Reign of Embers

Chapter 25- Ashmar

Fenrys

After leaving the palace a week ago, I travelled round the towns and villages asking if anyone had seen anything suspicious or out of the ordinary. After only a day, I ran into Lorcan and we decided that it would be both easier and safer to travel together. We've been going round Terrasen together, me going into the villages, warning them of threats, asking around, and advertising the report points. Lorcan goes to the nearest army barracks or post to set up stations to report activity, or to set one up inside the towns if there are none nearby.

Now, after a week of travelling, we've covered all the eastern villages, and are now in a solitary town near the staghorns called Ashmar. I'm currently in the local tavern listening out for any conversations that might contain information, and Lorcan is setting up a station in a local merchants house with a few guards from Aberisley Outpost - a guard outpost half a days ride away from the village.

In most of the towns and villages there have been minimal things to report, but as we've journeyed closer to the staghorns and time has gone by, there have been an increasing number of missing cat cases and shadow infested animal carcases found. I expect Ashmar will be no different.

Around me the raucous buzz of the tavern does little to lift my mood caused by managing to find the only inn in Terrasen that doesn't seem to be well equipped for the cold climate. As I nurse my glass of liquor, I scan the room for anyone worth while. Around me men and women shout and converse over various alcoholic concoctions at various degrees of drunkness. To the untrained eye, the customers seem like any other - drunk, jolly, and gambling. But I can sense that something is amiss, the smiles and laughs of a few of the townsfolk seem a little forced, the light not quite making their eyes. Of course any tavern has those who seek to drink away their worries, but it's not normally like this - I suppose I would know because I was one of those people after Connal... after the war.

I haven't yet announced the report stations, I was waiting until there were more people around, but although the tavern is now packed full, I can't bring myself to do it. I clutch the near empty glass in my hands and tune into the conversations of the people around me. Most are boring, conversations about the weather or the best hunting location, but something about the group of people five tables to my right makes me pause.

"When was the last time you saw him?" A gruff voice says, not unkindly.

" Two days ago, he was in the garden with Isla playing hide and seek but when she went to find him, he was gone." A female voice says, trembling. Her tone of voices seems quite at odds with the gruff voice beside her - quite high pitched.

"I'm sure he didn't go too far, and you're sure you've looked everywhere?" Another voice responds, this one low and soothing.

I'm about to move on, assuming this is just another missing cat case, when the high pitched female speaks again.

"Yes I have. But he's 16 Avery, he can't just disappear. How can my son be there one minute and be gone the next. And I know for a fact that Isla cheated when counting in their game, she's only 7 so it's not like she didn't know where he was hiding." She says, a hint of anger in her voice.

" I know, I'm sorry for even suggesting it Vivienne. " The calm voice says.

"This isn't the first time it's happened here though. Jade went missing 3 days ago, Lena the day before that." The man suggests.

"It doesn't explain why he disappeared though Igor." Avery reminds him.

I decide that I've heard enough to be confident that this isn't just a missing cat case, and make my way towards the small group.

"Excuse me, I'm Fenrys Moonbeam, bloodsworn to Queen Aelin Ashryver Whitehorn Galathynius. I heard you mention missing human cases?" I cringe internally at how I said that.