Games [The Electro Cosmos Book 2]

Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Heidi, Xavier and Elise traveled north to a small village called Lough. They heard from the inn master that the previous moon always affected this town specifically. He said that ever since the worshipers came to the temple, the spirits walked through the town and took anything that was left outdoors. Anything alive was murdered, different pieces taken from each animal or human and sewn together and left on a stake in the woods. He said it may give them more clues if they could talk to the people there, listen to any stories they had to tell. Without thinking about it, Xavier and Elise decided to go. Heidi followed out of curiosity. They all travelled north moving as fast as possible through the woods. The trail they used branched off the one they used only days earlier. Even though they weren't expanding territory, Heidi knew they had others doing that for them.

"We should be there by the end of the day," Heidi stated, looking through the map as they travelled. Xavier had joined Elise on her horse a few hours earlier to give Minnie a break. Heidi returned to the map as soon as she realized her attention had drawn away from it. It was a lonesome town to the north, near the fishing town but further east and near Archibald. The inn master had to mark it on the map himself, the map she already had didn't show that it even existed. No roads led to it.

"Do you think that they will talk to us," Elise stated, placing the hood over hear head as they neared the village. Her wolf walked right beside her white horse, almost identical with the grey and black fur showing near their noses and feet. They were even the same size. "I've never been a particularly friendly person and from what I've noticed they are just as reserved. Who knows what they are hiding."

"It's always worth a try," Heidi stated, looking back at her. She didn't like being in the presence of criminals, but she knew she could trust them, however slight. Besides, they needed her as much as she needed them. Heidi looked at Xavier beside her. Something was on his mind, and Heidi felt a sudden curiosity to know exactly what he was thinking. He hadn't spoken in hours, and she was hoping to crack through his façade and see what he was keeping secret.

Xavier, noticing Heidi's stare, looked up and gave her a shy smile before turning back to sharpening the blade of his axe. Heidi sighed, whatever progress she had getting into his head was now gone. She couldn't get him to talk about it no matter how she would go around it. He smirked, sensing she was trying to figure it out.

"Elise knows, I bet you are just as curious as she was," Xavier stated. He dismounted and began walking, trying to get a better handle on his blade. "I am not keeping anything a secret. I figured it was quite obvious. Especially way back when we were still doing the simulations and it was just a few of us. I figured you would have guessed by now and shook it off."

Heidi gave him an aggravated glare. She didn't want to ask, but she desperately wanted to know. Something was going on behind her back, and it was unsettling. Then again, everyone hid secrets from her. She was not a part of their wolf pack. She felt isolated from the guild she found solace with. "So enlighten me then. Tell me about your secret."

"It's fairly simple. Nothing worth the buzz," Elise gibed and snickered. "In fact it's fairly childish."

"Shut up Elise," Xavier retorted, his brows furrowed in annoyance.

"Well, then why are you so secretive about it?" Elise continued pestering him. She threw an acorn at him. It hit his shoulder and he froze with irritation, glaring at her. Elise grew quiet, her face pale. She knew she pushed it a bit too far.