The number of people in Davorultumn’s and Mikranasta’s home had more than doubled in the last couple hours. Most of them were Hgirh, but a few—led by Reszidbovroh—were observers and investigators appointed by the Lamdritta. Jorvanultumn sat by the low-table in the gathering room watching everyone move about.

Fevionawishtensen had given a report when they’d first arrived, after which she had joined the other Hgirh in searching the surrounding area. Jorvanultumn wanted to be out searching with them, or at the very least, doing something more than sitting here, but Reszidbovroh had made it very clear he was to wait until called on. All he could do now was watch people move about.

Gen and Ting had been escorted back to the visitors’ lodges so that the Hgirh could question them and their crew. Reszidbovroh stated they were going on the initial assumption that one of Gen’s crew was secretly a mentalist and that person had effected Meleng’s kidnapping. Gen had protested that that was not the case, but no one was willing to listen to him. A mentalist could have easily fooled them, Reszidbovroh said.

Jorvanultumn had not seen Sinitïa since he had left her with Chiansamorkin. Hopefully, Chiansamorkin had kept her away from all the chaos, though given her level of talent, the Hgirh would almost certainly want to question her. Jorvanultumn was not certain whether it was better if that happened sooner or later.

Hilkorultumn lowered himself slowly onto a stool beside Jorvanultumn. With a wave of his wing, he brought a cold breeze down from above. “Even with those stones gone, it’s still too hot in here. I don’t know how I got through the rest of the world all those years ago.”

Jorvanultumn smirked. “You’re just old.” Removing the heating stones had been one of the first things the Hgirh had done upon arrival.

Hilkorultumn laughed. “I suppose I am. You know who did this, don’t you?”

Jorvanultumn shook his head. “No. How could I know that?”

“I don’t mean the specific individual and you know that.”

“You mean the Pundritta?”

The elderly Isyar nodded. “Of course I do.”

“But why?”

“What do you mean why? It’s what they do.”

Jorvanultumn shook his head. “No, it isn’t. You said as much. They’ve been silent for two generations. Why do something so obvious now?”

Hilkorultumn slumped over. “I know this has been a lot for you, but you have to trust me. My diare told me to expect their resurgence in my lifetime, and I don’t have a lot of time left to me.”

“But how did she—?”

Hilkorultumn held up a hand. “She knew. She had her methods. You’ll understand better once you’ve read her files.”

“I suppose.”

“That aside, even if it’s not the Pundritta, I’m pretty sure you agree that it was an Isyar who did this, not a human, no matter what that moron Reszidbovroh believes. He’s almost as much of an idiot as his diare.”

“You don’t think a human could do this?”

Hilkorultumn smirked. “Oh, I know there are some that could. I suspect that Will-Breaker of yours could do it if she put her mind to it. But I also don’t believe there are any such humans here in Isyaria. No, this was an Isyar, and you know it.”

Jorvanultumn nodded. “I do.”

“At least we agree on that.”

“I suspect you’re also right that the Pundritta are behind this. I just hope you’re wrong.”

Hilkorultumn chuckled. “We can agree on that too. Don’t worry. We’ll find your friend.”

Jorvanultumn took a deep breath, held back the tears, and nodded. He had to be strong through this. For Sinitïa’s sake. For Meleng’s.

Hilkorultumn leaned closer to him. “It’s all right to be upset, you know. Your friend has been kidnapped.”

Jorvanultumn nodded. “I know, but—” He stopped as Reszidbovroh came over to them.

“After a thorough investigation, I can confirm Fevionawishtensen’s findings that mentalism magic was used around the time of Meleng Drago’s disappearance. I would like to ask you what you know of Captain Etiënne Gen’s crew. According to Mikranasta, you said there are crewmembers with magical talent.”

“That is true,” Jorvanultumn said. “However, they are untrained.”

“Can you be certain of this? Is it possible one or more have kept their training secret?”

“Technically yes, but I doubt it.”

“Why?”

Hilkorultumn stood up. “Oh, enough! It’s an Isyar and you know it.”

Reszidbovroh’s wings twitched at Hilkorultumn’s sudden use of the informal. “Please, contain yourself, Hilkorultumn. This is serious business.”

Hilkorultumn switched to the formal. “Very well. An Isyar is responsible for this. You waste time asking questions about the human sailors.”

“I do not believe…” Reszidbovroh backed away slightly as Hilkorultumn loomed forward.

“Really?”

Reszidbovroh lowered his voice. “Look, you know as well as I do the chaos that will be generated if it gets out that an Isyar committed this crime. I cannot make such an accusation without being one hundred percent certain.”

“But you are close, are you not?”

“Please keep your suspicions to yourself, Hilkorultumn. Now, please excuse us. I would like to speak to Jorvanultumn alone.”

Jorvanultumn nodded to Hilkorultumn, who glared at Reszidbovroh for a moment longer, but then acquiesced. “Very well.” He hobbled slowly away—much more slowly than he needed to, Jorvanultumn was sure.

“Where is Princess Sinitïa Alessia Deanna Folith?” Reszidbovroh asked once Hilkorultumn was out of earshot.

“Last I saw she was with Lamdhir Chiansamorkin.”

Reszidbovroh’s eyes widened. “With the Lamdhir? But she does not know about...that is…” He glanced about furtively.

“She is keeping Princess Sinitïa Alessia Deanna Folith safe.”

Reszidbovroh leaned in closer and spoke quietly. “This is a delicate situation. Many people will want to question the Princess about what happened. People could find out that she is untrained. I was hoping to question her before anyone else. That way, I could hopefully convince them to accept my results and not question her themselves. You are aware of Lamdir Paydamat’s concerns, and I agree with her. I have not even told my diare about her. It it gets out…”

“I trust Lamdhir Chiansamorkin. If she learns of it, she will not spread it.”

“Do you know where they are?”

“If they are not here, then I do not know. The Lamdhir must have taken her somewhere safe. Whoever took Meleng Drago might come for Sinitïa Alessia Deanna Folith as well.”

Reszidbovroh sighed. “It is a valid concern. There are reports that Princess Sinitïa Alessia Deanna Folith was screaming and neighbours say there were coloured lights shining above this building around the same time.”

“Yes, she was upset.”

This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

Reszidbovroh’s already narrow eyes narrowed even more. “And the lights?”

“The lights…” Jorvanultumn groaned. There were ways to explain them, but ways that made sense at the same time they discovered Meleng’s abduction?

Reszidbovroh shook his head. “Did anyone see her at this time? The Lamdhir perhaps?”

Jorvanultumn gave a long sigh. “She might have, but I told you she will not tell anyone of it.” Hopefully, he did not learn that Fevionawishtensen was there as well.

“I hope you are right. Lamdhir Chiansamorkin is unpredictable and reckless. I do not have the same trust in her as you. She is too young. She does not have the wisdom necessary for her position.”

Jorvanultumn said nothing.

Reszidbovroh cleared his throat. “My apologies. I should not speak so ill of the Lamdhir. I know the two of you are close.”

“Please find Meleng Drago, and do not spend too much time establishing that this was not the work of a human.”

Reszidbovroh gulped. “You do not understand the upheaval this will cause.”

“Maybe not, but I know it is unavoidable. The more time you waste interrogating Etiënne Gen’s crew, the more you put Meleng Drago’s life at risk.”

“I will do my best, but I ask you to leave this to me and the Hgirh. You are in a precarious enough position as it is. If you get involved, spreading stories—”

“Meleng Drago is my friend and I will do whatever is necessary to find him if you do not do it first and promptly.”

Reszidbovroh’s wings twitched and he straightened up, clamping down his jaw. “As I said, I will do my best. Thank you for your time.” He slapped his hand on his chest. “May the night be short.”

“May the—”

Before Jorvanultumn could finish the valediction, Reszidbovroh turned around and walked away.

Jorvanultumn shook his head sadly. He should probably find where Chiansamorkin had taken Sinitïa. He would like to be there when she was questioned, if just for moral support. She would need to be somewhere warmer, as her outdoor clothes were still here, draped over a stool with Meleng’s. The visitors’ lodges made the most sense. However, if Chiansamorkin was trying to keep Sinitïa away from being questioned, she might have taken her somewhere less obvious, intending to conjure heat for her. He would check the visitors’ lodges first, then try some other places if they were not there.

He gathered up Sinitïa’s outdoor clothes and then Meleng’s.

Gods, Meleng.

Jorvanultumn stood there for a moment, cradling the bundle of clothes. His wings trembled.

If Meleng died…

Jorvanultumn had brought Meleng here, and then had practically ignored him. And Sinitïa. He had been so caught up in his own activities. Some of it had been important, but others… He should have made more time for Meleng. Now he might never see him again. But by the gods, if Meleng did die, whoever was responsible would pay. Jorvanultumn would see to that. He would tear Chithishtheny apart—and the rest of Isyaria, if necessary—until he found the culprits.

He could not let go of the bundle to wipe the tears from his eyes, so he tried to blink them away, but they were building up too fast.

A hand touched his shoulder. “Oh, Jorvanultumn.” It was Mikranasta. “We’ll find him.”

“I should have been there for him. I sent him off alone.”

“In a place that should have been safe. You did nothing wrong.”

“I could have protected him.”

“You don’t know that, and you had no way to know then that anything would happen. This is not your fault.”

He dropped the clothes, turned, and put his arms around her. He sobbed into her shoulder as she hugged him tight, the way she used to when he was small, before Hedromornasta was born.

* * * * *

Sinitïa was curled up on her bed, Jeanne dozing beside her, when Jorvanultumn arrived at her room. He was glad it had not taken long to find her.

Chiansamorkin hurried over to him and, as soon as he had put Sinitïa’s and Meleng’s clothes down, touched her forehead and wing tips to his. Then she motioned to the door and dragged him out it. “I don’t want to wake her. She cried herself to sleep.”

He walked with her a bit farther down the hall so they could talk without fear of being too loud.

“Where is Fevionawishtensen?” Chiansamorkin asked.

“Leading search parties.”

“Good. I hope they find him soon.”

“I doubt it.”

“You think they won’t find him?”

“No, not that. I just don’t think it will be fast. We have to find him.”

“Trust the Hgirh. They’ll find him. They’re trained for this, and they’re good at what they do.”

Jorvanultumn sighed. “And does that include kidnappings?”

Chiansamorkin frowned. “Well, I’m sure they train for the possibility.”

“And have they ever actually dealt with one?”

“No idea, but they deal with disputes between Isyar all the time, including ones involving mentalists. Sometimes that involves finding hidden things.”

“Perhaps, but they’re also taking direction from Reszidbovroh at the moment, and he’s too focused on trying to pin this on a human when he knows it was an Isyar.”

Chiansamorkin rolled her eyes. “And here I thought he was better than his diare. Well, fuck him. We will find Meleng ourselves if necessary.”

“I told him I would do whatever was necessary if he would not.”

She smiled at him. “As you should. Where will you start?”

He shrugged. “I’m not sure yet.” It was technically true. He might suspect the Pundritta, but he still did not know who. He needed to tell her about the Pundritta. She needed to know if she was going to help find Meleng. But he needed to tell Fevionawishtensen first—or, at the very least, the two of them together. “Reszidbovroh wishes to speak to Sinitïa by the way. He will probably be here soon.”

Chiansamorkin groaned. “So do others. I’ve already turned them away, and I’ll turn him away too. There is little she can tell him, and she needs the rest.”

“I think you should let him.”

“Why?”

“He already knows she’s untrained and he’s worried others will find out when they question her. If he questions her first, he can supply the others with her answers and keep them away from her.”

Chiansamorkin stepped back with a sigh. “That actually makes sense. All right, I’ll let him, but I will insist on being present the whole time.”

Jorvanultumn grinned. “Of course. I want at least one of us with her at all times.”

She stepped closer to him. “I will do everything in my power to help you find him, you know.”

“I know.”

“And if they have harmed him, or worse, killed him, I will kill them.”

He gulped. “If necessary.” Killing might be extreme, but he had to admit, it was something he had considered himself.

She put her arms around him. “By taking him, they’ve hurt both you and Sinitïa, and I care for you both, especially you. They will know no mercy.”

“Thank you.” He kissed her. He wanted to hold her longer, but there were too many things to do.

She stepped back from him again. “Want a suggestion where to start?”

“Of course.”

“Nascanmat. I doubt the Hgirh or Reszidbovroh have spoken to him yet. They will eventually, but they will leave it as late as they can, given who his diare is.”

Jorvanultumn nodded. He had forgotten about Nascanmat. He should probably also ask Hedromornasta for more details about what they’d said to each other.

“Be careful,” Chiansamorkin said. “I don’t know his skill level, but again, given his diare…”

“I’ll be careful.”

“I better go wake Sinitïa and prep her for questioning. Let me know as soon as you know anything.”

They touched wing tips and foreheads, and she returned to Sinitïa’s room. Jorvanultumn watched her until she was through the door, then turned and headed downstairs to the exit. He would talk to Mikranasta first. He was going to have to tell her about the Pundritta, but he suspected she already knew. He doubted his diare had kept that from her, and if he had told her, then to hell with the secrets. It was time everyone knew the truth.