As morning came The Wolves prepared to move out with the rising sun, Jeanne could not fail to notice the deep reddish hue surrounding the great star rising from the horizon. “Something the matter?” she heard Silvius ask her.

She shook her head. “Just a thought.”

Silvius looked out to the morning sky and a troubled mood came to him. “Reminds me of a saying my grandfather used to say.”

“What’s that?” Jeanne asked.

“Crimson skies Elune’s heart flies, crimson morns Custo’s mercy dies.”

“I take it they’re not simple traders?” Jeanne asked, chuckling.

Silivius lightly laughed at the jest. “No, Elune is the goddess of the moon, night and peaceful slumber. My people pray to her for restful sleep to face the next day.”

“And Custo?”

“He is the god of the underworld. The keeper of all the dead.”

“Should I ask how he is?”

“Oh, he’s not all that bad,” Silvius said, waving his hand, “he has a duty and he does it well. He’s also given the dominion of justice as well.”

“Really?”

“Aye, who better to seek out the ultimate penance than the one who determines where you go after this life?”

“Don’t suppose they soul in question would have a barrister to speak on their behalf?”

“I’m sure they’d like that,” Silivus said. “But no, they have only their deeds to speak of their lives, and they will find themselves on one of the four isles in his dominion.”

“Is there a bad one?” Jeanne asked.

“Katadikis, without question,” Silvius replied.

“Good to know,” Jeanne replied.

“We’re about ready to move out,” Kveldulf said to them from a distance.

If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

“Coming, you big hair bag,” Jeanne replied.

***

Judith looked at the severed head of Ollen, hey eyes blinking rapid as she slowly leaned back in her chair. “Where exactly did you find … this Kolville?” she asked.

“Back at the manor a few miles from here,” said Benkin. “Almost the entire household was murdered or turned when we arrived.

“And you’re sure this is one of the actual Kolville brothers?” Judith asked Cid, her voice breaking at points.

Jeanne slammed the clasp with the Kolville sigil onto the desk. “I know it’s our word over a villain, but I think this should suffice.”

Jeanne felt Cid gently pull her away from the desk. She spotted him gesturing, tone it down a bit, for now. Jeanne rolled her eyes and folded her arms across her chest as she looked back at Judith. The reeve stood up and leaned closer to Ollen’s head.

Leonidas stretched his hand out, waving it quickly. “I would not do that if I were …” Before he finished the head began snapping at the reeve, who flung herself back into her chair, almost toppling herself over. “Yeah, that was what I trying to get at,” the doctor finished.

“What’s wrong with his head?” Judith demanded.

“I think you know about that,” Gabriel said, “you seemed well versed in the ways of “blood suckers” and all.”

Judith looked up at Gabriel with a stern glare. “I’d watch my mouth before—”

The rest of The Wolves began unsheathing their weapons, Judith looking back and forth across all of them before slowly closing her mouth and sitting back down. “Perhaps we should move onto another subject then, hmm?” Judith said interlocking her fingers together tightly and pressing them against her chest.

“I think that would be prudent,” Cid replied. “Since we’ve established that the two men you have are not the brothers, they should be released at once.”

Judith let out a sudden sharp cough, before trying to grab a quill, inkwell and parchment. “Yes, yes, of course,” she said. Her hands shambling about as she tried to grip the quill to write, the instrument shaking her in hand as she dipped into the ink.

“And Cyneswith girl, too,” Jeanne said.

“Yes, yes,” Judith said, before jerking her head and exclaiming, “What?”

“The woman you have in the cells back there, she is going to be released,” Jeanne followed.

“But she’s with the brothers, obviously,” Judith said before Jeanne picked up the head and pressed it into the reeve’s direction. Ollen now snapping and growling at Judith as she turned her head away. “All right, all right!” Judith shouted, wiping the spit away as Jeanne placed Ollen back on the desk.

“And if you know what’s good for you, I’d leave our presence here out of your reports, lest we inform one of the lords around here you let a manor burn and its inhabitants be slaughtered through ignorance,” Cid said.

Judith sneered at Cid, saying nothing ss she threw the keys at him.

Cid grabbed the keys, taking one of tapping it to his head as a salute and calmly said, “Much obliged.”

The Wolves made their way to the cells and the two men and Cyneswith pressed themselves to the cell doors. As the doors opened up and the three left their confinement, they stood there with tears running down their faces. Cyneswith looked at Jeanne with her hands clutching in front of her chest, shaking and unable to speak. Jeanne gave her a soft smile and gently hugged her. “There, there,” she said, “you’re out.” Cyneswith said nothing, only embracing Jeanne and beginning to weep.