Dungeon Runner (Book 1 and 2)

Stepping Up, Chapter 33

"How'd you make out?" Jackal called to Tibs as he entered the camp's 'center', carrying the sword he'd found. It had been the only other chest in the tents he'd cleared. It was enchanted with a simple weave of essences he couldn't identify, but suspected contained metal. He tried to study the weave to determine if there was more than one essence, but that was still beyond his abilities.

"I..." he hesitated. "I made out okay," he answered, handing the fighter the dozen coins killing Ratlings had given him. "How about you?"

There weren't as many Ratlings bodies as Tibs expected. Maybe they knew better than to take on Runners in such an open space after all this time? Sto knew, but Tibs hadn't worked out just how much of what he knew about the Runners he let the creatures know.

"Close to three electrum's worth in silver," Jackal said, smiling.

That was three sets of one and five. Three sets of ones became three. Three of fives became... he counted on his fingers. One and five. So that one was put with the others and that became four. Four and five silvers. So yes, there had been more Ratlings than what Tibs saw.

"Carina isn't back?" Tibs asked, noticing how Khumdar leaned on his staff. "Do you need me to heal you?"

"I am now," she called, stepping out from among the tents, carrying a staff over her shoulder with pieces of armors tied to it.

"I am well enough," Khumdar responded.

"Good haul," Jackal's smile broadened.

"You're carrying this then," she said. "Why can't everyone just wear robes? That isn't as heavy."

"Armor's better," Jackal said. "And everyone looks good in armor. You and me are about the only ones who can really make the robes work for us."

She dropped the staff and armor at the fighter's feet. "Not that I've ever seen you wear one."

Khumdar cleared his throat, but Jackal ignored him, except for his smile getting yet brighter.

"And overshadow you in yours? I'd never think of doing that."

She rolled her eyes. "You are so full of shit, Jackal."

The armor pieces were mostly metal, epaulets, boots, and grieves. The chest piece was leather. It and the boots had essence woven through them. A simple, but tighter weave than the sword. The staff was identical to Khumdar, except for the essence woven through it: fire.

"I..." Tibs hesitated again, running a hand over his bracers.

Sto remained silent. Considering his suggestion that Tibs not mention them, he'd expected some protest.

"I also found these." He offered his arms to Jackal.

"Bracers?" the fighter took a forearm in his hand and looked it over. "Why did you put them on? Yours were in better condition, right?"

"Yes!" Sto exclaimed. "I told you this would work."

"What worked?" Tibs asked, before realizing Jackal hadn't mentioned the reserves. He should have felt them once he touched the bracer. Now he understood what it was Sto might have been suggesting he kept to himself. Of course, his question now has his friend looking at him for an explanation.

Sto needed training in how to keep things from being accidentally revealed.

"You can't feel the reserves?" he asked the fighter. "Sto put amulets in them."

Jackal frowned in concentration.

"They're attuned to you," Sto said. If he felt something about Tibs telling his friends, it didn't carry in his tone.