Grub woke the next morning with a yawn so wide his jaw cracked.
Sunlight filtered through the window of his room at a lazy angle, warming the floorboards near his bed. For a few seconds he just lay there, staring at the ceiling, savoring the strange novelty of waking up without a death sentence strapped to his wrist.
Then he dragged himself out of bed, splashed water on his face at the basin, changed into fresh clothes, and pulled his white coat over his shoulders. The enchanted notebook went into the inner pocket where it belonged.
When he stepped outside, Luthiel was already waiting for him on the street below. Thi's messy red-streaked hair caught the morning breeze and her crimson eyes locked onto him the instant the inn door swung open.
Grub raised a hand. "Hey, Luthiel."
"What took you so long, asshole?" Thi fired back without missing a beat.
Grub ignored the insult and fell into step beside her. The two of them walked down the village streets at an easy pace, the morning bustle building around them as shopkeepers propped open their doors and early risers shuffled between stalls.
After a while, Grub glanced sideways at her.
"Did they interrogate the scout yesterday?"
Thi nodded without looking at him. "Yeah, of course they did, ya dumbass. Hasn't said much according to Master, but he doesn't seem exactly like the sturdy type." She cracked her knuckles. "Just a matter of time before he squeals."
A gust of wind swept down the road and both of them shivered. Grub frowned and tugged his coat tighter.
"Getting colder these days, huh?"
"Well, it is the ninth month," Luthiel replied, rubbing her arms. "Axiumun. The season of Ceasus already started a little while ago."
Grub nodded. He had seen the yearly calendar during his studies with Orobas and had copied it into his notes, though the specifics of Aethrys's months and seasons had mattered little to him at the time. One detail had stuck, however. Through careful counting and estimation, he had traced back through his timeline to determine which month he had first fallen into this world.
The fifth month. Bell.
The exact date was lost to him. Periods of unconsciousness like after the giant grub attack or when he had first arrived at the village had skewed his internal clock, forcing him to estimate gaps he couldn't verify. But the month itself he was fairly confident about.
Roughly three or four months ago, give or take, he had tumbled out of a sky he didn't remember and into a world that wanted to kill him in new and creative ways every week.
Thi's messy hair bobbed back and forth as she walked, her expression shifting through a series of micro-reactions that told Grub she was deep in conversation with her other selves. He had gotten better at spotting the signs. A slight twitch of the lips meant Lu was probably saying something cheerful. A brief scowl could mean El had made a logical point that Thi didn't want to agree with. A sharp exhale through the nose often meant all three were arguing at once.
He was watching her expressions cycle when a gruff voice cut through his attention.
"OI, LAD!"
Grub looked down and found Urgor waddling toward them with purpose. The furry blacksmith's thick arms swung at his sides and his round ears twitched as he weaved between taller villagers on the road. His beard was dusted with what looked like iron filings and soot stained the front of his leather apron.
"Fine seeing ye here! Was hoping I'd catch ye!" Urgor beamed up at Grub, then spotted Luthiel beside him and his whole face brightened further. "And Lassy Luthiel is here too!"
Despite the tough exterior Thi usually maintained, something softened the instant she saw the furry dwarf. She bent down and wrapped her arms around him in a hug that looked almost foreign coming from her brash, combat-ready posture. Urgor patted her back with one thick hand before turning his attention to Grub.
"Oi, about yer weapon! I'm working on it, I am! With all this recent talk going around town, everyone and their grandmother has been asking me to forge something for them." He chuckled and wiped sweat from his brow. "Business hasn't been this lively in years."
His expression turned reassuring.
"But don't ye worry, lad! The chief herself requested yours, so ye'll be one of the first ones done. Her orders come before everyone else's."
Grub gave a respectful nod. "Thank you."
"Anytime, lad!"
Urgor turned back to Luthiel as she pulled away from the hug. His warm eyes studied her with professional care, the way a craftsman inspects their finest work.
"How ye holding up, Luthy? Everything feeling alright?"
Thi bowed slightly, which seemed almost comically out of character for her usual demeanor. "Doing well, Shorty."
Urgor let out a belly laugh at the nickname, his whole frame shaking. "Ah, glad to hear it! Just let me know if ye need any fixes or adjustments!"
With a final wave, the blacksmith continued down the road, his stubby legs carrying him with surprising speed. Grub watched the furry old craftsman disappear into the morning crowd before turning to Thi.
"Wow," he said flatly. "You were so sweet back there."
Thi's brow dropped like a guillotine. "You asking to die, asshole?"
Grub chuckled and raised his hands in surrender before sliding them back into his pockets.
"Just calling it how I see it."
Thi looked like she wanted to punch him. Instead she shoved him hard enough to send him tumbling sideways. After Grub recovered from half hearted attack, he and Luthiel returned to their walk. They continued in a comfortable silence for a bit before Grub spoke again.
"What's the plan for today? More training?"
Thi thought for a moment, her crimson eyes drifting upward. "Morrigan said today's an off day. So no training."
Grub frowned. An off day. With an attack potentially imminent and a prisoner who hadn't cracked yet, sitting idle felt wasteful. His mind turned over possibilities, searching for something productive to fill the gap.
Then an idea struck him and a grin spread across his face. The kind of grin that made Luthiel immediately suspicious.
"Hey, Thi." He turned to her. "I think I have a way to make that Lacert talk. Quickly."
Thi's crimson eyes narrowed. "And how's that, Bug?"
"It's actually a pretty simple trick." His grin widened. "But I'm not sure Lu will approve."
Thi rolled her eyes so hard her entire head moved. "Forget what Lu thinks. I'm in control, so I make the calls right now."
"I figured you'd say that." Grub paused. "But let me explain the plan first, then tell me what all three of you think. Fair?"
Thi sighed. "Whatever. Spit it out."
Grub leaned toward her and cupped his hand near her ear. He whispered for about thirty seconds, his voice low enough that the passing villagers couldn't catch a syllable. Thi's expression shifted as he spoke. The skeptical frown loosened. Her crimson eyes widened slightly. Then a sharp, wolfish grin cut across her face.
"Oh that's evil, but that sounds like a great idea, actually." She looked genuinely impressed. "It might really work."
Grub pulled back and straightened up. "So you're on board. What about the other two?"
Thi's expression froze as she turned inward. Her eyes flickered through that familiar rapid-fire sequence of micro-reactions.
"El says it's a reasonable plan," she reported. "She said that its strategically sound."
"And Lu?"
"Lu is being a pussy about it. She's not sure."
Grub sighed. "Tell her I won't be the one who does it. I'll find one instead. Something that's already there."
Thi relayed the message internally. Another pause and series of flickering expressions ensued.
"She reluctantly agrees." Thi's voice took on a mocking, high-pitched quality. "But she insists on saying it's only because making him talk will help the village." Thi dropped the imitation and scoffed. "What a pussy."
Grub smiled and placed his hand on Luthiel's shoulder. "Thanks for agreeing, all of you. First time getting a unanimous yes from the three of you."
Something shifted in Thi's face. A faint warmth crept into her cheeks that clashed violently with her aggressive expression. She brushed his arm off before he could notice.
"Yeah, whatever, Bug." She started walking faster. "We'd better go find a good one quick. Before the off day is wasted."
Grub fell into step beside her, his mind already mapping the surrounding forest for what they needed.
"Let's go."