The Memory of Darkness (on hold until October)

27 - Field Investigation

A courier delivered the Count's promised warrant early the next morning as Coren ate his breakfast. He found Felix and Dominic out in the tavern's courtyard, loading up the cart for the day's tasks.

"What is all of this?" he asked, as Felix handed several bags to Dominic, who was already sat in the cart.

"Important instruments," said Felix. "Measuring devices, and our lunch."

"Very well," said Coren. "Though where is Miss Gretchen?"

Felix looked away, unable to meet the younger man's eyes. "She's unwell. I knocked on her door earlier, and she seems to have some kind of vomiting sickness. She'll be staying here."

Father Dominic paused, eyeing Felix with suspicion. "Oh really? She was in good health last night. Perhaps you should stay with her, in case she worsens. The poor girl might need a physician."

"She won't," said Felix, with a little too much certainty.

"How do you know that?" asked the Priest.

Felix said nothing. Coren and Dominic exchanged a concerned look before the knight spoke. "Felix, is there something we should know?"

The old man stared at his feet. "It's for her own good," he mumbled.

"What have you done?" asked Coren, shocked.

"Rotroot seeds in her stew last night," admitted Felix. "She'll be rough for a few hours more, but right as rain by the morning."

The Priest was aghast. "Felix Malgard, you are a disgrace to humanity!"

"She'll be safe here!" insisted the old man. "I don't want her anywhere near... him. Perhaps it's underhand, but my conscience is clear... sort of."

"Underhand?" said Coren. "You've poisoned the girl!"

"Only temporarily!"

Above them, a partially open window swung further open, and Gretchen appeared, her hair dishevelled and her skin with a distinct grey tinge. "Rotroot seeds?" she yelled. "You utter swine!" The few other people in the courtyard pretended to ignore her as she continued. "You win this time, but I swear by the Divines that-." She stopped, eyes wide, her hand clamped to her mouth, before vanishing back into the darkness of her room."

"Keep drinking water," Felix called up to her. "Little sips!" He lowered his voice. "I didn't realise her window faced the courtyard. Shall we go, then?" He took hold of the horse's reins and began to lead the cart towards the exit. Dominic sat with his arms folded, shaking his head in disapproval.

Coren gave a worried glance up at the window. "I'm going to give the landlady a few extra florins to check in on Miss Gretchen from time to time," he called out to the others. "I'll catch up with you."

The short journey was slowed by the cart struggling on the rough trackways. The sun was high in the sky by the time Dominic announced that they had reached their destination. Felix stood, his eyes wide, before giving a low whistle. "This is not a good place. There's powerful magic around here, I can almost smell it. It's like the air just before a big thunderstorm."

"I can't tell about magic," said Coren. "But this place makes me uneasy. Might just be my imagination."

Dominic shook his head. "I don't think so. There's an atmosphere. It didn't used to feel like this." He looked up at the pale, clear sky, as if reassuring himself that there was no storm coming, that the weather had nothing to do with it. He turned to Felix. "We passed through the barrier at the top of that hill. I don't know where else it stretches, or if it can only be detected up there."