The Villain Wants to Quit

Teaming Up

When Theo arrived, Marc was waiting at the usual fountain with a large wicker basket.

"Owen figured out I was meeting up with you and sent one of his extra care packages for you," Marc said with a shrug. "He told me to make sure you eat."

"He didn't tell Marie I was here, did he?" Theo asked.

"No. She would have rushed to try and arrest or kill you. None of us needed that headache."

Marc shoved the basket into Theo's arms.

Theo immediately began digging through the basket. It was teeming with jellies, fruits, pastries, and breads.

"Tell him thanks," Theo said. Scourge started to climb out of Theo's coat and into the basket.

Theo held it closer, so it would be hard for passersby to see the tiny dragon clambering around in a basket of snacks.

Trying to tell Scourge "no" was useless when food was around.

"How's Owen healing?" Theo asked. "Not that I want a filthy traitor to heal. I'm just curious."

Marc didn't even blink at Theo's rough wording. He was getting used to it. "He's doing well. He should be getting discharged tomorrow, but he's still not going to be totally free. We're a little worried Dullahan might attempt to track him down for retaliation, so Owen will be under a lot of security."

"Interesting," Theo said, sitting on the fountain's edge and spreading jelly on some bread. The basket had even been packed with a spoon and knife.

"So what'd you want to meet about, Marc? I'm sure you had more to discuss than an Owen update."

"I need a favor."

"Sure, if it's something I can do."

"I need a divine dagger."

"I don't exactly have those hidden around," Theo said past a mouthful of pastry. "I mean, I can keep an eye out whenever Dullahan has me steal stuff, but that's the best I could do."

"I know where one is." Marc fidgeted.

"So you need me to play fetch?"

"Theo isn't some servant you can make do your dirty work for you." Carrot sneered. "Do you have to keep your own hands precious?"

"Carrot," Theo sighed.

"It's in the main church of Ascia," Marc said. "I'm sorry; it's not the type of work I'm cut out for, and I don't know anyone else who might be willing to try to get it."

"So you're telling me you're giving Theo a job so awful no one else will do it?" Carrot growled.

"I did ask someone to go scout the place." Marc offered. "I can tell you exactly where it is and what the security is like. I even have blueprints."

Carrot continued to glare.

"I can't tell you what it's for, but it will benefit Theo," Marc said. "I think."

"You sound certain." Sarcasm colored Carrot's voice.

"I'll do it," Theo said. "I'll trust you."

"When do you think you could get it by? I need it as soon as possible." Marc asked.

"I could grab it tomorrow if your briefing is good."

Theo didn't realize how tense Marc had been about the situation until he saw him visibly relax once Theo agreed.

"I still don't like this," Carrot grumbled.

"Don't worry, Carrot, I'll keep Papa Mortal Theo safe." A tiny voice, jumbled by mouthfuls of food, came from the basket.

"How reassuring," Carrot muttered. He was already sulking. Theo would have to give him reassurances later. And snacks. Lots of snacks.

"Papa?" Marc asked with a raised eyebrow.

"It's a new title I picked up on our Sanain mission. We met a professor who gave him the idea for it." Theo absent-mindedly rubbed some crumbs from Scourge's face as he spoke.

"Ah. Sanain." Marc's lips pressed into a thin line, and his voice grew reproachful. "Why did you tell me not to interfere with Sanain? You terrorized the place." Theo gasped as the oath started to react to Marc's careless words. Marc quickly corrected himself. "Um...I meant like interfere to help you terrorize Sanain even more...terribly."

Theo shot Marc a glare, but the oath eased up.

Their relationship was a tenuous one. It was always swinging between something almost like comradery before returning to contempt.

"Any interference of yours would have greatly increased the resistance I met while following my orders, making things far more unpredictable and increasing soldier and civilian casualties. Which I, of course, adore people dying for Dullahan, but how could I ask a friend to go through all that trouble."

"Oh." Marc succinctly replied.

"Anyway, while you're here, I wanted to see if you want to look at the piece of jewelry I had to retrieve for Dullahan. It's a perfect match to the others I had to steal."

"Sure."

"And don't even think about trying to take it. I would be forced to fight you."

Marc nodded in agreement. The disdain was fading from his eyes and turning to curiosity.

Theo slipped on a pair of leather gloves. He had been ordered not to directly touch the ring, just like the earring he had stolen earlier.

He held his palm open with the ring cradled for Marc to study.

"I thought it might be fun to research this set of jewelry and see what their significance is. I had to steal an earring that was just like this, but dangly. Then there was the ring from Laenders that I'm not sure exactly what it was like and now this one."

Marc peered at the ring. "There's an inscription." He pointed out. "Can you turn it?"

Theo tilted the ring.

A tiny line of script was etched into the sides of the black stone. It was a script he had never seen before. He hadn't noticed if the earring had the same script.

"Do you have paper and a pencil?"

Theo nodded. He often kept some supplies for writing a couple letters in his pack.

Marc copied the script with the supplies Theo gave him.

"I'll look into this for you," Marc said. "In the meantime, I'm going to get the map you'll need for the dagger. Can I meet you at your inn?"

"Yeah. I'm probably going to stay at The Tired Bear."

"Okay. I'll meet you in about three hours."

"See you then." Theo gave Marc a small wave.