Lodwin felt watched. The feeling had creeped up on him for some time. Only since the waiter had returned for a moment to ask if they had more wishes, it had mellowed down a bit. But it returned once more once the man was gone. It felt like something powerful had noticed them and was now watching Veduca and him. Like a coiled up snake, ready to strike should the opportunity arise.

“You feel this too, don’t you?”, Veduca asked in a hushed voice.

He nodded.

“Perhaps some patron?”, she asked, and looked entirely too obvious around.

He also took a more subtle look around, but among the other guests only the woman and the boy who had entered a some time ago drew his attention. First off, there was the way the dark-haired woman seemed more chipper than anyone else — even more so than the two women who had talked to them right after Imila had left them on the street. Second, the boy looked like he wasn’t entirely out of his free will in her company. But beyond those oddities, there was nothing standing out more than the expensive look of the woman’s dress.

There was a chance that she was involved with the Divine Lord. Perhaps a mistress? But what about the boy? While he was just as blond as Rosomil, he hadn’t much else in common with him. He also looked entirely too old to be his son. And why would they walk into the city to eat at an inn, when they would most likely stay within the massive castle walls?

Suddenly, Lodwin looked directly into the eyes of the woman. A void opened up and almost swallowed him. She felt ancient and yet young. Alien and yet familiar. With all of his mental fortitude, he pulled his eyes away to gasp for air.

“Lodwin!”, called Veduca, alarmed and stood up.

He signed to her in-between coughs that he was fine.

“Are you sure?”, she asked doubtful and remained standing — he could already feel the healing magic she prepared.

Yes, he signed while his cough died down. Just swallowed wrong.

“You need to be more carful”, she said relieved and sat back down.

The other patrons were now staring at them. Something Lodwin wasn't concerned with, but the nervous expression on Veduca’s face made clear that she felt vulnerable. To help her, Lodwin glared at those patrons who were closest to them and still staring. They understood the message faster than he would’ve guessed.

Once everything was back to normal, Lodwin looked once more over to the dark-haired woman. She was still sitting with the boy at the table and cleaning the earthenware bowl with a slice of grey bread. Since her demeanour hadn’t changed, and she hadn’t disappeared with the boy, Lodwin chalked his experience up to his own state of being.

It didn’t felt right.

There was something off. More so about the woman than the boy, but that didn’t matter. The way she moved… The way she seemed all too happy… Lodwin couldn’t help himself. He grabbed his sword, leaving it for the moment sheathed, and stood up.

Veduca immediately jumped on her feet and tried to hold him back, but he was stronger and pulled himself free. The other patrons of the inn were looking up once more, this time with tense expressions.

“Good Sir, is something not to your liking?”, asked Liano and approached him uncertain with his empty serving tray clutched in front of his chest.

Lodwin pushed him aside and stopped right next to the dark-haired woman and the boy. The boy looked up at him like he was about to be slain by Lodwin. The woman, on the other hand, looked at him with a cold glare. Something in her dark eyes seemed off, but Lodwin couldn’t tell what it was, beyond it giving the impression of a deep void staring right back at him. Or rather into him.

“Good day, Sir”, the woman greeted him cold. “Is something the matter?”

Since he was unable to answer her, he narrowed his eyes.

“Is it necessary to call the guards?”, she asked, unimpressed, and grabbed her knife with a subtle motion.

“Lodwin! You will stop this at once!”, shouted Veduca and tried to pull him away.

He remained steadfast like a stone. Involuntary, he tightened the grip around his sword to be ready to draw it any second.

“Sir, please don’t cause any trouble”, Liano said trembling. “The Divine Lord’s Knight will send something worse than an ordinary guard.”

The dark-haired woman, on the other hand, seemed to enjoy the exchange. Her serious expression became tainted by a clear amusement. The boy, on the other hand, seemed about to faint out of fear.

“This good Sir will have his reason, doesn’t he?”, the woman said. “Sadly, it ought to be a mistaken identity, for I’ve never seen this man before in my life.”

“Lod, please, come back to our table”, pleaded Veduca visibility distressed. “Or do you want to sleep once more on the street?”

For a moment, he remained unyielding, but then his gaze fell for the first time fully on the boy. Despite the naked fear in his blue eyes, there was something familiar about the face. Lodwin tried to remember but failed.

“Lodwin!”, insisted Veduca and hesitantly placed her soft hand on his holding the sword by the sheath.

Something in her voice made his heart clench in shame. While still suspicious of the dark-haired woman, he would rather not cause Veduca any trouble. So he yielded and lowered his sword while letting go of the leather warped grip.

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A collective sigh seemed not only to escape Veduca but the waiter and the boy as well as also the rest of the inn. The dark-haired woman, on the other hand, seemed disappointed, but not by much.

“My brother and I were about to leave anyway”, the woman said, and stood up. “Waiter, here’s the money. You can keep the change.”

Liano took the money with a tense expression but remained silent. In the meantime, the woman took the boy by the hand despite him being at least fifteen years old and passed Lodwin without sparing him or Veduca, who was too stunned to react, another glance.

“Sir, would you mind returning to your table?”, Liano asked sheepishly.

Lodwin glared for a second at him, then he did as asked.

Veduca followed him after apologising profoundly to the waiter. Lodwin didn’t like her doing it, but he also didn’t like to stop her, as she would continue regardless. With a stern look on his face, he sat down and placed his sword back between the wall and the table. Impatient, he watched Veduca speaking a bit longer in hushed tones with Liano. Still, the waiter didn’t look too bothered by the whole ordeal and left her. Veduca let out a sigh and walked back to their table.

“What was this about?”, she asked strained as she seated herself. “Lod, we can’t draw any undue attention towards us.”

I know, he signed with a bitter expression.

“Then why did you bother the young lady and her brother? They seemed like normal siblings.”

They were not.

“And what made you think that?”

Lodwin didn’t immediately answer. He didn’t know how he could make himself clear just by using his hands and expressions.

“I can help you find the right words”, offered Veduca with a soft smile. “We did so during the first few days after we met, remember?”

He did remember and couldn’t keep himself from smiling for a moment.

“Good, then let's start. Was the woman actively using magic?”

He shook his head.

“Was the magic passive?”

Perhaps.

“You’re not sure?”

He nodded.

“Passive magic… Was it an illusion? No. Some sort of charm? Also, no. I didn’t notice anything so… Oh. Could it be her whole being was just emitting a subtle magical aura? I’m not good at feeling those without having a closer look at someone.”

This could be it.

“Oh my… This does sound like a demon. Demons and fallen angels, even angels still in service to the Lord, can never fully hide their otherness. It’s like an instinctual fear they manage to induce in mortals. Like you feel when you’re unknowingly stalked by a large predatory animal. Could it be that this was your former companion's demon?”

I should’ve killed it immediately.

“No, Lod. We don’t go around and attack people like lowly bandits! Besides, what about the boy? Was he emitting such an aura as well?”

No. But he seemed familiar.

“Familiar? How so?”

His face. Something about the nose and cheeks.

“Was he within the Order when you… when it happened?”

No. I would remember him then. My group was tasked to train the youths outside missions.

“I never asked, but were you allowed to marry in the Order?”

This question made him stop for a moment. A faint memory stirred within him. A memory he didn’t wish to linger, as it proved too painful even to him. Still, for a split second, he imagined hearing her laughter and catching a glimpse of her beautiful face.

It… wasn’t encouraged but not forbidden, he signed reluctant.

“Perhaps a member of the Order had a child?”, asked Veduca, who didn’t look like she had noticed his hesitation.

I don’t think so. We trained the youths who were born inside the Order once they turned six. The boy with the woman is too old. I would’ve trained him otherwise.

Veduca fell silent for some time.

“Could… the boy the Divine Lord’s illegitimate son he never told anyone about?”

At this, Lodwin had to laugh, which made Veduca frown. Some patrons close by even started to stare since his laugh sounded odd as it was voiceless.

“Lod, is something the matter?”, she asked worried.

He was married to his work and never took any interest in anyone, he signed while still laughing.

Suddenly, another memory scratched at his mind.

He stopped laughing.

He could almost see Rosomil, his back to him, the candlelight barely illuminating the area around the desk and the vile looking book on top of it.

He could see the skin-bound tome sucking his former friend and comrade in.

The obsession…

The despair…

“I have an idea”, said Veduca, and broke the tense silence before it could settle.

Which would be?, he asked.

“We could ask Liano about the woman and the boy. Perhaps he knows them.”

I highly doubt that.

“You never know if you don’t ask”, she replied chipper, and waved the waiter to their table.

The young man didn’t seem too pleased about having to deal with them. His steps were reluctant, and his gaze firmly fixed on Lodwin with a certain corporeal apprehension.

“What can I do for you, Milady?”, he asked once he stood beside the table.

“I’m still terrible sorry about the ruckus my companion has caused”, said Veduca with an apologetic smile.

“No blood was spilled, and the lady has been amicable”, he replied with a distrustful gaze towards Lodwin before he focused back on her. “You shouldn’t trouble yourself further.”

“Still, I would love to speak with the lady once more and apologise to her in person”, she continued. “Do you, per chance, know her name and where we could find her and her brother?”

“I’ve never seen them before”, he answered after a moment. “They’re probably seeking the health offered by our Lord, like most people who come here.”

“Do you know a place where this woman could stay with her brother here in Eldebourg?”

“The Merry Boar is the only inn left, Milady. The others all closed down since their owners have been taken. Thankfully, it seems our Lord does want at least this inn to stay working, as none of my family have been taken.”

“So they would need to stay here as guests?”

“I don’t remember checking her in, and I’ve seen her and her brother today for the first time.”

“Perhaps she was checked in by another member of your family?”

“Could be since I only take care of the guests during lunch and dinner time.”

“Is there another way for someone like her to have a place to stay?”

“Castle Eldebourg is the only other option for a woman of her standing. But if she’s a guest of the Divine Lord’s Knight, then I don’t think she would’ve let your companion off so easily. The… people who have any connections with this man are… I think you can guess the rest, Milady.”

“Thank you, nonetheless, Liano”, said Veduca with a soft smile that hid her disappointment. “I don’t want to keep you further from your work.”

“Much appreciate, Milady”, he replied with a slight blush and left.

“It seems we had more luck than any human should have”, said Veduca once the waiter was out of earshot.

Best we enter the castle tonight and be done with it, signed Lodwin.

“But what about a proper plan?”, she asked. “We can’t just walk in and expect to emerge victorious. Did you run headlong into danger during your time within the Order as well?”

He shook his head.

“Then, at least, get a whole night's rest. I can scry the surroundings of the city and the castle with my magic while you sleep.”

And alarm them of our presence.

“At least we wouldn’t be ambushed that way.”

Lodwin frowned and thought for a while. Deep within himself, he felt that he needed rest. While his changed nature provided more durability than any ordinary human could hope to achieve, he was still somewhat bound to his needs.

Fine, he signed while she took a sip of her remaining wine.

“Thank you, Lod”, she replied with a relieved expression. “I knew I could count on you.”

Feeling a blush creep up his cheeks, he tried to hide his face by drinking the remainder of his wine.