Chapter 14

Dung Ball in a Bird’s Nest

We arrived several days later at a handful of buildings just off the road. There were a few dozen people milling around the largest building. An inn built without much expertise, but with huge windows for a clear view of the road. A wooden sign hung from a wrought iron peg above the front door. It read: Battie’s Haven.

Just when we’d seen the men, Boule had leapt into the shadow of Jack’s cloak, hiding with superb efficacy. One look at Jack revealed that he was just as nervous as I was.

“A lot of people,” Jack said in a low voice.

“Makes me nervous,” I said. “Especially with that look in their eyes and what we went through this morning. At least I feel better now that Boule is back.”

We passed by the men and headed straight for the inn. The sun-bleached, weathered door opened easily. Plenty of sunlight came in from the paneless windows thrown open. The place was packed with men similar to those outside. They regarded us with suspicion. More than a few leaned in to whisper to companions. A strong voice called to us.

“Welcome to Battie’s Haven. I’m Battie.”

A large woman came around the inn’s far bar with three layers of aprons and three large tankards of ale in each hand. Around her neck was a thick strand of twine, the charm that weighed it down was hidden beneath the first apron. She delivered the drinks with haste, wiped her hands at the worn path on the front of her strawberry colored apron, and approached us with a smile.

“Who might you two be,” she said. “Why are you passing through here?”

“I’m Tosin. Healer,” I said.

“Jack. Zookeeper.”

Battie grunted and said, “Anyone else with you?”

“Just us,” Jack said. “We were attacked earlier this morning.”

“Tuktuk can be a pain,” Battie said. “You’re alive. You’re either strong enough to handle them, or else they didn’t come at you in numbers.”

“We weren’t attacked by Tuktuk,” I said. “We were attacked by a group of men.”

Battie froze and her eyes hardened. She bit her bottom lip and blew a shrill whistle. The front door swung open and a few men barged in through the crowd.

“Battie,” a man said.

“Hunter,” Battie said. “These fellas were attacked by mercenaries.”

“Dung ball in a bird’s nest,” Hunter said. “How far back? When?”

“This morning,” Jack said.

“Can you describe them?” Hunted said. “How many jumped you?”

“How’d you know they jumped us?” I said.

“That’s how they operate,” Battie said. “They’re Vicen mercenaries. Like Hunter said.”

Vicen mercenaries? The judge from the village asked if I was another Vicen mercenary. People don’t seem too fond of him around here. Folks are disappearing and this island’s got Vicen mercenaries running around. Does Jack know anything about this?

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I looked up into Jack’s sea faring eyes. His face was weathered into a permanent half squint. Even the formation of his irises seemed to have their own crow's feet. With only his eyes, Jack asked me if I was alright. I gave a perceptible nod.

“Jack,” Battie said. “Tell Hunter how far back you two were jumped. There’s not a lot of landmarks around here but do your best. You could help save a few lives.”

Jack and I gave our report to Hunter and his companions. Armed with information, Hunter and his group set out with haste. Battie had been waiting patiently the whole while. After asking a few young men to tend bar, she invited us to sit at a table by a window with flung open shutters. Freshly potted flowers were bent over their pots of soil upon the sill.

Battie more or less interrogated us over beer, butter and bread.

“Why are you passing through?” Battie said.

“I’m helping Tosin with a quest,” Jack said.

“Have you boys got anything to do with Vicen?”

“No,” I said.

The beer tased flat. It was warm, but the foam was biteable. Almost chewy. An absolutely atypical beer. It went down better with a chunk of sourdough bread and freshly churned butter.

“I’m glad you boys said something. Hunter and the rest of them are trackers. Hunter. Tracker.” Battie smiled. “The class chose him, they say.”

I smiled in return, but Jack was occupied with the view out the window. The flung open shutters rattled against the building when a bird swooped by.

“You’re not from the island,” Battie said.

“Nope,” I said. “First time. I’m on a quest to make a legendary artifact.”

“Woooowwwww, look at you! I’m happy to hear you’ve got ambition. Everyone ought to have ambition. That’s something many of us here don’t get a chance to have.”

“Because the island’s too small?” I said, prompting a look from Jack.

“People never get a chance to be ambitious because they disappear,” Battie said. “There’s no hard evidence, but I know it has to do with Vicen. A rotten god; that one. I’d bet my life that if someone were to shut Vicen down, our island would prosper again.”

“That’s… That’s a bold statement against a god,” I said.

Battie slapped the table. “I lost my three daughters. All in a row. Right under my nose. I begged Hunter to hunt down the men responsible. I never got my daughters back, but I know where they were taken to. Vicen’s temple.”

“Why would Vicen kidnap so many people?” I said.

“Evil blooms in the hearts of some.” Battie said while adjusting her twine necklace.

“I’m guessing you caught the guy,” I said.

Battie pulled her necklace up out from beneath her apron until she had the charm in hand. The charm was a chalk white bone from a human thumb. Where it had been severed was not a clean cut.

“We found him,” Battie said. “This is what’s left. I built this inn. The house behind. This was as close as I could get to Vicen’s temple without risking my life. It gets far more dangerous the rest of the way. It’s not the monsters you’ve got to worry about. It’s the men. The mercenaries.”

“So I’ve heard,” I said.

“Speaking of mercenaries,” Jack said. “I told you I’m a zookeeper.”

Battie looked sideways at Jack. She tilted her head up to have him go on.

“I can see what the birds see in a sense. There’s a path in the woods that runs parallel to the main road.”

“I know,” Battie said. “Look around my inn.” She waved at hand at all the men. “Them— that are outside too. These are all the fathers who’ve lost their family members. Loved ones that have gone missing. Are still missing. The youngest ones here have lost their parents. Their siblings. Word spread that I’d built a place for people like us to watch the road and rescue people coming through.”

“That’s why it didn’t feel so welcoming here,” Jack said.

“Welcoming? We’ve rescued nearly a hundred people,” Battie said. “How’s that for welcoming.”

“One hundred people?” I said. “That’s amazing.”

“Those mercenaries aren’t stupid,” Battie said. “Many of them know that we watch this road. They’ve started finding other ways through here.

“That explains it then,” Jack said.

“Explains what?” Battie said.

“There are armed men walking down that hidden path as we speak. They’re escorting about twelve people who are shackled together. There are children among them.”

“You’re certain?” Battie said. Jack nodded and Battie jumped into action.

“TO ARMS!” Battie said. “DUNG BALL IN A BIRD’S NEST!”

Men were armed and on their feet in the blink of an eye. Jack leapt out of the open window. I was on his heels.

“Follow me!” Jack hollered.