Finding the Fallen

Chapter 10

The baker returned with three donuts piled high on a small plate. Kala opened her mouth in preparation to insist, once again, that she really didn't want a donut, but she was interrupted by the infatuated baker.

"Two donuts...and an extra one on the house," the baker smiled at Merik as she passed the plate across the counter.

Kala nudged Merik in the ribs before he could accept the plate. He gawked from the donuts to her and back again, a confused look on his face. Kala stepped closer to him and asked again, "Thank you for the kindness. But there's something else you could help my friend with...," she glanced back to Merik, whose eyes narrowed questioningly.

"Uh, yes," he said, realization of Kala's intent dawning finally. "We're looking for a friend...Sonya...we were told she lives above your bakery. Have you seen her?"

"Sonya?" the woman eyed him suspiciously. "Why in the world would you want to toss your lot in with that witch? If you're looking for a date, I'm available anytime, sweetheart."

"Actually," Kala began now that they seemed to have finally broached the original subject, "I owe Sonya a debt and I'd like to pay up, if you know what I mean." She nodded slightly in Merik's direction.

For the first time, the baker looked straight into Kala's eyes. "Oh, how very gallant of you," she said sarcastically. "Most people around here don't even know what the word 'debt' means." She looked back at Merik. "So he's your payment, is he? I'll tell you what, why don't I take him and pay Sonya what you owe her some other way." She smiled broadly.

Merik swallowed hard. His mouth was full of donut (as predicted) and he seemed to be struggling to say something in his defense. Fortunately for Kala, whatever he was trying to say came out as soft mumbles through the donut. Kala pushed Merik behind her and stepped up to the counter.

"However you two want to work it out is fine with me, but I still need to see her first," Kala said, making sure she had the baker's full attention.

"Well, that'll have to wait, lady. I ain't seen Sonya in 3 or 4 days. Last time I saw her, she said she was headed out of town and would be back soon...whatever that means."

"Do you know of anyone who might know where she went?" Kala pressed.

"No one you want to know," the baker's smile faded.

"I'll be the judge of that...who?"

"OK, your funeral. Try Mayor Tannish. They call him the King, but you won't ever hear that from me. The way I hear it, she's one of his lap dogs...does his bidding whenever he asks. Pathetic if you ask me. I got no idea what those witches see in that man..."

Kala wasn't listening anymore. She had what she'd come for...at least in her mind. She had confirmation. It seemed Sonya was working for the King as she feared, which meant the King was the one who'd ordered Scott's death. The next question was "why," and there was only one way to answer that...she had to get closer.

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Outside, Kala leaned against a misshapen light post in front of the bakery and stared absently across the street as she waited for Merik to extract himself from the persistent baker. She reached into one of her pockets and pulled out a tarnished silver chain that held a small round pendant. The silver pendant glistened, mesmerizing her as it had the first moment she saw it. Reaching up to her neck, she gently caressed its twin...the necklace Scott had given her. The two were a match, with the only adornment being the pentacle carved roughly into the center of each. She held the chain up again and the pendant swung slightly in the breeze. Squinting her eyes, she tried to picture Scott's face, but the image would not materialize.