Jezzra returned, thundering in on his horse with a grim expression.

Captain Volk was missing.

I had Freki start searching independently, the giant wolf disappearing into the shadow realms to look for secret entrances. So far, he had found nothing, even as I kept half my attention split between his vision and mine.

There was a heated argument between Merrick and Jezzra, but I didn't care enough to listen. Instead, I sat opposite Krenlow in the noble's cabin and waited. They guards had hesitated to move him, but Devon made it hard to resist. And in the end, Merrick agreed that the cabin presented a closed space with better protection than the open air.

The man needed to wake up, but I had no means of purging the effects of the scented oil.

Thankfully, Alice had a solution.

She pulled out the small box of medical supplies and then grabbed something from off the top. It was a tiny glass vial filled with tiny yellowish crystals. "We can use these."

"What are these?" I asked.

With a slight shake, she uncapped the bottle and then held it out. "Smell."

I already had. I hesitantly leaned forward, but my nose worked overtime, bringing the smell to me. It made my eyes water, and I jerked back as I leaned too close.

"Oh! Agh. What is that?"

"I don't know. We have something similar; it's a form of smelling powder that wakes you up. We rarely use it; ours is a lot more powerful."

"They are smelling crystals," Devon muttered.

He continued to watch Krenlow's chest rise and fall.

This is enough to wake the dead. I don't want to imagine our version.

Alice began to move the opened vial under Krenlow's nose when Jezzra rushed into the cabin. He switched his gaze from each of us to the vial in Alice's hand. His face scrunched up, but he nodded.

"Please, proceed," Jezzra said.

She held the vial directly under Krenlow's nostrils and waved it around. At first, nothing happened, but then his fingers twitched. His nose began to scrunch up, and I could hear the change in the noble's breathing.

As his eyelids began to stir, Alice shoved the vial into his left nostril, and Krenlow jerked away in a jolt. His hands came up, and he scratched at his face, but his movements were sluggish, resulting in him ineffectually slapping himself instead.

Jezzra scowled disapprovingly, but Alice shrugged and adjusted to put the vial under Krenlow's nose again. He tried to move away, but Alice persisted until he shoved her hand down.

"Aargh! Enough! Eno-ugh! I-I'm what. Stop,” Krenlow managed to stammer out.

He slapped his face and rubbed his cheek while using his knuckle to dig at his nostrils. Tears slipped down the corners of his eyes while he shrunk back as if Alice was a demon.

"Sir Ashton, please try to focus. I know it's hard, but this is important," Jezzra stepped in as he knelt in front of the noble.

"I… what? What…”

With another pass of the vial, Krenlow rocketed backward to get away. Alice stopped the vial and came to sit beside me. The noble blinked away more tears and his face grew serious, but then he winced, and Jezzra was upon him.

A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

"Sir, try not to move. We don't want to reopen the injuries."

"Injuries? What-oh, I'm hurt. What's going on?! Why are there bandages on my side? Why am I undressed?"

Krenlow began to freak out the more aware he became. It took a minute for Jezzra to soothe him until Krenlow finally stopped and closed his eyes. He squeezed his head and leaned forward.

"I… remember. There were strangers. Masked, wore dark clothes. One had a strange tattoo. They… they…” Krenlow started. His eyes shot open, and he looked around in a panic. "Where's Neyenna?! Haldeena!"

Jezzra forced the man down. "Sir, they're missing. We're trying to figure out what happened. Please, try to explain what you know."

"I-" Krenlow swallowed. "Okay. Haldeena was asleep, being carried in a man's arms. I tried to get up… something wet hit my nose, and I fell. My wife was taken next, another man pressing something wet to her mouth. I tried to… fight, but it was like my body felt weak. I c-couldn't I… I don't remember. That's all I remember."

That's not helpful at all, but at least we know the others were taken away, most likely alive.

Krenlow began to sob, but when Jezzra tried to console him, he pushed the guardsman away and stood up. He pointed toward Devon. "What about you? Find them. Please, find them!"

Devon stared down at the noble.

"Anything. I'll offer anything! Whatever it is you ask, I'll give it. You said you are looking for something in the capital? My men are yours. The entire estate is yours, just please… find them…"

Instead of answering the desperate father, Devon turned to the guard. "What are your orders exactly?"

Jezzra grimaced and looked away from Krenlow. "If Lady Ashton and the little one are lost, we will continue onward toward the capital."

Krenlow roared, "No! I won't leave them!"

Jezzra stood up. his shoulders stiffened, and his back stayed straight as he met Krenlow's eyes. "Sir, we may be your men for as long as we are on this mission, but we still serve the crown. We are under strict instructions to get you to the capital. If Lady Ashton and Lady Heldeena cannot be found, we must proceed."

"Like the hells you will! I command you to stand down. We are to find my wife and daughter!"

Jezzra remained firm even as Krenlow grabbed him by the chestplate. The noble searched the guard's eyes and then whipped around.

"Sir Grimms. I'll make a contract. Whatever it is. I'll give it. My money, my life, my soul. Everything! Please!"

Strangely enough, Devon looked toward Alice and me sitting on the bench. He watched us and then moved back to looking down at Krenlow. "We do not promise their safe return. If they are dead, we cannot revive them. We can assure revenge and their bodies if they are still intact. That is what you are asking for."

"No. I-I, You have to bring them back alive!"

"Then we'll decline the contract."

Devon began to move away, but Krenlow rushed to stop him. "I'll take it! I'll take it! Just please, they're my world. Don't let them die. Please… try."

After removing the noble's hands from his coat, Devon turned to Jezzra. "Will you be proceeding?"

Jezzra glanced toward Krenlow, who collapsed onto the opposite bench and hung his head in his hands.

"Yes. We will. The goal is to get as far as possible before our next stop. We'll run the horses ragged, but we can't stay in the pass."

"Very well."

Devon walked out of the wagon, and we followed, leaving behind the guard as he bowed his head to the noble. Krenlow looked up, a single red eye dripping with tears. I turned away and shut the cabin door.

I stayed silent until we reached our wagon and then spoke up. "What's the reasoning for him helping him?"

Devon met my stare.

"He promised aid once inside the capital."

Utilitarian, but makes sense.

I closed my eyes and watched Freki sniff at a dead end. He snorted and turned around, rushing out of the small passage. Opening my eyes, I shook my head. "Still nothing. Should I recall him?"

"Yes. We'll head off now."

"Where are we going? You couldn't find them, right?"

He held up the wet rag that still reeked of oil. "We use this."

***

I watched the last wagon roll away past the bend. Jezzra meant what he said. The guards had rallied and shifted supplies before loading their vehicles and setting off.

"Will we be able to catch up?" I asked as Devon led us up a winding path that would bring us above the pass.

"They'll stop eventually. And we can run further than those horses."

"You said they exploded? Was there any indication of alchemic devices?" Alice asked.

I shook my head. "No, in fact. There was mana. Like, I felt angry energy coming from the man's chest. And then he just popped."

"Does this mean we're facing a monster?" she asked, looking at Devon.

"Maybe," he answered. "We'll see once we discover their hideout."

He cleared the last climb in one jump and disappeared beyond the ridge. I looked at Alice, and she threw up her hood before repeating his action.

Staring up, it was several feet above me.

Show-offs.