Spoiler
Lilura, senior detective, often waved off any concerns that Alethin had gone missing. Whenever the Black Market was only a day later than they had calculated, magi students from the Keep flocked to her office. It was a large room, carved into the very back of Synara City’s police headquarters and decorated with the most recent maps and Rose Imp statuettes. A large black wood desk stood across from the door. Papers and files cluttered Lilura’s side of it, while the other side was bare save for a lacey red placemat and an empty tea cup. Today, that cup was filled with a calming brew for the brown-haired mage that sat in the chair across from her.
“Tell me again what happened,” Lilura said as she fetched her notepad from a desk drawer. Quill in hand and inkwell open, she made eye contact with the younger woman and nodded.
“I was headed towards Remy’s when I thought I heard a sound – like a whisper – coming from a nearby alley. There was a flash of lantern light and once it faded, well, that’s when I noticed the note on the wall.” Her voice was quiet yet determined. Lilura presumed the woman had been a mage for a long time.
“What did it say exactly?” The quill scratched furiously against the parchment paper.
“Exactly? I couldn’t say. The whole thing burst into flames the second I’d finished reading it,” the mage answered. Here, her eyes twinkled with uncertainty. “It said that Alethin believed someone had informed on him and that he needed help figuring out who that was.”
This caught the detective’s attention. She raised her head from her notes to further scrutinize the woman. Round features save for the sharp jaw and chin, slate grey eyes, and wrapped in a translucent cloak that appeared to be made of rain drops. The wavering candlelight sent rainbows tumbling from the sheer fabric to the stone floor beneath them. Lilura read her notes again.
“So, he’s not missing?” she asked after a momentary silence.
The water mage shrugged. “If he wrote the note and delivered it to me, I suppose he’s not.”
Those words struck her hard in the chest, but she could not determine why. All she knew was that this case was much more unusual than all the others that had come her way before. All the ones relating to Alethin, that is. Was he missing? Or was this his way of seeking revenge on those who wronged him? After all, if he never found them, he’d never be able to let Adela sink her fangs into them.
Loath as she was to admit it, she’d known Alethin for several years. Before her days as a detective, she would often visit with him to admire his wares and, occasionally, purchase them. She thought back to her Ruby Wyvern, Rosa, awaiting her at home. A parting gift from Alethin when she’d announced to him her intention to join Synara City’s law enforcement. Not a gift exactly, but he’d given her a rather generous deal on the egg.
“Well?” the woman asked.
Lilura stood and reached out an ink stained hand. “I’ll take the case. Thank you for coming in today, Miss…?”
“Solstice,” the mage said as she shook the detective’s outstretched hand. Then she turned and strode out of the office. The hem of the cloak fluttered with ethereal grace just before the door slammed shut, blocking the strange garment from her view.
***
The first place Lilura thought to look was the usual location for the Black Market. She rode her Ash Gryphon across plains and rolling hills, over the Keep, and finally landed him on a worn-out path crossed with bramble vines. He stretched out his wings to their fullest then tucked them at his sides. The detective stroked the soft feathers atop his head.
“Wait for me here,” she said.
He made a squawk of annoyance but, once she produced a few treats from the inner pocket of her riding cloak, he quieted down. A joyful crunching accompanied her steps until she’d put enough distance between herself and her Gryphon that she could no longer hear him. By then, the sun was sinking in the sky. She weaved her way through overhanging tree branches as the path twisted along. Finally, she reached the manmade clearing.
Dead leaves lay across the grass, undisturbed save for a gust of wind here and there. No signs of Alethin’s wagon – no trash, no ruts in the dirt. Lilura paced the length of the clearing a few times, contemplating her next move. If there was no physical evidence at the usual meeting place… Well, she didn’t know the route he took to the Keep so her best bet was finding someone who did. Easier said then done, of course.
With a sigh, she wound her way back to where she’d left her Gryphon. Her mouth was dry and her throat burned from the assault of the wind on the ride from Synara City so she decided to stop for a quick drink before heading back to her office and finishing up her reports on more local crimes.
The place she headed to was best described as a large shack. Its roof spiked up into the evening clouds. Lilura assumed the building must have had at least four floors, or perhaps just a ceiling higher than she was accustomed to. A sign hung from a post out front: Remy’s Inn.
Upon entering, she was greeted by the smell of meat cooking and ale. A portly man stood behind the front counter with a tankard in front of him. He smiled at her and waved her forward. Behind him, she noticed several shelves packed full of eggs. Some of them, she’d never seen before. She crept forward, glancing around the rest of the main room. A massive fireplace, little round tables, long rectangular tables, too many chairs to count, and, above all, a cheerful and plentiful clientele.
“Welcome, traveler!” the man behind the counter said. “Can’t say I’ve seen you round these parts before. I’m Remy, owner of this fine establishment. What can I get for you?”
“My name is Lilura,” she replied, taking a seat on one of the nearby barstools. “I’m from Synara City and don’t often have the occasion to come here.” She looked about again then leaned in towards Remy. “Don’t suppose you’ve heard any interesting rumors lately?”
He chuckled, voice booming above the already deafening white noise of patron chatter. “I may pick up a tidbit of gossip once in a while.” He winked.
“Alethin. Have you heard of him?” Lilura asked.
The man’s expression darkened. “Just what the kids say.” He drained the tankard in front of him and set it somewhere below the counter. Ale froth hovered just above his upper lip until he licked it away. “Hasn’t been around in a while. Good riddance.”
“Not a likeable guy?” She laughed.
“Hardly. Makes most people around here uneasy.”
Lilura nodded to herself. “I presume he must have a lot of enemies then.” She kept her tone casual. People like Remy tended to clam up if she made herself seem too interested in what they had to say.
“Oh, that goes without saying!” Remy’s facial features became light and joking once more. “He’s had run ins with all sorts of nasty people.” He paused, thoughtfully stroking his beard with his hand. “Now that I think of it… I believe one of his more current…rivals, if you will, can be found just down the road from here. Klara.”
***
Less than an hour after the conversation with Remy, Lilura found herself outside a small yet official looking building. Just above the main double doors were the words Trading Post. The woman inside looked a perfect fit for her place of employment. She wore navy and purple robes and had her blonde hair tied up in a tight bun. Just like at Remy’s Inn, there was a front desk with exotic eggs situated in organized racks behind it.
“You must be Klara.” Lilura extended her hand and waited for the woman to take it. “I’m a detective from the Synara City police department. May I ask you a few questions?”
She huffed. “I’ll bet that creep from the Artificer Shop sent you. How dare he! He sends his cronies here at all hours of the day, sniffing around for a tip on my wares. Trying to one up me. And they never buy a thing, you know.” She stalked around a while before fetching a scroll from the back room. “Here, officer, this is a log of who has been in my shop and any notes of their conversations. If I found their words out of the ordinary, of course.”
Lilura scanned through the notes section, finding only a record of what appeared to be two hooded men discussing Adela. Heading to the Keep’s gardens? Why? She was tempted to fly over there right away to search for any possible clues, but Klara’s suspicion towards the Artificer Shop owner was intriguing. The store would be closing soon, as night had already fallen. She’d have time to search the gardens later.
She wished Klara a goodnight then ran out down the street. When she reached the shop, the light was still on. A bead of sweat rolled down from her brow and her chest heaved. Her Ash Gryphon made a noise like laughter as if mocking her for not thinking to ride him and cut the travel time in half.
“Ah, Miss, the shop is soon closing, please hurry with your selection,” the shopkeeper said.
Lilura apologized and showed her badge. The man paled. He sat down on his stool behind the counter, watching her with sharp green eyes as she inspected the immediate area. She ignored the uncomfortable feeling of being watched so closely and stooped down to examine a glimmer that caught her attention. A black scale was half shoved beneath a shelf. She pinched it between her fingers, rubbing them together to familiarize herself with the texture.
“I suppose Adela has been in here,” she said, fixing him with a stern look. Fear. It wasn’t her favorite tactic but she knew it was the best way to work with people labelled as creeps and criminals. “But a snake doesn’t open doors, does it? And only a single scale? You must have cleaned up the rest.”
“Anyone could have a snake.”
Lilura nodded but made no reply. She crawled around on the floor, looking for more clues – possible scuff marks, signs of struggles. There was nothing.
“Give me your records,” she said. He hesitated a bit too long but did as he was asked. She skimmed them, going all the way back to just before the Black Market was due to arrive. “So, you deny that Alethin was in here before his apparent disappearance?”
“Yes. Er… Maybe he was here recently…”
She pointed to Alethin’s name printed neatly in a column with the date of his visit written next to it. “He was. Back in February, just before he was due to set up shop. Purchased a pack of lightbulbs from you, apparently.”
“I remember, I think,” the shopkeeper said.
“Good, good.” She brought out her notebook and scribbled in it furiously, trying to catch up on all the observations she’d made and information she’d learned. “What did you two talk about during his visit?”
“How should I remember?” the man asked. He seemed to be trying to gather his wits and withdraw from the questioning.
“Because he wouldn’t come here just to buy something he didn’t need,” she replied. “You argued, didn’t you? And that’s why you don’t want to tell me. You had a hand in his disappearance. You think that if you say you can’t remember, you’ll get me off your trail. What you fail to understand is that I am the only one who can protect you. So, you’ll tell me everything about this plot or I’ll have this shop torn down. Looking for clues. It’s just business, you understand.”
He sighed. “Alright. I’ll tell you. But I need your word that nothing will happen to me.”
“Of course,” Lilura said.
The shopkeeper began weaving his tale. “Alethin came here to warn me off of going after a new creature he’d found. Just hadn’t figured out how to retrieve the egg yet, I guess. That’s it. He probably did the same to all the other merchants in the area. So, I sent my assistants to go snooping at Klara’s and Remy’s. They came back knowing nothing. But some of them, after a while, seemed overly concerned with that snake of Alethin’s. I overheard them talking about seeing her around. They sounded nervous. Later on, Remy came for a visit. After hours. He asked about what I knew and I said nothing but he gave me a couple thousand on the condition that I wouldn’t say anything. That’s it. If anyone knows what happened, it’s him.”
***
It was too late in the night for Lilura to return to Remy’s to question him. She would have to come back in the morning. As she made her way back to her Gryphon, she noticed a shadow, slithering into a nearby alley. She conjured a light and followed but, almost instantly, it was put out. The sound of snake scales on cobblestone echoed in the darkness. She stood still even as she felt something brush against her boot.
“Lilura.” Alethin. She would have recognized that voice anywhere. Instantly, her body relaxed and she sighed.
“Where have you been?” she asked. “What happened?”
He laughed as he produced his own dim light, just enough for her to see his hooded form and the dark brown hair that hung in front of eyes she’d never seen. “I suspect I’ve been doing the same as you. My own research into the events that transpired last month. Never needed the help, you know. Just someone to check my work, if you will.” He laughed again. “We agree it was Remy?”
“I haven’t questioned him to the fullest extent but…” She hesitated then pulled out her notebook again. “Tell me your story, Alethin.”
“It’s as I said in my message, I was ambushed on my way to the Keep. Hooded men. They tried to keep me held hostage in some basement or another. Of course, they didn’t know about Adela. She’d attacked them – nasty wounds, I’d say – and freed me from my bonds.” He stopped and swiped his hair out of his eyes. “Now I’d seen those ‘assistants’ that run around doing the bidding of that man.” He nodded toward the Artificer Shop. “Exactly the same. Just the other day, I’d noticed a few of them had wounds matching what Adela had given my captors.”
“How did you connect it to Remy?” Lilura asked.
“The same way you did, I’d assume. The bribe. I always suspected that Remy regretted not taking the path I did,” Alethin said. “So, he played dirty to get the prize I was after. Not that I blame him. Once I get my hands on that egg, I’ll be a very rich man.”
Lilura tapped her chin with her quill pen. “I’ll still have to question him and gather all the relevant evidence.”
But Alethin was shaking his head before she had even finished speaking. He pressed something warm and round into her hands. By the dim globe of light hanging between them, she could see the ruby sheen of the egg and a jagged outstretched wing. “Shhhh.” She didn’t know how, but she knew he was winking at her. “You’ve found your missing person. Case closed.”
“Tell me again what happened,” Lilura said as she fetched her notepad from a desk drawer. Quill in hand and inkwell open, she made eye contact with the younger woman and nodded.
“I was headed towards Remy’s when I thought I heard a sound – like a whisper – coming from a nearby alley. There was a flash of lantern light and once it faded, well, that’s when I noticed the note on the wall.” Her voice was quiet yet determined. Lilura presumed the woman had been a mage for a long time.
“What did it say exactly?” The quill scratched furiously against the parchment paper.
“Exactly? I couldn’t say. The whole thing burst into flames the second I’d finished reading it,” the mage answered. Here, her eyes twinkled with uncertainty. “It said that Alethin believed someone had informed on him and that he needed help figuring out who that was.”
This caught the detective’s attention. She raised her head from her notes to further scrutinize the woman. Round features save for the sharp jaw and chin, slate grey eyes, and wrapped in a translucent cloak that appeared to be made of rain drops. The wavering candlelight sent rainbows tumbling from the sheer fabric to the stone floor beneath them. Lilura read her notes again.
“So, he’s not missing?” she asked after a momentary silence.
The water mage shrugged. “If he wrote the note and delivered it to me, I suppose he’s not.”
Those words struck her hard in the chest, but she could not determine why. All she knew was that this case was much more unusual than all the others that had come her way before. All the ones relating to Alethin, that is. Was he missing? Or was this his way of seeking revenge on those who wronged him? After all, if he never found them, he’d never be able to let Adela sink her fangs into them.
Loath as she was to admit it, she’d known Alethin for several years. Before her days as a detective, she would often visit with him to admire his wares and, occasionally, purchase them. She thought back to her Ruby Wyvern, Rosa, awaiting her at home. A parting gift from Alethin when she’d announced to him her intention to join Synara City’s law enforcement. Not a gift exactly, but he’d given her a rather generous deal on the egg.
“Well?” the woman asked.
Lilura stood and reached out an ink stained hand. “I’ll take the case. Thank you for coming in today, Miss…?”
“Solstice,” the mage said as she shook the detective’s outstretched hand. Then she turned and strode out of the office. The hem of the cloak fluttered with ethereal grace just before the door slammed shut, blocking the strange garment from her view.
***
The first place Lilura thought to look was the usual location for the Black Market. She rode her Ash Gryphon across plains and rolling hills, over the Keep, and finally landed him on a worn-out path crossed with bramble vines. He stretched out his wings to their fullest then tucked them at his sides. The detective stroked the soft feathers atop his head.
“Wait for me here,” she said.
He made a squawk of annoyance but, once she produced a few treats from the inner pocket of her riding cloak, he quieted down. A joyful crunching accompanied her steps until she’d put enough distance between herself and her Gryphon that she could no longer hear him. By then, the sun was sinking in the sky. She weaved her way through overhanging tree branches as the path twisted along. Finally, she reached the manmade clearing.
Dead leaves lay across the grass, undisturbed save for a gust of wind here and there. No signs of Alethin’s wagon – no trash, no ruts in the dirt. Lilura paced the length of the clearing a few times, contemplating her next move. If there was no physical evidence at the usual meeting place… Well, she didn’t know the route he took to the Keep so her best bet was finding someone who did. Easier said then done, of course.
With a sigh, she wound her way back to where she’d left her Gryphon. Her mouth was dry and her throat burned from the assault of the wind on the ride from Synara City so she decided to stop for a quick drink before heading back to her office and finishing up her reports on more local crimes.
The place she headed to was best described as a large shack. Its roof spiked up into the evening clouds. Lilura assumed the building must have had at least four floors, or perhaps just a ceiling higher than she was accustomed to. A sign hung from a post out front: Remy’s Inn.
Upon entering, she was greeted by the smell of meat cooking and ale. A portly man stood behind the front counter with a tankard in front of him. He smiled at her and waved her forward. Behind him, she noticed several shelves packed full of eggs. Some of them, she’d never seen before. She crept forward, glancing around the rest of the main room. A massive fireplace, little round tables, long rectangular tables, too many chairs to count, and, above all, a cheerful and plentiful clientele.
“Welcome, traveler!” the man behind the counter said. “Can’t say I’ve seen you round these parts before. I’m Remy, owner of this fine establishment. What can I get for you?”
“My name is Lilura,” she replied, taking a seat on one of the nearby barstools. “I’m from Synara City and don’t often have the occasion to come here.” She looked about again then leaned in towards Remy. “Don’t suppose you’ve heard any interesting rumors lately?”
He chuckled, voice booming above the already deafening white noise of patron chatter. “I may pick up a tidbit of gossip once in a while.” He winked.
“Alethin. Have you heard of him?” Lilura asked.
The man’s expression darkened. “Just what the kids say.” He drained the tankard in front of him and set it somewhere below the counter. Ale froth hovered just above his upper lip until he licked it away. “Hasn’t been around in a while. Good riddance.”
“Not a likeable guy?” She laughed.
“Hardly. Makes most people around here uneasy.”
Lilura nodded to herself. “I presume he must have a lot of enemies then.” She kept her tone casual. People like Remy tended to clam up if she made herself seem too interested in what they had to say.
“Oh, that goes without saying!” Remy’s facial features became light and joking once more. “He’s had run ins with all sorts of nasty people.” He paused, thoughtfully stroking his beard with his hand. “Now that I think of it… I believe one of his more current…rivals, if you will, can be found just down the road from here. Klara.”
***
Less than an hour after the conversation with Remy, Lilura found herself outside a small yet official looking building. Just above the main double doors were the words Trading Post. The woman inside looked a perfect fit for her place of employment. She wore navy and purple robes and had her blonde hair tied up in a tight bun. Just like at Remy’s Inn, there was a front desk with exotic eggs situated in organized racks behind it.
“You must be Klara.” Lilura extended her hand and waited for the woman to take it. “I’m a detective from the Synara City police department. May I ask you a few questions?”
She huffed. “I’ll bet that creep from the Artificer Shop sent you. How dare he! He sends his cronies here at all hours of the day, sniffing around for a tip on my wares. Trying to one up me. And they never buy a thing, you know.” She stalked around a while before fetching a scroll from the back room. “Here, officer, this is a log of who has been in my shop and any notes of their conversations. If I found their words out of the ordinary, of course.”
Lilura scanned through the notes section, finding only a record of what appeared to be two hooded men discussing Adela. Heading to the Keep’s gardens? Why? She was tempted to fly over there right away to search for any possible clues, but Klara’s suspicion towards the Artificer Shop owner was intriguing. The store would be closing soon, as night had already fallen. She’d have time to search the gardens later.
She wished Klara a goodnight then ran out down the street. When she reached the shop, the light was still on. A bead of sweat rolled down from her brow and her chest heaved. Her Ash Gryphon made a noise like laughter as if mocking her for not thinking to ride him and cut the travel time in half.
“Ah, Miss, the shop is soon closing, please hurry with your selection,” the shopkeeper said.
Lilura apologized and showed her badge. The man paled. He sat down on his stool behind the counter, watching her with sharp green eyes as she inspected the immediate area. She ignored the uncomfortable feeling of being watched so closely and stooped down to examine a glimmer that caught her attention. A black scale was half shoved beneath a shelf. She pinched it between her fingers, rubbing them together to familiarize herself with the texture.
“I suppose Adela has been in here,” she said, fixing him with a stern look. Fear. It wasn’t her favorite tactic but she knew it was the best way to work with people labelled as creeps and criminals. “But a snake doesn’t open doors, does it? And only a single scale? You must have cleaned up the rest.”
“Anyone could have a snake.”
Lilura nodded but made no reply. She crawled around on the floor, looking for more clues – possible scuff marks, signs of struggles. There was nothing.
“Give me your records,” she said. He hesitated a bit too long but did as he was asked. She skimmed them, going all the way back to just before the Black Market was due to arrive. “So, you deny that Alethin was in here before his apparent disappearance?”
“Yes. Er… Maybe he was here recently…”
She pointed to Alethin’s name printed neatly in a column with the date of his visit written next to it. “He was. Back in February, just before he was due to set up shop. Purchased a pack of lightbulbs from you, apparently.”
“I remember, I think,” the shopkeeper said.
“Good, good.” She brought out her notebook and scribbled in it furiously, trying to catch up on all the observations she’d made and information she’d learned. “What did you two talk about during his visit?”
“How should I remember?” the man asked. He seemed to be trying to gather his wits and withdraw from the questioning.
“Because he wouldn’t come here just to buy something he didn’t need,” she replied. “You argued, didn’t you? And that’s why you don’t want to tell me. You had a hand in his disappearance. You think that if you say you can’t remember, you’ll get me off your trail. What you fail to understand is that I am the only one who can protect you. So, you’ll tell me everything about this plot or I’ll have this shop torn down. Looking for clues. It’s just business, you understand.”
He sighed. “Alright. I’ll tell you. But I need your word that nothing will happen to me.”
“Of course,” Lilura said.
The shopkeeper began weaving his tale. “Alethin came here to warn me off of going after a new creature he’d found. Just hadn’t figured out how to retrieve the egg yet, I guess. That’s it. He probably did the same to all the other merchants in the area. So, I sent my assistants to go snooping at Klara’s and Remy’s. They came back knowing nothing. But some of them, after a while, seemed overly concerned with that snake of Alethin’s. I overheard them talking about seeing her around. They sounded nervous. Later on, Remy came for a visit. After hours. He asked about what I knew and I said nothing but he gave me a couple thousand on the condition that I wouldn’t say anything. That’s it. If anyone knows what happened, it’s him.”
***
It was too late in the night for Lilura to return to Remy’s to question him. She would have to come back in the morning. As she made her way back to her Gryphon, she noticed a shadow, slithering into a nearby alley. She conjured a light and followed but, almost instantly, it was put out. The sound of snake scales on cobblestone echoed in the darkness. She stood still even as she felt something brush against her boot.
“Lilura.” Alethin. She would have recognized that voice anywhere. Instantly, her body relaxed and she sighed.
“Where have you been?” she asked. “What happened?”
He laughed as he produced his own dim light, just enough for her to see his hooded form and the dark brown hair that hung in front of eyes she’d never seen. “I suspect I’ve been doing the same as you. My own research into the events that transpired last month. Never needed the help, you know. Just someone to check my work, if you will.” He laughed again. “We agree it was Remy?”
“I haven’t questioned him to the fullest extent but…” She hesitated then pulled out her notebook again. “Tell me your story, Alethin.”
“It’s as I said in my message, I was ambushed on my way to the Keep. Hooded men. They tried to keep me held hostage in some basement or another. Of course, they didn’t know about Adela. She’d attacked them – nasty wounds, I’d say – and freed me from my bonds.” He stopped and swiped his hair out of his eyes. “Now I’d seen those ‘assistants’ that run around doing the bidding of that man.” He nodded toward the Artificer Shop. “Exactly the same. Just the other day, I’d noticed a few of them had wounds matching what Adela had given my captors.”
“How did you connect it to Remy?” Lilura asked.
“The same way you did, I’d assume. The bribe. I always suspected that Remy regretted not taking the path I did,” Alethin said. “So, he played dirty to get the prize I was after. Not that I blame him. Once I get my hands on that egg, I’ll be a very rich man.”
Lilura tapped her chin with her quill pen. “I’ll still have to question him and gather all the relevant evidence.”
But Alethin was shaking his head before she had even finished speaking. He pressed something warm and round into her hands. By the dim globe of light hanging between them, she could see the ruby sheen of the egg and a jagged outstretched wing. “Shhhh.” She didn’t know how, but she knew he was winking at her. “You’ve found your missing person. Case closed.”
