Page 14 of The Tricksters Deception

Corvu clears his throat and leans up when he answers, “A Trickster is someone, usually of Elf relation, born of magic that’s known to drag a curse along with them wherever they go. We’re apparently bad luck and because of that we’re usually tormented as children, by the time we’re older we usually hate everyone and everything so Tricksters are widely known as the worst Daemonaria to put your trust into.” He finishes with a wicked snicker. It was a lot to take in but I could appreciate why he didn’t want to get into it previously. We certainly don’t have anything like that in my world. It sort of made me understand why everyone was so wary around him. Being known as a bad luck charm is almost as bad as being known as a klutz. We’re interrupted by a bit of yelling that starts nearby a small lift in the corner of the room. I see a piano and what looks a little like a guitar placed on top of it. I’m actually happy to see a musical instrument I recognize. “That Snout seems to be in a bit of trouble.” Corvu sighs, pouring water from the jug into one of the plaster cups I didn’t even know were on the table.

“What?” Looking back over I can see the back of a large man with his hands on his hips and a tail that reminded me of the lions in Central Park Zoo, the one he was talking to was similar to the bandit that attacked us with the nose of a pig. The maid comes back to us with a large plate and a few empty small ones. The biggest one had what resembled a cake but somewhat looked like bread. She looks over her shoulder at the Snout.

“He’s going to get that nose of his lobbed off if he doesn’t have his singer again.” The maid comments.

“Doesn’t have his singer?”

“He’s the one that plays on the chime, his friend in the hole at the moment is the strings. Unfortunately every time the boss pays them, they show up the next night without their singer. So the boss will probably take his nose as compensation.” She huffs, walking away. The Snout looks terrified.

I don’t know why I did it, what made me feel obligated to help in some way, but before I knew it my feet had moved and I was side by side with the Snout facing the Innkeeper, whose teeth looked so sharp they could probably cut you just by looking at them too long.

“Did you need a singer?” I whisper to the Snout, who looks me up and down with confusion, followed by surprise, then hope.

“Ah, here is our singer. Told you, just running a bit late.” He snorts his apology as the Innkeeper glares at me, then turns away back to the bar without a word. The Snout turns to me, “Can you really sing?”

“I’m not the best, but it’s better than nothing.” I smile. He brings me over to the piano, where he asks which songs I know. His companion returns from the hole, which I had learned from Gecko a couple of days ago was just another word for a toilet - an experience I wish to never discuss. The Snouts friend is a bit confused but he shrugs it off when he’s told to pick up the oddly shaped guitar. “I don’t know any of your songs, any chance I can just get you to play a beat?” As I quietly instruct them on the style of the beat with the preferred keys to play, slowly people begin to quieten down. I was a little nervous, after all this wasn’t like regular busking on the side street near my apartment in New York, and I usually played my own guitar. Noting there was nothing similar to a microphone I would need to do my best to project my voice across the room. As I turn to face the crowd I see Corvu is eyeing me, probably concerned as to why I suddenly got up to do this, but Gecko just waves at me. Shyly waving back I nod behind me at the Snout.

As he plays the tune in the beat I asked for perfectly, I open my mouth to sing my own acoustic version of Stuck On You, a favorite song of mine by my world’s King. Many of the Inn’s patrons ceased their activities and conversations to listen to me, it was probably the biggest audience I ever had, and one by one they started tapping their feet to a beat I was relieved to hear they picked up. I see Corvu staring at me with each word. He looks completely surprised now, perhaps even expecting to hear the worst noise come from me. I keep eye contact with him, it helps me feel less like I’m being watched by thirty or forty Daemonaria and humans.

It wasn’t the only song I sang, but it was the one I was happiest with. The Innkeeper was quite pleased and insisted we had the cake for free, as it was the most engaged in the entertainment his customers had been in the longest of times. I’ll admit, I was a little bit excited to hear that. Once I stopped I returned to the table and ate with Corvu and Gecko. The kid was beside himself with my performance, he clearly enjoyed it. However, Corvu remained generally quiet for the remainder of the evening.

The bar maid comes back to the table, grinning ear to ear, "What a performance! You must be proud."

"Thank you, thankfully I got over my stage fright when I was a lot younger." I smile. She tilts her head slightly and it makes me wonder if the term 'stage fright' would even be known here.

"Well, anyway, about a room, I'm sorry but we're completely booked up for the night, I asked around and it seems most of the village is full. Mostly all traveling back from the coronation in Aynor I'd say. But, I do have a friend that says she can put you up for the night."

"That's very fortunate." Corvu comments.

"Halla is more than happy to put you all in a room, if you make your way over there."

"I don't think I've met Halla."

The bar maid raises an eyebrow and smirks, "Didn't you live here for a year? You never met Halla?"

"No."

"All the boys your age have met Halla." Corvu looks at me, as if thinking I would somehow know what she's talking about.

"No, really, I don't know them. What street?"

"The building is called Shades of Red, it's on the East end, near Bellium."

"We'll find it." He says finally, standing up from the table. Gecko and I follow in turn, thanking the maid very much for her help, before turning to leave.

Walking down the dimly lit streets at night with Corvu and Gecko makes me wonder about the safety in a world like this one. In New York, police officers occasionally patrol the streets, but here? It's eerily empty. As we turn down a secluded alley, I hear the faint bustle coming from one of the taller buildings, a four-story structure with lights glistening from all the windows. The building itself is an imposing sight, its facade a mix of weathered stone and ornate carvings, reflecting a blend of old-world charm and an unsettling allure.

By the front door, a woman with long, pointy ears and scale-like skin turns to face us, her red dress catching my attention as it shimmers under the candlelit streetlights. The building's entrance is framed by intricate ironwork, hinting at a place that caters to the unusual and the illicit.

"You must be the Trickster." She smirks at us, her eyes glinting with mischief. "I'm Halla. You just need a place to stay tonight, right?"

"That's right," Corvu answers for all of us.

"I don't usually allow children into my establishment, or Tricksters, but I've been asked to make an exception for you." Halla turns and uses her finger to beckon us inside. Gecko grabs my hand tightly as we follow Corvu through the door.

Inside, the air is thick with the mingled scents of perfume and something more primal, almost animalistic. The interior is dimly lit, with flickering candlelight casting long shadows that dance across the walls. Plush red drapes hang heavily from the ceilings, their fabric rich and opulent, absorbing the faint light and giving the room a seductive glow. Velvet-covered furniture in deep shades of burgundy and black is scattered throughout, creating an atmosphere that is both luxurious and decadent.

What meets my eyes instantly makes me turn Gecko's head into me, hugging him tightly so he can't see. The sight before me is a tableau of debauchery and hedonism. The humans and Daemonaria are all naked, their bodies gleaming with sweat under the dim lights. Some have majestic wings, feathered and bat-like, extending and fluttering as they move. Others have tails that twitch and curl, some smooth and scaled, others covered in fur. Horns of various shapes and sizes adorn their heads, adding to their otherworldly appearance. Their varied forms blend in a scene that is both surreal and obscene.

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