In By Sunset ✔️

Chapter Twenty-Two: Jesse

When I wake up in the morning, I'm still thinking about swords. I'm not allowed to look as crazy as Perkins, but it would be really beneficial for me to have one at this point. I decide I should get one and keep it at Rhys's estate, so that if we go on another monster hunt I have it. Hopefully that won't be happening. I'd prefer not to fight this thing.

I knock on Perkins' door a while after waking up. He opens it fully dressed with his training sword in hand.

"Oh, you again. What is it? Hasn't it only been an hour?"

"It's been two days. Can I come in?"

He lets me pass him and pours me some tea. "Sorry, lad, I've been quite worried lately. Certain people want me gone, so I can't be too cautious."

"Er, right, about caution--"

"You want a sword, don't you? Well, you can take your rapier if you want. I've no use for it."

"Yes, that is what I came for, actually. Do you have any way to conceal it? I don't really want my father to see it."

"Actually, I can do you one better. Have you ever seen a sword stick?"

"A what?"

Perkins grins, standing and heading across the room to pick up what looks like an ornate cane. Then he unsheathe a sword from it, with a similar blade to my rapier. "Like a walking stick, but there's a sword within. I hear a lot of nobles and such are using them in London."

"Well, I don't really want--"

"Look, it'll be easier to transport this way. Just take it."

I take the offered weapon. "Right, thank you. What are you so concerned about, anyway? Who wants to kill you?"

"I didn't say kill, Jesse. I just said 'get rid of'. Quite a difference."

"That doesn't really answer the question."

"Well, it isn't really your concern, young man. Now, I don't have much time, so..."

He trails off. I nod, and leave, but I'm already thinking that he needs to be investigated. I really don't want to think that Perkins could be the tree spirit, but I figure a small investigation never hurt anybody. I decide to head to Arthur's for advice, because while I may want to hit him half the time, he didn't get expelled after stalking several teachers, so I figure he knows how to do this right and can give me advice.

"I don't know, break into his house and look through his things," Arthur says indifferently when I get to his room.

"What? How is that a good idea?"

"It isn't. But it doesn't sound like he leaves his house often, so while he's sleeping, you break in. Of course it would be quite illogical for the tree to own a house when it inhabits a tree, anyway. Is this quite necessary?"

"Don't talk to me about what's necessary, Arthur, you aren't exactly skilled at distinguishing that, either."

"Right, sure, I'm quite busy at the moment actually," Arthur says, "So if you wouldn't mind." He gestures towards the door. I ignore him.

"What are you so busy with, anyway?"

"Translating letters. The first few have been useless. If I just learned Greek, it could be easier..."

"Just look for tree."

"I have, you fool. It's more complicated. There are some words here I only have approximations for, and he never refers to a dryad in any of these letters, which is what he would likely have written it as. I think some of the words he's written are meant to refer to faeries, but there's no direct translation here."