"What do we know so far?" Dyie gave the four of them a look as if he were assessing their reactions. He currently held the notice Genon took from the piazza. "Genon?"

"Well, I'm not quite sure about the healer part, but I assume it's some sort of divine spellcaster of sorts." Genon reached for a cookie from the center bowl of the conference table. "I mean, if His Majesty wanted a healer, I'm pretty sure he has the best clerics in the kingdom. This one in the notice must be someone more unique."

Dyie took off his glasses and turned in his seat to face the arched windows lining the wall behind him. He shook his head. "This is going to be messy."

Blaze blew a breath. "Yeah, no shit. I saw Geralt and his band raid one of the apothecaries yesterday, demanding them to flush out their medics and alchemists before taking them hostage. I bet they're halfway to the mainland by now."

Dyie rubbed his temple. "Archii Varlen's men have always relied in force to do the job. Who's to say the other Archii won't send their own to do the same in every shop that has anything related to horticulture and medicine?"

If human ears could perk up, Sirius's must have. His gaze remained at the space between him and the others. He listened for now.

"And when all our medics and clerics have been taken, who will be left to administer and tend the wounded then?" Dyie placed a hand over his mouth.

The notice was open to everyone, but it also spelled trouble and chaos to those who wanted peace.

"This healer," Castellone got their attention, "I'm not sure if you're familiar with the late queen."

Genon snapped his fingers and pointed at him. His yellow eyes grew wide at the mention of it. "Queen Alessah had that kind of mahiqa."

Castellone nodded. "Her mahiqa could mend any type of wound, the most serious ailments, restore lost limbs." He paused before proceeding. "And it was also said that it could prolong a life or grant immortality."

Blaze scoffed. "Immortality? I don't think so."

Castellone shrugged. "Scholars were the ones who assumed. Although, nothing of the sort has ever been proven in records so no one really knows whether it's true."

"Based on what you've said, we are to assume the High King is seeking this ability?" Sirius spoke. "For personal interest?"

"That's one way to put it."

Genon bit the treat. "If that's true, something doesn't make sense. Why would he search outside the mainland when the person could be in the mainland? Isn't mahiqa limited to royalty?"

Blaze crossed his hands behind his head. "One of the many mysteries of this world."

Dyie stood and faced them. "Let's say what Llone said is true. We need to prevent trouble occurring on clerical grounds. Do what you think is best at the moment. Steer clear of suspicious people, but be alert of them. They could mean danger."

He eyed each of them. "Assume this healer lives in our city, if you see suspicious activity, don't engage and report to me first. Then we'll see what we should do from there."

What exactly do you plan to do the minute we identify this person? Sirius was about to ask, but remembered to keep anything related to the healer to himself for now. He didn't want to raise unnecessary flags to arouse suspicion.

"And the reward? We plan to take the reward, right?" Genon raised. "Imagine the things we could build, we could improve, with this money."

"This amount is tempting. It's even more tempting for thugs and..." Dyie paused, a thought dawned on him.

"What?" Blaze asked.

The Archii shook his head. "Well, let's hope the High King doesn't send his own mercenaries to do the job."

Nothing more was said after that. Their silence adjourned the understanding of their mission objective.

Dyie left the room first to perform his duties. Duties to improve several public works that would prevent unwanted traders from visiting without a permit. Among Rastite's Archii, he was probably the sole department of infrastructure. Right now, he had plans to retrofit the aqueducts and adjoin the main road that would serve as expressway for anyone visiting and leaving the city. It was also something that Genon took interest in as he followed the Archii.

Sirius glanced back at Castellone who was following behind him. The others have already gone ahead, leaving them behind. "This mahiqa the late queen had, does it have any limitations?"

"Yes," Castellone didn't take long to answer. "It's only limited to females."

"You seem to know a lot about this stuff." It was an observation.

Castellone glanced to the window. "I like to read."

Castellone's nonchalance hid that fact well enough. He would definitely make a good poker player.

With a nod, Sirius went ahead. At least Castellone gave direct answers unlike Saihme.

Soon, the task at hand led him to an empty balcony of a former warehouse. No one had been in the building for a while now. And with small raids happening around the city, Sirius decided to watch from a vantage point.

The difference between him and the bounty hunters was that he knew exactly who to look out for. His position was ideal. Not too exposed to the people around. Not too secluded that he couldn't reach trouble in time either. It saved a lot of time watching over the person the High King may be searching for.

He could see the Gardener's Patch from his station. At street level, it was a shop that rented one of the spaces in the emporium. People walked around, but it wasn't too crowded that he could miss anyone suspicious.

From inside the Gardener's Patch, two forms emerged from the counter.

Caltha and another girl, who worked at the shop with her, were arranging dried herbs and plants according to type and function. They labeled the names and what they were used for.

He couldn't hear what they were talking about, but they had smiles on their faces as they spoke.

He rarely saw her that way. She laughed. Like all the problems in the world abandoned that small circle of mirth.

He tilted his head. Caltha never laughed that way when he was around. The smile that lingered on her face was illuminating.

He found himself staring. She didn't like it when he stared, but she wasn't anywhere near him for that reminder. So, he indulged himself. Seeing her that way brought a kind of peace. At least for now that humble shop at the edge of the district was not the focal point of intrusion.

He leaned against the wall before sliding down to sit, cross-legged. He closed his eyes. The slightest sound of sparrows chirped from a distance. Odd that he could hear the bird. What he wanted to hear was something nestled in the walls of the shop below, of feminine laughter.

But naps are good too.