I turned around with a sigh, Mrs. Mystic laughing at me warmly. “Seems like you two have been traveling together for a while. A brother?”
“Heck no! Hell, I would have pulled my hair out if I were. Actually, we haven’t been partying for long. I met him only a few hours ago.”
She smiled. “Well, by the looks of it you two make a great team. You get along fine. Unlike most parties who stroll by here. Always trying to show off and gain the Order’s favor. Being chosen for the military and fighting for our country is a big thing in Exhavier, you know. It’s an honor the young strive for every day.”
I snorted. “I bet.”
“Being a hunter is a way of life, where preserving the great land of Mavriel is at the heart of their drive.”
“You seem to be a firm advocate of the military.”
“I am. I have five sons in the Hox branch. Before they were recruited, they were admirable hunters, slaying cyber senses and keeping our country safe. They live and breathe war, and I am very proud of them.”
“I’m guessing they took your expertise to the battlefield?”
“If you mean making potions then yes! All but Redfeur had a real knack for it.”
“I’m sorry, did you just say Redfeur?”
“Yes! He is my youngest son, and quite handsome, too!”
“Does he look like this by any chance?” I pulled out the picture Gavori gave me, and the sweet old lady identified him immediately.
“Yup! That’s my Red! He used to date the baron’s daughter. But that didn’t work out.” She sighed. “You know how royalty could get. Are you a friend of his?”
“Y-yeah, you can say that…” I cleared my throat, trying not to break out in a sweat. Because Red wasn’t in a good place right now, taken by the hands of dragons.
Crap, Gavori said nothing about him being in the military. I guess that didn’t matter to me, but that would explain why he was a target.
“Hey, I’d like to buy a list of things from you,” I said, curving the topic before she asked me more questions. I felt bad for lying to the woman already, and felt even worse for not completing the quest Gavori gave me. But priorities…
There’d be no point in looking for him if there wasn’t a world he could live in.
“An animal communication potion, a dancing potion, a flotation bubble potion, and a vanishing potion.”
“Interesting choices! My, your pockets must be deep!”
I chuckled nervously. “I didn’t see a price tag on them. How much for the collection?”
“Six thousand sammies.”
I choked.
“The vanishing potion alone is three.”
“How much for the animal?”
“700.”
“I’ll take it.”
“I’m back!” Rufian said as I was paying Mrs. Mystic in exchange for the potion. He swung the potion he took from the goth girl between his fingers, and I was afraid to ask him how he got her to give it to him. “We are all set! Oh, you brought something Syodas?”
“Animal communication potion. Lasts for an hour.”
“How much?”
“700 sammies.”
“That is pretty steep for a low tier item. But I suppose an item like that would come in handy on the battlefield.” Rufian turned over to her. “You do know that we aren’t with the military, right?”
She nodded sweetly. “Which is why it’s 700 and not 200.”
Rufian chuckled. “Fair enough. We appreciate your business.”
“Please do come again! Oh, and sir Syodas,” she called to me as Rufian continued toward the door. I turned to her and leaned over the counter as she brought her voice to a whisper, “May I ask how you got that picture of my son with Lady Gavori?”
“Lady Gavori gave it to me.”
“Hmm, that seems rather odd of her. Is my son all right?”
I tried to crack a straight wholesome smile. “He is fine. Gavori simply wanted me to give this to him,” I said, lying straight through my teeth. “You know how royalty is.”
She seemed concerned but not from me trying to sell her that bogus story. “Well, all right then. When you do see him, tell him I miss him dearly.”
“Will do.” I nodded and gave her a farewell, Rufian waiting by the opened door with a question all over his face.
“What were you two talking about?”
