The Darkest Dawn by Marc Mulero

Author:Marc Mulero [Mulero, Marc]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2021-06-19T22:00:00+00:00

Chapter 25

The Invisible Hand

Something suddenly didn’t feel right to Eres. He was laughing, but couldn’t remember why. That warm feeling of good company dropped to arctic temperatures, and the visual splendor of the Colliding Spheres rapidly dulled. Of course, he shouldn’t be sitting there enjoying himself. He had work to do, and the clock was ticking away.

But what if this was his last chance to spend time with two of the people he cared most for in this world? What if after this each of them would be forced to part ways like he and his ooma were? The trials in Verglas were looming.

It didn’t matter now anyway. The moment was already ruined, his change of expression was noted immediately – eyebrows knitted, jaw clenched, abrupt disengaging.

“Uh oh… party’s over, isn’t it?” Dee’s lips folded into a line.

Eres only returned a hardened look.

“Guys, we need a safe place where we can talk.”

“Okay, okay, back where we had lunch, I’m sure we can find a corner table now.” Dee led the way.

Even an hour past the duel, people were still bustling in and out of the stands. The event had morphed from a colosseum duel into a tourist attraction, with guests choosing to stay and enjoy the clearest view they would ever have of chaotic elements. Servers helped, tending hand and foot with drinks, food, binoculars. Smart business, really.

The three of them squeezed past busying bodies and made their way up the steps back into Boz’oz’rue where people trying to beat the rush home were being scanned by collectors on the way out.

“Why are they being inspected?” Eres asked.

“I’ll bet it’s to stop gamblers with open tabs,” Windel guessed.

“One point for Windy!”

Eres’ stomach lurched at the mention of her old nickname.

“Any open tab is tracked by each gambler’s unique prints so there are no mistakes,” Ohndee explained. “Debt has to be settled before departure. How do you think an establishment as successful as this stays in business? Not by letting gamblers fly off never to be seen again, that’s for sure. They need to pay the house. My dad told me about side-loans though… that’s a different story.”

“Hope that’s not what Ilfrid is involved in…” Eres thought aloud.

“He seems alright despite his quirky ways.” Windel let a comforting hand slide down his shoulder. “Hey Dee, what happens if they can’t pay?”

She cleared her throat. “Then you become part of the staff, for a long time I imagine.”

“Yikes. I wouldn’t want to work beside the Sindus,” Windel said while eyeing the waiter who’d been taken care of them this whole time.

She then gestured to a table she thought would be a good fit. He returned the lowest bow imaginable, snapped his fingers, and with the swipe of a dirtied tablecloth and the billowing of a new one floating down, seats were pulled out for them to sit. She was a natural at acting the part of a big shot, which sent that familiar pang in Eres’ gut, both because he felt it should be him leading the crew, and because he was attracted to her confidence.

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