Bone Diggers - Chapter Sixteen

Loading... Chapter Sixteen

Owen hated leaving a mission like that, but Em had called saying she was having contractions, allotting no time for Daniel. Since Emily's husband was out of town, Owen and Neal were her support system. Owen lived too far away to help directly, his job was to simply show up at the hospital. He made it halfway there before Neal called saying it was a false alarm, leaving Owen to tell the taxi driver to turn around.

He pushed aside the annoyance of having the game interrupted. Not that he faulted her. The only blessing was that since he left the battle first he had been able to quit out without any penalty. It was late by time Owen got home again. He thought about logging back into the game, but it was all shut down, and that was for the best. He had to work tomorrow anyways.

The next day, after work, Daniel waited around the guild building. He had plans with Lance before training with Amilia later on, if he didn't give up and cancel completely. But he'd seen neither of them so far. It wasn't odd for him not to spot Amilia this early, but Lance should have met up with him some time ago. Being late was rare, but failing to show up altogether was unheard of.

Daniel tried to reassure himself that Lance had just lost track of the time. Unease settled into his chest, so he decided to do something more than wait around.

He found Gael in his office. "Sir, do you know where Lance is?" Daniel asked. If anyone would know, it would be their leader.

Gael looked up from his desk with a frown, offering Daniel a seat before he said anything else. Reluctantly, Daniel sat down. Gael got up, moving around his desk to lean against it. His hand rubbed over his mouth. "Neither Lance or you checked in after the mission last night. I was able to check on you, but Lance..."

"What?" Daniel felt the color drain out of his face. "Then, where is he?"

"We are trying to find that out now," Gael said. The tone was one Daniel has heard countless times. It was a political one, not one of concern.

"Well, look harder!"

"We are doing the best we can—"

"Like hell you are. Half of the thieves are just hanging around downstairs. A proper search party would have more looking. At very least you could have told me sooner, instead of having me figure it out a day later."

The two exchanged a few more choice words, but it ended up with Daniel storming out.

He searched the whole day for any sign of Lance's location. It was clear that the Knights had him, but where was still the question. Any stronghold he knew of wouldn't crumble from his efforts alone, and he didn't know anyone from the faction that would even confirm his guess.

It took a beat of his heart to realize that wasn't true.

He did know someone. Amilia.

Despite the anger and betrayal, he found himself on her doorstep. He bounced on his heels, hands balled into fists, and wondered if this was who he really should ask. His clear head had slipped away overnight, leaving him frantic and worn out.

Daniel knocked to no avail. He hissed between his teeth and glanced around. This was his only real lead. Going back now would only lose him more time. "Amilia, open up. I need your help," he called, loud enough to be heard through the door.

It took longer than it should have, but she came out. Scattered rays spilled around Daniel as he stood with his back to the sun. Five minutes ago, she would have ignored any problem the world tossed her way, but looking at Daniel now, she was unable to. "What's wrong?"

"I—I don't know where he is." Daniel's hands rose to the top of his head like there wasn't enough air in the world, but they didn't stay there long as they fluttered around. "I looked all over the city. I know it's a big city, but it isn't that big," he continued like a man who had lost his mind. "I think they killed him. I think the knights killed Lance. I need to find him."

"Just try to slow down. When do you think this all happened? And how?" she asked. If Daniel could have fought back the panic attack that was building, he would have caught the lie. She knew the answer to both of her questions. Deep down, she hoped the stories didn't match up. That Lance had escaped after her cousin told her to run.

"Lance was out on a mission last night. He hasn't been seen since. I think he was captured, or maybe killed. If the first is true, I don't have long until the second." Daniel took a big breath, as if he hadn't been breathing the whole time. It was a strain to settle down when everything in his head was screaming that time was running out. The fact that they had attacked a member of her family certainly wouldn't gain either of them any favors. Nor that fact that Amilia had said she wasn't really on their side. But who else did he have right now?

Fear was just making Daniel more confused. A spike of pain bolted through his head. He grumbled to himself and blinked hard as the color of the world seemed to fade. He looked around, as if to check his vision against things in the room.

"I...can't see blue." The comment was out of place, but the system made Daniel repeat words that were actually Owen's. He reached up to the visor to check its placement, and Daniel mirrored.

"Hey, hey, it's okay," Amilia said softly. Daniel braced himself against the door frame, and she reached out to touch his hand. Everyone would likely blame that night on her, and helping him soon after wouldn't gain their trust. But she couldn't leave him like this. She bit her lip. "I'll help you. Just let me go gather my stuff."

Daniel nodded as she headed back in the house. It felt like a weight had been lifted off his chest once she agreed. Proper colors slowly ebbed back before his vision flashed solid white.

Owen and Daniel shared a gasp, with a stumble he found himself in Paris. Hard transitions were always the worst, but this was something else completely. Notre Dame stood proudly up ahead. He'd been here before. Daniel spun around, realizing he had lived this day before.

It had been years ago, back when Daniel was a new recruit. He was stunned at the cathedral and its ever watchful gargoyles. He had heard stories of how beautiful the church was inside, but maybe he should have been warned about how breathtaking it all was.

"C'est un beau chose, n'est-elle pas?" A man who spoke French stepped next to Daniel as he, too, glanced at the cathedral.

"Come again?"

Lance chuckled waving his hands in front of him. "Excusez-moi, I didn't know you were Spanish," he said, switching languages so Daniel could understand. Lance hadn't aged much over the years. The change in style, however, was notable. His ivory shirt had a large V cut into it, with baggy sleeves that were pulled tight around the cuffs. Black boots rose to just under the kneecap. To top it off, the sword on Lance's belt looked purely decorative.

Daniel didn't understand why he was reliving this day, but he had found him. Maybe he had to do something different this time, or—

"I said, it's a beautiful thing, isn't it?" Lance said, cutting Daniel's thought short as he remembered this. "The last time I saw someone gawk like that, they were looking at a Da Vinci painting. I could show you around Paris. I have a feeling you'd get lost on your own."

Lance's bold grin was one Daniel learned to love. He hesitated at first. Sightseeing had never been the plan, but Lance served as a personal tour guide for the day. It took Daniel most of the day to figure out what Lance got out of it. Only later did he realized the man truly loved this city and showed it off to anyone who would listen.

The two stopped as the day wore on to get something to eat. Daniel's stomach had been uneasy with the fear he'd end up with something completely foreign, since Lance had to order because Daniel didn't know a lick of French himself at the time. The worry turned into laughter as Lance bit back a smirk.

"You should come back to Spain with me," Daniel blurted when food he knew arrived.

"What? Paris is my home! I don't think I could ever leave it," Lance dismissed with another laugh.

"It would only be fair," Daniel said. "I'm indebted to show you Spain. After tomorrow, I have to return."

They split up after dinner, and Daniel believed he'd never see the man again. How big of a deal could it be; they'd only known each other for a handful of hours. The following day had to be spent on the thieves' guild mission anyway.

Daniel walked up to a manor that looked to be asleep, as the morning air had yet to burn off. He sneaked around, making it inside as quietly. Daniel worked his way to a study, narrowing missing servants that roamed the house. His goal was to steal some info, nothing more.

It was going well until on his way out a guard spotted him.

"Stop right there!" the man yelled, and broke into a sprint after him. Daniel ran for it, but he picked up two more guards in the attempt to flee. Outrunning them didn't seem like was going to work, so he turned back to face the group. The first was easy to take down, but the other two were giving him trouble.

After a struggle, he managed to get it down to a one on one. Being winded and inexperienced wouldn't stop him; not when the stakes were life and death. The guard grabbed him by the collar and threw him down to the dirt.

Daniel reached for his weapon, which had also fallen. The guard blocked him, with a swipe of his sword, forcing Daniel to retract his hand if he wanted his fingers to come back whole. "Voleur," the guard spit.

Daniel didn't know what the man said, but clearly it wasn't meant as a compliment. He looked up at the man, but the sun blocked his view completely. A shadow that seemed to signal his death. The wait dragged every heartbeat out as if to savor the remaining few.

When no blow came, Daniel opened his eyes. He saw a man standing in silhouette, and another shadow in a pile on the ground.

Lance leaned in, pulling Daniel back on his feet. "Looks like you need someone to have your back."

Speechless, Daniel's eyes fell to the man on the ground who had Lance's decorative sword in his chest.

"Daniel?"

He shook his head, as the voice didn't match what he expected. Daniel turned to the sound, and blinked hard as Amilia returned now dressed in her gear. "What?"

Her eyes narrowed a little, possibly wondering if he was all there. Daniel couldn't blame her. He stared feverishly at her as he felt like that memory had somehow been shared. "I said, you should lead the way."

"Right." Daniel shook his head. "Let's go."

Daniel headed out, pausing just outside the door. There weren't many more places he could check, leaving him with limited options. He wanted to simply ask her where Lance would be kept, but didn't want to scare his only help away. He grimaced and offered the last lead he had. "There is a herald down by the fish market that might know something. Worth a shot, I guess."

Amilia followed Daniel as they hurried towards the market. She couldn't help but glance at him every so often. The company made him seem more collected, but she wondered if he'd unravel and take it out on the square preacher if the lead didn't go anywhere. What lengths would he go to reach his friend? Would he risk his own life? Maybe the thieves were just a group, or maybe they were a family. Would she do any less for her uncle or cousin?

When they reached the platform the herald used, Amilia found herself hoping this day would end well. Somewhere along the line she started to care for Lance enough to want him safe, for Daniel's sake at very least.

Amilia stepped forward, coming up to the platforms side and signaling that they urgently needed to talk to him. Hesitantly, the man agreed.

"We need information from you," Daniel said, "The Knights have taken one of our men, and rumor has it you know where he is." He tried to make everything sound as simple as he could. No reason to let this stranger know he'd walk through hell to get Lance back.

"If you want secrets," the herald grinned boldly, "it is going to cost you."

Daniel sighed, growing annoyed already. He knew that was going to happen. It was always about money to some people. Daniel pulled out a bag of coins to bribe the man with, didn't even care about paying more than the usual fee.

The herald's eyes widened at the payday and he stashed the pouch away, not wanting people to see him inspecting it. "The rumors are true. The thieves crashed a party. The knights weren't very happy about that. Most wanted to kill the man they captured, but others saw him as an opportunity to take the thieves down." The herald's eyes flickered over to Amilia. "No one can withstand torture forever you see. I've heard they are hiding him near the river."

"Where near the river?" Daniel's patience was gone, and it showed in the rough tone. He'd already checked that area, and a vague direction wasn't going to change anything.

"That's all I can give you. I don't want my own body being forfeit as punishment for telling secrets," the man said, keeping whatever information he had left.

The idea of Lance suffering longer because this little pissant didn't want to tell him the whole story was not going to fly with Daniel. He grabbed a fist full of the man's clothes, pulling him close so they were face to face. "Tell me, or we can see just how long you can withstand torture."

"I know how thieves work," the man said, barely keeping his voice even. "You don't harm innocents. You are honor bound."

Daniel moved his hand around like he was doing some sort of magic trick. However, the trick ended with a knife under the man's chin, the tip already lightly pressing into the skin.

"Do I need to repeat myself?" Daniel asked. The look on his face sent a chill down the man's spine.

"All right! At the dock. They use it for other things because they don't think anyone will pay attention to everyone coming and going. I don't know anything else besides that, I swear. Please, don't hurt me."

Now the man was afraid. He was an idiot for not being so in the first place. The herald might have spilled everything. Daniel believed that, but he hadn't backed down, undecided if he wanted to kill the sniveling informant for wasting time.

Amilia nervously glanced over at Daniel before speaking up. "I hope this taught you that next time you shouldn't play around. You'll never be this lucky again."

Daniel was the one with the choice, but she knew he'd regret it if he did kill him. It would be meaningless. There were far more productive ways to yield this anger.

They got there in little time. Amilia realized that she had been leading. Daniel made no comment on the fact. The building seemed small from the outside, but she knew the structure extended below the ground. She felt strange for knowing so much about it now. It should have made her feel confident, but it just brought uneasiness.

Amilia pulled her bow from her back, and prepared an arrow for the first guard she saw patrolling out of view from the others. Before the next guard came fully around now, she shot him down as well. No one was made alarmed, except maybe herself for how easy each shot was becoming.

It had been her hope to break off from Daniel once they found the building. That way she could avoid upsetting the knights, or her family, by directly helping Daniel again. But everything she saw, from his clenched jaw to coiled shoulders, made her fear he'd snap without help.

"I know what you want to do," Amilia said softly. "And I know that you will do anything right now. But Daniel, I need you to keep a level head about this. I've got your back no matter what."

Those had been the first—and only—words to cause a real change in his expression all day. Daniel remembered his own words when she was afraid of becoming a monster. Now they mirrored Lance's in ways, too. It didn't make sense that he should still trust her. Not after everything he heard her say to others, after everything he overheard.

But he did.