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((The Wednesday Triple: page 3 of 3))
Hector was nearly at the door already, so he said, ‘I’ll be outside.’

‘Okay,’ said Garovel.

Hector exited the inn and found a nice chunk of the building’s rocky wall to lean against.

From here, he had a clear sight of the camping group. Part of the reason he’d wanted to come out here was to check how they were doing. Tall, metal walls had been erected in the middle of the park, no doubt the work of a servant, and Hector recognized several of the faces patrolling the perimeter. A few of them were even walking along the walls they’d put up.

The greater view of Babbadelo wasn’t too bad, either. Gargantuan pillars bathed in dim amber. And he hadn’t noticed before, but now he could see platforms extending between many of the pillars in midair. The city had multiple layers.

It reminded him of Warrenhold. And he wondered if that was a coincidence. Perhaps Stasya Orlov had taken inspiration from the Undercrust when building it.

The door to the inn opened, and Diego Redwater exited. The man looked around, then stopped when he saw Hector. “What’re you doing out here?” he asked.

Diego was something of a curiosity, Hector thought. Aside from being the only red-haired Rainlord that Hector had met, he was also the only member of House Redwater present, the rest having been captured by the Vanguard at Rheinhal. Or killed, possibly. Their intel wasn’t clear.

But that name. Redwater. Hector knew how famous it was. More famous than any other House among the Rainlords. It was a strange feeling, speaking so normally with someone who had a name like that. It made Hector a little uneasy, somehow, but he tried not to let it show. Seemed like that would be rude.

“What’s it to you?” said Hector. Oh shit, wait, that was way ruder.

Diego answered before he could apologize, however. “I just got the feeling you might’ve been venturing off to go beat someone’s ass, is all. And I was thinking I might like to join you.”