The Breton Boys

Chapter Three: Moonstone Vale

On the morning of the seventh day, Avia Lukas packed a basket of books, toys, and lemon cakes, and stepped out into the misty dawn. She considered her path for a moment. Parris had offered to accompany her to the Lovelaces', though their home was not far, just across the border into Moonstone Vale. Avia had made the journey a hundred times since coming to Fairevale, as she looked after little Hayden each week while Mr. and Mrs. Lovelace took the afternoon for errands and rest. But it was quite early, Parris was likely still asleep, and Avia saw no point in rousing him to escort her such a short distance. She would be perfectly safe by herself at this hour.

She headed north for Moonstone, humming a cheery tune as she traversed the gloomy fog that blanketed the countryside. She was eager to see Hayden and help him with his reading. He loved stories and was just beginning to learn his letters, so Avia made sure to bring new books for him every visit. She had never seen a child so enthused about anything, except perhaps Duncan after his first day at the Academy.

The Lovelaces' large home seemed to materialize from the mist as she approached, first a dark spire, then a turret, and finally the whole of the lavender facade. Avia skipped up to the door and rapped thrice.

There was no answer. She had arrived rather early in her eagerness to see Hayden; perhaps they were still breaking their fast in the dining chamber on the far side of the house. She knocked again, a bit harder this time.

Still nothing. Avia tested the knob, but it was locked. She decided to try the back door that was nearer to the dining chamber instead.

Basket in hand, she walked around the side of the house, resuming her song. Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted someone through the parlor window. Avia approached the glass and peeked inside. Her basket slipped from her hand and into the mud.

The parlor was crowded with bodies sprawled at odd angles across the furniture and floor - men and women of all ages, children, lying stiff and unmoving. Avia scanned the room, horrified, and quickly spotted Hayden's tiny form, laying face down atop his mother as if they had toppled over together and never gotten up. Mrs. Lovelace had her hand held tenderly on the child's back, but her jaw hung open unnaturally wide and her eyes were open, unblinking.

Avia knocked hard against the glass with her palm, trying to rouse the bodies, but they might have been made of stone for all the good it did.

In her panic, Avia's first thought was of darthags. The Lovelaces would not be the first family that had been found murdered in their home. But then she remembered the locked door, the firmly closed windows. Attacks by Tsorsha's darthags were notoriously gruesome affairs, yet Avia saw no blood, no sign of a struggle. The occupants of the room might have been sleeping if not for their grotesque poses. Avia pounded on the glass again, screaming.

She had to do something, but what? She could break the window and crawl inside, but then what could she do? She had to tell someone. Perhaps Parris. He was close by and would be able to kick down the door, at the very least. Yes, she would tell Parris and he would help her determine what to do next.

Avia wiped her eyes, picked up her basket, and dashed back up the road, the cool morning fog enveloping her, obscuring her vision. She picked up speed as she went, walking briskly at first but soon running as fast as her feet would carry her, driven by her purpose. Perhaps she and Parris would have time to find a physic, perhaps Hayden could be saved, if only they had the right antidote. There was no time to waste. Avia ran faster, faster than she thought she could, until she ran straight into something cold and coarse that knocked her backwards into the mud.

She could hearit wheezing, smell its putrid breath, though the creature was hidden in thegray mist. Avia scuttled backwards likea crab, too frightened to pick herself up, until she collided with somethingelse behind her. Another one. She gasped and rolled over, tried to stand,but the mud held her to the earth like glue. Before she could draw a breath to scream, the darthags were upon her.

A/N: We take a break from our regularly scheduled Hollenmerish adventures to visit Fairevale and Duncan's sister, Avia. Any theories to explain what she saw in the Lovelace's parlor? Will she escape the darthags? Let me know your thoughts with a comment! Thank you for reading. <3