Dungeon Runner (Book 1 and 2)

Stepping Up, Chapter 24

Tibs was pleased. With himself, and the situation.

The nobles had been put in their place by Harry returning the stolen items. They weren't happy about it, but they couldn't deny the guard leader did his job and did it well. There was only one item Harry hadn't returned, because Tibs had searched for it among the wooden boxes and handed Amanda's pictures to Mez for him to return it to his girl.

Tibs wasn't happy about Mez picking her over Tandy, but the decision was Mez's, and as his friend and teammate, Tibs had to help him. So now Mez was his girl's hero.

An unexpected side effect of the thief escaping the other rogues was that not even they knew Tibs was involved in stopping him. As far as the stories went, the success was entirely due to the guards' work. Harry didn't talk about it, which reinforced the idea he couldn't lie.

And the pouch with the powder was destroyed. That was one temptation Tibs didn't have to worry about.

His mood was so good, as he entered the inn, that it made the silence there hit harder.

No one spoke.

The inn was never silent. No, it had happened once, when Harry had appeared among them to scold Serba and scared everyone in the process. But this was different. Somber. The glances he caught were aimed at Pyan, alone at her table, head down, tankard held in both hands.

He couldn't remember ever seeing her like that. Pyan was a bit like Jackal in that she was always loud, even when she was silent. He looked around for her team or Kroseph. Jackal's man always knew what was going on, but none of them were around.

"Pyan?" He asked once he was next to her.

"Go away," she said without looking up from her tankard.

"Pyan, what's wrong?"

"I said." She looked up and glared at him. "Go the fuck away."

"No." Tibs wasn't leaving a friend with the pain he saw in her eyes. "What's wrong?"

"Did someone fucking cut off your ears?" she demanded hatefully, getting to her feet. "Leave me alone!"

Tibs stepped back as her fist turned into metal with sharp edges, and a hand on his shoulder stopped him.

"That's enough, Pyan," Kroseph said, behind him. "Tibs doesn't deserve this."

"And I do!" she turned her hate on the server. "He meant everything to me!"

"Pyan," Kroseph said, tone understanding.

"No! You don't get to talk! Your man's made of stone. Mine wasn't! He..." She turned pale and tears started falling.

Tibs pulled out of Kroseph's loose grip and hugged her as tightly as he could. She stiffened, and he tightened his hold in preparation for being pushed away. He wasn't letting her do that. She wouldn't suffer alone.

He was going to have words with her team for deserting her when she needed them.

"Let go of me," she ordered.

"No."

"Tibs," she growled the warning.

He looked up at her. "I lost too many people I cared about to let you feel that pain alone. You can hit me if you want, but I'm staying."

Her expression turned from angry to puzzled. Maybe he understood why the others had left. Pyan was scary when she got angry. But he'd still talk with them. He wasn't leaving her, so they should have been strong enough to stay.

The puzzlement broke as she sobbed and then held onto him hard enough he winced in pain. He said nothing. He just held her and let her cry.

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