Chapter 168: Drinks all around
Irwin looked from a short distance away as Zender knocked on the door to an old, dilapidated building. The boy had said his presence might startle his mother.
They were as far from the docks as he had been, and all of the buildings here were old and poorly maintained, covered in thick layers of fungus.
Zender was waiting with his arms crossed before his chest as a shout came from the building. A few moments later, the door swung open, and a short, stocky woman with purple hair, a stern face, and burning silver eyes stood in the door opening.
"What do you want, Zender? We were sleeping, and I told you I don't have any-"
Irwin saw her sharp eyes focus on him. Her hands flashed almost faster than he could catch, and she moved in a single fluid motion, stepping around Zender. A narrow blade of purplish crystal appeared in her hand, pointed at Irwin. At the same time, a soft rustling sound came from above him. He barely stopped himself from looking up, instead keeping his sights on her. As fast as she moved, he'd lose track of her if she wanted to do anything.
"Who are you?" she snapped.
The gleam in her eyes and the way she moved told Irwin that she was ready to fight him if she deemed it necessary.
Better get ready to calm her if needed, he thought, before realizing something.
He had no way of taking her down without hurting her if she decided to attack him! The best he could try was to trip her and place a big hammer on her to keep her down, but from the way she was moving, he wondered if he would be able to catch her. That, or use his sweltering skill to surround her in steam and knock her out that way.
"Calm down, Rindiri," Zender shouted as he jumped after her. "He's a captain looking for a crew!"
The woman's eyes narrowed, and she stepped back after a few more precarious seconds. The blade vanished from her hand, and Irwin heard something fly away above him. This time, he caught a few tiny shadows moving toward the roof of the building behind Zender's mother, Rindiri.
Zender whispered with his mother for a few moments, then beckoned him closer.