Patrol 2: Lost & Found

Chapter 26

"Really, Eddin, if this takes any longer, I'm going out into the city myself to throttle the damned wizard, Captain's orders be hanged," Vania complained, staring out the large window of the sunroom. Down the hallway, Laria's happy voice could be heard giggling and calling to Earl.

"Our coworkers are already getting assistance from the city guard, as well as what military personnel my mother can spare," Eddin reasoned calmly beside her, facing out the window with blind eyes. The hawk on his shoulder looked around the room. "He must be using his powers just to hide. No one has been reported missing since Laria was rescued, and no bodies have turned up since we found Cavin's. Wherever he is, he must be hindered from carrying out his foul plans."

"I'm feeling as trapped as he should be," Vania muttered.

Eddin turned to look at her, hawk also swiveling its face to her, black eyes piercing and unblinking. "Is our hospitality lacking? Just tell me what you need."

"Your hospitality has been very gracious, Eddin, and you know it," Vania snapped. "But, no matter how large the house, when you're not allowed to leave, it still feels like a cage." She put her hands on her hips as she scowled at him. "You want to know what I need? It's been five days since the night I accompanied you here, concerned about your health. You still can't see, the wizard still isn't caught, and I'm sick of this gilded cage. I need to leave."

Eddin sighed. He let his blind face stare out the window a moment, feeling the sunlight on his skin. He finally replied, voice barely above a whisper. "I understand, Vania. I understand far more than you imagine." One of his six-fingered hands came to rest on the window frame, fingertips touching the cool glass. He slowly turned to Vania once more. "I've shown you what I can of the house. I would offer to show you the menagerie and the rookery, but both are empty, which is why I also can't show you the grounds. But, I will go talk to Mother. Maybe she'll allow me to take a few members of the furred battalion and we can go out into the city together."

"Thank you, Eddin." Vania sighed as she bit her lip, eyes dropping to her feet. "I'm sorry. I'm not trying to be difficult. You and your family have been beyond generous, especially since this was an unplanned stay. But, I just can't sit in this house, hiding behind wards when there's that monster out there. Who knows when he's going to grab someone again?" She looked up at him again. "Have you heard any word? Are there any updates on the case?"

Eddin's lips pressed into a thin line. "No. Not really. Last I heard was from Bergin, two days ago. One of the teams of wizards briefly sensed his essence in the port section of the city. But he disappeared again from their seeking before they could narrow his location down further. All attempts at direct tracking via spells, even with the essence they managed to collect, have been met with a strong, forceful wall. The wizards are all exhausting themselves."

"The port?!" Vania asked. "What if he left the city?"

Eddin shrugged. "Then, as awful as it is, he's out of our hands, but thankfully, our people are no longer threatened by him."

"But the fear of him is still out there! He'll be a nightmare in the darkness for years, with everyone wondering if he'll strike again. Unless we can catch him and give him the execution he deserves." She grabbed Eddin's arms. "We can't let that happen! We need to bring him to justice! Otherwise, the nightmare will never end."

"I know, Vania," Eddin replied softly, carefully pulling her hands off. "Everyone is doing what they can. Th—"

"I'm not," Vania interrupted. "I'm sitting around, under guard by a ferret, drinking tea and pretending everything's fine. I need to get out of here."

Prant bounded over from his perch on the back of the stuffed armchair, chittering the whole way until he stood up his full height at Vania's feet. He chittered again, hind legs stomping on the floor.

Eddin glanced down at the ferret, hawk whistling at it, then he looked back to Vania. "He wants you to know he's not just any ferret."

Vania looked down at the rodent with annoyance. "I'm sorry if I offended you, Prant. But, you are a ferret. And I'm sick of being stuck in here, doing nothing."

Eddin sighed, patting Vania's shoulder as he turned. "As I said, I understand. I'll go talk with Mother now. Keep putting up with Prant—he's a far better guard than those in the household livery."

Vania looked at the doorway for awhile after Eddin was gone, then with a sigh turned back to the window. Prant curled up on her feet and watched the city below with her.

"Vania!" Eddin burst into the room, hand clutching a glowing golden sphere. The hawk on his shoulder shrieked repeatedly, making Eddin wince. Prant dashed from Vania's feet to Eddin's, chittering loudly.

Vania turned, startled, then hurried toward him. "Eddin! What is it?"

He looked back down to the sphere. "We're both here, Derry. Tell us what happened."

"He must've been disguised as you, Eddin. She knows better than to run off with strangers..." Derry's voice came out of the crystal, strained and thick. "I left her minding the counter and went up to check on Licia and the babes... She was gone when I came back down. I was only gone a few minutes... Not more than five, tops. I ran to the door, and shouted for her, ran the whole block. I spotted them just before they took another corner ahead of me—when I called, she turned and smiled at me, waved, and they disappeared around the corner. By the time I got there, they were gone..."

"No," Vania breathed, staring into the glowing golden depths of the crystal with unseeing eyes as she took in what he said. "No, Derry, you don't mean—"

"That murdering bastard wizard has Cianna!"