“I’m sure that’s not true,” Clary said as she walked into me. Clary bumped into me and kept moving. I could swear I felt her this time. I checked my bottom vest pocket but nothing. I checked my pocket on the other side and then my pants.

  “Did you do it?” I asked.

  “Inner breast pocket.”

  “No.” I gasped. I checked my inner breast pocket and felt the smooth river stone she had placed in there. She was getting very good. I wobbled it in my fingers, astonished that Clary’s clever digits managed to slip it in there without me noticing.

  “You’re getting really good, Clary. What else can you do?”

  Clary smiled at my compliment. She held up small deben ring. Her arm moved in a blur, almost like she just violently shook it. When she settled, she she said, “Check your hand.” while revealing a riverstone identical to the one I was holding.

  I gasped again as I saw the small deben coin that she replaced, “Clary,” I said amazed, “You’re becoming an excellent rogue.”

  “And from what I hear you’re becoming an excellent paladin.”

  “Don’t even get me started.” I sighed, “Someone else who hates me.”

  “Your goddess does not hate you, I’m sure.”

  “It doesn’t even matter if she does. This is the drawback of getting your power from a god. She gave it to me, so she has the right to take it away. Being a paladin fucking sucks.”

  “It’s given you a lot.”

  “It’s taken away a lot more.” I retorted.

  Clary joined me as I leaned against the wall to in front of the candy shoppe. She rested her head on my shoulder, “It’s interesting. Hiding in the shadows has made me a lot less shy.”

  “Why’s that?”

  “Because I get to choose the moment someone sees me. Choosing the right class meant everything to me. If paladin isn’t for you, it isn’t for you. I’m sure your goddess would understand.”

  I nodded, “Anubis stuck her neck out to make me a paladin. She’ll hate me even more for walking away.”

  She shook her head, “Nobody in your life hates you, Egen. We all want to see you succeed. It’s just… we want you to see us. And what we want.”

  “I do,” I said, “I do see what you want. You want to be a rogue.”

  I was nine and I was already having a midlife crisis. Clary was nine as well. She was already becoming proficient in being a rogue, “You still want this, right?” I asked her.

  “More than anything,” Clary said, “I am even looking into the thieves guild. They accept people as young as nine. Tiny hands are good for picking.

  “Nice.” I said.

  “What do you want?” She asked.

  “Hmmm.” I said, “I suppose I want… to get stronger.” I looked at my hands, remembering the power I felt when I was in the dog form. Could I even cast it now? What did Anubis do? I called the spell once again, “Underdog.”

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  A transformation took place. I could feel hairs growing from every pore. I still felt the heightened senses, but this time instead of feeling like I could leap over a building, I jerked forward, falling on my hands. Only they weren’t hands. They were paws now. I looked over at Clary and she was in black and white. She had her hands covering her mouth and then burst out laughing.

  “You’re a dog. An actual dog.”

  I barked, unable to speak. I ended the ability and turned back into a human, still on all fours, “I can’t be a paladin. I can’t keep relying on someone else for my powers. I have to take it into my own hands.”

  I examined my freshly remade hands. I thought back to my conversation I had with Yajaira. What was I good at? The paladin thing was convenience. My parents only had one avenue to help me learn magic, but if I were to make my own luck I’d have to say that it would be…

  “Magic.” I said, “It’s magic. I can manipulate normal spells with my Sylvan. Whatever uses magic the most, that’s what my class will be.”

  “Wonderful. There are so many.” She said, “You would excel at any of them.”

  I squeezed my hands together, “You make a good point.”

  “Well, go do it then!” She said, “Go be a magician! That’s expensive though. Even if people have magic abilities, if you’re not rich, you mostly just use it for party tricks. Few know magic. Fewer teach magic.”

  “Right,” I said, “I… can figure that out, I think.”

  I was a little worried. Clary was right, that stuff took money. Money I did not have. Would they let a nine year old run a quest? Would my mother ever forgive me if I took on another quest? I sighed, and looked at my feet.

  “You're right.”

  “I’m right about this,” And she gave me a soft punch in the shoulder, “And I’m right about everybody not hating you.”

  “One out of two ain’t bad.”

  I heard the pitter patter of a tiny jackal. I looked up and saw that Ynec had his meager belongings packed away, his bow slung around his back and his quiver full, a gift from the guys at the barracks. His jackal ran up to me and chewed on my sandal, I lightly kicked her away.

  “So.” I said, “Your quiver is full.”

  “Friends gave me at barracks.” Ynec said.

  “I'm glad to hear they were nice.”

  “I want to tell you why I leave.” Ynec said.

  “I know why you’re leaving.” I said, “You ha-”

  Clary elbowed me in the stomach and I stopped mid tracks, “Please. Tell me why you’re leaving.”

  “Chacali not all maneaters.” Ynec said, “Many believe it is bad for us. We kill few humans, they kill all Chacali. Some, though, believe in the God of Stomach. Jackal god who says we must eat all.”

  “Right,” I said.

  “Our tribe was not that. FatherFather did not believe that. But Father did. I remember being a pup. He made us eat people. Some jumped at chance. Those who didn’t either left or were eaten.”

  Clary looked like she was going to be sick. I kept my face neutral. I could tell there was a lot of shame in Ynec’s face and I wanted to seem supportive. I could throw up my lunch later.

  “Humans hate all of us. Some for good reason. Others… for bad reason. I am not welcomed here. But I want to return welcomed. I want to return a hero, like you and Junior Paladins.”

  “You want to… take down your father?”

  “I want him to see reason. But if not… yes. I want to track pack down, and take my place as chief. Please do not be mad, Egen.”

  I stared down at my feet. When I looked back up, I had a big ol’ smile on my face, “You shoulda told me you were dethroning someone! You know I love that shit!”

  I reached over and slapped him on the back, “Besides, you’re right. People here only know the Chacali that eat humans. I’m, sure there are others that think differently. Go find them. Learn their ways. Come back to the tribe a better man than your father. I know you can do it.”

  Ynec smiled at me, hoisted his fist up and said, “Nawkim.”

  I smiled back at him, pushed the fist away and brought him in for a hug, then I said, “I mean it when I tell people we’re brothers.”

  He embraced me back. We held each other because we weren’t sure when the next time we would hold each other again would be. Do’oc chewed at my heels and we finally broke.

  We released each other. Ynec grabbed his bag of stuff and yipped at his pet The jackal abided and he began walking toward the outskirts of town. I watched him go and shouted, “When will we see each other again?!”

  He turned back to me but kept walking. He lifted a clawed finger up and said, “One year. One year I make it back to Copper Ring of Skorwind.”

  “I’ll be here.” I said.

  And I watched him as he walked past the city limits. Clary came up and held my hand, providing me some support. Tears didn't’ come out. I wasn’t sad. I couldn’t wait to see Ynec come back a changed man.

  A bark rattled me out of my hypnosis. I looked up and saw a black basenji dog with soulful eyes staring right at me. I let out a sigh and said,

  “Okay. Let’s talk.”