On Sapphire Wings and Jade Scales

Chapter 17: A Vital Clue Within A Tragedy

A small group of sprites gathered by the front garden, all murmuring and whispering to each other's pointy ears. Few dared to enter the inn, save for the local sheriff sprite who wore a red tunic and sewn hat. He wore a golden badge on the left side of his chest with a simple lotus flower carved into it. He fluttered over to the torn entrance, meeting the eerie gaze of the man in green by the reception desk.

As the sheriff gasped to greet him, the man pointed at the scene of the crime before storming up the stairs. The sheriff stood slack-jawed for a moment before shrugging and approaching the desk, oblivious to the horror he encountered mere seconds later.

The twins entered their room in a rush, pushed to the floor by Ari once the door opened. It was quiet, and many travel items and clothing were missing from their spots in the morning. Khiboreas's feather sat on the bed table, as crystalline as ever. Tiny flecks of ice were forming around it, melting into droplets of water in the afternoon sun reaching in from the window. From underneath the bed, a fluffy shadow emerged and yawned. Nino meowed and strode toward the distraught twins, nonchalant as ever.

The twins got up, catching their breath, and shaking from the adrenaline rush. Nino seemed content in rubbing his body around their legs, unaware of the events that transpired during his sleep. While gasping, Tomas turned to look at the bathroom, noticing it was wide open. Paper bags lay in disarray on the tile flooring, with many vegetables and bags of rice pouring from them.

Before he could enter to inspect, the sound of heavy, rapid footsteps coming from the hallway caught his attention. Shortly after, the man in green stumbled by their room, stopped just before the room's door and gripped its frame. With eyes wide open and a nervous grin, he slowly uttered, "Children, I fear the cloaked ones have ambushed this place. Have you... found any sign of your parents?"

The twins, caught by surprise, stared at their friend as he gasped for air. Eila slowly shook her head and pointed toward the bathroom, her eyes unmoving. The man entered and examined the dropped grocery bags while the twins looked on behind him. Directing his view towards the mirror and the sink, they both appeared to be in pristine condition. The same was for the shower and toilet. A fresh batch of towels lay on a silver rack beside the toilet, placed by the housekeepers during their morning cleaning.

"No claw marks anywhere... no apparent signs of a struggle either. That is reassuring," he murmured, supporting his chin with his hand. The twins both let out a puff of air, as they had held their breath while their friend observed the room.

The man carefully lifted the grocery bags, inspecting their insides. "Nothing but food items in these." He crossed his arms over his chest, half-closing his eyes as he pondered.

Eila tugged at the man's coat, "Um, maybe there's clues near the beds, or the closet? That's what you're looking for, right?"

The man nodded, "The grocery bags and Ari's pleas for help lead me to believe your parents did, in fact, return to the inn while we conversed with Narciso. However, the cloaked ones have made their presence in Zephyr Town quite apparent. You were fortunate to have missed the scene in the lobby."

Eila took in a sharp breath and said, "What happened in the lobby?"

The man kneeled in front of the twins, keeping a focused, serious stare on the two. He opened his mouth and quickly closed it, his eyebrows curling into a frown. "There was... an attack. A murder, just behind the receptionist's desk."

Ari's pupils narrowed as she huffed, seemingly distraught. "Yes, you must have witnessed it, Ari. Your scales embedded in the door were enough proof of it."

Ari arched her neck, letting out a low whimper. "Ari, did you try to fight them again?" asked Tomas, petting her forehead. Now that he was close enough to examine her, Tomas's eyes widened after noticing she had a few tears on the webbing in her wings. Her claws bore brown stains at their tips, as did the tip of her waving tail.