Daughter of Azeroth

48 | THE MESSAGE

Logan paled. Already Unambi was rolling back the rug in the bedroom and opening the concealed trap door, cleverly hidden within the seams of the planking. He lowered himself into the cramped space, usually used for storage and held up his hand to Idira, who hurried to clear away the evidence of there being someone else at the table. She sat on the edge of the opening and slipped down onto the dusty ground under the house, eyeing Logan through the cobwebs as he lowered the door over them. Dread wormed its way deep into her heart. Nothing good could come of this. Nothing.

'Don't worry,' he said, though he looked uneasy, 'It's going to be fine. We planned for this remember? I know the drill: I live here alone. Found the place abandoned after the dragon attack, blah blah blah.' I got this. No problem. They won't find you. I won't let them.'

Logan kicked the rug back into place. His booted tread moved over the floorboards and out onto the porch.

'Hello!' he called.

A muffled reply. He went down the steps and into the yard. She could hear talking, but the words were low and indistinct. Unambi sat completely still, listening, his eyes narrowed into slits.

Several minutes passed. Unambi shook his head. 'Ah. No,' he said, quiet. He glanced at Idira and shook his head again, pity in his eyes.

Idira couldn't bear it. She took hold of his arm. 'Please, she whispered. 'Tell me.'

But Unambi lifted a finger to his lips, so he could continue to listen. She slumped back and leaned against a support beam, cobwebs and dust trailing after her, clinging to her hair and dress. Logan's tread came up the porch steps and crossed the house, fast, moving towards the trapdoor. She looked at Unambi, hopeful. Is it alright?

He nodded. The rug rolled back and slivers of candlelight slipped between the floorboards, sunbeams piercing the roof of a cave. The trap door opened. Logan thrust his hand down into the dusty space. Motes of dust caught in the light spiraled, swirling in the disrupted air. Idira grabbed onto him, holding onto the opening's edge as he hoisted her back into the house. Unambi clambered up after her, brushing at the cobwebs plastering his shoulders and chest. She turned and caught them sharing a look. Pity, again.

Logan cleared his throat. He glanced at her quick, then away again, uneasy. 'How about some fresh coffee?' he asked. He didn't wait for her to answer. He turned and left, busying himself in the kitchen, his head down as he ground up a handful of fresh beans.

She turned to Unambi. He closed the trap door and rolled the rug back in place, keeping his eyes averted from her.

'What's going on?' she asked, her voice rising, tinged with desperation. 'Why don't you tell me what it is?' Unambi kept his eyes on the rug, continuing to adjust it long after it needed it. She let out a bellow of frustration and ran to Logan, slapping his hands away from the grinder. 'Stop doing that!' she shouted. 'I don't want coffee! I want to know what you don't want to tell me.' She glared at him, her voice still loud in her ears, all angles and points, like broken glass.

Logan let go of the grinder and turned to her. Unambi joined them. He rubbed his hand over his mouth, slow, something he always did when he was worried. Idira waited, but the look in Logan's eyes started to make her regret her impatience. Maybe coffee wasn't such a bad idea after all. She opened her mouth to tell him to carry on when he started talking, the words coming out of his mouth so quick he was almost incoherent, as if he couldn't rid himself of the awful, horrible sentences he was forcing himself to say as fast as he wanted to.

The soldier. One of Stoutmantle's. Sent to find Logan. An apology. SI:7 Investigation. The Furlbrows' and Blanchy's murder solved. Hope Saldean guilty, wanted as Vanessa VanCleef for multiple murders. Vanessa in Moonbrook. Recruitment of transients. The Defias Brotherhood. Sentinel Hill burned. The mines a Defias stronghold once more. The Night's Cutlass repaired and prepared for use. Champions from Stormwind. Vanessa overwhelmed. Her refusal to be butchered like her father. A vial of poison. Gone to the Light.