Chapter 123. Easy as 1, 2, 3
Rhys instructed his underlings on how to craft chips, ketchup, and fries, and left them to get started on their industrial-scale endeavors. He set off, taking only Lira with him. When they were far enough from the hideout that no one could sense them anymore, he turned to her. “I’m going to free another camp’s worth of prisoners.”
“You already freed a camp of prisoners? And for that matter, there’s prison camps?” Lira asked.
Rhys frowned at her, then raised his brows. “Right. You were stuck in the sewer.”
“I was, but I’m starting to wonder if maybe I didn’t have the worst of it,” Lira replied.
“No, you… you probably did have… well, you had it really bad,” Rhys said, not wanting to compare levels of suffering or trivialize any of the horrible things that had happened to the other mages in the mine.
Lira nodded, understanding. “It was bad everywhere, wasn’t it.”
Rhys took a deep breath. He nodded. “Yeah.”
“Why’d you take me?” she asked.
“You seemed like a competent fighter with a grudge, who’s good at melting away when she needs to hide. Also…” Rhys grimaced. “Sorry, but I don’t think I can use you as a fry salesman. You’re too distinctive. Even if I disguise your face, your aura is still too unique, and over a long time—”
Lira raised her hand, cutting him off. “I get it. I’m a water sprite.”
“I’m not trying to be rac… speciesist, but—”
She waved her hand. “Don’t worry. I don’t want to be a fry salesman in the first place. I’d rather fight.”