90^th of Dusk, 102

Draven Vale poked at the slab of steaming fish on his plate, studying it absentmindedly. Several greens surrounded it, chopped and spiced potatoes bunched up in a small pile as well. The smell was incredibly appetizing; however, he had no such desire to eat it.

“Are you even listening? Draven?” Baron asked.

The young boy looked up. “What is it?”

Baron nodded to his right, where Selene Vale, Draven’s cousin, sat. She was tanner than Draven, just like her father. Draven’s father, Lucian Vale, gave him his more pale complexion. Most wouldn’t believe he and Selene were related. She, four years his senior, should have had his role, had she not been born a woman. She gave Draven an annoyed stare. “We have the smithing center now, they conceded.”

Draven gave her an approving grunt. “Not bad.” She shook her head dismissively.

“Have you sorted out the inn?” Baron asked.

Draven nodded. “Handed it off to Alfon this morning.”

“Are you going to miss it?” Serene asked with a grin.

“Uhh…yes. I—I enjoyed the company. But it’s in good hands.”

Baron finished his mouthful. “A long chapter of your life done…how are you feeling? Do you feel prepared?”

Draven paused, staring at his plate. “I feel…that this is a long time coming for me.”

Baron nodded. “For all of us.” He turned to his daughter. “Selene, how is it coming with the sedatives?”

“I visited the apothecary in the Gilded Tier. He said it’ll be ready by tomorrow; he needs to let the bleakroot cook overnight.” She eyed Draven. “It’s going to take you out for a while; you might wake up the day after the ritual, maybe even later.”

“Nothing I can’t handle,” Draven said.

“I heard you beat a Sentinel badly,” Selene remarked, taking a drink of her ale. “How’d that feel?”

I still have a headache. “Easy. I was shocked at how weak he was…though maybe I’m just that good.”

“Had a good teacher, eh?” Baron joked, flashing his eyebrows.

“You should’ve seen him,” Draven said to Selene, motioning towards Baron. “He took my guy’s partner on a leisurely stroll.”

“Oh,” Selene chimed, “is this true?”

Baron nodded. “Yes. He gave me respect, so I showed it back.”

“He gave you respect?” Selene questioned.

“He did. To be honest, I was shocked by his behavior. I could never say there was ever a Sentinel I didn’t despise…until I met him. He seemed like a deeply damaged man.”

“You could say all of them are,” Draven noted. “Bunch of maniacs.”

“This one seemed rather conscious. I didn’t mind him.”

“After the ritual…I’ll make sure to bloody them up good, and send their bodies to Evalor—or what remains of them.”

Baron finished his mouthful. “It certainly can be done.”

“You think they fought in Kamvel?” Draven asked.

“The one I spoke to did, and yours?”

“He looked my age, probably too young. I’ll make sure to tell him he’s had this coming. I’ll tell him of my father.”

“I’m sure your father is waiting for you to target someone else.”

“I know. And he has it coming…let them all come. After I butcher their allies…let them all come. Let Jon Drayton come, so I can kill him myself.”

Kael peeked his head slightly to the side of the door of the Maiden’s Wing inn. It was midday, so the number of customers was less than at night. His eyes shot to the counter. A young man manning the desk, one couldn’t quite recognize. The Sentinel opened the door fully and stepped through. He fixed his eyes on the stand-in innkeeper, whose attention was under the counter. He seemed to be writing something—but either way, he hadn’t noticed Kael’s entrance.

Expecting some kind of reaction, Kael continued to march towards the desk. Eventually, the innkeeper finished whatever he was occupied with and then faced the direction Kael came from. When he noticed the Sentinel, his eyes didn’t falter. The innkeeper gave a respectful bow of the head. “Welcome back, sir. Can I help you?” Is he faking it, or does he not know?

“Where’s the one who usually runs this place?” Kael asked.

“Master Vale? Yes—he passed down the ownership to me…I’m very grateful.”

Kael furrowed his brow. “What does he plan to do next?”

“Err…well…I’m not sure. Maybe he’s joining his family to help with the guild? He didn’t brief me on his next plans…”

“Will you be staying in contact with him?”

Alfon’s eyes went up. “Well, I’m sure he’ll come to visit every now and then.”

Kael turned around, scanning the rest of the room. His eyes fixed on the courier who sat in the corner of the inn, wolfing down a meal. The courier made eye contact with Kael for a split second before averting his gaze nervously. The Sentinel walked over and took a seat on the opposite side of the small round table. Opposite him, the courier stared at him anxiously. “The innkeeper, Draven Vale, can you tell me about him?” Kael asked.

“Oh, Vale? Well, let’s see…what do you want to know?”

“How often was he here?”

“Well, he usually worked night shifts—when it got busy—but…he’s been here more often as of late.”

“What does he do when he is not here?”

The courier raised his eyebrows. “Well…I couldn’t tell you. He probably goes to his family down south.”

“The guild.”

“Yes, the guild.”

“And what is the guild’s business here?”

“I don’t believe they have business here…Vale has been running this inn for a while, I don’t believe it’s guild-affiliated. He’s a good man, you know…doesn’t need to work—with how his family is set—but he does.”

“Hm.” This man doesn’t know much.

“Sentinel,” a voice said from behind Kael, in a low tone, “I may have the answers to your questions.”

Kael jerked his head around. Behind him stood a hooded older woman, eyes piercing and distraught. “Who are you?” he asked.

“We should speak somewhere else…I would be a great help to you in your investigation.”

After a short walk south, down Main Street, the Sentinel and the woman who went by the name Edith arrived at what would seem to be her home. Placed in the center of Tairos, her home was not far from Kallo’s, and it was just as fancy. She brought the Sentinel around the home into the courtyard, where the two sat beside a small table on a veranda, light rain dripping off the roof. It was a rather serene setting, reminding Kael of his family’s home in Kirklen.

“Would you like some tea?” Edith asked.

“I would not. Let’s begin. Who are you?”

“Edith Heron, sister of Victor Heron—whom I’m sure you know by now, was murdered.”

“Yes. I am aware of that fact.”

Edith looked somber. “When I found out that Sentinels had arrived in Tairos, I immediately started looking for you…But I couldn’t make my intentions clear. The Red Covenant has an eye over this whole city.”

“What do you know about them killing your brother?”

She grimaced. “He had refused to work with them. He told me what they wanted—they needed the Tairos Hall, presumably for the undercroft.”

Kael’s eyes narrowed. “Undercroft?”

“Yes…few know of it, aside from the keepers of the Hall. It’s an old chamber under the hall—Victor, he was sure that it was what they were after. And when he refused them…” Her voice began to break. “That was when they killed him.”

“What is in the undercroft?”

“Victor was only there once…it’s an empty space, but there are old runic characters inscribed along the walls. It’s ancient, most likely built before our Lord came.”

“Who built it?”

Edith fidgeted with her hands. “I don’t know, but Victor had a theory. He thought it was built by the founder of the Covenant.”

Kael’s eyes widened. “Aluger Sangros?”

“Yes. The Red King. This whole city…it was built by them. Years ago, far before our kind took over.”

“What was it built for?”

“I don’t know. Neither did Victor. But he said it looked like a ritual chamber…a vast ritual chamber.” Her fist tightened. “Whatever they’re planning on doing…it cannot come to pass. You cannot let it come to pass. Something tells me they have been planning this for a long time, and if they succeed, this city—no, our nation—will be in great danger.” She bit her lip. “They are godless brutes who know nothing but violence and bloodshed. They need to be purged, like they were in Kamvel. Valdora cannot rest until every single one of them is killed…for they will always find a way to bring about carnage.”

A pause ensued. Kael took a breath. “Is there anything else you know?”

“The 92^nd. That is whe—”

“I am aware of when they plan to do this. Is there anything else?”

“I…no. Just, please, make them all pay for what they did.”

“Yes. I will take you to my partner.”