“All right, I’ll put you down for just tonight,” said Wendy, scribbling a quick note on her reservation, “and a week-long stay once you get back. How many rooms did you need?”
“Is there space for four people in one room?” asked Lucille. “We usually just share when we’re on the road.”
“Are you sure about that?” Wendy asked, eying the warrior who was still running her fingers around the pommel of one of her daggers, staring wistfully at the wizard. “We do have plenty of smaller rooms available, and I’d really rather avoid cleaning bloodstains out of the linens in the morning.”
“Don’t worry,” Nadine promised, removing a small length of rope from her side pocket and pulling it taut. “I’ll be discreet.”
“She’s joking,” Fabien laughed nervously. “...I hope.”
“I’ll go ahead and put you in one of our family suites. The master bedroom has a lock on it. Here is the key, and I’ll just go over our short list of rules if everyone is ready?”
The group nodded silently in agreement.
“Excellent. The first rule is the only rule that I actually enforce, so it’s the most important one: be kind to each other,” she said, suddenly casting her gaze to Fabien and Nadine. “Both between yourselves and to other guests. I can and have kicked out guests for disturbing the peace.”
Nadine rolled her eyes. “I’m sorry for threatening your life, Fabien.”
“That’s quite alright, Nadine. Hopefully the recent animosity has simply been a product of the difficult travel conditions. Perhaps taking a day off might be wise if it helps to ease the enmity.”
“See, I think it’s working already,” added Lucille, poking Fabien in the ribs.
“Rule number two: do not under any circumstances attempt to travel beyond the mountain pass. All attempts to cross the mountain in my tenure at the Lodge have met the same end: missing, assumed dead.”
“Oof, that might be a small problem. How high does the mountain pass go, exactly?” asked Lucille tentatively.
“The pass ends about a mile up from the Lodge, and it just leads to the more advanced ski courses on the property. If I’m correct in assuming your goals, you’ll need to travel much further. But again, I don’t enforce rules two through four. The mountain does.”
“Oh, right.”
“Rule number three: never leave the lodge during a snowstorm.”
“Well that’s just good sense,” Fabien chimed in.
“Wait until you hear my newest rule, number four: don’t approach the local wildlife. They’re not pets, and they won’t be your friend.”
“I’m not sure if we can promise that either,” said Nadine.
“Well, you’re a little better equipped than my typical clientele. And if you are who I think you are, then you shouldn’t be in any real danger outside of your mission. However, I would ask that you not harm the local wildlife if you could avoid it.”
“That we can definitely promise.”
“Excellent! With that done, here are your keys,” Wendy said, passing them out. “You will be staying in room 203, and that’s on the second floor, second door on the left. Please do let me know if the Anderson boys break through the noise dampening charms.”
“I am offended by that comment!” shouted Harris, still in the parlor.
Wendy’s bright blue eyes briefly flashed silver as she carved an arcane sigil into the air while whispering a brief incantation. Harris' expression turned sour. His hands went to his ears, and his mouth opened, but no sound came out.
“Quickly, before he leaves the spell’s range: I’m going to be fairly busy today, as I wasn’t able to clear the Lodge of guests without sending half the continent into a panic thanks to the Andersons. They’re well connected gossips, and I’d prefer if they didn’t know that two White Dragons were roosting within hunting distance. If I knew they were coming, I’d have rescheduled your visit.” She glanced over her shoulder again, and seeing that Harris was already standing up, finished saying, “Meet me at midnight, in my room on the top floor. Knock three times at the top of the stairs. I have information and items that may be of use to you. Until then, it would be best that you don’t discuss your mission in public.”
As soon as she finished her last sentence, Harris’s heavy footsteps started echoing as they escaped the spell’s effective range. With his hearing returned, Harris said, “Say now, Wendy. That wasn’t very nice.”
“Neither was eavesdropping,” she spat back.
“Oh, I do apologize if I’ve offended you or your guests,” he sang, smirking. “I just couldn’t help myself when a group of well armed adventurers appeared at the door. And I know you have a secret with them, so that’s something. And I learned that Wendy is short for… my apologies, what was it again? My Draconic is pretty rusty.”
Direct Karma averted their eyes to the ground.
“It’s just Wendy now, Harris.”
“Well, I suppose it’s not so strange that a Draki citizen might change her very Draconic-sounding name when moving to a nation that has a tenuous relationship with Drakistan at the best of times. What I’m more curious about is why that human might play host to an elite task force of Draki mercenaries.”
“Excuse me, we’re no mercenaries!” shouted Fabien. “We are professional adventurers, registered with the Adventurer’s Accreditation Association.”
“Oh, yes. That’s right. Direct Karma, wasn’t it? Why does that name sound so familiar?”
“Probably because we’ve saved Ilnor a half dozen times already,” Fabien bragged. “I’d be surprised if you hadn’t heard of us.”
Dolfus buried their face in their hands, and Nadine and Lucille groaned as they watched Fabien play into Harris’s plans.
“Right, you were the group who slayed the Leviathan that was threatening to drown half the planet.” Harris recalled. “Thank you so much for your service. Although I will say that having such prestigious adventurers here really does really make me wonder… what could you be up to on this mountain?”
“Harris, if you don’t stop bothering the other guests, you will be sleeping in the snow for the next week,” Wendy threatened.
The remaining two Anderson brothers hadn’t heard the rest of the conversation, as they had only recently returned to the building from the chicken coop outside. Failing to find a suitable location to leave the eggs in the kitchen, they returned through the parlor and into the lobby where Wendy was checking in the guests. Regardless, upon hearing Wendy scolding his brother, Henrick was compelled by brotherly law to shout, “Yeah, stop bothering the guests, Harris!” as he passed through the open archway to the lobby, precariously balancing an armful of eggs.
“Yeah, Harris!” Harmon added, walking up behind his Harmon with empty arms. He flicked his brother in the ear, either to emphasize his point or simply because he found an opening.
“Ow!” Harris winced, rubbing his ear. “My deepest apologies, adventurers. I didn’t mean to cross any boundaries.”
The speaking members of Direct Karma all mumbled something inaudible and generally dismissive. Dolfus glared.
“Well, interruptions aside,” Wendy continued, “if you’d like, I can take you to your rooms now; however, I will be starting on breakfast shortly, so if you can stay up for another half hour, I can take you there after?”
“Oh, praise the Gods!” Nadine shouted. “We’ve been living on conjured food and Dolciciles for the past week.”