Accommodations

"I need room," Alex began, "Preferably without any windows."

"Of course. May I see your guild badge?"

"I don't have one."

"Do you have your invitation then?"

"I don't have one of those either. But I am friends with your guild leader and he'll vouch for me."

Her face clouded a little, "Sir, our rooms are reserved for members and special guests only. I cannot simply give you a room on a flimsy claim of acquaintance. Maybe you should try one of the Inns nearby."

Alex was more humored than offended. "Well then please let your guild master--little guy, goes by the name of Spike, jet black hair and probably still sporting an impressive mustache--that Alex was here to talk business. And that it seems like I'll be somewhere in town and he can send his personal eyes to find me, last time I was in town they were One-Eye and Shade."

"Ummm, wait a moment here please," Her face seemed quite pale in comparison to when he first approached the counter. "Let me see if we have any available rooms." She quickly ducked into the back office.

(I think she might have peed herself) Demon was purring.

(She's doing her job. But I'm in a hurry.)

(True.)

"You normally introduce yourself to people in this way?"

Alex turned around and looked at the speaker. A man in a coarse traveler's cloak that showed nothing of his garments except his boots, well worn but excellently maintained. A high collar and hood of the same material obscured every part of his head and face except for his eyes and nose.

Alex took a quick glance around the room to make sure it was empty before extending a gauntlet, "Good to see you One-Eye. I didn't know they let you out during the daytime."

One-Eye grasped the extended hand with his own. His arm wrapped in the same coarse fabric his cloak was made from, somehow making his choice of attire both peculiar and non-descriptive at the same time. "As it turns out I was just returning from a job. Don't be offended by Marium, she just started this year."

"Oh, I'm not offended. She's doing a good job. And she stayed polite."

"Good to hear. Take care of yourself."

"Same to you."

Without really moving the agent of the guild seemed to simply vanish. It wasn't invisibility, he simply became unnoticeable, obfuscated from vision by the appearance of being irrelevant.

(That trick never ceases to impress me.)

(It is a useful trick, to be sure.) Alex scratched his chin, (I wonder if it would hold any use in combat.)

(Is master thinking of training to be an assassin now?)

(No. I was thinking that if a job goes wrong it would nice to be able to escape in plain sight.)

(There are other ways to do that. Also we radiate magical energy, he has none so anyone trying to detect magic would find us, but not him. He even knows how to empty his mind while he moves, so detecting his thoughts is nearly impossible even for me.)

Marium, as she was called, returned to the desk looking quite timid. "Mr. Alex, I'm sorry for not knowing you before. Our guild master has told me of your relationship with our guild and I would be happy to assist you with anything you desire."

"Don't worry about it Marium," Alex remained even, "One-Eye told me that you're still new to the guild. It's understandable that you wouldn't know all the contract help the guild does business with yet."

Her eyes got very big, almost like they wanted to fall out of her face, "One-Eye knows me? Oh dear."

Alex laughed in a friendly manner, "He knows everyone in the guild. He's the best at what he does."

"Yes sir, I...Oh dear...Umm...Oh yes, you asked for a room. This way please." She pulled a key out from a drawer and lead the way up a flight of stairs.

(She'd got a nice butt.)

(Do you ever think of anything else?)

(I like to focus on what is important in life. ****, Destruction, and sexual Deliverance.)

(You just made that up.)

(Shuush. Admire the butt sway with me.)

And just like that it was impossible for Alex to think of anything else. (I hate you.)

(I win!)

Marium lead Alex to a door at the end of the hall, "Here we are sir. I hope it's to your liking."