Dungeon Runner (Book 1 and 2)

Stepping Up, Chapter 48

The inn was full.

It was busier than Tibs remembered seeing since its early days; when it was the only place offering an alternative to the slop the guild had for them. He made his way through the Runner and got glared at by some. A muscular woman even growled at him. Tibs kept his hands to himself. He didn't want to be responsible for a brawl here. The inn was the one place he knew how that didn't have a reputation for them.

He waved to Kroseph when he saw him, moving through the crowd, with the ease Tibs had on roofs, holding a tray with platters and tankard. The server acknowledged him with a nod, then he was swallowed by the crowd around the bar. The recruits wanted ale, rather than coins, even the poorer kind Kroseph's father could only get right now.

At least the food was good again.

He breathed in the spicy and oily aromas. No, it was great again. His stomach growled as he dropped into his seat and Carina raised an eyebrow. Tibs ignored the questioning look and focused on looking innocent. That Jackal wouldn't look at him gave him an idea of why she was expecting something of him.

She, like Mez and Jackal, had shadows. Khumdar wasn't with them, but Tibs had caught sight of the cleric, and he was certain the lack of shadows within him had nothing to do with not having secrets. The cleric had more than the entirety of Kragle Rock. Or more precisely, he probably had every secret contained within the town.

"Don't you have anything to say for yourself?" she asked.

"I'm hungry," he replied.

She sighed. "Tibs, you have to give time for your stomach to get used to food again. Clerics who return from—"

"I'm a rogue."

"You still went a week without eating. Then you spent the morning gorging yourself at the bazaar. You're going to make yourself sick."

Tibs shrugged. "I'll take sick over hungry." He tried to find Kroseph in the crowd and hoped he wouldn't take too long to bring his meal.

The crowd thinned slightly as many left the bar unhappy. There was now enough meat coming from Sto, Kroseph's father had to turn them away, and they had to settle for one of the taverns which didn't pay as well. He wondered if Sto would realize that too much meat wouldn't be any better for the Runners than no meat at all.

Could it be something they sold to other towns? Exporting, Darran called it. Most dungeon towns made part of their coins by exporting something their dungeon created.

Tibs stared at the dark form sitting at a corner table, her back to the wall, seven dogs lying around her. He could tell them by the essence. Even animals had it, and in some, it was denser than in people, even if the dogs had no elements.

Or at least Tibs didn't think dogs could have an element. He hadn't seen one with a tint to their essence.

He stopped seeing the darkness, and she didn't look happy to be there. She didn't meet his gaze when she looked over him as she scanned the room.

Kroseph placed a tankard before Tibs, along with a bowl of broth.

"What's this?" Tibs demanded of the haggard-looking server.

"Meat broth," Kroseph answered.

Tibs looked at Carina. "I'm hungry."

"Tibs," Jackal stared, and stop at the glare.

"Please?" he begged the server.

"Start easy, Tibs," Kroseph replied before his father called him away.

"I'm going to give all my coins to the food booths at the bazaar," Tibs grumbled, searching the broth for even a small piece of meat or vegetables. Could he get Sto to drop vegetables along with the meat?