Glenn walked inside the barracks to find them empty. Was everyone else out? That was possible. Yet he still needed to check in, and if nothing else, Joanne would be in her office.

Glenn walked that way and knocked on Joanne’s closed door. No one answered. He hesitated, then tried the handle. It opened onto an empty office. Joanne didn’t bother locking her door, most days, since no one could enter the guard barracks save for the Town Guards. Where was she?

For that matter, where were the other Town Guards? Had he missed some sort of event at the gate? Even on his day off, he hated the idea of his Party facing a challenge without him. Yet before he could walk back to the door, every torch inside the barracks simultaneously went out.

Glenn froze in utter darkness. What in the Six Hells had just happened? Magic? What kind of magic would be powerful enough to put out every torch in the guard barracks?

Sadly, to avoid the gaze of passing Adventurers and others, all the windows in the barracks were shuttered on the outside. Glenn had never thought that would be a problem, since smokeless torches always burned. Yet with the torches out, it was as black as pitch inside this building.

Was some escape plan launched by the Shrike? Glenn knew the man was in one of the cells in these very barracks, along with the other four bandits they’d captured yesterday. All five should still be wearing [Lawgiver Cuffs], yet what if one wasn’t? There had been two Guilecasters in the Shrike’s party. Simply turning off the lights wasn’t an attack on Glenn, which didn’t violate the Law of Consent.

His hand reflexively went for his [Guardian Mace], which he wasn’t wearing. He also wasn’t armored. Yet he still have a vague impression of where everything had been before the lights went out. He walked cautiously toward where he thought the weapon rack might be, hands out.

Only to bump straight into a person, who immediately grappled him.

Glenn gasped and tried to catch his balance only to fail miserably. Strong hands grabbed him and immediately twisted his arms behind his back as a light kick goosed his knees. He dropped. Despite his great Strength, Glenn immediately lost whatever fight had just started.

He quickly found himself pinned on his knees with his arms locked behind his back, yet before he could yell or fight back, all the torches in the guard barracks flipped back on. The fresh light revealed Joanne Dewcrest, Martin Frosthide, Scott Rosewillow, and Logain Cliffbreeze. All four watched him in amusement, all wearing their [God Armor] save for their helmets.

And the woman pinning him on his knees? Linda Leafhaven, wearing her [God Armor] with her [Guardian Shield] strapped across her back. No wonder she was so strong! She had [+Unyielding+] to buttress her Strength, while he carried no shield at all.

Linda grinned down at him with white teeth, her dark ponytail resting across one shoulder. As she held him Joanne walked forward, holding a bucket. What was in the bucket? Joanne grinned evilly as she raised the bucket to chest height.

“It’s time for your promotion,” Joanne said ominously. “Seth and Chelsea are on the gate, but both send their regards.”

Glenn looked up at her. “Did I really generate that much paperwork?”

Joanne cackled as she tipped the bucket over ... and red apple mead poured out. Glenn snapped his eyes shut as warm, honey-sweet liquid splashed all over him. It got in his hair and rolled down his face and soaked his front. At least he’d worn his red tunic today, purely by happenstance.

Someone licked his cheek. Glenn’s eyes snapped open. Linda grinned wide, thumped his back, and released her hold. She stood and smacked her lips. “That was yummy.”

“Ooh, let me!” Joanne said, and hurried forward.

Glenn backpedaled and raised both hands. “You’ve all made your point, thank you!”

Joanne laughed. “Another time.”

“I’m not licking you,” Martin said evenly.

Glenn rolled his arm in his socket, and looked around at his fellow Town Guards. “And what, exactly, is happening right now? Besides soaking a perfectly good shirt?”

Logain stepped forward. “It’s normally six months or more before we promote a new guard to full guard, but in your case, we’ve decided to do it today. The way you handled the situation with Preceptor Fallowpeak was far beyond what even I’d expect from a guard with your experience, and the Preceptor spared no effort in regaling us with how impressed he was. I’m thus promoting you to full guard three months early, with Joanne’s agreement as my second.”

Glenn wiped at mead now dripping down his face. “I’m getting a promotion?”

Joanne thumped his shoulder. “Stop being so humble or I’ll dump another bucket of mead on you. You absolutely crushed yesterday’s Escort Quest. A happy Preceptor means a happy Mayor Coleman, and a happy Mayor Coleman means all of our lives get easier. You didn’t just save the Preceptor and his daughter yesterday. You also got Coleman off all our backs for at least a month.”

“Perhaps two months,” Scott said hopefully. “The mayor did seem in a remarkably good mood.”

Glenn was all the more glad he’d talked Preceptor Fallowpeak out of forcing Mayor Coleman to give him a bonus. “All right. That’s fair. You’re all welcome.”

Linda laughed. “There’s the gloating we’d expect!”

“The promotion comes with a bump in pay,” Logain said, “and also includes the ability to accrue leisure days you can take whenever you need. I’ve also arranged for you to be excused from duty four days a month so you Karl Coldbreaker can train you how to use a mace effectively.”

Glenn looked at the weapon rack, one glistening with [Guardian Maces]. “I wasn’t using it effectively?”

“You can always use it more effectively,” Scott assured him.

Martin elbowed him. “So can you, Auracaster.”

“My lovely singing voice has not the least to do with how I swing a mace.”

“Also,” Logain added, “we’re giving you the day off. You more than did your duty yesterday, yet I’ll expect you bright and early tomorrow for your next shift. Your raise goes into effect next weeks. Spend those extra crescents wisely, or don’t. That’s your business.”

“I’ll be here, sir.” Glenn glanced down at his sodden shirt. “Though I don’t suppose one of you has a spare shirt laying around?”

Joanne elbowed him and winked. “Give it another two years. I’ll let you borrow mine.”

Had he understood her offer correctly? Her obviously mischievous gaze suggested he had.

“Back to work!” Logain said. “Willowrose, Frosthide, you’re dismissed. Don’t get into trouble.”

“As if we’d never,” Scott said, and slapped Martin on the back. “Refreshments?”

“So long as I don’t have to lick them off you,” Martin grumbled agreeably, and waved at Glenn. “Congratulations, Redwood. You want to join us, we’ll be at The Mead Beast.”

“And we’re back to work as well!” Joanne said. “Linda, be a dear and help me with the meals for our guests? They’re likely quite hungover from the [Slumber Potions].”

“If I must,” Linda said, and sighed. “I suppose it would be impolite to starve them all.”

Logain walked to Glenn and rested a hand on his shoulder. “Better go change that shirt, son.”

Glenn smiled back. “Yes sir.”

A promotion. Days off. And having Linda lick mead off him? There were far worse ways to begin one’s day. Yet as Glenn emerged from the barracks, he nearly ran over a slender blond woman who was waiting just outside. He threw out his arms and stopped himself just in time.

“Woah, sorry!” Glenn said, as he came very close to knocking her over.

He straightened, then blinked. Erika Willowbraid stared at him in smirking bemusement.

Her eyes traveled to his hair, his face, and his tunic, and then up to his eyes. “It’s a bit early for all that, isn’t it?”

Glenn flushed. “Town Guard thing. Got promoted. They dump mead on you.”

“Good thing I brought you an extra shirt.” Erika produced one from the pack she carried with a flourish. “It’s not a Town Guard uniform. I can’t make those yet. But it is a—”

“[Nobleman’s Shirt].” Glenn stared at the fine fabric in wonder. “That’s amazing work, but it’s far too kind.”

“I can’t sell it,” she explained patiently. “No one here needs one. Yet I need to make clothing to gain experience, so what else would you have me do? Toss away my fine work?”

She did have a point there. Glenn hesitated, then took the shirt. “If you’re sure.”

“So much so,” Erika agreed. She then stood there, waiting. Smirking.

Glenn looked down at the shirt. He looked up at her. “Did you want me to try it on?”

“We have to make sure it fits,” Erika said brightly. “I still have your measurements, but I’d like to know I found a good fit for you. How else will I know I knitted the shirt correctly?”

She was definitely asking him to take his shirt off. Zack, in this one particular case, had been right. Erika was absolutely interested in him, and not just as a friend. So the question now was ... would he do as Becka had asked him to do the night they spent together in the park?

Glenn handed the new shirt back to Erika, stripped off his mead stained shirt, and tried not to grin as Erika whistled appreciatively. Yet before he could put the other shirt on, she stepped forward and gripped one of his hands.

“Hold on. You’re got mead all over you. I don’t want that all over my shirt.”

Erika produced a handkerchief from ... somewhere ... and quite liberally dabbed him all over, resting one delicate hand on his bare shoulder while she did so. She stood very close, so close Glenn’s heart thumped louder. Once she was done, she stepped back, looked him over, and nodded.

“That’s good enough, I think. I’d have to dunk you to do better.”

“Is that going to happen?” Glenn asked.

“Only if you request it.”

Glenn effortlessly shrugged on his new shirt. It felt delightfully soft and fit him perfectly. He adjusted the sleeves, rolled one shoulder around, and stared at Erika. “This feels amazing.”

“I appreciate that,” she said. “And you do look quite good in it.”

Erika truly was a lovely and kind person. They could have a great time together if that was what he wished, and Becka had even told him that he absolutely should. And yet...

“Thank you for all this,” Glenn said softly. “For your kindness. Yet it would be unkind of me to simply accept your generosity without being clear about my intentions.”

Erika tilted her head.

“I’m waiting on someone,” Glenn said softly.

Erika watched him for a long moment. And then, to Glenn’s surprise, she actually smiled. “Why am I not surprised?”

“I’m sorry,” Glenn added quickly. “You’re really nice, and you look absolutely gorgeous today. I mean that. It’s not anything to do with—”

Erika gave him a gentle shove. “Oh hush. I understand. Of course I understand. And please don’t take this the wrong way, but I’ll get over you.”

Glenn laughed, relieved he hadn’t upset her. “Right. Of course.”

“And even if we aren’t to date, I hope we can be friends. Like we were when we were children.”

Glenn nodded gratefully. “I’d like that.”

“Good,” Erika said. “So you’re meeting us for drinks tonight, right? After your shift?”

“I’m actually not working today,” Glenn said.

Erika beamed at him. “Then that’s perfect. We’ll be grabbing supper just past 7 at the Beast.”

“We being...”

“Zack, Anna, Alan, a few others.”

Glenn thought back. “So Anna’s is Zack’s new girlfriend?”

“Gods, they’re all over each other,” Erika agreed ruefully. “Anna’s truly something special. I think Zack’s finally met the one woman who might make a honest man out of him one day.”

Glenn could barely believe his ears. “Seriously?”

Erika nodded.

“All right,” Glenn agreed. “This I have to see.”