The Nekromancer - 33. Chapter 33

Three tigers carried them into Graydirge, Jeremy's shoulders rolling as he tried to stretch. Sixteen hours of riding had left him far too sore, and he couldn't wait to get to a tavern and relax.

"What is this place?" Amnor Sen frowned, looking at the thick walls of the buildings around them.

"Ossuaries," Jakun replied. "The dead lay in the walls, serving their nation without undeath."

Jeremy shuddered, imagining ghosts haunting the city.

"I don't like it here," he muttered, his hand straying toward the mug on his hip.

"Don't cast positive energy spells," Jakun warned, glancing at him.

"Yeah… I bet that would be bad for an undead city…"

Jakun motioned for them to dismount, their tigers vanishing. Amnor Sen took Zephyr's reins, looking around for a stable.

"There," the elf motioned toward an inn.

The trio made their way to the building, Amnor Sen doing his best to avoid thinking about the thick walls. Waving Jakun off, he set about stabling the horses as Jeremy headed inside.

"How do you know so much about this place?" Jeremy asked, frowning at Jakun.

"I picked up a few things while copying scrolls and books for Loran."

"Great. You can pick up the tab too. Amnor Sen has our money," Jeremy added, heading for the bartender.

His fingers twitched as the stench of death hit him, hand pausing while reaching for his sword. Jeremy frowned as the bartender straightened behind its bar, skeletal bones clacking quietly.

"What can I get for you?"

The voice echoed within the skull, vaguely feminine. It was alarming for the cleric. Skeletons weren't supposed to talk. Jeremy sighed, sitting heavily on a stool. He really needed a drink.

"You have wine from Alkenstar?" the cleric asked, reading a scratched board behind the skeleton.

"Yep. Two gold a glass. Twelve for the bottle."

"Damn… you Gebbites love your wines…"

"We are on the trade route to Alkenstar. The wine was only ten gold in Mechitar," Jakun frowned.

"Yeah, well here it's twelve," the skeleton growled, the words hanging within its skull.

"It makes no- mmph!"

Jeremy held his hand over Jakun's mouth, keeping the amurrun from talking.

"We'll have a glass of Alkenstar Iced and a cup of kumis."

"We don't serve cats here."

Jeremy groaned, looking at Jakun.

"Go talk to Amnor Sen. But give me a gold first."

The catfolk sighed, handing the coins to him before heading outside.

"Ugh… I know I'm going to hear about this later…" the cleric groaned, accepting the glass from the skeleton. "Fuck it…"

He began gulping the wine down, not even tasting it. Slapping the gold on the table, he hurried after Jakun, finding Amnor Sen in the doorway.

"You drunkard," the paladin sighed. "I hate it when you get like this."

"Like what? I was thirsty. And I came right back out," Jeremy protested.

"And you borrowed money to buy alcohol. Expensive alcohol."

Grumbling, Jeremy pushed past the elf, looking around.

"There's another tavern over there," he pointed, almost stumbling toward it.

"Oh no. You're cut off," Amnor Sen said. "You're already drunk, you don't need more."

"But… we have plenty of gold… besides, Jakun will let me have more, won't you kitten?" Jeremy said. "And you know it takes at least three glasses before I start feeling it."

"Jakun, don't give him more money," Amnor Sen said sharply, the amurrun tucking his gold away again.

"You're so mean," Jeremy muttered.

"Look, we're in for a long journey. Jakun has maybe ten gold. If he decides to share with us, we might get a private room tonight, after paying to stable the horses. That ten gold needs to last to Alkenstar, unless you can sell your scrolls in a single day, in a strange city."

"Jakun did," Jeremy pointed out. "Besides, we still have the gold from… Neela? I think? Why can't we get a room with that?"

The elf sighed.

"Look, I am not taking care of a little kid here. You need to be responsible for yourself. That means you do not spend an entire gold on a glass of wine. I shouldn't have to explain this to you Jeremy."

"You don't have to baby me. I know what I'm doing. Besides, the Drunken God got ahead by drinking. I can do the same, I know it."

"Don't compare yourself to a god," Amnor Sen scowled.

"Shouldn't we find a place for the night?" Jakun asked beside them.

"You do that," Jeremy waved off. "I can't believe you Amnor Sen. You are always spending money on wood and knives."

"Wood that I have been using for your drink! I have been enabling you for too long. I'm leaving you to dry now. No more wands, no more wine, nothing."

"Fine! By the Drunk God, I'll show you. I don't need you doing things for me!"

Jeremy stormed off after Jakun, Amnor Sen growling as he went to fetch the horses. The cleric was an alcoholic. Amnor Sen had known that for years, but he had always thought Jeremy could learn to temper himself. But spending two gold on a single glass of wine was too much.

"Shelyn, what do I do? I love him, but he is such a pain…"

Zephyr snorted as Amnor Sen took his lead, the horse's tail flicking in agitation.

"I don't suppose you have an answer…"

The horse nickered, staring Amnor Sen in the eye.

"Let me guess, I already know the answer. You give me too much credit," the paladin grumbled. "After that druid… I don't know, am I supposed to keep watching him ruin himself chasing a buzz?"

The horse nodded, Amnor Sen glaring.

"Okay, what is wrong with you?" the elf demanded. "Are you seriously telling me to let Jeremy kill himself through alcohol?"

Amnor Sen growled, leading Zephyr to the other inn. He slipped a gold into the stable boy's hand, the kid's toothy grin looking almost hungry. Getting silver back, the paladin pocketed the coins, sighing.

"I have another horse I'm bringing over."

He turned and left the stable, moving down the street swiftly to fetch Jeremy's horse. The nameless one the cleric hadn't even bothered trying to bond with.

"I know he's a cleric of the god of freedom and alcohol, but he could be more responsible… maybe I'm just too angry right now. I'm sure this will all look better in the morning," the elf mumbled, trying to convince himself.