Guild Of Zeroes

Chapter 35

A soft knock at the door woke me up, and Mouse's voice floated into the room. We had taken up residence in the Guild leaders' old rooms. Mouse had taken over Stargazers residence, while Quin and I had moved into Sabre's old room. Hawk's room was converted into something a combination office and trophy room. Our chamber was divided into two distinct hemispheres with Quin's being neat and ordered, and mine being a pile of chaos. Quin's side of the room held a chest with our weapons and armour inside of it, an armoire of common clothes, and a long L shaped desk with neat stacks of parchment and a handful of ink pots. My side of the room was home to a collection of loose scrolls, a book shelf where a dozen tomes were piled with no rhyme nor reason, and a set of shelves holding some personal keepsakes. The shelves held a Legionnaires helmet from Wraiths army, a young Storm Serpent's skull, and Hawk's knife collection. In the years since returning to the Tower, I had replaced the old knife Hawk had given me with one forged by Quin, but I had added the old blade to the collection. Even after five years, it still felt strange living in the Guildmaster's quarters, but it was good to be home, even if home was a little different now. There was some kind of magic there, beyond the literal magic carved into the walls, you could burn this place down, you could tear it apart, you could blast it dust, but you couldn't stop it from feeling like home.

"Snip," said Mouse. "Quin. Wake up. The new apprentices are here."

I cracked an eye open with a groan, mind still fogged from the first good night's sleep I'd had in a long time. The bed was so warm and soft, and with Quin's arms around, I never wanted to leave.

"Five more minutes?" I answered.

"Snip, I will break down this door."

"He won't," said Quin with a yawn.

"I heard that," said Mouse. "And I will."

"I'm calling your bluff," said Quin. "Do it, break down the door, but remember what happened last time you busted in here."

Mouse was quiet.

"I can feel you blushing from here," said Quin with a chuckle. They threw off the covers and stood. Something in their shoulder let out a trio of sharp pops and they winced.

I sat up and put a hand on their back. "Are you all right?"

Quin nodded. "Yeah, shoulder just feels stiff today. Must be going to rain later."

"It is," said Mouse. "I'll meet you two down by the rubble gate."

Quin shook their head. "Can't believe I'm like an old farmer already. Storms comin' can feel it in my old bones. Gods, it's like I'm thirty going on eighty."

I planted a kiss on their cheek. "You I know I still love you no matter how old you feel."

They rubbed at the knotted mess of scar tissue that crisscrossed their right shoulder. "I know. And I love you too. I'm just not sure how good of a teacher I'll be without a working sword arm."

I stood and pointed to a purple bruise on my thigh. "You seem to be getting pretty god fighting left handed. Beat the hell out of me in sparring yesterday."

Quin was definitely not looking at the bruise.

"Focus," I said, snapping my fingers in front of their face. "I want to make a proper first impression on the apprentices." I threw open the armoire and the armour chest. "Does full armour send the wrong message?"

"I don't think so," said Quin. "We should probably look tough."

Quin and I helped each other into our armour and belted on our weapons. I left the room wearing a knee length hauberk made of drake scales, a forest green brigandine, and copper vambraces etched with spell runes from Quin's homeland. The Imperial short bow Quin had bought for me rode in its quiver on my left hip, and a short forward curving sword hung from my right. The Guild had it's issues, sure, but it made sure its Guildmaster's had the best gear.