The Curious Customers

"Saph! Are you alive in there?"

I groaned at Lyon's incessant knocking and nudged Shade off of me. "More or less," I stumbled to my door and unlocked it, the noise signaling Lyon it was okay to enter.

He strolled in and sat at the foot of my bed, immediately giving Shade attention. "Its passed noon you know. You hardly ever sleep this late. Did you have trouble sleeping?"

I shook my head. "Actually I don't think I've slept that good in a long time. Guess I needed it," I stripped out of my night clothes and wandered to my closet for something more presentable for a tavern owner.

"Well good then you can have the overnight shift tonight," Lyon smirked, completely unfazed by my lack of modesty, and tossed one of my pillows at my back. "Give the rest of us some time to sleep, yeah?"

"I'll take over so you can sleep," I faced him as I fastened the last button on my shirt. "With the spring festival coming up we all need to make sure we're rested for the chaos that is bound to ensue."

"Nah," he shook his head. "I caught a power nap after Kari came downstairs and we were dead before the breakfast rush. I'll keep an eye on the doors, and for Ceil. He's bound to be lurking around here."

We made our way downstairs and I took a spot at the bar, flagging down Kari for something to eat, and ran my gaze over my establishment. The breakfast rush had ended and the lunch rush was just starting to begin. People taking a break from their lives stopped in for a drink or quick bite to eat before going back to their daily grind. My eyes fell to trio of unfamiliar faces that looked a little uncomfortable.

"Jayde!" I waved down the young boy, who happily jogged over to greet me.

"Good morning Sapphyre," he beamed up at me. He was wearing one of the nicer outfits Lyon had gotten him but he still kept his hair in a bit of a mess. "Or good afternoon now I suppose. Lyon was worried you'd sleep all day if he didn't wake you."

"I was out late last night," I gave him a smile and nodded in the direction of the trio of new faces. "Have you served them yet?"

He followed my gaze and shook his head. "I tried asking what they wanted but they said they weren't sure yet. They didn't even order any alcohol, which is weird, everyone orders alcohol here. Seemed a bit jumpy too. Do you want me to ask them again?"

"No," I stood and messed up his hair, putting on my tavern owner smile. "I wanna know who these new faces are."

The trio grew uneasy as I approached and shuffled in their seats. "Can I get you gentlemen anything?"

The burliest of the trio shook his head. "We aren't sure what we want yet ma'am."

I laughed. "I appreciate the formalities but there's no need to call me ma'am. You three look pretty thirsty, Kari makes the best ale you'll ever taste."

They looked amongst themselves for a minute before the burly one spoke again. "Are you the owner here?"

"Co-owner really," I gestures to Lyon who stood by the entrance. "My best friend and I built this place six years ago."

Another of the trio, a smaller, shy looking man leaned forward and dropped his voice to a whisper. "But you're the Mistress of Death right?"

I glared down at him my smile gone. "And what makes you think that?"

He shrinked back in his seat, fear in his eyes. "Its just rumors really. People say that the Wolf's Den is where you go if you want to, you know, get rid of someone."

"I thought the Mistress of Death wasn't supposed to be human?" I pulled up a chair from a nearby table and sat with them. "Do I look like I'm not a human to you?"

"I think she's human," the last of the trio finally spoke. "I just think she's really good at her job."

"I'll humor you," I folded my hands together and tucked them under my chin, an amused smile on my lips. This wasn't the first time I've had to deal with curious customers. "Say I am this Mistress of Death. Then what? Do you have someone you need to 'get rid of' as you say?"

They all shook their heads enthusiastically. "Not at all! Look, we're lumberjacks from Cas so we aren't from around here. We came down to get some of that Lycan pine wood that grows around here for a job and we heard the people whispering about this assassin that lives here. We asked around a bit and all leads led us here. We were just-"

"Curious?" I cut him off. "I get a lot of those. So if I was this mystery assassin, you would have just came here to look for me, risk my identity, for mere curiosity?"

"We didn't mean to offend you," the shy one's voice cracked a little as he spoke.

"Oh no offense taken," my smile grew wider and I watched their faces drain of color as my eyes turned black. "See, I am the Mistress of Death but I only kill bad people or people who pose a threat to me. Are you any of those kinds of people?" They didn't speak, just shook their heads. My eyes turned back to their gemstone blue and I stood, sliding the chair back with my foot, my tavern owner persona back in place. "Then we shouldn't have a problem at all! Please let me get you three something to drink. On the house!"

I waved Jayde down and told him grab them a few rounds of ale for free. He gave me a confused look but scampered off nonetheless. I made my way to the bar and took my usual spot as I signaled to Kari for a drink of my own. I barely got one sip in before Lyon slid into the chair next to me.

"Wanna tell me why that trio over there looks like they've seen a ghost?"

I shrugged. "They saw something but it wasn't a ghost."

Kari leaned across the counter and ripped my ale away. "Are you threatening my customers again?"

"They were asking questions!" I snapped before dropping my voice lower. "Questions about our other business. They wanted to know of I was Lyca's mystery assassin."

"You did the eye thing didn't you?" Lyon kicked me from his seat. "You can't keep doing that to intimidate people, Saph, someone's gonna catch on. Hells, Ceil already caught on!"

I rolled my eyes. "Oh come off it, both of you. I'm not the only person in this town who can change their eye color. Shifters do it, witches can do it, that crazy begger in the Slums does it for crowns! Also, since when did you two become the boss of me?"

Kari dangled my drink in front of me. "Since I'm the one who determines if you go thirsty or not."

Lyon flicked me in the ear. "Since I'm the one who helps you keep a lid on that hellish alter ego of yours."

I opened my mouth to argue but came up with nothing so I groaned and held out my hand for my drink, grumbling about how it was unfair of them to gang up on me. About halfway through my ale I felt a tug on my shirt and looked down to find Jayde looking a little nervous.

"Sorry Sapphyre but there's someone here to see you," he motioned for me to lean closer so he could whisper in my ear. "I don't think they want to talk to the tavern owner though if you know what I mean."

I nodded and told him to send them my way but paused as a familiar smell wafted my way and I knew who it was before I turned around to face the bright green eyes and warm smile of Zierra.

"Is that offer from last night still available?"