“I’m not sure how to take that,” Cid said, jutting his jaw to the side, his arms crossing over his chest. He looked at the others, sitting at a table at the inn.

Jeanne sat on the other side, looking around at the patrons around them. There were was an unusual air about them as they ate and drank the night away. Their seemed to be a lighter attitude to them. As if some weight had been lifted from their shoulders and shattered to dust.

But there was a slight unease as well. Not knowing what would come to take the place of the bandits in the region. Would a more blood thirsty group come fill the void? Would the two brother come and wreak havoc on the villagers here? Would this bring more good fortune or greater ills to the people here? It seemed people were trying to keep these thoughts away as they tried to enjoy the peace they had, for however long they could.

“They didn’t seem too frightened when we last encountered them,” Gabriel said.

“It was also in the middle of a fight,” said Kveldulf. “Their zeal might’ve kept that part from entering their thoughts.”

“And they properly run off to let their … whatever they summoned,” said Jeanne.

“Flesh fiend,” said Leonidas.

“Yeah, that,” she said, pointing to the doctor. “They ran off once we were fighting that thing. And scampered off before we could turn our attention back to them.”

“Perhaps they rely on striking when they have the advantage,” said Silvius.

“That and they probably haven’t had to face anyone who could hold their own in a fight.”

“So, they panicked and ran?” asked Hypatia.

“Wouldn’t be an impossible thing,” said Leonidas. “I’ve more than a few braggarts turn their tails and run for the hills when they had to put their mouth where their mouths were.”

“Aye,” said Benkin, “men of their quality always seem to possess a much greater quantity of courage when they’re facing someone they can beat with ease.”

“So, with the cave now gone, the last member of the Mason Gang now as far away from here as he can, and no other allies in their corner, where does that leave us?” Hypatia asked.

“Pretty much back at square one,” said Cid. “Though now we know they’re in the area. We’ll probably need to start patrols around the area and see if we can find any camps sites nearby.”

Leonidas rose from his seat and towards the hall away from the eating area. “I’ll be back, need to use the privy.”

Gabriel got up from her seat. “I’m grabbing another pint.”

“I’m just glad we can use the inn and not worry about some vile conspirator stabbing us in our sleep,” said Silvius.

“That makes two of us,” said Leonidas.

Before anyone could answer, a woman and her child entered the inn. Jeanne could see she had shorter ears than Maeryn’s, probably a sign of being half-elven. She blonde hair which had not been washed in a long time, covered in dirt and matted down by sweat and grime. Her clothes were worn and many spots had patches sown on to cover up holes and tears.

Her child was in her arms, a young boy, with short black hair and wearing clothes roughly put together and covered in as much dirt and stains as their mother. The boy had light skin and pressed his head against his mother’s chest. Jeanne wasn’t certain whether the child was asleep or not in his mother’s arms.

For a brief a moment, the child looked up and towards Jeanne. His eyes were dark, with a hint of crimson in them. Jeanne’s eyes widened and she had to stop herself from standing straight up from her seat. She also noted the woman’s walk from the door. Her steps were quick in her motion. Her eyes darted about the room, trying to find something as she moved around. One of the tavern workers called out to her, “Need help, miss?” they asked.

“No,” she said quickly, “just a room for the night.” She placed a few gold pieces on the counter before the man escorted her to a room.

Jeanne felt a tap on her shoulder. She turned to see Kveldulf looking at her. “Everything all right?” he asked.

She turned her gaze back to the woman who was disappearing with her child up the stairs. “Did you notice the woman who just walked in?”

Kveldulf shook his head. “Not really, why?”

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“Just a weird feeling.”

“What kind of weird?”

“Like something is just off, you know?”

“Oh that, yeah, I know that one.”

“Yeah, maybe it’s just me.”

“Sometimes it is, sometimes it isn’t,” Kveldulf said, taking a sip of his mead. “There was a vendor back at Oolf who gave me shivers. Thought he was some serial killer or something.”

Jeanne looked back at Kveldulf with a perplexed look. “Was that the one selling confectionaries?”

“That’s the one.”

“You thought he was off?”

“All the time.”

“Huh, never thought he was odd, at all.”

“In all fairness, it could’ve just been me.”

“What are two talking about?” Cid asked from across the table. Leonidas and Gabriel both came back and took their seats at the table.

“About the confections man back in Oolf,” said Kveldulf.

“Oh, that poor fool again,” Cid said rolling his eyes.

“That wasn’t the only thing,” Jeanne followed.

“Oh right,” said Kveldulf.

“Who did you see?” Cid asked.

Jeanne related the woman and child to Cid and the others. Cid sat back, intrigued. “So that’s who I heard.”

“She seemed desperate to find a room and fast,” said Maeryn.

“What makes you say that?” asked Cid.

“She paid twice the going rate for a room here, and I could hear her breathing heavy.”

“She was carrying a child,” said Benkin.

“No,” said Maeryn, “she seemed to be breathing erratic. Almost like she was about to lose all her senses.”

“Well,” Cid said, leaning forward, “I think we should focus on one problem before we take on another one.”

“Plus, we still need to bring the casket they stole back home,” said Gabriel.

“That’s going to be a tricky one,” said Leonidas.

“If it’s on the march, that could make it a bit easier than if they’ve got it tucked away in a hole somewhere,” said Kveldulf.

“So, who’s going out on patrol tomorrow?” Jeanne asked.

Cid reached into a space between his shirt and gambeson and pulled out a folded piece of paper. He unfolded the parchment to reveal a large map of the surrounding county and pointd to a section of woods northwest of the town. “Kel, I want you to take Maeryn, Sil and Hy and go check out this patch of woods here. See what you can find and report back before sunset.”

Kveldulf nodded. “Done.”

“Jeanne, you and I will take the rest and survey the area in the southeast. I heard a few folks in the market chat about a bit of smoke from the area, which might be a good lead to check in on.”

“Rules of engagement?” Jeanne asked.

“Avoid if possible,” Cid replied. “I doubt they’ll want to do anything, but I’d be a fool to think they wouldn’t want to get some form of satisfaction. And honor isn’t exactly in their vocabulary.”

“Right, we’ll get started once the sun’s up, see what ground we can cover,” said Kveldulf.

“Same here,” Jeanne said.

“Good, I think it’s about time I turned in for the night and get some rest. I’ll see you all in the morning.”

Once Jeanne and Leonidas were back in their room, Jeanne looked out from the shutters and over the main street and night sky above them. A dark heaven glittering with starlight, a crescent moon shining from above and illuminating the earth below. There was hardly a soul out on the street, save for a person or two making their way from the tavern back to their abode. She rubbed her hand up and down her arm and felt her shoulder jerk up as she pondered ill thoughts.

“Everything all right?” she heard Leonidas asked.

She nodded. “Yeah, just thinking about things.”

“Something in particular?”

“Hard to say. It just feels sometimes feels like we’re chasing ghosts. Getting the smallest snippets of clues to where to go and not knowing if we’re heading in the right direction or going on another goose chase.”

Leonidas moved to the edge of the bed and sat next to her. “I know that feeling too well.”

“Outlands?”

“There, too.”

“I just wish we could catch them by surprise. When they weren’t looking at just finish this damn thing.”

“You know that leave two more of them to go after.”

“At least it’d just be two more, and not more. And those two should be easier to find since they’re with Bellem and the Empress.”

“Fair enough. For what it’s worth, it seems like we’re gaining ground on them. And they seem to be burning a lot of bridges that’d help them keep us off their tails.”

“I guess it’s one of those things you can’t appreciate until after everything’s said and done.”

“That’s also fair,” said Leonidas, “but I’m suspecting that’s not the only thing that’s on your mind.”

Jeanne let out a hoarse chuckle. “That obvious?”

“I’d like to say I’ve known you long enough to spot these things.”

“Yeah,” she said, looking back out the window. “Do you remember that woman we we’re talking about earlier?”

“A little bit, why?”

“She was carrying a child with red eyes.”

“Red eyes,” Leonidas said, his head slowly moving up.

Jeanne nodded. “I didn’t get a good look. But between that, and they way the woman was acting, it was hard not to get an odd feeling from it.”

“Hard not to agree,” said Leonidas. “But unless she comes to us wanting aid, not much we can do. Especially since we’ve already got a full plate as it is.”

“I know,” Jeanne said, “But it just won’t stop nagging at me.”

“I’ve more than a few of those,” said Leonidas. “Honestly the best thing to do is try to put it out of your mind until you need to remember it.”

“I guess you’re right.”

“Let’s not jump to conclusions,” he said, “I’ve been wrong about these before.”

“You don’t say,” Jeanne said, laughing now with more ease.

“That’s why I stop sticking my neck out for people anymore, usually wound up regretting it in more than one way.”

“Should I even ask?”

“Outlands.”

“That’s what I thought.”

“You want some tea to help relax?”

“Yes,” Jeanne said. “I’d like that a lot.”

Leonidas rose from the bed and walked towards the door. As he opened it, they found the woman from earlier walking down the hall and in front of their room. She was wringing her hands and looking at them as if they had jumped out from the shadows and drew forth daggers.

“Hello,” Leonidas said to the woman.

“Evening,” she said, lifting a hand to wave and continued down the hall in a quick pace.

Leonidas and Jeanne watched her move down the hall and enter her room before looking at each other. Was that her? Leonidas gestured.

Jeanne nodded.

I see what you meant. Keep the door locked, just in case, Leonidas gestured.