The Back Room

The room behind the curtain wasn't big. It had that dusty, damp smell. A single bulb hung overhead, swaying ever so slightly. Boxes were stacked against the walls, and a dented card table sat like a hostage negotiator in the center of the room. There was a small window high up on one wall, letting in a sliver of dingy light, just enough to emphasize the shadows.

And in one of those shadows sat the man I was here to meet.

He was tiny. I mean tiny. All green clothes, red beard, legs too short for the folding chair he sat in. I'd seen cartoons that looked less like leprechauns than this guy. I almost laughed—almost. Then he opened his mouth, and a thick Irish brogue poured out.

"Have a seat, lad."

I swallowed the laugh. Barely.

Standing by the wall behind him was the muscle. Tall, imposing, built like a comic book character someone had clicked 'max' on in every slider. She was leaning casually, arms crossed, watching me with unblinking eyes. I tried not to stare. Failed. She was absolutely terrifying—and kind of mesmerizing. Her makeup was immaculate. Sharp-lined eyes, highlight catching just right on her cheekbones, lips done in this matte burgundy that looked expensive and dangerous. I could see exactly how she'd layered it—precision work. God, I wished I didn't know that.

She didn't smile at me. Just winked.

I cleared my throat and took the seat across from the leprechaun. His legs swung under the table like a child's.

"I know yer a busy man, Tooru," he said, "so I’ll get right t'business."

I didn't say anything. Just nodded once.

He folded his hands in front of him. "Mountain oracle's been whisperin'—balance is shiftin'. A realignin'. New order comin'. Don't like that. Bad for business."

I raised an eyebrow. "And you thought of me?"

He gave me a look like I'd just said the sun was wet. "Of course I did. Now, I know we've not always seen eye t'eye…"

No kidding, I thought. I almost made a joke about needing a stepstool for that, but I bit it back. Barely.

"…but when we did work together, it was magic. Before… the incident." He waved a tiny hand, as if brushing away cobwebs I didn't even want to peek through. Whatever had happened, it had been enough to end things between us.

Apparently not for good.

"But now, I'm willin' to let bygones be. Only you've got the skillset for this, Tooru. The kind of weird the oracle's whisperin'? Only you."

He bent down beside the table and hoisted up a box. From inside, he pulled out a few things and slid them across to me: a fat stack of cash, a bent rusty nail, and a necklace with a charm that looked like a snake eating its own tail.

"Deal?"

I stared at the items. The nail looked like tetanus. The charm radiated something… wrong. The cash wasn't enough to make any of this make sense.

I looked toward the door.

I could leave. Just stand up, walk out, pretend none of this happened. Right?

Then I looked back at the woman against the wall. Her arms looked like they could tear a license plate in half. Her shoulders were wide enough to need their own ZIP code. And yet—she was standing perfectly on these thin, glittering stilettos that looked like architectural hazards. She wasn't just balancing. She was lounging.

That was when it hit me.

SKILL GAINED – HIGH STEPPER

Subject has gained the skill of supernatural grace and ability while wearing high-heeled shoes. The higher the heel, the more agility gained.

25 SKILL POINTS REWARDED

"Great," I muttered.

The little man grinned like I'd just told him the pot of gold was behind my eyes. He leapt onto the card table, surprisingly light on his feet, and thrust out a hand.

"Deal!"

I shook it. I didn’t know if I'd just agreed to save the world or ruin it. But the hand was warm. And the grip, weirdly, was strong.

Just my luck.