When The Petal Fell

18-1

18

Sora watched as Dylin struggled up the ladder, squeezing his massive body through the small hatchway, a crude hole chipped away over the centuries to allow access to the Tweens from the Underside. Klaron did not look hopeful about the efficacy of this plan, but Sora knew that Dylin would be the only way to find Cierene now.

After eating Cierene's hair, Dylin had wandered to and fro through the Underside, knocking people out of the way, not caring who, or what was in his way. He needed, according to his running commentary, to 'feel' the direction of the 'prey' from several different places in order to get the best idea where she was. Sora could feel Klaron's frustration and, if she were willing to admit it, she felt the very same frustrations, but for differing reasons.

As far as Klaron seemed concerned, this entire task took them further away from finding the murderer. No more deaths had occurred since Lord Avksa and Lady Harrehal had fallen from the bell tower of the Palace of Words. This meant the trail of the killer would grow cold far too fast and they may never catch them. Klaron could not allow that to happen.

Sora, however, did not only need to find Cierene because she was her best and oldest friend, but because Sora believed that Cierene disappearing, so soon after the string of murders, felt too coincidental. It was possible that the two sets of incidents were not connected, but Sora trusted her instincts and her instincts told her that this was no coincidence. If her hypothesis was correct, finding Cierene could get them closer to finding the killer and, if it didn't, finding Cierene would still be a good outcome.

Upon entering the tunnel, Sora and Klaron both lit the lanterns Sora had 'borrowed' along the way. Klaron did not like that either, but Sora assured the Kannai that she would return the lanterns as soon as Cierene emerged safe from the Tweens.

"I still say we should have brought weapons. Who knows what we may find in here." Klaron held the lantern high, staring out into the gloom.

"We have knives. We don't need more than that. The Tweens isn't a monster infested dungeon. They're just people, like you and me. Just down on their luck." Sora patted Dylin on his wide back as she passed him. "Besides, we have a Dylin."

"It's true." Dylin added, holding his hand in the air, eyes closed, as he took his bearings. "I know many people who call this place home. And if having friends down here doesn't help, I'll just hit people until they choose to be friendly."

Dylin wasn't joking. Despite his tendency to brutal violence, the big ex-Hath Marat did make friends with an ease that Sora envied and, far too often, became friends with people after brawling with them. That was why he respected Sora. Despite the huge difference in their sizes, she had showed him she wouldn't back down to his physically intimidating size and could take a punch as well as anybody. The fact that she could almost match him drink-for-drink only made their friendship more solid. From Dylin's point of view. As far as Sora felt concerned, he was only one of many people whose talents she could make use of.

"So, where from here, Blood Hunter?" Klaron watched the shadows, in front and behind. Her tail, upright and stiff, showing how anxious she felt. Sora wondered if the Kannai had ever been in the Tweens before.

"Give me a minute. Hath's Balls, you're impatient!" He opened his eyes to scowl at Klaron, then closed them again, moving his hand in various directions. "It's difficult. Using blood gives a far more precise connection. I can feel her, but there's something else there. Something clouding the spoor. She's ... yes ... she's above us. Several levels, I'd say, and she's moving."

"She's definitely alive?" Sora looked in the direction Dylin's hand had settled upon, as if she could open a pathway by sheer force of will.

"If she were dead, I could feel a difference. I'd still be able to track her, but the 'taste' of her would be cold, metallic." He dropped his hand. "She's alive. Any more than that, I couldn't tell you. We need to go up so I can take more bearings."