Oracle

Part 42

"Could ask, John," Someone added, clearly joking. The room exploded with laughter. "I dare not think about what that would cost."

"John is not someone to go to for information," Elison agreed. "Not unless you have your own to give."

"Bill's going to need to find a job quickly. Or quit drinking," Donny commented. "Not that John will be happy if he tries to stop coming here but..."

"I think he'd be better just drinking the tap water here," Justice mused softly. "His tab wouldn't go up that way and Master won't get angry or annoyed at him for skipping out his dues."

"Evening, Justice," A fair few people greeted as Justice entered the fray, finally awake from his sleep. Jaspar had been starting to worry about Justice. He had slept in late that day, the man was usually up earlier and was cutting it close to his own shift's starting time.

"Is that the best way to go? I thought John didn't like scroungers?" Someone commented sounding surprised, a voice Jaspar knew but not a name to go with it.

"People who try to stop being a part of the family are disliked more," Justice said gently, a hand patting Jaspar shoulder fondly. "Hey Jas," Justice said with a clearly fond tone. "You feeling better?" he asked, knowing Jaspar had woken up not feeling with an upset stomach.

"A little," Jaspar smiled in what he hoped was the direction Justice was in. 

Justice hummed, his hand ruffling Jaspar's hair again. "I'll just get some breakfast then I'll sit with you until my shift," he murmured to Jaspar.

"That suits his kind, at least," Donny thought out loud. "Trying to leave a fae court is more of an insult than anything out. A serious insult but not like trying to leave a pack or vampire clan."

"When the pack fell out with him, it made things more awkward for everyone," another voice laughed. "So glad Alpha Maciek wised up quick and made peace. Fair few wolves weren't sure what they were to drink without insulting John and their Alpha for a while there."

"Pack?" Jaspar asked quietly, pressing against Elison for information, Elison placing his arm around Jaspar's shoulders as he did so.

"Werewolves, mostly," Elison mused softly. "We have a few other types that like to band together but the city's pack are wolves. We have a few regulars here because like everyone in this city there are always a few which end up owing favours to John. In general, they drink in their own bars, though. They put enough of an appearance here to keep John happy with them," he explained softly to Jaspar.

"You see, Jaspar," Justice cut in as he reappeared, the faint smell of toast with him. "When someone owes Master John a favour or cuts a deal with him, they are expected to visit one of his establishments on a regular basis. Depending on the person's circumstances depends on how often. When people are free of their debt or the deal is complete, they often continue to come out of habit. So when a person suddenly owes him again and cuts down on their visits, John gets concerned that they are going to do something stupid like try to skip out," Justice explained, realising they had never explained the conditions or rules John had for freemen who needed a favour from him.

"When the wolves couldn't come because of the fight, John started demanding tributes. Which was not a good thing for anyone," Elison added. "He's an old fae. Giving tribute is not money or service for old fae but rather giving something of personal value. Proper value as well which is why money doesn't count. It is easier just to come to one of his establishments weekly so he knows where you are."

"When he started asking for firstborns, Alpha Maciek quickly got his act together," Donny chuckled.

"Firstborns..." Jaspar trailed off. He could see John going as far as to demand that if he was provoked. "So the moral of the story is always show up to the Rook unless you're dying," Jaspar concluded. Everyone bursting with laughter at the deadpan statement, Jaspar wriggling his nose as a puff of smoke was blown into his face by someone nearby. More than a few hands ruffling him despite Elison's arm being around him possessively after that making him feel a little like the butt of a joke.

"That's the gist of it," Elison acknowledged with an extremely amused tone of voice. "Speaking of which do you reckon Bill will show today if he's looking after the kid?" he wondered.

"Doubt it. The full moon ain't exactly a safe time to be travelling at night," Donny considered. "Bill's a tamer but wolves aren't the only shifters in the city, nor are shifters the only ones with a power boost from the full moon," he grumbled unhappily, clearly not falling into a category which got the boost.

Jaspar shivered at the thought, his mind going back to the fact some woman was going to die walking home that night. Donny made a noise of pain and Elison coughed loudly, clearly having struck Donny in some way for having reminded Jaspar about the thing Elison and been trying to distract him from. Jaspar blushed and cuddled closer to Elison. His stomach felt tight again, a sick feeling growing in the back of his throat.

"John will be dancing with the other fae," Justice pointed out, sitting on the floor in front of Jaspar's chair. Jaspar could feel Justice's hair leaning against his curled up legs. "So it won't matter tonight if Bill doesn't come," he said yawning, his voice sounding very tired despite the fact he had just woken up.

"You sleep okay, Justice? You sound tired still," Jaspar asked with a frown on his face, a hand reaching down to pet Justice's hair only to stop as he remembered Justice didn't like that. Inside he moved a pillow from behind him to behind Justice's head so Justice would be more comfortable.

"Mostly," Justice yawned again, making a noise of thanks at the action. "I had some nightmares so maybe I'm not as well rested as I normally am," his voice extremely groggy.

"You worried about something?" Donny asked, sounding curious.

"Not really. I think it will be more to do with the dark atmosphere over the past few days," Justice mused. "John got annoyed with me for breaking some glasses," he admitted. "Plus he's not happy with me at the moment. That tends to give anyone nightmares."

"This is true," Donny chuckled almost nervously, the mood darkening at that thought.

There was a loud bang as the front door to the Rook slammed open. A man staggering in before falling to his knees, wheezing heavily, the smell of blood filling the Rook. The room silenced for a moment at this. Every eye on the one.

"They took Nathan," Bill wheezed before there was a heavy bang as he collapsed to the ground.

Jaspar panicked.