Footsteps, deliberately made, for the maker could walk silently if she wished, echo along the archive corridor. Hood swings himself down from his stool, rolls up the manuscript and lifts the candle, the flickering light of which half illuminates ‘Masqued’ Madeleine as she emerges from the shadows of the vaulted door.

[a picture of Madeleine standing in a stone archway - the keystone exhibits a detailed carving]

“I assume you’ve found what you’re looking for?”

Hood nods, raising a large parchment before him by way of affirmation, or perhaps what remains of a parchment for, with the amounts of tears and rips in it it looks like it has been almost shredded to pieces. It is for this reason that, even though Hood has an almost eidetic memory, he has made a calculated decision to keep the parchment...for one never knows…and he cannot rightly say whether or not he’s managed to read everything on the tattered page.

The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

“Well that’s excellent news - I hope that means you can get out of this hell hole...and when I say ‘you’ I mean me...Like maybe by tonight? You know I hate returning here. Too many memories.”

Hood pats Madeleine’s hand affectionately before gliding past her and proceeding along the dark corridor, Madeleine following in his wake.

Madeleine understands Hood’s moods and expressions - she’s hung around with him long enough. If asked she wouldn’t be able to explain, but she knows that he is smiling, knows too that he doesn’t want to leave just yet.

[a picture of Hood and Madeleine walking along a corridor that is illuminated only by candlelight]

“You know, I’m quite looking forward to a good journey - I assume we’re heading South?”

Hood walks on in silence - Hood always walks in silence - ignoring Madeleine’s dry humour.

“You know, I don’t need to pack, so I might push on ahead. Why don’t I meet you at the Roast Boar at Burydead? You take your time; I’ll hang around there until you arrive.”

[a map of North Eastern Keraseen, with Arkanthor situated on a peninsula from which you can only travel south.]