“You’re not Zenith.” Kor was still seated on the ground but the mad panic that had been in his eyes a moment earlier was traded for an almost palpable apprehension upon realizing that he’d likely made a terrible mistake. Brivaria didn’t need to ask if he was the one behind the attack the first night her party entered the city. He definitely was.

“I think we will be escorting you to the watch but first I want to know why you tried to kill me.” Trixie sensed there was no more chasing and padded back to Brivaria while the angel spoke. Kor got to his feet before speaking.

“I’m really sorry for the misunderstanding but you gotta understand,” he began while looking between Brivaria and Alden, “they’re disappearing people out there. This is gonna sound crazy but it’s true. Plenty of folks are going into the western forest to get a look at the hind but almost none of them are coming out.” Alden made a face and shook his head.

“That’s expected. They’re guarding the place. If someone sneaks into the forest and gets caught then the mercenaries are authorized by Count Dancarlo to apprehend them. If the intruders fight back then the mercenaries have instructions to use lethal force. There are signs for miles explaining the danger as well as patrols attempting to capture people who ignore the instructions.” Kor was holding up his hands even as Alden spoke.

“Man, I know all of that but I also know the bodies aren’t coming home. One of my cousins is, was, a dumbass who tried to sneak in. He didn’t even carry a weapon. He never came back, never showed up in the city jail, and never appeared in the city morgue. He’s just gone. I started asking around and found out that there are others with the same story. Friends or teammates went to see the hind and never came back. They’re not just guarding the area. The mercenaries are supposed to bring the people back, alive or dead, but they’re doing something with the people instead.” Alden wasn’t buying the man’s words but Brivaria didn’t sense any deceit. Kor believed what he was saying.

“I was in the jail recently,” the big warrior explained, “and I saw Sparrow’s Revenge in there. The team went to see the hind and were escorted out of the forest, alive.”

“But did you talk to them?” Kor replied immediately. “I did—visited them in lockup and everything. They have a lephori in their party and she said there was a debate about taking them back between the mercenaries. It seemed weird to her at the time but I think they return some folks and not others. A known bronze or silver adventuring team might get an escort out but my cousin didn’t nor did a lot of others.”

“Could it be the hind?” Brivaria interrupted, getting the attention of both men. “You’re assuming the mercenaries are doing it but what if those people are finding the beast and it’s the reason they’re not coming out.”

“No, that’s the other thing. Sparrow’s Revenge saw the hind. Only ones who have since Davis Finch, the original hunter who discovered the thing, and the Great Valley Pathfinders who verified it. Both Finch and the Pathfinders are missing as well. Sparrow’s Revenge said the hind was peaceful, even a little afraid. Ask them if you want but I don’t think the hind is the culprit. I really think Zenith is having her men do something with the missing people.”

Brivaria was unconvinced. That Kor believed his story was for certain. The problem with it was that it didn’t explain Terrance Grand’s disappearance. He hadn’t been visiting the woods on or prior to going missing. At least, Brivaria didn’t remember seeing any trips to the woods in his book of appointments and notes. He had also vanished long before the Hunt for the Golden Hind had been declared though she would admit she didn’t know the timetable for when the mercenaries had arrived in Barton to guard the forest.

“So let’s say you’re right. People who go into the forest are disappearing and the mercenaries are to blame. Why attack Zenith directly? Why not go to the head of the city watch?” the angel asked.

“That’s just it—I did. That was the first thing I did when I realized what was happening. He said he’d look into it and the next day men broke down my front door looking for me. I slipped under the floorboards of my home but I’m sure I wouldn’t be talking to you now if they found me.” Kor’s words got a serious look from Alden who had looked as skeptical as Brivaria until now.

“The mercenaries came after you?” he asked.

“They weren’t wearing the uniforms of the marauders so I don’t know for certain. One of the men mentioned that ‘she’ wasn’t going to like the fact that I’d gotten away. I talk to the city watch about Zenith’s men making people disappear and the very next day someone tries to make me disappear. Doesn’t take a whole lot of imagination to realize who ‘she’ was in the context.” Brivaria sighed.

“You should have mentioned that part first. What can we do now? Can the guards question Zenith under a truth spell to determine whether something is going on here?” the angel asked the ex-silver rank adventurer. Alden considered it with a frown.

“Unless Zenith is openly seen breaking the law then the guard won’t bring her in for questioning. A gold rank adventurer or noble could request it but there are no gold ranked adventurers in the city and the nobility will rarely act openly unless they’re absolutely certain the result is in their favor. It’d be much easier if we had someone at the bottom rather than the top to bring in. If one of Zenith’s mercenaries was made to answer and implicate her then we’d have something to work with.” Alden’s words sounded wise to Brivaria though the angel might ask Kseniya later to see if the sorceress had another idea or suggestion.

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What did that leave them though? The first two attacks on Brivaria were mistaken identity. That left the third and fourth ones unexplained. Eldritch Horrors were never a good thing to find. Normally things like those getting into a universe was especially difficult and ultimately a rare encounter. Being seen in numbers usually meant there was an artifact of some note connected to an outer god present or, more likely, someone was directly petitioning an outer god or similar entity for power.

Assuming someone was directing the monsters to attack Brivaria and her group, there were three possible motives as the angel saw it. First, they were after Zenith. It seemed highly unlikely the monsters the group fought were capable of killing a high level warrior and, honestly, what were the odds of all the attacks being mistaken identity? Low, the angel thought. The second possible motive was that someone saw the team break into Terrance Grand’s house. While technically possible, who was watching the house of a man who disappeared over a month ago… and why? The odds of that were even lower than yet more mistaken identity.

Finally, the last and most obvious possibility was that Cordelia Westlake or her staff were part of this. Brivaria told the baroness about their plans and shortly after the team was attacked. It wasn’t hard to draw a line from one event to the other. What did that have to do with Zenith’s men making people disappear? Who knew. That was a fun, new wrinkle to iron out.

“Please don’t turn me in to the watch. I’m sorry. It was a mistake and won’t happen again.” Edison Kor had gone from absolutely terrified to mildly frightened when Brivaria revealed her identity but now he was back to terrified upon realizing that he was destined to the city jail. The angel held up a hand forestalling further begging.

“Look,” Brivaria began sternly then wavered. This was the part where Kseniya would have said he deserved to sit in jail alongside Lucian Ashford. They were guilty of the same crime only Lucian had gotten closer to success. It was objectively correct according to the laws of the region too. Yet… the angel held no grudge. She didn’t hate this man. She didn’t want him to suffer. She wanted to find his missing family and find out what was going on. The winged girl paused and took a breath.

“Look,” she began a second time, “if you help us then I’ll forgive what happened that night you mistook me for Zenith. Alden’s team and my team are trying to find the missing people. We could use more help and I think I’d like to speak to that other team. What was their team name? Sparrow’s Revenge? An introduction would be a good start.” The other team captain was watching Brivaria speak though his expression was neutral and he said nothing. Edison Kor, on the other hand, was ecstatic.

“Of course I’ll help. I’ll take you to meet them. Thank you so much!” he exclaimed and gave Brivaria a wide, hopeful smile which the angel returned.

“What do you think?” Brivaria asked Alden at last. The warrior shrugged.

“I think what happened between you and Mr. Kor is your own business. I agree that visiting this other team is a good idea. The Count will be most interested if there’s a kernel of truth in the story. Mercenaries he hired making his people disappear is a bad look. He’s already very sensitive to potential problems. This whole event is shining a light on Barton that should have been done far sooner,” the swordsman replied.

Trixie barked for attention as the dog had been excluded from the conversation despite doing such a great job catching the fleeing man. Brivaria knelt and pet the golden, making sure Trixie knew she’d done a great job and was a very good girl. With her dog sated, the group headed back toward the city center and jail. Both men with the angel knew the way and had been there multiple times. What none of them expected was to get held up by what looked like a parade.

A dozen wagons and carriages were moving through one of Barton’s largest streets. Dozens of armored riders wearing livery the winged girl didn’t recognize trotted alongside the procession. Everything and everyone in the path was forced to move aside to make way for the convoy. For every rider, there were at least four foot soldiers to go with them. Those on foot were clustered around a single, beautiful carriage.

“All yield before his lordship, Baron Olivier Sorenson and house Sorenson. All yield!” a man announced at the head of the convoy.

“Another baron? How many does Velk have?” Brivaria asked quietly. She and the others were politely pushed back to give space to the passing group. Kseniya had explained the concepts of the peerage to Brivaria prior to their visit to the Westlake estate but not gone into detail about Velk politics.

“Five,” Alden spoke as he also watched the procession go by. “Houses Westlake, Sorenson, Decrune, Meyers, and Felio. Most tend to reside in their barony and manage their lands. All five maintain residence in the city save for Baron Sorenson who resides in the castle at his leisure as Barton is part of his barony.”

“Wait, he runs the city and not Cordelia Westlake?” the angel asked.

“He does. He and Baron Decrune are responsible for the largest territories within Velk.”

“Then why was Cordelia here first?”

“Luck. Her territory lies to the east. A dungeon was discovered near Keaton, a town in her barony, and she went there personally to examine the situation. Keaton is the closest city east of Barton so she came down the road as soon as word of the hind reached her. I can’t imagine the baron is going to enjoy being welcomed back to his own city by the baroness though. I’m sure everyone in the peerage will know Lady Westlake was quicker to arrive if they don’t already.” Alden smiled at the last part but the angel was confused.

“Does that matter?” Alden glanced at Brivaria after her question and shook his head.

“To us? No. To the nobility? Maybe. There are plenty of powerful, wealthy families and only so many baronies to go around. It’s in Baron Sorenson’s best interest if every aspect of the Hunt for the Golden Hind goes well. If things were to go poorly, or if another baron were to be seen handling matters that he was unwilling or unable to, then it would look very bad.” Alden looked from the angel to Edison Kor. “That’s why Count Dancarlo hired my team. Just as with Baron Sorenson, anything that goes wrong will likely affect the Count’s reputation as well. If we solve a problem while in the Count’s employ then whatever blame exists can be laid squarely upon House Sorenson’s shoulders.”

“I think I might regret asking my question,” the winged girl admitted.

“You’re not the only one. Flynnette politics are about as cutthroat as they come and most adventurers tend to stay as far as possible. There’s good coin to be made but things can get messy quickly.” Brivaria looked at Alden.

“Sounds like you know from experience.”

“I’m living it right now,” he replied with a weary smile.