789, 669 and 777 were at the bar downing drinks. It had been a crazy couple of days, which 669 was clear to put past him.

“I still can’t get that body in the bushes out of my head,” 789 said as she had Fat Monk top up her glass with ale.

She was recalling the body that 669 uncovered in the bushes near Spartacus’s hooves. It was a corpse so shriveled and dried, with maggots moving about the orifices. But that wasn’t the worst of it, some of the bone had melted into the ground to form something like a muddy offal gruel that wafted with a horrid stench.

Her ale went down with hefty gulps. Fat Monk had her glass topped up on cue.

“What do you think about Maud?” 777 soberly said as he stared at his glass.

“I don’t know and don’t care. I just want this case to be solved quickly, it’s getting too much.” 669 swallowed his wine with an unrefined manner. He was in the mood to get stupidly drunk.

Before they could get into their happy hour, a squad of Royal Guards stormed into the barroom with Peacock, in his human form of bottle-green business suit and red tie, doing his best to remind their unexpected visitors of signing in and making an announcement of their arrival.

But no one was listening to him, especially when Captain Lucas stormed into the barroom with Detective Morse and Emelia trailing behind him with apologetic expressions.

“What is the meaning of this?” 777 demanded as he cast a frown Morse’s way.

This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

“669 is wanted for questioning in relation to Fairy Blossom’s murder.”

“What? I don’t even know the woman. And what’s with the fodder squad, you could just ask me to come into the office.” 669 frowned, thinking the whole fanfare ridiculous. He whipped out his hand fan and fanned his face with rapid movements.

“True, but this way is guaranteed.” He made a gesture for the men to escort 669 out of the building.

“Captain. We have no reason to bring him in like this. 669 has been helping us the whole time!” Emelia protested.

“Then why was his fingerprints on the suicide note.”

“What?” 669 blurted and snapped his fan shut. Not fathoming how that could be possible.

His mind went back to a time he could’ve been set up and recalled retracing his steps back to Solace Tailors. Was it possible he had touched some papers there, which someone could’ve used to implicate him with Fairy Blossom’s death? The only person that came to his mind was the other woman who was the shopkeeper. And Bosgar.

“Let’s go.” One of the guards pulled his arms behind his back and slapped a bind on his wrist.

669 thought it was best to go with the flow, as situations had moronically turned dicey for them.

“I’ll do my best to find out the truth. Hang in there.” Detective Morse said to him as he moved past him.

669 nodded and followed the squad out and into a carriage where bars were on the windows. They ushered him inside and on a spot at the middle of the bench seat, where he was snugly flanked on both sides by fodder guards. Captain Lucas, Detective Morse and Emelia sat on the bench opposite.

“This is ridiculous, and you know it.” 669 blurted.

But no one said anything to him or each other as the carriage moved through the quieter streets to the Royal Guard office.