grip.
I had only been driving for a few minutes when I realized I was starving. I pulled up to a McDonald’s drive through and ordered ten Egg McMuffins and a large orange juice. The cashier wanted to give me more drinks. I had to go back and forth with her a couple times to convince her all the food was just for me and I only needed one drink. I pulled into a parking space and in the next few minutes ate everything.
You have to pay for increased horsepower with worse gas mileage. It looked like my new body worked the same way. I was faster and stronger but I needed more calories. I wasn’t famished when I finished but I could have eaten a couple more breakfast sandwiches without a problem.
Salt Lake City isn’t that big of a town. After I got going again, it only took ten minutes to drive to the coin store, Rare Change and Medallions. There was only one person in the store. The instant he saw me he walked around the counter with a huge smile, his hand out for me to shake. “Welcome, you must be Victor Paladin. You look exactly like your great, great, great grandfather.”
I expected the guy to burst out into a ‘Ho, ho, ho.’ He resembled a miniature Santa Claus dressed in civilian clothes. He had a bushy white beard, red cheeks and nose, and comfortably large gut. He was tiny, barely five feet tall, and had a faint Irish brogue. He even had the round rimless glasses.
I had been paying so much attention to his looks that it took a few seconds for what he had said to penetrate. “You knew one of my grandparents?”
“One of your multiple great grandparents; his name was Regal.” When the tiny guy smiled, he was straight out of an illustrated story book; white beard, twinkly button eyes, and rosy cheeks, “I can see by your face you think the name is ridiculous, but your line has always preferred ‘majestic’ names.”
I told myself not to get my hopes too high, “Did you know my parents?”
His smile disappeared, he soberly replied, “No, I’m sorry I didn’t. I was briefed about the mix up when you were orphaned, but with ‘need to know,’ I wasn’t told anything about your mother and father. I can tell you a lot of stories about Regal. My name is Aidan Cahill.” As we shook hands, his expression brightened. “Please, please, let’s go downstairs where we can sit and talk more comfortably.”
Before I could ask more questions he turned toward the rear door and shouted, “Tim, come and take over the counter!”
A few seconds later an average sized blonde guy with the beginnings of a pot belly and thinning hair came in the room. He looked to be in his late twenties. His smile was so large that it almost broke his face, and he looked at me with something approaching awe. He ran over to where I stood, and with too much pleasure, grabbed my hand with both of his. “I’m Tim Hardy, Master Aidan’s apprentice. We’ve been without a paladin for almost a year now and it’s been a mess. I never expected our replacement to be a real honest to Jehovah ‘Paladin’. You’re just in time for the Redcap hunt. Oh my God, it’s such an honor!” he gushed.
“Thanks, Tim.” I glanced at Aidan with a what-the-hell’s-up-with-Tim look on my face. He nodded at me, chuckled, and jerked his head toward the door. I gently pushed Tim away from me. He didn’t want to let go of my hand. Luckily, Tim didn’t have magical strength.
As soon as I got away, I followed Aidan downstairs. The lower floor led to a hallway with multiple doors. Aidan opened the door to an office. He made his way around the large wooden desk to sit in a black leather office chair that must have been custom made for him. When he sat, he looked almost normal height. I sat in one of the two chairs in front of his desk.
Aidan appraised me. I calmly looked back at him. I got the sense it would be a mistake to underestimate him. He slapped his hands on his desk. “Now, I saw the look on your face when Tim was babbling. You really have no
I had only been driving for a few minutes when I realized I was starving. I pulled up to a McDonald’s drive through and ordered ten Egg McMuffins and a large orange juice. The cashier wanted to give me more drinks. I had to go back and forth with her a couple times to convince her all the food was just for me and I only needed one drink. I pulled into a parking space and in the next few minutes ate everything.
You have to pay for increased horsepower with worse gas mileage. It looked like my new body worked the same way. I was faster and stronger but I needed more calories. I wasn’t famished when I finished but I could have eaten a couple more breakfast sandwiches without a problem.
Salt Lake City isn’t that big of a town. After I got going again, it only took ten minutes to drive to the coin store, Rare Change and Medallions. There was only one person in the store. The instant he saw me he walked around the counter with a huge smile, his hand out for me to shake. “Welcome, you must be Victor Paladin. You look exactly like your great, great, great grandfather.”
I expected the guy to burst out into a ‘Ho, ho, ho.’ He resembled a miniature Santa Claus dressed in civilian clothes. He had a bushy white beard, red cheeks and nose, and comfortably large gut. He was tiny, barely five feet tall, and had a faint Irish brogue. He even had the round rimless glasses.
I had been paying so much attention to his looks that it took a few seconds for what he had said to penetrate. “You knew one of my grandparents?”
“One of your multiple great grandparents; his name was Regal.” When the tiny guy smiled, he was straight out of an illustrated story book; white beard, twinkly button eyes, and rosy cheeks, “I can see by your face you think the name is ridiculous, but your line has always preferred ‘majestic’ names.”
I told myself not to get my hopes too high, “Did you know my parents?”
His smile disappeared, he soberly replied, “No, I’m sorry I didn’t. I was briefed about the mix up when you were orphaned, but with ‘need to know,’ I wasn’t told anything about your mother and father. I can tell you a lot of stories about Regal. My name is Aidan Cahill.” As we shook hands, his expression brightened. “Please, please, let’s go downstairs where we can sit and talk more comfortably.”
Before I could ask more questions he turned toward the rear door and shouted, “Tim, come and take over the counter!”
A few seconds later an average sized blonde guy with the beginnings of a pot belly and thinning hair came in the room. He looked to be in his late twenties. His smile was so large that it almost broke his face, and he looked at me with something approaching awe. He ran over to where I stood, and with too much pleasure, grabbed my hand with both of his. “I’m Tim Hardy, Master Aidan’s apprentice. We’ve been without a paladin for almost a year now and it’s been a mess. I never expected our replacement to be a real honest to Jehovah ‘Paladin’. You’re just in time for the Redcap hunt. Oh my God, it’s such an honor!” he gushed.
“Thanks, Tim.” I glanced at Aidan with a what-the-hell’s-up-with-Tim look on my face. He nodded at me, chuckled, and jerked his head toward the door. I gently pushed Tim away from me. He didn’t want to let go of my hand. Luckily, Tim didn’t have magical strength.
As soon as I got away, I followed Aidan downstairs. The lower floor led to a hallway with multiple doors. Aidan opened the door to an office. He made his way around the large wooden desk to sit in a black leather office chair that must have been custom made for him. When he sat, he looked almost normal height. I sat in one of the two chairs in front of his desk.
Aidan appraised me. I calmly looked back at him. I got the sense it would be a mistake to underestimate him. He slapped his hands on his desk. “Now, I saw the look on your face when Tim was babbling. You really have no
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