All the way on the other side of the city, the Davelor siblings and their own short companion wandered down the street, shadowed by the massive walls surrounding the hilltop castle. Foul smelling water sloshed underfoot, coalescing in dips in the cobblestones. Compared to the open air of the docks, the east side of Stormborne was a different beast. Its streets were a series of labyrinthine ratways flanked by tenements crammed together like books on an overstuffed bookshelf. Paige hoped that the woman they'd asked for directions had been telling the truth, not just leading them into a trap. The half-bloods came to a stop at the split in the road. Paige looked up and down each street.
"She said to go left, right?" Paige asked out of the corner of her mouth.
"Yeah, left," Duncan said, walking past her. Paige's eyes wandered over the dilapidated stone facades of the house. A few slumped figures watched the passing adventurers from their steps, dark eyes downcast. For a moment Paige wondered whether they were like this because of recent events or if they were always like that, given the squalor they lived in. She squared her shoulders and kept her eyes fixed ahead.
Eventually they came to another fork. There, facing them right on, was a large building, solitary, unlike the homes surrounding it. A sign squeaked gently as a sea breeze jostled it. At the center of the round sign a woman's figure was painted in bright colors. Paige eyed the sign, smirking. Captured with surprising detail was an illustration of a naked woman, her hands covering her more delicate parts. A wide brimmed, pointy black hat sat upon her head, her sole article of clothing.
"I like it already," Paige snorted, giving the sign another visual caress.
Finn paused halfway into the door. "Come on," he said, nodding inside, "let's see what it's like inside."
The stink of stale alcohol wafted through Paige's nostrils as she stepped inside. Stale alcohol? That was rarely a good sign in a bar meant for drinking. Hints of something sweet and aromatic also drifted on the air. Cinnamon? Empty booths lined the walls and five dented, abandoned tables sat alone in the middle of the single large room that comprised the tavern. A man stood behind the bar, puffing from a pipe. At the sight of the door swinging inward, his eyes widened in surprise and he set the pipe down.
"Visitors!" he called in a ragged voice. "Not many day-drinkers. Especially around here. What brings you to the Naked Witch?" he asked, not looking up from the flagon he was cleaning.
Paige pushed past Duncan and leaned over the bar. "Alcohol."
The barkeep looked over at her, his eyes narrowed. He slung the cleaning rag over his shoulder and set the flagon down. He turned, snatched a shot glass off of the counter behind him, and lifted a bottle of amber liquid. The pungent smell of citrus and alcohol exploded from the bottle after he uncorked it. He sloshed a small amount of it into the glass, re-stoppered the bottle, and put it back. He pushed the glass towards Paige, who eyed it momentarily before picking it up.
"Cheers," she toasted to him then knocked the drink back. It burned her throat on the way down, but left a pleasant burning and fruity taste.
"What about the rest of youse?" His eyes followed Duncan as he took a seat next to Paige and signaled for a drink of his own. The barkeep cocked his eyebrow, then withdrew the bottle again. "First drink's on the house. You gotta pay for this one. Just so you're aware."
"That's fine," Duncan said, waving his hand.
"Two bits for it," the keep said, sliding the drink down the bar. Duncan stopped it with his palm, withdrew two silver coins from his pocket, and slid it back. The barkeep snapped it up and placed it under the bar with practiced hands.
"We're looking for someone. Said we could find him here."
The barkeep looked up from the bar. Something flickered behind his eyes. Anxiety? Or maybe just general interest? The look didn't extend beyond his eyes.
"So, who's the friend?"
"Orvus Duscal," Duncan said. "Palvel Lihrim, too."
"Another friend of ours," Paige added. "He said to look for Palvel if he couldn't be reached."
"I see," the barkeep said, nodding. "I don't recognize your mugs. New arrivals?" he asked, picking up Paige's discarded glass and beginning to wipe it down with a rag.
"Fresh off the boat, yeah," Paige said.
"Thought the city was closed, how'd you get in?"
"You can ask Orvus yourself if you see him."
The bartender hummed. "However it happened, you've come at a bad time. Stormborne's been having a spot of trouble as of late."
"He hinted as much," Finn cut in, hoisting himself into the chair on the other side of Paige. "He hired us to help solve whatever this problem is, but frankly, I don't exactly see the problem. I was hoping you could illuminate us on what's been going on." The bartender shifted his gaze to Finn, then began to reach for another glass, eyebrow raised in silent questioning. Finn raised his hand. "Not my thing."
"We want to know how we can help," Duncan added, leaning forward.
"One of our friends wasn't as keen to help Orvus," Finn said, settling back in his seat, "but we have fewer compunctions than him."
"Yeah, we don't have as many problems, either," Duncan agreed, nodding.
"'Compunctions' means 'problems,' Dunc," Finn muttered.
"Oh."
"I'm glad to hear it," a familiar voice chirped from behind them. Paige whirled around, instinctively reaching for the knife at her waist, but stopped short. There, leaning against the wall, was Orvus Duscal. His fine red clothes had been replaced by some markedly more understated: dark brown pants and a white shirt, like those on any other commoner wandering the streets. A broad smile creased his cheeks. "I've been listening for a while. Garrett, these are the folks I told you about," he said, gesturing to the Irregulars.
"How long have you been there?" Finn asked.
"Long enough," Orvus replied, flashing his teeth.
"So why'd you lead us here?" Paige asked, straightening her stance.
Orvus grinned and began to stalk around them, towards the bar. "To discuss our arrangement further." He leaned over the bar and withdrew a bottle of wine. "I don't suppose you've come across any of my competitors?"
"Depends," Duncan grunted, "what do they look like?"
"Hm," Orvus took a swig from the bottle, "never mind. You'd know them if you saw them. They'd probably try to rob and gut you. Maybe gut you and then rob you. The Barracudas aren't picky."
"The Barracudas?" Finn asked, swiveling on his barstool.
"The gang I warned you about. They moved in recently and have been making life exceedingly difficult for myself, my associates, and the general public. My comrades and I might lurk in the city's underbelly, but we can't stand for what these newcomers are doing or what they stand for."
"Which is?" Paige asked, rolling her wrist.
"Extortion. Blackmail. Murder. Acts of barbarism that I previously thought were the sole domain of men at war." He paused briefly, took another drink, and looked back at Paige. "I'm worried that might be too apt a comparison."
"You're Ebonsong," Finn cut in. Orvus turned his eyes to the halfling, who slouched in his seat, drumming his fingers against the bar. Slowly, the blonde man's lips pulled back in a smile.
"I'm Orvus." He chuckled to himself, popping the cork back in the bottle. "But yes, I do work for them."
"I don't know many people who would admit to being part of Fehrain's largest criminal network," Paige said, her eyes now wandering around the empty room.
"There's no blood on our hands," Orvus replied, raising his hands innocently. "We deal in information, not blood, nor flesh. As far as I'm concerned, that makes us better than the Barracudas."
"Won't get any argument from me," Duncan said, slipping out of his seat and walking to the middle of the room. He rand his fingers along the rugged tabletops as he passed. Eventually he stopped and half-sat, half-leaned on one of the tables, arms folded in front of his chest. "What do you need us to do?"
"Well-"
Orvus was cut off by the sound of banging on the tavern door. It clattered against the wall as it was flung inward, admitting a haggardly dressed man. His eyes darted between the Irregulars, Orvus, and the bartender. Orvus stared at the new arrival, worry etching lines in his forehead. "What's happened? Where are Urvin and Winter?"
"Barracudas," he wheezed in between frantic, labored breaths. He clutched at his side. Paige saw tendrils of red flowing over his hand. Another spurt of crimson washed over them. "Barracudas ambushed us. Near Copper Chase," he continued, stumbling back against the wall. Orvus rushed forward and grabbed the wounded man before he hit the ground.
"Garrett, get me something to help patch this up!" he shouted, lowering the man to the ground. "It'll be alright, Jen," he assured him, snatching the cloth Garrett handed him and hurriedly pressing it against the wound. Blood spurted from the wound in the moment before Orvus staunched it. Paige watched the situation unfold, her eyes wide. Behind her, Finn had turned away, shielding his eyes.
"You did good coming back to me, Jen." He looked back at the Irregulars, his demeanor, until then calm and collected, seemed to be breaking now. Fear was clear in his eyes as he struggled to keep the cloth in place. "Can you help?" he pleaded.
"I don't know anything about fixing people," Paige breathed, though she moved closer. As she did, she could see more of Jen's face. He was young; he hadn't even outgrown a youthful chubbiness to his now pale cheeks.
"Here, hold the cloth," he said, rising to a crouch but keeping his hands on it. Paige kneeled down and put her hands over it. The boy grunted in pain as Orvus withdrew his hand, coupled by a spurt of blood. "Hold it tight!" Orvus hissed. Paige pressed harder. Her arms shook uncontrollably between the strain and her own nerves. Warm blood covered her palms, sticking them to the cloth.
"I could try something," Duncan said, breaking his silence. "Kriss is usually the one who does the healing, but I've picked up some things." He crouched down next to Orvus, fixing him with his silver gaze. "It's going to hurt. A lot, probably."
"Better than nothing," Paige said, shifting out of Duncan's way. "What are you gonna do?"
"Remember when Thade got nicked and it wouldn't stop bleeding?"
"And she burned it closed?"
"Yeah, I'm gonna do that," he said simply, adjusting his stance and bearing down on the wound. Blood still seeped through the cloth. Her brother cracked his fingers and looked at Orvus. "You ready?"
"Jen, this is going to hurt, but just hold on," Orvus said, patting the side of the boy's face. The boy nodded drowsily, clearly barely able to move. "Do it, hurry!"
Duncan took a deep breath and glanced at Paige. "Take it off." She pulled the blood soaked cloth away, feeling it peel off of his skin. Blood oozed out again, but Duncan's hands quickly covered it. Light glowed under his palms. Jen's screams filled the air, mingling with the scent of burning blood and flesh. Duncan's face was screwed up in concentration, tuning out the screaming. Eventually the noise ceased, and Duncan withdrew his hands. "How is he?" he asked, wiping his forehead with the back of his hand. Bright red blood stood out starkly against the silver scales on his hands and forearms.
Paige's eyes lingered on Jen's face, now slack and unmoving. His eyes stared blindly ahead of him. A pained expression still twisted his face in a grim shroud. She opened her mouth, then closed it. Her brother looked up at her, then at Jen. Reality seemed to dawn on him. He clenched his jaw tight and sat back.
"Dammit," he said, shaking his head. "I'm sorry."
"You tried," Orvus sighed, standing up. "That's all you could do." He rubbed the back of his neck and wiped sweat from his face, leaving a streak of red. "Garrett, water, please."
"Poor kid," Garrett grunted. "So sorry, Orvus." He turned and picked up a bucket behind him. Before it even touched the bar, Orvus's hands darted out, dipped into the water, and sloshed it onto his face.
While he sputtered and washed his face and hands, Paige looked down at her hands. Blood still clung to her hand, congealing between her fingers. The crimson soaked bandage dripped onto the floor. The pungent smell of copper assailed her nostrils, causing her to grimace. She balled the cloth up and tossed it onto the dead boy's body. Glancing back at the bar she saw her brother and Orvus taking turns washing their hands. Spurred by the sticky blood between her fingers as she opened and closed them, she moved towards the bucket as well.
"So that's what the Barracudas do?" she asked, dipping her hands in the water and rubbing them together vigorously. Beads of fouled water dripped from her fingertips. "Kill kids?"
"They kill Ebonsong," Orvus replied, his voice shaking. "Doesn't matter to them. Jen's not the first that's died in my arms this month." He rubbed his arms down one last time, then shook the water from his forearms. "I'm going out. Garrett, the guards will have to clean this mess up. Again."
"Where are you going?" Paige asked, cupped hands paused midway to her face.
"Copper Chase. Where Jen and his team were. It's only a stone's throw from here."
"Orv," Garrett snapped from behind the counter, "the boss was clear with his rules. Nobody is supposed to-"
"Damn what he says! I'm not going to sit here while they butcher us in the streets!" Orvus hissed, pointing a finger to the door. He looked at the Irregulars with a silent, pleading expression. "I'm not sure what's waiting. I don't suppose I could have you there to bolster my resolve? Provide reinforcement?"
"Crack skulls?"
"Probably."
The Davelors exchanged a glance. Paige grinned at Duncan, though he looked less amused. She raised an eyebrow, feeling her heart picking up its pace between her ribs. It was about time something happened, and this could be justified. Even better.
"I'm in," she said, still grinning broadly.
"We're in," Duncan said. "For Jen. I barely knew him."
"What about you, Finn?" Paige asked, turning her glittering eyes to the halfling, who still sat in his barstool, feet dangling above the floor.
"No thanks," he said. "Kicking tuchus isn't exactly my speciality."
Paige pushed her lip out in a pout. "C'mon, Finn. We could use your help."
"If you were going to reason with them, maybe!" he scoffed. "But I can tell that's not what you two have in mind. So, you crazy kids have fun, I'll stay here and... help clean this up, I suppose." Given how hard he was trying to avoid looking at the pool of blood, Paige highly doubted he would be doing much helping. But also no drinking.
"What are you going to do, then?"
"Stay here, maybe make some friends. If Thade and Krissa come by I'll send them after you. Just in case."
"I appreciate it," Paige half-laughed.
With a parting tip of his hat, Finn returned to the bar while Paige and her brother filed out the door. Orvus walked ahead of them, determination clear in his loping strides. Dirt scuffed up around her feet as she trotted to catch up with him. Despite leading foreigners, he did not relent in his pace. Together - barely - they scurried through the narrow corridors between houses. Duncan kept close as Paige followed Orvus when he broke from the road in favor of an even slimmer path. Once they did, the previously unnoticed whistling of wind died. All was quiet apart from the faint crunch of dirt under each of their boots.
Eventually their pace slowed to a crawl as they approached a corner. If Paige gauged it correctly, the path led back to the road. They waited in a cramped garden area between the rears of four adjacent buildings. Windows overlooked their impromptu hiding space, leaving Paige feeling exposed. No distorted figures moved behind the wavy glass, but it did little to relieve her. Orvus's attention was focused singularly on whatever waited around the corner.
"What are we doing?" she whispered. His hand shot up to silence her so quickly she flinched. It remained still, one finger extended only inches from her lips.
"Just follow my lead." Before she could respond, the thief swept around the corner and sauntered towards the road. A narrow intersection cut between the tightly-packed homes. As she emerged from the alley, Paige recoiled from the scene that opened up before her.
Blood was spattered across the intersection. Tiny rivers of blood pooled in the nooks between the cobblestones. Yet despite the red that stained so much of the street, there wasn't a single body in sight. Paige scanned the scene quickly for any hints as to where they had gone. A trail of blood led around the left corner and down the street.
"Where did they go?" Duncan asked, looking around.
"I'll bet if we follow that we'll find them eventually," she said, pointing after the trail. Duncan and Orvus both looked over at her.
"A lead?" Orvus said, stepping past her. He walked partway down the road, a frown creasing his cheeks. "It could be a trap."
"Probably," Paige concurred.
"If it means we can get those people back, I say we do it," Duncan said. "Paige, are you coming with?"
"Of course I am."
"Orvus?" he asked, turning his silver eyes to the gentleman thief. The blonde-haired man stared down at the bloodied cobblestones, cradling his chin in his fingers. Eventually he looked up, brow furrowed.
"To help my comrades, yes, I'll help."
"Glad to hear it," Paige said with a grin.
She adjusted her belt, keeping the knife within easy reach, and crept along the blood trail. Her boots scuffed against the cobblestones as she rapidly crept forward. The trail made an abrupt turn down a nearby alley. She came to a halt at the corner, a breath caught halfway out of her throat. A long moment stretched by in silence. Nothing stirred beyond the turn. Paige let out a long, steady breath and rushed around the corner, tailed closely by Duncan and Orvus.
The blood led them through the winds and turns of the alleyway. Paige kept a brisk pace, though she did her best to remain silent. Sightless windows peered down at them as they maneuvered through the backstreets. Her ears remained sharply attuned to anything other than the footfalls of herself and her companions. Eventually the blood started to wear thin as they rounded another corner. Her heart leapt to her throat at the sight of a humanoid figure in the next corridor.
"Urvin!" Orvus breathed. He brushed past Paige and hurried towards the slumped figure. Paige bit her tongue before she could protest, but rushed after him. Orvus kneeled next to the fallen man and put two fingers against his neck. Paige looked farther down the way, praying that nobody would come charging out. Deafening silence echoed in her ears. Duncan blocked off the direction they had gone, his feet squared apart just in case any unwelcome visitors descended on them.
After a long moment Paige heard Orvus sigh.
"Does the trail keep going?" he asked, drawing himself up but remaining hunched over. Paige narrowed her eyes. Light was quickly fading from the sky above, rendering the shaded alleyway nearly umbral. She began to prowl ahead; her eyes strained against the darkness. A smear of darkness stood out against the lighter mortar of the tenements' outer walls.
"Hey," she whispered, "this way."
The three quickly fell back into their marching order, with Paige leading the way and Duncan taking up the rear. With every second that they wandered the mazelike corridors of the lowtown, the farther the sun descended upon the horizon. Shadows fell thicker and thicker upon them as they made their way uphill in pursuit of what scant clue they could find. Yet it seemed that the blood trail continued onward.
Paige brought them to a halt near the intersection of the sidestreet they had been following with a broad street. A large pool of blood had coalesced near the corner. Whoever had been hurt had waited there, presumably for a safe time to cross. However, given that they had no wounds to hide nor did any crowds wander at this time of day, they crossed quickly and seemingly unnoticed. Their path led them all the up to a cellar door at the base of a large building near an open market area. A fountain burbled in the distance, somewhere in the clearing.
"Seems this is the place," Duncan grunted. "Should we just go in?"
"No, not yet-" Paige was cut off by a pang of something in her brain. Emotions and thoughts that weren't her own flashed through. Yet behind them she could feel a familiar presence. It panged against her thoughts like the incessant clack of a door knocker. "Orvus," she grunted, trying to ignore the metaphorical clattering of pots and pans in her brainpan, "do you have another one of those silence balls?"
"What?" Orvus asked, flinching back slightly in bewilderment.
Paige saw Duncan recoil as well. "Uh, yeah, that thing you did at the dock. Could you do it now?"
"What's this about?" Orvus asked.
"Just do it, quickly," Paige said, pushing him towards an out-of-the-way corner between the rears of the buildings. Eyebrows still knit in confusion, Orvus raised his hand and waved his fingers to cast the charm. Magic washed over Paige and Duncan, killing the distant sounds of the night. "Okay," she breathed, allowing the visitor through. A small window through space appeared in front of her. Krissa stared through it at them.
"Paige, Duncan!" She looked at Orvus. "Orvus."
"Ma'am," Orvus said, nodding.
"Where are you guys?"
"Uh, tracking some guys," Paige replied. "They killed Orvus's friend, so we're helping him find who did it. Dunc, run around front, see what the name of this place is."
Duncan frowned at her with a look that said "you're not the boss of me," but he turned and sprinted down the street, towards the market square.
"So, how've you been?" Paige asked, her eyes darting around the alleyway.
"Not great. Thade and I think we're onto something, but we sort of need your help."
"With what?"
"Breaking into a store."
"How out of character for you, Kriss. What's the name of the store?" Paige asked.
"Blackwell Armorers," Duncan said, charging back through the orb of silence.
"What?" Paige and Krissa asked simultaneously.
"This place," Duncan jerked his head towards the bare ass of the store. "The sign says it's 'Blackwell Armorers.'"
"That's the place me and Thade went to!" Krissa exclaimed. "Some guy tried to kill us!"
"What?" Paige asked, her eyes wide.
"This guy, Conrad," Krissa explained. "He works for some guys in town called 'the Barracudas.' They're not good guys."
"Yeah, we've been introduced thanks to Orvus here," Paige scoffed. "We're about to go into the cellar, it looks like."
"Hang on until Thade and I get there!"
"Kriss, we don't have time to wait for you two!" Duncan hissed. "There's someone inside that could be dying right now, for all we know."
"It won't take that long. Just gimme a second," Krissa said. With that, the message spell closed, sputtering out of existence with an impotent blink. An instant later a rift of pale blue light split the darkness of the clearing. Two figures, one slightly taller than Paige and the other maybe half her height, stepped out of the glow. It snapped shut again and vanished, plunging the alley into darkness once again.
"Alright," Thaddeus said, putting his hands on his hips, "I have a plan."