The Catalyst

Chapter 2

The inn was called Princess of the Millennia and boasted the blue star emblem atop its door. It cost Noah twice as many coppers as it would've in his hometown of Quickrivers to leave Shadow at the stables. At least when he stepped inside, the place was clean and warm, with a fire roaring in the central hearth and an orange tomcat sleeping on the mantel.

In one corner, a group of men played dice and enjoyed their ale. Another group seated at a long table near the hearth had just started their meal. Noah's gaze would've normally roamed longingly over the meat pies and roasted chickens, but right now he wasn't hungry. Besides, he didn't have many coins to spare.

Noah chose a stool by the bar counter, gazing absently at the myriad liquor bottles on the shelves. A young man in a blue apron interrupted his wiping of the counter to pour him a pint before he could ask.

"You're from Laethi?"

"Who knows?" Noah answered before taking a swig. He sensed his reaction was being studied.

"Do you like it? Best ale in Veicira."

Frankly, it wasn't anything special. "It's great."

The bartender smiled. "Name's Enko, if you need anything. I'm the owner's son."

"Congratulations."

Enko's smile fading somewhat, he turned away to serve other customers.

As he sipped his ale, it occurred to Noah that he hadn't felt lonely in a long time. He'd nearly forgotten what it felt like to be an orphan. In Quickrivers, most people assumed he was Mikael T'Sherazee's son, or his adoptive son. Noah had been living with Mikael, his wife and four kids for about eight years now. Helping out with the horses, cutting firewood, tending the gardens. Selling his soul to a demon.

~ You make it sound bad when you say it like that. ~

Noah smiled. The point being, there hadn't been time to feel lonely. Although, things were different now, back home. Out of Mikael's four kids, only the two youngest still lived there. The two others had left a few months ago, one to join an actors troupe, the other on a spying mission for their magic cult. Noah wondered how that was going, anyway.

When Noah asked for another pint, he winced at the price.

"Best ale in Fellera," Enko said.

"So, if I order a third one, it'll be the best on the continent?" Noah sent a handful of coppers clattering across the counter.

Enko ignored this, simply collecting the coins. Scratching his beard, he asked, "So, what brings you to the city?"

"Sightseeing."

Raising a brow, Enko once again left Noah alone with his drink and his thoughts.

Hearing music, Noah whirled in his seat, craning his neck to find where it came from. A slender woman in a red dress sat in the far corner, plucking the strings of her zither. Though the din of talk and laughter made it difficult to appreciate her skill, Noah listened, sipping more ale. Drowning his thoughts in it much like the musician's tune got drowned by the noise.

This time, upon finishing his drink, one of the serving maids replaced his empty mug with a fresh one. "He told me to keep them coming." She pointed to Enko, who stood chatting with the cook in the kitchen's doorway.

Noah wanted to tell the girl that he didn't have enough to pay for it, but she was already off serving someone else. Then Noah got distracted by her very short blue dress, which revealed most of her long pale legs. No mother in Quickrivers would let her daughter wear this. Not that Noah was complaining.