Seeing all the kids reunited with their parents made Senu feel happy, even if his role in their rescue was a small one. He caught a glimpse of Terrance and his large family wandering back out towards the main road to Saltspray Grove, but he left the wolf to enjoy his well-earned happiness.

Senu, for his part, had a hard time not thinking about the missed audition and his broken lyre. He also found himself thinking about Hake and his offer to take him home. Would returning to his old life back in Feyspring be so bad? He'd never been stabbed back home, but he'd also never felt challenged there either.

As these thoughts weighed on him, he found himself sitting alone at a corner table in the Royal Stag, nursing a tankard of ale. The lively atmosphere around him only seemed to darken his mood.

As he drank, Senu overheard a conversation from a nearby table. He recognized the voices and glanced over to see a group of musicians he knew, mostly from their performances at the Stag.

“That Liora was incredible,” one of them said, a young squirrel named Kira. “Where did she even come from? I heard the patron was so impressed he doubled the reward.”

Senu’s heart sank. He was happy to hear the ovine dancer he'd met near the docks had been recognized for her skills, but he felt like he'd missed his chance. The feeling hit him harder than he expected. Sighing, he took a long drink from his tankard, trying to shake off the feeling of disappointment.

As he was lost in thought, Andrus sauntered over to his table with a smug grin. The copper-scaled dragon seemed pleased with himself. “Well, if it isn’t the wandering jackal. Heard you've been busy. Missed the big audition.”

Senu looked up, trying to mask his irritation. “Yeah, something like that. Liora got it, I heard?”

Andrus chuckled, sitting down across from him uninvited. “Amazing performance. Danced her heart out, they said. But you know, it helps when you don't have so many distractions.”

Senu perked an ear in his direction. “Distractions?”

Andrus leaned in, lowering his voice conspiratorially. “You know, your new friend Eirik. Heard you’ve been quite cozy with him. You hoping for some kind of patronage? Or are you just that eager to be someone's plaything?”

Senu's temper flared. “Leave me alone, Andrus. You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

The dragon shrugged, leaning back in his chair. “Maybe, maybe not. Just passing along what everyone else is saying. Careful you don’t end up getting more than you bargained for.”

Before Senu could respond, Andrus stood up and walked away, leaving him stewing in his thoughts. He took another sip of his drink, trying to push the negative feelings aside. Just then, Eirik found him. “Senu!” he said, clapping a big hand on the jackal's shoulder.

“Oh, Eirik.” It wasn't hard to force a smile in the presence of the elk. He was practically glowing. “You look like you're having a good time.”

“Yes. It's a beautiful night! The drinks are flowing. The boys are showing.” He seemed pleased with his impromptu poem if that was what it was supposed to be. “Senu, they won't even let me pay. Every time I empty my glass, someone is handing me a new one.” He nudged the jackal. “A few of them hinted that I could have some other things, but I figured you and I could get some alone time later. If you're still up for it.”

Senu’s grin faltered when he remembered Andrus's comment, but Eirik's good mood was contagious. “Sure. Why not?”

Eirik tapped him on the nose. “The correct answer was 'I'd love to!'”

The two of them chuckled before Eirik turned to the barkeep and ordered two more pints. Senu was still nursing his, but Eirik had already downed several. “Oh, by the way,” the elk said, reaching into a large satchel slung over his torso. “I got you a little something. Had to pay extra to get them to open the shop this late.”

Senu felt an unexpected flutter in his stomach as a beautiful wooden case was placed in front of him. “I know you said you'd lost your instrument. I thought this was the least I could do.”

As Senu opened the box, he was overwhelmed with a wave of emotion. Inside was a beautiful lyre with a delicate, curving frame, inlaid with mother of pearl, and a polished lacquered body. The strings were of superior quality, and the tuning pegs looked to be made of genuine silver. “I... this must have cost a fortune.”

Eirik waved a hand. “I suppose it was a bit pricey. But I have more money than I'll ever need, thanks to the Delve. Besides, you deserve something nice after all you've been through over the last few days.”

“Thank you,” the jackal whispered. “This is... incredible. Thank you.”

“Of course.” Eirik reached over and squeezed his hand. “You still owe me a performance, right?”

Senu grinned. “Of course.” He continued to admire the lyre. “Even before this happened, I'd been wanting a new one for ages. They aren't that common this far south. And this one is finely made.”

“Jackal crafted,” the elk confirmed. “I had Izzy make sure it was the real deal.”

The two of them sipped their ale and chatted. Eirik told the jackal stories about his life back in his homeland. Senu was enraptured, listening with his ears perked up, taking in every word. The elk seemed so worldly, and he enjoyed being swept away in the stories.

As the night went on, the pair became more and more friendly, the drinks flowing and their inhibitions fading. By the time they retired back to Senu's room, they wasted little time before climbing back into bed. Senu had never felt so passionate with a lover before, and when it was over, and he found himself catching his breath while the big elk stroked his ears, he felt surprisingly sad to know he would likely be leaving soon. Perhaps as early as tomorrow.

“I know you said you weren't interested in apprentices. But...” Senu began, hesitating.

Eirik nuzzled against his neck. “Not tonight,” he whispered.

“O-Okay...” Senu said, feeling guilty for bringing it up.

“I promise I'll be here in the morning,” the elk said, lifting himself up to look the jackal in the eye. “We can talk about whatever you want then.”

And that was what they did.

They had breakfast together at a café the next morning.

“Look, Senu, I like you. I'm willing to give you some pointers, maybe help you figure out where to hone your skills. But I can't take you with me. I'm not in the market for an apprentice. And even if I was, Izzy and Rafa would never let me bring someone as inexperienced as you into the Dungeon. That's no slight against you; it's just a simple matter of safety.”

“What if we went somewhere else? We could travel the world and...”

“I'm not leaving my crew. I'm sorry, but that's just not in the cards. If you're really determined to pursue this, I suggest you spend some time training locally. Work on your sword skills. Build up your magic. Get accepted into a local bard's college, or study more at the bethel. You could be a great delver. But you're not ready yet.”

Senu stared down at his coffee.

“Hey,” Eirik said, gently putting a hand on the jackal's knee. “I know you're having a rough time of things, but you'll get through it. I promise.”

Senu looked up and forced a half-smile. He'd never been much of an actor, but the elk seemed to accept the gesture. “It's all right, Eirik. Just... don't forget about me. Are you leaving today?”

“Not yet. Izzy and Rafa have some business back in Al'ar. It'll be a long trip and they're still working on finding us a ship. I probably have a few more days in town.”

“Does that mean I'll see you to—”

A clearing of the throat interrupted the question, and Senu was surprised to see Hake stepping up to their table. “Senu, we need to talk.” The older jackal was dressed in gold-trimmed robes that made him look official in a way Senu was unused to. His brother was one of the laziest jackals he'd ever met.

“What is it, Hake?”

Eirik seemed confused. “Should I give you some privacy?”

Hake and Senu spoke simultaneously.

“Yes—”

“No—”

Eirik frowned.

Senu sighed. “Eirik, this is Hake. He's my brother. My parents sent him to bring me home. So far, he hasn't accepted no for an answer. Hake, this is Eirik Thorsen. He's one of the delvers that helped out with the Fortress yesterday.”

“Ah,” Hake said. “I heard quite a bit about you while I was at

 the castle. Sounds like a frightening experience for the villagers, but I'm glad that no one was hurt in the end.”

Senu thought about the two fox cultists he and Terrance had killed but decided not to bring that up.

Eirik took the compliment for what it was. “Well, dealing with that kind of thing is what we're best at,” Eirik said. “Always glad to help.”

Hake nodded. “Well, Mr. Thorsen, it was a pleasure to meet you, but I really do need to have a conversation with my brother.”

The elk nodded and slowly stood. “Not a problem. I think we were just about done here anyway. Come find me if you're free later tonight, Senu.”

“Thanks,” he said. “And... thank you. For everything.”

The elk smiled and squeezed his shoulder before leaving.

Hake waited until he was out of earshot before taking his seat.

“So, you managed to get yourself hurt again yesterday?”

Senu frowned. “How do you know about that?”

“A jackal getting healed at the local bethel gets noticed, Senu. You look well, so I suppose the healing worked?”

“It did. To be honest, I almost forgot about it.”

Hake's dour expression soured even further. “Senu, I don't want to hear any more about becoming a delver or joining a bard's college. I've been here three days and you've already been gravely wounded twice. You need to come home with me. Mother will expect me to tell her everything, and I won't be able to hold this back. She'd know if I tried. If she finds out you've been in this much danger and I just left you here,” he shuddered. “Well, you know how she can get.”

Senu did indeed know. “Hake, nothing has changed. I admit that I sometimes miss home. But if I go back, I'll be back where I started. What's the point of living a long life if all we do is hide in our secret cities and play games?”

Hake adjusted the sleeve of his robes. There were visible ink stains on the cuff.

“You were always so impatient.”

“And you were always lazy,” Senu said, his tone half-teasing.

“Respect your elders, little brother. I've been around a lot longer than you. That means I have a lot of wisdom you'll have to learn to appreciate.”

“Is that why you used to cheat whenever I was winning at cards?”

Hake smirked. “I am what I am. That's why our parents sent me to get you. They knew I'd be patient enough not to just grab you by the scruff and drag you home. I can only do that much longer though. After I leave, it'll be up to them. If Mom comes after you herself, she won't take no for an answer.”

“I'm not going back.”

“I'm not going to fight with you about this anymore, Senu. I'm just telling you what's coming. The choice is yours.”

“Fine. I choose to stay.”

Hake let out a soft sigh and tugged harder at his sleeve. “Dammit, Senu. At least pretend to be considering.”

“Hake, I don't want to consider. This is the first time in my life that I'm truly living. I'm not going to just walk away.”

Hake looked at him for a long moment. “Gods, you really mean it, don't you.”

Senu nodded. “I'm staying here. I'm making my own path.”

“Gods,” Hake repeated. “And mother calls me impulsive.”

Senu glared.

“I love you, Senu. So do Mom and Dad. Don't forget that. I just hope you're ready to deal with Mother. She won't like this.”

“She never likes any of my decisions. This one is no different.”

Hake shook his head. “All right. I'm going to stay here for a few more days. I'm in no hurry to get back to face her wrath. Is there any chance you'll change your mind?”

“No.”

Another sigh. “Fine. Consider the matter dropped for now. How about we find something fun to do together.”

Senu brightened. “I was planning to visit the peace garden for a few hours. I sometimes go there to relax.”

Hake seemed mildly interested, at least. “Sounds nice. Though I was hoping for a little excitement. I've heard some interesting stories about Verastan casinos.”

Senu winced. The worshippers of the dice fox had a way of taking unsuspecting visitors for everything they were worth. “Hake, tell me you've already paid your bill at the Stag.”

“Not yet. Why?”

“No reason. But let's get that settled before we go anywhere else.”