A Light in the Darkness Book: The Moonlight Murderer

Chapter Twenty-Six: A Night on the Town

Billed tugged open the door to his wine cellar and dusty air burst forth from within causing both him and his guest to have a coughing fit.

"To think, this is only the second time today I've followed some old guy down into a creepy basement," the fen said sarcastically.

"What interesting lives we lead," the old merchant replied dryly, taking a step into said basement. It'd been years since he'd had cause to enter the cellar. By his reckoning it'd been at least a decade since he'd gone to the trouble. He'd no taste for alcohol and reminiscing over the equipment in his armory was pointless when he couldn't use it all, effectively.

Once they reached the bottom, his eyes quickly adjusted to the darkness. Despite his advanced years, vision was something that had yet to fail him, though it felt like near everything else had. Even so, it took a bit of fumbling to find a lantern and even more effort to get it lit. These things had been so simple when Adelais had been in the house. A finger snap and instant light. The gift was wasted on her. The things he could do if he possessed pyromancy would be, magnificent.

"You didn't just bring me down here to knock me out and the brick me up behind some old alcove in the wall where no one can hear me scream?" Jan questioned, possibly in jest. Honestly, he could never tell when that Fen was speaking seriously.

"No," Bill replied. 'That would be far too impersonal for me. I'd much prefer to watch the light leave your eyes than let you waste away somewhere I couldn't even see. Hearing poudnign on the wall till you die wouldn't be enough for me."

That shut him up right away. Pressing on, Bill stalked among the various wooden shelves containing every kind of liquor imaginable. He had never cared for the stuff, but Ariel always had a taste for spirits. As had his brother, which was partially how he ended up dead. Loss lips sink ships. He'd never touch a drop of alcohol for as long as he lived.

He set the lantern down for a moment and squinted at particularly old and expertly decorated bottle. He dusted it off. Finely aged Tsunian Rum produced by the Eastern Whale Shipping Group. The seal was intact and though faded, the grinning whale logo was still there. This bottle was older than him and if he had to guess at it's worth, it'd be quite extravagant. The perfect party favor to herald his reentry into high society. On the other end of the basement, he could hear Jan freaking out, again.

"What is it now? Did you trip over the dog's tail?" He carefully grabbed the rum and made his way over. The Fen was looking at a bottle in awe.

"This is Old Castle Apple Wine! It's impossible to get outside Haven!" He exclaimed.

"Not for me," Bill said dully. "It's yours if you want it," he offered.

Jan's eyes narrowed. "What's the catch?" He questioned.

Bill smiled. "I am offended. Are you thinking that I placed this specific bottle where you could see it and laced it with poison which could cause a Fen to expire painfully?"

"Well, I wasn't thinking that before, but I am now!" Jan said, now in a panic.

Bill tapped his hand against the bottle. "Oh, you've found me out," he mocked. "Of course, perhaps I knew you would be suspicious and there's really nothing in the wine. Then again, I also knew you'd be naturally weary of a gift offer from me, so I could have figured it'd seem too obvious and you'd take the poisoned wine anyway, thinking I won't be stupid enough to set such an obvious trap."

"But then you must have known I'd know that the wine offer was too good to be true so maybe I should just leave it anyway, I think," Jan replied in obvious confusion.