Hal couldn't pin down what he was feeling. Ever since he'd received a warning about the church's activity out in the town, he'd stayed back at the compound to help with training, but still, something didn't feel right.

   Something in the air told him that he needed to run. Instinct felt it as well and had taken to searching around the various entrances before bed every night.

  When Hal had informed The Old Man about this feeling, he'd taken on a look Hal had never seen before. The face The Old Man made at that time contained some mixture of concern, desperation, and helplessness. The Old Man had never looked helpless to Hal before. After that, the number of unknown guests The Old Man had over went up from one every couple of days to two or three guests a day.

  Neither Hal nor Instinct could tell what these guests came to talk to The Old Man about, but they did see plenty of them leaving, and each one left with the same look of turmoil across their faces. Whatever their conversation had entailed was blatantly challenging to swallow.

   That feeling of anxiety continued for weeks without any explanation, slowly spreading from Hal and Instinct to The Old Man, and finally to everyone else in the building. Everyone could tell something was wrong, but no one knew what, and few were willing to discuss it openly, for fear that doing so would reveal something they'd prefer left unsaid.

   This persisted until the day a knock came at the front door of the compound. Few ever knocked on the door of the compound. If you belonged, you walked in uncontested; if you had a meeting with The Old Man, he'd meet you at the door. The only people Hal had ever seen knock on the front door had been those who were looking to leave a child in the care of The Old Man. But those people were greeted with a sad smile. That smile was nowhere on the face of The Old Man; his face instead twisted into a scowl of irritation.

  "Everyone, please get out of the entranceway." The Old Man said in that way that demanded you comply. "I would prefer you all go to your rooms, but I know you won't all listen to that. So, stay out of sight, and don't make any sound until I say you can come out." The Old Man never broke eye contact with the wooden door while speaking.

   Everyone in the hall obeyed the command, Hal included. They all crowded into the side halls, just outside of sight but well within earshot. Some of the more adventurous older kids took to hiding in the rafters, while some did what The Old Man wished everyone would do and went to their rooms. Hal took to hiding with a cluster in the side hall to the left when entering the front door.

Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.

   Once he was sure everyone was well out of sight, The Old Man opened the front door and greeted the person on the other side.

  "How may I help you, Father?" The Old Man said curtly, forgoing a proper greeting.

   "Hello, dear sir." An unknown voice echoed around the compound. "I have come today because it's come to our attention that you have taken it upon yourself to house the region's parentless children." Something about the voice of the man didn't sit well with Hal. It was smooth, and under normal circumstances, it would probably have sounded pleasant, but with the current mood, the man's tone turned from agreeable to sickening to Hal. "I come today to see if you'd permit me, or another member of the church, to teach those in your care about the beauty of the Pantheon." The clergyman continued in that same sickening tone.

   "Over the past fifty years, members of the church have asked me that every ten years, " The Old man said flatly. "I will give you the same reply I gave ten years ago." The Old Man's voice took on a seemingly false exasperation. "I handle the education of the children here on my own and will continue to do so till I can no longer do so. I will not permit the church, the guilds, or the guard, to interfere in the lesson plan I have used for fifty years. Now, if that is all, I do have work to do, so I would appreciate it if you'd be on your way." The Old Man was somehow both warm in tone but cold in the emotion his voice portrayed while he spoke.

   "Actually," The Clergyman stopped The Old man, an audible thunk of wood on leather resounding from the door. "I am also to insist that you permit an inspection of the premises. All to make sure you are truthfully caring for the children ethically," The sound of The Clergyman's voice left Hal with a feeling that he wanted to vomit.

   "I've submitted all the appropriate paperwork to the relevant authorities, and they inspect my practices on a scheduled basis. If you insist on performing an unscheduled inspection, please acquire the local lord and other relevant authorities' permission." The Old Man said coldly.

   "Verry well," The Clergyman said, his voice making the sickness take on a much more physical note in Hal, his throat beginning to burn. "I will return once I have acquired all the documents you requested." Hal had to hold his mouth closed with his hands to stop himself from vomiting, drawing the attention of the others. "Would you be willing to direct me to who precisely you deal with for your scheduled inspections?" A strange pressure began building in Hal's head as The Clergyman kept speaking.

   "It's rarely the same individual." The Old Man said dismissively.

   "A pity," THe Clergymen said, causing the pressure in Hal's head to build to a piercing ache. "Well, I'll be on my way then. I pray for the children in your care, as well as you, dear sir—until next time."

   The world around Hal went black before The Clergyman finished his goodbye, and when he awoke, the bump on his head suggested that he'd likely made quite the sound when he fell unconscious.