The knock came again.

Hina froze. Whoever was outside would have heard the bell of the cash register, if they had been there for any amount of time at all. And the lights were on. But maybe, if she was quiet, they might go away?

The door began to open. The bell rang, announcing a customer. Like this was a normal hour on any other day, like there wasn't a dead baker in the other room.

Hina stood still, one hand on the cash register.

A small man stepped into the room. He wore a gray suit and tie, and held a briefcase in one hand. The man was bald except for a neatly trimmed white mustache which matched his bushy eyebrows.

He pulled the door closed behind him, ringing the bell a second time. Looking around the room, he took in the mostly empty shelves and paused on the display case full of medals that hung on the wall. When his eyes came to rest on Hina, he stopped, and his face broke open in a broad smile.

"Ah, good, good," he said. "Worried I'd missed you. Took a wrong turn back there somewhere." He plucked a pocket watch out from inside his jacket and glanced at it. "Ah. Looks like I'm right on time." He tucked the watch away.

"I'm sorry?"

"Miss Mahina Gardiner?"

"Who's asking?"

"Miss Gardiner, my name is Ivan Marlow." He walked up to the counter and extended one hand, a look of concentration momentarily crossing his face.

Hina hesitated, and then leaned over the counter to shake his wrinkled white hand. One firm squeeze and then done.

"Oh," His eyes widened. "I see." His face shifted back into a friendly smile.

"I'm Hina. How can I help you, Mr. Marlow?"

"Good, good. I see that I'm not in the wrong bakery then."

Hina gave a tight smile. "How can I help you, sir?"

"Oh! Today, today I'm a messenger. Here to deliver a letter. Though I must say," he leaned in and lowered his voice, "I took the place of the usual fellow, hoped to meet you myself." He leaned back. "Just marvellous. I'm sure you'll be exactly what we need."

"I'm sorry?"

"Oh, yes. One moment please." He looked left and right at the crowded display stands, and put his briefcase down on the counter. He opened it, revealing a clutter of papers and small items.

There was a vial of blue liquid, a copper flute, a large red gem with writing carved into its many faces—the briefcase closed, latches snapping shut one after the other.

"Here we are," the man said, holding out a small envelope. "An invitation. I'm sure you'll be able to make sense of it."

It was a simple white envelope, with a red wax seal and Hina's full name written on the front.

"An invitation?" she asked, still feeling off-balance.

"Yes, yes. Like I said, I'm sure you'll be able to make sense of it. I'm sure of it." He smiled. "Read it carefully. It's very important that you do."

"Who did you say this was from?"

"Ah, yes. Let's just say it's from someone who considers you a friend, for now. A potential friend, perhaps that's more accurate. When you answer the invitation, they'll be able to explain everything to your satisfaction, I'm sure."

"That's... ominous."

You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

"Oh, I'm sure that's nothing to worry about. All the best things in life are a little bit ominous, aren't they?"

Hina looked at the envelope again. "I'm not sure I want to open this."

"Well, there's no need to open it now. In fact, I'd advise against it." He smiled. "Make sure you're alone, and in a private place when you break the seal. You wouldn't want to be interrupted, would you? Or for the contents to fall into the wrong hands, of course. That wouldn't do at all."

"Right, the wrong hands."

"I see that you understand." He tapped his long nose with a fingertip. "Loose lips and all that. Yes, yes, you'll do just fine. I'm sure of it."

"Thank you?"

"Oh, no, no. Thank you," he said. "I'm looking forward to your contribution."

Hina gave him a blank look.

"In any case, I must be on my way. The turning of the wheel never stops."

"Of course."

He gave her a short bow. "To our next meeting. I'm sure it will be under better circumstances." He gave her a knowing grin. "No matter how well deserved."

"What?"

"Well. Good day, Miss Gardiner."

Hina watched as he walked out the door.

The bell rang twice in short succession. The door closed firmly, and the bakery fell silent once more.

Had he known about Lagi?

Hina shook her head. She put the letter away into her pocket. Something to think about... later. For now Hina had more important things to worry about.

She picked up the flour sacks with her dirty clothes and the loaves of bread. There was nothing else here for her.

But she should, at least, try to delay any further visitors.

She tried the handle on the front door. It rattled, but it didn't turn. Locked. Already locked, just like she'd thought it had been in the first place. Strange. How had the man gotten in?

It didn't matter. What mattered was getting out of here before someone else came.

Hina went out the back door, the one they used for deliveries. She locked it with the black iron key that she kept on a leather cord around her neck.

Lagi might remain undiscovered for a day or two, if Hina was lucky. Maybe all of the usual customers would assume he'd come down with a cold. Hina briefly considered leaving a note on the door, but decided against it. It could make things worse if they were caught.

As it was, she could still argue that it was self-defense. And it was. But if she tried to cover it up, well, that would no longer be an option.

Someone must have heard all of the shouting. The bakery was not so far from the nearest residential district that Lagi wouldn't have been heard. When the bakery didn't open, someone would remember.

Hina walked faster.

A few streets away from the bakery she broke into a jog.

Grambe was a small town, a little over a thousand people. Hina lived with her brother and her parents in a large house by the east wall. It wasn't far.

Hina turned the corner and the house came into view. She leaned one hand against the pale wall of the Fischer house while she caught her breath.

The Gardiner house was blocky and two-storeyed, with a walled courtyard out the back. Three steps led up to the porch, where an oil lantern flickered above the front door. All of the windows were dark.

With a deep breath to center herself, Hina walked around to the back of the house. She placed each foot carefully.

She lifted the latch on the gate, then lifted the gate itself so it wouldn't scrape against the tiles as she entered. The hinges squeaked towards the end of its arc, and the end dropped down to rest on the tiles. It wasn't going anywhere.

Moving by touch and memory, Hina found the weathered wooden stool under Kai's window.

She held her breath while she stepped up onto it, leaning most of her weight on the windowsill. The stool wobbled a little, but it held her.

Hina pulled the warped panels of the shutters out towards her, first the right one and then the left. The hinges on the second shutter shrieked.

Wincing, Hina stopped to listen.

A bird called in the distance, but nothing seemed out of the ordinary.

The room was dark, with a musty smell.

"Kai," Hina whispered. And then louder: "Wake up Kai!"

A voice groaned. "...Hina?" There was a pause, then more quietly: "What—what is it?"

"We've got to go, Kai. We have to go right now."

"What? That's not—did something happen?"

"Later. I'll tell you about it later. We don't have time. If you're still coming with me, we need to go now."

Kai groaned again. "Okay. Give me a minute."

"We don't—hurry, please. Fast as you can."

There was a grunt in response, then some rustling noises came from within the room.

Kai's thin silhouette emerged into the pre-dawn light.

"Are we—out the window?"

"Quickly."

"Back up, give me some space."

Hina climbed down off the wobbly stool and stepped back. "Careful."

Kai came down feet first, sandals and bare legs followed by the rest of his lanky body. His left foot found the stool, and he let his weight down slowly.

With a loud snap, the stool broke, and Kai tumbled to the ground. He let out a low, pained hiss.

Reaching down into the shadows, Hina found his arm. She pulled him up and towards the gate. "Come on, come on."

Stumbling, Kai followed.

From somewhere inside the house a door slammed.

Hina pulled Kai up the street and around the corner.

The front door burst open and crashed against the wall. She risked a glance backwards around the wall of a building, trusting in the darkness to keep them out of sight.

Their father stood scowling, lantern raised against the dark as he peered out. Broad and tall, the shadows he cast in every direction only made him seem bigger.

He stomped down the steps and along the road, heading towards them.