Emmett and Mirabelle made their way through the dimly lit streets of Mist City, the bustling sounds of the city gradually fading into the background as they walked toward the secluded meeting point. The streets were quieter in this part of town, and the two of them moved with purpose, their cloaks drawn tight against the chill of the evening air.
As they walked, Emmett couldn't help but glance sideways at Mirabelle. There was a familiarity to this—just the two of them, sneaking around after another mission, teasing and laughing like they used to when they were kids. He smiled to himself, feeling the memories creep back in.
"You remember when we used to sneak out of our houses back when we were kids?" Emmett said with a grin, breaking the comfortable silence between them.
Mirabelle shot him a sidelong glance, her lips twitching into a smirk. "Of course I remember. You were the one who always got us caught, though. Every single time."
"Hey, that's not fair!" Emmett protested, though his grin only widened. "You're the one who always insisted on doing something reckless. Like the time we tried to steal those sweets from Old Man Harper's bakery. I swear, he had eyes in the back of his head."
Mirabelle laughed, a soft sound that seemed to brighten the darkness around them. "You were so bad at sneaking, Em. It was a miracle we didn't get thrown out of the village sooner."
Emmett chuckled, shaking his head. "Well, we didn't, and now look at us. Mercenaries sneaking around a city after murdering someone important. That's quite the career upgrade, don't you think?"
Mirabelle gave him a mock-serious look. "Some things never change, though. You're still the worst at sneaking."
Emmett rolled his eyes playfully but then let his gaze drift down her figure. Mirabelle had grown into a fierce and beautiful woman, with a figure that didn't go unnoticed by anyone. "Yeah, well," he said, his tone teasing, "at least you developed in all the right places."
Mirabelle raised an eyebrow, stopping in her tracks to face him fully. Her lips curled into a sly grin. "Oh, really? Is that what you think?"
Emmett couldn't help but laugh, though his grin stayed firmly in place. "I mean, I'm just saying, you've done well for yourself."
Mirabelle stepped closer, her grin turning mischievous. "Well, Em, if you're so bold, maybe one day I'll have to check for myself if what Valerie says about you is true."
Emmett's grin faltered for a split second, but he quickly regained his composure. "Oh? And what does Valerie say about me?"
Mirabelle's eyes twinkled with amusement. "She says you're… smaller than expected."
Emmett raised an eyebrow, trying to keep up with the banter. "Well, if you're so curious, maybe you'll just have to find out for yourself."
There was a brief, playful silence between them, and while Emmett was sure they were just teasing as usual, he couldn't shake the feeling that Mirabelle's eyes had changed—just for a second. There was something in her gaze that felt… different.
Before he could dwell on it, they reached the meeting point, a small, dimly lit square tucked away in the far corner of the city. The others hadn't arrived yet, so they leaned against the wall of a nearby building, waiting for the rest of the group.
"So," Emmett said after a moment, breaking the tension with his usual grin, "you're saying you might just take me up on that offer?"
Mirabelle chuckled, her playful expression returning. "Oh, Em. I'd break you in half before you could even get started."
Emmett laughed, though there was something a little more heated in the way he looked at her. "I'd take that challenge."
Before either of them could say anything more, the sound of footsteps caught their attention. They both straightened up as the rest of the group approached—Valerie, Kyle, and Reina moving quickly toward them, their expressions a mix of exhaustion and relief.
"We failed," Valerie announced, her tone businesslike but still light. "Did any of you succeed?"
Mirabelle nodded, stepping back into her role as leader. "Let's move quickly."
As they regrouped and discussed the next steps, it was decided that Emmett and Reina would stay behind at the safe house by the city wall while Mirabelle, Valerie, and Kyle would go out to retrieve the rest of the mercenaries. They needed to move under the cover of night to avoid detection.
"Be careful," Mirabelle said quietly to Emmett as she handed him a small pouch of silver. "We'll be back soon. Don't go causing any trouble while we're gone."
Emmett gave her a mock salute. "You know me. Trouble's my middle name."
Mirabelle shook her head with a smile and left with the others, disappearing into the shadows of the city.
Later that night, Emmett and Reina sat around a small fire with the old man who had helped them earlier. The man was quiet, though his eyes held a depth that spoke of someone who had seen many things in his life. Emmett wasn't sure if he could fully trust him, but for now, they had no other options.
As the fire crackled, Reina stretched her legs out in front of her, letting out a tired sigh. "I hate waiting."
Emmett chuckled softly, poking at the fire with a stick. "You and me both. But sometimes it's the only thing we can do."
Suddenly, a rustling sound came from the floorboards beneath them, followed by a series of thumping noises. Emmett and Reina exchanged a glance, immediately on high alert.
"That's them," the old man said quietly, motioning toward the hidden hatch in the floor. "They've arrived."
Emmett stood and moved toward the hatch, pulling it open just as the rest of the mercenaries began climbing up into the room. Mirabelle was the first to emerge, followed by Valerie and Kyle.
Larissa was the last to climb up, but just as she reached the top, she "accidentally" stumbled, falling straight into Emmett's arms. Emmett instinctively caught her, his hands gripping her waist to steady her.
"Oh, Emmett!" Larissa exclaimed with mock surprise, her cheeks flushed with color. "You're always there to catch me."
Emmett grinned down at her, though his voice was teasing. "You sure that wasn't on purpose?"
Larissa batted her eyelashes playfully. "Would I ever do such a thing?"
The others snickered as Emmett gently set her down on her feet. "You're getting pretty good at this falling-into-my-arms thing," he joked, earning a laugh from the group.
Once everyone had gathered, Mirabelle gave the order to split up into several inns around the city to avoid suspicion. They needed to stay under the radar for as long as possible, and spreading out would give them a better chance of going unnoticed.
Emmett, Valerie, Mirabelle, and Larissa ended up at the same inn, a modest place near the market square. As they checked in and made their way to their rooms, Emmett sidled up to Mirabelle, clearing his throat.
"Hey, uh, Captain," he said with a sheepish grin. "Permission to sneak away later for… some private business?"
Mirabelle raised an eyebrow, her curiosity piqued. "Private business? What kind of business are we talking about here?"
Emmett shifted slightly, scratching the back of his neck. "I, uh, made some arrangements with the bar girl from earlier. Already paid for it, too."
Mirabelle gave him an amused look, but nodded. "Go ahead. Just don't get yourself into trouble."
As Emmett turned to leave, he caught a glimpse of Larissa's face. She had been about to say something, but her mouth snapped shut at the last second. He could see the effort it took for her to stay quiet, and there was something in her eyes—but they were just friends, right?
With a shaky breath, Larissa forced a smile, though her voice wavered. "Have fun, Emmett."
Emmett paused, feeling a pang of guilt at the tears welling up in her eyes. Emmett hesitated for a moment longer, then turned and left, making his way back to the bar.
Valerie and Mirabelle stepped forward, each placing a comforting hand on Larissa's shoulder as they tried to console her.
"You sure about this?" Valerie asked quietly, her gaze flicking between Larissa and Emmett.
Larissa nodded, though her expression betrayed the turmoil inside her. "Yeah. It's fine. Really. We are not a couple so he can do whatever he wants" repeating herself but this time she added one word, "We are not a couple, yet."
The walk felt heavier than it had earlier in the night, but he pushed the thoughts away as he approached the familiar building.
When he entered, the bartender gave him a nod and motioned toward the stairs. "She's waiting for you."
Emmett made his way upstairs, his heart pounding a little faster than he expected. When he reached the door, he knocked lightly, and after a few moments, the door creaked open.
The bar girl stood there, a shy smile on her face. She was cute—definitely not as stunning as Mirabelle or Valerie, but she had a charm of her own. What caught Emmett's attention the most, however, was her attire—or lack thereof. She wore a thin, see-through nightgown that left very little to the imagination.
Emmett couldn't help but wonder, for a split second, if this was some kind of hidden quest. Maybe this NPC had a secret, and if he played his cards right, he'd unlock some kind of reward. He hesitated as she led him into the room, gently pushing him onto the bed.
As she hovered over him, Emmett blurted out, "Why me?"
The girl blinked, clearly confused by the question, before laughing softly. "You're handsome. Is there any other reason needed?"
Emmett frowned slightly. That wasn't exactly the response he was hoping for, where did the hidden quest go? "And… what about the payment?"
The girl's smile widened as she stood, pulling the thin nightgown over her head. She was now fully naked, her skin glowing softly in the dim light of the room.
"A girl never loses," she said with a wink.
As she stepped closer, Emmett's mind raced. Maybe there was more to this than met the eye… or maybe, he thought with a grin, he was just overthinking it. His last thought before losing himself to pleasure was, can a NPC get pregnant?