Inside the office above the main floor of the Blue Moon House, the owner was working on the day's ledgers when a knocking sound disrupted his concentration. He had been working since shortly after dawn, and only his wife had disrupted him to bring him lunch after he missed the mid-day meal as usual.

  “Come in,” he called, still looking over the documents as he discreetly covered an unfurled scroll with some pelts piled on his desk.

  The door creaked open as the head of the house’s security team, Kxan?t, stepped inside, closing the door behind him before walking to the window and looking out the gap to observe the situation below.

  “Kxan?t, you’re late. I was expecting you back earlier. What happened?” The business owner’s calm voice filled the room as he checked and re-checked the ledger.

  “Fixed an issue downstairs. It’s handled.” The head of security spoke bluntly, not letting his even voice disrupt his observation of the main hall. “Ka’Tehmn returned and is on the roof with Mnai’?t. Dinner.”

  “How was he, outside I mean?” The owner asked his most trusted worker, his voice neither loud nor quiet.

  The tall security head was quiet for a few moments. He stood against the side of the window, his hair tied behind his head in a ponytail, while his right hand rested on one of the two khopesh that were always strapped to his side.

  Concerned that a further drop in the ledger’s numbers would cause him a problem, he kept part of his focus on trying to find a solution. However, not getting a response from his visitor, the owner finally focused his concentration on the man. He looked up and spoke again, this time with a more authoritative tone.

  “How was he?”

  The large figure turned his gaze to the figure sitting behind the large desk, eyes scanning the room for any changes since his last visit earlier that day. He noticed the change in scrolls and furs on the desk, but the rest looked the same as he remembered.

  “Skittish. He might run, but he didn’t do so. Watches a lot, talks to those he can, but often has to think before he replies. Sigil speech?”

  “Unfortunately. He should calm down in a few more days. I believe he should be okay by his first day off, two days from tomorrow. Your thoughts?”

  The security head scrunched his eyebrows together as he considered a few things. He had secretly followed the new servant when Ka’ left to do the delivery. Remembering the way the new servant seemed to observe everything around him, flinching at a few people, and how he seemed on the brink of collapse, the head of security considered the likelihood of the boy trying to flee.

  It happened before: a young servant who couldn’t handle the stress and intensity of the role had stolen a pouch of coins and made a run for the northern city gates. It took him and two other men three days to hunt the rat down and drag him back.

  The owner had been so furious that he beat the servant half to death in the middle of the main hall, demanding that they be ripped apart and fed to the river beasts. If a passing temple scribe hadn’t been brought over by one of the patrons, the servant likely wouldn’t have survived.

  “Possibly. He needs to be watched more.” After a moment, he added, “Doesn’t seem like the thief type.”

  The owner thought for a few seconds before giving the order to continue his observations for the next two days.

  “I heard from the bathhouse owner that he panicked when he saw the dragon spawn. Apparently, the kid said he’d never seen a sacred beast. Interesting, seeing as how he came into the city on a tarantula cart.”

  “It’s not uncommon,” the guard replied. “Back in the oasis, greater beasts are rare – most only exist in the deeper parts of the desert or as part of a travelling merchant’s horde.”

  The owner listened, nodding his head slightly. He hadn’t asked about the servant’s history when he bought him – most debt slaves were because they suffered from a gambling problem or because their parents sold them for the coin to survive the storm season. Perhaps he should talk to Ka’Tehmn when he has the chance, he thought.

  It wouldn’t hurt to learn what favours he would need to build loyalty.

  The owner’s eyes quickly darted to the man standing with his back to the wall before him; some things never change, he chuckled to himself.

  He remembered how he first met the man and his group. A group of vagabond militia from one of the oasis towns far into the desert had travelled with a merchant caravan to the larger nation to seek refuge and a better opportunity, only to end up poor and without anyone to rely on.

  He managed to snatch them up for a low cost, having them become his security team and replace the previous imbeciles. The owner smiled, remembering the first time he had seen the man before him knock a drunkard unconscious in a single blow, his little arm of men ready for a war just behind him.

  He had promoted him that night and never regretted it.

  “What’s on your mind, Kxan?t? I’ve known you for over two years now, and I can easily tell that you have something to talk about. Is it an issue with your investments again?” The owner smiled at his employee.

  “No. I… I just wondering about the matron.”

  The owner's smile faded.

  “What has that woman done now?”

  The guard quickly answered, seeing his boss’s mood sour. “Nothing. Same situation as always. Girls talk. Argue.”

  The owner stared at the man. Sighing, he spoke with his usual calm tone again. “That woman will always cause me problems, won’t she? And for future reference, I’m just wondering about the matron, or I just wondered about the matron. Both would be acceptable. You're getting better at our language, but if you want to become a merchant, small slips like that could reveal your origins during a deal.

  Want me to get one of the girls to practice with you?”

  The head of security shook his head, declining before he thanked the owner for the advice and offer. The owner only smiled in response, knowing that the man had understood his offer to be more than just a language lesson behind closed doors. The owner thought of a few other ways he could reward the man for his help in tailing the servant.

  “So, what has my wife been doing lately? Anything new since her public argument with ?a’?’ra?” The owner stood up and walked toward the window as he asked, looking through the slanted slits of the wooden frame to the hall filled with patrons below. Hopefully, today would bring more coins in than usual.

  “No issue. Not by my knowledge. However, she seemed upset today. Tamn?k told me she was looking at the office a lot. Maybe stop calling another woman to your bed?” Kxan?t’s tone turned blunt and laced with disapproval as his gaze locked onto the owner. They had had this conversation many times in the past.

  The owner’s smile softened and slowly turned to a frown as he observed the floor below. A table with nearly a dozen people was shouting and cheering as one of the evening staff brought a basket of freshly warmed, oil-soaked bread to the table along with a jug to refill their glasses.

  One of the men at the table had his hands on one of the floor server’s rears, likely not expecting the woman to drive her elbow into his stomach before storming off while calling him a dozen insults. The laughter of those at the table did little to ease the drunkard's embarrassment, though a refill of drinks, and they were soon all laughing again.

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  He caught Tamn?k wrapping his arm around another man’s neck as the security team member dragged a drunkard who had a few too many outside – likely to throw him to the street and tell him to come back with more coin when sober. It had taken Kxan?t weeks to get his team to say that whenever they threw people out, but they had noticed fewer rumours about mishandling patrons since.

  “It is more complicated than that.”

  “Often, the act of honour and the act of ease conflict.”

  The owner looked towards the man at the other end of the window. The piercing stare that caught his gaze was clear – he needed to settle this. The owner quietly sighed to himself, considering whether he should offer that reward or not. Breaking the gaze, he returned to the stool behind the desk.

  “Perhaps you are right. I have been neglecting my adoring wife recently. Though I worry how ?a’?’ra will react when she learns the head girl has something she doesn’t. I’ll buy her a few more bangles if she causes a racket.”

  “You spoil her.”

  “You spoil your men.”

  The two men smiled at each other, neither saying anything further on the subject. The two enjoyed the silence for a while, the owner looking at his ledger again, and the security head looking out the window at the people below. Eventually, the security head spoke up.

  “Have the charms all been sold?”

  “They have. And we will not be discussing them again.”

  The owner stopped smiling at the question. He had been worried about the business and accepted a deal to sell the magick charms to a few of his more trusted visitors, but the less it was talked about, the better.

  They both knew the risks involved with selling illegal charms without the temple’s approval. Thankfully, he had only brokered a deal with a liaison and not the charm maker themselves – even he was not that crazy for profits. His mood now worse, he scowled as he opened his mouth to speak. His tone was far less measured than before.

  “Changing the topic, how is the head of our kitchen doing? I haven’t seen him in a few weeks.”

  “Haven’t seen him.”

  “Maybe you should visit.”

  “Doesn’t like others in his area.”

  “A quick visit won’t hurt.”

  “He will yell me out.”

  “Tell him I sent you.”

  “Still shout.”

  “Then remind him he is not the master of this house!”

  The owner’s command silenced the room. His employee stared at him in surprise, not expecting the outburst from their casual exchange.

  “Ar-”

  “Remind him that he is allowed certain leniencies only because he has the skill to provide the coins for me to ignore small issues. Since he has had no problem with reducing the kitchen’s income, I am sure he will have no problem with a polite reminder.

  You can even let him know that if he doesn’t want to hear it from you, I can send his little girlfriend down to drag his oven-scented hands to my office, and he can talk to me directly.

  Am I understood?”

  The owner glared at the other man, his fierce look sending a shiver up the man’s spine before forcing the tall man to break eye contact and offer a meek reply.

  “I-I will go speak to him.”

  “Send my wife to me once you’re done. You are dismissed.”

  The head of security quickly straightened his back as he turned to the door, the same creaking sound echoing on his exit as it did upon his arrival, before the room returned to silence.

  The owner leaned back in his chair as he released a heavy sigh.

  The head chef used to be far more skilled at making money; however, ever since he had started a casual relationship with the head girl, the kitchen had taken a drop in both profits and revenue.

  Originally, he hadn’t cared about the pair; the head girl still brought in nearly one-fifth of all the money in the house, and business continued to grow slowly. But as soon as he realised their relationship was bringing his business problems, it needed to be addressed.

  “Breast-hungry imbecile.”

  His eyes rolled to the left, looking at the spot where he kept his hidden safe with the additional ledgers to cross-check any mistakes and hide his other ventures – away from the Temple’s prying eyes and scribes.

  If he were honest with himself, the loss of coins was negligible for what he was making. If he were more honest, he felt disappointed – disappointed in himself that the man he trusted had failed him – he should have controlled the kitchen better.

  “Twenty years, and I’m still making apprentice mistakes. You’re letting these brats walk all over you, old man. We can’t have that now, can we?”

  The owner quietly whispered, barely breaking the silence as he chuckled a question to himself, his mind already forming a dozen ways to tighten the leash on the horny old dog living in his kitchen.

  A cold glint began to crawl its way out from the black of his eyes. If a visit from the head of security wasn’t enough of a hint for them to pull their numbers up, then…

  ***

  Knock. Knock. Knock.

  The sound of his wife rapping her knuckles on the wooden door eventually drew his attention away from his thoughts. His gaze returned to the door and softened as he spoke loudly.

  “Enter.”

  The door silently opened as the matron poked her head inside.

  “I was told you wanted me to come up. Is everything okay?”

  “Come inside, I want to talk to you.”

  The matron stepped inside fully before closing the door with a creak behind her. Her head hung low as she avoided her husband's gaze. When he didn’t speak after she was inside, she gingerly raised her head to see him gesture for her to approach. Walking up to the desk, she moved past the window and glanced down to see one of the girls leading a man towards the stairs.

  The knot in her stomach grew heavier. It was a pain she had grown used to after all these years, but not one she was able to ignore. She looked away from the young skin and smooth hair, remembering the days when she could have given all the girls a challenge without having a single doubt.

  Those days were long gone.

  “H-how can I help you?” With one of her hands nervously fiddling with her hair, spinning it around her calloused fingers, she addressed the man who meant everything to her.

  Her husband stared at her without answering. After nearly a minute had passed with neither speaking, he sighed.

  “Huh…I heard you had some trouble with the girls yesterday, and today I heard people talking about you being in a low mood.”

  “I am doing well, but thank you for che-”

  “I’m not done.” The owner’s curt tone interrupted her practised reply. “Come here.” He rapped his finger twice against the desk, half an arm's length away from him. His eyes followed her movements.

  She hesitantly approached him, slowly stepping closer, one foot at a time, until she was standing directly in front of him with her head hung low and tears threatening to fall from the corner of her eyes.

  Ever since the previous day, that woman’s words had been circling through her head on repeat. Despite trying to distract herself, she couldn’t prevent the image of her husband embracing that woman from burrowing into her thoughts.

  Why? Why was she like this? Why did she feel so betrayed? She knew it was her fault; she should have been faster when he called. She should have been prettier. Should have tried to make herself more useful – then he wouldn’t have had to do that. Yes! It was because she wasn’t good enough. She needed to try harde-

  A hand dragged her forwards and down, another hand spun her at the waist as she landed in her husband’s lap with a yelp. Wrapping her arms around the nearest thing she could, she found herself face to face with the man she loved.

  His cool eyes, strong features, and thick lips greeted her.

  “You’re overthinking things again, aren’t you?” His voice spoke softly.

  She didn’t reply, only feeling her cheeks brighten.

  “My silly heart. Did you let that viper’s words affect you, you know I don’t care for her. She is just one of my employees, nothing more. You, on the other hand…”

  The matron opened her mouth to speak, barely a whisper escaping her nervous lips.

  “Do you still love me?”

  Without hesitating, her dashing husband stole her lips as his arm pulled her closer into his body. She felt the rough hair on his beard itch against her cheek as her eyes reflexively closed, the tears disappearing like the darkness at dawn.

  “Of course I love you… only you. I thought you’d never doubt that. You know that, don’t you?”

  A relieved smile and fawning voice replied.

  “Yes. I know that. I love you too.” She felt the arm around her waist pull her in a little tighter as his other hand slowly slid up her leg to her knee.

  “Good. I don’t have anything else to do tonight, so why don’t you stay here and we’ll tell each other everything we love about the other. I’ll start.

  I love that beautiful smile you have when it’s just us. Yes! That one right there. That’s the smile I love. Come closer so I can see it better.”

  The owner’s eyes stared at his wife’s face as she closed her eyes to enjoy the moment, kissing him as he held her in his arms. His hands pulled her tighter still as he let his strength paint the image of his affections. He did this every time his wife grew too upset, and each time, a single thought went through his head.

  When will this woman stop causing him problems?