Chapter Text
The inn suite was quiet, not a clink of a glass penetrating the floorboards from the bar downstairs. Marcus tossed and turned, despite having had an exhausting day. His stomach ached like it had never ached in his life. It had been several days since he'd given Lemon all of the gold in his possession, and each day only got worse.
Chounk inhaled a windstorm of a snore, and Marcus resolved to take a walk. Maybe that'll calm his nerves. He quickly dressed and laced his shoes before grabbing his staff and heading out the door.
It was brisk, but not too cold. The moon shone almost achingly bright. Marcus tried to keep his mind on his steps. He took long, heavy strides to distract from the memory of Death in that bar. Terrifying was not a big enough word to describe the visage, especially in retrospect. Marcus wished he'd bargained somehow, but maybe that would have been impossible after snubbing Death the first time.
No, that's thinking about it! Marcus reminded himself, stomping the thoughts out.
The only other thing that occurred to him, however, was coin. How it felt in his palm, always the perfect temperature of cool... How it smelled, once it was all together in his purse... How it sounded clinking up against each other...
How it had tasted sliding down his throat...
Marcus stopped. Something caught his eye. He'd approached a small wooded area in his absentmindedness, and up ahead, a tree caught his eye. Actually, it was what was on the tree: a piece of paper.
He searched the treeline around him, but didn't see anyone who may have left this. Still, he kept his head on a swivel as he approached the tree. The paper was folded and attached to the bark with an arrow. He tore the paper free and opened it. The first word jumped straight to his gut.
Marcus--
He spun around again, searching the dark, but again came up short. And so he continued.
Marcus the Dwarf,
You shouldn't leave your friends unattended.
I'm always watching from the shadows.