Chapter 47

Rose gasped for air while Jayce helped her sit up. Relief flooded through him as she continued to suck down large gulps of air. She looked around finding Jayce next to her and quickly threw her arms around his neck. She began trembling and he could tell that she was crying hard. Jayce placed his hands on her back still fighting back his own desire to run after Argo. The girl had returned to the door trying to force it open, whether she had succeeded he didn't know.

"Thank you." Between sobs Rose managed to say those two words, but Jayce didn't know how to respond. Jemza was still inside and he hadn't seen Luna or Roland since the explosion.

"This is becoming a habit." Jayce looked up as a man approached through the tunnel. Jayce shook his head with a sigh and waved a hand once Rose separated.

"I should have guessed. Not many Mixers out there and based off what I saw you're the best right now." Jayce reached out and shook PoH's hand.

"Here, take it quick. What happened out here?" Jayce took the vial of blue liquid from the man and looked back towards the stairs leading down towards the tavern.

"It's kind of a long story. I didn't know you and Argo were friends." PoH's face never shifted from the neutral demeanor he had.

"We're not, but I understand the value of information and like her or not, she's the best. Besides, having Argo the Rat owe me a favor is one of the most valuable things one can have. Where's Jemza?"

"I'm here." Holding onto Argo's shoulder Jemza appeared at the top of the stairs. Jayce dropped the empty vial and ran to her. Argo helped her onto his shoulder while Rose slowly got to her feet and joined them.

"I want to yell at you." Jayce looked over Jemza's body seeing her armor and clothes torn in many places.

"Yeah." She grinned in response mimicking the conversation they had so long ago when hunting the Little Nepenthes.

"We'll settle up later Rat." PoH said quietly as he walked past Argo. The girl nodded once watching as he walked away from them. She turned her attention back towards the trio of people hugging each other and let out a large breath of air.

"There he was…trapped amidst the burning wreckage! I fought to keep the eight…no ten assassins at bay while Jayce struggled to free himself!" Jayce, Jemza, and Rose looked over at Argo as she threw herself into her story. Another over exaggerated story that Jayce knew would most likely end with him looking foolish.

"Argo…never change." Jemza laughed reaching her arm out to Argo could join them.

"Roland and Luna?" Rose looked towards Jemza and she shook her head sadly.

"Luna got me out. If it wasn't for her I never would have made it, but she…she stayed behind." The happiness between them vanished and Rose closed her eyes taking a deep breath while nodding.

"Stayed behind for Roland right?" Rose asked and Jemza looked away.

"Yeah." Jayce swallowed and looked back towards the tunnel. He shook the girls shoulders and motioned towards it.

"Come on, it's late. Let's go eat and get some rest."

"Even me?" Argo looked up at him flashing a smile.

"Against better judgment, yes you too."

"Go on ahead, I'll catch up. There's something I need to do before we leave." Rose moved towards the seal on the wall that usually unlocked the way to the Infiltrators Den. The plaque was dull now, with no sign of functioning as it once did.

"You sure?" Rose turned to face Jayce as he asked and managed to smile.

"I won't be long. I can find you so please, give me a moment." With one more moment of hesitation they turned and began walking away. Rose watched until they were out of sight before reaching up to the plaque. She ran her fingers over the etching slowly.

"A bond of blood will light your path" She read the inscription out loud and began pressing on the letters. The ones she touched depressed into the stone until only a few remained visible.

Andol Hurth was the series of letters left behind and the plaque rumbled after a few moments. It shifted into the side of the tunnel and lowered into a depression revealing a chest set into a carved out section. Rose reached up and pulled the chest out cradling it in her arms. She forced another smile and pressed another depression in the carved out section that caused the plaque to move back into its previous position. The letters on the plaque extended back to how they were.

"One step closer to avenging you my husband. I think you would have loved those two if you had been able to meet them. I'll see you soon enough, thank you Andol, for being my fuel." Rose turned and walked away following the path the other three had already left.

"This might sell for quite a bit of money." Argo rolled onto her stomach from the bed she was on giving a wink.

"I agree. First thing tomorrow I'm planning on selling the fact that Argo the Rat spent the night in my bed with two other women." Jayce returned her wink and the girl faltered for a second. She pushed herself up with her hands so that her top half was higher than the rest.

"Hey! That's…that's not funny! You wouldn't!" Argo's curly hair shook rapidly as her own game turned around on her. She had removed her cloak allowing her hair free from the usual confines she kept it in.

"He would." Jemza laughed taking a drink from a cup Rose poured liquid into. The four were in the biggest room they could find at an Inn in Urbus. Jayce felt that for one night it was worth spending more than usual.

"Don't worry Miss Argo; I will be gentle with you." Rose lifted the wine to her lips and sipped it and then raised the glass towards the girl on the bed.

"Gentle? N…no, that's…" The redness that covered her whiskered cheeks couldn't be hidden by her cloak this time and she buried her head into the bed to hide.

"Here, this is for you. I made a promise and you were worth every coin." Rose tossed a bag onto the bed making Argo look up. She opened it and her eyes widened substantially.

"Are you certain? This is quite a bit of money." Jayce was surprised Argo showed any concern at all about the amount. He figured her greedy nature would show right away, but perhaps there was more to the girl than she let on.

"Absolutely. Thank you for everything." Argo placed the money into her inventory and nodded.

"You're welcome."

"As for you two, these used to belong to my husband and I. If you haven't already figured it out, we used to be with the Blackhoods. That story is for another time, but you'll find these to be useful. They are given to high ranking members and when worn in combination with the masks I gave you will enhance your skills." Rose held out a pair of long black cloaks. The edges were trimmed in a dark shade of red with iron studs riveted into the cloth.

"What do you mean our skills?" Jemza asked while flipping the cloth over her shoulders.

"Wear those and no one will see you coming." As Rose spoke Jemza tapped the cloth and opened the window that should the properties. It was called a Cloak of the Night, and increased the wearers Hiding skill by a flat thirty percent. It meant that if normally their Hiding dipped to seventy percent the cloak would boost them to the max.

"Amazing, thank you Rose."

"Thank you." Both Jemza and Jayce said their thanks and bowed their heads towards her. Argo had hopped off the bed and was peering over Jayce's shoulder while he looked at the cloak.

"Lastly, this belonged to my husband as well. I want you to have it. You see, we were just like you both except I preferred the long blade like Jayce. Andol, on the other hand, enjoyed the dagger, like you Jemza." Rose held the scabbard of a long dagger forward towards Jemza who took it tentatively. Argo quickly shifted positions so she was behind Jemza.

"That thing shouldn't be here Miss White. That's too strong for floor two." Argo whispered in her ear and she couldn't deny it. The statistics on the weapon not only surpassed her own dagger, but were higher than Jayce's new sword. Their weapons would serve them for a long time and that wasn't even taking into account if they had a smith upgrade them.

"I don't know what to say Rose." Jemza set the dagger down on the couch next to her and fell forward into Rose's arms hugging her tightly.

"Neither do I my dear. I am so very lucky to have met you all." Argo and Jayce smiled as the two women embraced. Argo wrapped her arms around Jayce's neck and leaned her head on his shoulder.

"It's just so…beautiful." Argo faked a sniffling sound and he reached up prying her arms off.

"The dagger?" The girl nodded while continuing to pretend like she was crying.

"It's worth so much col!"

"You just got a huge bag of it! Just how greedy are you?" Jayce turned and stared at her incredulously.

"Interested in knowing more about me eh? Ten thousand col and I'll tell you anything you want to know!" Argo leaned forward close to his face her mouth widening into a grin.

"You think you're worth ten thousand col? I wouldn't pay a tenth of that!" Jayce matched her stare and she reached up and pushed his cheeks together.

"Nyahaha! If you don't pay then you'll never know! I could be persuaded to lower the cost because of our close friendship of course." Rose and Jemza watched in amusement as Jayce deflated.

"I hate you…" Argo merely kept smiling and released his face.

"We have a long time together; you'll learn to love me." Argo spun on her heel and leapt back up onto the bed. Jemza stood up quickly and turned towards Jayce.

"I almost forgot!"

"Forgot what?" Jayce watched as she approached and pulled him up so that he stood before her.

"Luna wanted to give you this." Jemza pulled his face and pressed her mouth against his. Rose cheered wildly and Argo lifted the blanket to cover her eyes, blushing once more. Once Jemza pulled back most coherent though had escaped Jayce's head.

"Wha…"

"Luna was right, that really is a funny face."