Page 87 of Wanted: Rogues and Bards

Maxie’s gasp was not at all feigned. “Oh, sir, that’s too high! Have pity, we’re marooned here until the ship is fixed. We fought a kraken just this morning, and it punched a hole straight into the hull⁠—”

The man winced. “Damn, a kraken? The beast is awake again?”

“—it was only because my friends work so well together that we fought it off,” Maxie explained earnestly.

All right, step two: Eyes.

Maxie took a half step in, ducking his chin down, casting his eyes up. Those antique gold eyes caught the sun perfectly at that angle, and when they landed on the yard owner, Lirion watched the man melt. The look was so hopeful, so large and liquid, even Lirion wasn’t immune. And it wasn’t even aimed at him!

Damn, this kid had such raw talent for seduction. It excited Lirion. He’d have to teach him more techniques. It would be a waste not to.

Maxie didn’t even have to say a word or ask for a discount. The shipyard owner just folded like a wet towel.

“I can give you a bit off, but not much.” He tried to sound stern, but he patted Maxie on the shoulder. “Young thing like you, you shouldn’t be in a place like this for long. Tell you what, I can give you the wood at four hundred gold. Plus, I got a few guys just lazing about. They’ll load the wood up in a cart and haul it down to your ship.”

Damn. He’d dropped two hundred off the price, just like that, and thrown in porters with a cart? Lirion made a mental note to take Maxie shopping with him from now on.

Fenric came in closer, jaw working as he watched this play out. Lirion had to swiftly move to his side and catch him before he broke the moment.

“Did you teach him to do that?” Fenric hissed.

“We just started last night. Isn’t he doing splendidly?”

“Gods above and below, what the hell did you teach him that for?!”

“Well, he needs more survival skills, doesn’t he?” Lirion batted his eyes at Fenric and watched him flounder. “Or do you prefer he settle every problem with a blade?”

The expression on the man’s face was torn between being proud and being mad. Pride was perhaps winning, seeming to have the upper hand.

“We owe the man four hundred gold,” Lirion tacked on, watching Fenric’s face like a hawk.

Watching Fenric’s eyes blow open wide was a thing of beauty. He was flabbergasted and, for a second, utterly speechless. “I have never gotten that man down past five hundred and twenty-five gold and you’re telling me Puppy got him down to four hundred?”

“Plus, he’s offered the help of three porters and a cart. No carrying.”

Pride won, then Fenric shut his eyes with a groan. “Dammit. If he becomes an unstoppable seduction monster, it’s your fault. I’m going to pay the man before he changes his mind.”

“Likely the smartest decision.”

Lirion turned to see how his apprentice was doing. Maxie was lightly touching the shipyard owner’s arm, saying something that had the man blushing. Lirion couldn’t quite pick out the words from here, but whatever was said had great effect.

A seduction monster, eh? Somehow, Lirion heard this as a challenge.

“Puppy?” Lirion called out.

“Yes?” Maxie paused and turned on the dirt path back to the ship, his arms full of new rope they’d also picked up. Behind him, the setting sun painted the sky a beautiful mix of soft pastels.

“Fenric told me he literally dug you up in the middle of a graveyard and that’s how you came to join this disreputable group. Is his story true?” Lirion asked, his voice light and playful. Fenric didn’t miss the undercurrent of worry.

“Yes, it is, and I am ever so grateful for Fenric’s rescue. I would have died in the coffin if not for him. My family tossed me out with no warning and took me halfway across the kingdom before I was dumped into that grave and left to die.” He continued to walk once Lirion was beside him. The porters had gone ahead of them with the wood in a large wagon pulled by a pair of cranky, braying donkeys, leaving them to carry just a handful of other goods they’d picked up after leaving the lumberyard.

“But he didn’t demand you join his group after he saved you, right? You’re not his slave? A trapped minion for their evil bidding?”

“Hey!” Fenric shouted, even as Lirion slid a wicked grin over his shoulder.

“Oh, no! Absolutely not! Fenric and the others might be villains, but they are good, honorable people deep down. They would never do anything so heinous.”

Fenric rolled his eyes and groaned. This. This was why their villain rating was so shitty. You couldn’t be called good and honorable and still be a villain. It was against the rules.