Chapter 34: Don’t Bring a Knife to a Gun Fight [Bonus]

Chapter 34: Chapter 34: Don’t Bring a Knife to a Gun Fight [Bonus]

Daniel stood up. Slowly. Casually. He didn’t look at the muscular man. He didn’t look at Baron. He just looked at Lyra and Fluffy.

"Go to the town gate," he said. His voice was low. Quiet. Only they could hear. "Wait for me there."

Lyra’s eyes widened. "What? No. I’m not leaving you."

Daniel didn’t look at her. He kept his eyes on the muscular man, who was now gently placing Baron on the floor.

"I forgot to mention something," Daniel said. "The bond makes me in charge. You have to follow my commands."

Lyra shook her head. "I refuse."

Daniel smiled. A small, tight smile. "Carry Fluffy. I’m going to distract him. Go to the town gate. Wait for me there." He paused. "That’s a command."

The moment the words left his mouth, Lyra’s body moved. On its own. Against her will. Her arms reached out and scooped up Fluffy, who let out a small squeak of surprise. Lyra’s legs carried her toward the door. Her face was a mask of shock and fury.

"What are you doing?" she hissed. "Stop this! Daniel! Daniel!"

But she couldn’t stop. Her body wasn’t her own anymore. The bond had taken over. She moved through the tavern, past the tables, past the staring patrons, past the muscular man who was too focused on his young master to notice.

Daniel watched them go. He saw Lyra slip past the muscular man. He saw her reach the door. He saw her disappear outside.

Then he turned his attention to the muscular man.

The man straightened up. His young master was on the floor, still conscious but groaning. The man’s hand rested on the hilt of his sword. His eyes were fixed on Daniel.

"Hi there, dude," Daniel said, waving. "How are you doing?"

The man’s face twisted with rage.

"You bastard!" he roared. "You lied to me! I’ve been running in that damn desert for hours! And there wasn’t anyone there! I got lost because the only thing I could see was sand!"

While he was talking, Daniel glanced toward the door. Lyra and Fluffy were gone. Good.

"My young master sense was tingling,"

"young master sense?" Daniel said with a teasing tone.

"Shut up"

"alright my bad, you may proceed"

the man continued. "I could sense it. The direction. I ran and ran, and then finally I reached this town. When I got here, the young master was still on the floor. I picked him up and started asking the people around nicely for your location."

"Nicely?" Daniel interrupted.

"Shut up! If I wasn’t nice, I would have broken more than one bone!"

"We have different definitions of nice."

"Shut up!"

"Okay, okay. Sure. Please continue."

The man blinked. He seemed to lose his train of thought. "Huh. Okay. Where was I?"

"Young master sense tingling," Daniel offered.

"Oh, right. Thank you. My young master sense was tingling. Then I could sense the direction. I ran and ran, then finally reached this town. When I got there, the young master was still on the floor. I picked him up and started asking the people around nicely for your location."

"You already said that part."

"Shut up! I forgot where I was!"

"You were at—"

"Shut up! Why am I even telling you this story?"

"Why are you asking me that?"

"Shut up!"

"But you asked me a—"

"I said shut up!" The man’s face was purple with rage. "You lied to me and beat up my young master! Am going to kill you!"

Daniel tilted his head. "You know, that’s a really dumb reason to kill someone."

The man drew his sword. The blade was long and sharp, gleaming in the firelight. He pointed it at Daniel.

"You’re going to die," he growled.

Daniel sighed. He reached into his inventory space.and summoned his two pistols.

His fingers closed around the familiar grip of his Golden Jack pistol. He pulled it out and pointed it at the man.

"Haven’t you heard?" Daniel said.

The man stared at the gun. At the strange, metallic object in Daniel’s hand. He didn’t know what it was. He didn’t understand what he was looking at.

"Haven’t I heard what?" he asked.

Daniel smiled. A cold, dangerous smile.

"Don’t bring a knife to a gun fight."