PENUMBRA (how the flowers grow)

10. Lavender

"Respite, constancy, loyalty"

Crowkeep, much like the name suggests, is home to hundreds of crows as well as people. The black birds perch on every rooftop, every table, every surface out in the open that's available to them. The birds are remarkably friendly, and Tuluvey ends up with a couple perched on his shoulders by the time he and Sabina retire to their selected tavern, the one with the fitting name of The Bird's Nest.

He doesn't bother to brush the birds off his shoulders, as there's multiple crows actually inside the tavern, hopping about and being general nuisances. Sabina picks little pieces off the bread in her pocket and gives it to any crow that comes near her. She was instantly fascinated with the birds the moment they stepped into town.

The man at the front desk is a demon with solid blue eyes, violet skin, and luscious black hair. He's dressed in a red suit of crushed velvet. Crows are perched atop the horns that curl out of his head.

"You have such a magnificent moustache," Tuluvey says as a greeting.

The man smiles, mouth full of pointy teeth. "Why thank you. You're not getting a discount on your room."

"It was worth a try."

The demon laughs. The birds echo him in little squawks. "Perfectly understandable. It's twenty copper a room."

Sabina fishes some coins out of her bag and places them on the counter. She counts out the right amount and hands them to him. He hands her a golden skeleton key with the number five etched into the head of it.

"Do you by chance know if the Goldhands passed through here recently?" Tuluvey asks. "They're friends of ours and we're looking to meet up with them."

The man's face brightens. Perfect.

"Oh, they were here about a moon turn ago. There were these weird cave beasts that for some reason decided they didn't want to be in their caves anymore. Long story short, they were terrorizing the town folk and killing our birds. The Goldhands took care of them for us."

"Do you know where they went?" Sabina questions in that mild, unassuming way she talks.

The man doesn't bat an eyelash at her accent. "Lady L'gaoia said something about wanting to visit King Doran," he offers. "I don't know if that helps at all."

"It really does," Tuluvey says. "Do you know which way is the next town on the way to Valdent?"

"If you head directly west the moment the sun comes up, you should reach Honeywallow before the end of the day. Keep going that way and you'll hit Valdent."

Ah, I know that city.

"Thank you for the information," Tuluvey says sincerely.

Sabina hands Tuluvey a couple copper coins, which he places on the counter so as to not owe the man anything. They bid him goodbye and head down the corridor and straight to their room. Sabina unlocks the door and they go in.

Tuluvey's hit with the spicy scent of cinnamon and spots a cone of incense burning in the windowsill. He shoos the birds out the open window and shuts and locks it, knowing that will help Sabina be more at peace.

"I think if we head toward Valdent we might be able to catch the Goldhands on their way back from there," Tuluvey muses. "I recognize the name Honeywallow, so at the very least I should be able to keep us from getting lost the further on we go."