Alvery sat in his room at the inn in a hot bath he had drawn up himself in desperation to not be asked any questions about where he was from Colleen or Luke. The couple were seated in the dining area of their tavern with a few of the townspeople having what looked to be a serious discussion.

He had earned himself looks of skepticism when he’d returned to the inn drenched to the bone, but decided couldn’t be bothered to care.

No, he needed to collect himself and figure out what he was going to do.

Staying in Aniselle was not an option, that much was a given, but he needed to go somewhere he could receive mail… a place he could lay low…

He rubbed his eyes and then pressed his hands through his hair.

Duke Gestov was probably waiting in Scarlem for him to show up. He knew the final piece Alvery needed was in the university. Luckily, he didn’t know what that item was.

I wonder if I can build the part myself… No. I don’t have Georgie’s calculations with me, but… the summer is almost here. Everyone is going to go back home soon when the semester ends!

Alvery sat up in his tub.

If he could just remember where Georgie said she’d grown up, he could meet her there and have her create a new piece for him, and save him risking going to Scarlem.

Was it Esteva? Or Jordak?

Why hadn’t he thought of this before?!

Rising with a great splash from the tub, Alvery snatched the towel he had used the previous day and wrapped it around his waist before nearly falling flat on his face while clambering out of his bath.

“God, if she grew up in Esteva that’s even closer than Scarlem… I would just have to wait here for a month for her to wrap up her grading and be home. Unless she travels before going back… Can I send her a letter somehow? Will Gestov be watching her too?”

He began to pace fervidly,the rain pattering hard against the glass of his room.

“That wouldn’t make sense. She wasn’t a part of my work last time. So she’s probably safe. I just need to confirm when she’ll be home and where… Then I can go from her place to the capital. With my device completed, I can show it to the investors, and then I can buy my-”

“Mr. Robin, would you care for dinner in your room this evening?” The sharp knock at the door snapped Alvery from his thoughts.

“Er, yes! Sure!” He responded while waving distractedly.

He needed to write his letter to Georgie immediately. Then the next morning he’d send it to her. The only problem would be he wouldn’t be able to sign his own name, and he had to give as few details about his whereabouts as possible…

“Mr. Robin, are you going to be departing early tomorrow morning? Or will it be in the afternoon?” Colleen called out, once again pulling Alvery from his thoughts.

“Diolla,” he cursed quietly while halting his furious movements. “I received word today that I’ll be staying a bit longer, I’ll be down to extend my stay momentarily.”

Alvery snatched his glasses up from the chest at the foot of his bed and set to dressing himself in his clothes that had at least mostly dried in front of the fire.

He pulled his vest over his suspenders for a bit of extra warmth as the fabric still remained a touch damp, and the rain had cooled the spring air down to a chill. He then made his way back across the room intending to go straight downstairs to do just that, when he realized he wasn’t wearing his shoes.

Cursing again, he quickly pulled on the worn leather boots that were still water logged with a cringe of discomfort. At last Alvery made his way back down to the main floor where he had anticipated getting a few awkward stares, but had not been prepared for the small group of townspeople standing by the door looking angry…

Caught off guard, Alvery noticed that four people he had not met before were staring at him pointedly, one of the women was even shaking her head disapprovingly.

Uncertain just what fresh ludicrous behavior was unfolding, he turned to Colleen and Luke to ask what was happening, only to find they looked every bit incensed.

“I’m here to… extend… my stay…” he began while glancing back at the angry townspeople warily.

“Mr. Robin, Glenn and his wife Missy are here with their neighbors Penelope and Johnathan stating they saw you go into that peri girl’s caravan, and come out a short while after. Care to explain what you were doing there?”

Alvery’s jaw dropped. Then closed, then opened again.

“Aniselle is known to be a bright, morally respectable place, and we do not condone our visitors to-”

“For one thing, nothing even remotely close to what you are suggesting happened. She indicated to me she knew about something I was concerned about, and invited me to her caravan to discuss it.”

The townspeople looked briefly appeased, but it didn’t last.

“A likely story. You have come to this town with treacherous thoughts-”

“Why does everyone feel entitled to know my business?” Alvery interrupted the man named Johnathan angrily.

He’d had enough.

It had been bad enough how they treated him the instant he’d arrived, but to accost him like this? As though they were going to lynch him outside the town wall?

“Aniselle is known throughout the kingdom as the quintessential town of-” the woman named Missy began, only to be once again cut off.

“No, no. I have done nothing wrong and have been interrogated, accosted, and leered at the moment I got here. For no reason. I have not been rude to anyone. I have paid my tabs. At this rate I’m inclined to write to the viscount in charge of this domain to tell him what kind of absurd behavior is taking place here.” Alvery moved his hands to his hips.

He was bluffing.

There was no way in Kir’s void he would risk filing his name on a formal letter of complaint.

However his words had the effect he was hoping for.

The townspeople grew collectively pale, and one of the women even stumbled back.

All save for Colleen and Luke who looked even angrier.

“It is our duty to protect our town from any suspicious people or activity that could be dangerous,” Colleen breathed, her cheeks growing red.

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

“I’ve done nothing but want my privacy. If I seem jumpy, have you considered it’s because I’ve been openly stared at like I’m some kind of beast that can talk? If anyone is suspicious in this situation, it is the people of this town. Now I’m certain I should be writing a letter to the viscount,” Alvery turned to go upstairs. He would leave for Esteva right away if he had to.

“Mr. Robin, please take a seat.”

Luke’s hard voice stopped Alvery in his tracks.

He looked over his shoulder with the most imperious expression he could muster.

Luke flinched.

“Why? So you can threaten me? I think I’ve been forced through enough unfair treatment and accusations for one-”

“Please, Mr. Robin, we owe you a small explanation,” Luke gestured toward one of the empty tables with a slight bow, though he found himself wondering why he was doing such a thing…

Alvery was tempted to ignore the request, but the chastened faces of the townspeople and the somber atmosphere propelled him to comply… Not to mention he’d be lying if he wasn’t curious just what in Diolla’s name was going on.

Once seated with his back to the hearth that had thankfully been lit as the storm outside refused to lighten while dusk settled over the town, Luke made his way over and seated himself across from Alvery. The townspeople and Colleen hung back, though no one left.

“You see, Mr. Robin… the viscount who is in charge of Aniselle’s domain… is not a good man.”

Alvery stared stonily. So they were pleading that he let go of their behavior because they feared the man in charge of the domain? He did not feel an ounce of compassion. They had started this whole strange nonsense.

“Unlike the rest of those under his purview, he generally is lenient toward Aniselle as we provide a significant boon to his coffers thanks to the town’s charms. However… well… he has at times been violent. And unreasonable,” Luke continued on vaguely. “The truth is, we wondered if you were someone sent by him to report on us and perhaps abuse your power. You are a private person as you said, but with your peculiar arrival without a horse or cart, and other eccentricities… it put us all on high alert. On behalf of the town, I am sorry for our conduct.”

Alvery didn’t say anything.

Perhaps it was unkind of him, but quite honestly they could be making it up, and furthermore… kindness in his position was a luxury.

His silence made those standing behind Luke back up uncomfortably.

“As for the peri girl…”

“She says she grew up here which is strange enough in itself. Everyone knows peris rarely stay anywhere past two seasons. She spent her childhood here, and yet she is also an outcast.”

The tenseness of the silence was suffocating.

Alvery eyed the townspeople behind Luke and noticed none of them could look anywhere near him.

“Tiaznia’s mother was abandoned by her former troupe… but she always thought they’d return. So she waited in her caravan for them. She died when her daughter was eight years old, but no one had ever come, and… what was even stranger… no peris ever came here again. It’s one of the reasons that Aniselle is a favored vacation spot for the wealthy.”

Alvery pondered this information with his index finger tapping the knuckles of his left hand under the table.

There was a great deal of mystery pertaining to Tiaznia’s presence in the town and what Luke was claiming… but especially because…

“Why do you all scorn Tiaznia if she is helping keep other peris at bay?”

No one liked that question.

Even Luke who had been the most composed and calm the entire time…

Everyone grew stiff ,and one of the couples even fled back into the storm without a word.

“The peri girl… we tolerate her for that reason alone. Otherwise we would have chased her out. Regardless of her keeping others away, it doesn’t mean she isn’t of a questionable nature.”

“She said she left a few years ago and only came back recently. Did you have peris come to Aniselle in her absence?” Alvery’s even tone and cold gaze had Luke raising his hard blue eyes.

“No.”

Alvery lifted his eyebrow. “I’m not a fool. This town has a wealth of secrets, and I just happened to agitate you all with my timing and countenance.” He stood from his seat. “I don’t give a damn about what those secrets are. I am not an employee of this viscount of yours, and am merely here on business. My travel plans have changed so I’ll be adjusting my booking, but here on out I expect to be left completely alone. Understood?”

Silence settled over them all.

Colleen stepped forward tentatively. “A-Actually, we have a small issue with that… depending how long you need to extend your stay.”

Alvery’s eyes flit to her, his spine straightening.

“You-You see, we can easily extend your visit for another week and a half at most, but if it’s longer I’m afraid all the rooms are booked until the autumn,” Colleen’s gaze momentarily dropped to her husband’s back.

Unable to speak for a moment, Alvery calculated how long it would take a letter to reach Georgie and for her to send a reply. The answer was at least a month…

Alvery closed his eyes and let out an impatient breath.

Well… regardless, he would be having the same issue.

Though if he had come later he wouldn’t have had a room at all to begin with…

“I-I’m sure Mr. Cremont wouldn’t mind renting his spare room to you! He might make you do a bit of work in the barn, but his wife is one of the best cooks in town, I assure you,” Colleen looked to the couple that had remained behind.

Alvery grimaced.

Then, closing his eyes, he pressed his hands into the table’s surface and rose to his feet.

No one moved a muscle. None of them knew how he was going to react, but they all wished for his mercy.

“I’ll stay in the inn as long as the room is available. As for working in a barn, I don’t find that to be an acceptable offer.”

The group shared worried glances amongst themselves, but Avery wasn’t finished.

“Tell me, does Aniselle have a school?”