The night had started off quietly, which was almost scary after the last three weeks of chaos. Rick was at a corner table in The Golden Boar, one of Valdris's better bars.
He was with three of his four bonded partners. Carmilla was to his left, holding a mug of ale that she had barely touched.
Natasha was sitting across from him, carefully eating a plate of roasted chicken with the same level of precision that she used for everything else. Liora was on his right, sipping wine and smiling at something Natasha had said. She gave off her usual gentle warmth.
It should have been a great time to enjoy peaceful things. This was the first time they had experienced real peace since Rick returned from the Northern Peaks.
No drama in the guild, no strangers flirting with you in a creepy way, and no mysterious people watching you from the shadows. Just the four of them are eating together, like normal people do.
