Bone Diggers - Chapter Twenty Eight

Loading... Chapter Twenty Eight

Daniel flipped the coin over in his hands. It should be nothing, but he didn't seem able to set it down. "What is," he started to ask, squinting at the coin. They looked like a random collection of letters. "A, N, T, omega sign? N, E—"

"Wait, wait, let me go ask the internet," Charlie said, while pulling off their headset. They moved over to sit at Owen's computer, pulling up a search engine. "Ok, tell me the other letters."

"I, N, O, C."

Charlie repeated the letters back as they hit the corresponding keys. "Um, let's see," they stalled as they scrolled down the first few entries.

Daniel looked up at Lucas, who stood there unnaturally still until the idle animation kicked in. Lucas cracked the knuckles of his left hand, then his right.

"It's an ancient Greek coin," Charlie said. "For Athena."

"Huh." However interesting, it didn't tell him much. When Charlie put on their headgear, Lucas' movements became fluid again. Transitioning without hiccup instead of cycling between animations.

"What are you looking for?" Lucas asked.

Daniel had moved over to his desk, checking on the maps spread out over it. "Amilia," he said. Her little marker was nowhere to be found. Wherever did she go? He would have sworn she'd be back by now.

"You are so smitten, it's bordering on obsessed." Lucas raised his hands surrendering when Daniel shot him a silent threat. "Sorry. Who was she last with?"

"Lance."

Lucas walked around so he could see the map as well. "I don't see him right now either."

***

Amilia perked up when they made it out to fresh air. She smiled up at the sun like a daisy after days of clouds. But far too soon, that grin wilted. "Could I ask you something? Maybe for a favor?"

Lance had been keeping an eye on the guards patrolling the area. So far, they stayed out of the small courtyard he and Amilia had found. Once he felt sure the guards wouldn't bother them, he pulled himself up to sit on the carved stone banister. "Of course. What's on your mind?"

She leaned back against the stone as well, unable to meet his gaze. The words had to be gathered up within wisps of courage. "If something were to happen, I mean to me. Or if I need to go about something on my own, I need you to promise me that you'll keep Daniel from getting involved. And I won't stand for you doing anything on his behalf, either. I don't think either of us could convince him not to help, so this might be a difficult request. But, if the need ever arises, I know we both want him safe."

Lance's lips parted to object, but now her request seemed to be gushing out.

"You know he'd risk everything, he has before." She glanced towards the ground. "With the lives we lead, there is bound to be trouble, and I couldn't live with myself if something happened to him."

"Amilia, I..." He didn't want to refuse such a favor, but it was a lot to ask to go behind Daniel's back.

"And, you can never tell him I asked you for this. He would never trust either of us again," Amilia added.

"All right." Lance might have caved, but was quick to clarify. "I will keep him safe." It wasn't exactly what she had asked, but it was the most he'd agree to with the limited information. The request was one of a lover begging for protection against the foolish things that lovers did for each other. Being in love could be as dangerous as any blade.

He'd come out to have fun while he taught Amilia, but the day filled with gloom all the same. "Whatever is going on," Lance said, "just remember, we are here for you."

"I know." She smiled weakly before trying to wave the whole thing off as she pulled on a bigger smile. "Enough of that. I feel like we still have a couple more hours of adventure we can squeeze into this day."

Mirth that normally found Lance with ease took its time to return. "Actually, we can stop messing around and do something official for the guild instead. But we should have more than two people for it. Let's regroup and find Daniel first."

Amilia wasn't convinced that Lance wasn't just dragging her back to spill everything. But if today taught her anything, it was she had to learn to trust him.

Lucas looked up when the two just walked into Daniel's place without a knock. "Ah, the trio is back together, I see."

"Well, if it isn't my favorite Rivera son," Lance said.

"Today it is, indeed."

"You are my favorite Rivera son, daughter, or offspring any day."

Lucas smiled at his word choice. "Flatterer."

"Shall I flatter Amilia instead?" Lance wavered in his stance to look towards Amilia. She barely contained a jump at the sound of her name. Whatever compliment he was going to pay was lost to the incredulous expression he gave instead.

"I see you haven't broken his spirit," Daniel said, broadening the smile he'd had ever since Amilia had walked in. "I assume he is treating you the same?"

Amilia eyed Lance as he silently urged her to speak. When she realized he had brought her in earnest, she smiled. "Better than ever," she said, finally turning to Daniel. "I hear that there is a mission to be had? I'd hate for anyone to suggest you've become a slacker who stands around all day."

"Oh no, now there are two of them sassing," Lucas teased, before looking down at the quest map. "We could do some good old espionage. Steal intelligence, sneak out, get rewarded."

"Sounds great," Daniel said.

"What should I do?" She glanced from one thief to another. Lance seemed impressed. Despite her panic earlier, she still had the urge to prove herself.

"Step one," Lance said. "Tag along with a group of thieves. Step two, do not die. Step three—"

"Profit!" Lucas chimed in.

Daniel moved towards the door, making a detour to give Amilia kiss on the forehead. The gesture threw her off. A blush raced to her face. How was he able to balance his focus like that? One minute thinking about the mission and the next showing fondness.

Amilia followed behind the boys. The only thing keeping her nerves at bay was the bow on her back. Lucas took point as they traveled to a small fort on the edge of town. Its walls were so tall that they were able to stare up at it nearly the whole way there.

"I'm going to go scout ahead," Lucas said, and without another word, sprinted ahead. The trio waited, tucked into the shadows of the nearest building for his return. Lucas returned moments later. "It's pretty fortified, but there seems to be gaps in their patrols. If we can distract the first guard, the others shouldn't notice."

Daniel leaned out of the shadows, peering past Lucas to a lone guard who was blocking the door inside. "We got this," he said. Without a glance to anyone else, he started to walk towards the guard. After a few steps, Lance started following. Daniel walked past the guard, just on the edge of a restricted zone, and dropped his coin purse a few steps away from the guard's feet.

The man stepped a few precious feet forward and turned away from watching the cross-traffic to pick up the money. A second after he stood up, Lance reached up from behind and caught him in a choke hold.

Daniel turned back around as the man let out a muffled cry. He ignored the plea and searched the guard's pockets as Lance held him still, retrieving not only his money but a key.

"What I wouldn't give for an extra pair of hands," Lucas said.

Amilia glanced over at him. When she looked back, Lance had hidden the guard somewhere, and Daniel was opening the door. "Go, now," Lucas prompted, and Amilia sprinted to the door.

In quick succession, they all raced inside. Daniel came up last and closed the door behind them. Stealth was more efficient than swords, if less flashy. The few times they did run into guards, Daniel would set them up and Lance would knock them out. Perfect, wordless teamwork.

Several hallways and a few looted rooms later, they came to another area at the end of the hall and ducked in. Inside, a single Knight sat at a desk. At the sight of four thieves, he rushed to his feet. Lucas dispatched the guard with a throwing knife, and he slumped back down before ever reaching a weapon.

"I thought we weren't killing people today," Daniel said, more curious than anything.

"I didn't want the alarm tripped at the last second."

"Good throw," Lance added as he moved around the desk. Maps and designs for things he didn't quite know what to make of lined the walls. He searched for letters that would talk about troop movements, and correspondence between factions that weren't officially aligned with the knights.

Amilia and Lucas checked the room for anything else of value while Daniel watched the door.

"Daniel," Lance called as he held a letter up.

Daniel didn't understand why Lance couldn't just share with everyone, but moved away from the door and took the letter. The neutral expression on his face turn to a frown as he reached the bottom of the page.

She had to know. There was no other reasonable explanation. "This is your family's crest," Daniel said, lifting his eyes up to Amilia.

Both she and Lucas turned at his voice, but Amilia was the only one to speak. "That can't be."

Daniel held the letter out, but Amilia didn't reach for it. Lucas shot her a curious glance before taking a long stride and taking it himself. Amilia's family connection to the bards was known. Even played to their advantage, at times. Since then, Amilia had been proving herself to their cause.

The boy is of no concern. The memory burned hot and fresh in Daniel's mind. The two stared at each other, their expressions painted with unsaid words.

"All this means is that her family has talked to the knights recently," Lucas said, trying to break the tension.

"Her uncle is more than just a paid hand, he's practically one of them." Lance's face twitched at the memory of it. "I have the scars to prove it."

"My uncle's actions are not my own," Amilia said. "I've been with you, or Lance, since we got back in town. Neither the knights nor my family came to look for me in that time. I'm not going to act on some letter that I don't know the story behind. I won't risk my family, or the thieves guild, like that.

"You guys could call it a day," Lance offered. "We'll go deliver the papers."

It took Lucas a second to realize that "we" Lance included him this time. "Oh," he said in surprise. "Yes, why not. My house is in that direction anyways."

Lance looked over to Amilia with his own silent plea for them to talk before they split up.

Daniel found it strange to return home with just Amilia, but not unwelcome. She took her time washing herself up before she came over to sit on the settee with him. Amilia sat close enough that her hand almost absentmindedly reached for his. "I know you're worried," she said. Daniel looked up unable to deny it. "But know my world is perfect when I'm with you." She leaned forward and kissed him, letting their lips stay tenderly locked for a long moment.

Daniel smiled at her sweet comment, nuzzling his nose against her as the kiss finally ended. "Then you'll just have to stay forever, love."