The Sword Maiden

Too Late?

I blinked at him.  "Megidil?  As in, your former bandit boss?" 

"What other Megidil could I mean?"  He turned his back to me and walked away along the wall. It was clear he'd already decided on a plan of action.  

I almost asked,  "Well what's he here for?" But I kept my trap shut, there wasn't much point in me saying anything when he thought everything I said was either unnecessary or annoying.  Besides, Daxton was already on a mission to find out.

He went around the corner of the building with Megidil.  To our right, there was the town stable.  Actually, it could more accurately be called the Mayor and Sheriff's stable, the miners didn't own but a few horses, and those they kept in the tavern's stable.

"Down!"  Daxton hissed to me.

I dropped like a rock onto crouched knees so fast that I was in sync with Daxton.  

There was another window up above us, and it reached farther down, to be even with my hip.  That was why Daxton had us down here.  The same loud voices were coming through it, but like before I couldn't make them out.  

Daxton reached up and used the sill to balance as he peeked in.  After a moment he shook his head and came down.  "No use.  Still can't hear what they're saying." 

I crawled up next to him and grabbed the dusty sill to look through the window for myself.

The room that Megidil was in was lit only be one lamp and what sunlight came in from the three windows.  There were six men in total crowded in that tiny room.  Four were raggedy, with daggers and swords strapped to their bodies, and I didn't have to be told who they were.

The other two were more nicely dressed, and only one of them carried a sword.  I assumed he was the Sheriff.  The most clean and nicely dressed one could only be Mayor Tale. 

The three of them were talking back and forth with dangerous tension.  Despite that, I could only make out a word or two of no importance.  

Scanning the room, I saw the door that led outside and realized that it was the only place you could get in, or out of, this building.  There was a back room with a bed through a doorway, but I already knew that room didn't have a door either.  The place didn't have an attic either.  

I dropped down to Daxton.  "Whatever Megidil's here for, it can't be good.  But I don't see a way we can get in.  And besides that, Redwar wouldn't approve of our eavesdropping."  

"Redwar wouldn't, or you wouldn't?"  Daxton countered.

"Doesn't matter, we can't do it anyway."  

"I'll try the door, you stay here."  And he was gone before I could stop him.  He just won't give it up. 

I stayed crouched on the balls of my feet.  It wasn't long before Daxton was back, and he didn't have to tell me that the door was too thick for him to hear anything.  The scowl on his face warned me against saying anything.  

He brushed past me and went around the back of the next building.  I blew a sigh through my nose and followed him. 

Daxton performed a thorough investigation of all the buildings, courthouse, and Mayor's house that he could without getting inside of them.  His desire to know was insatiable.  

Despite that, he was quick, and we were back at the tavern in time for breakfast. 

"Do you want to tell Redwar now or later?" I asked him, referring to Megidil.