Alaric stared at Joji with open confusion. Thirty barrels of gold sat around the vault, marked with charcoal, waiting like they had been promised a miracle.
He did not see the miracle yet. He only saw a vault and a locked door.
"Don't just stand there like an idiot. Start hauling," Joji said, already rolling the first barrel into place.
Alaric still did not move. He raked his fingers through his hair in frustration, then finally bent his knees and shoved.
The barrel scraped and rolled. Another followed. Soon all thirty were lined up where Joji wanted them, shoulder to shoulder like soldiers.
Joji turned on him with a stern face.
"Alaric. I will show you a secret only the two of us should ever know. Just you and me," Joji said.
Alaric saw that look. Joji only wore it when the enemy was real, the kind of real that wore steel and did not bleed. Alaric nodded, serious now.
Joji raised his hands. Reality rippled like a disturbed lake.
