The Unseen Adventure

Chapter twelve: Scars of the Past

Damian needed to find the thief and retrieve the package. He was puzzled as to why the thief had singled out that particular package, leaving the rest of his belongings untouched. Moreover, he was curious about the thief's identity and methods. To uncover some leads, Damian decided to search the inn, wondering if the thief might still be lurking around.

Just then, a knock at the door broke his thoughts. Damian wanted to ignore it, but the persistent knocking continued. He got up to answer it, and Conner's face popped into view as the door opened wide.

"I heard a shout from your room and came to see if everything's alright," Conner said, eyeing Damian with concern.

Damian hesitated before responding, "Oh, um, I just stubbed my toe. That's why I shouted."

Conner chuckled. "Is it better now?"

Damian nodded, trying to appear nonchalant. "Yeah, my toe is fine now. Thanks for checking on me."

"No problem," Conner said, turning to leave. "I should get back to work."

"Can I ask you something?" Damian said, stopping him.

"What is it?" Conner replied, turning back.

"Has there ever been a case of theft at the Red Bucky?" Damian asked, his eyes narrowing slightly.

Conner paused, thinking for a moment. "I don't think so..." he said, his voice trailing off, hinting at a possibility.

"But is it possible for someone to steal here without being noticed?" Damian asked.

Conner hesitated before responding, "Yes, that's possible."

Conner's eyes widened with concern. "Wait, I hope nothing of yours was stolen?"

Damian wanted to lie and say no, but he was pressed for time. He needed to find that package. "A problem shared is half solved," his father used to say. So, he decided to open up to Conner.

"Actually, yes. A package of mine that I can't find is nowhere to be found in my pack."

Conner's expression turned skeptical. "Oh? And you're sure you didn't just misplace it or drop it somewhere?"

Damian shook his head emphatically. "No, no, I didn't. I checked my pack repeatedly, and it was still there. But last night, while I slept, I heard noises in my room. I didn't pay attention to it at the time, but now it's missing."

"We should report this to the guards," Conner said. "I even have a friend who can help. And we can't just ignore it, we have to tell the innkeeper. We can't have a crook going around stealing from our customers."

"Wait, please don't do that," Damian said, holding up his hand. "You can't tell the guards or the innkeeper."

"Why not?" Conner asked, confusion etched on his face.

Damian hesitated, unsure of how to reveal his true concerns. "I don't want to be the cause of any trouble," he said, trying to sound convincing.

But in reality, Damian was thinking: "How can I report this to the Guards? 'Hey, I have a package containing the hand of a Darkwrath, and it's been stolen'?" They wouldn't believe him, just like Mayor Hugo didn't. He had to take matters into his own hands.

Conner raised an eyebrow. "I see. So, what are you going to do about it, then?"

"Before you knocked, I was planning to check the inn for any suspicious individuals," Damian said.

"That's a good idea," Conner replied. "I'll keep an eye out too."

They both left the room, with Conner returning to his station to monitor the customers and observe who entered and exited. Damian scanned the room, searching for anyone suspicious, but most patrons looked shady. His gaze drifted to the entrance, where he noticed the bouncer's continued absence. It was a detail that had been bothering him since his arrival.