Alden soared into the air and Imogen followed. “You didn’t get an address,” she said.

“No need.” Alden turned toward the city center. “I’ve eaten there a few times. They make the best venison stew I’ve ever tasted.”

“You never mentioned it.”

After a thirty-second flight Alden descended. “We don’t generally talk about anything besides work. I didn’t even know you liked venison stew.”

“I don’t. I find it gamey and tough.”

They landed in front of the inn. It had escaped the worst of the quake. The only visible damage beyond the windows was that the front steps had separated from the building and the stag-shaped sign had fallen to the ground.

Alden led the way up to the landing. They’d barely stepped through the door when someone screamed on the second floor. Alden ran for the stairs.

At the top they found a girl in a white uniform standing in an open doorway, her hand to her mouth and her body trembling. Alden gently guided her to one side.

Lying on the bed was a body. Female, dark hair. He had a sick feeling they’d found Carmen. He gently shook the servant girl until she looked at him. “Please wait downstairs. We need to have a look around the room. Don’t go too far, we might have questions.”

She nodded and rushed away. Alden went to the body while Imogen scanned for signs of corruption. Carmen—Alden planned to operate under the assumption that it was her body—had bruises on her neck from someone’s hands. There was a patch of blood on the headboard where her skull bounced off it.

It didn’t take a genius to figure out what happened here. Carmen came running to Jonny for help and he strangled her before fleeing the scene.

“The room’s clean.” Imogen frowned at the dead girl. “If she had the urn with her it never came out of whatever’s hiding its corruption. Is it Carmen?”

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Alden shrugged. “I assume so. She fits the description at least. I’ve never met the woman so I can’t say for certain. Let’s poke around a little more then go talk to the staff. Maybe one of them can identify her.”

Half an hour later they left the room no more enlightened than when they started. Someone, Jonny most likely, had cleaned the place out. There wasn’t so much as a scrap of cloth in the closet or bureau.

Downstairs the second-fattest woman Alden had ever seen was pacing the dining room floor, her three chins jiggling with every step. The moment she spotted them the woman stomped over. “When can you get that body out of here? We’re planning to open soon.”

Her concern touched Alden’s heart. “We’ll move it as soon as we can, Miss…?”

“Stoltz, Miranda Stoltz. I own this place.”

“Who rented that room?” Imogen asked.

“Jonny ‘I’ll fuck anything with a pulse’ Linn. The son of a bitch is a day late on his rent and he knocked up three of my girls in the last two months. Now he leaves a dead body for me to clean up. If you see him tell him he can find a new place to play with his whores.”

“Can you identify the body for us?” Alden asked.

The girl from upstairs raised a trembling hand. Alden offered a hopefully reassuring smile. “Do you know her, sweetheart?”

“Yes, sir. It’s Carmen. She was Jonny’s favorite. He brought her in a couple times a week.”

Miranda laughed. “That asshole's favorite was whoever he could convince to spread her legs that night.”

The girl blushed and looked away.

Maybe the maid had filled in when Carmen wasn’t available. “Do you have any idea where Jonny might go if he was in trouble?” Alden asked.

“No, sir. We didn’t really talk.”

“When did he leave?” Imogen matched Miranda glare for glare.

“About an hour ago. One of the other guests complained about the noise. Jonny and his slut were more enthusiastic than usual this morning. Really knocking the old headboard.”

“Actually that was him beating her unconscious while he strangled her to death,” Alden said.

The maid let out a squeak and dashed for the kitchen. He winced. The girl was upset enough. He should have been more careful.

“Whatever.”

“Alright. We’ll send someone by to collect the body.”

“Tell them it’ll be in the alley. I won’t have that bitch’s corpse stinking up my place.”

“What a charming woman,” Alden said when they’d left the Stag behind.

Imogen grunted. “What now? We’re about out of places to look.”

“Where’s the nearest gate?”

“Why? They’re all sealed.”

Alden turned toward the north gate, he was pretty sure it was the closest. “You don’t suppose he’d be arrogant enough to think he could talk his way out? One guard helping another?”

They raced into the air. It was a twenty-minute walk, but they could fly it in a few seconds.