Daniel directed the bird back to the camp, opening his eyes to the glorious face looking back at him. Clara had one minute left, and he wasn’t about to waste it on infidelity.
His wife’s stone face softened at his smile.
“What is that look for?”
“By far, you’re the highlight of my days.”
“Daniel, there are so many threats circling you. I feel so helpless.”
He relaxed against her thigh, pulling her hand to his chest.
“How could you be helpless when you’re always the one that I call?”
Her fingers tightened around his.
“What do you want me to do?”
Clara’s eyes lifted to the sleeping form of Alys, exhausted from the day’s travel.
“I know you want to see the best in these people. You want to be the man who fixes things. Things left to rot in the dark only fester. I don’t need to tell you to be you.”
He chuckled, watching her shape twinkle, nearing the end of their time together.
“I feel so hollow when I can’t keep you close. You look so pretty, my angel. Your face is a paragon… I want to be there when you don’t need me at all.”
She lifted his head so she could lean in and meet his lips, silver locks veiling him in the riptide of her eyes. His wife faded away, leaving him on the bedroll.
“I want your hands on my waist, dancing slow in a room with lights dimmed.”
He breathed out, smelling spring rain in the dead woodland, his words soft amidst the disorder seeping into the camp. Daniel’s fingers found the case in the pouch, tracing the lines.
“This isn’t a sprint, my queen; it’s a marathon…”
Edmund built the campfire higher with the remainder of the logs they’d gathered. He glanced at Daniel as he got up, looking at the empty rolls. Julia and Asper were arguing at the far edge of the camp in the dark.
The Vanguard put a hand on his hip and strained a smile.
“Done talking to your wife?”
Daniel flashed his teeth as the Gray Kite found Nich and Wendel a hundred feet to the west. They appeared to be arguing about something, which was interesting since Marg was Wendel’s contact.
“No need to pretend if you don’t believe Clara’s real,” he said, checking to see if Alys was asleep and keeping his voice down. “Where’s the others?”
“That’s what I’d like to know… Ralph was going to check around and get some water. Marg went to collect wood. I went to pee; when I got back, Wendel and Nich are gone. I don’t like that. Alys out?”
“Sleeping like the dead,” he whispered, gaze drifting to the dark. “I think I saw Wendel and Nich go that way. I can go check on Marg and Ralph.”
Edmund gave him a thumbs up.
“Thanks, bud. You’re a good guy. Asper, watch Alys while I’m gone.”
“Hmm? Oh, sure.”
Daniel watched the tank leave, peering into the black, sword out. When he was out of sight, he went to the siblings, sticking his hands in his pockets.
“Julia, Asper, can I talk for a second?”
Asper looked slightly agitated, but Julia pounced on what she saw as him distracting her brother.
“What’s wrong, Daniel?”
“I just wanted to say I don’t trust Wendel. Julia, I think we should keep our guard up.”
Her brow furrowed as her brother’s posture shifted with vindication.
“But Marg vouched for him.”
“I didn’t say don’t trust Marg,” he continued. “We don’t even know the full details of what they want to do at the Core site. I’m worried about you.”
That had her cheeks coloring and fingers finding her ponytail.
“Okay. Thanks, Daniel.”
Her brother sighed in a way that made Daniel want to laugh as he rubbed his eyes.
“Speaking of Marg,” Daniel pressed, redirecting them. “How close is she to Ralph? What are the customs for marriage here? I’m confused about a few things between Alys, Marg, and Ralph.”
Asper lifted an eyebrow and shrugged as a raven crowed overhead.
“Marriage is just that. A union between two people. Normal stuff. But I guess normal might not be the same where you’re from. Umm. And Ralph and Marg have grown closer over the past six months. Alys spends a lot of time volunteering. He’s got time to kill.”
Julia’s hands went to her mouth, wide eyes darting between Alys’ roll and him.
“Are you implying… No way. Alys is so sweet. They’ve been married for four years. It would kill her if Ralph was cheating, and with Marg? She’s such a brute. Not that she’s not pretty, I guess. She’s just so tough.”
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Her brother seemed to catch on slowly.
“Wait. Wait, wait. No. No, don’t go spreading pointless rumors. Things are already tense between Alys and Marg. Marg has been getting angrier. She’s been getting reckless. It’s just stress. I hear she’s got some gambling debts. It’s nothing like infidelity. Just money.”
“I guess she is an alcoholic gambler,” Julia mumbled, fiddling with her hair. “I hope it’s just that. Our group wouldn’t have lasted this long without Alys.”
It was all Daniel had to hear.
“Thanks. I think I’ll find them. It’s dark.” He summoned his sword, twirling it around his hand as Asper showed him. “See you soon, friends.”
He left them mended and chatting as they prepared for bed.
Out of one eye, he saw Edmund meet up with the two men. He engaged with a curious smile, waving, then it fell as they began talking. The Vanguard entered the soundless conversation as a worm-brained raven landed on Daniel’s shoulder.
“I warned you, all is not what it seems. Clara got you to check, though. I’m only looking out for you. You’re the only friend I’ve had in centuries. You should kill them before they kill you. They’re conspiring against you. I’m not even saying Clara is malicious…”
The bird hopped to his other shoulder, beak close to his ear.
“She may entirely believe she is an angel and your dutiful wife… What better con is there? A pretty, devoted woman, bound to you and only you? What more could a man ask?”
Daniel carefully maneuvered around the branches and roots with the snickering Core in his mind. The wind picked up, whistling and muting the chatter of the undead woodlands.
“Nothing’s done yet, Carl. And how do you know Clara got me to check? Nice try, getting me to confirm what you can’t hear.”
He showed a sad smile.
“Even if you’ve been listening to my side of the conversations, there’s only so much you can gather from it. You’re upgrading your game, friend. You know, Clara called you a little worm. Your birds do seem to like them. I don’t think she likes you.”
“The feeling is mutual. Is she really all that beautiful? You know, I nearly consumed a rival Core two centuries ago. She called herself Rylee.”
“First crush?”
“Please, she was hardly a conversation partner. She was young. A Love Core. Ugh-gaggh! I threw up ectoplasm a little. She was a devious thing too. She’d lure food in with monsters in the shape of men and women to spark their lust. The place stunk to high heaven. I have experience with Love Cores, friend.”
Daniel chuckled.
“Worried about me, Carl? You’re a funny guy. Keep trying though. I’m sure Clara has the same reaction as you. I take it Rylee survived?”
“Maybe. She managed to escape by making a puppet out of a human named Keven. He smuggled her out as my jaws closed in, absorbing her walls and wriggling chambers. Love is not a good matchup against the dead. He likely found a new place for his mistress.”
“Noted.”
Carl released a hollow sigh in his mind.
“It isn’t the strong Cores you must worry about, Dan. It’s the ones who are so weak, they’ll become anything to survive. You’re a real angel. What happens if she feeds off you and evolves with that divine energy? How much does she actually know? Not much. Am I right?”
Daniel’s mouth pushed to the side as the roaring river drew closer. He’d given them time to finish their deed. They’d want to return soon so as not to draw more suspicion. Edmund and the other two were becoming more animated. Nich and Wendel were trying to convince him of something the man wasn’t fully on board with.
He kept that one eye open as he quietly stepped out of the brush. The river was loud enough that they didn't hear him coming, and the moonlight provided enough light to see the pair only now slipping on their undergarments.
Daniel sighed and strode down the bank until he was in sight. He leaned against a tree, sword tip in a nearby root. Carl hopped to the branch above.
“They still haven’t noticed you? If only I were able to project more powerful undead on the surface… Lust is a slow and insidious killer.”
It wasn’t until he loudly cleared his throat that Marg finally turned and saw him. She went absolutely still, and Ralph followed her eyes, and then there was a stretch of time in which the river was the only thing in the world making noise.
“Is this a custom around here?”
It came out wrong in Daniel’s own ears.
Ralph got his shirt closed and laughed. It was a terrible laugh.
“Ha. Right. This isn’t… Look, it isn’t what it looks like, Daniel. We were…”
Daniel’s head tilted, eyebrow lifting.
“You were having sex. I’m not blind, Ralph.”
“It’s complicated, man. You don’t…”
“I’m asking because I don’t know.” Daniel spread his hands and stayed against the tree. “So I’m asking. I know it would kill my wife if I left her for Carl.”
“Carl… The Dungeon Core you named?”
“I take offense to that,” the raven sounded.
“Not the point, I suppose. Just tell me, is this something between you three? Alys knows?”
“No. Alys—”
Ralph looked at the ground.
Marg did not.
“Mind your own business.”
“Marg…”
“No, he wants to understand.” She pulled her collar straight, not embarrassed in the slightest. “It isn’t complicated, Ralph. And It’s none of Daniel’s business. You haven’t even known us a week. We saved you. And you’re already judging how the rest of us live.”
Daniel was silent for several breathless seconds.
He nodded and walked up the bank.
“Yeah. Alright.”
He was three steps up the bank when Ralph caught his sleeve.
“Wait. Wait.” The man’s face had gone through seven layers of horror. “Are you going to tell her? You can’t…”
Daniel looked at the hand on his sleeve until it came off.
“In most ways, Marg is right. It isn’t my business outside this party. But this doesn’t only affect you two. You accepted me into the group, and group integrity is a part of my business.”
He glanced at the chestnut-haired woman as she slipped her shirt over her chest wrap.
“You have a lot of decisions to make. This is your life, Ralph, Marg. But your actions don’t only affect yourselves. I hope you make the best choice for the group. What, or who is worth more to you? Who would be the one that you call before anyone else?”
Daniel left with Marg’s cold eyes following him off. He walked back to the fire feeling an angel’s arms around his shoulders, her head resting against his cheek, her heart thumping.
Edmund returned shortly after, looking troubled, with the other two laughing and sharing a drink. Julia hushed them to be quiet for Alys. It didn’t take long for the two siblings to fall asleep beside each other, their weapons close.
Ralph did not come back for a while with the canteens of water. When he did, he sat down on the far side of the coals with his hands hanging between his knees. He didn’t look at anybody.
Marg came back with a smile, arms full of firewood and utterly ignoring him. She sat beside Nich and Wendel, sharing in the drink and passing quiet jokes.
Daniel sighed, taking one last look at Alys, resting snugly in her bedroll, drooling a little with a goofy smile. Ralph settled down a foot away from her and rested his head.
Lying back, he closed his eyes, watching with one eye through the bird. Carl’s flock of ravens filled the dark trees, yellow eyes gleaming. Edmund commented on them with a shiver.
Daniel dismissed his sword. And with everyone asleep or distracted, he slid his deck out of the pack by his side. He slipped it between his belt and back.
Clara, I want to believe in them…
Trust, but verify.
How did it turn out like this?
Mind drifting off, warm wings drew him close.
“Tonight was hard… I am here for you, my husband.”