"Jezeren paced the room while awkwardly jumping into her clothes. "Damn it, damn it, damn it, damn it! It's all coming back to me now." She threw her bags over one shoulder, and her bow and quiver over the other.

"Oh yeah," Ajax said. "I remember now. We lit the Count's house on fire."

"And the church next door," Vido offered.

"Right. And the church next door. That was a bad idea."

Jezeren swiveled on her heel and jabbed Ajax directly on his nose. "You ass! It wasn't an idea! It was your idiocy that started that fire. We already had what we were paid to lift."

Ajax threw his hands up in defense. "Hey. Don't blame me. We're a team."

Vido backed a few steps away from Ajax.

"You tried to steal a chair made of solid gold and knocked over a lit candelabra while trying to drag it outside!"

"Who leaves candles lit when they're not home?"

"I hate to interrupt a one side argument," Vido said, who was staring out the window at the gathering crowd. "But the whole mob with torches and nooses thing is more pressing at the moment."

"Um...pardon me," came a voice from outside their door, followed by a polite knock. "May I have a word?"

Jezeren eyed her compatriots with uncertainty. "Who is it?"

"Oh, terribly sorry. I'm Sniffy, the innkeeper. On behalf of the Lilted Daisy, I very much apologize for any complications you may be experiencing in your stay, but I'd just like to have a quick word if I may."

Jezeren nudged Ajax, who cracked the door and peered out.

The inkeeper, or Sniffy, who stood barely over five feet high, and almost five feet wide, wiped his hands nervously in a soiled washcloth. "I can assure you I am quite alone."

Ajax let him enter the room while staring after him to make sure he wasn't being followed or part of some trap. He closed the door once he felt the innkeeper was being honest.

The three companions exchanged puzzled looks.

"Go on," Jezeren said.

"Well, miss. I'm sure you're quite aware of the large gathering outside."

"We are."

"Right. Well, it is a messy bit of business and one I would very much like to clear up in a timely and quiet manner."

"And what makes you think that has anything do with us?" Ajax asked.

"Perhaps you haven't seen the sign?"

"Sign? What sign? What the hell are you talking about?"

The innkeeper motioned to the window.

"Yup, big ol' sign right there," Vido said. "Give us the goblin, the girl, and the scruffy guy in Room 12. Even got some kids hitting pinatas that look like us. There goes your face, Ajax."

"Shit. This town is quick." Jezeren said.

"Quite," agreed Sniffy. "It's a sleepy town. We of course get a lot of less than reputable travelers such as yourselves, but any real excitement is rare so they make an event of it."

"Then you guys really must have loved when I set the church on fire!" Ajax said. Vido rewarded his comment with a kick to the shin, and Jezeren a slap to the back of the head.

"To the matter at hand," continued Sniffy. "I would very much appreciate it if the three of you would gather your things then make a hasty escape."

"Escape?" Jezeren asked. "As in run away? As in you're not trying to turn us over to the very angry crowd?"

"Oh my, no. I'm not from around here and I've only been running this inn for about six months, and it's reputation is of the highest importance to me. What kind of innkeeper would I be if the conclusion of your stay here was death? You're travelers. You get around. Nobody knows about the existence of this place in most of the world, but when they hear about it I'd like them to hear 'The Lilted Daisy! Now that's a place to stay! You certainly wouldn't be hung, tarred feathered, draw, quartered, spit on, and lit on fire as long as ol' Sniffy is running things!'"

"And which of those thing was going to happen to us?" Ajax asked.

"All of them. Now please follow me. There's a hidden room at the book with a window. Just toss the rope out the window and climb down. I've had the stable boy grab your steeds, and as he'll kick open the back gate for you once you're ready to go. Now gather your things. Please do so in a hurry. They knocked gently a few minutes ago, but I'm certain the next knock will be somewhat more aggressive."

"This is a weird town," Ajax said, while throwing everything he could into his satchel, whether it was his or not.