AN: a reader thought I'd said Emil couldn't read, but it's more he's not very fast at it. Have you ever tried to read something and had someone who reads much faster than you reading over your shoulder and trying to scroll to the next page before you're even past the first paragraph? That's what Aster was doing. As for different alphabets in each tales of world... uhm. I'm going to acknowledge that as true and move on with the story because I honestly don't care to go back and fix it and including that would take away from the plot.
Chapter 16
Balan had been just as curious about the mana flow as Aster had been and Emil inwardly sighed to repeat everything. Ivar was still elsewhere, but that was fine. At least Balan wasn't so mentally draining to be around.
Emil took a breath and let it out, closing his eyes and feeling the wind in his hair. The air tasted better; less metallic and more green with living things.
"We crossed into Rieze Maxia's territory some time back," Balan said. "It's interesting how you obviously could tell the difference."
"There's ambient mana here," Emil said. "Why didn't I end up in this world on this side?"
Balan shrugged. "Unlucky I suppose. We'll be docking at Lakutam Seahaven in an hour. I'd better go make sure my cargo and paperwork is in order."
He nodded and watched Balan go. Kita stretched and hopped off Emil's lap, following after her person. Emil couldn't think of her as a pet, she was sentient and while she hadn't exactly chosen Balan to bond with, she was content with the situation. Sliding off the crate he had been sitting on, Emil headed to the banister at the front of the ship again. When he squinted, he could see a line of hazy land in the distance.
To his understanding they had passed two ports already, but the one they were going to was the one closest to where King Gaius ruled from. Balan was traveling to Xion Du for business with his cousin who owned a shipping company. Emil had been a little unclear on that, but it had something to do with fostering peace between the populations of newly joined worlds. The story sounded so familiar he had practically blocked out a majority of it save for a few details.
It wasn't that he had thought what Balan was saying was boring. Balan just had a way of speaking when he got on a topic and wasn't interrupted that lulled him into a slightly glazed state that he had apparently passed several hours in, since it was nearly midday now.
"The air here feels better," Ratatosk noted.
"It's not been drained of mana."
"Yet. I was listening while you weren't. I'm inclined to leave these people to their deaths. They got into the situation they're currently in."
Emil sighed. "Good to know you're feeling better."
"A bit. I'm not strong enough to do anything useful, however. Perhaps a few more days in this air will do it. However... you made a pact with someone while I was asleep."
"There you are!" Ivar interrupted and slapped a hand on Emil's back. "We'll be in port soon. Then I have to go through Xian Du to get my Wyvern and we can go on to Kanbalar and I can make my report to King Gaius." Ivar grinned. "Then we'll go to Fennmont and kick Jude's ass."
"I don't like him," Ratatosk pronounced.
"You're going to have to tell him that yourself - and not with my mouth. I might not like him much either but we owe him our lives."
"What're you frowning about?" Ivar asked. "I told you I'd help get that guy who tried to kill you too."
Ratatosk gave him a dissatisfied look. "I will endeavor not to need your assistance further than it takes to fulfill your pact promise, then, should you bother me further, I will dismember you and leave you for the birds to peck at."
Ivar withdrew his hand and stepped back. "What made you suddenly not like me?"
Emil sighed and shook his head. "That was Ratatosk. He and I share a body... I'll try to mediate but he's already decided to not like you."
"Oh kay..." Ivar backed away another step. He reluctantly turned his back and headed off.
"I asked you not to use my mouth to say that."
"I don't have the energy to manifest my own form right now."
Glaring at the water, Emil sighed and forced his hands to relax, irritated at Ratatosk's smug excuses.
"You worry too much about what people think of you."
Deciding to head after Ivar and try to smooth things over, Emil found him speaking with someone who ran the ship and politely waited until the man left. Ivar yelped when he turned around, hand lifted to defend himself. "I just wanted to apologize for what Ratatosk said, Ivar. I appreciate your help. He's just very prideful and doesn't like that he was so close to being defeated."
Ivar straightened slowly, lowering his hands. "Well, I suppose I wouldn't much like having to rely on a stranger either." He shook his head and grinned, fists on his hips as he leaned forward. "I'll forgive you this time. But next time you threaten me I'll make mince out of you!" He tapped Emil in the chest with a finger.
Ratatosk stared at the man. "You-"
Emil spun on his heel and walked away several paces. "Ivar, please at least try to be polite?"
"Huh?" Ivar sounded honestly confused. "Anyway. We're going to travel with Balan to Xian Du. He's got a cart waiting for his junk and it's better than walking."
Looking back at him, Emil nodded, biting his lips together to keep Ratatosk from saying anything insulting.
"Oh, here. Have some lunch," Ivar held out a cup of something white and frothy.
Unsure of it, Emil took the cup and sniffed. It smelled bland. Taking a sip, he gagged and shook his head. "What is this?"
"Soy milk shake," Ivar said, putting his fists on his hips with a deadpan expression. "It's the best they had in the cafeteria. We'll get something better in the Seahaven. The people of Elympios still don't understand the concept of eating things that grew naturally." Ivar's gaze drifted away and he smiled, licking his lips. "I'm looking forward to a grilled chicken breast. We'll have time to sit down and eat while Balan deals with getting his junk unloaded from the ship."
"I'm glad..." Emil said and looked at the cup he held still. "I can't... drink this..." he admitted.
"I spent good gald on it," Ivar shook a finger at him.
"Split it then?" Emil asked and watched Ivar cringe.
Folding his arms, Ivar turned away. "Fine, throw it out. So picky."
Emil tried to take another sip of the drink before leaning against the banister and pouring it over the side of the ship into the churning water below. He hoped it wasn't poison to the fish below. Ahead, the land went from a hazy smudge to discernible landscape of mountains and red canyons. Their destination was a long pier built in the semi-circular bay. Stone buildings ringed the edges, mostly appearing to be warehouses.
Ivar tapped his arm. "Ship's docked. We can get off now." He headed off, leaving Emil to trail behind. As they got onto land, Emil began to see more and more people who put out soothing clouds of mana like the floral perfume of a garden. Feeling far more at ease here than he had back in the last city, or on the boat for that matter, Emil followed Ivar up a set of stairs and to the left slightly and into one of the stone buildings. "Table," Ivar ordered at a podium attended by a girl in what looked like the inn's uniform.
"This way," she said, taking two menus and leading the way to a booth near the back. She gestured for them to sit. "What would you like to drink sirs?"
"Water," Ivar said.
"Same..."
"Someone will be back to take your orders shortly," she said and bowed.
Ivar lounged back in his chair. "What do you think of that?"
Emil peeled his gaze off the inn's decor to look at Ivar. "What do you mean?"
"Of getting waited on like that!" Ivar gestured.
"Oh. You think I've never been in a restaurant before," Emil realized and looked down as he laughed softly. Picking up his menu, he began looking through it to find something to eat and finally settled on something that looked like the local specialty since he'd never heard of it.
"Are you ready to order?" a waiter asked.
"Grilled chicken plate," Ivar said.
"Mabo curry," Emil closed his menu and handed it to the waiter. "Thank you."
The waiter nodded, leaving them alone again. Emil became aware of Ivar glaring at him and looked down at the table to avoid the man's gaze. Someone brought their drinks and shortly afterwards they received their lunches.
"What is this?" Ratatosk stared at the plate that had been set in front of them. "It doesn't look appetizing..." he sniffed.
"I'm guessing it's curry and mambo together. Can't you trust me at least a little? I'm not going to poison us."
Ratatosk subsided and allowed Emil to take up the spoon and begin eating.
"What do you think?" Ivar asked.
"It's... different," Emil said.
Ivar snorted. "Some nut job came up with that dish and I have no idea why anyone likes it. You should either have curry or mambo but not both."
"I like it," Ratatosk admitted and continued to eat despite Emil's hesitancy to continue eating.
Shaking his head, Ivar went back to eating. About the time they were done, Balan approached their table. "Did you save any for me?"
"No," Ivar snorted. "You can get yours to go if you want."
"Already did," Balan said cheerfully. "We should get moving, cart's loaded and I'm late meeting Alvin by a day. He's probably going to chew me out for that."
Ivar left money on the table to pay for their food and the three of them left the inn and made for a cart tied nearby. Balan untied the cart beast and climbed onto the bench, guiding the animal towards the gates that led to the road into the mountains.
"You men be careful out there," a gate guard said. "There've been bandits and an increase in monster attacks lately. They're coming nearer the road and seem to be deliberately going after guards."
"Thank you," Balan said. Clicking his tongue, he started the cart animal moving. Emil wasn't quite sure what to call it, but it wasn't a horse. They soon left the Seahaven behind. Where the lands Emil had first appeared in were dry and barren, this place reminded him of Hamil and Asgard. There were signs of life everywhere from moss growing in the permanent shade of a hole to scrubby brush and trees that were naturally brown rather than dried husks. Lizards sunned on rocks, birds wheeled in the sky, and even as he watched a hawk dived and tried to catch a snake. There was a brief scuffle on the ground and the bird flew away, prize in its talons.
He lifted his nose, catching a scent on the breeze that smelled like something freshly dead.
"You're awfully quiet, Emil. Something wrong?" Balan asked.
"I don't think it's near the road..." he answered. But that didn't necessarily mean that it would stay where it was. Hopefully whatever monster was hunting out there would be fine with the meal it currently had and not come bothering them.
"Maybe I want some exercise?"
"Don't call things to us, please? It would just be a delay."
The thought of spending more time with Ivar was enough to dissuade Ratatosk from actively calling something to them at least. "I forgot how annoying you were. Living in the same body with you again is reminding me of all the obnoxious habits you have. Like slouching and not paying attention."
Emil grit his teeth and refrained from beating his head against a rock.
"Hey, Emil, you promised to show me what kind of power you have," Ivar said. "I saw you eat that gun tortoise last night, but that can't be all you do."
Ratatosk turned to look at him. "I could rip your spleen out through your ear if that would satisfy your curiosity."
Balan and Ivar leaned away, eyes wide.
"I'm sorry!" Emil covered his face with both hands.
"Would you quit apologizing, it's disgusting." Ratatosk sighed.
"If you'd quit embarrassing me!" Emil cried.
Balan shook his head slowly. "Wow... Lord Ratatosk, I get that you're not pleased to be stuck in the limited form of a human, but try not to be so hard on Emil? He's doing his best."
Ratatosk stared at the scientist for a moment then looked away. "That one at least has some manners," he muttered and subsided into silence.
Sighing, Emil smiled at Balan. "Thanks." He looked ahead and sighed at the dusty road ahead, riding in silence for another fifteen minutes. Ivar relaxed and leaned back, one foot propped on the front of the wagon, hands laced behind his head.
"Sure is nice being back in Rieze Maxia," Ivar said.
"Except for the bandits," Balan put in.
Emil sat up and looked first at the scientist, then down the road at what appeared to be a rock slide. His gaze went to either side above them, spotting seven burly men with weapons waiting nearly out of sight along the road. Without asking Emil's permission, Ratatosk called out to the nearby monsters and immediately felt a response from three.
"Stop right there," a large man said, striding out to the center of the road.
"How boring," Ratatosk interrupted, hands on his knees as he looked down at the bandit. "Let me guess. You had some big speech planned out about there being a toll and if we want our lives we leave the cart, right? I'm afraid you're out of luck." He stood and reached back to grip his sword. Springing over the cart animal in a single bound, Ratatosk called the gun tortoise into being with one hand and drew his sword with the other. Landing in a crouch and lunging forward, the bandit leader barely had time to block and save his neck.
Stumbling back, the bandit leader blocked again as Ratatosk bashed the man's sword aside and went in for another strike.
The gun tortoise rushed another man when he tried to come to his boss's aid. Turning to take a hit on her shell, she bit into his leg and began hauling him across the rocks as he flailed and screamed.
"H-hey!" Ivar objected. "Leave some for me!"
"You protect Balan," Ratatosk ordered and sprang back when a bandit came at him from the side.
The three skunkys he had called made their appearance, rushing towards another bandit and quickly overwhelmed him with a concentrated attack. Slinging her prey into a rock, the gun tortoise disabled her first victim and turned to find another.
Catching his balance, the bandit leader came at Ratatosk again. "You think you can kill me with uncultured moves like that?" the man bellowed as he swung his sword, narrowly grazing just over Ratatosk's head as he ducked.
He took advantage of the man's extended arm and lunged under his reach, slicing upwards along the man's belly and knocked him backwards. "Demon fang!" he called, throwing his arte into the man to knock him further back. Ratatosk was prevented from attacking further when two bandits flanked him.
Ratatosk sprang backwards several times, putting the two in front of him. Lunging back in, he hit them both with a diagonal slash and sent one crashing to the ground, bleeding out.
The skunkys had lost one of their number but had taken out three men by themselves. The remaining two came to Ratatosk's aid and buried the wounded bandit as Ratatosk sprinted after the bandit leader.
"Run! Run!" the man howled as he spotted Ratatosk coming after him again.
Striking the man four times in the back successively, Ratatosk sent the man to the ground. Kicking him over, he put his blade to the man's throat. "You are given this one chance. I highly suggest you rethink your life's choices. If I ever find you at the other end of my blade again, I will not spare you." He kicked the man in the side and turned to walk back to the cart, finding Ivar standing on the bench, sword drawn and mouth gaping. Balan looked just as shocked.
The gun tortoise lumbered up beside him, dragging a sobbing bandit by his sword arm.
"Put that down. You don't know where that's been," Ratatosk told her.
She spat the man's leg out and rumbled as the man rolled to his knees, clutching his arm and scrambled away in the dust.
"Yes, you helped." Ratatosk admitted and placed his hand on her head as the two remaining skunkys approached. "You wish to join me? Very well." Stretching his hand out, he reached for a pact with the monsters and connected with them almost immediately. When the ethereal wind died, they surged forward, rubbing around his legs in excitement, then tussled with each other when he pushed them off and turned to look around. The bandits had cleared off entirely, leaving anything not already in their hands behind. Ratatosk headed for the rock slide, looking at it critically.
"There's a gap over there. We should be able to get the cart through," Emil pointed out.
Ratatosk nodded and released control of their body back to Emil.
Shoulders relaxing, he sighed and headed back to their cart. "They didn't completely cut off the pass," he said. "We should probably get moving, there will be monsters coming to investigate and I'd rather not fight them."
"Why not just make them your slaves," Ivar asked.
Emil backed a step away. "Th- they're not my slaves... They're allies." He looked down at the gun tortoise and two skunys. "And right now there's a limit to how many I can make pacts with. I don't have the energy for an entire..." he gestured vaguely. "Can we please just go?"
"We should get moving," Balan agreed and clicked his tongue to make the cart beast move.
Turning to face his monsters, Emil held out his hand, calling their mana to him. Jogging, he caught up with the cart and jumped onto the side and turned to look at Ivar who sat stiffly, mouth open still and eyes wide.
"Are you all right?" Emil asked, poking Ivar's shoulder.
Turning to look at him, Ivar swallowed. "I'd just... never seen anyone but Lady Milla move that fast. You could have killed them all if you'd wanted to."
"Probably," Emil looked away.
...
"Tall guy, brown hair, wearing a scarf he's way too proud of?" Marta asked.
"Oh that guy!" The stall owner scratched his scrubby beard and thought for a moment. "He lives around here somewhere, I think. I've seen him often enough but he never stops by my cart. Now Yivona, she'll probably know. He talks to her all the time."
Marta sighed. This was the most promising lead she had gotten all morning. Everyone else had simply stared at her or dismissed her quickly with a statement that they didn't know any Alvin. She felt like she had traveled all over the city of Xian Du searching for a man who probably didn't want her to find him.
"Where can I find her?" Marta asked the old man.
"Up there near the bridge. Prettiest lady over there no doubt. She does it on purpose, you know."
Nodding, Marta smiled. "Thank you," she said and headed the direction the man had pointed. Alvin had been kind enough to get her a room at the inn and something that fit her better than the shredded sundress she had been wearing, but he had gruffly said it was only because his wyvern was being obstinate and not for any altruistic reasons. Marta believed that as far as she figured she could throw him, although when throwing someone it wasn't the distance that mattered, but the speed at which they impacted the ground. Alvin, she figured, was her best chance of finding any help. He had spoken like there was a chance she could possibly buy his assistance somehow, though she didn't have a gald to her name, having only grabbed her spinner on the way out of the house.
Fingering the core on her forehead, she was relieved to feel it pulsing with life, and over the course of the morning and night, she had felt that pulse getting increasingly stronger. She supposed that meant Ratatosk was alive and getting better. Though when she had first woken up, she could barely feel anything from the core at all. Her healing spell had hardly made much of a dent on her wounds and it wasn't until later in the night that she had been able to cast another.
Marta reached the bridge and paused, looking around for any pretty women and finally spotted one and the very man she had been looking for. Hurrying through the crowd, Marta latched onto his arm.
"Woah," Alvin objected and looked down at her, his flirtatious smile fading. "What do you want?"
"Your help," Marta said brightly. "I've been looking for you all morning."
"Yivona," Alvin said to the woman. "I'll speak with you more later..." Taking Marta's shoulder, he turned her and headed away from the pretty lady and her stall.
Marta looked back to find the woman laughing behind her hand, then looked up at Alvin.
"Listen. I've already done way more for you than I should've. If it gets around that I'm helping people for free my reputation would be ruined!"
Flushing, Marta looked away. "Not entirely for free," she folded her arms across her breasts.
"Honey, they're not much to be proud of," Alvin said. "I was only looking because- oof!" He doubled down and rubbed his stomach. "Now is that any way to treat someone you're begging for help from?"
Marta stepped in front of him and stopped. "You didn't stick around to hear what's going on. I'm from another world and I need to get back home."
"Look, if you're from Elympios, you can march yourself down to Lakutum Seahaven and take a ship. I don't have to help you with that."
Shaking her head, Marta stomped a foot in frustration. "Would you pull the wax out of your ears and listen to me? The Gate that keeps the demons out of the world is broken. There could be demons pouring into your world right now, killing people for the joy of killing them!"
Alvin leaned forward, putting his hands on her shoulders. "I know a good doctor that might be able to help you."
"You insufferable twat!" Marta nearly strangled herself trying to keep from shrieking in rage. "You said you were a mercenary! I'm trying to hire you!"
"Was being the operative word here. I've retired and am now an honest businessman." Alvin straightened his scarf and looked down at her. "And I've already got a job to do today, even though he's late. I don't owe you anything."
"You don't," Marta agreed, catching his wrist, "But I've got nothing right now. I'm lost and-"
"That isn't my problem!" Alvin circled around her and pulled his hand free of her grip before walking onward.
Marta hurried after him in a quick run. "No, but it might end up being a problem for you."
"Why? Because you'll harass me until I do something about it?" Alvin demanded they were nearly across the bridge that spanned the wide river that went through the center of the odd town built in the sheer cliffs of a gorge. "You're cute but not cute enough."
Flushing bright red, she glared at him and doubled her pace to keep up with his much longer legs. "You are perverted," she hissed.
He flicked his gaze down towards her with a one-sided smirk. "Well, yes. But that's no reason for me to get involved in your little... whatever it was you were upset about."
"Hey, Alvin!" a man in a white coat called from the other side of the bridge. He lifted his hand and waved.
"Balan," Alvin waved. "You're late. You should've been here yesterday."
"A couple last minute things came up at the lab." The man walking towards them had a pink luminescent cat perched on his shoulder. He looked down at Marta and smiled kindly. "Is this your new girlfriend?"
"Hardly." Alvin sighed. "She's just decided to follow me everywhere and make things difficult."
Balan shook his head. "Is everything all right? He's not treating you poorly is he?"
"I'm in need of help and this jerk won't lift a finger unless someone makes him," Marta gestured at Alvin with a wild swing of her hand.
Unexpectedly, the man in glasses reached out, sweeping her hair off her forehead to reveal Ratatosk's core, "Is that-"
Marta drew back. "You recognize it?" she asked, then grabbed Balan's wrists. "You've seen Ratatosk's core before?"
"Core? No... I thought maybe it was a booster. But I did meet a man who-"
"Where is he?" Marta lunged to her tiptoes, leaning into his face. "Where's Emil?"
"With Ivar - they were heading for the aviary-"
Pushing the man's hands aside, she spun around and started running.
"Wait - hey! The aviary is that way!" Alvin shouted after her.
Marta pulled to a stop and looked to find him pointing. "Finally you're being helpful!" she punched his arm as she ran past again.
"Ow," Alvin rubbed his arm, then blinked as he found Balan jogging after the girl. "Hey? Balan where are you going?"
"After her! This should be interesting!"
Reluctantly taking chase after them, Alvin easily caught up as Marta got to the lift that would lead up to the top layer of the city. Marta danced in anxiety, hands clasped together against her breasts. The elevator doors opened and she paused, having an odd feeling that what she sought wasn't above, but below. She spun on her toes and ran to the landing railing, leaning over to look down. Heart leaping into her throat when she spotted a head of familiar yellow hair. "Emil!" she cried in joy.
He stopped, face turning towards her. "Marta!"
Slinging herself over the railing, she flung her arms open and wrapped them around him as he caught her and spun. "Emil I was so worried!" Marta buried her face in his shoulder to dry her tears on his scarf. His arms held her tight, leaving her feet dangling in the air. "Are you all right?" she drew back to look at his face.
"I'm all right," Emil said and smiled at her, lowering her to the ground, then leaned in to kiss her firmly.
Flushing, Marta stood on her toes to lean into the kiss and when he backed away, she caught her breath. "Hello to you too, Ratatosk," she said and laughed softly.
Ratatosk gave her a haughty look. "They would have to try harder than that to kill us, Marta. You should know that by now."
"Hey - so you know him?" a man with long silver hair asked as he leaned around to look at her.
Marta turned partially to look at the man. "I'm his fiancée," she said simply. "Who are you?"
"Ivar, the amazing monster taming handmaid of Lord Milla Maxwell!" He thumped his thumb into his chest with a prideful grin. "And if you're going to thank someone for that guy's life, it'd be me!"
She looked up at Ratatosk to find Emil looking slightly guilty. "I had to make a pact with him, there wasn't any mana in the air to draw from."
Closing her eyes, Marta shook her head and smiled. "Then thank you, Ivar." She tightened her hold on Emil's shoulders and turned to look at him again. "Where were you going?"
"Ivar has to report to a king and then we're going to fulfill his pact promise. If you survived then maybe Aster did too?" Emil asked.
"I haven't seen him," Marta shook her head again.
"Richter will be really mad at us if Aster died..."
"Again," Marta added in a small voice. "We should try to find him."
"H-hey! Don't go making plans without asking me first," Ivar objected.
Marta turned a hard look on the man, causing him to draw back slightly. "This is for after Ratatosk has helped you fulfill your promise."
"I wouldn't cross that one, Ivar," Alvin said as he approached, walking with Balan. "She's a spitfire that'll knock your teeth out for looking at her wrong."
Her eyes narrowed. "Because you did look at me wrong!" Marta shook her fist at Alvin.
"What did he do to you?" Emil's hands tightened on her and she looked up, putting on a smile.
"He also helped me a little, so please don't kill him."
Alvin folded his arms. "Like a pipsqueak like that could-"
She hadn't expected to be shoved aside by Ratatosk and was too slow to catch his scarf as he drew his sword and put it to Alvin's neck. "I've had it with the people of this world."
"Now, Ratatosk," Balan said as he stepped forward. "Some of us are interested in helping you. Please forgive my cousin for his insolence. He's used to being overly familiar with Summon Spirits, that's all."
"Next time he steps out of line I'm taking his head," Ratatosk pushed Alvin back, "Especially if he's rude to Marta." Twirling the blade, he slammed it back into the sheath.
Alvin rubbed the line of blood on his neck and coughed once before adjusting his scarf. "Balan... what exactly... is going on?"
The man in glasses smiled. "Alvin, this is Emil Laker and Ratatosk, Summon Spirit, the Lord of Monsters. Much like Milla."
"Oh man," Alvin scrubbed the back of his head and sighed. "How do I keep getting mixed up in this kind of thing? Count me out! I saved the world once and that's enough for me!"
Balan looped his arm with Alvin's before he could escape. "Really? You're not the least bit curious about what's going on?"
"That lady," Alvin gestured at Marta, "Tried to talk me into flying all over creation looking for her boyfriend, saying things about demons going to swallow up the world and I'm supposed to believe her? Or you two for that matter," he squinted at Emil, then Ivar.
Marta moved closer to Emil again and wrapped her arms around his waist to keep Ratatosk from losing his temper again.
Emil sighed and looked down at her with a one-shouldered shrug. "It does sound a little far-fetched... Being from another world and all."
"But we have to get back home," Marta said. "And get rid of Alice and Decus and that guy that attacked you."
"I know, but dragging the whole population of this world into our problems seems a little extreme," Emil said.
"They're all in danger equally if we fail," Marta pointed out then shook her head. "All right. Let's get this pact promise out of the way and then we'll go looking for Aster on our own and figure out what to do from there. The faster the better."
"What?" Ivar looked from Emil to Marta. "We're taking her along with us now?"
Ratatosk's eyes narrowed. "Do you have a problem with that?"
Ivar backed away a step, lifting his hands. "N-no... It just means hiring another wyvern."
"We can find one in the wild and I will claim it," Ratatosk said dismissively. "If you're so concerned about spending money."
Alvin shook his head. "That's quite the claim," he said. "Just waltz out into the wilderness and grab a wyvern out of a tree... What? Why are you all looking at me like that?"
"Because he can," Balan said.
Heaving a sigh, Alvin's shoulders slowly sank. "You're all bound and determined to get me mixed up in this, aren't you?" He looked at Balan, "What about the shipment?"
"Yergen can handle it just as well as you can. He's in town, right?"
"Well, yes... ugh." He hung his head. "Fine. Fine!" Alvin threw his hands into the air. "Let me go get my stuff. I'll meet you at the aviary." Turning, he stalked off.
"Is there a reason you insist on that man accompanying us?" Ratatosk asked Balan.
"He's a solid fighter and has connections with the people you'll probably need to talk to," Balan said. "He might be rude and mildly uncultured, but he's useful."
Marta tightened her arms around Emil's waist and put her face against his throat, feeling his warm hand grip her shoulder and cheek press against the top of her head.
"Then I shall allow him to accompany us," Ratatosk said.
"Where's my say-so in this?" Ivar demanded.
"My business is done with you as soon as you defeat Jude Mathis," Ratatosk said. "Beyond that, you may do as you please."
Ivar sighed.
"Marta, you have no provisions. Let's get you some things." Ratatosk gently urged her to start walking.