The World Which Is

Chapter 39

As soon as we're out of Helen's neighborhood, Brandon takes us to back alleys and smaller streets with an ease that makes me think it isn't the first time he's had to leave in a hurry.

We have one close call when a group of police officers turns into the alley we were using, but Brandon has a door unlocked and us in it before they can see around the container we hid behind. The room looks and smells abandoned, and I spend the ten minutes we wait to be sure they're gone, doing my best not to think about what makes the skittering noises. Silver gives a solid shudder once we're out, muttering something unflattering about rats.

We make it all the way past Dupont before the next problem, this one a reminder that most people sticking to back alleys aren't of the savory kind. Eight of them against four of us goes much more in our favor than I expect. Brandon has three down before one of them reaches me, and I hold my own sword to sword well enough, not ending up on the ground for once. Helen's voice is clear, even if the words are incomprehensible, and before she's done, they're running off.

She lowers her hands with a smirk

You Sword Fighting skill has gone up. You are now level 19

"Yes!" Then my face heats up as they look at me. "My sword skill went up."

"Congratulation," Helen says, amused.

"Let's be careful," Brandon says. "The people in this area aren't going to get any nicer."

We make it to Kele without further problem.

"Either of you have something with a hood?" Brandon asks, looking left and right at the people. This is a more important road, base on how crowded it is.

"I do," Silver says.

"I don't."

"Put that on your list of things to get. It's not just good to hide your face, but to keep you dryer while traveling. We won't always be able to count on my sister to keep us dry."

"Don't count on it already, Bran."

He mumbles something.

"I can buy one now," I say, "if you know where I can get one."

"This close to the market, one of the stall along the road with have something."

"And you're the one they are looking for," Helen points out.

"I might be the one described to the police, but you can be certain Xander has people looking for Dennis, too. Okay, we mix with the crowd and keep our heads low."

Helen snorts.

"Dennis, I'll point you to a decent cart and you get an oiled poncho. We'll get you properly equipped for the road at the first rest stop. Oh, and keep an eye on your money. Crowds like that are rife with pickpockets."

"Wait," I say, following him into the crowd. "How does picking my pocket get them anything? It's not like my money is there. It's kept by the system."

"You're going to have to query the system about it. All I know is that if they make the skill check, you lose money. And the only way to get it back is to catch them."

"There's got to be something better."

"Convert it into items you can then sell to make it back," Helen says. "But that opens you up to other problems, like making sure you get your value back."

"And it doesn't keep thieves from getting that too," Brandon adds, pausing to look at the clothing hung by a cart then moving on.

"But you can buy pouches that have bonuses against being picked," Helen replies. "The system has nothing to safeguard your money."