Ian von Richter turned away from the lord of Hueryss. Gaspard followed him dutifully, as they left Hueryss's inner castle. His hand fell to his steel rapier, as he watched for any spontaneous violence. An entourage of warriors followed them as they made their way through the city. Each and every step felt heavy, as Ian pondered why negotiations had failed so quickly.

"I was hoping to find her before she made any mistakes. She was always such an unruly child causing trouble for the von Erwenhest family." Ian said with a sigh.

"Hmm. Don't care." Gaspard grunted.

"What happened?" Ian asked.

"They attacked Freyes' champion. Damn near leveled a city block. But the man is crafty. He managed to live, despite a large wound."

"He is wounded?"

"Yes, but don't let that give you any ideas." Gaspard warned.

"Did you witness it?"

"No."

"What happened to Lady Lilly?" The herald asked. Gaspard shrugged his shoulders.

"Don't know. One of his companions kept prattling on about besting a vampire, but-"

"But what?!" Ian asked in a panic.

"We've found no bodies and no one will back up what she says." Ian breathed a sigh of relief.

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"Hopefully they're just delusional! The Lady Lilly was an accomplished duelist, as well as her maid being one of our nation's deadliest-" The herald's train of thought was cut off.

"Give me that damn sword Ada!" A woman screamed ahead of them.

"No!" A blonde wolfkin screamed back. "It's mine! Fritz gave it to me!"

The two were running down the street towards Ian von Richter. The blonde wolfkin held a resplendent rapier in the air as she ran away from the older pursuing beastkin. Runes of dark magic draped down into an elegant hilt. The rapier was unmistakable. The von Erwenhest's family blade was resplendent in the spring sunlight.

"Bloodseeker." Ian said with a gasp. "Mother. Father. Witness." A pair of spectral heads peeked out from the mass of jewelry and trinkets down the road. The herald and his family spied the two wolfkin ahead. Children and adults shrieked as the ghosts of the von Richter family manifested.

The two wolfkin turned down a side alley, disappearing into the city.

"I have to follow-" Ian was cut off as Gaspard placed a strong hand on his shoulder.

"Put your family away! No one wants to see that!"

"Mother! Father!" Ian called as the ghosts vanished once more.

"Walk damn you! Leave!" Gaspard growled out as he pushed the herald forward.

"But! But! I need to investigate! That was her sword!"

"No! You've run out of time!" Gaspard leaned forward to whisper towards the von Richter heir. "I doubt I'll be able to keep these bastards civil much longer. You need to leave." Gaspard shoved the herald forward. Murmurs of violence followed them. Groups of beastkin, thumbed their weapons in anticipation waiting like lurking predators.

Lengthening his stride, the herald of Gris attempted to make sense of what he had seen. Bloodseeker had been stolen. That meant she had been defeated. Hadn't it? How else would these idiotic beastkin take it? Her attack on the champion had failed. Then they had taken it off her defeated body. What was happening? Was this enough to report on? Should he report back to Rose von Erwenhest immediately?

A faint whisper reached his ears.

"Report it once night falls." Which family member spoke? Ian looked down towards the various jewelry and trinkets covering his body. The voice was unfamiliar. Was it one of the older family members? Shivering, he quickened his pace as he tried to exit the city as soon as possible.