Breaking Step (Dungeon Runner 3)

Breaking Step, Chapter 39

Numbers. Numbers and more numbers.

Tibs grumbled as he went over the ledger. How had he enjoyed doing this? He looked at the list of repairs the equipment needed. Most had just arrived during the previous bazaar and some had only been through one team's run, and already he wasn't sure he'd have enough intact equipment to hand over to the Omega and starting Upsilon teams. It was the point of the ledger, after all. To work that out. Would the leathersmiths take extra coins to put his repairs ahead of other customers? Did he have enough coins left? If so, how long would that last him? At least, the Upsilon teams usually returned with a few armor pieces they kept. But there were still more Omega teams that would have to rely on what the guild handed them if Tibs couldn't provide.

He should have asked Sto to make him armor instead of spending all his coins like this. Nothing special, just with the self repair enchantment so he wouldn't have to worry about where his coins went.

Maybe he should ask during the next run, whenever that happened, since Don wasn't going to cooperate, he was sure of that.

Don. He ground his teeth. He was so happy they hadn't gotten to the point where he got Carina's robe. That had been the plan, somewhere in the back of his mind, when he wasn't too iced or angry to plan in that direction. She'd want to help their sorcerer in any way she could, even now that she was gone.

Fuck, it still hurt.

He pushed the ledger away before tears fell on it. I'm sorry, he thought again. I'm sorry I wasn't faster. That I wasn't strong enough to save you.

At least he'd avenged her. Not that it had brought her back.

The satisfaction had been short-lived.

He wiped his tears.

He'd make sure that when it came to the others responsible, he would make them suffer for much longer. Those responsible for hers, and Mama's death.

He brought the ledger close. But for now, numbers.

* * * * *

Jackal dropped into the chair. "The schedule's up." He was covered with sweat, and by the way his essence bunched up and was cracked in his left leg, he'd done more than his usual morning run, and the fighting hadn't been on the training ground. Tibs looked around to ensure there were no clerics in the inn and made a purity weave for the fighter's injuries.

Jackal's sigh was barely audible, but he relaxed.

That was the nice thing about not having Don around. Tibs didn't have to let his friends suffer if they didn't want to use one of the potions they'd smuggled out of the dungeon.

"When are we set for?" Mez asked without enthusiasm.

"Three days, the afternoon run."

"I believe that puts a conundrum before us," Khumdar said, "if we wish to be allowed in."

"I can fix the problem," Jackal said, making a fist and cracking the knuckles.

"I suspect the guards will not approve of whatever you would do that would allow us to let a new sorcerer to be on our team."

"That's if you win," Mez pointed out. "Don's strong and smart."

"The other choice is to convince him to do the run with us," Jackal said.

"No." Tibs didn't look up from his food.

"I don't see other options, Tibs."

Tibs hesitated. "Then we don't go." He made the words as steady as he could.