“Pineville, Washington,” he said, breathing hard.

  Jody shot a look towards him and gave him a knowing smirk.

  “Ah, so you’re one of the.”

  Jody cleared his throat, interupting the matriarch. “We’ll speak when there’s absolutely no prying ears.”

  She nodded thoughtfully. “It’s not always the unknown enemy that kills you. A lot of times, it’s the ones closest that get you. Better to face the demon you know.” She patted him on the shoulder. “Thank you for telling the truth. A rare trait these days.”

  “What did you do to me?” Rook asked, his breathing and the anxiety returning to normal levels.

  “I just nudged your subconscious, and all it takes is a small flex in power.”

  “You’re a psyomancer?”

  She gave a sad smile, then beckoned them to follow her towards the long house. As they approached the front, she regarded the lily lavender solemnly. “Damn things.”

  Rook wasn’t a psyomancer, but he knew a little about plants. This flora was not ideal in their climate, though it smelled like lavender and looked like it, far from a place near the sea. They were tropical and thriving. It was easy to see that whoever grew these took great care.

  Following behind Reina, Rook got the strongest inclination to clean his boots before entering the domicile. Only kind thing to do, right? Wiping his feet before he entered the residence, he paused mid scrape to look up towards the Matriarch.

  She gave a wry smile. “Guess I should just ask next time. Please wipe your feet before coming in. Mack and I…” She paused, her eyes filling with moisture. “Sorry,” she said, sinking down into the cushions of a rocking chair.

  Rook felt the knot in his throat, and before he realized it, he held out a handkerchief towards the matriarch. She gave him a gentle hand of refusal. Annoyed, he placed it back into his inventory. Does this lady even know she’s coercing us? Looking at Reina he sighed, she looked like someone just kicked her dog.

  “Matriarch. Please, you have to stop. I can’t help you if I cannot look at the facts through an unbiased lens.”

  She nodded and waved a hand. The world shifted from the vibrant kitchen and living room to one of disarray. Edith no longer had the glow of a beautiful, confident leader. Seeming to age ten years in an instant, Rook was taken aback. What. The. Hell.

  Jody narrowed his eyes, sitting on a small footstool.

  Reina was in the same boat. “Matriarch. Please tell us what you know.”

  She wiped her bloodshot eyes. “Almost a week ago, we found a calf mutilated in the pasture to the west. Two men from the village tried to get guards to investigate, but with the recent rise in Infernal activity, they refused.” She sighed. “The next day, we lost two more cattle. Mack tried to appeal to the council, but they told him the same thing.” She smiled at Reina. “Your father offered to pay for the lost cattle as a consolation, but Mack wanted results, not a bandage. That night, we lost another, Mack left in a fit, taking his sword like he was an adventurer again.” She looked wistfully out the small window. “He didn’t come back.”

  Rook leaned against a countertop, shifting his weight from knee to knee. Time to put on the old investigator’s hat.

  “I’m sorry this is happening. Can I ask some questions?” Rook nodded towards Reina, queuing her to take her journal out.

  “What kinds of wounds were on the cattle?”

  “They were ripped open. Their stomachs and hearts were taken. Which is why the rumors of ghouls came about,” Edith said with an almost annoyed sigh. “But it’s more likely goblins are taking the organs as a sacrifice.”

  “What’s to say it’s not people trying to scare you?”

  “Ghouls are said to take the organs for longevity,” Reina said, pausing momentarily from her scribbling.

  Edith and Rook paused to look up at her.

  “Just saying is all. They had some information in the historical society,” Reina said, pursing her lips.

  He gave an appreciative nod. “What made you think, goblins?” Rook asked.

  “Oh.” Edith stood from her chair and retrieved something from the windowsill. “This print.”

  She held out a square of mud, cut out and dried in the sun. Rook touched the indents of four distinct clawed toes.

  “I’ve never forgotten a cataloged monster.” She snapped as if remembering something important. Speaking of. Reina, I have some of your mother’s old things from days gone by. It’s going to take some time to find them.”

  The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

  “Thank you, much of it was lost when they took her research.”

  Took her research? Rook stared at the enhancer, deep into his thoughts, when she gave him a curious look.

  “Where can we find Noah?”

  Looking out the window, she sighed. “By now, he’s probably finished with his work and is hanging around The Husk.” As if noticing their faces, she smiled. “Our local watering hole.”

  With a nod, Rook stood up from the counter. “We should see if he or any of the other villagers has any more credible information.” Rook regarded Edith. “You’ve been carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders for so long now. Allow us to shoulder that burden while we’re here. You have my word that we’ll find out what’s taking the cattle and what happened to your husband,” Rook said, squeezing her shoulder.

  Command Presence- Silver Tongued Bastard Activated.

  She gave him a grateful nod and slumped deeper into her cushions, looking like the weight of her shattered world started melting away.

  When they exited her longhouse. The sun was on its descent. We have to interview more people. Looking across the village courtyard, multiple haggard-looking men and women entered a longhouse.

  “Rook, don’t make promises that you can’t keep. Sometimes, no matter how much we want to help someone, it doesn’t work out like that.

  “Just a wild guess, but that longhouse is the tavern she spoke about.”

  “I’d say you’re right.”

  They headed across the village, entering the doors of The Husk, behind a squirrely looking woman with rich brown hair and freckled tan skin.

  “How’s it going?” Rook asked.

  “How do you think? We work, then hide away in The Husk at night.” She eyed him warily before walking to the corner of the tavern.

  “I’m guessing not well,” Reina said.

  “Yeah, got that, thanks.”

  They found Noah, nose deep in a mug. He set it down with a satisfied sigh and wiped the foam from his mouth with the back of his sleeve. Rook led Reina towards the table and sat across from the farmers.

  “Well, it’s my new friends, how can I help you?” He asked.

  “Tell us about the farmers who know about the goblins and ghoul.”

  Reina looked around. “Something tells me that this place isn’t only the local watering hole.” She nodded at the tan-skinned woman with a small pillow, huddled in the corner.

  “She’s afraid,” Noah said, taking another pull from his mug. “We all are. We’re farmers, not fighters, and when you live close to the caves like young Sophie over there, you’re bound to find haven elsewhere.”

  Rook mentally slapped himself in the back of the head. If I were getting attacked at night by a potential monster and drowning in my fears. I’d tell the local watering hole therapist about it. He searched the room for the bartender. A man wearing a green linen shirt with rolled sleeves at the bar handed three mugs of ale to a customer, wearing a straw sun hat.

  “I might have a better idea.”

  “Go ahead, I’ll join you later,” she said, jotting down something in her journal.

  Rook sat at the bar. The man came over and smiled. He was missing a tooth on the top and bottom, giving those around a look at his tongue.

  “Name’s Tenya. What can I get for you?”

  “Three Ales. Thank you,” Rook said, handing over a silver coin.

  “Well-mannered and well-paying. Ales coming up.” He filled the mug and handed it over to Rook, leaving a satisfying foamy head. “I’ll wait for your friends to join you, so their ale don’t go to waste.” He leaned in. “I’m no fool, a mug of ale costs a couple copper. For a silver, you can drink for the week and more.” He eyed Rook suspiciously. “What else can I get you?”

  “I need a room for three tonight, as well as information. We are trying to find out more about this.” He handed over the parchment.

  His eyes went momentarily wide. “Are you the Sentinel?”

  “Not quite, my dwarvish friend is the Sentinel Sergeant. My other companion and I are adventurers, so to speak.

  The awe faded before Rook’s eyes. “You’re hired, adventurers then?” He asked, with raised eyebrows consistent with a person who’s incredulous.

  Something about the tone, about the inflection. Even the way his bushy eyebrows raised in disbelief that pissed him off. Trying to cool the rising anger, Rook grabbed the parchment back. Yes, you bastard.

  “I’m not overwhelmingly strong, but I’ve got good enough skills to investigate what happened.”

  “Fair enough, who am I to judge a sword by its scabbard?” He poured an ale and handed Rook a key. “Sophie tends the wheat. On her way back, she saw something running into the cave on all fours. Goblins don’t do that.”

  Need to talk to her then.

  “Who else saw something?” Rook asked, taking a drink.

  “Edgar, but he died just a few days ago. He said, the little people were carrying the cattle into the caves.” He put a finger up. “Excuse me.” Tenya assisted a few other patrons.

  Rook stared into the golden swill, satisfied with the crisp notes of apple. A few moments Reina and Jody joined him, nodding at the bartender.

  “It’s an honor, Sentinel,” Tenya said, pouring Jody a fresh mug. “This is home-made and the finest ale you’ll have this East of Ollar.”

  Jody nodded. “Aye, can’t wait to try it.”

  Tenya poured Reina a mug next, taking considerably less care pouring it.

  “Good as Wink’s,” Reina asked, staring hungrily at the mugs.

  Rook took another long pull from his mug. “It’s wonderful.”

  Handing her the other, she gave a grateful clap on his shoulder. “It looks like we should go to the caves.”

  “At first light. I’d like to go after a good night’s sleep.”

  The tavern had a room for rent, unfortunately, it was a minimalist’s dream and not the big two-bedroom of the Stumbling Ogre. Fitting three people would not be ideal. Jody took a glance at the room and shook his head. “I’ll take a chair in the tavern.”

  This is as small as a barracks room. Rook reached his arms from one side of the wall to the other and sighed.”

  “What’s this?” Reina asked, giving him an amused look.

  “Just brings me back, is all, I had a room not much bigger than this on earth.”Rook brought out his bedroll, setting it beside the twin bed. “Take the mattress, I’m used to roughing it.”

  Giving him a grateful nod, Reina sat on the bed and let out a contented sigh. Don’t blame you for walking to a small village outside the city, I’m tired as hell too. Rook rubbed at his eyes and lay down in his roll. Not soft, but it’s mine.

  “Night Rook,” Reina said with a sleepy voice.

  “Goodnight.”

  Several sharp knocks jolted Rook from his dream of giant mushrooms. What time is it? He brought his hand up to check his watch and groaned. I haven’t had a watch in a days now. He sat up in the dark room and opened the door to see Sophie, pacing back and forth in the dim light of a candle.

  “What’s wrong?”

  “They’re back, the goblins,” She said, forcing her way into the cramped room.

  Tripping on the blankets, she threw her hands out, wildly waving her arms. Wincing, Rook waited for the impact. Moments later, Reina cried out.

  “God Maker! Rook, who is this?”

  Sophie groaned. “Sorry. I didn’t know someone would be sleeping on the floor.

  Well, now we’re both awake.