“So what do we do now?” Adam wondered. He stared at Terrance; slowly, the werewolf walked to the corner table of the taproom, where they had been making plans the night before. He said nothing at first, but laid down the lockcarver and spread the cloth containing the sigil out over the tabletop. He watched it, memorized it.
Maya followed him and sat down alongside him. When the Royal Mage intended to do the same, Terrance cleared his throat. “Get the cure,” he told him. He quickly went upstairs to fetch it. Then, he turned to the innkeeper. “We would like to have lunch—is that possible?” Terrance was unsure what time it was exactly; how much time they had spent with Madame Lyss. His best guess was that it was past noon, although he had no idea how much past. And although the closed shutters let through some light, they prevented him from making a good estimation based on the sun.
The innkeeper did not respond immediately; he was still a bit surprised to have his guests suddenly appear in his taproom. None of them tried to explain it. Magic, he guessed, since he had locked the doors up after they had left. He had heard the werewolves passing by, looking for places to break into, things to rob.
“Is everything alright?” Sir Byzantine asked the man, concerned. “Did anything happen while we were out?”
He gave a hesitant shrug. “I-I don't know. I've kept everything closed. Heard some screams, I guess... I think it was Mrs. Randall. They dragged her out of her house...” He shook his head. “I did not dare to help her. Couldn't even watch... I just... hid.”
The knight put his hand on the innkeeper's shoulder. “It is not your fault. You were smart to hide. If you had tried to save her, they'd have killed you as well,” he attempted to consolidate the man. However, the innkeeper would not look the knight in the eye. He shrugged off the hand and walked out of the room, muttering something about getting lunch. Sir Byzantine watched him leave, then turned to the others. “How will we end this?” he demanded to know.
Adam chuckled when Terrance didn't answer. Done memorizing the sign, he now observed the lockcarver, curious how it worked. Sir Byzantine couldn't be sure if he ignored his question, or simply did not notice it, lost in thought as he was. However, the grin on Adam's face told him that it was the first.
“You don't have a plan yet,” Adam told Terrance. “That is understandable. What we need to do is figure it out; talk everything through. Are you sure you want to take that drink that Michael is getting you?”
At first, Sir Byzantine thought Terrance would ignore Adam just like he ignored him. However, after a moment of not responding, Terrance muttered, “The cure to lycanthropy?”
“Yes. Are you sure you want to take it?”
“Why wouldn't I?” He looked up from the lockcarver and met Adam's eye. They stared at each other for some time, as if they examined one another. Finally, the trickster turned away with a chuckle, while Terrance sighed. “It has been... a long time since I was human,” he said.
“There are benefits to being a werewolf. You are stronger. Your senses are better,” Adam offered.
YOU ARE READING
Water's Reflection or Hero's Guilt
Fantasy[Part Four of the Travelling with a Wolf series]
