DWC June 2026 - Day 5 - Prey/Abundance
The vault in Ori’s townhouse stood open. An abundance of colorful gemstones rested in black velvet-lined trays spread across a nearby table. A few small bags sat beside them where she had been sorting pieces for her upcoming trip, while the larger stones had already been packed into an open metal lockbox secured with a combination lock.
She was extremely cautious with those gems, not just because of their value, but because some could be recognized by certain people in the city. Namely, the people she had stolen them from, the appraisers who had catalogued them, and the insurance companies that had already paid out claims on them.
Trips like the one she would soon be taking were the best way to move such items and ensure they ended up far from the city.
She took other precautions as well. Most pieces sat in her vaults for decades before she even considered selling them, the time didn’t matter, it wasn't as though she needed the money. She never sold items that had been taken together, either. One gem might remain in storage for a century before being sold alongside another that had only been sitting there for thirty years.
A light flashed inside the vault.
Someone was in her house.
Rising smoothly, Ori stepped out and closed the vault door before swinging the display panel back into place. The shelves mounted on it showcased her own jewelry collection, hiding the entrance completely.
Walking out of her room, she headed toward the stairs. The sound of familiar voices drifted up from below, and a smile tugged at her lips. Shaking her head, she wandered into the kitchen, where two women were already laying out food and assembling the ingredients for mojitos.
“You do know this is my house, right?” Ori asked. “Which means you probably shouldn't just walk in.”
Zindravara and Zubrette exchanged a glance before bursting into laughter.
“Like you knocked when you walked in on Zhathras?” Zubrette asked.
Ori held up a hand. “Look, I apologized for that. How was I supposed to know you'd just gotten back from the field with a gorgeous man in tow? Besides,” she pointed a finger at her cousin,“I own your townhouse.”
The grin she directed at the tiny apricot-haired paladin was positively wicked. Zhathras was downright delectable, and Ori had no intention of passing up opportunities to tease Zubs about him.
“Whatever,” Zubrette said. “When have we ever needed to knock before? Do you have a man upstairs?”
Zindravara immediately started toward the staircase.
Ori settled onto a stool at the kitchen bar. “Go ahead,” she said. “Explore.” She never brought men here. If she wanted to take someone home, she used her apartment instead.
The mage sighed dramatically, and Ori caught the roll of Zindra’s dull green eyes behind her dark glasses. “You need to start bringing men home,” Zindra complained. “How are we supposed to gossip about you? You used to have lovers over.”
“I did,” Ori replied, “and then they started showing up without invitations and running into each other. It's easier to just go home with them.”
It would have been funnier if it weren't true. She and her partner at the time had maintained an open relationship, but Zealis had nearly killed a man he found leaving the townhouse one morning. Zea was long gone, she hadn't seen him in more than a century, but the incident had permanently altered how she handled her love life.
“So...” Zindra said, returning from her inspection of the stairs. “What's this about a trip? Zubs said you want some of her things to sell.”
Ah, that was what this ambush was about. “I am going to take some merchandise out through the gate, travel the road, and sell it.” The sarcasm dripped from every word. Ori loved her cousins and tolerated their inquisitive, protective natures with remarkably little complaint.
Zubs slid a plate of mini quiches and a melon mojito in front of her. “And the guy?”
“What guy?” Ori asked, picking up a bacon-and-asparagus quiche.
“The guard you hired,” her youngest cousin replied. “You mentioned him and said the trip might be interesting. Then Uncle Landanis saw you with a man at Pennick’s shop, and Pennick said you were talking about a trade trip with him.” She pointed accusingly. “So. That guy.”
Silvermoon was far too small sometimes. What were the chances that one of the city's most sought-after fashion designers would happen to visit the tailor while Ori was getting Val fitted for a suit? Since she disliked outright lies, she decided to lean into the truth. “That is the man I hired to guide me on the trip. I expect I'll have to attend at least one social function, so he needed a suit.”
Zindra raised an eyebrow. “Since when have you worried about attending parties alone?”
“Never,” Zubrette answered for her with a smirk.
Ignoring her, Ori sighed. “Normally? Never. But I'll be traveling and conducting business with people I don't know. It doesn't hurt to have the man I hired to guard me nearby.” And she couldn't wait to see Val wearing that suit. The man was striking enough in worn clothing and working leathers. In tailored formalwear? Dangerous.
“Tell us about him,” Zindra said. It wasn't a request.
Ori briefly considered telling them it was none of their business, but that would only make them more curious. Brushing her black hair behind one ear, she relented. “I met him at Fancy Cakes a couple months ago. We talked about his work. He has expertise with weapons and even offered to evaluate that piece I bought from the Bloodrain estate sale. When we met again a few weeks ago, I mentioned wanting to leave the city for a while. One thing led to another, and we discussed me hiring him as a guard.”
The discussion had covered far more than that. They had spent an entire afternoon together walking through the city, talking, sharing coffee. He had actually offered to let her hire him. Ori had been genuinely surprised, and certainly wasn't going to say no. She wanted to know him better, and several weeks on the road together seemed like an excellent opportunity.
A lime hit the back of her hand. Ori looked up to find Zindra smirking. “Azeroth to Ori. Are you still in there? What is he like?” the mage pressed.
“I assume you know what he looks like if Goldensorrow's uncle saw him.” She glanced at Zubrette, who stuck out her tongue at the use of her house name before nodding. “I don't know much about him,” Ori admitted. “Only that he's well qualified and very private.”
The statement was meant to end the conversation, instead, it had exactly the opposite effect which should have been expected. “So,” Zindra said, “you hired a tall, broad-shouldered, muscular, rough-looking man with long red hair to be your guard despite knowing very little about him? That doesn't sound like you,” Zindra continued. “You don't hire people without proper vetting. It took months of estimates and contractor meetings before you redid the tile around the pool.”
Zubs immediately joined in. “You spent almost six months interviewing candidates before hiring a landscaper.” A grin spread across her face. “And he was tall and broad-shouldered too.”
“I am absolutely telling Zhath you were checking out the lawn guy.” Ori mock threatened.
“Like he'd care,” Zindra shot back. “She's completely gone for him.”
Zubrette shrugged shamelessly. “You're right. I am.”
The unapologetic streak she shared with Zubs made Ori smile. It was one of the things Val said he had noticed about her the first time they met. Most people would have considered it a negative trait, he had seemed to view it as a compliment. Or something close to one, it was often difficult to tell exactly what Val liked.
“We talked,” Ori said. “I felt he was more than qualified, so we started planning.”
“And?” her cousins asked in perfect unison.
They weren't letting her escape, and they were her closest friends. “And,” she admitted, “I'm interested in him.” Before they could ask further questions, she held up a hand. “Yes, he's everything you've already said. But there's just... something about him.”
“Is it because he's private?” Zindra asked. “You usually aren't interested in the strong, silent type.”
Ori nearly choked on her drink, strong, silent type. That was exactly what Val was, she’d simply never thought of him that way. “Not really,” she said after recovering. “I can't quite explain it. I enjoy his company. He's intelligent, and he has fascinating insights into things.” She raised a warning finger. “And yes, I am attracted to him.”
That was when Zindra's expression became serious. “Is attraction really the best reason to hire him? What if he's terrible at being a guard?”
“He isn't.” Ori said confidently.
“Have you checked his references?” Zubs asked.
Ori shook her head. “I didn't ask for any. This is more instinct than anything else. I just know he is undoubtedly a more than competent guard.”
Her cousins exchanged a glance, the they looked back at her worriedly. “This doesn't sound like you, Ori,” Zubrette said carefully. “At least not the post-Zealis version of you.”
“I know what I'm doing.” She said with a frown, she didn’t want Zea’s memory involved in this at all. “I appreciate the concern. I really do, but trust me on this. I'll leave you our travel plans, and I'll text you regularly.”
Zubrette studied her for a long moment with those all-knowing golden eyes before finally nodding. “Good enough. You usually know what you're doing. Just be careful, alright?” A faint smile tugged at her lips. “And I don't just mean physically.”
Ori met her gaze. “Will do.” The answer came easily, whether it was entirely true was another matter.
( @daily-writing-challenge )
( Mention of @tealribbons )
