Questionable Decisions Chp 196

Jarods day had started more or less like most of his had since coming to the valley. He'd gotten up, breakfasted with the rest of the daggers, then gone to look for odd jobs to do at the guild. Training would come after that then lunch and maybe some friendly game for chits with whoever was bored in the guilds main room.

It was a pleasant kind of way to live in between gathering trips into the dungeon once a week or so. His belly was full, the work was steady, and he set his own terms about his time most days. Being invited to the town hall for breakfast by the mayor had seemed like a somewhat unlikely thing that morning.

Deux was eccentric though and didn't seem to think anyone was beneath her to speak with. Something he'd expect out of a mayor of a smaller place, but not a being like her. So he and the daggers had gone and things had been pleasant.

Breakfast had been served at the long table he'd seen the last time. The tall chairs he assumed were normally for the town elders were comfortable and Deux sat across from them rather than at the head with her man Henry at her side. It made it easy to talk to her, not that Jarod or any of the daggers had much to offer besides compliments on the food.

"Well, now that you're all comfortable. I suppose it's time to talk business," Deux said once the meal was cleared away. She wasn't hurried or agitated but Jarod couldn't help but feel a little uneasy.

"Certainly, what can the daggers do for you, mayor?" Jarod asked, emphasizing the title. Deux was friendly in her strange way, but they weren't close and she wasn't going to get a discount.

"I'd like you to hear me out about a job opportunity, but I'll need you to agree to keep everything I tell you about it and related matters a secret," Deux said simply.

"We can certainly do that," Pip piped up. Jarrod kicked him under the table, making promises was always a bad idea.

"You won't have a choice, should you agree to the terms," Deux said. Jarod was about to start trying to back out of whatever she meant to offer but didn't get a word out. Without warning something like a glowing bit of paper appeared in front of him. He could see words on it though not read them.

"The deal is ten gold in exchange for keeping what we discuss confidential thereafter, no matter if you take the job or not. You're under no other obligations at that point and can decline the job or leave the valley if you feel uncomfortable," Deux said.

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Silence followed the declaration. Deux didn't object or try to rush them despite the lack of immediate agreement. Jarod looked at Quint who was staring at the square in front of him hard, mouth moving slowly. He'd started taking reading lessons unlike the rest of them.

"Easy money," Cord said happily, touching the white square. It disappeared like it had never been, a small bag appearing on the table. Cord opened it to look inside then promptly stuffed it in his belt pouch. The rest remained however, including the one in front of Jarod.

"This is… uh," Jarod was stalling, or rather trying to. Being asked to do dirty work or hide something wasn't that strange. They'd done the odd bit of skullduggery when circumstances demanded. They'd also cut and run rather than do so when it suited them.

It was the contract that had Jarod feeling like he was going to shit himself. They'd be paid in gold if they agreed to keep anything they were told confidential. Something he knew because Deux had read it aloud to them.

"I'm fine waiting, Quint can take his time," Deux said, waving him off. True to her word, she just waited which added its own kind of awkwardness as she looked at them with her blood colored eyes patiently.

"She was telling the truth, if we accept we get money and have to keep the secret, but that's all. I triple checked," Quint said, looking exhausted by the end of it.

Looking at the glowing white square in front of him, Jarod felt rather certain his day had taken the kind of turn that led to a story. The sort that went one of two ways "and that's where I fucked up" or "best decision I ever made" and he wasn't sure where this was was heading.

"Okay," Argent said, money appearing before him as he accepted. Jarod wanted to punch the stupid dog in the face, but refrained. His ire was a result of hoping the other man had sense enough not to accept without even a cursory discussion. That mistake was on Jarod.

"You can speak freely in front of me or step outside if you would rather," Deux offered. Still calm in a way that had Jarod sweating. It wasn't like she seemed to think she knew how things were going to go, he was accustomed to arrogance. No, it was the way she didn't seem to particularly care if they agreed or not that was getting under his skin.

"What the fuck could you possibly need us for that's worth ten gold?" Pip asked. One milky brow rose at that and then Deux just shrugged, gesturing to the contract.

"Only one way to find out," she said simply.

"Idiot," Pip said. Jarod looked over and found Quint staring in shocked disbelief at the bag in front of him.

"I didn't… I just wanted to touch it, it didn't seem real," Quint said in fearful explanation. Jarod just groaned, he'd been fighting down that impulse too but it hadn't been that hard to resist.

"Pip, are you taking this?" Jarod asked for formalities sake.

"For ten gold they could bend me over the table and stuff me with pinecones. I was just waiting on you," Pip said with a shrug. Jarod wanted to refute that but didn't bother. He'd never held a gold coin in his entire life. If the amount hadn't seemed so surreal he'd have likely accepted faster.

Jarod sighed and accepted. Pip followed suit.

Clouds must have been passing outside as they talked because the room started to dim. Heavy ones as the shadows grew longer. Only it didn't stop there, the outside seemed to disappear and leave the room with only a pair of candles to fend off the gathering darkness. Candles that hadn't been lit a moment earlier.

"The ten gold isn't the value of the work, it's the value of the secret," Deux said. "And I assure you, I'll be getting my money's worth."

Things were definitely shaping up into a 'and that's where I fucked up' situation, which was the candles went out.

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