The stark naked fire magic user stepped lightly down the hall, hands out in front of him. He couldn't hear anything from the room we were in. I had my hand over a woman's mouth, and Isabelle was pressed against the wall, sword raised.

  "FUCK YOU!" Shouted the last male leader, sending a jet of fire into the room.

  The curtains and bed caught fire. Isabelle remained steady as his fingers entered the room. Her sword came down.

  "YAHHH!"

  Fingers tumbled to the ground as Isabelle swung out the doorway, thrusting her sword into his gut. She hastily swung herself back, avoiding a burst of fire. I slapped her burning forearm, but she pulled away, going for a flurry of attacks and finishing the man off.

  As she slapped the fire off herself, I marveled at how her brutal, relentless attack had taken out a villain at level 38. Even with him being naked, it was impressive.

  Men were coming up the stairs; they must have used the basement hatch to exit and gone around the building. They walked single file, carefully past the burning tapestry, led by a man with a shield and a rust-speckled butcher's cleaver.

  I whisked the woman from the swordsman's room into the pyromaniac's room, retrieving two throwing knives from the door frame as I passed. Isabelle made a couple of wide slashes to make the men back off, then followed. One stepped back and got too close to the fire. He screamed as he started to go up in flames, and those nearby slapped and patted the fire.

  Once inside the room, she slammed herself against the wall by the door and extracted her explosive potion. She threw it, aiming for the ceiling above the men.

  BOOM!

  I focused on our escape, throwing open the window's shutters as Isabelle went berserk on what remained of the men in the hall. I forced the traumatised woman up off the bed then put her beside the other one, trembling in the corner. I started hurling bedding out the window. Careful that it dropped as close to the building as possible.

  "Hold my wrists, like this— LOOK! Hold my wrists"

  Having demonstrated, the first woman complied as though in a trance. I grabbed and lifted her by the waist, shoving her out the window. She screamed. With my feet in a good position, I let go of her waist. I caught her wrists, then leant down as far as I could, it's only one story, she'll be OK... despite all her screaming.

  "I'm going to let go, you let go too OK! LET GO!"

  She didn't quite let go, her hands clawed at mine, she took a glove as she fell. Over everything else I heard a distinct sound, smashing bottlesn then laughter from below.

  "You're next! Grab my wrists!"

  Seeing it was OK, the first woman had survived the short fall and was screaming her way to some approaching guards, the second one worked better with me. Laughing man had stopped and was raising his hands surrendering to the guards.

  "Booze over the stairs! They're on fire!" Isabelle returned, recovered bow in hand.

  "Here, out the window!" I grabbed her, helping her climb down, I quickly followed.

  . . .

  General Armen breathed deeply in through his nose, held for a few seconds, eyes closed, before slowing exhaling. He looked at us both, across his desk, contemplating what to say.

  "Well you rescued three women, just wished you shared the information about the tattoo sooner."

  "We wanted to gather more evidence before coming to you." Lied Isabelle, who I distinctly remember wanting to stab first and ask questions later.

  "Did you recover the sword?" I asked.

  "Yes, magic users and locals with buckets got the fire out quick enough. We did find the sword. A Xeotheana made longsword, stolen during the raid. We found the last leader, 'Honest Jane' at her boyfriends. She is in custody." General Armen slapped his desk, glaring at us.

  "What else have you found out? Tell me everything, because if you don't, I will arrest you— You're in the capital, in my jurisdiction." He growled.

  We told him everything we knew, the only exception being the weak intel on the possible Kiss Kiss boys survivor.

  "I've heard of that trio of fuckups. We'll search their shared home and question them. I can hopefully play Alastair, Barnaby and Hector off each other like I did the Sweep Brothers. We can't find Robert the brawler, Fred the spike is gone, and so are the Butterfords. The Varga siblings are beyond this city, they might come back, they might not. Hmmm...

  I'll grant you an exclusive headstart for their bounty. We couldn't prove it, but I suspect they killed a guard once, so believe me I want them... 7 gold each, 15 for both. Dead or alive. I'll post the bounty tomorrow.

  The sun will be rising soon, get some rest and please come see the hangings today. Representatives from Xeothea's will be there. You're both dismissed."

  . . .

  Leaving the castle, we fiound ourselves not far from Géraldine and Louise's bath house. Seeing flickers of light and signs of movement we decided to try. Banging on their door, apologizing profusely, we were dragged in before even asking to enter.

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  Too tired to fight them off, we got stripped then scrubbed by them. We got shown to a bed and managed to enjoy a few hours of sleep.

  . . .

  Just before noon, the ladies were kind enough to wake us. I woke up spooning Isabelle. I apologised for drooling in her hair. Unfortunately they'd used their initiative to wash our clothes, as nice a gesture as it was. It was a sunny day, but they were still damp.

  I ended up in one of Géraldine's surprisingly masculine shirts and a sarong. Louise fiound a dress from her youth for Isabelle. To watch hangings the outfits were good enough.

  As Xeothea alumni, Géraldine and Louise joined us; the bath house was closed early. We all set off together.

  . . .

  Kerchunk!

  YAAAYYY! WOOO!

  The crowd erupted into applause and cheers. All seven had fallen at the same time. The four members of the Sweep Brothers gang, fairly young men who threw their lives away, all died when their necks snapped. Two of the burly thugs however were wrything about, the price of having tough necks.

  Géraldine and Louise rushed to greet Gwendoline and several Xeothea warriors. Adventuring parties with Xeothea members had also turned up, it was quite the crowd.

  General Armen cut me and Isabelle off. Gesturing for us to stay put, he waved at Gwendoline to join us. She made her apologies then came over.

  "Great news, the Gentleman Gangsters, we got them dead to rights! Honestly great work Harvey, Isabelle, I had not thought to ask the wash ladies about the descriptions of raiders clothes." Seeing Gwendoline was a little confused.

  "The three raiders in formal attire. Alastair, Barnaby and Hector. We found them hustling card games, having lost any money they earned from the raid. Just minutes before I had to leave to come here, I got Barnaby confused, he slipped up. They were part of the raid for sure— I'm going to take nap after this.

  These two had me up early in the morning, have they told you about the Red Liars?"

  After expressing we hadn't, General Armen who seemed more casual, likely due to being tired, explained the last night's events to Gwendoline.

  I felt a poke to my back, Isabelle must've got one too. We discreetly looked about, Hans and Lando were just about recognisable, lurking among the crowd. We excused ourselves then headed over.

  "We have to leave this city for a while." Was Hans's greeting.

  They both looked serious, tired and a little roughed up. Lando went on to explain.

  "We found family of the Kiss Kiss boys, got lucky. But we've been spotted. Fought our way out of a tight spot. We were watching the front of the inn for hours waiting for you... The survivor's name is Trev Mackay, the gang he joined are The East River Epics. They operate out of a warehouse, east side of the warehouse quarter." Lando wheezed.

  Hans placed a hand on Lando's shoulder, hearing that he was losing his breath just speaking. As Hans spoke, I stepped closer to Lando to place a hand on his chest, applying some healing magic to where it seemed he'd been struck hard.

  "Five of the East River Epics took part in the raid. Three survived. Trev got recruited at the raid, he's a pretty capable fighter plus they needed help carrying out their dead. We got nothing more on the Varga siblings. It's not just the Epics, a few other gangs aren't happy with us asking questions, we have to go. Now."

  Slipping Hans a gold coin, I told him to wait. I walked over to ex Xeothea orphan, I'd seen her talking to Gwendoline, a female thief and her party.

  "Hey, please listen, the two guys behind me need discreet escort out of the city, as far as you're willing to take them or they need you to. Leaving immediately, can you do this?" I flashed a handful of silver.

  "Fuck off with your coins, thanks for saving my sisters— Right guys did you hear? We good to go?" The theif's party agreed then split into forward and rear guard.

  "Thank you for everything, good luck" Said Isabelle as Hans and Lando were led away.

  I started heading to the general, Isabelle looked annoyed, but didn't say anything. I told him the new intel about the East River Epics and Trev Mackey.

  "More work for me... Thank you."

  Barely into Autumn, we looked well on course to meet up with the Ilves-Farkas clan for winter, after I do some ice fishing with Ritchie.

  After a tasty and rowdy lunch at the bathhouse, Géraldine and Louise having invited far too many people. I volunteered to do the dishes as the ladies gabbled well into the evening.

  . . .

  Me and Isabelle headed back to The Black Galleon, the rotten inn we'd been staying at. I felt strange, nervous and sad. Neither of us seemed keen to shag, too tired, so we just went to sleep after doing almost all our packing for the next day.

  "Can we talk please?" I asked Isabelle.

  We'd just eaten breakfast and were doing a final run through of the room. We had a few things to do in the city, we could head out after, but we'd accepted one night at Géraldine and Louise's.

  "OK... what's this about, you seem serious..."

  Tuana had come yesterday too, she squealed and talked my ear off about Ilmarinen's tool bag and translating his notes. She also took some measurements from me and inquired why there had been a tooth stuck in a vambrace and it generally looking like I'd been chewed while wearing the armour.

  I had not allowed her attempts to give the money back, telling her if she really didn't need or want it for the armour, she could buy toys for the orphans— I wasn't taking the money back.

  Her femininity, passion and feeling more relaxed around her had made me come to a realisation. I explained to Isabelle my feelings about our relationship.

  "I'm glad you said something... If you didn't say something, I was going to. No offence Harvey. I still love you, but as a friend. Yes..."

  I looked at her with an eyebrow raised. She elaborated.

  "How can I put this... Your body is great. No need to be self conscious, but... I'm not too keen on the sex— And this is a me thing OK, not a you problem. I'd just prefer it if you were a bit rougher, or interested in whips and candlewax and stuff...

  For guy who can torture people, your taste in sex stuff, to me is... Vanilla. I tell you to choke me and you hardly try, your spanking is schizer and you just stroke my hair, you're meant to pull it!"

  "So... Vanilla wasn't widely adopted till around the 18th century. I think the author should do some research because, isn't this fantasy world supposed to be based in late medieval europe, so about 14th century?"

  "A mish mash of late medieval europe yeah. I don't think readers will even care, most wouldn't have noticed if you didn't say anything." Shrugged Isabelle.

  "Hmm. Still, an expression popularised in the 1970's, using an ingredient that doesn't really exist yet. Seems like a piss take. Anyway... I'll try not to take my sex being vanilla too personally and yes, let's just be friends."

  "And... you still love me?"

  "In my own vanilla way... yeah I still love you."

  Isabelle rolled her eyes, "Harvey. Let it go already."