The Orphan and the Thief

Chapter 11: Snatched

Toad was in a foul mood. The new found knowledge of their next ingredient had shaken him deeply. He slouched through Licklade's quaint town square, throwing dirty glares at passerby who went about their errands — in Toad's opinion — with obnoxious merriment. Though he tried to stop it, the drawing from All Things Potion kept flashing before his eyes. Needing something to shake the unease in his gut, Toad decided to track down Hazel. It took some time, but he eventually found the garden Melena had mentioned. But Hazel was nowhere to be seen. Standing amongst cabbages and tufty-leafed turnips, fat drops of rain splattered onto his nose. With a sharp scowl upward, Toad flipped up the collar of his coat, and dashed back to the Soggy Dog. The rain fell fast and hard and it did not take long before he was splashing through puddles, cold water soaking into his socks.

He shook his coat free of rain and looked around the Soggy Dog. The table Melena had occupied earlier was empty. Figuring she was upstairs, he took the steps two at a time and entered her room only to find her absent there as well.

"Hey, Joe, where's Melena?" he asked the beer mug, who still sat upon Agatha's dresser.

"I have not seen m'lady since she left for breakfast, Master Toad," said Joe.

"She didn't come back up here?"

"No."

Puzzled, Toad went back down the stairs and stood at the bar. "Have you seen that girl I was with this morning?" he asked the woman. "Always carrying 'round a book. Got a really long braid. Was sittin' over there." He pointed at the vacant table.

The woman paused in cleaning a stein long enough to glance at the table in the corner. "She walked out about an hour ago."

Toad felt a flare of annoyance. What was she doing wandering off without him?

"Did she say where she was going?"

"No. But she left right after Milo did. That's why I noticed." The woman's eyes suddenly misted over. "That man's a looker."

Toad froze. "Milo?"

The woman nodded.

"Who's Milo?"

"Just a fellow who appreciates good pies," smiled the woman, picking up another glass to dry. "He comes in every couple of months and is off again. Doesn't really mingle, Milo. The number of times I've tried to —"

"Where's he live?"

"I don't know," the woman shrugged.

"What d'you mean, you don't know!" Toad shouted, making the woman stare.

"'Oo talkin' bou' da bloke, Milo?" A toothless man at the bar, who had clearly been eavesdropping, leaned closer.

Toad spun around.

"You know where he lives?"

"Nah — bu' I guess id's in dem dere woods," said the man, jutting a thumb over his shoulder. "Seen him come in an' out buncha dimes."

Toad dashed to the door before skidding to a halt. Changing his mind, he raced back upstairs and grabbed Joe, before barreling back down to the floor below. The woman and toothless man stared in silence as he blew past them and rushed out the door into the rain, nearly banging head first into Barney the chess player as he crossed the street.

"Stupid, stupid, stupid," Toad growled under his breath, bowing his head low against the heavy rain. "When I get hold of her..."

"Are you upset, Master Toad?" Joe asked from inside Toad's coat.