By the time the two reached Tyman, the sun had just disappeared over the horizon. Ellie had been to Tyman once in her life, when she was six years old. Her family had come here for the funeral of some relative she’d never heard of. She knew that she had relatives from her mother’s side here; quite a few of them in fact. But those relatives probably wouldn’t be able to recognize her now, nor she them. Even if she could find them, she wasn’t sure she wanted to try and ask them for help. She’d heard all kinds of foul things about her mother’s brothers and sisters, and not the sorts of things you repeat in polite society.

This was a big part of why she’d decided not to ditch Chevias once she got to town back in the forest. Ellie was having a little trouble keeping up with him though. She followed him as he wound his way through back alleys and over fences to find the exact inn he wanted to go to. She had asked him why he was so fixated on this particular inn and why he didn’t want to take the main road through town as she toed around a suspicious looking puddle.

“Ellie, witches aren’t exactly the most…welcome in human towns. When I am in them, I have to skulk around so I don’t cause a scene. I only take the main road if I have to. And as for why this inn…let’s say I’m a friend of the owner. It’s not the ritziest place, but it’s safe and has the best stew.”

“Ok, I guess….”

They had to travel several blocks into twisting and turning alleys until Chevias finally stopped outside of a rundown building that was tucked away in the recesses of Tyman. It was a two story brick building. The front two windows were boarded up, there was broken glass next to the doorstep, and a sign dangled above the doorway with a faded painting of a keg on it.

“Chevias this is a bar, not an inn. A seedy one at that.”

“Was. It was a bar. Now it’s a house and the owners are willing to give shelter to those who can pay for it. It’s quite, under the table, and has low standards. Come on.”

He stepped up and banged on the door loudly. It was immediately followed by a man’s voice saying, “Comin’, comin’!”

The door was opened by a burly man with a thick mustache. His eyes landed on Chevias and his face fell, “Oh. You again.”

“What’s with that tone?”

“I was hoping I wouldn’t have to see you again for another few months. And every time you show up, that little blue haired one shows up not a month later and chats my family’s ears off.”

“Please, are we not you’re most valued customers?”

“Depends on your meaning for the word valued. Whatever. Come on in, supper’s almost ready.”

Right before the man turned away, he spotted Ellie standing behind Chevias, “What the-? Witch, are you aware you’ve got a little girl behind you?”

“Hello.”

“This is Ellie. I met her on the road. We’re heading in the same direction, so we stuck together.”

The man’s bushy eyebrows scrunched together before he knelt down to look Ellie in the eye, “Sweetie, is that right? Do you know this man?”

“I’m standing right here.”

Ellie nodded, “Yes, it’s true. He’s being very nice and letting me stay with him on my way home.” The man started at her for a moment more, as though trying to tell if she was lying, before getting up and motioning them inside.

“Wanda, put two more bowls out!”

Ellie grabbed Chevias’ sleeve before going in and whispered, “I thought you said you were friends with these people? They don’t seem happy to see you.”

Chevias paused to pick his wording before responding, “They’re willing to let me sleep in their house and eat at their table. That’s as close to a friend as a witch can get in towns like these.”

He went in and Ellie hesitantly followed. The house was cozy enough, despite the fact that you could plainly tell from the architecture that it was once a bar. The bar top had been turned into a dining room table, and a kitchen was set up behind it. An older lady and a young woman were busily working behind the bar while three little boys and two girls of varying ages were setting up the table.

Every one of them looked up quickly at them as they entered before ducking their heads and continuing their task. The man reentered the room from upstairs with a tin canister, “If you’re here instead of camping out in the woods, I assume you can pay?”

“Of course. How much?”

“It’ll be fifteen skives for you and five for the girl.”

“…That hardly seems fair.”

“You’re a witch, and she’s a human. I don’t tell you how to do your business; you don’t tell me how to do mine. Now can you pay or not?”

Chevias grumbled something about racism and dug the purse full of goblin-gold out of his bag. He picked out the twenty coins and dropped them into the man’s palm. He almost recoiled at the blood sticking to them, but managed to drop them into the tin.

“Get to the table.” Then he bumbled up the stairs, no doubt to hide or lock up the money.

Chevias walked over to the bar and took a seat on the very end. Ellie looked nervously at the members of the man’s family as they started sitting down to. With all of them plus Chevias seated, there was only room for two more people. Ellie sat down between Chevias and the young woman, who turned out to be rather pretty; sixteen at most. She smiled sweetly at Ellie, “Hi, I’m Mary. You said your name is Ellie, right?”

She nodded as Mary turned to Chevias, who was drumming his fingers looking bored and hungry. “And Chevias! You seem to be doing well. And it’s not often you bring a friend.”

At the sound of his name he snapped to attention and smiled at her, “Yeah, I’m about the same as always. How are things here?”

“Same as always.” As she said that, a bowl of hot beef stew was put in front of them, along with a slice of bread and a cup of water. Ellie started to gratefully dig into it, making up for her somewhat sparse lunch. The man of the house finally came back down stairs and took his place at the other end of the table. Chevias and Mary continued to chat between bites. Ellie wasn’t sure whether they actually liked each other or were just being friendly, but she got the feeling that Mary genuinely liked Chevias on a casual friend level. As for Chevias’…she could tell he just wanted to eat and go to bed.

However, they kept up the conversation just the same. Much to, Ellie noticed, her father’s annoyance. “Oh, but you’re lucky you didn’t get here yesterday!” Mary said, “Whenever we have witches here it’s usually one or two at a time. But last night six stayed here!”

Chevias choked on his stew, “Six?!” He put down his spoon and looked at her with confusion, “There were six witches here?!”

Mary nodded enthusiastically, “Yeah, and rumor has it that more have been roaming around for a while.”

“How many more?!”

“I don’t know. But a lot of people saw them loitering on the main road and skulking around the entrances to town. I heard one person say that they’re everywhere right now!”

Chevias frowned, “…Why?”

Mary leaned in, “Oh, you know how witches are. They won’t tell anyone what they’re doing here, not even the policemen. I was hoping you would know.”

Suddenly her father spoke up, his voice booming, “For Marta’s sake Mary, stop it! The less we know about witches, the better. No good can come of meddling with them.”

“Father!”

Chevias started to scarf down his food as quickly as he could and motioned for Ellie to do the same. She followed suit after she realized that a big fight was starting.

“You’re always like this! Talking every shady character’s ear off as soon as they step through the door!

“Why do you have to be so rude?! He’s a paying customer who’s never wronged us, what does it matter that he’s a witch?!”

“You have no idea what you’re talking about!”

“I don’t know what I’m talking about?! You’re so stuck in your out of date superstition that you can’t see a good person when they’re in front of you!”

Chevias swallowed his last bit of bread before clapping his hands loudly and standing up. The clap silenced the two for a moment. “Well, as lovely as this always is, we should have an early start tomorrow. Thank your hospitality. Come on Ellie.”

Ellie set down her empty bowl and followed him up the stairs. The arguing started up again almost as soon as her foot hit the top step, but it was surprisingly well muffled.

The top floor was a hallway with five rooms, and Chevias walked over to the last room on the left. He glanced back, “There’s only one guest room, so you and I will have to share. I’ll take the floor.”

Ellie didn’t argue, but she felt a little bad about it once she was in the room. It was small, with only a little bit of floor space. But after she had climbing into bed, he just curled up in what little space he had. He didn’t seem to mind it at all, and Ellie wondered just how used he was to sleeping on hardwood floors.

She sighed and looked out the window, expecting to see stars or even the wall of the building next door. Instead she saw a pair of great black eyes looking out of a pale face.

“AAAAHHHHHH!!!!”

She backed up until her palm left the mattress and she tumbled off the bed, right onto Chevias.

“OW! Ellie, what-”

“There’s something outside the window!”

Chevias sat up straight to look over the bed and at the window, “Oh!”

He got up, dumping Ellie off his lap, and crawled to over to the window, “Errol!”

“What?”

He opened up the pane and in flew a great white barn owl, his wings fluttering quietly as he flew in.

A deep voice echoed in the room, “Chevias, it’s about time.”

Ellie stared at the owl, her eyes wide. For a moment, her brain stopped working as the pieces tried to fit together. While she was staring, Chevias and the owl kept on their conversation.

“So, do you have the item?”

“One rusty necklace, right here.” Chevias turned around, bent over the edge of the bed, and pulled up his bag. He fished out the box with the necklace and held it out to the bird.

Errol, as Ellie was now putting together, reached out one taloned foot and took the box from him. “Did you have any trouble during this trip?”

“Well, aside from a band of goblins and picking up a traveling buddy, not much.”

“Traveling buddy?”

“Yeah, Ellie. She’s…Ellie, why are you still on the floor? Get up, come say hi.”

Ellie slowly stood up on wobbly legs and sat delicately on the edge of the bed, “...H…h-hello.”

The owl stared at her, his huge eyes unblinking. It was a long time before he answered, but maybe he was waiting for Ellie to speak first. “…Ellie, is it? Pleased to meet your acquaintance. I’m Errol.”

“You’re an owl. You’re a talking owl.” Ellie normally tried to be polite, but sometimes politeness was too difficult to maintain when faced with the most unusual.

Chevias had to clamp his hand over his mouth to keep his laughter in check. Errol’s feathers ruffled, as though offended, “Indeed I am. And you are a child. A very rude child. Chevias, I don’t have anything for you to do for now, so start heading towards Northwind tomorrow. If you’ll excuse me.”

The owl tried to hop over to the window with the box in foot, but Chevias held his arm out to bar his way, “Wait! Errol, I heard downstairs that there were a bunch of witches around. What’s going on? Did something happen?”

Errol’s head spun right around to look at Chevias, startling Ellie. “Pardon?”

“The inn keeper’s daughter said that six witches stayed here last night, and that more were in town. Is there a reason for that?”

The bird tapped his talons against the sheet in irritation, “Nonsense. Humans mistake their more…undesirable individuals for witches all the time. You’re the only witch in town right now, and I believe you’re the only one who’s passed through in the last month. Not to mention the fact that a group of six witches traveling around would be unheard of! I’m sure this girl was just mistaken. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m very busy. Good night.”

Then the owl flew right over Chevias’ arm and out the window, disappearing into the night. Chevias stared after him for a bit before closing the window, a scowl on his face.

“...He was very rude.”

“….”

“…I didn’t know that owls could talk.”

Chevias continued to be silent, chewing on his lower lip with a deep frown on his face.

“…Are you ok Chevias?”

He finally snapped up, “Oh! Yeah, I’m fine. It’s just…nothing. It’s nothing.”

Ellie frowned, “You seem upset.”

“It’s just that Errol’s not usually like that. He usually nicer, so I’m sorry he was mean to you.” Ellie could tell that something a lot more than that was bothering him, but smiled all the same, “It’s ok. Maybe he just doesn’t like kids? There are some older people in Flatrend like that.”

“Yeah…maybe. Come on, let’s go to bed.”

So he took his place back on the floor and curled up while Ellie laid out on the bed. She wasn’t certain what was bothering Chevias, but she could tell that he was mulling over it well into the night.