Sign of the Devil's Footprint [THE DEVILS CULT BOOK 1]

Chapter Nine

Melione placed her bag on the bed before sitting down on the edge. She took a notebook from the bag and opened up to the last page that had taken notes on. She wrote down everything that had happened at Forstford and the strange goo that was all over the village. She knew that whoever survived from the village had to be here in Dunwich.

Grym sat down next to her and handed her his notebook. "Would you want to add my notes to yours?"

Melione looked over at him and took the notebook out of his hand. She flipped open to the drawing of the decomposing creature. She took what he had drew and added it to her notes. She wasn't good at sketching, so she had to add to make sure she took good detailed notes. "Someone has to be here," she whispered.

"I agree," Grym stated.

Melione finished her notes and handed Grym's notebook back to him. "Thank you." She stood up and began to walk to the door.

"Do you want to go over a plan?" Grym asked as he followed her, closing the door behind them.

Melione sighed. She was still getting used to the idea of not working alone. She fell into step beside him. She knew that she needed to make sure that he was in the know with everything that she was thinking. Melione nodded as she stepped out of the inn and into the street. "We need to try to find anyone who survived that village. Considering how fresh that goo was, we should be able to find the villagers easily."

"What if we can't find them?" Grym asked as he took in their surroundings.

The street around them was bustling with activity. People chatted happily and children played up and down the street. Melione wondered if anyone had heard the news of what had happened at Forstford. She crossed her arms over her chest. "I thought that we should split up," she looked up at Grym. "Cover more ground and talk to more people."

Grym looked down at her and shook his head. "I don't think that's a good idea."

"Grym," she sighed. "I can take care of myself."

"I know you can, Melione," he said slowly as he stepped closer to her. "But I don't trust these people. Something horrible happened at that village and I have a horrible feeling that there's evil here."

Melione rolled her eyes, but didn't argue with him. "Fine. Let's get started." She stepped in front of him and began to weave through the city. She tried to spot anyone who could have been from the village, but was unsuccessful. They had both tried to ask the people that they had past on the street, but every single one had refused to talk to them. Melione thought it strange that they were refusing to talk to one of their own. She understood why the people were hesitant to talk to Grym, an outsider, but to their own dective, she didn't unserstand.

Melione and Grym stopped on the outskirts of the town square. Grym leaned against the wall of a building, his arms crossed. "Why won't they talk?" he grumbled.

Melione stepped closer to him. The amount of people giving Grym hard stares disturbed her. Stepping in front if him, she turned to answer him. "They are not used to someone like you in their city."

Grym looked down at her and smirked. "Not used to someone as handsome as me?"

Melione rolled her eyes as she shook her head. "No, Grym, that's not what I mean and you know it." She turned back to watch the people. "They are not used to someone from the Emerald Realms roaming their streets."

"Then why aren't they talking to you?" Grym shifted behind her. "You are their lead dective."

Melione nodded. "I don't know. They're acting as if they are scared." She motioned for him to follow her back toward the inn. "I want to try again." She bit her lip as she made sure she didn't finish her sentence.