The thing about work is that sometimes you had to just buckle down and do it. Then there were times where you got to sail to the next closest island while you searched for more corpses. Vivian was on the bow of the schooner, trying to get us closer to the next grouping of tiny islands.

  "A little bit further and we might be able to see if there are any on this Island," Martin said, steering us closer to the next suitably large island.

  He had somehow acquired the job of first mate by being available. It was a dreadful thing that, putting him where he might be useful for anything except for his body. Though, I suppose that using his body to steer could help.

  "The setup for this event was insane," Stuart said. "So many islands and they wanted us to hide their tokens all over the place. It took me a day and a half to setup. They they just dropped them all randomly around the islands and made them swim to the nearest one. Some of them didn't even make it to the shores I believe."

  Martin flashed a grin. He'd been asking about the setup. He knew something, it was pretty clear but who ever his previous employer was had been short on specifics.

  I wasn't part of the setup so I couldn't answer those questions, but it was pretty clear that he was interested in the business. Stuart did all the negotiations for the Blood maiden company and Vivian did a little details because he couldn't be bothered.

  But me? I was a muscle. I was a talent. I was definitely not a personality hire, something. I heard a lot from the humans that interacted with. Humans would hire other humans because of something about their personality just jived correctly. Ever since I became single again, I had not been worried about making an impression with anybody. I was pretty upfront about who it was and what I did.

  "You just... How did... Should I be taking notes about this?" He was slack jawed.

  Stuart was still approaching, grin on his brownie face. He looked elated that we were done with at least this island.

  "There are five more big islands," I said. "Vivian if you're done dealing with your intestinal issues, can you tell us if any of the islands we're close by have any more..."

  Vivian held up a hand and an arc of purple flame lanced out towards the nearest island. Five seconds later, we changed directions.

  "There's only three there but it's been a day. Stay frosty," Vivian said.

  There was always the chance that one of the contestants wasn't dead or had decided that there was another way out. That way was usually starvation on a distant island. Seriously, the mainland was half a days sailing away, even the strongest of fae wouldn't make it back. That is unless I could get underwater and that was one of the things that we've been told by Stewart we had to look out for. But I wasn't going to be looking for that.

  He paid me enough that I was happy to do this job but not enough to look out for Fae with gills. After all they wanted leave this place alive, they probably wouldn't have signed up for the trial. But that was not my problem.

  "Hey, just so we all are aware this is according to the maps the larger island that has labyrinth on it. So if you see a spectral figure trying to urge you towards something just avoid it."

  Vivian rolled her eyes. I knew enough about ghosts to not try and track one down. If one came to me in confidence, I might help him out but that was highly unlikely.

  There was a time and place for ghosts and it was not when I was around and at someplace else. Those were the right places.

  "Ghosts, huh? I've heard of this labyrinth. This is something that the Summer Court takes care of?"

  I was pleasantly surprised to see Martin on my side. He offered me a full mug of ale.

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  "Vivian told me which one was your favorite and I was getting thirsty so I thought I'd get one for you and one for me."

  I grabbed the first one and downed it and then reached out for the second. Just clocked at me for a moment before sighing and shaking his head. The second mug was just as delicious as the first.

  "Thanks," I burped. "Though you really should have gotten something for yourself."

  I handed him both empty mugs. He still looked shocked though I can't imagine how human women did things. Did they not eat, drink and live merry lives?

  "I..." He sighed.

  He returned back to get his own drink this time beginning to drink on the way back to me. He handed me my third ale which was perfect for the time of day, due to the fact that Stuart had made some ice for us. He didn't have a lot of useful powers but this one? I would give my left big toe for it. Cold drinks on a hot day? That may work a lot easier. Shouldn't mean that I was ready to throwing the towel any sooner but as soon as we had land I will be ready to go.

  "This one is for you and this one is for me," Martin said returning and keeping one close to his chest. We'll extend. The other one is far away as he could. He would only have to learn that lesson once.

  "Thank you so much."

  We ended up close to the shore before I could even get comfortable. The islands here were in a very circular pattern. It wasn't a complete circle according to whatever map we've been given, but it was as close to one as they could have done without making it all by hand. Even for somebody with the men's magical power, this would have been a ridiculous feat of will.

  It wasn't just that they'd pick this place out. The summer court was very concerned with their image and this place was the spitting image of Summer. Or at least it was the image that hadn't sold in so many books I had read as a young girl.

  All I really needed was a spear and a giant crab fight in order to make the whole thing realistic.

  Giant crabs weren't really a thing around here because they tasted too good when cooked and or boiled up but I could hope.

  "So we haven't talked about what you need but I assume you want me to tag along. Is that correct?"

  "That would be lovely. Way to stay on my good side. Keep bringing me cold ale and you're liable to stick there long-term."

  "I don't think that I want to make the strong fae woman mad at me, so I think I'm just going to do what you say."

  I smiled at the man with the funny words. "The hard part is just getting everything on the shore sometimes. But with you? Well I'll have no issues."

  They anchored the schooner close enough that we could grab a rowboat. Honestly was close enough that I could just toss the cart down and use it from there, but we were going to want to get it back up easily and even as I went down there, there was a rope that we'd attached to the schooner that let us pull back the rowboat if the person was tired and quickly on the run from something on the land.

  If there was one thing being chased by a giant serpent taught you, it was that you had to be prepared to make a quick exit disposal of the bodies was not a standard precaution, but the summer Court had insisted upon it. We were not in a place to argue. We are at a good place to make a profit if we do this fast enough.

  Vivian had given us very good directions. Two of the remaining markers were off to our right from where we landed and the other one was slightly off to the left. They wanted to get as close as possible and using the markers helped you figure out where things were. So either all three of these people were close enough there to be able to see them or I would have to do a little bit of walking. Either way I had help and this island and some of the other one didn't, a little freshwater pond in the middle.

  Fresh water out here in the middle of a salty Sea was a godsend. I made a mental note to see if we could swing by it on the way back. If we didn't see it on the way in boo, we're going to have to refill our waterskins, especially if the sun kept trying to murder us.

  It took us 5 minutes of walking to find the remaining three. Unfortunately for me, they'd all been choked out and it looked like it had been early on. No signs of blood and it had been almost too long for me to get anything useful from them without cutting them up like a science experiment. I was pretty sure that no one would care but fresh blood was the thing I needed. I was counting on something. I grabbed each one's tracker and placed it in my bag.

  Lifting the corpses app was easy. I work with two of us. He grabbed the arms and I grabbed legs and even though it had only been three by the time we were done, I felt like he was actually helping me out this time.

  Doing it all without any more thrill I could spend. Felt odd. Like I was holding back before but now I could not go faster unless I really really wanted to.

  "So this is what you do all the time?"

  "Well not all the time. Sometimes he's a little bit more to it than this but this is how the summer court does selection so I will take this weather as much as I can."