Chapter Three: Inn for a Penny

Fuck. Fuck! A few steps away from Percy, Vax stopped and looked around. His only lead on where Ripley had taken Vex had been the trajectory of the arrow, but given the density of these woods, they were now beyond the range of even the finest bows wielded by the most skillful archers. He had hoped to come upon a path by now, or a campsite, a dropped object, even another creepy-as-shit note—anything that might indicate which way to go next. But there was nothing. Tracking like this was Vex's specialty, damn it, not his. If only they hadn't had to leave Trinket at the keep… but there was no time for if onlys now.

Percy drew up beside him, picking his way forward more carefully now after his little tumble, one hand pressed to ribs he'd likely bruised in the fall. "Which way now?" he asked.

Damned if I know. "You know Ripley better than I do, Percival," Vax snapped. "Where do you think she would go?"

"Know her?" Percy stared at him in astonishment, looking a little sick. "Know her? I only ever knew her at the other end of a—" He cut himself off with a shudder, and looked away.

Gods above, what had she done to him? What was she doing to Vex?

Finally, Percy let out a long sigh. "Ripley is an engineer. A tinkerer, like… like me." He swallowed hard. "She'd want to hole up somewhere she can set up a workshop, maybe even a forge. Someplace civilized, but isolated—so she can conduct her depraved experiments in peace." He spat those last words as though they tasted foul.

"All right, I can work with that." Vax looked around once more, orienting himself. "The nearest piece of civilization is Redwater, just inside Gildspire territory." He let out a mirthless huff of laughter. "Looks like we won't be going far from the others, after all."

Percy nodded once, sharply. What remaining light filtered through the canopy reflected off his glasses, obscuring his eyes. "All the more reason to hurry."

Vax hadn't realized how close the bubbling panic inside him had come to the surface until it began to subside. Just a little—Vex was still in danger, after all. But now he had a lead. A direction. And that was the beginning of a plan.

Hang on, Stubby. We're coming.

The moonless night was half gone by the time they reached the village of Redwater, and they found the streets empty and quiet. All of the buildings in sight were dark, save one: a quaint little inn whose sign, lit by two merrily burning torches, read "Matilda's Bosom." At least, Vax hoped it was an inn. Scanlan would have something to say about that, he thought wearily.

But inn, brothel, tavern, or whatever, it looked like a place where they could get some much-needed rest. Putting one foot in front of the other had been getting more and more difficult for the past few hours, and Vax was almost delirious with exhaustion.

"Looks like that place is still open," said Percy, just as wearily. "We might be able to get some information there."

Vax nodded. "And hopefully a bed for the night."

"What?" Percy stopped short. "Vax'ildan, there isn't time for—"

"I'm about dead on my feet, Percival, and so are you," Vax interrupted. "We'll be no good to Vex if we're too tired to see straight. We couldn't put down a goblin right now, let alone Ripley." He shook his head. "I don't like it, either, but we have to get some rest."

For a moment, Percy looked like he was going to argue. But then he sighed and pushed his glasses back up on his nose. "I suppose you're right," he grumbled. "Let's go."

Inside Vax blinked against the bright light as warmth enveloped him, threatening to drag him to sleep then and there. The door led into a hall, full of empty tables and chairs, that may have served as a small tavern during the day but appeared to be shut down for the night. A fire crackled in the hearth at one end of the room, and at the other, a stout halfling woman in a brown dress and white apron manned the counter.

She looked up as they approached, and her face broke into a warm smile. "Ah, welcome, trav'lers!" she chirped, entirely too cheerfully for this time of night. "Welcome to me inn! I'm Matilda. Wot can I do for ya?"

"Good evening, madam," said Percy politely. Vax was perfectly happy to let him do the talking. "We need lodging for the night."

"For both o' ya? Sorry, I'm afraid I've only got one room left." She glanced from Percy to Vax and back again with an apologetic frown. "You can 'ave it, but you'll 'afta get cozy."

Percy nodded. "That's fine. We'll take it."

"All right, then. That'll be three silver for the room, an' two coppers apiece for breakfast on the mornin'." Matilda reached down and brought out a large book, heaving it onto the countertop with a grunt. She opened it to a clean page, and began to write. "Names?"

Names? The question made Vax suspicious, but Percy answered before he could object. "Vax'ildan Vessar and Percival de Rolo."

"De Rolo?" Matilda stopped writing and looked up at Percy, eyebrows raised and a wide smile on her face. "Well well, we've got nobili'y in out midst! We don't get to many o' your sta'us in 'ere. Wot brings you in tonight, Lord Percival?"

Percy grimaced a little at her use of his title. "We're looking for someone. A Doctor Anna Ripley."

"Ripley… Ripley…" Matilda paged through her book, scanning the names written there. "Sorry, I'm afraid that don't ring any bells. She a friend o' yours?"

Percy's hands balled into tight fists. "Most decidedly not," he bit out.

Eyes going wide, Matilda recoiled a bit at his sudden change in demeanor.

Damn it, Percival, you're frightening her. "She may be using an assumed name," Vax said, drawing Matilda's attention and giving Percy some time to get a hold of himself. "Kind of hard to forget, though. Dark hair, piercing eyes, missing a hand…?"

"Hmm." Matilda relaxed a bit. "I can't say as I've seen 'er, but I'll tell ya wot. Go ask aroun' the market in the mornin'. That's where all the gossip is aroun' 'ere."

"Really, now? My dear Matilda." Vax leaned an elbow on the counter and gave her his most charming smile. "I have traveled all over Tal'Dorei for years, and every inn I've ever been to has been an absolute hotbed of juicy gossip. What makes your establishment so different, hmm?"

Matilda grinned and tapped the book with one finger. "It's me ledger. I use it ta keep track o' me earnings an' such, but it's got a side effect: people don't talk s'freely when their names're in a book." She wrinkled her freckled nose and added in a conspiratorial half-whisper, "I like ta stay out o' drama."

"I see," said Percy, much more calmly than a moment ago. "Well, thank you, Matilda. You've been quite helpful." He set a gold piece on the counter and slid it across to her. "Do keep the change."

"Oh, thank ya very much indeed, Lord Percival!" Matilda gasped. She slipped the coin into her pocket and handed Percy a key. "Your room's down the hall. Las' door on the right. An' if there's anythin' I can do for ya, anythin' a'tall, just you holler out 'Matilda!' and I'll come a-runnin'."

"Of course." Percy nodded to her. "Good night, madam."

The room was tiny but clean, and furnished with only a small table, a chair, and a single narrow bed. "Matilda was right—we'll have to get cozy, indeed," said Vax as he eyed the bed dubiously.

"Then I suppose it's fortunate we're such good friends," Percy relied drily. He shrugged off his coat and vest and laid them neatly over the back of the chair, then slipped off his boots and set them side by side underneath. The casualness with which he undressed in front of Vax belied the hint of sarcasm in his voice.

Vax watched him thoughtfully, and not without some lingering anger. Friends. How dare he talk about their friendship when Vex was in danger because of him?

Logically, he knew he should be saving his anger for Dr. Ripley. He knew in his mind that none of this was Percy's fault, not really. But the heart cannot always be convinced by the mind, and the part of him that would forever remain utterly devoted to his sister simply sought the nearest target on which to place the blame.

It was irrational, of course, but no less real for it.

"Yeah, sure," was all he could think of to say. He turned his back to Percy and pulled off his shirt, then sat on the side of the bed to remove his boots.

He felt Percy lie down behind him, and after a moment's hesitation, Vax did the same. Sleep claimed him in an instant.