[While on a rescue mission gone crazed, a holy warrior and a rogue fight bandits, demons, and the urge to rip each other's clothes off.]
The mission, rescuing a princess, could be going better.
Séa is an earnest paladin, honest and gullible. Tash is...
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The midnight knock tapped the door like hurtled stones, sharp and loud. Séa thrashed on the blobby bag of straw and tried to lift eyelids that seemed glued in place. "Immawake, immawake!"
Over by the window, steel struck flint. Flashes illuminated Tash's trim linen-clad figure like summer lightning until the candle wick caught fire. Its mellow glow soon filled the room with equal parts dim illumination and monstrous shadows. The women strapped on armor parts and weapons in puffy-eyed silence.
Tash swung the door open. A blue mote floated above Ghomarck's hat point, emitting a ghostly light. "All ready? Both of you?" he whispered. "Most satisfactory. The back door is this way."
"I love wizards," Séa mumbled. "Never at a loss, a wizard."
But before they escaped the inn, a breathy voice arrested them. "Leaving? No! Don't!"
At Séa's elbow, Tash tensed, and her saber flew halfway out of its sheath.
From the hallway shadows flew a skirt and white blouse topped by a glory of gleaming auburn hair. "Don't go. I haven't had a chance to say thank you."
Tash slammed the saber back into its sheath and glared.
A woozy smile spread over Séa's face. "Renna? Aw, how thoughtful. But we won't be long."
An odd, woody sound commenced. It was Ghomarck grinding his teeth together. "Lady Séa, will you kindly not specify times? Or names or places? Believe it or not, it could be crucial."
Oh, ugh. The restriction on speaking. "I forgot. Sorry, Master Ghomarck."
The peasant girl pressed herself against Séa. Her lips hovered near the paladin's ear. "Hurry back," she huskily murmured. Puffs of pleasant breath stirred stray wisps of Séa's hair.
The paladin's lips parted in sensual appreciation as the redhead whirled away, leaving eddies of pheromones and floral perfume. Séa lifted her nose to quest after the bouquet.
Once outside the Calico Bat's back door, Tash growled, "Did either of you happen to notice that nobody appeared to know her? In the common room, I mean. Nobody greeted her by name."
"Oh!" the wizard said. He extinguished his magical light source, leaving only starlight to guide their path.
If it's just us three, I can speak. Right? "Wull, maybe she's, um, of a different social stratum."
Overhead, moonlight edged altocumulus clouds in silver. The light illuminated Tash's deep frown. "You mean — she's a prostitute?"
Hurt crept into Séa's voice. "Not necessarily."
The wizard said, "Let's drop it. I'm all for being cautious, but meeting the young woman was accidental. She knows nothing about us or our errand, anyway. Now, help me find the cemetery."
