The four of them sat around the desk and recounted their stories for a couple of hours. Julian, Harvey, and Hannah shared what insight they could about the Ossari and how to kill them, and John shared the state of things at the Hell Hotel.

  “We’ve got about 2,000 living here now, but I’d guess around half are any good in a fight,” John said.

  “What is your definition of good in a fight?” Julian asked.

  “F Grade? I don’t know. Most of the Outposts were a lot safer than Veils End. For most of the other Outposts, their first real test was fighting their way here, and a lot of them died trying to do so,” John shared.

  “Well, that’s not good. The raiding parties we fought were all close to our level, and I doubt they were the strongest soldiers the Necrolords have,” Hannah worried.

  “Probably on the higher end, but I agree. Who knows what level Marcus is, but the fact he survived three arc charges at once means he’s gotta be up there,” Harvey added.

  “We’ll just have to hope we can whittle them down with our numbers advantage from behind the walls,” John prayed.

  “Then I guess our first priority should be taking down the dragon. Throw everything we got at it so we don’t have to worry about attacks from above while we hold the walls,” Julian declared.

  “Easy peasy,” Harvey sighed.

  “How long do you think we have to prepare?” John asked.

  “A day. Maybe two if they need some extra time to recover,” Harvey answered.

  “Then I guess you three should get some sleep,” John said, handing Harvey a key with a red sticker before fishing out two for Hannah and Julian. “We can pick back up in the morning. I want to introduce you to a few other powerful people who are leading their own small groups. We don’t have time to train like a proper army, but we can at least set up a system to work together.”

  Harvey’s room was on a different floor than Hannah and Julian’s, so he waved goodbye near the elevators. His mind blanked out for a second when the button lit up, but the light chime and sliding doors broke the stupor.

  You’ve been fighting monsters for a month and a half now, but you can’t wrap your head around an elevator?

  Stepping inside, he was even more surprised to hear gentle music coming from small speakers in the ceiling. He hadn’t even thought about music in weeks, and hearing it again brought a surge of memories roaring back. Muscles held taut for weeks finally relaxed as he felt himself slump. His mouth opened wide as a long, deep yawn made his eyes water. The ride was smooth all the way to the 14th floor, where the doors swished open once more. Outside, a ceramic pot of decorative flowers sat atop a tiny wooden table flanked by two padded chairs. The carpet had a pattern of brown octagons ringed in beige, with black diamonds filling in the gaps. For a moment, he wondered if he should take off his boots so he didn’t track mud all over the place.

  14201. He thought, reading a small placard to find which side of the hall it was on. Turning right, he moved down the long hallway until he reached a floor-to-ceiling window looking out over the forest. Rain still battered the building, but the thick walls dampened the sound a lot better than his smithy did. If this was like the other hotels he’d stayed in, it looked like Elena had gotten herself a suite.

  Harvey was about to put his plastic keycard in the handle, but realized it might be better to knock first. Elena had no idea he was coming, and it would be bad if he just walked in on her.

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  Thump, thump, thump.

  “Coming!”

  The heavy door swung open, and before he could say anything, she catapulted into his arms.

  “Harvey! Oh, thank god you’re finally here!” she cheered.

  “Yeah, I…”

  “I’ve been freaking out ever since we left. I’m sure everyone thinks I’m crazy, but I was just so worried about you guys!”

  “We were…”

  “Just the three of you all alone in Veils End. Trying to fight the entire army by yourselves!”

  “No, we were just…”

  “You’re crazy! I told John you guys were nuts and that we needed to send a group to drag you guys back here, but he wouldn’t listen. Said Julian knew what he was doing, and that I needed to trust you guys.”

  “Elena!” Harvey shouted, interrupting her rant. “It’s nice to see you too.”

  Her eyes went wide, only to blush and bury her face back in his chest. She looked different than the girl who’d left Veils End. It was amazing what a shower, a mirror, and a good night’s sleep could do to a person. Instead of the ratty arcanist’s robe, she wore a plush white bathrobe with the hotel's logo embroidered on the front.

  “You’re going to get your robe dirty,” he chuckled.

  “Who cares, I’ll just steal another one from the supply closet,” she laughed. “Are the others here too? They’re ok too?”

  “Yep, everyone’s healthy and made it here safe,” Harvey assured.

  “Good, I can stop worrying. You have to tell me everything that’s happened since I left.”

  “I will, but can I take a shower first? I’ve been dreaming about one all week.”

  “Of course, but we should probably get you a change of clothes first. The mirrors have a lot more options now.”

  Harvey hesitated, unwilling to leave now that he was so close to modern plumbing.

  “Can’t we do that after?”

  “Why?” she laughed.

  “Because… What if the System cuts off the water or something while we’re shopping? The army is only a day away, and who knows what will happen when the war starts.”

  “We’re not going to lose water,” she laughed. “But if you’re that worried about it, I’ll go buy some pajamas for you.”

  “Would you?” Harvey asked, only to barge into the room before she could change her mind.

  “What size do you want?”

  He thought for a moment, wondering if XL was the same now that there could be minotaurs or mouse people also shopping from John’s magic mirror. “Umm, I don’t know?”

  “They’re pretty close to US sizes,” she clarified, seemingly understanding his confusion.

  “Oh, then an XL please!” he replied, frantically unbuckling the clasps and straps holding his armor tight to his frame. Each piece felt like dropping ankle weights, and after days of constantly wearing the armor, his body was feeling lighter than air. One by one, they disappeared into his slipsack until he finally removed his leather boots and freed his feet. Flexing his toes, he felt his brain finally release the last block of tension holding him back.

  The smell of his soggy socks beneath was rank, and he hurried to place them in a slipsack before he ruined the hotel room. Stepping into the bathroom, he shivered when his toes met the cold tile. Harvey barely recognized the man looking back at him when he moved to the mirror. His hair was a rats' nest, and his skin was covered in a thick layer of grime. The mix of healthy and chalky flesh almost looked cohesive after both were caked in filth, leaving his body looking more like a mud man than someone stuck between life and death.

  Stripping off the rest of the clothes, he gingerly turned the shower handle and nearly cried in relief when water cascaded from above. Normally, Harvey took cold showers to try and wake himself up in the morning, but today he made it as hot as it would go. All his time spent in the forge protected him from the scalding water. Standing under the showerhead, Harvey let the water wash it all away. The pain of being beaten and battered day after day. The pressure of concocting a death trap where he and his friends acted as bait.

  Harvey had gotten a lot better at killing over the last month, but that didn’t mean he liked it. No matter how deserving a Bloodrunn trying to rip his throat out or an Ossari hellbent on turning his friends into children might be, killing them still tugged on his heartstrings. He’d decided long ago that he would do what he must to protect the people he loved, but the weight of blood and bones left in his wake was a heavy burden.

  Sitting on the shower floor, Harvey began to sob. His tears mixed with the water, carrying the muck into the drain. He tried to stop. To stand back up and clean himself off, but he couldn’t.

  Finally alone. Finally safe, at least for the moment. He let it all out.

  The door cracked open a few minutes later, and Elena tossed a small duffel bag into the bathroom. Harvey covered his mouth, hoping she didn’t hear him cry.

  “Just… take your time,” she called. “You’ve earned it.”