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Grateful for his offer, I wiped my hands and accepted the bowl before making my way to the back door. As I stepped outside, the cool air brushed against my face, providing a brief moment of solitude. I found an empty crate to sit on and savored the delicious aroma emanating from my food. Bern was a trustworthy man, aside from Nona, he was the only person I could confide in.
He’d often looked out for me, giving me his advice. Bern had two daughters at home, his wife having succumbed to the sickness years ago. He worked hard to care for them, cooking at the tavern all day, serving at night, and throwing cargo onto ships at the docks when he could. Bern was as close to a father figure as I had. Having taken me under his wing at sixteen, at Nona’s request. He’d been the one I had gone to when she passed. Helping me sort out her arrangements and personal affairs. But there were still secrets Nona kept, even ones Bern did not know.
A heavy sigh pushed itself past my lips as I looked up into the night sky and the stars twinkling above. They offered me peace, a sense of serenity. They called to me; the feeling of refuge was always there within them. I felt at home in the dark, despite Nona Luna’s warnings. Like the dark was the other half of me. Even when I was not allowed outside after sundown. I felt safe, at peace amongst them.
A sadness washed over me as I took a bite from my bowl.
Things have been strange lately, very strange. I just could not put my finger on what it was. For weeks, I had the feeling of missed company, an odd emptiness. And in one moment, I remembered, as if I had amnesia during that time.
It was odd.
Seeing Kaston’s face, his eyes, the memories? It broke whatever had plagued me, the rift opening wide. But the feeling had not quite gone away. It hovered, waiting. As if there was more that had gone. Everything was a mess. I was a mess. A flutter of wings above caught my attention. High above on the rooftop of the next building, I could just barely make out a bird. It was dark against the night sky, but its eyes shone as it watched. The moon reflected off its feathers as the clouds moved. Unease washed over me, its presence unwelcome.
An omen in many homes within Rothnia.
A laugh echoed down the alley as a group of men rushed past on the street; causing me to jump and the bird to fly off. I ate my food quickly before allowing it to cool off any more than it already had. I had just slipped back inside and set the dish in the water basin when I heard Bern.
“Serra, can you do me a favor and take this tray to the front? I need to fill up another one and Corey is swamped,” Bern requested while he busied himself with filling plates and bowls. “We just received a large food order from a new group of sailors; another ship has docked for the night.”
“Sure thing, Bern. Do you need any help with the remaining servings?” I asked, peeking my head around the corner to watch him move from pot to pot.
“No, my dear. You'll be enough help just taking the tray to the front for me,” he replied with a nod.
Taking the tray from the kitchen bench, I made my way into the main tavern. The weight of it making it hard to balance. The noise level was higher out here as I navigated through the drunken sailors and the women entertaining them, being careful not to spill or drop anything on anyone. As I approached the bar counter where Corey was, I overheard him and a group of off-duty guards talking about Imogen. They were asking if anyone had seen her, if she had been there, or if anyone had any information about her whereabouts.
Corey denied knowing anything.
While I knew very little about him, I knew he mostly kept to himself, he came in and did his job before going home. Or I assumed he did. He had only just started a couple of weeks ago. Never really talked to anyone other than those who sat at the bar. Occasionally he’d smile, but usually he did his job and then took off.
I had to admit, he was rather pleasing to look at. I remembered the day he first started. His dark brown hair was tousled from the breeze outside and his hazel eyes tracked my every move as I wiped down the tables. It caused my stomach to twist and flip with butterflies. The muscle in his arms would ripple as he wiped out cups and filled them with ale. I had only seen him smile at me once, but I was so tongue-tied that I slipped into the back as quickly as I could without looking back.
Since then, I’d kept my eyes cast down around him, fully aware when his eyes followed me, watching what I was doing. The way it left me feeling was unsettling, the butterflies fluttering about in my abdomen. It wasn’t unpleasant, just. . . different. Unlike how I felt at the moment. Right now, I felt incredibly uneasy. A lingering feeling like someone was watching.
As I placed the tray behind the counter, I sensed someone's eyes on me. Worried that it might be someone I didn't want to see, I quickly scanned the room. But I didn't spot the auburn-haired man I was avoiding among the crowd of sailors. Instead, my gaze was met with the unsettling gaze of a man with two mismatched eyes. He ‘d watched me intently as I had made my way towards the bar through the tables. Although my back had been turned to him, I could feel the electric current emanating from him.
It made me feel uneasy.
The man's face was mostly concealed by his hood and the dark cloak draped around his shoulders. Despite his efforts to blend into the shadows, his sparkling eyes caught my attention. It was the expression on his face that made me pause, though. His lips were pulled back in a tight smile, revealing unnaturally sharp canines.
Unlike the rest of the tavern patrons, who were boisterous and busy, he kept to himself in the far corner of the room, occupying an entire table. The air around him was heavy with danger, and people avoided him like the plague, avoiding all eye contact. It was as though he could strike out at any moment, slicing anyone who crossed his path with a blade.
“And what about you?”
I’d heard the question, but it did not register until I pulled my gaze away from him. Looking at the group of off duty guards in front of me. “I’m sorry, could you repeat that?”
“What about you? Do you have any information about the missing girl?” he eyed me cautiously. I’d seen him before, he had been one of the guards to escort me to Conwell Manor a couple of weeks ago.
I shook my head. “No. I only just saw the poster this morning. I’m sorry. I do hope she’s alright.”
He tipped his glass back before downing it and stood up. “Well, if you hear anything let me know. I’m heading the investigation into her disappearance. This time of year everything gets dangerous.”
“Oh? How so?” Corey asked as he took the mug from the soldier.
The guard cocked his head, brows furrowed. “Do you not know?”
“I’m afraid not. I just moved here.”
The guard looked at me before returning his gaze to Corey, apprehension on his face. Slowly he explained, “Every spring we get a visit from the Goblin King, and every spring someone goes missing. It has been happening more lately but this one was sudden. Her carriage had been ripped to pieces. The driver refuses to speak, says he cannot remember, and the horses are gone.”
