Ink Forged

~People Skills~

Master Vraylor cleared his throat, then reached across the desk to pick up the cup of tea Sawyer's mother had abandoned. Maevus watched, an eyebrow raising as he threw it back like a shot, finishing it in one swallow.

He wiped at his mouth with his sleeve and got to his feet, turning to one of the many bookshelves that was stacked with folders instead of books. After a moment of muttering under his breath, Vraylor took a cream-colored folder down from the third shelf.

Flipping through it, he turned back to her, his blue eyes scanning over the words. Maevus folded her hands in her lap to keep from fidgeting. Lox twined around her legs, nudging his head against her ankles.

After another long moment, Vraylor nodded and snapped the file shut. He laid it on his desk before shooting her a curious stare.

"What?" Maevus asked warily as Lox let out a little huff at being ignored. He jumped up onto Vraylor's desk, scattering papers. The master didn't so much as blink when the dragon settled back on his haunches and began cleaning his paws.

Master Vraylor didn't answer immediately. Instead, he drifted to the window, looking toward the west. He raised a hand to his face, pinching the bridge of his nose like he was trying to stave off a headache.

Finally, he turned back to her, his mouth set in a grimace like he was preparing for a fight. "I need to know how you are working with others."

Maevus could only blink.

Vraylor sighed and moved toward the desk. He tapped a long finger against the file, moving his hand just a second before Lox pounced. The dragon let out a chir of disappointment, and Maevus gasped in alarm when he leapt onto the master's shoulder.

But Vraylor simply lifted a hand and stroked the quills down Lox's back as the dragon used his shoulder as a perch to gaze out the window, imperious as a king. He sighed and said, "This request has been sitting on my shelf for three weeks. A few of my more advanced Encants are away, and the other person I have in mind for the job isn't particularly suited to a fight if it comes to that."

"So just send me," Maevus said, snapping her fingers at Lox. He only looked over his wing, then turned back to the window, rubbing the side of his head against Vraylor's stubbled jaw.

What was it about the master that her dragons took such a liking to, anyway?

Vraylor sat in his chair, and laced his fingers together on the desk. He snorted, then nodded down at the file. "You don't even know what the job is, girlie."

She bristled at that, but didn't respond. Instead, she reached across the desk and snatched up the folder. When Vraylor didn't move to stop her, she flipped the folder open and scanned the words.

"A thief?" she finally said, looking up in surprise. "I'm suppose to go after a thief?" Her brows scrunched together as she put the file down. "Isn't that the guards' job?"

Vraylor shrugged. "The Greenies used to take care of things like that. Now, not so much. Which leaves it to the guilds." 

Maevus frowned at that. Why weren't the Greencoats—the domestic guard-force of Escana—taking care of petty criminals? She didn't get the opportunity to ask.

He waved a hand at the shelves stuffed with folders. "There's a thousand gold in it for you—after you split with your partner—if you can track the thief down and recover what he stole."

She couldn't stop her mouth from gaping open. A thousand gold pieces just to catch someone who stole a... Maevus picked up the folder again. A diamond ring.

Someone was going to pay over a thousand in gold just to get a silly little ring back?

Maevus bit her lip. A thousand gold pieces would keep her set for months if she was careful with her spending.

The master smiled and Lox jumped down into his lap, purring as Vraylor stroked the space between his wings. Maevus shot the dragon a look of irritation that Lox didn't deign to acknowledge. 

"Okay," Maevus finally said. "That...sounds like something I could do."

"You're an expert tracker, are you?" Vraylor asked dryly. "Can pick up a trail that's three weeks cold?"

Maevus opened her mouth to retort, then stopped with a frown. He had a point, she realized with no small amount of irritation.

Vraylor gave her a little smirk, like he could read her thoughts. "Know where all the best fences are? Best places to sell a trinket like that?"

Now she scowled. But he still had a point. Maevus barely spent any time in the big cities. There was no way she'd know where to start looking for a thief.

"Fine," she snapped. "But how is the person you want me to go with going to have any more luck?"

Vraylor held up his hand, motioning for her to wait. After a moment, he pointed at the door, right as a soft knock sounded.

"Come in, Korie" he said, that smug smile making Maevus want to smack him.

The door opened and Maevus turned as a curvy woman with deep black hair and coppery skin slipped into the room. She paused upon seeing Maevus, her golden eyes studying her intently before sliding to Vraylor where she gasped in surprise upon seeing the dragon in his lap.

"Korie Ghostfoot, this is Maevus Kildaren," Vraylor said. "I have a job for you if you want it."

The other woman turned interested eyes on Maevus. "Of course, Master," she said, her clipped accent and coppery complexion showing she belonged to the clans of western Escana. She smiled, showing very white teeth. "That ring Baron Jeress lost?"

"Had stolen," Vraylor drawled. He gestured toward Maevus. "Miss Kildaren can accompany you, so you don't have to wait on Kinai or Gretya to get back from their jobs."

Korie's golden eyes seemed to glow as she turned to Maevus again. She stuck out a hand, rings of silver and bronze glittering on every finger as Maevus shook. 

"I've been waiting for weeks to go hunt down that thief. If it's who I suspect, he's evaded me twice before." She looked at Vraylor, sounding irritated. "He even slipped by Kinai in Holun."

"Which is why I want you to take Miss Kildaren along," Vraylor said with a smile. "If he's Charmed like you suspect, Maevus can help wrangle him."

Korie blushed slightly, fiddling with one of the rings on her right hand. Thick, dark lashes shaded her eyes as she looked down. Sounding a little embarrassed, she told Maevus, "I can find anything. But my Charm isn't exactly combat inclined."

Maevus didn't really know how to respond. So she just asked, "What is your Charm?"

"I have a Tracker Charm," Korie said with a smile. "I'm the best Carneri Guild has."

Vraylor smiled. "What would your brother say about that?"

Korie shrugged, shaking back her long hair. "Kinai knows I'm the better Tracker. He's a Hunter. It's different."

"Of course," Vraylor said with a gracious incline of his head, even as he winked at Maevus. Then he got to his feet, making Lox yowl with discontent. "Well," he said as he stretched his arms over his head. "Y'all can leave today if you're ready to go. Baron Jeress lives in Liron, which is about five days south."

Maevus opened her mouth, about to point out that she'd never actually agreed to go. Then she looked down at her threadbare clothes and remembered how her cheeks had burned when first Vraylor, then Letya paid for her meals.

So she stood and snapped her fingers at Lox. With a haughty smile, she said, "Not if you can fly."

Vraylor just smirked right back, flopping down in his chair and straightening some of the papers Lox had scattered. "Don't set anything on fire," was all he said as Maevus followed Korie out of the office.