Greywind awoke of his own accord, his limbs stiff but his spirit far more refreshed than the night before. His dark eyes snapped open, immediately scouring the room's perimeter. He was alone; only the morning sun crept through the seams of the window, accompanied by a comfortable, ringing silence.
Yet the blanket remained wrapped tightly around him, offering a warmth that was unusually persistent for a common inn. Greywind touched the fabric, then drew a subtle breath of its scent. There was a lingering trace of sulfur and wilted lilies Jannis's signature. He exhaled, cast the blanket aside, and stood.
After performing a rudimentary wash with cold water from a basin and changing his undergarments his outerwear remained tattered and stained with blood, though it appeared less conspicuous now that the grime had been scrubbed away Greywind felt a gnawing hunger. His stomach rumbled with a hollow demand.
He descended to the inn's common room, which was now bustling with travelers and merchants breaking their fast. Greywind secured a seat in the corner near the door, keeping a clear vantage of the entire hall. A young server approached. "Breakfast, master?"
"Eggs, bread, smoked meat, and ale," Greywind said curtly, tossing a few silver pieces onto the table. The boy nodded and vanished.
While he waited, Greywind observed the room. Several patrons were huddled together, speaking in hushed, urgent tones, their faces masks of bewilderment. He decided to fish for information. When the server returned with the tray, Greywind caught his arm briefly. "Hey," he murmured, feigning a traveler's curiosity. "I only arrived last night, but I heard a commotion from the noble district. What was it? Sounded like a collapse."
The server glanced left and right, then leaned in close. "Oh, that, master. Word is Lord Valerius's estate partially collapsed last night! Some say explosions, others say a monster attack. The city guard swarmed the place until dawn."
"Lord Valerius?" Greywind played ignorant. "Did he survive?"
"Who can say, master? The whispers say he died within. But the palace keeps its tongue behind its teeth. All I know is the noble district is locked down tighter than a drum."
Greywind nodded, offering an extra copper. "I appreciate the word."
The server smiled and retreated. Greywind began to eat, his mind spinning. Valerius is dead, but the reports are still mired in rumor. Baroness Michelle will know by now. She will be looking for me either to pay me or to silence me.
Within his mind, Jannis's voice suddenly blossomed, fresh and sultry as ever. "Good morning, my beloved. Did you sleep well? I kept watch the whole night through. Oh, and the word has spread. You are an unofficial fugitive now."
Greywind chewed his bread slowly. I know. But we need that payment.
"Of course we do. So, what is the design? Straight to the Baroness's manor? Or do you intend to flee Silverhaven with haste?"
Greywind thought deeply as he tasted the salt of the smoked meat. His dark eyes fixed on the glass of ale. He lifted it slightly, as if offering a silent toast to the air before him. "For you, Jannis. As thanks for... keeping watch," he muttered, his voice barely a breath.
Jannis's voice surged, thick with her familiar, teasing lilt. "Oh, ale? You know I cannot enjoy such worldly trifles, darling. But if you wish to thank me, find another way~" Her words trailed off in a calculatedly sensual hiss. "Perhaps tonight, you can give me... a more personal offering."
Greywind exhaled, setting the glass down. He showed no sign of being tempted. Instead, his mind turned to a more pressing necessity. "I need a new weapon," he said flatly. "The rapier is shattered."
Jannis sounded instantly energized. "Oh! Shall we tour the city and shop? I do love watching you choose a blade... perhaps something heavy, or a needle-sharp dagger "
"No," Greywind cut in sharply. He lowered his voice, ensuring no one heard but his patron. "I do not want a weapon of iron or steel. That is too common. I need a sorcerous weapon. Something that can rival Lyra's flame blade." He paused, recalling the previous night's dance the flash of the fiery steel, the lethal blur of her Bladesong, and how close he had come to the grave. "Truth be told, we were lucky last night. If not for the distraction of the devil and Valerius, I would be a corpse in that vault. Can you help me, Jannis?"
He rarely asked for aid so directly. Usually, Jannis offered, and at a price. But this time, Greywind's tone was different serious, acknowledging the depth of their symbiosis.
Silence followed. Then, in the back of his mind, he could feel Jannis's satisfied smile a deep gratification, like a teacher finally being heard by a pupil.
"Of course, my love," Jannis answered, her voice soft but laden with power. "You finally ask for what was always meant to be yours. A weapon born of our bond, not mere iron bought in a market."
Greywind felt something shift within his core ancient knowledge that had been previously sealed began to unfurl. The Eldritch Invocation he had long relied upon for his Armor of Shadows felt like skin sloughing away. In its place, something deeper, more offensive, took root.
Pact of the Blade.
The knowledge flooded his mind: the method to summon a weapon from thin air, a blade bound to his soul and the power of his patron. A weapon that could change its form, that could never be taken by force, and that was an extension of his infernal pact.
"This will take a little... energy from us both," Jannis whispered. "But for you, darling, I give it freely. Let us find a more private place to call it forth for the first time."
After finishing his breakfast, Greywind left a few silver pieces on the table and departed The Rusty Lantern. He avoided the markets and the noble district, heading instead toward the outskirts of Silverhaven where the dwellings thinned and the woodland began to dominate.