Minerva’s forehead wrinkled. The drowned-out voices in the tavern were now coming into focus. The familiar twang and gruff words of the bounty hunter caught her attention. Luckily, she had sat in the corner, and she had not ordered anything yet. She excused herself before she could be noticed by the man that had followed her across multiple counties. Certain she was out of sight of the tavern area she took off running, looking over her shoulder for her pursuer.

Minerva and Calista crashed to the ground. While they recovered, Minerva once again looked down the hall. “You haven’t heard of me. Neither have your friends,” she whispered. “Please!” Then she took off into the bedroom.

Calista picked up her crown from the floor. She had no idea why Minerva was hiding, but she intended to find out. She sighed and followed the latest addition to her companions. “You gonna keep being mysterious or are you going to tell me why we’ve never heard of you?” she asked as she walked into the room.

Minerva groaned. She rolled over to face Calista. “You owe me for saving you, so…”

“I’m not going to turn you in,” Calista promised.

“Alright. I’m going to trust you.” Minerva sat up. She hugged her knees and stared at the ground. “I’m a thief. I may have some items on me that are being sought after by anybody who pays mind to world events.” She flashed a crooked smile. “The wizard’s rings of the Enchanter’s Guild was my last contract.”

“Are you keeping the rings to use them?” Calista asked.

Minerva shook her head. “No. I was hired to steal them. I was nearly caught before I could turn them over to my fence. I slipped away by accident and a few weeks later I ended up here with you.”

“So…” Calista sat on the edge of the bed. “There’s probably a reward for these rings?”

Minerva shrugged. “I would think so. I haven’t heard anything, but why would I? I stole them. I’m not about to walk up to a guard or bounty hunter and explain that I’m in possession of stolen goods and ask for a reward instead of what my fence would pay me.”

Calista smiled. “If there is a sizable reward for them, would you let me turn them in for money? We could use the gold to buy supplies and live in the wilderness for a few weeks.”

“And the bounty hunter has time to move on,” Minerva realized. She grinned. “Genius! Yes. But how are you going to find out?”

***

Calista walked into Rune’s room. The others were with him so she shut the door. “So none of you have heard of Minerva. You can’t ask why yet, but I need some favors.”

Glyph yawned and stretched. “What favors?”

“Take some money, buy Minerva a few days worth of food that won’t spoil, then take it to her,” Calista explained.

Glyph shrugged. “Yeah. Alright.”

“I would, but I do have something to do, Cali. I’ll see everybody again this evening.” Aenaes pulled on his coat then he retrieved his satchel from the floor. “But never heard of anybody,” he said as he passed Calista.

“I have to check on the horses,” Vahlatok said.

“And Rune, I need you to come with me,” Calista said. She offered the half-dragon a smile.

Rune was now a nervous mess. He wondered how much Calista knew. His thoughts were a chaotic swirl of infatuation and paranoia. Did he think about her too often? Did she know he was attracted to her looks and her personality? Did she not bring up her ability to hear thoughts because she did not return his feelings? Rune’s stomach fluttered and jittered. He followed Calista to her room, then his mind turned carnal. Why did she bring him to her bedroom? He saw Minerva from the corner of his eye. He swallowed hard.

“Something wrong, big guy?” Minerva asked. She smirked at him, knowing that Calista was the reason for his strangely meek demeanor.

Rune froze. He quickly surveyed the room. His mind was acutely paranoid about the creature that gave Calista the ability to hear his most personal thoughts. “Where’s the little fae lady?” he muttered.

“Weirdly I haven’t seen her,” Calista answered.

Minerva shrugged. “Me either.”

***

Aenaes pulled out his notebook. Wish sprung forth from his bag. He jumped and screamed, startled by the fae’s entrance. Wish giggled. “Now, now. What are we up to today?” she sat on the healer’s shoulder.

Aenaes composed himself. “I am working on something to help Calista with the problem you created,” he muttered.

“Aww…so she’ll pick you over the others?” Wish cooed.

Aenaes glared at the fae. “Why don’t you grow to humanoid size and walk around like a normal person?”

“Not enough energy,” Wish answered.

“How are you not brimming with chaotic energy from the wish you granted?” Aenaes wondered.

The fae shrugged. “Your guess is as good as mine. But I’m stuck tiny for a while.”

“And you picked me to annoy? How joyous,” the healer muttered. He approached the counter of the alchemist. “I could use your help and I will pay well,” Aenaes said as he passed his notes to the shopkeeper.

***

Rune was difficult to miss. Half-dragons were known throughout the world, but even for the hybrid bloodline he and his brother were gargantuan. Hulking, battle worn and quiet he made his way through the tavern, to the barkeep. The conversation spilled over to the ears of others present with Rune needing directions to the guards’ barracks or a bounty hunter post.

The shrouded enforcer immediately paid mind to the large man and his request. The half-dragon could prove useful in finding the thief he pursued or at least the goods she had made off with.

After the half-dragon left the tavern, the room returned to a warm, relaxed atmosphere with simple hearth cooking for the weary travelers.

While Rune was gone, Calista gathered up what she would need for a quick job. Then, dressed in her armor and with a nearly empty bag she sat at the bar, waiting for Rune’s return. She needed the bounty hunter to notice her and to notice her with Rune so she gave herself plenty of time to be identified as a bounty hunter by the trained observer. She kept her gaze averted from her target. Her mind was focused on getting him out of her acquaintance’s hair and life returning to normal once they had saved enough money for supplies. Calista began wondering exactly what normal would mean given her relatively new gifts of telepathy and the inept feelings and interactions it brought into existence.

Calista was pulled from the chaotic stew of her racing thoughts by a flier. She looked down at the wanted poster. “For you and your friend,” the bounty hunter said.

Calista gave him a confused look, then she looked at Rune. She jumped, startled by the half-dragon’s abrupt appearance on the stool beside her. “Oh, uh…thank you.” She watched the bounty hunter sit again. “How long have you been there?” she whispered.

Rune shrugged. “A few minutes. I thought you’d notice.” He set down a flier on top of Minerva’s wanted flier. “They had exactly what you were looking for.”

Calista perked up. “Oh, good. Want to go take care of this now?” she asked.

Rune nodded once. “We do need the money.”

Calista placed both fliers in her bag, then she followed Rune out of the tavern.