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Hector needed a little time to consider his response to that. “...I’d rather you guys didn’t get involved.”

“Guys? What guys?” Diego folded his arms. “I’m not bringing anyone else, are you?”

“I just don’t want the Rainlords getting mixed up in anything that they don’t need to. You’ve all been through so much already.”

“I wasn’t planning on telling anyone my name. And considering that you’re practically a walking rain cloud, I’d say you look more like a Rainlord than I do.”

Hector had to admit, that was a good point.

The door to the inn opened again, and Asad exited, immediately followed by Jada, Imas, and all three of their reapers.

“I hope you weren’t planning on doing anything reckless without me,” said Asad.

The door swung open yet again, and more familiar faces came flowing out.

Hector just kind of scratched one of his eyebrows and sighed.


Chapter One Hundred Forty-Three: ‘O, meddling fellowship...’
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Including himself, Hector’s raiding party grew to be six strong, but that certainly wasn’t because no one else wanted to join. In the end, he’d refused more volunteers so as not to break up any of the individual families. And thankfully, the heads of each House agreed with him on that front, so no one tried to argue with him. Everyone understood that if too many people went, then it would jeopardize the safety of their sleeping brethren.

That resulted in an entourage of Hector, Diego, Asad, Imas, Jada, and finally Evangelina Stroud.

The only reason he’d agreed to the Lady Stroud joining was because she was the head of her own House, and there was really no refusing her. Just like Diego, she was the only Stroud present, thanks to the events at Rheinhal. Unlike Diego, however, she’d actually been there when the battle against the Gargoyle of Korgum took place.

And whenever anyone brought it up, she did not hesitate to give her feelings on the subject. The Lady Stroud was certainly no fan of the Gargoyle, or the Vanguard in general. From what Hector understood, Zeff had been there as well, but he’d barely talked about it, perhaps because Evangelina seemed to have the issue so well in hand.