨C very voluntarily. --- ¡®That Marta, she¡¯s¡­ certainly a little imposing.¡¯ ¡®A terror. Want to guess what she does for a living?¡¯ Shiver and Vale walked through the lower circle. It was midday, and it was rife with activity. Brimstone had markets spattered throughout the upper and lower circles. The merchants with the most common of goods were situated near the slums, to their distinct misfortune. Vale watched with wide eyes as Shiver casually nicked an apple from a stall, casually tossing it to Vale. ¡®There, lunch.¡¯ Vale gaped, turning over the slightly damp apple in her hands. Surely she was joking? Yet she didn¡¯t have the confidence to question her assumption. She didn¡¯t know who scared her more, that giant of a woman, Marta, or Shiver herself. Vale stumbled as she attempted to navigate between busy food stalls, struggling to keep pace with Shiver and their conversation. She heaved a sigh of relief as they reached a clearing around a fountain. ¡®She must be some manner of labourer. Perhaps a miner, or a smith? Brimstone is known for its metal industry. Quite an achievement, for a small settlement. I confess I¡¯ve never seen a lady so¡­ well built.¡¯ Shiver hesitated at her words. Brimstone¡­ a small settlement? Then her lips morphed into a familiar, angelic smile. ¡®Well guessed my lady, I¡¯m ever impressed with your insight.¡¯ Vale¡¯s confidence grew, and a self-satisfied smile gradually emerged. She cast her gaze around a fountain that they neared. ¡®It¡¯s only to be expected, of a lady of my pedigree.¡¯ ¡®And what pedigree would that be? One of the big ones maybe ¨C House Dreamer? Flora?¡¯ Vale froze, blood fleeing from her cheeks, her terrified eyes meeting Shiver¡¯s own. Her expression was greeted with a chuckle and a clap on the back. ¡®Oh, don¡¯t look so terrified, I won¡¯t bite. Unless I¡¯m hungry. Besides, your prospective employers would benefit greatly from your unparalleled insight, I¡¯m sure. Speaking of which, here¡¯s our first stop!¡¯ Shiver had halted before a building with a starkly different character from the others that surrounded it. Where the buildings in the slums were built from the same dark stone which carried a blueish hue, this one seemed to be constructed from wood. A pleasant scent emanated from its entrance. ¡®My, this is pleasing!¡¯ ¡®It certainly is.¡¯ ¡®What manner of profession are they engaged in?¡¯ ¡®Pleasing.¡¯ Vale choked, her eyes widening as the realisation hit. Suddenly, the host of beautiful young ladies lounging near the fountain made sense. One who had overheard their conversation held amusement in her eyes, casting her a wink. Vale blushed crimson. She swiveled to glare at Shiver, who was fighting - for her life - to maintain a neutral expression. ¡®You see, my lady, despite your unparalleled intellect, your options for gainful employment are quite limited.¡¯ ¡®I assure you, I¡¯m well informed on a range of top-¡® ¡®Perhaps you thought to offer your services as a tutor, to eager and young Brimstone minds.¡¯ That was exactly what she had been planning to do, upon realising that she had lost what scant resources she carried. ¡®It would only take a cursory investigation for any curious employers to realise that they have on their hands, a very distinguished, young runaway of a lady. Perhaps you would be lucky enough to stumble upon an employer willing to aid you, irrespective of your circumstances.¡¯ Shiver nodded seriously, looking her in her eyes. ¡®Perhaps you would even be successful enough to make it out of the lower circles. The moment you do, you will find that the presence of Brimstone¡¯s finest increases significantly. The guards hardly patrol the slums, I wonder why.¡¯ ¡®I-¡® ¡®Should mummy or daddy issue a notice that their beloved daughter has had a momentary lapse in judgement, you would be caught in a moment.¡¯ Strangely, Shiver noticed the lady gain a degree of confidence. Strange, maybe she¡¯s confident her parents won¡¯t be looking for her. ¡®And your solution was to make me a prostitute?¡¯ She attracted the steely gazes of the women around them. Vale withdrew further within herself. Shiver let out a sigh. ¡®Alright, alright. No, it wasn¡¯t. I brought you here to make a point, which still stands. You don¡¯t have many options, if you want to keep your identity a secret.¡¯ Vale crossed her arms, glaring at Shiver. ¡®I¡¯m not even planning to stay here for long anyway. You don¡¯t know anything of my plans.¡¯ Shiver nodded, unfazed at her retort. ¡®Of course. You could make your way to the other cities. If you survived the unforgiving Winterlands. Or perhaps you planned to sneak onto another ship? Leave the way you came? Make an illustrious return to the dampness?¡¯ Vale¡¯s shoulders slumped dejectedly. One of the older courtesans walked over to them and smacked Shiver with her fan, eliciting a yelp. ¡®We know you love to use our profession to make your points, you¡¯ve done it with every young orphan who¡¯s had the misfortune of having you as a mentor. Do it again, and perhaps you¡¯ll find yourself in the business of pleasing.¡¯ Shiver smiled at her, unfazed, shooting her a wink. ¡®My specialty. As I was saying ¨C you haven¡¯t many options. If you went off running to the first legitimate job offer that crossed your path, you would be made in no time.¡¯ ¡®Then what would you have me do?¡¯ ¡®Why, introduce you to my place of work of course. Chapter 4: The Grand Heist Shiver and Vale ascended the staircase, flanked on either side by Brimstone¡¯s lavaways. They emerged into a bustling street, and the difference in scenery was palpable. Where the lower circle was covered in grit and darkness, Brimstone¡¯s upper circle shone. Just about their only similarity were the streets, cast in the same dark blue cobblestone. Yet where the roads of the slums lay untended and caked in grime, those of the upper circle were untarnished. Autumntrees sprouted leaves which glowed a gentle orange. They fell to rest idly on wide walkways paved in white. Flower bushes lined the cobbled streets, which were filled with elves who strode confidently in immaculate clothing, heedless of the world below them. ¡®Beautiful isn¡¯t it.¡¯ Vale gazed around the streets with wide eyes, her eyes tracing carriages which sported the insignia of lesser noble houses. Shiver snapped her out of her stupor, as she pulled on her sleeve. They walked along the row of shops, the sultry scent of freshly baked bread making her mouth water. Vale shook herself out of her reverie, wrenching her sleeve from Shiver¡¯s grasp. ¡®You work here, Shiver? Weren¡¯t you saying I would be made up here, with all the guards around?¡¯ ¡®Yet something tells me that isn¡¯t something you¡¯re too concerned about.¡¯ Vale¡¯s eyes widened imperceptibly. The orphan rolled her eyes in exasperation. ¡®Oh come on, I¡¯m just showing you the options. It¡¯s up to you what you choose to do.¡¯ As they strode along the street, they came before an immense black building that lay at the center of a junction. ¡®The archaeologists guild. My main place of employment.¡¯ ¡®Wait, did you say that you work for the archaeologist¡¯s guild? This is the place I¡¯ve been looking for!¡¯ Shiver raised an eyebrow in response, at the expression of excitement that slipped through Vale¡¯s guard. Her cheeks coloured and she slapped her hands over her mouth. ¡®You don¡¯t say.¡¯ Vale averted her eyes. Shiver gave her a nudge. ¡®Watch.¡¯ She watched as Shiver crossed the road, effortlessly blending into the crowd that surrounded the guild. Vale gaped as she witnessed Shiver grab onto the suitcase of a young archaeologist, deep in discussion with a colleague. ¡®Shiver! Give that back!¡¯ Shiver just idly hefted the bag, before her, a grin of satisfaction on her face. ¡®Relax, we ransom it back to them through a fence. You¡¯d be astounded at what these archaeologists pay for their own work. They have the money for it, and no one gets hurt in the process.¡¯ ¡®Except the archaeologists.¡¯ ¡®No victims whatsoever. Besides, what is archaeology but stealing things from long dead elves. I¡¯m just stealing them back.¡¯ Vale just glared at the orphan. She couldn¡¯t help but admire the mental gymnastics at play. ¡®Well, well, well. Now it looks like I have the opportunity to introduce you to my understudy. You¡¯ve met her once before.¡¯ Vale blinked, and Shiver melted into the crowd before her, only to remerge holding the pigtails of a young elf who protested at Shiver¡¯s treatment of her hair. ¡®Let go Shiver! I was just-¡® ¡®Eavesdropping? Excellent work little firefly, you¡¯ve been working especially hard these last couple of days. I¡¯m so proud of you.¡¯ A look of genuine pride shone from Shiver¡¯s face. ¡®Vale, meet the little firefly.¡¯ ¡®Don¡¯t call me that! My name is Blaze!¡¯ ¡®You don¡¯t have a choice. Now, our dear friend over here seems to have something she wants from the archeologist¡¯s guild, isn¡¯t that right?¡¯ ¡®Oh no. Ahem. There¡¯s nothing I want at whatsoev-¡® ¡®Save us both the time.¡¯ Vale just sighed in resignation. ¡®Even if there was, I¡¯ve got nothing to offer you.¡¯ Shiver exchanged a terrifying look of mischief with her ¡°understudy¡±. ¡®The challenge is its own offer. Besides, we¡¯ve been scoping out the place of late ¨C we have a more¡­ ambitious plan in mind.¡¯ ¡®Don¡¯t tell me. You want to rob the place.¡¯ The look of abject hurt on Shiver¡¯s expression prompted a giggle from Blaze. ¡®Rob is a strong word. I prefer ¡°temporarily relinquish¡±. You see, the guild has been getting wise to our attempts. Before they hire appropriate security, we figure we would pull off one last hurrah, isn¡¯t that right firefly?¡¯If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ¡®Yes! Just yesterday, I robbed a lor-¡® ¡®What did I tell you about boasting about your work?¡¯ Shiver had the gall to look disappointed, willfully ignorant to her hypocrisy. ¡®Sorry Shiver.¡¯ ¡®Accountability maketh orphans. Shame it doesn¡¯t rhyme. Now. What exactly are you looking for?¡¯ Vale¡¯s jaw tightened, and fear crept into her expression. ¡®Perhaps somewhere with a little more privacy.¡¯ --- The trio lounged under the shade of a vast autumntree in one of the parks in the upper circle. Vale stared up at Brimstone Manor, which bordered the park. The domain of House Brimstone. ¡®Really? Right next to Brimstone Manor? You couldn¡¯t find a better place? What about the guards?¡¯ Shiver gave Vale a self-satisfied grin. ¡®Precisely. It¡¯s the last place they would think to find a band of scheming rogues. Besides, you think we¡¯re afraid of some guards? They¡¯ll just chuck us right back on the streets where we were. We aren¡¯t worth the effort it takes to throw us.¡¯ Shiver shifted forwards, leaning in. Blaze adorably mimicked the older orphan. If she wasn¡¯t so afraid of being thrown into a cell, Vale might have teased her. ¡®It¡¯s other thieves that will be the death of us. Anyone catches wind of it, and our bounty will be taken from under our noses. You on the other hand my lady? You have no allegiances, yet. We could use your help. In return, we¡¯ll lend you the help you need.¡¯ Blaze nodded excitedly, her red pigtails bobbing atop her head. Vale let out a large sigh, and steeled herself. ¡®Alright, alright. I¡¯m looking for¡­ a map. A map of the Verscallian Peaks.¡¯ Shiver¡¯s eyes narrowed, her mind awhirl. ¡®Not just any ordinary map I assume. Otherwise, there¡¯d be no need to steal from the guild.¡¯ Vale nodded. ¡®Does the name Veringold ring any bells?¡¯ Blaze¡¯s mouth fell open at the mention of the name. ¡®What? What did I say?¡¯ ¡®Veringold? Aveline Veringold is the Guildmistress of Brimstone¡¯s archaeologist¡¯s guild.¡¯ Shiver began to chuckle, with Blaze looking on wide-eyed. Shortly afterwards, she began attempting to mimic the older orphan¡¯s demeanor. ¡®Way to make things interesting, my lady. It would be too boring if we were stealing from some two-bit archaeologist. What are we looking for?¡¯ ¡®Her journal, most likely.¡¯ ¡®So that¡¯s why you¡¯re in Brimstone, looking for something out in the Winterlands. Care to explain what?¡¯ ¡®I¡­ don¡¯t exactly know. All that I do know, is that Aveline may have information about a great mystery near Brimstone.¡¯ Shiver raised an eye, as Vale turned away from the girl, attempting to conceal her abashed expression. ¡®One that my father fears.¡¯ ¡®What was that?¡¯ Vale cleared her throat as the line that she muttered failed to reach Shiver. The older orphan girl looked at Blaze, her grey eyes flashing with mischief. ¡®Think we can pull it off little firefly? This won¡¯t be like our usual shenanigans; we¡¯ll have to infiltrate the guild itself. Can I trust you with it?¡¯ Blaze nodded vigorously, her mousey, brown pigtails bobbing up and down with look of determination on her face. Shiver and Vale laughed at the younger girl¡¯s enthusiasm to her chagrin. ¡®You never take me seriously! Meanie! You saw me steal that perv¡¯s pouch yesterday, and he was a lord. They won¡¯t see me coming!¡¯ Shiver grinned, pulling them into a huddle. ¡®Here¡¯s what we¡¯re going to do.¡¯ --- Night had fallen, and Blaze strode through the streets of the upper circle. Elves walked leisurely with friends and family, enjoying the city¡¯s delights as night fell. She watched in amazement as the autumnleaves glowed a crisp orange in the streetlight that cloaked the upper circles walkways in a soft, bright light. Her heart fluttered as the glowing orange leaves conjured a vision of sparks, a reminder of Blaze¡¯s own Fear. ¡®Those pesky thieves, I tell you Bodric. So many documents and artefacts so egregiously stolen, I dread to take my eyes off of my belongings for even a second these days! Dreadful I tell you.¡¯ ¡®Terrible my good man.¡¯ ¡®The guildmistress ¨C bless her soul ¨C is appointing guard detail tomorrow. Thankfully we won¡¯t have to worry about those dastardly pests for long. More importantly, any news on her uncle? He¡¯s been missing for an age ¨C just up and disappeared on an expedition in the Winterlands. One of our most experienced, I could hardly believe it.¡¯ ¡®Grim business Avan. The Peaks will swallow you whole if you give them even the barest of chances.¡¯ ¡®I hope for Miss Aveline¡¯s sake that he¡¯s found soon, the poor thing.¡¯ Avan and Bodric stood idly outside of the archaeologist¡¯s guild. They puffed on large, ornate cigars, the ends of which glowed a bright orange with each inhalation. A familiar scent reached Blaze¡¯s nose. She felt a sudden sense of relaxation wash over her. Tranquility? I had no idea you could smoke it. Ptooey, fancy nobles. She eyed their coin purses on full display at their hips. It was a shame she would have to leave them behind, these halfwits were ripe for the picking. The plan was more important, and if they pulled it off, she wouldn¡¯t have to steal for a while. She watched with a tinge of envy as Shiver and Vale walked up to the pair of archaeologists. Elves around them ¨C men and women alike ¨C turned to gaze at the pair of ladies in their midst. They stood out even when garbed similarly to the wealthy residents of the upper circle. ¡®Hello there gentlemen. How are you this fine evening?¡¯ They were clothed in the finest silk that Madame Valmira¡¯s had to offer ¨C not that her pleasure house had noticed anything amiss. Shiver was dressed in a dark grey gown that accentuated her lithe figure and made her cerulean eyes shine in the evening light. Vale was dressed in an emerald green gown, sequins flashing as they made their way towards the archaeologists. ¡®Hmph, amateur. She looks like she¡¯s going to keel over with how much her knees are shaking. Besides, I¡¯m prettier! Why didn¡¯t Shiver choose me as her partner?¡¯ The girl of all of twelve years huffed in frustration, struggling to decipher the older orphan¡¯s logic. She had to admit though, Shiver brimming with confidence dragging her ¡°shy¡± along with her sold their ploy exceptionally well. ¡®My friend here is fascinated with artefacts; she practically won¡¯t shut up about them. Frankly ¨C no offense meant ¨C I struggle to think of a more boring topic of conversation. If we had two dashing guides to show us around the city however¡­ perhaps I could be more easily persuaded.¡¯ Shiver directed a wink towards the two men, a blush rising to their cheeks. Their gazes lingered on Shiver and Vale¡¯s forms with naked interest. Blaze had to give it to the older orphan, she played them like a fiddle. It wasn¡¯t long before they were headed down towards the lower circle, the excitement of a night out with two foreign ladies hamstringing what little logic remained in their skulls. Blaze smirked as the first phase of Shiver¡¯s plan sprung into action. Heh. Perverts. Chapter 5: Consequences The sun had set by the time Shiver and Vale returned. The street was abuzz as the upper circle came to life with elves headed to restaurants or bars. They arrived dressed in archaeologist¡¯s clothing, sporting the long brown coats emblazoned with the guild¡¯s emblem. The very same coats worn by the two men that had accompanied them. Their faces were concealed by large, brown hats ordinarily worn when the archaeologists were out on expedition. They walked confidently into the guild, taking their seats in a waiting area, Shiver gave Blaze a discrete nod. The tying and gagging was successful ¨C just not in the way those men had anticipated. Blaze entered the guild and headed straight towards the reception. She stood on her tiptoes and knocked on the high desk before her. ¡®Welcome to the arc- oh hello there little one, something I can help you with?¡¯ Blaze cleared her throat, meeting the receptionist¡¯s eyes with an unparalleled look of self-importance. ¡®That¡¯s my little firefly.¡¯ Shiver nudged Vale with pride. Blaze projected her voice, such that it drew the attention of nearby guild members. ¡®I¡¯ve been sent to speak to your guildmistress. Two of your men have stirred up some trouble in Madame Valmira¡¯s pleasure house. You must not have heard me. I said, the PLEASUR-¡® Before she could continue the receptionist lunged to cover Blaze¡¯s mouth with her hands. She looked around anxiously, her cheeks having turned a dark red. She scampered around the desk to kneel before the girl. ¡®Hush now. The guildmistress will be right there to settle things, let me go get her. You wait right here and bring-¡® ¡®I¡¯ve got important things to do, lady. I¡¯ll be off now.¡¯ The receptionist cursed as Blaze slipped out of her grip and walked briskly towards the entrance. Shiver rose, tailing the anxious receptionist as she hurried up the stairs to the guildmistress¡¯ office. Walking through a winding hallway, she ascended further to the top floor of the building, knocking anxiously on what must have been the guildmistress¡¯ door. Shiver smirked as she quickly returned to her seat in the waiting room. Before long, a tall elf with wavy brown hair dressed sharply in black leather pants and matching boots strode down the stairs, the receptionist in tow. She wore an elegant rapier at her hip. They watched as they disappeared into the evening rush. ¡®Are you sure she¡¯ll be capable of it? Aveline looked sharp.¡¯ Vale shot Shiver an anxious glance, adrenaline flooding her system. The orphan just smiled as she sat patiently. True to her words, Blaze entered the guild once more, this time heading straight for the pair. She smugly dropped a set of keys into Shiver¡¯s lap, looking at her expectantly.¡¯ ¡®Great job firefly. But you know what we agreed.¡¯ ¡®But-¡® ¡®No buts. We need you to be our lookout in case anything goes wrong. You can come along next time.¡¯ Blaze sulked, but promptly exited the guild. Vale had to admire the little girl¡¯s professionalism. ¡®We¡¯ve bought ourselves a bit of time, let¡¯s go see what this guildmistress has to offer.¡¯ --- ¡®So¡­ which map were you after again?¡¯ Locking the door behind them, they stared into Aveline¡¯s office. Organised chaos was an appropriate description, with books and maps covering her office. Vale gulped but steeled herself, rushing to the guildmistress¡¯ table and pouring over the documents on display. ¡®It seems like she was putting together an expedition. She¡¯s trying to find something in the Winterlands. This is promising. Let¡¯s see¡­ a rescue operation? An archaeologist seeking the fabled Archcity of-¡¯ Vale¡¯s eyes widened. She knew she was in the right place. ¡®No sign of a journal just y- What are you doing Shiver?¡¯ Shiver was walking idly along a large bookshelf which spanned the entire length of the room. She ran her finger across the book spines, her eyes cast towards the floor. ¡®I¡¯ve heard rumours of weird noises coming from the guildmistress¡¯ room. No, it¡¯s not what you think, pervert. Sounds of a metallic creaking, the archaeologists talk. You see, the guildmistress is entrusted with the responsibility over the guild¡¯s most valuable artefacts. Ah, perfect.¡¯ Shiver knelt, tracing her finger across slight marks etched into the room floor. She began pulling books from the bookshelf, sending them tumbling to the ground. ¡®Shiver what are you-¡® ¡®There we go.¡¯ A click and the bookshelf swung open, and just as the rumours suggested, emitted a dull metal creak. ¡®Someone really needs to oil these hinges. After you, my lady.¡¯ Vale rushed to join her as Shiver strolled into the room. It was dimly lit, and a number of shelves and display cases lined the walls of the hidden room. Vale¡¯s eyes widened as she glimpsed a torn tapestry lining the far wall. Elves kneeling in supplication over a vast¡­ figure. The detail had faded with time but the respect that they paid was clear. Whatever it had been, it hung over the elves, casting a watchful gaze over them with irises of abyssal blue. Did its gaze contain benevolence, apathy or disdain? Whatever the artist sought to portray, it had been lost to time. Stranger still was the spider that stood over the elves, two of its legs extended skyward.Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit. ¡®Our guildmistress has a strange taste in artwork.¡¯ Shiver wrenched her eyes away from the tapestry to the artefacts that filled the display cabinets within. She rubbed her hands together in glee, taking a step forward. One of the central display cabinets depicted a hammer that reached up to her torso. The hammer¡¯s head glowed intensely, forcing Shiver to squint as if glaring into the sun on a sweltering summer day. She gently opened the display case, reaching inside to grasp its handle, her curiosity driving her onwards. The smiths in the undercity would go insane for th- Shiver¡¯s vision went white. A moment later, she found herself on the floor, her chest heaving, and sweat drenching her through. For a moment, she felt like she had been submerged into a forge burning as hot as the sun itself, the heat stripping away her skin and boiling tendon and blood alike. In that split second, she felt utterly helpless, at the mercy of the forge. It was a familiar feeling. ¡®Shiver! Are you alright?¡¯ The girl spat derisively to the side as the sensation faded and struggled to her feet waving away Vale¡¯s offer for help. ¡®Get away. Something¡¯s not right.¡¯ The room was filled with all manner of similar artefacts. Shiver¡¯s eyes widened as she spotted a greatsword, adorned by a handle the colour of darkest red. Its blade a reflection of the night sky ¨C pinpricks of light shining in the depths of its darkness, as splashes of colour circled ethereally in their midst. She glimpsed an elegant ballpoint pen, cast entirely in a smooth white metal. In place of ink, blood seemed to drip from its tip unceasingly, onto a parchment of black. Just glancing at it, she felt the hysterical urge to run it down her skin, part it and let her own blood flow free. A magnifying glass sat idly in a small glass case, its surface clouded by grey mist. Shiver felt it grasp gently at her curiosity and drag her towards it. When she tried to shake herself off, she felt like it had her head in a vice, enticing, seducing her with the mysteries it promised to unveil. She felt the beginnings of whispers tantalizingly enter her aware- Shiver clamped her teeth down on her tongue, drawing blood. She stumbled back, catching herself on another case. Her chest heaved as she noticed lines of blood trailing from her eyes. Shiver noticed as Vale¡¯s gaze was drawn towards a dagger of ivory. Wisps of black mist seemed to peel gradually off its curved blade, encircling the girl. The girls eyes flashed and she let out a ear-piercing scream. There was no way that had gone unnoticed. ¡®Vale! Get back, this is out of our paygrade. We need to leave.¡¯ Shiver cursed as she heard shouts outside. The door slammed open ¨C opening at such a velocity that shards of wood flew from its impact with a nearby dresser. The guildmistress herself strode in, her eyes drilling into Shiver¡¯s own, her rapier in hand. ¡®Avalkin¡¯s hairy ballsack.¡¯ --- In a twisted turn of fate, Shiver and Vale found themselves tied and gagged in the guildmistress¡¯ office. Karma had a way of coming around, it seemed. ¡®None of the artefacts are missing, guildmistress. They are secure.¡¯ Aveline Veringold sat on chair, her arms crossed on the edge of its back as she watched her two captives with interest. It reminded Shiver of tales of winterlions stalking their prey in the old days when they still roamed the Verscallian Peaks. ¡®Lock it. They¡¯re only so secure in a vault hidden behind a bookshelf. How many times have I told you that it¡¯s too much of a clich¨¦. If these street thieves managed to find it, how do you think we¡¯d fare against a professional?¡¯ Shiver was thoroughly offended. Tying and gagging her was one thing ¨C she could deal with that. Insulting her competence? Yet, she sensed an undertone of unease in the guildmistress¡¯ body language. She cast tentative gazes at the bookshelf concealing her vault. ¡®Stop trying to lick your gag, girl. It won¡¯t do any good.¡¯ Aveline watched Shiver with mild amusement. Strangely, her face fell for a moment. ¡®I should have stopped you before you entered. You¡¯ve glimpsed secrets, if revealed, that would have me dead in a ditch.¡¯ She clenched her eyes shut, her palms rushing to her temple. She groaned, as if experiencing an acute headache. ¡®I like you. You two have spunk. You must be the one responsible for our recent thefts.¡¯ Shiver sat back pleased as the guildmistress singled her out. Vale looked at her helplessly. ¡®It¡¯s a shame we can¡¯t have you running around having, having glimpsed what you have.¡¯ Vale started to scream helplessly against her gag as the guildmistress drew a sword and positioned over them. Her grip tightened around its hilt, but before she could raise it- ¡®Don¡¯t mind me. I¡¯ve heard the little rascal has been up to more mischief. No amount of discipline is enough Shiver, eh?¡¯ The helpless receptionist together with two other archaeologists struggled to restrain the gargantuan woman who entered the guildmistress¡¯ office. Aveline let out a huge sigh. Shiver could sense a tinge of relief that underpinned it. ¡®Marta Trobid. Don¡¯t tell me, the librarium has resorted to recruiting petty thieves? Just how desperate are you and those useless scholars going to hound me for?¡¯ Marta leaned against a table casually, causing its legs to creak in protest. She was such a welcome sight Vale could have kissed her. ¡®I¡¯m not on librarium business, Aveline. Besides, I¡¯ve been well aware of your little collection. Your archaeologists talk, especially after a couple of drinks.¡¯ The guildmistress¡¯ thoughts were awhirl behind eyes of light gold. Pov hurried through the open doorway. ¡®The librarium-¡® ¡®Those old fools. Their Fear and arrogance rules them. I care little for my learned colleagues - sorry excuses for ¡°scholars¡±. Too easily deterred by Brimstone¡¯s scrutiny. Do what you will.¡¯ Vale¡¯s mouth hung wide open, too astounded to speak. She shot an accusatory glance at Shiver who returned a glib smile ¨C Marta was no labourer, no smith. She worked for the Brimstone librarium? She was a Feardamned scholar. Aveline stared blankly at Marta. She didn¡¯t intercede as Pov gently undid the girls¡¯ restraints. After a slight shake of her head, Aveline paced around them, shutting the door in the face of gawking guild members who had amassed to witness the scene. Her knuckles were white on the hilt of her sword. ¡®What is there to stop you from ratting me out to those same codgy scholars? You know their stance on these cursed relics. Profanity they say.¡¯ Aveline spat derisively. ¡®Turning a blind eye to what they imply, they fly in the face of the ¡°truths¡± our noble houses have been fee-¡® ¡®I¡¯ll give you a glimpse of my very own discoveries. A little bit of extracurricular research if you will. Accumulated over the years. Surely you didn¡¯t think yourself the only one savvy enough to stumble across an artefact or two.¡¯ It was then Shiver noticed Pov lugging a thick brown sack that he hefted over one shoulder. His purple merchant¡¯s robes were caked in sweat by the effort, and she felt a sharp pang of guilt. He dropped them before the guildmistress. ¡®Have them.¡¯ Marta let out a warm chuckle as she handed a folder to the guildmistress. It contained sketches of the very same ¡°cursed relics¡± undoubtedly contained in the sack, delicately sketched with unparalleled precision. Complete with notes detailing the symptoms those relics surfaced. ¡®If these two utter a word, I¡¯ll be just as dead as you are. Satisfied?¡¯ Aveline¡¯s shoulders shrunk in relief ¨C not from Marta¡¯s relics, but from the realisation that she had not alone in her endeavour to uncover the truths behind them. Her eyes flicked across Vale and Shiver¡¯s faces, her gaze carrying a hint of an apology. ¡®Besides, I know you¡¯re preparing for an expedition, eh? This dear husband of mind might be able to assist in that regard. We¡¯ll talk more. In the meantime¡­¡¯ Vale withered beneath Marta¡¯s gaze, as her glare bore deeply into them. Then, as quickly as it had hardened, her glare lost its force, and her warm hands turned the girls over expertly, assessing for injuries. Her forehead wrinkled in a frown as she noticed the blood trailing from Shiver¡¯s eyes, which she wiped off gently. She grasped their hands tightly and gingerly led them out of the guildmistress¡¯ office. Leaving her folder and discoveries behind in Aveline¡¯s hands. As they made their way back, the tension had not fled from Shiver¡¯s eyes. Marta and Pov¡¯s sacrifice weighed on her. There was always a price to pay, even for a life as worthless as hers. Chapter 6: Crab Catastrophe The bigger they are, the harder they fall. It was not a saying that applied to most orphans. Perhaps most of all, it was relevant to the nobility. Those privy to the powers of Fearshaping, bringing their nightmares into reality. As if to mock the very Fears that eternally haunted all elves. Wealthy merchants? Surely the saying applied to them. Fighting coin by coin to amass a fortune, they danced at the edge of the nobility¡¯s whims. It was a long way down if they slipped, and when they did, many never rose again. Shiver watched as the candle before her cast dancing shadows on the walls of the Trobid home. Vale lay sleeping on a bed nearby, exhausted from the events of the day. Marta had brought them back home, washed them up, and tended to their injuries. When Shiver had attempted to return to her cave, the giant had picked her up by her waist and locked her in a room with Vale. The reason why she ran so hard and far from Marta and Pov¡¯s kindness throughout the years was simple. There was nothing more addicting to someone abandoned, cast aside on the street, or in a cave in her case, than unconditional, unwarranted love. Even the sweet relief brought by Tranquillity that had reduced many an elf to shells of themselves wasn¡¯t as alluring. She resented herself for it. Seeing Marta relinquish her relics to the guild for her sake, amassed through countless painstaking excursions into the bitter winterlands. Pov, in the expedition contracts bargained with the guild, undoubtably at his own expense. She resented herself for the sacrifices they had made for her. They demanded nothing. A part of her wanted to resign herself to her selfish wishes, and to live with them, like they had suggested countless times. She just bowed her head, as Marta closed the door with a gentle click. The bigger they are, the harder they fall. It was not a saying for an orphan, abandoned, cast away in a cave. For she had never managed to get very far from the ground for her falls to hurt. It was a simple matter of returning home, to a familiar misery. For the very first time, Shiver felt like she had fallen from a heaven that she didn¡¯t deserve. --- Vale woke from her nightmares to a pair of shining cerulean eyes, comically close to her own. She yelped, and leapt backwards, scattering her sheets. ¡®Morning my lady. We have a very busy day today. You see, Marta is cooking us dinner, and we¡¯re going to help her.¡¯ Vale let out a loud grown and covered herself with her sheets again. ¡®Shiver the sun barely just rose! Besides, I¡¯m sure Marta and Pov can sort out their own dinner. Can¡¯t a lady get a bit of rest!¡¯ She sighed, snuggling into her pillow with contentment. Shiver paused, her eyes traced Vale¡¯s form. One last chance then. ¡®I think we should make it up to the both of them.¡¯ ¡®I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll be fine. They chose to help us, we didn¡¯t ask for it. Now let me sl-¡® In an instant, Shiver began dragging Vale out of her bed, heedless to her cries or efforts to cling onto her covers. ¡®My you two are lively this morning? Sleep well?¡¯ Pov knocked and entered the room. Shiver avoided his gaze and redoubled her efforts to push Vale out of her bed. ¡®Oh Poverty, thank heavens you¡¯re here. Please tell her to stop, Shiver¡¯s being positively feral!¡¯ Poverty let out a hearty laugh. ¡®She usually is. Shiver?¡¯ He waited as the girl continued to free Vale from her covers in silence. After what seemed like an eternity, her efforts slowed. ¡®Someone has to get dinner together today.¡¯ ¡®You¡¯re staying for dinner?¡¯ Pov¡¯s mouth fell at her words and his eyes bulged in shock. Shiver redoubled her efforts, finally wrangling Vale out of her blankets. Shiver dragged her past Pov. ¡®Shiver you¡¯re finally staying for din-¡® Shiver shut the door in Pov¡¯s face. ¡®Why are we in such a ru- mmf mmmff¡® ¡®It¡¯s a surprise.¡¯ Shiver pinched Vale¡¯s lips together pulling her through the front door while sporting a familiar grin. Vale was glad to see the orphan regain some of her characteristic mirth. Shiver had been silent the entire time Marta tended to their wounds the day before. She hadn¡¯t uttered a word even after Marta had left, despite Vale¡¯s efforts to discuss what they had seen. However, as she saw the grin linger on the orphan¡¯s face, her joy turned into confusion. She started to wonder¡­ just what awaited her that had Shiver looking so happy. Her confusion gradually turned into looming terror as she pondered what Shiver had planned for them. As she quickly discovered, she should have listened to her gut. --- ¡®Oh, how wonderfully industrial! I¡¯ve never seen a ¡°lift¡± like this before.¡¯ The lift carried Vale and Shiver down to Brimstone¡¯s docks, which brimmed with activity. It was powered by a coalfire engine, a recent invention straight from Brimstone itself. Vale brimmed with curiosity as she took in the sights and sounds around her. The lift stuttered to a stop as it reached the foot of the cliff. The pair squeezed through the bustling crowd, finally arriving at a stall. A hunched, bald man shouted prices with a tremendous voice into the crowd before him. ¡®Get yer soldiercrabs here! Only twenty silver! Boiled and slaughtered so they don¡¯t get yer balls like they did mine!¡¯ The old man cackled, waving an enormous crab the size of his entire torso at the crowd. Vale gasped in astonishment. Upon noticing them, the hunched man shot them a greasy grin and gave them a bow which produced a symphony of popping noises. Shiver winced, rubbing at her own back. ¡®Welcome ladies, to me ¡®umble establishment. Shiver! Looking for work, are ye?¡¯ Shiver returned an exaggerated bow to the vendor. ¡®No, no ¨C we¡¯re paying customers today Pince.¡¯ ¡®Well! Why didn¡¯t ye just say so!¡¯ Vale stared incredulously as the pair of them erupted into raucous laughter. ¡®Only the freshest of the bunch for ye!¡¯ Shiver¡¯s eyes twinkled as she shared a grin with the crab salesman.Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. ¡®Indeed, and this here young lass will have the privilege of picking them out. She has an eye for seafood, isn¡¯t that right Vale?¡¯ Vale nodded enthusiastically before catching herself. Her eyes narrowed as she regarded Shiver with suspicion. The old man chuckled, nodding his head and ushering them through his small storefront lined with crabs around him. ¡®Is that so, is that so. It¡¯s lovely to meet yer young lady, after me if you please.¡¯ Vale followed the man, as they came upon a muddy pit brimming with crabs at the back of the store. Despite the small storefront, the pit was sizeable, housing a number of the creatures. ¡®They¡¯re enormous, hmm I wonder which would be the best pick. That one over th-¡® Before she could react, Shiver grabbed Vale¡¯s calves, upending her straight into the crab pit. She screamed as she plummeted straight into the mud. The crabs, used to this occurrence, scuttled right out of the way. ¡®I see yer got another one Shiv? Been a while since you¡¯ve brought ¡®nother orphan around. A right lady this one is, introduce her to Princess Penelope yer should.¡¯ Pincer pointed at a crab in the distance bobbing with a muddied pink ribbon under a little hut aptly named ¡°Princess Penelope¡±. ¡®Will do Pince, what¡¯s the best 5 silver will get? It¡¯s all I¡¯ve got.¡¯ The pair of them ignored Vale¡¯s screams from the pit, utterly focused on the bargain. ¡®I¡¯ll give yer ol¡¯ Richard. You¡¯ll need a big one if yer finally having that dinner with them.¡¯ Shiver looked abashed. The pair of them spat in their hands and sealed the deal with a handshake. ¡®Don¡¯t tell me Pov¡¯s gone around ratting me out, already. He talks too much. Taking that unit for five silver would be outright theft though, I¡¯d never do that to you. We¡¯ll do you a favour and round up a couple to save you the trouble.¡¯ Pince nodded in gratitude with a wide smile, the gaps in his teeth on grand display. ¡®That¡¯s our Shiver! Always a thoughtful one. Just around thirty-five would do yer right.¡¯ ¡®Shiver! What is the meaning of this! How dare yo-¡® Shiver walked over to the fenced pit edge to look down at the squirming Vale, thoroughly covered in mud. With a lithe leap, she fell into the mud beside her, gracing her with another layer of filth. As Vale recoiled, she fell onto her backside, squishing an unfortunate crab which promptly pinched her bottom in retaliation. Furious tears fell unbidden from her eyes as she squirmed away into the path of other scuttling crabs. Shiver stood over her in the mud of the pit, as she did to all of the other orphans she had mentored, like young Blaze. Each time, it was a slightly varied speech ¨C whatever they needed to hear. A reality check. ¡®Lesson one.¡¯ She paced before a gaping Vale. ¡®Trust no one. I don¡¯t care who you were in your past life, whether you were a queen, princess, lady or bloody crab-saint- ¡¯ Princess Penelope snapped her pincers at her in indignation, resenting the comparison. ¡®You have no one now. You are no one. Did you think you could waltz into the city and own it? Take advantage of the kindness of others? That was certainly how you were acting.¡¯ Shiver halted in front of the wide-eyed Vale. ¡®You seemed to believe that you were entitled to the sacrifices Marta and Pov made yesterday. Perfectly content to sleep in.¡¯ ¡®Hey now, that¡¯s unf-¡® In response, Shiver idly flicked another small crab at her she Vale screamed and scuttled back. She resumed her pacing. ¡®Did you intend to make it up to them at all? Give me an answer. I swear, if the thought genuinely crossed your mind, I¡¯ll get on my knees, apologise, clean you up myself and serve you the best crab stew you¡¯ve had in your life.¡¯ Vale blushed. After the events of the past day, all she had wanted to do was burry her head in a pillow and sleep the rest of her exhaustion away. She hadn¡¯t thought to repay Pov and Marta for bailing them out. Shiver knew it. At least she had the character to admit it, with her silence. Shiver finally stopped pacing, staring her down. ¡®We were both at fault for getting made yesterday. But, my lady. You act like your life hasn¡¯t changed at all. When you live on the streets, you¡¯ll need to get your hands dirty and earn your own keep. If you don¡¯t repay your debts, no one will look out for you. Wretches like us have nothing to offer, after all.¡¯ Vale fell silent, Shiver seemingly having struck a chord. She sighed, squatting next to Vale, noticing a curious lack of protesting or fresh tears. Perhaps there was hope for her after all. She has grit. Shiver nodded briskly and walked towards the pit wall. ¡®Why are you doing this? Why bother helping me in the first place?¡¯ In response, Shiver picked up a tiny crab that squirmed between her fingers. ¡®You¡¯re like this crab.¡¯ Vale simply raised one of her frustratingly well-defined eyebrows. ¡®Helpless and squirming in the mud.¡¯ Shiver shot Princess Penelope a deferential bow as she noticed a certain pink ribbon drawing inconspicuously closer, a claw raised in protest. Her highness didn¡¯t squirm, she glided. Vale just sighed, seeming to understand she wasn¡¯t getting anything more substantial out of her. Shiver clapped her hands together. ¡®Now! Let¡¯s get to work shall we. Your first task, is to catch thirty-five of those whiteshell crabs over there.¡¯ Shiver pointed to a white crab cautiously watching them while it stood immobile. ¡®¡­with my hands?¡¯ ¡®Yep. Well, go on.¡¯ After a pause, Vale crept up to the crab hesitantly, letting out a yelp as the grab demonstrated surprising dexterity and speed, scuttling out of her reach as she came within grabbing distance. Turning to express her frustration at Shiver, she noticed Pincer walk into the tent, crab swinging in hand. ¡®Done with yer speech are ye? This one took to it quick, maybe there¡¯s hope yet ay?¡¯ ¡®You do this to the other orphans? You- you devil!¡¯ Shiver looked at her aghast. ¡®Do this to them? Nightmares, no. They all receive fair compensation.¡¯ The old man chuckled, looking affectionately at his crabs. He was carrying a folding chair which he snapped open, placing at the edge of the pit. Shiver promptly leapt out of the pit and into the chair. ¡®The usual Shiv?¡¯ ¡®I can always depend on you Pince.¡¯ ¡®Aye, aye. Thought you¡¯d like one. Here ya go.¡¯ Shiver promptly stuck the popsicle Pincer produced into her mouth, lounging on the chair. Vale sputtered, turning hesitantly to the crabs. There was no reasoning with Shiver and she knew it. Vale rounded on the whitecrab again, running at it to no avail. ¡®Maybe you should try another strategy! Acting like a crab worked really well for me.¡¯ ¡®Aye Shiver, yer make an irresistible crab.¡¯ Shiver beamed at Pince. It was going to be a long day. ---- ¡®Careful of Richard! He packs a pinch.¡¯ The sun was setting, casting a beautiful orange glow into the tent and onto the gigantic soldiercrab that had emerged from his slumber. Vale also noticed for the first time how the glow of the sun took on a distinctly crab-like orange hue when it was setting. She was slowly slipping into crab-filled insanity. ¡®Oh and Penelope gets sassy if you get too close to her hut. Princesses, am I right?¡¯ Vale was on her final catch now. After changing tack multiple times and getting pinched double that, she had finally found a reliable way to round up the whitecrabs. Cornering them after tiring them out had worked, not that Shiver had helped in the slightest. They seemed to be wary of the larger soldercrabs like Richard¨C a fear she shared ¨C which she used to her advantage when cornering them. Her legs burned and her fingers were marred with cuts and bruises from outraged crustaceans. Picking up the last crab breathlessly, and ignoring its errant pinching, Vale lobbed it at Shiver, who deftly caught it, binding its claws and placing it in a crate beside her. Expecting more ridicule, she was surprised when Shiver instead extended her some water and a smile. Her tummy grumbled as she struggled to climb out of the pit. Shiver led her to a bucket of cold water and a tattered curtain in the corner of the pit, but Vale was too tired and relieved to protest. Pince was nowhere to be seen, so she promptly removed her clothes and washed off the mud that was drying, wincing at the cold. She clumsily poured the water over her, and gritting her teeth as she put back on her mud-covered clothing. Shiver hummed to herself. Not what I expected. She adapts quickly. ¡®All done?¡¯ ¡®Now, time to catch ol¡¯ Richard!¡¯ Vale¡¯s tears started flowing. ¡®There there¡­ I was just joking. It¡¯s time for me to earn my keep now. We both have to atone after all.¡¯ She grabbed some coils of rope resting on the fence and leapt straight into the crab pit, approaching Richard with care. Vale watched on with wide eyes. She had made sure to give the gargantuan crab a wide berth, using him strategically to catch the smaller whitecrabs. She drew closer with confidence, bending her knees and staying on the balls of her feet as she came within Richard¡¯s reach. All of Vale¡¯s chasing has made the mud more uneven than it had been originally. Shiver paid the slippery, uneven surface no heed. ¡®Sorry big guy, Marta¡¯s hungry.¡¯ She lunged, pivoting fluidly as she dodged a furious pincer. Vale had no doubt that a single ¡°pinch¡± from Richard would leave bones broken. Shiver leapt behind the crab, demonstrating impressive agility, driving the helpless crab headfirst into the mud. She wasted no time securing one of his pincers before he managed to break free. His remaining pincer shot forward in an attempt to crush Shiver¡¯s skull. With a flick of her foot, she sent him off course and flying back-first into the mud. Richard helplessly struggled as ten of his armored feet scythed the air before him. Vale shuddered at the sight while Shiver fearlessly placed a foot in the center of his body to hold him down while securing his remaining pincer. Out of danger, Shiver she tied him up more securely, and hefted him onto her shoulder ¨C a feat she would thought impossible for the lean girl. Princess Penelope scuttled about helplessly in anger and rage as her greatest knight was unceremoniously lifted out of the pit to meet his grueling fate at the foot of Marta¡¯s dining table. Shiver shot the gaping Vale a wink. She had taken care of that monster almost instantly. ¡®Excited to have crab for dinner?¡¯ --- Chapter 7: Dinner and Despair Shiver hefted Richard on her back. Vale looked on in amazement at her strong strides, unimpeded by the weight of the gigantic soldiercrab as they made their way back to Marta and Pov¡¯s home. ¡®So tell me, princess. One gets curious, why did you run away?¡¯ Vale choked and stumbled. She ¡®You know, Shiver¡­ I was a lady. Calling me princess is entirely inacc-¡® ¡®You know your highness, I¡¯ve always wondered about runaway lords and ladies. I¡¯m sure the slums have their own sort of appeal, or ¡°romance" one might say¡­¡¯ She shot Vale a look of appraisal. ¡®No¡­ You don¡¯t look like the romantic type. Must be something else. What could be so compelling that you would run away from your luxurious life-¡® ¡®I would have you know! I am plenty romantic.¡¯ ¡®There¡¯s only one thing I can think of really, what everyone assumes. You don¡¯t want to be a Fearshaper?¡¯ Vale missed a step and stumbled. Her expression darkened at the mention of that word. Shiver¡¯s grey eyes were alight as they met Vale¡¯s own. ¡®Frankly, if that was the reason, I wouldn¡¯t blame you. Us common folk down here don¡¯t know much about Fearshaping. But you hear whispers of noble families inducing a particular Fear in their children. Not to mention, the whole bringing your nightmares into reality thing doesn¡¯t sound particularly¡­ fulfilling.¡¯ Vale let out a hollow laugh. She overtook Shiver and continued down the road. Before turning to stop. With the setting of the sun, the fishermen by the port had packed up their stands. The streets lay barren, and the lavaways lit up the streets in a soft orange glow. She traced Shiver¡¯s gaze, which was directed at the upper circles of Brimstone. High above the slums. The domain of the nobility, the Brimstone family, wealthier merchants and traders. Finally, she broke the silence between them. ¡®You¡¯re not that far off. The ability to manifest your Fear is a double-edged sword. Not everyone wants the risk, or the power itself.¡¯ ¡®Hm.¡¯ They continued onward to Marta and Pov¡¯s crabs in hand. As the distance lengthened between them, Vale whispered under her breath. ¡®Especially when you have a Fear like mine.¡¯ --- The walk back to Pov and Marta¡¯s house was subdued. Vale seemed to be coming to terms with her new life. She was hardly in a mood to volunteer anything more of herself to Shiver, understandably so. After all, she had crushed her trust and thrown her in a crab pit. Understandable. Many orphans and urchins who had also gone through the trial of crabs had fared much worse. Vale was resilient for all that she whined and complained. It didn¡¯t matter that it had taken her the better part of the day to round up a couple of crabs, she had stayed her course. Shiver might make something of her yet. For now though, the girl only stalked behind her silently. As they drew closer to the house, Shiver halted at the threshold, stopping at the edge of the shadows. It was dangerously inviting, each and every time. The warmth that emanated from Pov and Marta¡¯s home. There was a reason she had refused all of their invitations to dinner. She knew that they cared for her. Knew that they wanted to free her from that Fear-damned cave of hers, to give her hope for a proper life. With them. Shiver crossing the threshold, her knuckles white as she clenched them. Vale looked on quizzically. ¡®Vale, Shiver! There you are! You disappeared and Pov didn¡¯t say a wor-¡¯ Marta¡¯s eyes widened as she spotted the soldiercrab Shiver hefted on her back. The girl avoided her eyes, a gentle blush reaching her pale cheeks. Marta just pulled the pair of them into a warm hug. Vale¡¯s eyes moistened with guilt. ¡®You got my favourite!¡¯ Silence pervaded between them, only for Marta to smother it with hearty laughter. ¡®Well then! This specimen isn¡¯t going to cook itself, is it? Let¡¯s get to work!¡¯ --- Vale¡¯s eyes widened at the bounty of food laid out on the table before them. ¡®All this food? Uh¡­¡¯ Her glance lingered suspiciously on Marta just a moment too long, provoking loud laughter from Shiver and Marta alike. ¡®Girl, I promise yer, it won¡¯t all be going into my here belly.¡¯ The towering woman broke into a soft smile. ¡®Take some back to the orphanage, won¡¯t you?¡¯ ¡®She¡¯s annoying like that. Too generous.¡¯ Shiver tried and failed to avoid Marta¡¯s immense hand as she ruffled the girl¡¯s ash-white hair. ¡®Pov! Would ya look at this here right unit! Never seen a soldiercrab like him. How did you think they managed it?¡¯ Richard¡¯s carapace had turned a mouth-watering shade of orange, the colour of a well-cooked crab. Steam and a delightful aroma emanated from his place at the center of the table. As he entered the kitchen, Pov¡¯s eyes went wide at the sight of a soldiercrab the size of himself. ¡®Well done Vale! When Shiver went through her trial, all she had to show for it was old Penelope.¡¯ ¡®Princess Penelope? She¡¯s- but she¡¯s still around!¡¯ Marta let out a bellow of a laugh that gently shook the room. Shiver looked mildly offended at how entertained she was. ¡®She was tiny, there was no getting any meat out of her. Pince decided to keep her as a pet, a reminder of Shiver¡¯s ¡°big catch¡±.¡¯ Shiver let out a snort. She walked over to the kitchen knife stand and licked her lips in anticipation, shooting a deliberate glance at Vale. The girl looked at her flatly, returning a look of mild disgust at the orphan¡¯s antics. Shiver withdrew a cleaver and expertly started hacking away at Richard¡¯s joints legs. ¡®Why don¡¯t you go have a proper bath, eh Shiver? You stink.¡¯ ¡®I don¡¯t need a ba-¡® ¡®Yes you do, young lady. Off with you.¡¯ Marta easily pried the cleaver away from Shiver at the shared amusement of Vale and Pov. She stalked away to the bathroom. The short elf walked up to her with a warm smile.Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit. ¡®I hope she didn¡¯t pick on you too much, Vale? She might look¡­ frosty on the outside, but she¡¯s got a good heart if you look closely enough.¡¯ ¡®Perhaps I just haven¡¯t gotten a close enough look.¡¯ Pov and Marta shared a hearty chuckle. ¡®You know, we¡¯ve tried convincing her to stay with us from the time she was a wee kid, when we found her. She was never willing to join us. She never even stayed for a meal.¡¯ Vale nodded. At first, she would have assumed that the girl¡¯s pride would not have permitted it. Now, it was clearer to her that she had likely been reluctant to rely on Pov and Marta. Marta confirmed her assumptions. ¡®I know what you¡¯re thinking, it wasn¡¯t only because of her pride. She certainly has a strong sense of it, but she didn¡¯t want us to be worse off. She knows struggle. She¡¯s also one of the only few older orphans that have stuck around, still inducting the young ones. Preparing them for the life ahead of them.¡¯ Pov¡¯s voice lowered to a hush. ¡®They found her in a cave outside Brimstone. She was abandoned there, to the cold. It¡¯s where she stays, to this day.¡¯ Vale drew in a breath. Pov gave her wink. ¡®It didn¡¯t come from us. She¡¯d have our hides if she found that we told you.¡¯ ¡®Pov you¡¯ve talked her ear off and the night hasn¡¯t even started! Go have a warm bath, Vale. Leave the rest to me, eh?¡¯ Vale excused herself and headed to the bathroom. Her respect for Shiver had grown a sliver after Pov and Marta¡¯s testimonies. Underneath her frosty interior was a girl with resilience the likes of which she hadn¡¯t seen before. The warmth of this place was undeniable. It wouldn¡¯t be long before it began to feel like home, especially to a young orphan with no one looking out for them. Shiver had refused that temptation, out of concern for them. You had to respect the- Vale met with a face full of warm water as she opened the door to the bath. Water spattered all around her, some of it escaping into the hallway. Droplets dripped idly from Vale¡¯s hair as she stared at Shiver, who wore a distinct look of satisfaction on her face. ¡®You were asking for it princess. You certainly don¡¯t smell like royalty. Had to be done.¡¯ I take everything back. --- ¡®You thought I was a smith? Can you believe it Pov!¡¯ Marta¡¯s laughed as Vale withdrew into herself, smothering her red face in her hands. ¡®I can¡¯t see it, can you Shiver?¡¯ ¡®Not at all, look at how delicate she is!¡¯ Marta posed, putting a hand under a chin, shooting a wink at Vale. ¡®I¡¯m so sorry.¡¯ Pov, who was seated next to her patted her on the back reassuringly with a laugh. ¡®We¡¯re only teasing Vale. When Marta first approached me, I thought the end of my days had arrived.¡¯ ¡®I¡¯m surprised you¡¯ve lasted for so long, my love.¡¯ Marta shamelessly shot a wink at her husband who reacted with a laugh. Shiver, whose cheeks bulged as she chewed up Richard together with the range of other vegetables, interjected. ¡®Wha were hose arshefacts yesferday, Martaugh?¡¯ ¡®Swallow your food before you talk Shiver, it¡¯s unbecoming of a lady.¡¯ ¡®Shays yu!¡¯ Marta sighed, resigned to the lost cause that Shiver was. Then her expression darkened, as her thoughts returned to the previous night. ¡®Those artefacts¡­ They carry powerful curses. You noticed it yourself, didn¡¯t you?¡¯ Shiver nodded, gulping down her food. ¡®When I got near them, I felt something like¡­¡¯ ¡®Your Fear.¡¯ Marta nodded, idly mixing her food, her eyes far away. ¡®The answer is¡­ we suspect them to be the Phobias of fallen Fearshapers.¡¯ ¡®Phobias?¡¯ Marta nodded solemnly. ¡®The tool of a Fearshaper. A physical reflection of their Fear, that they wield. They¡¯re potent. If you don¡¯t handle them carefully, they¡¯re deadly enough to kill. At best, an elf without a Fear would walk away with a new one.¡¯ Marta exchanged an expression with Pov. ¡®I first chanced upon one on the road back to Brimstone, an hourglass. This one was weaker than the others, but its effect¡­¡¯ Vale gulped as she thought back to the dagger that had sat in Aveline¡¯s vault. Its nature was undoubtable. ¡®I thought it an ordinary hourglass, until I put it on this here dining table of ours. And noticed that anything close to it didn¡¯t age.¡¯ ¡®Impossible.¡¯ ¡®Whatever these artefacts are¡­ House Brimstone has ordered their immediate surrender if they¡¯re discovered. They¡¯ve outright banned their retrieval. Those codgers at the librarium are spineless, they cowed to Brimstone. Something¡¯s off about them eh? And I¡¯m no coward.¡¯ Vale was inclined to agree. Marta took a bite of her food, raising her eyes to meet Shiver¡¯s, ¡®Just like you, I heard whispers that Aveline Veringold had collected some in secret. Girl¡¯s a lot like you, Shiv. When I heard they had caught you, I knew exactly what it would take. I¡¯d rather my findings ended up in her hands than those usless chickenhearts at the librarium.¡¯ Marta took another large bite of the crab and chewed with surprising grace. ¡®It¡¯s also a mystery why there are so many of them around Brimstone. Perhaps the result of a war long forgotten.¡¯ A comfortable silence drew out before them as they partook in the meal. As Vale¡¯s eyes passed over Shiver, she realized that the girl had grown noticeably tense. ¡®Marta, Pov.¡¯ Shiver¡¯s voice shook as it cut through the gentle clatter of cutlery. Marta and Pov paused and directed their attention at the orphan. ¡®Thank you for yesterday. We¡¯re sorry¡­ for you know.¡¯ Marta¡¯s smile prompted a blush to rise on Shiver¡¯s cheeks. Vale stared in amazement. She never thought she¡¯d see the day. She inclined her head to Pov. ¡®Don¡¯t you worry yourself. Pov here was raised on the streets himself. He¡¯s told me about the struggle. Of all the people you could go for, the guild has generous coffers. House Brimstone keeps them full.¡¯ Shiver continued to avoid the woman¡¯s gaze. A hint of mischief entered into Marta¡¯s eyes. ¡®But you didn¡¯t think a single dinner would make up for it, did you?¡¯ Shiver froze, her eyes widening. A look of desperation filled her face. ¡®We¡¯ll- we¡¯ll do whatever it takes-¡® ¡®Oh, hush Shiv, I¡¯m teasing ya!¡¯ Vale felt an odd sense of satisfaction seeing the usually unflappable, sassy orphan without a reply. ¡®It would go a long way if you stayed with us a while.¡¯ Marta delivered her offer like the strike from a blademaster, with a manufactured nonchalance. Vale could tell, for she saw the beginnings of tears in the gargantuan¡¯s woman¡¯s kind eyes. The offer made so casually, yet the weight behind it was unquestionable. Shiver¡¯s expression grew conflicted. Marta continued gently, undeterred by the myriad of emotions displayed on the orphan¡¯s face. ¡®We have the means. We¡¯ve saved. It would mean the world to us, eh Pov?¡¯ Pov¡¯s eyes held his response, unequivocal to all of them. Shiver lowered her gaze, her voice a whisper. ¡®I¡¯m all grown now. Better one of the younger ones. They need it more than me.¡¯ Silence echoed throughout the dining table. ¡®Nonsense.¡¯ Shiver¡¯s head rose. ¡®You¡¯re a daughter to us. You¡¯ve always been. The younger ones will have you looking out for them. We won¡¯t change our minds. Eh Pov?¡¯ ¡®Couldn¡¯t have put it better myself.¡¯ Vale glimpsed tears in Shiver¡¯s eyes which the girl quickly swiped away. She saw the corners of her smile twitch involuntarily as she attempted to steel her features. Vale¡¯s own thoughts turned to her own family, tears finally reaching her own. I miss them. Frantic knocking echoed from the hallway, shattering the peaceful silence of the moment. As well as the sounds of a young boy¡¯s shouts. ¡®I-I¡¯ll get it.¡¯ Shiver croaked out a response, and shot from her chair, as if relieved by the interruption. ¡®Shiver.¡¯ The girl halted in her tracks. ¡®Do what you have to do. Then come home, alright?¡¯ Vale hid a smile. Checkmate, Shiver. Tears did fall from her eyes then, as she ran into the hallway to open the door. She was glad no one was there to see them. Wiping them away, she cleared her throat and opened the door, to find one of the little orphans waiting anxiously outside. ¡®Dusty, you couldn¡¯t wait? You know that I¡¯ll bring the food over once the mister and missus have had their dinner.¡¯ Dusty shook his head, his eyes filled with¡­Fear? ¡®No Miss Shiver! Dag came around asking after Blaze, saying he¡¯d heard her running her mouth about some robbery. He wanted to speak to her, but Mother booted him out. Then this noble came in and kicked us out. He¡¯s hurting Blaze!¡¯ Shiver cursed, gritting her teeth. ¡®I swear little firefly, what have I told you about keeping that mouth of yours shut.¡¯ She called out towards the dining room. Her voice was still unsteady. ¡®Marta, Pov! I need to settle some things, don¡¯t wait up!¡¯ The bigger they are the harder they fall. Not an expression for an orphan they said. Yet even orphans were graced with rare moments of serenity that made them feel like the peer of any Highlord or noble. And how they despaired when those few moments of peace inevitably ran their course. With her eyes finally devoid of tears, rage took their place. ¡®Let¡¯s go.¡¯