Author's Preface
Merkra: Welcome back to Hidden Narratives. I’m Merkra.
Solana: And I’m Solana.
Merkra: Before we get started, I wanted to apologize for my absence last week. I listened to the episode, and it was an absolute masterclass, so I don’t think you guys were missing much outside my color commentary, but I had a friend pass away and I took some time to pay my respects.
Solana: Merkra was not going to say anything because he doesn’t want to exploit you all, but I’m going to include a link in the description to donate to his family.
Merkra: There’s no pressure, genuinely. I’ve just been friends with him since I was a kid and his family is going through a rough time. Anything that you can give I will match obol for obol, outside the donation I’ve already made, but if you’re not in a position to do so, please don’t.
Solana: The family truly appreciates the generosity. Death is something be all deal with, and it can unfortunately be very expensive.
Merkra: clears throat I think that takes care of business for the week. Where were we?
Solana: Fletcher is about to face the music.
Fletcher followed Bluworth through the foyer and into the study. Vibrant green walls flickered with the light of several everburn lanterns, lighting up Leonie’s smile beneath thin rimmed glasses. They had stacks of paperwork neatly organized across the reading table and floor in front of them, but diverted their attention to him the moment he came in.
“Fletcher, I didn’t expect you tonight.”
“Oh…you know, just stopping by to check in. See how you’re doing.”
“Not stalling, then?” Leonie asked through raised brows.
“Stalling? Me? Never.” He walked around and hopped up onto the highbacked chair beside them. “I was supposed to meet them at McGinty’s, but apparently something went down. Selene took her down early.”
“That doesn’t seem good.”
“Nope,” Fletcher pursed his lips and then leaned over to spy on their papers. “What are you reading?”
Leonie placed the sheet they’d been reading on the table beside them and took a sip from a steaming mug. “Some manifests from my last Riverlands shipment. I appear to be being heavily taxed, and possibly burgled. I need to find out which so I know whose balls to twist.”
“It was me,” Fletcher’s hand shot up into the air. “You caught me. Twist away.”
They gave a soft chuckle. “You’re an insatiable little man.”
“Guilty again.”
There was a moment of silence between the two friends and occasional lovers, but a knowing gaze washed over him. “Being nervous in this situation is perfectly natural. She’s going to be angry, but what other choice did you have?”
“I don’t know.” Fletcher shook his head. “Maybe if I left her there, she would have been alright? She’s smart. Resourceful.”
“And the target of a madwoman from what I understand.” Leonie’s lips curled, and they shook their head. “You made the right call.”
Fletcher grumbled and pushed his fingers through his hair. “The little girl suspects something. I can see it in her eyes.” Fletcher quickly changed the subject.
“The little girl with the horns?” They eased back in their chair and sipped at their tea again. “You think she’ll give you up?”
Would she? Hell, he didn’t know. She seemed so sweet, and the few interactions they’d had made it seem like Penelope wasn’t rubbing off on her too much. She was just a kid, though. Worse, actually. She was an infant in a child’s body. “I have no idea. I don’t think she’d do it on purpose.”
“Well, accidentally slipping information to a woman that could and would literally remove your testicles may not be the same thing morally, but the consequences for little Fletcher would still be the same.” They gestured to his crotch with their mug.
Fletcher chuckled and nodded. “Yeah, no shit. You hear she showed up in my room naked? Tried to seduce me.”
“Penelope?” Leonie sat up, their mouth opening, but they struggled for words. “Oh, that must have been horrifying.” Fletcher leaned forward, prepared to tell the entire story, but was stopped with a flat look. “No, you’re stalling and preying upon my weakness for gossip.” They pointed to the door. “You’ve got someplace to be, Mr. Lightfoot.”
“Oh, come on. Just one story?” Fletcher pleaded.
“No, because one story will turn into one drink, and then one drink will lead to the bedroom and you won’t leave until morning.” They leaned forward and took his hand in theirs, gently kissing his tattooed knuckles. “It’s going to be fine.”
“You have no way of knowing that.” Fletcher countered.
“I do.” Their eyes met his and a smile crossed their lips. “Melrhos is a lot of things, but he’s not going to leave that girl high and dry. Whether she murders you for one of numerous reasons is a separate issue entirely.”
He rolled his eyes and pulled his hand away, playfully pushing their shoulder back as he stood up. “Very helpful.” He said as he headed for the kitchen.
“I aim to please!” They called, getting up to let him down the fireplace entrance.
He’d been through these tunnels so many times over the last few months. At this point he was confident in his ability to walk them with his eyes closed. Leonie’s passage bypassing the market was normally a blessing. Sometimes he needed the quiet to process his thoughts before meeting with Melrhos and gang. Now, with a pissed off Gifted behind any of these doors, it was doing very little to calm his nerves.
After he found Melrhos’ lounge empty, there was really only one spot they could be. The meeting room. The spot where he’d first met Melrhos in all his mustachioed glory. To his suprise, the moment he stepped into the tunnel that lead there, the man’s boisterous laughter echoed back at him.
“Fletch!” Melrhos erupted as he walked through the door, the large stein in his hand sloshed. “My boy! I’m glad you’re back! Join us!”
Selene stood in her usual space, directly behind and to the left of Melrhos with a stein of her own. Even Freya had a glass of wine in front of her, though it looked untouched. Atania was right in front of him. Though her back was to him, he was certain he could see her curls on her head vibrating with wrath.
“Seems like you’re all enjoying yourselves…” Fletch said with a nervous laugh, setting his lute against the wall as he approached. No reason for her to get hurt in the struggle. He got within three feet of the table before Atania shot to her feet and was in his face with nearly imperceptible speed.
In one motion she hoisted him up by his lapels and drove him back several feet to the far wall, pinning him against it. Her amber eyes flared, sending jade fireworks shooting in all directions from the tiny white irises. He winced as his head bounced off the wooden wall, the room beginning to spin.
“I see you’re feeling better.” He grunted out, lifting his head to hold the back of his head. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Selene move toward them, but Melrhos held a hand up to stop her.
“I should tear your fucking throat out.” She snarled at him, the scent of liquor and ale filling his nostrils, only making the dizziness worse. “Save the world from having to listen to you continue to use words.”
“This is a really shit ‘Thank you’ you know.” Fletch forced a painful, yet somehow still incredibly smug, grin. Her grip tightened and her whole body shook. Atania’s face contorted, shifting from one emotion to the next as she was no doubt trying to process how best to eviscerate him. Preparing himself for the pain, he squinted, only for her expression to suddenly soften, tears forming in her eyes. “Hey, hey…don’t cry. I was just…” He reached up to wipe her cheeks.
“Shut the fuck up for one in your gods damned life!” Atania interrupted him with a genuine smile before leaning forward and planting her lips on his. The pain and vertigo dropped immediately. In its place, pure desire set in. His fingers tucked into the tight curls at the base of her skull. The faint taste of ale and whiskey on her tongue had no effect as he sunk into the bliss of her kiss.
Fletcher had experienced a number of first kisses in his life. Some of them were just plain bad, but most had been exciting. Like watching the first act of a new play. That moment just before the story sucks you in and you can still feel that anticipation. This was quieter. Like he’d approached the edge of a reality and reached out to find a substance that his finite senses couldn’t quite name. It was beautiful and terrifying, and he never wanted to let it go.
As suddenly as she’d hit him with the kiss, it stopped, and he was plummeting the few feet to the floor. Were he in control of his faculties, he probably could have landed on his feet, but she’d somehow stripped him of his ability to exist until he landed flat on his ass and the pain returned. In his daze, he watched her turn around and sit back in her chair, casually taking a sip of her drink.
Melrhos grabbed the collar of his shirt and fanned himself with it. “Damn…I wish somebody would thank me like that.”
It took another second or two, but eventually Fletcher found his feet again. He walked over to the table and grabbed the nearest cup. It didn’t matter whose it was or what was in it. He downed the sour liquid and let out a sharp breath. “So…Uhh…”
Melrhos eyes went wide, looking from Atania to Fletcher and back again. “Fuck. You broke him…”
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