Chapter 197: One Down

They spent another twenty minutes checking the burial chamber. Arthur searched behind the sarcophagus and along the surrounding walls while Chloe inspected the damaged wards. Nothing else opened, moved, or tried to kill them.

"The necrotic residue is stronger down here, but nothing is feeding it anymore," Chloe said. "The crypt needs a proper cleansing team."

Saint Orlan’s sarcophagus stayed shut. Arthur had what he came for.

Emily examined the black metal token and tossed it back to Arthur. "You said the second one was held by a bandit captain."

"Yeah."

Emily pulled one of her heavy gauntlets off to inspect a cracked knuckle joint. "That sounds significantly more interesting than the fucking road survey."

They headed upstairs.

Outside the shrine, Arthur sat on the low stone wall circling the graveyard and filled out the survey report. He logged the road condition, the undead, the crypt, and the damaged wards. He left the Keeper and the Veiled Knife key completely out of it.

Emily dropped her pack near his feet and checked the meager payment line at the bottom of the parchment. "I still can’t believe we’re getting paid this much to clear an active crypt."

"Character building," Arthur said, shoving the parchment into a leather tube.

Emily looked down at her torn sleeve. "I have enough character."

They left the shrine and started the three-mile walk back to the main road.

Halfway down the overgrown branch, Chloe finally asked.

"What happens when you get all three?"

"The Tomb of the Veiled Knife," Arthur said. "It holds an Extension Rune. Assassin."

Emily started laughing. "Assassin? You spend half your life trying to stay far away from anything holding a knife."

"Which is exactly why I want it," Arthur said. He stepped over a heavy root across the path. "I’m not trying to become a melee fighter. But I need a class that makes me better at disappearing, repositioning, and killing things quickly when the bow isn’t usable."

He looked back at Emily. "And escaping people like you when they get hold of me."

Emily stopped laughing. "Escaping people like me?"

"Especially people like you."

Emily snorted and started walking again. Chloe followed beside her.

The evening transport back toward Lornfell was mostly empty.

They found a wide bench near the back of the transport. Arthur sat near the window, Emily slumped next to him, and Chloe sat on Emily’s other side.

Emily reached across Arthur and stole the last piece of dried fruit from his pack.

"Stop doing that," Arthur said.

Emily chewed slowly, leaning her weight against his shoulder. "Buy more."

Arthur grabbed the back of her neck and kissed her.

Arthur wrapped an arm around her waist and squeezed her ass while they kissed. Emily caught his hair and pulled him closer, letting him get away with it until his hand started wandering lower.

SMACK!

Emily slapped his hand away.

"Arthur."

He broke the kiss, stopping barely an inch from her mouth. "What?"

Emily glanced sideways. Chloe was sitting less than two feet away.

Arthur looked at Chloe, then looked back at Emily. "What? Can’t touch my girlfriend now?"

Chloe didn’t look away. Her knees were pressed tight together.

Arthur caught the change in her breathing.

Emily caught his expression and followed his gaze, watching the dark flush rising on Chloe’s neck.

Chloe swallowed hard and looked down at her lap.

Emily let go of Arthur and turned toward Chloe instead. The bench creaked beneath her as she closed the small gap between them.

Chloe’s breath caught when their knees touched.

"You’ve been staring again," Emily said, her voice low.

Chloe swallowed. "I know."

Emily raised an eyebrow. "And?"

Chloe didn’t answer.

Emily reached up and caught Chloe’s chin, tilting her face up.

Emily leaned in and kissed her.

Chloe went completely rigid against the bench. Then Emily deepened the kiss, her tongue pushing past Chloe’s lips before Chloe had fully recovered from the surprise.

Chloe’s hands hovered in the air. Then she grabbed the lapel of Emily’s heavy field jacket and held on tight.

Arthur just stared. The surprise lasted about two seconds before the sight went straight to his cock.

Emily pulled back. Chloe was flushed dark red, her chest heaving.

Emily looked over at Arthur, one eyebrow raised. "What?"

Arthur opened his mouth, then closed it again.

Emily smirked. She turned back and brushed a strand of loose hair away from Chloe’s face.

Emily kissed Chloe again before she’d properly caught her breath.

This time Chloe met her halfway, one arm sliding around Emily’s waist as she kissed her back.

Arthur was still staring when Emily caught his shirt and hauled him closer.

The three of them stopped fitting properly on the bench about five seconds later.

The three of them stopped fitting properly on the bench about five seconds later. Arthur’s shoulder hit the window when somebody’s knee got in the way, and Chloe laughed against Emily’s neck.

Arthur caught Chloe’s face and kissed her. She was already breathing hard, and the sound she made when his hand slipped beneath her shirt and closed around her breast, she arched into his palm with a muffled moan.

Arthur’s hand started wandering lower.

Near the front of the transport, someone shifted heavily in their seat, the sound of boots scraping against the floor echoing back to them.

Emily caught his wrist and yanked his hand away.

Arthur looked at her. "Again?"

Emily pointed toward the front of the transport. Three rows up, one of the passengers was stretching in his seat.

Arthur swore under his breath.

Chloe pulled her shirt back into place, still breathing hard.

Emily settled back into her seat.

They reached the academy gates an hour later.

Arthur stepped off the transport with them.

Chloe took the path branching toward the healer dorms. Emily fell into step beside her. Arthur followed.

At the next intersection, Arthur started toward his own dorm out of habit.

Emily caught his sleeve and pulled him back without slowing down.

Chloe unlocked her door. Emily walked in first. Arthur followed.

Chloe closed the door and turned the lock.

Arthur barely got Whisperwind off his shoulder and propped it against the wall before Emily caught Chloe around the waist and pushed her back against the door.

Chloe sucked in a sharp breath.

Emily kissed her before she could say anything.