The woman was flipping through papers when Lohmen walked through the door. She looked up and rolled her eyes when he saw that is was him.

“As I told you yesterday I can’t div—-”

“You’re going to listen to me now.” He said, his narrowed and staring directly into hers. She opened her mouth to speak but Lohmen grabbed her hand.

“No, no. You won’t want to call the guards. Just listen and no harm will come to you.” A look of fear of flashed across her face. “Or your family.”

Lohmen let that last part stew in the woman before he continued.

“There is a man. A very dangerous man waiting outside your children’s school. I need to report back to him in twenty minutes. If he doesn’t see me…” he trailed off with a sinister crescendo in his voice.

The woman swallowed hard. Lohmen, the gentle painter was speaking daggers to this woman, but none pierced quite as hard as when he mentioned her children by name.

“Miles and Vinka will perfectly fine, if you cooperate. Someone took my son, so I’m keenly aware of the lengths a parent would go to for their children. All I am asking to you to do is pull a single record. I take that, check in with my man at the school and I’ll leave this realm for good and never return. No one ever need know. Your job. Your kids. Your life. Will continue on in perfect bliss, just as it had before.” He let go of her hand. “Do you understand?”

She nodded. Lohmen slipped the bill of sale across the table and the woman took it. She wiped a tear from her face and went into the back. She walked her fingers along the volumes for a moment before pulling out a particular one and returning to the desk. After a few pages of flipped she tore the appropriate page from the book and handed it to Lohmen.

Seller ID: 0113D7

Name: Rowan Caratous

City/Realm: Lalop, April, Susret

“Thank you. Now, I will go and call off my man and leave this realm and you shall never see me again.” Lohmen assured her.

“What will you do to, Mr. Caratous?” The registry woman asked tentatively.

Lohmen didn’t answer but gave one last instruction.

“Stay here for the rest of the day, as you normally would. I’ll send word by reflection paper to my man, when I’m far enough away and sure you haven’t called any guards to pursue.” It was another bluff, but he needed to be sure he wouldn’t get taken into custody on his way out of town.

This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

“I won’t…I promise. Just don’t hurt my children.”

Lohmen gave the woman one last cold calculated stare and left the building. He walked confidently to his horse and mounted up. It wasn’t until he was outside the city gates that he let his chilling demeanour fall away. He gritted his teeth and gave his horse a kick.

***

The woman at the registry watched as the sun crept across the floor the office. When she was finally sure enough time had passed, she quickly collected her things and bolted out the front door towards the school. It had been a couple excruciating hours since Lohmen had left, and still a couple of hours before she would normally head home. She was out of breath when she arrived, and asked to see the headmaster immediately.

“Why yes, Dorris, a man did come by. He said that he thought Miles might have a gift for painting! Can you believe that?”

“Was there anyone else? Another man waiting outside the school?”

“No, not that I’m aware. I told him Miles was a lovely boy, but art was not his strong suit. I did tell him that Vinka is quite a promising lutist however. You know how those types intermingle. Artists, musicians, philosophers and the like.”

The registry woman let out a sigh of relief, but told the headmaster to fetch her children as they’d be going home early today. A secretary brought Miles and Vinka out to meet their mother where they were greeted with unusually zealous hugs and kisses which were greeted with playful embarrassment from her kids.

“Oh, there was one more thing,” The headmaster injected. “He left this, and said that if Miles did in fact show a penchant for painting that he seek out the academy for training.” She handed the registry woman the letter who ripped it open immediately.

With the most sincere apologies,

I never meant to cause you distress, but I knew that the fear of losing your children was the only motivation strong enough to work. There was no ‘man’ at the school, and I had no intent, nor the means to harm your children. Someone really has taken my son, and the address you gave me is one of the only clues I have to his location.

I have no leverage to ask this now, but please do not send anyone after me. I need to find my son.

The man from the registry.