Chapter Thirty-two

 

They stepped out of the shop, finding the dungeon area empty of everyone but the guards.

 

“Welcome out, Walkers,” the captain on duty said. “All of you?”

 

“This is our full crew,” Trish said.

 

“Good.”

 

“Did another crew lose someone?” Cyra asked.

 

“There’s hardly a day that at least one person doesn’t come out, miss.”

 

“We’ve brought one out with us,” Stern said. “Excuse us, sir, we have to deliver the shards.”

 

“Our thanks,” the captain said. “It’s a good day when someone is brought out. May the Goddess watch over you.”

 

As they walked away, Stern summoned Pawly and gave her flight. “Hey, fur-face. Are you okay?”

 

Pawly chuffed and floated by his head.

 

“The new summons is a puppy that turns into a massive stone dog,” Stern said. “He’s called Zasha.”

 

Pawly chuffed again, floating along.

 

“You’re okay with that?” Stern asked, feeling nothing but contentment from her.

 

Pawly floated over to rest on his head, then began grooming his hair.

 

Cammie laughed. “Looks like she’s okay.”

 

“Yeah,” Stern said slowly, “but what if I use him in dungeons?”

 

Pawly purred and kept grooming him.

 

“Okay, as long as you’re okay with it,” Stern said. “I didn’t want you upset, Pawly.”

 

 Pawly shifted so she was looking down at him. With a loud purr, she nuzzled his head, then floated off him.

 

“Feel better?” Cyra asked, walking up beside him.

 

“Yeah,” Stern exhaled. “I was worried.”

 

“And she’s okay with it,” Trish said, coming up alongside Cyra.

 

“She doesn’t lie to me,” Stern smiled. “If she was upset, she would’ve let me know.”

 

“Claws to the face?” Cammie asked.

 

“If she was really upset, maybe. She would have just floated away from me or sneezed at me. Things like that.”

 

“Cats,” Vulk snorted. “I like Zasha.”

 

Pawly looked back at Vulk.

 

“I also like you,” Vulk was quick to say, seeing her look. “No need to sneeze on me.”

 

The others laughed at his quick act of diplomacy.

 

“What do you think happened to Ria?” Cyra asked.

 

“I think she broke a rule,” Trish said.

 

“Probably,” Stern said. “It was enough that she knew and spoke about them. Shopkeepers are supposed to be as neutral as possible. Ria’s been very friendly with us.”

 

“Will she be replaced?” Vulk asked as they got closer to the Walkers’ hall.

 

“I’ve never heard of one being replaced,” Stern said slowly. “We’ll have to wait and see.”

 

Entering the hall, the group went straight for the receptionist desk. The conversation dipped when they had entered, but it didn’t die off.

 

“Ma’am, we collected the shards,” Stern told the receptionist.

 

Rebeka swallowed hard, her eyes shining with unshed tears when she heard him. “Thank you. Let me just verify for the quest, then I’ll pay you.”

 

Stern presented the two shards to Rebeka, who took them. A tear slid down her cheek as she looked down at the shards. “Oh, Patrick... it’ll be good to see you again.”

 

Stern swayed in place as her emotions flooded his soul. Trish and Cyra steadied him, and their concern helped him ground the excess emotion. “Thanks,” he whispered.

 

Sniffling and wiping at her face, Rebeka handed the shards back. “Please deliver those to the temple.”

 

Stern felt the quest and accepted it when he took the shards. “I’ll take the reward for collecting them, but please, put the money for delivery to the temple on my crew’s recovery fund.”

 

“Of course,” Rebeka swallowed. “Thank you again.”

 

“You’re welcome, ma’am,” Trish said. “It’s what our crew does.”

 

“It is, indeed,” Rebeka sniffled, her smile wide. “Obviously a good fit for Rescue Squad.”

 

“We hope so,” Cyra smiled. “Have a good day, ma’am.”

 

Stern led them toward the door, but he stopped when Sarah led the Sharp Ears crew into the hall. “You okay?” Stern asked her.

 

“Worn,” Sarah exhaled. “Had a few close calls. We all made it out, though.”

 

“Good. We have to take some shards to the temple.”

 

“Rescuing souls? Yeah, that’s you,” Sarah said as she moved out of the way of the door. “Have a good night.”

 

“You, too,” Stern said.

 

~*~*~

 

It didn’t take them long to deliver Patrick Smithton’s shards to the temple. With the quest complete, they went back to the inn to clean up. Vulk had a date to get to while the others were going to share a meal together.

 

Cleaned and back in their room, Stern waited with everyone, as Vulk was still bathing. Cyra and Trish bookended him on the sofa, and Pawly was curled up with Cammie in one of the big chairs.

 

Vulk walked into the suite and paused, seeing them all sitting there. “What?”

 

“Nothing. We’re just relaxing,” Cammie smirked.

 

“Taking a small break before we order dinner,” Trish added, but she was smirking, as well.

 

“Ignore them,” Stern chuckled. “We really are just waiting before having food brought up.”

 

“And being hopeful for you,” Cyra said.

 

Vulk blinked at Cyra, then looked away, his face heating slightly. “Thank you for being honest.”

 

Cammie got to her feet, setting Pawly into the chair. “Look, Brother, I’m happy for you and I hope it works out. I met her and, besides being interested in you, she seems intelligent.”

 

Vulk was nodding, but when Cammie snuck in the insult, he exhaled. “Thanks, Sis.”

 

Cammie hugged him. “You’ll be fine. Just relax. We’re going to do gear checks tomorrow instead of training, and that’ll start around lunch. Okay?”

 

Vulk hugged her back briefly. “Okay. And thanks. You being supportive…”

 

“Yeah. Otherwise, you’d have to worry that I was following you around,” Cammie laughed.

 

Vulk barked a laugh and let her go. “And what you might do.”

 

“We’ll keep her here,” Trish said.

 

Vulk started to nod, then froze, his head turning slowly to Stern.

 

Trish began to laugh hard. “Just friends, just friends!”

 

Stern exhaled, giving Trish a put-upon look, then gave Vulk a shrug. “It’s who she is. Sorry.”

 

Cyra giggled. “She’s bad.”

 

Cammie was laughing when she went back to her seat, scooped Pawly up, and sat down. “But his expression was priceless.”

 

Vulk rubbed at his face. “Yeah... Well, now nothing can phase me.”

 

“Challenge acc—” Trish began, but Stern put his hand over her mouth.

 

“You might want to go,” Stern laughed.

 

Vulk shook his head, going to drop off his washed clothing and leave.

 

They said goodbyes as he walked out the door.

 

“I think they’d make a good couple,” Cyra said.

 

“They probably would,” Cammie whispered.

 

“But then that leaves you alone?” Trish asked gently.

 

“Leaves her with us,” Stern said. “Never alone if she’s part of our crew.”

 

Cammie looked up at them. Seeing the three of them all together and her removed from them, she felt a bit of sadness. She dropped her gaze back to Pawly.

 

“Cammie?”

 

“Yeah?”

 

“Your brother won’t stop. He might come back eventually, but he won’t stop. He has a goal, an important one to him,” Stern said. “Same goal you have, isn’t it?”

 

Cammie swallowed. “Mother.”

 

“Exactly. Do you want our help?”

 

Cammie nodded slightly. “Please?”

 

“Okay. We’ll make it happen,” Stern said. He stood up and stretched. “So cheer up. You’re part of our family here. Even Pawly accepts you.”

 

Cammie smiled at Pawly, who snuggled in more. “I appreciate it... I really do.”

 

“Okay, I’ll go see about getting dinner brought up.”

 

“We’ll wait for you and gossip about how awkward Vulk is going to be,” Trish laughed.

 

“Oh, he’ll flub the first line,” Cammie laughed. “I can almost hear him now.”

 

Stern shook his head and went to arrange their dinner. His thoughts drifted to another idea about how to help his friends. He wasn’t sure he should, but it was something he could ask for. Would it be right to ask, though? he questioned himself. Would they listen if I did?

 

~*~*~

 

Dinner had been good, and Vulk hadn’t come home. They’d retired to the sofa and chairs again, sipping the last of their wine.

 

“Cammie,” Stern said slowly, feeling his way to the question, “if your mother was brought back out, would you stop?”

 

Cammie sat there, her hands stilling and just resting on Pawly. “That… why?”

 

“I was thinking about it,” Stern said. “About Vulk and Emma, about his drive and yours, and about what might be if a group brings your mother out before we get there.”

 

Pawly meowed and wiggled.

 

Cammie blinked, going back to petting Pawly. “I’d like to think I’d keep running with you three.”

 

“You’ll always be welcome,” Trish said. “You’re good at what you do, but more than that, you’re our friend. Running with friends is always better.”

 

“We’d be sad if you left,” Cyra said.

 

Pawly chuffed, pushing her head into Cammie’s hand.

 

Smiling down at Pawly, Cammie gave her a scritch under the chin. “Thanks. I don’t want to go anywhere. I wouldn’t be upset if Vulk settled down, either.”

 

“Sorry,” Stern said.

 

Looking up at him, Cammie gave him a soft smile. “It’s fine. I never thought about it. Mom’s shards won’t entice anyone to collect her. Like you said, people offer more now for the newest shards, which means the ones already sitting there sit there longer. It’s why we’re going up to get them.”

 

Pawly exposed her belly, but Cammie kept her hand away from it.

 

“I’d been thinking about how we’d have to scrimp and save everything we could to offer more. How Vulk and I would need to pool our dungeon points and run all three times to even have a chance to pull the few we might be able to... but with you, that isn’t necessary, is it?”

 

“We’ll pull her out if she isn’t already out when we get there,” Stern said simply. “My word on that.”

 

Cammie’s face softened and she quickly looked down at Pawly, then gently began to rub the exposed belly. “You won’t hurt me, will you?”

 

Pawly had started to curl up to attack her, but slumped back and meowed instead.

 

“Oh, someone else gets her belly?” Cyra smiled. “Not just me.”

 

“She still bites me, but she can’t hurt me without a perk,” Trish chuckled. “I think she likes it, though, knowing she can be a fierce hunter and not hurt me.”

 

“Thank you....” Cammie whispered. “All of you make me smile. If you keep running, I will, too. I don’t want this friendship to end.”

 

“Then it won’t,” Stern said. “We might want to get to bed, though. Vulk won’t be happy if he finds us all sitting up for him.”

 

Cammie laughed. “No, he wouldn’t. Can Pawly come with me?”

 

“She sleeps where she wants,” Stern said as he stood up. “I don’t tell her where she can go.”

 

“Thanks. Pawly? Sleep?”

 

Pawly chuffed, jumping down and heading toward her door.

 

They said their good nights before heading off to their rooms.

 

When Stern shut the door behind him, he noticed Cyra and Trish watching him. “What?”

 

“You were thinking of asking for help, weren’t you?” Trish asked gently. “For their mom?”

 

“Yeah.”

 

“I love you,” Cyra said, approaching him and hugging him tightly.

 

“I love you, too,” Stern said, a little confused by her words.

 

“Because you always look to help others,” Trish said before coming up to sandwich him between them.

 

“It’s what feels right.”

 

“I agree,” Trish said. “Cyra, how about we do what feels right?”

 

Cyra blushed deeply, biting her lip, but nodding. “Yes.”

 

The lust and love from the two women holding him soaked into him. “What feels right?” Stern croaked.

 

“I want to… do more,” Cyra whispered as she stepped back and took his hand. “Please?” she asked as she led him to the bed.

 

There wasn’t much more they could do besides the final act, and Stern’s blood rushed south. “Oh! Uhm... yes?”

 

Trish snickered as she guided him along. “We’ll be going slow, but she said she wanted to take this step after the dungeon. Tonight is about Cyra taking that step.”

 

Cyra was crimson when she reached the bed, and she gave Stern a tentative smile. “You said you’d welcome me gladly.”

 

Stern’s heart thudded as he drew her into his arms and kissed her gently.