NEVER SPLIT THE PARTY: Adventures of the Creeping Bam (BOOK 2: One Cold Trail)

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR: THELGAEWYNN

"Really?" My fingers tighten into fists almost without my bidding them to first as the news sinks in. "That means this whole fucking day's just been another bust for us." I fight the urge to shove the door open hard as I can so it smacks into the wall outside like the dark part of me wants it to, just to find an outlet for my frustration. The proprietor of this particular shop was polite enough answering our questions, even if we did walk in while they were in the middle of what looked like a particularly difficult piece. I really don't want to reward that with belligerence, even if it ain't directed at them personally.

"I'm sorry." The young dragonhalf wizard's face seems to darken a shade or too across her cheeks and nose as she averts her gaze while following me out, and now I feel bad. I didn't mean to take it out on her, either. Tulen's a sweet kid, in the hours I've gotten to know her I've become surprisingly fond of her, she's just so refreshingly honest and open.

So I take a deep breath and settle myself inside as I turn back to wait for Dumoli to join us outside, the halfling, Darwyn, trailing him at a more sedate pace I could almost mistake for boredom if I didn't recognise the way she immediately starts casting about in all directions. I seen Brung do something similar enough times I'm getting to recognise that she's a watchful one like him, even if she seems to have a very different temperament to go with it.

"No, I'm sorry, luv. I didn't mean to bite your head off like that, I'm just ..." I let out a heavy sigh, and it almost drags me down to my knees when I let it out. "Been a real frustrating last few days for us, so I'm just snapping at you cuz you're the messenger. I really shouldn't be doing that."

Tulen looks down at me for a long moment, considering now, then she smiles and despite all the sharp teeth it's like the sun coming out on a cloudy day. She steps forward with a raising hand but then checks herself even though it took me too much by surprise for me to react enough to step back, instead laying her free hand across her belly and snapping off a gentle bow. "You're forgiven of course, Mistress Frostforge. It's entirely understandable under the circumstances."

I have to blink at that, trying not to frown too deep now as I crane up at her. Damn it, why'd they have to make her so tall? "Well yeah, but ... c'mon, we're s'posed to be all mates here, so ... look, I told you once already, now I'm gonna insist. It's just Thel. Relax. You ain't on parade here or anything like that."

"Oh, okay ... sorry." She grimaces for a beat, but then it's gone just as quick and she smiles again. "Thel. Cool. Tulen." She gives another little bow as she says her name, but it feels more like a simple sincere gesture than decorum.

"Yeah, I know." I can't help grinning back at that, keeping it rueful to mask my own amusement but I don't think I succeed. Then that tall Fir Bolg seems to step out of nowhere from the side of the shop and gives me a jolt on her own, and scrambling to recover from that's the push I need to focus back on the job. "Anyway, guess that means we're done."

Yeslee focuses on me instantly, slowing her step as she approaches and letting the stave of her unstrung bow rest across her shoulder now. Those strange, piercing violet eyes are still looking right through me, and I finally come to the conclusion I really don't like being regarded like that, even if it's unintended. "Kesla found something?"

"Yeah, she ..." I have to pause, take a breath, she's still got me a little rattled. "According to Tulen here, they located the tattooist. Gael relayed the info over, so we got a destination."

"So that's it, then, we're done with this?" Dumoli lets his hammer settle between his feet, leaning into the handle a little. "Can't say I'm particularly disappointed, this has been something of a ball-ache."