Brother Douglas rummaged through Father Lucas’ belongings, determined to make an example out of the man who dared stand against him. “Every man has his secrets,” Douglas muttered, tossing aside books one after another with increasing irritation. Then his hand landed on something different, Lucas’ personal journal. He held it up, turning it over like a treasure hunter appraising a rare find. “This could be something…” He flipped through the pages, skimming quickly for anything useful.
46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUEnjYmP9j5
“The attendance has dropped. The presence of the Church’s soldiers has the people worried,” Douglas read aloud, his lip curling. The words left a bitter taste in his mouth. “These people should be rejoicing that the Church has called upon them,” he spat.
His eyes scanned further down the page.
46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtQlHVbX4gL
“Brother Orion confided in me his questions about the Church. I can’t blame him. I have questions myself…” Douglas’ sneer twisted into a smile. Now this was something he could use. He flipped past a few more pages.
46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYZMZpHrHYo
“The Usher has been found. I worry for the people of my town. I can’t shake the feeling that something will happen here. Orion said Marcus was heading toward Stennor. I’m ashamed to feel relief that it was someplace else. I’m not a fool I know one day there will be no more ‘someplace else,’ and a calamity will befall the people of River Hallow. One day, we will all pay for our sins.”
46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhrSDa4UyZN
Douglas stared at the page, his expression unreadable. He mumbled to himself, “What little secret are you hiding, Lucas?” Guilt made an excellent weapon—one Douglas wielded with pride. He closed the journal with a snap. “There must be more… from earlier,” he said, before resuming his ransacking of Lucas’ room with renewed intensity.
46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkBCA7Y0zLr
46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCpXYuefvGM
46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqB2xvk7RBb
Outside, in the quiet streets of River Hallow, Thomas and his friend Dareth were deep in conversation.
46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdQ0RlgjLaF
“I’m tellin’ you, Copper,” Dareth said, rubbing the side of his head with a grimace, “the house I’m stayin’ at, the woman there, she wields a wooden spoon like it’s a sword.”
46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSK5au1poLK
Thomas raised an eyebrow. “What did you do this time?”
46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaPhfzXwWlP
“I made the mistake of eatin’ before prayers… Whack!” Dareth slapped the air for emphasis. “Right across the ear.”
46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVeVLxX9LOb
Thomas burst into laughter as he leaned back on the stone water well in the center of town. “About time someone put you in your place.”
46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe3A5qv5y92
Dareth smirked. “I swear, they need to put that old lady Katherine in the army. I bet she could take down the Usher by herself!” It was nice to have a moment of laughter. The march under Brother Douglas’ command had worn on everyone’s nerves.
46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9mXsXndgbc
“So,” Dareth said, glancing over, “what are you gonna be writin’ about me today, Copper Thomas?”
46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKn9URRdsvO
Thomas shook his head. “Not you, Dareth. I’m writing about how the people reacted to us being here.” “Copper Thomas.” The new nickname rolled off Dareth’s tongue easily. Thomas pretended to be annoyed, but secretly, he liked the way it sounded. “What do you think these people will say about us after we’re gone?” Thomas asked, the weight of the question settling in his voice.
46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡATzpUtieG1
Dareth paused, then sighed as he grabbed the winch and began lowering the bucket into the well. “I don’t know, Copper Thomas. Don’t sit right with me either.” The bucket hit the water with a distant splash. “With any luck,” Dareth muttered, “we won’t be here too much longer.” Dareth stopped and watched one of the townsfolk slip into the tavern. “I don’t know about you, Copper, but Brother Douglas never said anything about not drinking,” he said with a smirk. “Maybe we lay off the water for a bit.” He slung an arm around Thomas’ shoulder. “Can you think of a better way to find out what these people are really thinking?”
46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnrfOOi9Q9j
Thomas tried to resist, but Dareth easily steered him in that direction. It had been a while since he’d had a good drink and with the tension hanging over River Hallow like stormclouds, maybe it wasn’t the worst idea. They headed toward the Tired Boar. Inside, the place that once buzzed with chatter now offered only cold silence. All eyes turned toward them.
46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3rBSfIGrk5
46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdCyuag2hSs
“What’ll the Holy Boys be havin’ today?” came a booming voice from behind the bar. Jirjin met their gaze with a grin. “Just don’t think the ale’s free,” he added, wiping a mug clean. “If the Creator wanted you to have free ale, it’d be rainin’ it.”
46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAUGV6Mi0Lx
Dareth slid onto a barstool and leaned forward. “Three ales—one for me, one for my friend here, and the third for anyone brave enough to tell my friend Copper how they feel about the Church being in town.” He dropped a few coins on the counter with a grin.
46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZvXE92T3BA
Thomas sighed but couldn’t bring himself to be mad. What had he expected? He gave a small nod and said, “Hello,” to Jirjin as he took a seat.
46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCb6RrEsbdG
Jirjin scooped up the coins and poured two ales, sliding them across the bar. “I’ll tell you how we feel,” he said with a cheerful smile. “We’d like your lot to kindly bugger off and leave this town in peace.” He didn’t pour the third.
46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmDOttKimZP
Dareth chuckled. “Real friendly barkeep. Who says ale brings people together?”
46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVOTh6hbrMz
“A damn fool!” someone shouted from the back of the tavern, triggering a round of laughter.
Thomas took a deep breath. Laughter was a good sign. He set his book on the bar and began to write.
46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsa74FbP8r8
Jirjin raised an eyebrow and smirked. “Well now, look at this, we’ve got ourselves a scholar, folks!”
46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkd5OZMEoNi
Used to Dareth’s constant banter, Thomas replied without thinking, “Literacy is a magical power.”
Dareth nearly choked on his ale.
46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl4OQx6N7V9
Before Thomas could apologize, Jirjin leaned in and said, “The last bookworm who got smart in here, we broke all his fingers.” His voice dropped low. “You trying to get smart, boy?”
46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtETnklriKp
Thomas felt his stomach sink to the floor. “No, sir. I’m just…” He paused, realizing whatever excuse he gave wouldn’t help.
46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmyqZSArQEI
“Copper has the manners of a… well, like your sign says—a Tired Boar,” Dareth said, clearly proud of his comeback.
46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlXhWPEzi6c
Jirjin turned his gaze. “You’re too ugly to act cute.”
46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy6r92JUJPL
Thomas could feel the tension rising fast. He stepped in quickly. “I’m sorry. I didn’t sleep well last night. I spoke without thinking.”
46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPE9Bh7kc9y
“Try sleeping in your own beds, not someone else’s,” Jirjin snapped.
46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrBVZfZ1yIP
Dareth downed the rest of his ale in a single gulp. “I think it’s time for us to take our leave, Copper.”
46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXdfgkdSlaN
Thomas didn’t argue. He reached for his mug, trying to finish the drink, but managed to spill more than he swallowed. He opened his mouth to apologize again but the look on Jirjin’s face told him to shut it and go.
46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9CDQA4FjF2
“Don’t worry about that third ale,” Dareth said as he stood. “Keep the coin as a tip—for the hospitality.”
46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMkuDTenuQm
The two of them stepped out of the tavern. Dareth clapped him on the back with a laugh. “Real smart, Copper Thomas.”
46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlE49Aw8mFA
“Shut up,” Thomas muttered, glancing back over his shoulder. “It was your idea to get a drink, remember?”
46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE1OdkvPUN8
“I worry about what would happen to you if I wasn’t here to protect you,” Dareth said as he threw an arm around Thomas again. “Who am I kidding? We’ll be side by side forever!”
46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5kml7yFMnZ
Thomas didn’t share the excitement. “Want me to include the ‘Too ugly to act cute’ line from the bartender?” he asked, mimicking Jirjin’s voice with exaggerated flair.
46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRunNJRuFXq
Dareth smirked. “Only if you keep the part where you couldn’t even steady your ale because you were too scared.” They traded petty jabs all the way back to the church, their banter a shield against the tension rising around them. But it shattered the moment they arrived.
46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwQHSfoib6K
Brother Douglas came storming out the front doors, his expression grim. He held a journal in his hand, the one he had been searching for. “Bring Lucas to me. And gather everyone in the town square!” he barked. His commanders didn’t hesitate.
Douglas’s voice cut through the air like a blade.
46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHgAvsdLmFZ
46Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTVqxwvwAf6
“This place needs to be set right.”
ns216.73.216.192da2
