“It’s a common mortal misconception that hellhounds are demons or dark spirits,” Raiju said. “But they’re a different class all together. They aren’t from the underworld, so the name is a misnomer, too. Hellhounds are guardians.”

“I heard that they’re the reanimated corpses of dogs that have already passed,” Ash said. Raiju was now laying on his side, happy to have his fur stroked as Ash knelt down beside him.

“No, no. Human imaginations are ridiculous. They’re a manifestation of life essence to protect someone or something,” Raiju said. “They are not a living creature nor a demon. I wouldn’t classify them as spirits, either. At least not spirits like us. Hellhounds are a manifestation of the desire to protect or guard. That’s my understanding, anyway. Simir would know. Why do you ask, Second Young Master?”

“I took up a job to help a little girl look for her missing dog, but I’m starting to suspect it isn’t an actual living, breathing dog,” Ash explained.

“That’s why he wanted to talk to you,” Henry said as he scooped some stew into a bowl. “He wanted to see if there was a possibility that it was a spirit.”

“She said that her dog disappeared into the shadows,” Ash reported his findings to Raiju. The thunder and lightning spirit in the form of a giant wolf remained lazily on his side, looking more like a dog who’d overeaten.

“Oh...that sounds like a hellhound. When I say manifestation of protection, I mean protection from a spirit or demon, or something supernatural, not a mortal, physical threat,” Raiju replied. “The question you should be asking isn’t where she went, but why she appeared in the first place.”

Ash looked up and across the kitchen at Henry. “Well...that’s worrisome.”

“Indeed....” Henry carried over a tray with two bowls of stew to the counter and placed one in front of Ash.

Raiju lifted his head and looked at Henry. “Master, where is mine?”

“Spirits don’t need to consume physical matter.”

“But that doesn’t mean we don’t appreciate a good meal.”

The spirit and his summoner stared at each other for a few counts. Finally, Henry rolled his eyes. “If I give you a bowl, you’ll finish it up in one lick!”

Raiju scrambled to his feet, his eyes big and his tongue hanging out. “I’ll be sure to savor it, Master!”

Henry shook his head, but went to scoop up another bowl for the spirit. A moment later, a white and black fox appeared on the counter with an expectant look. Henry stared at her. “You want one, too?”

“Naali wants one, too!” Her fluffy tail swung from side to side before she nudged her head against Ash’s shoulder in greeting. “Hello, Second Young Master!”

“Hi, Naali.” Ash smiled and scratched her chin. He looked back at Raiju while petting the ice fox spirit. “What do you mean by supernatural threat?”

“Well, demons, hauntings, and, of course, curses,” Raiju replied. “Demons and hauntings aren’t usually at the range of regular humans, unless they do something wrong and brought it on themselves, but curses are a possibility. Curses drain life essence.”

Henry placed a bowl on the edge of the counter and then another smaller one next to Naali. “See if the Traceras Clan books have anything on this,” he told his brother. “The clan had a significant line of summoners, as well as mages, and all of them were interested in all things esoteric, so there must be something there regarding curses.”

Ash nodded and began to eat. He looked down at the soup and narrowed his eyes. “Mr. Pinon did say that she was sick when they first found Shadow.”

“And she’s feeling better now?” Henry asked. Ash nodded.

“She’s skinny and looks younger than she is, but her eyes are bright, no abnormal paleness, doesn’t show any lack of energy....” Ash stirred his stew in the bowl. “Her father says she’s better. He thinks that having Shadow there sort of boosted Theresa’s morale and gave her a reason to get better.”

“A hellhound absorbs the curse around the target. It gives its life essence instead,” Raiju said, his nuzzle buried in the bowl. He slurped up the stew, licking his chops. “The thing is, I don’t know how long they last. I’m afraid I can’t help you there, Second Master.”

Ash let out a hum. “No, you’ve given me a lot to think about, Raiju. Thank you.”

He ate his dinner then retreated to his room to start looking over his library of books. Once he found a few, he began perusing them late into the night.

Henry had to come and force him to go to sleep, reminding him that a drowsy ‘recovery agent’ was a useless one.

Ash still brought some books with him the next day. As soon as he was on the ferry, he flipped through trying to find out what could cause a hellhound to suddenly disappear. He was still reading a book on curses without an answer when he was on the commuter wagon to the inland East Village.

All Traceras books were written in an old magic text for two reasons; first, it was that the books were magic related and it only made sense for the written language to reflect that.

Second, at its peak, the Traceras Clan was all over East and West Iveria, meaning they spanned several common and regional languages. In order for everything to match and be understood by the rest of the clan, the official written language of the clan was the magic language. From what Ash could tell, it didn’t have an official name, so he just called it ‘magic text’.

It made it sound much more mystical than it was.

However, it being in another, rarely seen language, allowed him to feel comfortable reading about such a dark subject in a public place. Who knew what people would think of him if they saw him reading about curses. He was quite a recognizable figure in the city and his reputation with plummet.

Traceras knowledge of the subject was limited, though. It simply wasn’t something the family focused on, but what they did have chronicled, including types of known curses, were explained well.

Curses have been around forever and the official definition was ‘an intention to invoke supernatural harm to another’. Taking away luck or life essence seemed to count in the broader term. Curses could also be cast by those without magic ability.

Therefore, it was a tempting option for the magic-desperate.

At its core, magic was a transfer and manipulation of energy. It was the first thing Ash learned. The more magic energy one had, the stronger their abilities and the longer lasting they were. There was simply more energy to tap.

Curses needed an energy source, and surprisingly, magic energy did not work. Instead, curses ran on life essence; that was the life energy an individual was born with. It naturally weakened as a person aged. Too little of it could cause bodily failure, mental instability, cognitive complications, and the like.

The stronger a curse, the more life essence was consumed. There was no information on whether a strong enough curse could drain a caster’s life essence, but who would be foolish enough to risk their own health? How desperate did one have to be?

Or how greedy, Ash thought to himself as he snapped the book closed and reached under his glasses to rub his eyes.

Since curses drained life essence, it was extremely taboo.

It would also add another layer of difficulty. If the hellhound was gone, what did that mean? Was Theresa’s health going to remain good from now on? Or did the hellhound time out and now Theresa would be affected again?

Ash put his book into his bag and got off in the same plaza as the day before.

Theresa and her father wouldn’t arrive until later in the afternoon, so Ash made his rounds around the area. As a single father, many neighbors knew about Mr. Pinon and his daughter. He worked at a butcher shop after a few years struggling to find work in the docks.

The owners of the butcher shop were sympathetic and allowed him to bring Theresa to work with him. When Theresa started school, it was convenient, as the school was just down the street.

Ash sat around a small cafe nearby, watching various workers come in and out for a quick lunch. He stirred his tea before taking a sip. His eyes almost watered at the bitterness, but he didn’t openly criticize.

“I heard she was sick before she found Shadow. Just having a pet must’ve cheered her up,” Ash said, directing his words to the old man at the counter.

The old man nodded. “Oh yes; it had been some time since her eyes seemed to light up! I’d see her and her father walking her dog up and down the street. When the pup was little, she got too tired and Terry would insist on carrying her back.” The old man laughed at the memory. “Such a spoiled little thing, but they were inseparable.”

The corner of Ash’s lips curled up in a smile. “I really hope to help her find him.”

“I joined the party looking for him the first two nights Shadow didn’t come back,” the old man told him. He lifted his hand and scratched the back of his head. “It’s strange. No one seemed to have seen him leave or saw him wandering the streets. There are plenty of stray dogs and cats, but Shadow is a big dog. Someone would’ve noticed her wandering off.”

“And it happened in the middle of the day, didn’t it?” Ash asked. In broad daylight, a large dog walking down the street would’ve brought some attention.

“To be honest, I’m worried that someone had taken her.”

Ash cocked his head to the side. “Taken? As in stolen?”

“Well, Terry liked to put a big pink bow on Shadow’s neck. You could recognize her right away. It also makes her look much friendlier. Without the bow, a big black dog like that looks like she belongs in a dog fighting ring.”

Ash blinked. He’d been so caught up thinking of a supernatural problem, that he overlooked an obvious regular problem. “Do you know if other dogs like her had gone missing?”

The old man let out a heavy ‘ah’. He squinted into the distance and seemed to think back. “This area isn’t a stranger to strays, but there have been quite a few recently.”

“Carthage Harbor started a program to get the stray population under control some time ago,” Ash pointed out. “Is it possible she was taken in to be sterilized?”

He frowned and shook his head inwardly. Theresa’s father said he’d taken off a day to go to the animal control center to check if Shadow had been taken in. Apparently, he’d also thought it was a possibility that their lost dog was picked up; however, the center had no record of a dog matching Shadow’s description.

“After a week, they’d return them to the streets, wouldn’t they?” the old man asked. He shook his head, disappointed. “If you ask me, Shadow could’ve been picked up by a dog fighting ring.”

The Federation of Merchant Cities allowed for gambling, but in specific areas and only on specific things like card games, tile games, and public sporting events, like the Carthage Harbor Regatta. It was loosely regulated and as long as any breach of conduct wasn't too serious, the Federation would turn a blind eye. Animal fighting rings were one of the more heavily regulated forms of gambling. There were strict rules to follow, but they were difficult to enforce.

If Shadow was dognapped to a fighting ring, it made things more difficult. Shadow could be heavily injured or worse. Ash also didn’t know how many animal fighting rings, both legal and illegal, were in the city. Searching for all of them would be nearly impossible, especially in such a short amount of time.

His best bet was to wait for his mother or Effie to return to ask them to send out animals to search. If Shadow was a large and fierce looking dog as neighbors and acquaintances said, perhaps she would survive. Still, Ash wasn’t going to slack in his search. Since finding an animal fighting ring or gambling den where such a thing would take place would require additional support, he shifted his attention back to the supernatural suspicion.

If he wanted to know about Theresa’s health before they found Shadow, he’d have to go to her father.

Mr. Pinon worked as a butcher at a nearby butcher shop. Ash could see it from the café when he stepped out. It was a little past midday, but through the window, Ash could see the large man hard at work behind the counter, wrapping some meat for an elderly woman. After the woman paid and left, Ash entered.

The butcher shop was larger than he thought. Though narrow, it seemed to go back further. This type of building was typical in high streets in older parts of the city. Hana’s third brother’s tailor shop in North Village was of a similar layout.

A little bell rang as he held the door open for the old woman to step out. She gave him a kind smile and nod of thanks as Ash stepped to the side. Once inside, a man’s gruff, but cheerful voice called out.

“Good afternoon! What can we help you with?”

Ash turned his attention to a thin, bald man in a formerly white apron. Time had long stained the apron, but it had no patches nor fresh stains from handling meat. Ash returned his greeting with a wide smile, but before he could answer, Mr. Pinon called out.

“Second Young Master!”

“Agent Atractas.” Ash corrected him and Mr. Pinon let out a sheepish laugh.

“Yes, Agent Atractas. Please give me a moment.” Mr. Pinon looked towards the thin, bald man. “Boss, this is the man who is helping us look for Shadow.”

“Ah!” The bald man looked at him. “Any luck?”

Ash gave him a wry, helpless smile. “I’m afraid not yet,” he said. “I’m still gathering clues.”

Mr. Pinon untied his apron and went to hang it up. The bald man nodded, sympathetic. He looked at Mr. Pinon. “Alan, you can bring him upstairs if you need to talk.”

Mr. Pinon threw him a thankful full. “Thanks, Boss. Agent Atractas, this way, please.” Mr. Pinon waved for him to follow.

As Ash passed, he gave a grateful nod towards the boss. He slipped between the counters and followed Theresa’s dad down a corridor, past a narrow open yard where there were remnants of pig butchery, and then up some stairs.

Through the door was what appeared to be a modest dining area. As they entered and the door creaked, someone looked up from a long, wooden table.

“Alan?” A brown-haired woman perhaps no older than his mother lowered the knitting needles in her hand. Her eyes were bright as she looked up and craned her neck towards the door. Her brows rose with surprise as they settled on Ash. “Who is this?”

“Agent Atractas from the Adventurer’s Guild,” Mr. Pinon said. “He is helping us look for Shadow. Agent, this is Rita Gruse, my boss’ daughter.”

“Pardon my intrusion, madam.” Ash gave a small nod of his head and offered an apologetic smile.

Rita seemed a bit dumbfounded to see him. “Oh...it’s still miss. I’m not married,” she replied, looking from him to Mr. Pinon.

“Boss said we can talk up here. Do you mind?” he asked.

“I can leave.” Rita immediately began to gather her things, but Ash held out his hands.

“Actually, I’d like to as you a few questions, too, if possible.” He looked towards Mr. Pinon for approval. The older man began to nod his head, but Rita cut him off.

She clutched her half-knitted piece of clothing against her and furrowed her brows. “Question? Why? I haven’t seen Shadow for some time.”

Ash kept his face neutral. “It’s not necessarily about Shadow, but about Miss Pinon. Theresa. If you’ve noticed anyone watching her.”

She cocked her head to the side and gave him a confused look. “Why would anyone watch a child?” Her brows shot up. “Do you think they may be targeting her for kidnapping?”

At this, Mr. Pinon also seemed to fill with alarm. He looked at Ash, silently asking if that was the case.

Ash shook his head, keeping his focus. “While it is always good to watch over your children, I suspect that perhaps someone may have been watching Miss Pinon and her father to make sure they weren’t home when taking Shadow away.”

Mr. Pinon sucked in a sharp breath. “You think Shadow might’ve been stolen?”

“But I thought she ran away,” Rita told them. She looked at Mr. Pinon. “Didn’t you say that a window or door was open when you returned?”

“If they were in a rush to leave, they wouldn’t bother to close a door or window that they’d entered from,” Mr. Pinon said with a frown. “Everyone in the area knows how Shadow looks; they might’ve wanted to get him and leave before anyone noticed.”

It seemed he suspected that human greed was the culprit.

Ash wasn’t sure about the curse yet. He didn’t want to alarm the man. Without waiting to be invited, he took a seat on one of the benches on either side of the table. He gave Rita a nod. “Sorry, I’m going to take a seat. I’ve been wandering around all day trying to look for clues.”

“No, please, would you like some water?” Rita asked.

Ash shook his head. “I’m fine, thank you. I just need to sit. You have a nice table.” Always compliment the host, as his mother told him.

Rita’s face reddened. “Thank you! Alan built it for us!”

Ash restrained his surprise and glanced at Mr. Pinon, who beamed. “Before I became a butcher, I did a lot of construction and carpentry at the docks,” he said. He took a seat across from Ash and patted the table. “If anyone needs anything built, I’ll try to squeeze it in.”

The underlying message was that he’d build for money to support him and his daughter. The gods knew it was not easy for a single parent. It was admirable and Ash gave him a nod of approval.

“How long have you worked at the butcher shop?” he asked.

Mr. Pinon let out a low breath and lowered his eyes. “For about four years now. I needed to find work closer to home to be there for Terry. Her mother left us when she was four. One day, she just left. Money I had saved was gone....” He trailed off, his lips pulling into a bitter smile. “Still, I searched for her, but no one had seen her. It was as if she had vanished. Everyone told me that since she took my money, she had run off, perhaps with another man.”

As he spoke, Ash looked at his and Rita’s expression. Rita nodded in agreement. She raised her hand and patted Mr. Pinon on the shoulder, but the man didn’t react. She looked back at Ash. “I’ve known Lourdes since she we were children. We were neighbors, and my family even cared for her briefly when her own parents died. I’m stunned that she’d do such a thing.” She lowered her head and shook it slowly. “I don’t know what came over her.”

“During this time, Miss Pinon was healthy?” Ash asked.

Mr. Pinon nodded once more. “Yes. Before Shadow, about two years ago, she was healthy and energetic. She didn’t look...younger than she is,” he said in a strained voice. “Working here allowed me to have a place for her to stay while I worked, as the Boss and Rita were kind enough to allow Terry to stay here while I worked. They even provided her with meals. When she started school, she would come here after school, but after a few months, she wanted to remain in school afterwards to play with her friends.

“I don’t mind, as we’re right down the street. When it’s time to go, I’ll walk by the school to get her. Yesterday, I was talking to someone outside the courtyard, so she met you first.”

Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

Ash nodded his head. “When did she start getting sick?”

A painful expression filled the older man’s face. His shoulder sank as his eyes lowered, reddening. “Two years ago. She’d just finished her first year of school when she started to get very tired. At first, I thought she was only tired from running around all day, but even on days when we were home, she was very tired. She said her body hurt and she started to get fevers. Long ones.” Mr. Pinon looked across at Ash. “The healer and doctors haven’t seen anything like it. She would get these high fevers and after finally returning to a normal temperature for a few days, she’d get another one.

“Doctors suggested it might’ve been something she ate that her body wasn’t reacting well to, so we monitored her food, but nothing seemed to trigger the fevers. The healers also said that her energy was depleting slowly, but weren’t sure why. We tried healing talismans, but they’d last for a week and then she’d get another fever. Terry started to have to stay home, too weak to go to school.” Mr. Pinon’s hands trembled over the table. “She could barely eat.” His voice cracked. “That’s why she’s so small for her age.”

“There is plenty of time for her to catch up, Mr. Pinon,” Ash told him, sincere. “My brother said I was such a small and scrawny child and look how I turned out.” Hearing that made Mr. Pinon crack a small, but relieved smile. Ash didn’t want to tell him he’d also been born a particularly chunky baby and had only thinned out when he was a toddler. “Can you tell me again how you found Shadow?”

A sad smile graced the older man’s face. “Terry was bedridden. She was shivering, but burning up. She couldn’t keep anything down. I was scared I’d lose her,” he said, his voice tightening. “She asked to go outside. It was cold and I didn’t want to bring her, but she said she was very hot. I bundled her up and took her outside. We walked two steps outside the door when she saw a puppy behind the well, peeking out at her.” At once, Mr. Pinon’s seemed to bloom with joy. “Her face lit up. Daddy, it’s a puppy, she said. She insisted I put her down so she could see it. I was afraid she’d fall, so I carried her all the way to this small, black fur ball. Then I put her down. Shadow walked right into Terry’s arms.”

The joy in his eyes couldn’t be hidden and Ash found his smile infectious. “Then she started to get better?”

“She did. In fact, she sneaked Shadow into her bed and when I found them the next morning, not only were they cuddled together, but her fever had gone down. She said she was hungry. She hadn’t been hungry for weeks!” Mr. Pinon almost slapped the table in excitement. “She began to eat and keep things down. Her fevers became fewer and far between, not to mention far less serious. After a few months, Terry was back to normal. Having Shadow with her must’ve given her strength.”

Oh, more than you probably realize. Ash nodded again. “How has she been since Shadow’s gone missing?”

Mr. Pinon’s excitement fell in an instant. His eyes lowered once more. “It’s breaking my heart to see her mope around the house. She waits by the window, hoping to see Shadow come back. She’s lost her appetite and isn’t able to sleep.”

“Her fevers haven’t returned, have they?”

“No, thankfully not.” Mr. Pinon lifted a hand over his chest. “And she is making an effort to eat, even if it’s a little.”

Ash filed everything he heard in the back of his head. According to what he read on curses, life essence was akin to one’s health. It made the body weak, unable to properly function and susceptible to illness. The smallest cold could become fatal the weaker a body was.

“I’m sure we’ll find Shadow, Alan,” Rita said. “If not, perhaps you can try to find another dog for her.”

Ash took in a sharp breath and gave Rita a disapproving look. Alan looked uncertain, but Ash’s response was strong. “Replacing a missing pet with a new one is a bit cold, don’t you think? People have to grieve a loss and heal on their own terms. Simply getting a dog to replace Shadow isn’t going to magically make everything better.”

Rita opened her mouth, appearing flustered, but Mr. Pinon nodded. “He’s right. Shadow means so much to Terry. Trying to replace Shadow before she’s ready would hurt her.”

Shouting came from outside the door. The door that consisted of just a few planks of wood didn’t do much to muffle the sound, but Mr. Pinon still rose to open it to hear better. Before he could ask what was going on, the butcher shop’s boss’s voice reached them.

“Alan! Alan, come down!” To say he sounded frantic was an understatement. “Alan! Hurry! Terry’s unconscious!”

﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌

“Will this lower her fever?” Ash asked as he took a few small paper packets from the doctor.

“Yes, she is to take it every four hours, even through the night, until all the packets are gone,” the doctor told him with a solemn expression. “In the meantime, even if she’s shivering, don’t cover her up. She’ll only continue to heat up if she’s wrapped in blankets.”

The child was shivering, but there wasn’t much they could do. Ash nodded and slid the doctor some coins before nodding and seeing him off. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly.

He didn’t want to say that Theresa being found unconscious in one of the alley courtyards nearby was indicative of a curse. After all, just the day before she was perfectly fine.

But Ash had only seen the child for a few hours. Even her father only saw her for a few hours in the evening. Most of her time was spent with children from school. It was they who rushed to find her father and told her that she’d collapsed.

One of them even ran to get a doctor. Ash had to give credit where credit was due; these children were more reliable than some adults.

It was also from those children that he learned that since Shadow had gone missing, Theresa and they had combed the area looking for Shadow every day after school, only returning when it was time to go home. They hadn’t been playing in the school’s playground or studying at all.

It broke his heart.

Ash had ran after Mr. Pinon, following him and the little boy leading them to an alley several streets up. Several school children had huddled around Theresa, who was flushed, her skin burning to the touch, and unresponsive. Mr. Pinon picked her up and carried her home, asking the children to bring the doctor to his house.

Ash, of course, followed. He drew water from the well and asked the neighbors for clean rags to use as cloth to soak. After taking their names and thanking them, he went to the Pinons’ rented house. Mr. Pinon had looked as if he were about to rush down the stairs to get water, and profusely thanked him before taking the bucket and rushing up the stairs.

A few moments after, the doctor arrived. Ash directed him upstairs and then turned his attention to the children who’d followed.

He asked them what exactly had happened and couldn’t rid himself of the feeling in the pit of his stomach.

After giving himself a moment to collect himself, he brought the medicine up the narrow, rickety stairs to the upper level. There were two rooms and the one at the end of the hall had the door open. Inside, on a small narrow bed inside a small narrow room, Mr. Pinon sat on a low stool gently pressing a cool, damp towel on his child’s forehead.

Ash took a deep breath lingering at the doorway before lifting his hand to knock. “How is she?”

Mr. Pinon looked over his shoulder and gave him a sad, but grateful smile. “She woke up for a few minutes and then went to sleep.”

Ash nodded. He took the sentence as approval to step into the room. Without a word, he placed the packets on the bedside table, on top of some worn books with tattered covers and a large brush with broken teeth that still had black fur on it.

“The doctor prescribed some medicine. Mix in a tea cup of hot, but not boiling water, and have her drink it every four hours, even at night. There should be enough for four days here,” Ash said. Instructions were written on the packets, but he repeated them anyway. “I’ve arranged for the doctor to return on the fourth day to check on her. He will adjust the prescription if necessary.”

Mr. Pinon lowered his head. He stood up, careful not to make too much noise, and turned to Ash. He bowed his head. “I will repay you for the medicine and house call fees, Second Young Master.”

Ash shook his head. “No rush. Concentrate on her. When she gets better, we can discuss payment. I need some additional racks for some paper I make.”

Mr. Pinon lifted his head and looked at him with surprise. “Racks?”

Ash nodded. “You can do carpentry, right?” He watched the older man’s face remain stunned. “Labor is a form of payment, too.”

A glint of understanding crossed Mr. Pinon’s eyes and he nodded. In the Federation, basic medical care was provided for all its citizens; healers and clerics at the Celestial Temple Complexes, which was provided by the temple as a form of charity, and doctors at medical centers, but prescriptions, at home visits, and more complex care still required payment.

That didn’t count any supplies needed for recovery or living with an illness or injury. To Ash, the visit costs and prescriptions were a drop in the bucket which he could pay immediately. Mr. Pinon seemed the type not to accept charity so easily, so he suggested labor. It was a win-win, since Ash really did need more racks for his mulberry paper frames.

“Thank you, Second Young Master.”

“I will continue to ask around to look for Shadow. I’m going to see if I can ask for some help to help increase the area I’m searching,” Ash told him. “Miss Pinon is in need of rest, so I’ll come by on the fourth day.” He needed to pay for the doctor’s visit and any additional medicine.

“Thank you-”

“Don’t thank me yet.” Ash held up his hand to stop him. “I’m afraid I have some bad news from her classmates. Miss Pinon had slight fevers while at school this last week. She’s been dizzy, and twice, had to leave class. Yesterday, she vomited. She told her friends not to tell anyone.”

Mr. Pinon’s pale face fell even further. His eyes began to redden as he looked back at his daughter. “Why didn’t she tell me she was sick?”

“So as not to worry you,” Ash replied. He complained all the time to his family, but when it was a serious matter, he hesitated to tell and subsequently worry them. “Don’t be upset with her.”

“How can I be?” Such a large man’s voice was choked.

Ash stepped closer to look at Theresa. Mr. Pinon had swept up his daughter and ran home so quickly he hadn’t had a chance to get a good look at the girl. His eyes narrowed and his lips tightened into a frown. Just the day before, there was more color on her face.

The hairs on his arm began to rise and he subconsciously raised his hands to rub them. Something felt different, but he wasn’t sure how to describe it. A weight? It wasn’t an extraordinarily strong pressure, but there was a heaviness around Theresa. It wasn’t magic.

He shook his head. Perhaps it was just the sight of a sick little girl that was getting to him.

He looked back at Mr. Pinon. “One of the neighbors will bring some soup for both you and her. Please don’t reject it. I insisted on giving her some coins for her troubles.”

“Second Young Master-”

“Just consider it another rack.”

Mr. Pinon was silenced in an instant. “I will make all the racks you need.”

Ash smiled and patted his shoulder. “If she asks about Shadow, tell her I’m expanding my network to search a larger area.” He stepped back and headed towards the door. As he reached it, he paused and looked back. He opened his mouth and reached into his back pocket. He handed Mr. Pinon a small, embossed metal card. “If something happens to her, if her situation suddenly gets worse, you can come to me. I’m sure you know my family’s tea house, but if you show this to anyone at the ferry launch, they will take you directly to it.”

Mr. Pinon accepted the card as if receiving an award. “Thank you for your kindness, Second Young Master.”

Ash waved his hand in front of him to dismiss it. “In my family’s culture, we are very generous to children and animals. This is what we must do.” He gave Mr. Pinon a small bow to show his sincerity. “I’ll see myself out. Take care of her.”

He headed down the stairs. He crossed the narrow house and opened the front door. Just as it opened, a woman gasped. Ash jerked his head back just a bit in surprise as he saw Rita standing there, holding a small pot.

“Agent Atractas! Thank goodness; I didn’t have a free hand to knock.” She gave him a wide smile, but Ash didn’t smile back.

“Miss, I didn’t expect you. I apologize if I surprised you.”

“No, it’s fine!” She beamed. She climbed up one more step so she was on the same level as Ash. “I brought some stew for Alan and Terry.”

She gasped as Ash leaned forward and lifted the pot cover to look inside without hesitation. It was a thick, heavy stew with meat. Most days, it would be fine, but at the moment, it wasn’t something Theresa’s sickly body could eat.

He put the lid back on and gave her a smile. “How kind of you, Miss! I’ll carry it in for you.” Without waiting for her to protest, he picked up the pot, lifting it out of her hands. “I’ll ask Mr. Pinon to bring the pot back to you in a few days, when his daughter is better.”

“Oh-”

“Miss Pinon is really ill right now and Mr. Pinon asked for no visitors,” Ash said. “I’m about to leave myself. You understand that he can’t have company right now, right?” He gave her a helpless look, as if it were an obvious situation, leaving her no room to counter.

Her mouth flapped open, unsure of what to say. Ash hadn’t moved himself from the doorway, barricade himself between her and the inside of the house. He kept a smile that didn’t reach his eyes on his face as he stood there holding the pot with two hands.

Rita craned her neck, looking past him for any sign of Mr. Pinon. When he didn’t appear after some time, a weak smile appeared on her face. “I understand. I’ll bring some more food tomorrow.”

“Don’t worry, Miss. We know that since he can’t come in to work, someone else needs to step in and help your father. I was told that you used to work in the butcher shop before Mr. Pinon was hired, so you don’t mind covering for him while he nurses his sick child, right?”

“Of course, not-”

“I figured as much. A community looks out for each other,” Ash said, appearing satisfied. “We didn’t want to trouble you further, so we’ve arranged for a neighbor to drop off some food. I’ve paid for it myself to help. You can focus on the butcher shop.”

Rita looked at him, her mouth still slightly agape. She seemed speechless for a moment, her mind trying to race for a response. “When...when is he coming back?”

“In a few days.” Ash remained vague. “We’ll see you then, Miss.” That was an hint to leave if there was any.

Though reluctant, Rita looked him up and down and slowly walked down the steps. Ash remained standing, watching as she made her way slowly towards the courtyard’s alley to leave. His eyes narrowed. Gritting his teeth, he brought in the food and placed it on the table. He took out a slip and activated it. Using the wooden spoon still in the pot, he took out a small portion and placed it on the slip.

There was no reaction. He figured she wouldn’t try to poison Mr. Pinon, but it didn’t hurt to be careful.

After all, according to Theresa’s school friends, she didn’t like going to the butcher shop after school unless she had to because she didn’t like the butcher’s daughter who wanted to marry her father.

﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌

“Since when?” Ash stood up straight, nearly dropping the twenty-third book with a tiny excerpt on curses on to the dining table. Across from him, Henry calmly used a piece of flat bread to wipe up the remaining egg yolk from his plate.

“Since however long it takes to sail here,” Henry replied. He glanced up at him and smirked. “Maybe she’s mad at you for having run off twice in a row.”

Ash let out a low hiss. “Shut up! Momma didn’t say that!”

“Well, she didn’t say she was coming home today until Void arrived with a message.” Void was the raven that followed Effie around, and was the mother to Cole and Midnight.

“When did the message arrive?”

“Last night-”

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Ash nearly screamed. “I haven’t prepared the presentation for the prospective inns yet! All I have is the final report!”

Henry gave him a relaxed shrug. “You better start working then.”

He watched Ash grasp either side of his head in frustration before shoving the last of his food into his mouth and racing to his work room, shouting at him to have the kitchen make Effie’s favorite honey crunch cookies. Henry smirked and chuckled. Ash had left behind his book.

He sighed and shook his head. For two days, Ash remained at home. He’d been in contact with the Adventurer’s Guild and reached out to the Office of the Registrar to get the most current list of all the gambling dens and rings in Carthage Harbor.

Ash was really working hard to find that little girl’s dog. He was following supernatural as well as normal leads. Henry initially thought it was just a case of a dog getting lost and picked up, but after some back and forth with Raiju, he couldn’t shake that feeling that something else was involved.

At any rate, Henry sincerely hoped she would be reunited with her dog. He spent some time working downstairs in the shop, his eyes constantly going back to the clock. When it was almost time for the ship to arrive, he went back upstairs.

“Ash!” He yelled up the stairs. “Let’s go!”

“No! I’m not done!” Ash’s wail of defeat filled the house, making Henry close his eyes and relish it. He wouldn’t be crying out if he didn’t run off and instead focused on his work, like he was supposed to.

He has to learn, Henry told himself.

Ash dragged himself downstairs. Henry waited for him to exit before locking the door behind him. In a daze, Ash stumbled towards the street. Henry grabbed the back of his shirt collar and dragged him to the family’s personal carriage, which he had grooms prepare.

“Young Masters, good afternoon.” The driver smiled as he greeted them and opened the door.

“Good afternoon, Mr. Sloberk.” Two voices replied, one calm and pleasant while the other was tired.

Once the two were inside and the door was shut, the driver hopped on and they rode out on to the street. Ash stared blankly out the windows to Henry’s amusement.

“I trust you’ll welcome them home with a brighter, happier expression?”

Ash groaned and covered his face with both hands. “I’ll finish it when I get home.”

“Sure.” Henry nodded, but he knew his brother. He’d get caught up catching up with his mother or play with Effie, and completely forget. You’d think he’d learn by now. “And the cookies will be taken out of the oven when we arrive.”

Sighing, Ash leaned against the side of the carriage. It didn’t take them long to get to the dock where his mother was scheduled to arrive. Before they even reached it, they could see the various masts over the buildings in front of the docks. The Snake, Scarab, and Sons banner whipped in the wind.

Their family’s personal ship was converted from their first trade ship; thus, it was named Sea Serpent One. It was reserved for the family to use when needed, and when it wasn’t being used, whether that be transporting them or running errands, it was docked at the South Harbor docks, where many private ships were docked by their owners until needed.

It was renovated for speed and safety with the latest maritime technology and Ash’s own magic product enhancements. While it looked like most other private vessels on the outside, the inside was luxurious with excellent facilities for both the family and the crew. As it was once a trade ship, it was rather large.

It was secured to the dock and the gangway was attached by the time the brother’s arrived. Henry and Ash waited at the bottom as crew began to unload some of the cargo brought over.

A shadow fell over them.

At the top of the gangway was a massive canine easily the size of a horse. Thick white fur was kept well maintained and ice blue eyes were sharp and weary.

“Momma, we’re going to go down first!” A child’s loud voice came from one side of the snow wolf. His pointed ears twitched and as he stepped down, a little girl in an orange dress, brown boots, and a brown satchel across her body followed. Her skin was pale with a slight blue cast while her silver-snow hair was in two buns at the top of her head.

She all but skipped down the gangway, full of confidence, as if she knew the place like the back of her hand. As she came down, she scanned the dock with blue eyes and didn’t have to go far. Her face lit up.

The brothers smiled wide as they caught her gaze. “Effie!” They spoke at once and the little girl cried out.

“Brothers!” She ran down the gangway, flying past the wolf at such speed, Henry and Ash rushed forward, fearing she was falling.

Effie launched herself to her nearest brother, who happened to be Henry. “Effie, welcome home!” Henry pressed his head against hers and kissed the top of her head. “How was your trip? Did you miss me?”

“I missed you lots!” Effie nuzzled his head, squeezing her chubby arms around his neck. “It’s not as fun when you’re not there.”

“Aww...”

“What about me? Did you miss me?” Ash pointed to himself earnestly. Effie released Henry and flung herself towards Ash. She clung on to him, burning her face in his shoulder as Ash laughed and carried her in his arms, one hand patting her back reassuringly. “I take it that’s a yes?”

Effie pulled her head back and made a face, puffing out her cheeks and giving him a stern glare. “I’m mad at you!”

She then buried her face in his shoulder again, her hands curling into his clothes to hold on to him. Ash’s expression softened as he rested his head against hers. His voice became much gentler. “Sorry for leaving so suddenly.”

He heard an angry growl against him, but Effie continued to squeeze him tighter. Henry smiled and stroked the back of his sister’s head.

“Commodore, welcome home.” Henry looked up at the massive beast as he sat down beside them and gave Henry a soft nudge. Henry raised his hand to scratch behind his ear. “Did you have fun?”

Commodore let out a snort and flashed his teeth. “I think he was bored,” Ash said. Commodore let out a small chuff of agreement. There wasn’t much a snow wolf could do when everyone else was working.

“Henry. Ash.” A woman’s low voice wafted over and the two turned their attention back to the gangway. A woman was walking down, her dark shoes almost hidden by the dark fabric of pants with wide legs that appeared as a skirt from a distance. A deep blue scarf embroidered with silver moon motifs wrapped around her torso and shoulder before trailing down her back. Her blouse was also black, matching with a black spider silk bonnet tied in place. A gauzy silver veil went over her eyes almost like a loose blindfold.

Aside from her scarf, the rest of the clothes were the standard clothes of a West Wind Abbey nun. Outside of the abbey, during the day, they would cover some portion or all of their face and blend in together as one entity. Almost all of her clothes were like this and her scarf collection was impressive.

“Momma.” Ash straightened up and bowed his head.

“Auntie.” Henry bowed his head as well.

Nera Atractas stopped in front of them. She was a little above average height, but for some reason, Henry always felt that his aunt was taller than she actually was. Though he couldn’t see her eyes, he knew she was looking them over, assessing to make sure they had not hurt themselves.

When she was satisfied that they seemed unharmed, a relieved and loving smile pulled on her lips. She stepped forward, opening her arms and enveloping the two of them, one in each arm, and Effie squished between them, in a warm embrace.

“My sons,” she said, tilting her head to kiss the sides of their bowed heads. “We’re home.”

For the first time in months, the family was back together.

They immediately returned home, with Henry first reporting what had happened while she was gone, not glossing over what his brother had done, all while staring at Ash, who pretended he couldn’t see or hear Henry while he distracted himself with Effie.

They reached the shop just before sunset and after a brief check and greeting with the shop and the staff, they retreated to their home for dinner, which Henry had delivered.

As they lingered in the dining room, the rest of the family gave their report to catch up. Ash started with an apology for leaving for a job before recounting the quest, as if to assure his mother that he was absolutely safe and in control the entire time, and definitely did not get thrown through the air by a demon deer.

“What about when the demon deer flipped you?” Effie asked, confused as her fork stopped over her plate.

Ash choked on his noodles. “Where did you hear tha-” His eyes narrowed. “The raven.” After that, he was a bit more truthful. He then strayed from the demon deer on to his current matter. “Momma, Effie, I may need your help....”

Ash alternated from excitement to listlessness to disappointment as he told his mother about the request he’d taken. He went through relevant background information, discussed the location, the people, and his theories, including how he wanted to enlarge the search area.

Auntie never brushed off things they were passionate about. She often teased them, but always seemed to know when they were serious. She listened intently, her brows furrowed as she nodded and interjected every now and then.

“A curse is a bold claim,” Nera said, her brows furrowed. At home, she didn’t wear her face and hair covering. Even when guests came over, as it was only customary to wear it outside. “I can’t fathom who would curse a little girl.”

“That’s evil.” Effie frowned, shifting uncomfortably in her seat. The little girl was about her age. It seemed to hit a little too close. “Why would you do that?”

“I’ll send the birds to relay to animals on the mainland to search,” Nera told them without hesitation. “Tonight.”

Henry felt his heart settle a bit. He glanced at Ash, who mirrored his relief. With his aunt’s help, the situation seemed much more hopeful. He prepared to pour her more wine when a slight ringing and flashing from a crystal above the doorway started. He furrowed his brows and frowned.

“Did you order more food?” Ash asked. He looked at the plenty of unfinished plates on the table. “I think we have enough.”

Henry shook his head. “I didn’t order more. I'll answer it.” He got up to answer the door. He almost reached it when Ash followed after him.

“It may be Hana. I asked her for a few more nuts and bolts when she can,” Ash said, reaching into his pocket.

“Hana’s not going to make you pay.”

“I’m buying goods, of course, I’m going to pay.” He looked at his little drawstring wallet, as if contemplating whether to use coins or card.

Henry rolled his eyes and unlocked the door before opening it. A shadow fell over the bright foyer interior and a tall, large man was hunched over, trembling. Something was laying in his arms. Henry cocked his head, unsure how to react when he noticed the something was a little girl.

“Mr. Pinon?” Ash called out, stunned, behind Henry. He grabbed Henry and moved him out of the way to look outside, his eyes wide. “What happened to her?”

“Second Young Master,” the man said, his voice tight and choked. “Please help-”

“Get in here!” Ash immediately moved to the side urging them to come in. He looked over his shoulder and called up the stairs. “Mom-”

“Henry, Ash, what’s going on-” Henry looked towards the stairs. His aunt’s voice was cut off by a sudden, sharp inhale.

She was almost to the last few steps, but had frozen in place, her hand still on the railing as her eyes were wide and fixed on the little girl in the man’s arms.

“Madam! Forgive my rudeness!” The man, who was already in tears, sucked them back as he looked at her, shaking with a myriad of fear and worry. “But my daughter-”

“Momma, this is the girl I told you about-”

“Is the north guest room clean?” Ash’s voice was cut off by a stern one that seemed to take control of the chaotic room at once.

Ash seemed taken aback, but nodded. “Yes-”

“Bring her there. Henry, go to Aoife’s. Ask for ice lilies, midnight spider root, and clear slime from deep arctic sea snails,” the woman said, pointing towards the door. “Go, now! And leave Naali! We need to cool her down at once!”

Henry nodded. “Yes, Auntie.” He rushed out the door.

Ash was already leading the big man and the little girl laying limp across his arms towards the stairs. “Momma-”

“You were right.” His mother’s voice trembled as she stepped back to make way. “I’d recognize that scent anywhere. She’s been cursed.”