Chapter Twenty-Four: Time To Go

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I would warn that it contains something but it'd be a spoiler and I think I'm one of the few people who gets triggered by it... Also, please read the author's note.

Yaz pushed the door to the public house open, a bit surprised by the atmosphere inside. People seemed pretty relaxed considering a minute ago their town had been being raided. It seemed quite a bit really had changed since they'd last been in the area, with the children probably now being acknowledged as Forti and the town's protectors. Well, not necessarily Forti, they were something else.

In the dim light it was hard to locate Junior. There was a pool of men and women, even the occasional kid downing a beer. Why one would want to, she couldn't understand. It was disgusting.

Involuntarily she thought back to when Hazhil was ill. It still was impossible to grasp that she was gone, so her mind didn't even go there. Instead it let memories of her and Junior resurface. Back then she'd been so convinced he'd grow into a better person. Maybe he would have if she hadn't turned him down. But she shouldn't have to be responsible for his morality. He was a grown man, he should be able to be a decent person without needing to date someone.

Still she couldn't find him. Maybe she should leave, maybe he had merely come in, had a quick look round and then left. As people so often do, she spotted him the moment she thought that.

He was sat at a table with a bald middle aged man with a fuzzy umber beard. They seemed to be deep in conversation. Yaz positioned herself closer in order to hear.

"Well, funny how things work out, eh? You made the offer before one raid and now want to go through with it after the next," said the man without a trace of humour in his tone.

"I was travelling but what does it matter? I've got the dog here now. Can you just give me the money so that I can leave?" grumbled Junior.

Yaz's eyes widened as it all began to make sense. Now that she thought back, Junior had seemed to have had a soft spot for the dog for quite a while, whereas he'd never shown any interest in Anwyn prior. This must have been why he'd started "dating" Anwyn, solely to have access to her magical dog. It disgusted Yaz.

"If you're expecting as much as I once offered, you're a fool," stated the man, pulling out a pocket knife and beginning to bore holes into the table.

Junior frowned. "We made a deal. You can't just turn around."

"That was a raid ago. You took a long time and the dog's just bones now."

Junior continued to argue, "And? Its fur will grow back."

"That might be so. But its far more-"

"Can I get you anything?" a barmaid asked Yaz. Upon hearing that Junior glanced up and froze. Yaz also began to panic.

"You followed me," he growled.

"And? You're trying to sell Nokia!" exclaimed Yaz, prodding his chest with her index finger.

"Oh boy," said the buyer, chugging his beer and then raising a finger to order another.

"That's none of your business."

"Excuse me? None of my business? Blake, that's not your dog," shouted Yaz. Nokia whimpered.

"Don't call me that!" yelled Junior.

"Right, I'm out of the deal. I don't want to get sued," said the bearded man. He then got up and left the table.

Yaz shot Junior a disgusted look. "The whole time you were just playing with that poor girl's feelings."

"Look, I made a mistake today. I lost my best-" Junior tried to defend himself but Yaz wouldn't let him finish, "Don't lie to me. I know this was what you were planning all along."

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