Ethan woke early and dressed quickly, excitement pulling him from bed before the sun had fully risen. Moose was already up, quietly waiting by the door.

  Downstairs, the inn was just starting to stir. Mara was in the kitchen, packing up a fresh stack of honey cakes—another batch toward paying off his silver. She caught sight of Ethan and Moose lingering near the doorway and waved them over.

  The warm, sweet smell drifted through the common room as Mara set the cakes on the counter. "Here's today’s batch," she said.

  Ethan grinned. "Breakfast, lunch, and bribes—perfect."

  He packed the honey cakes into his bag of holding, then shared a look with Moose before slipping out the door with him into the cool morning air.

  Celdoras’s streets were waking up, vendors raising stalls and the first carts rattling past.

  As they neared Ed's shop, Ethan nearly collided with Sam, who was returning from breakfast, a half-eaten roll in one hand.

  "Whoa—sorry!" Sam blurted, barely avoiding a collision. "Didn't expect to see you this early."

  "Yeah," Ethan said, catching his breath. "Need to make a set of communication stones for Gwenna."

  “I haven't seen Gwenna since the caravan trip—how is she?" Sam asked.

  "She is doing well," Moose replied.

  Sam grinned, falling in beside them. "Want some help? I can get the ink ready."

  He paused, glancing at Moose as it sank in that Moose was the one who'd answered. For a moment, Sam actually went quiet—a rare thing. "Uncle Ed told me you could talk, but hearing it’s still kind of wild." Then he smiled, already bouncing back.

  "Let’s get inside before Ed changes his mind about early hours," Ethan added.

  They stepped into the familiar warmth of the workshop. Ed was already inside, sorting through a tray of half-cut mana crystals. He glanced up and raised an eyebrow.

  "Early start," Ed said. "You here to make more stones?"

  "Three, if you've got the materials. And bench time," Ethan replied, reaching for a gold Bit.

  He placed the Bit on the edge of the table. "For the materials and for letting me use your shop again."

  Ed grunted, pocketing the payment. "Fair deal. Just don't set anything on fire this time."

  Sam was already pulling out tools and a pot of binding ink, crowding Ethan’s side with his usual energy.

  "I'll get the patterns ready!" Sam said, a little too close. "Sorry, I'll back up. Just excited."

  "Let me have a little space, Sam," Ethan said, but smiled. "Thanks for the help."

  Within an hour, they had three functional communication stones lined up on the table, each one humming softly with contained power. He quickly carved and paired their counterparts as well, the second stones coming together much faster now that he understood the pattern. Once finished, he layered the shared-call rune across the entire set, binding them into what he privately thought of as a group chat—any one stone could reach all the others at once.

  Sam hovered a little too close as Ethan set down the last stone, practically leaning over his shoulder.

  "Okay, time to see if they work," Ethan said, nudging Sam back a step.

  He picked up two stones and handed one to Sam. "Take this one into the next room."

  Sam’s eyes lit up. He hurried off, nearly bumping into a chair on the way. A moment later, Ethan pressed the rune on his own stone.

  "Can you hear me?" Ethan called out.

  "Loud and clear!" Sam’s voice echoed back from the other room and through the stone.

  Ethan grinned. "Perfect. Bring it back."

  Sam returned, beaming. "These work way better than I expected!"

  Ethan gathered up the finished set, tucking the stones safely away.

  "Thanks for the help, Sam. I’ll let you know how they hold up in the field," Ethan said.

  Sam bounced on his toes, still grinning. "Anytime! If you need backup—or snacks—just let me know."

  Moose flicked an ear in amusement. "Let’s hope you don’t have to use them for an emergency."

  This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

  Ethan smirked, then took out one of the stones and pressed the call all button, sending a pulse of mana through the link.

  A soft chime echoed, and both Lyra and Gwenna’s voices came through at nearly the same time.

  "Ethan?" Lyra asked.

  "Gwenna here," came the second response.

  "Morning. Stones are finished," Ethan said. "Meet me at the docks—bring the Pack. Time to check out those sewers."

  "On our way," Lyra replied.

  "I’ll meet you there," Gwenna confirmed.

  Ethan put the stone away, then turned to Moose. "Ready for a day underground?"

  Moose gave a small huff. "As long as you don’t make me taste anything."

  Ethan laughed, slinging his bag over his shoulder. Together, they left Ed’s shop and headed toward the docks.

  The air was thick with anticipation as Ethan and Moose approached the entrance to the sewers, a gaping maw that beckoned ominously beneath the cobbled streets. The low hum of voices from nearby vendors faded as they drew closer, and the murky scent of damp earth wafted up, mingling with the salty tang of the harbor.

  “Gwenna should be here soon,” Ethan said, glancing around at the weathered stone archways adorned with flickering lights.

  Moose sniffed the air. “I hope it's not a long wait. This place feels... off.”

  Before he could respond, a familiar figure emerged from around the corner. Gwenna stepped forward, clad in her leather armor, quiver on her back, bow in hand—looking ready for a fight. Her expression was resolute, yet there was a spark of excitement in her eyes.

  “Ready to delve into darkness?” she asked, arms crossed casually but betraying an eagerness beneath her gruff demeanor.

  Ethan returned her smile and reached into his satchel. “These are the communication stones you requested—three primary stones, each paired and bound into a shared link with the others.” He handed the polished stones to Gwenna, their surfaces smooth and ready for use.

  Gwenna's eyebrows arched in surprise as she accepted the stones from him, her fingers brushing against his momentarily. “You made these so fast?” She examined them closely, then looked back up at him with an approving nod. “Impressive work. Most enchanters take weeks to get things done.”

  Ethan felt a rush of pride at her words as Gwenna reached into her pouch and pressed the remaining gold Bits into his hand, sealing their deal.

  Almost on cue, footsteps echoed from the direction of the main street. Pixie zoomed ahead in excited circles. Buster lumbered along beside Lyra, unhurried but alert. Amelia trailed behind, keeping to the shadows until she was sure it was safe. Lyra lifted a hand in greeting, her confidence steadying the little group as they approached.

  As his gaze swept over her, Ethan took in every detail of Lyra's appearance—the leather armor that hugged her figure, the intricate brown and black trim with dark green that added a touch of elegance to the practicality, the deadly array of knives strapped to her body like a second skin. But what caught his attention the most were the two curved long daggers in an X pattern at the small of her back above her tail, a bold and impressive choice of weapons. Lyra seemed to glow, her cheeks flushed under his gaze. He couldn't help but be captivated by her strength and beauty.

  “Close your mouth,” Buster pushed into Ethan's mind through the bond. “I can smell your hormones from here.”

  Ethan's mouth shut with an audible click as he tried to come to his senses. Then he started stuttering. “Y-y-you look good.” He ended with a gulp, making sure to look only at Lyra’s eyes and not let his gaze dip down to her new look. He didn’t want to seem creepy, but he didn’t sense any discomfort from her.

  Wait! He thought. If I can sense her feelings, I need to put a lid on mine. He started thinking about baseball as hard as he could.

  “You like it?” she asked. “I went shopping this morning to be ready for the sewers and training.” Then she got a perplexed look on her face. “Who is Nolan Ryan and why are you thinking about him so hard? I can even picture him in a great coliseum, like a gladiator.”

  Ethan coughed.

  Buster guffawed.

  “I do like it,” he said. “Your new look. It’s...” He trailed off and just stared into space for a second.

  Gwenna clapped, and Ethan jumped.

  “Okay, are we all ready?” Gwenna gave Ethan a knowing look, saving him and changing the subject.

  “Yes,” Ethan stammered.

  Pixie spun in tight circles and leapt up at least five feet in the air, tail wagging wildly. “I AM SO READY! Sewer adventure! I call dibs on first weird smell!”

  “It already smells. You can have dibs,” Buster whined, scrunching his face.

  Gwenna cleared her throat, drawing the Pack’s attention as they formed a semicircle around her.

  “Alright, just to review—this isn’t anything new, but we need to keep it fresh in our minds before we go in. We’re here because the corruption leads are becoming too frequent to ignore. There have been reports of workers vanishing from the docks. People keep talking about strange reddish lights flickering deep within the sewers—sometimes for only a second, sometimes for longer. That’s not all. We’re also seeing ominous runes and symbols turning up around here, especially near the docks. I’ve found the same patterns in the wild and also in two other parts of the city—Stone Row and the Forge Tier. The Deep Archives beneath the Mage Quarter are also showing some of the same signs.”

  She looked around the circle.

  “These aren’t random. The patterns match what I’ve been tracking for a while now, and every time we see these symbols, it means trouble. The taint in them is spreading, and if we don’t find the source, it’s only going to get worse. This isn’t just about a few missing people. It could become a problem for the whole city, maybe even beyond if it spreads.”

  Lyra crossed her arms, her expression tense but focused. “So our job is to check the sewers for any sign of missing workers, find out what’s causing those red lights, and keep an eye out for more of those runes and symbols.”

  Gwenna nodded. “Exactly. We need to scout the tunnels as thoroughly as we can. Be ready for anything unusual. If you see signs of resistance—anyone or anything down there who might not want us looking around—don’t be a hero. Fall back and signal the group. Try not to get noticed unless there’s no choice.”

  Ethan nodded. “We’ll be careful.”

  Ethan reached into his bag of holding, feeling for the hilt of a short sword he’d procured from the bandit camp. The smooth, cool metal sent a thrill through him as he drew it out. Its weight was still unfamiliar and uncomfortable in his hand, but he was getting better at wielding it, and he was determined to protect his Pack.

  "Alright," he said, looking around at the group. "Let’s go."