Terms specific to this fantasy world have been changed to Earth/American equivalents below.

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Jana returned to alphabetizing the books, moving on to a third cart now that the first was finished. Not long had passed before the door slammed open again. She made an irritable mental note that they should make that door heavier so people would stop bursting into the room so boisterously.

“What’s new, buttercup?” a man cheerfully said, followed by a gasp.

Jana looked over in time to see Ven nearly tripping over himself to get to Vikenti’s side. At Ven’s appearance, Vikenti’s back went whip tight and he shot up.

“Fuck no,” Vikenti growled. “I’m not about to—”

“Lieutenant Shaw, my favorite lieutenant of them all!” Ven exclaimed, collapsing onto Vikenti’s back and hooking his arms around the older man’s neck to stay upright. With the difference in their ages, of Vikenti at forty-seven and Ven at thirty-six, they could have passed for an annoyed uncle with a rowdy nephew.

“Did you miss me?” Ven asked happily. “I’ve missed you. I’ve kept the lights on at my home, should you ever decide to stop by. No need to be afraid of—”

Vikenti’s olive complexion flushed a deep red. “I never said I was afraid of the dark! Fuck’s sake, you leeching vermin, why you ever had to publish such a bald-faced lie—”

Ven chuckled. “Come now, no need to be embarrassed. Lots of people fear the dark.”

“Like I said, I never said—”

“What else ails you, LT? I can devote all my time to fixing it for you.”

Vikenti shoved Ven off him roughly. The younger man stumbled and fell against the table. Besin and Cora let out twin harrumphs at the papers shifting, but they otherwise ignored the spectacle while they both continued to read.

“Find someone else to interview!” Vikenti burst out angrily. Jana shushed him again but this time he totally ignored it. “I don’t see why I have to be designated to your sorry ass when we have public info people for a reason—”

“Yes, yes, but he’s not nearly as fun.”

“Listen. I’m not interested in your bullshit when you misquote me anyway—”

“Did you hear that, everyone?” Ven looked around the room innocently. “Lieutenant Shaw just told a reporter from the Circle that he enjoys our time together and wishes to have more sessions, so he can fully explain his point of view without any distractions or misinterpretations.”

Vikenti was nearly crimson now. “I said nothing of the sort!”

Ven grinned broadly and pulled a quill out of a bag, along with a scrap of paper. “Tell me, Lt Shaw: what is it that plagues you at night? I’ve been thinking of writing an exposé on what it’s like to be a Lt in HQ. Not many are assigned such an illustrious post—”

“This is why I fucking hate reporters—”

“Would you both quiet down?” Besin cut in. “It’s making it difficult to concentrate.”

“Fine. I’ll leave.” Vikenti started to walk away but Ven stepped into his path to cut him off.

“What are you doing in the library anyway, Lieutenant Shaw? Are you following up on a lead for the mysterious bodies I hear have been popping up lately?”

“Oh, for fuck’s sake,” Vikenti growled, pinching the bridge of his nose and squeezing his eyes shut. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Yes, you do. I heard there are three bodies floating around the morgue right now and no one knows how they died. Word is, you’re the one assigned the case. So? Anything you want to say to the adoring public?”

“I have nothing to say about any of this. Goodbye.”

Vikenti tried to walk away again and once more Ven stepped in his way.

“Get out of my goddamn way,” Vikenti hissed.

“No,” Ven said with a wide smile. “Not until I get my scoop.”

“There’s no fucking scoop to give! For fuck’s sake, leave me the fuck alone!”

“Ohh?” Ven drawled. “Then you won’t mind me looking at what these two are studying so diligently over here…”

He started to peer around Cora’s shoulder. Vikenti stepped in his way even as Cora swatted Ven’s reaching hand away and Besin glared at the two, demanding once again that they be quiet.

After a few more seconds of Hunter tinkering and Cypress finishing his jerky, Hunter swore vehemently and set the stone on the floor. He stared at Cypress so intently that it was nearly a glare.

Cypress smirked. He kind of enjoyed seeing his brother at a loss. Made up for all the times he acted holier than thou toward Cypress.

Hunter could apparently read his thoughts once again because it became an outright glare. “Shut up.”

Cypress gave him a shit-eating grin and pushed himself to a stand. “Told you we’d need that part. I need to get the other piece, anyway. They’re doing the deal at Road’s End, right?”

“Yeah. Will you be fine on your own?”

Cypress scoffed. “’Course I will. Will you be fine here on your own?”

Hunter’s eyes narrowed. “Of course I will.”