Making a quick stop at home, Kal dressed in the most ragged peasant boy outfit he could put together. Simple, torn clothing with flat shoes that were about to fall apart. He took some soot from the hearth, speared it on his face, and ran back out the door, charging toward town.

  This ought to do it. He doubted some noble rich kid like Egarn would spend more than a second wondering what a poor peasant boy was up to.

  Barging into the tavern, Kal interrupted the party as they prepared to eat a meal.

  “Hey,” Kal panted. “Are you lot the demon hunters?”

  “Go bother somebody else, peasant boy,” Egarn waved him away and then immediately grimaced as he sipped from his spoon. “What is this revolting broth they call stew here?”

  “Please, Mr. Mage, it’s important,” Kal did his best puppy dog eyes.

  “Boy, can’t you see our valiant leader isn’t interested,” Zazie sighed. “Here, take a copper and go get yourself a sweet,” she added, flicking Kal a coin from her pouch.

  “It’s a demon. A real one. I swears it, Mr. Mage.”

  I hope I’m not overdoing it.

  Suddenly, the entire group straightened, and their eyes widened as they turned to Kal.

  “What did you just say, peasant boy?” Egarn said, tightening his grasp as he raised his fork, pointing it at Kal.

  “You folk looking that demon, aren’t ya? Well, I fink I found it,” Kal nodded.

  “We are. Now start talking before I turn you into something with scales!”

  “Look, follow me,” Kal said, pointing out the door. “It’s big and ugly. I’m sure it’s the demon ya looking for.”

  “Wait a minute, Egarn,” Zazie said, placing a hand on the mage’s shoulder before he got too excited. “How would this kid have found a demon and returned to talk about it with his life?”

  “It's dead, ma’am,” Kal interjected. “Looks like some giant battle took place or somefin.”

  Egarn turned his narrowed gaze on Zazie. “So, who’s the idiot now, Zazie? I thought you said this was a fool’s errand.”

  “Who knows? He’s just a boy, Egarn. I likely saw a bear or something.”

  “So, you suggest we ignore it and just sit here?”

  “No—I never said that,” Zazie grumbled and crossed her arms.

  “Just admit that you were wrong this time. Come on, everyone, let’s move.”

  “But if it’s dead,” one of the men shrugged and gulped a mouthful of stew. “Why we got to be in a rush?”

  “I said get up!” Egarn slammed the flat of his fist on the table. “Do you want to get paid or not? If it’s dead, then there’s a perfectly good bounty just lying there waiting to be claimed. But what if this big ugly thing isn’t the fiend? Did it ever cross that big dumb head of yours that the fiend might have been the one who killed whatever this little peasant boy found? Besides, even if it is dead, what if someone else comes along and takes our bounty? Idiots.”

  “I–I–dunno—”

  “Don’t answer. Just get your lazy ass up!”

  ***

  “This way,” Kal said, turning to wave them on.

  “Hurry up with that chopping,” Egarn whined, pushing with the heel of his boot against the back of one of his men who chopped at the undergrowth with a sword. “What do I pay you for? Work faster.”

  “Look, it’s just over there,” Kal pointed ahead.

  “I can feel it, the demonic mana. It’s seeping out. It really is the fiend,” Egarn said, his lips curling into a toothy grin. “It looks like it’s our lucky day.”

  “The kid’s actually right?” Zazie said, slicing thickets away with her scimitar.

  “There it is,” Egarn said, pointing and bouncing on his heels as they cut through into a chaotic clearing of broken foliage and snapped branches where the corpse lay.

  “Hmm. Scorch marks,” Zazie said, running her hand across a burned tree. “Looks magical. But something is off about it.”

  “There it is,” Egarn said, squeezing his nose as he ran toward the corpse. “And it stinks.”

  “There’s a lot of damage around, but this doesn’t look like a fight between demons. It looks like a coverup.”

  “Never mind that,” Egarn said. “Always blabbering,” he added, removing one of his white gloves as he hovered his palm over it.

  “What is it?”

  “What does it look like? This is a real fiend. A lesser fiend,” Egarn shook his head. “What lucky days.”

  “It looks like something has been eating it,” Zazie said, eyeing the wounds.

  “Enough already, Zazie. This bounty will pay our bills for months. Can’t you just be happy for a moment?”

  “It just doesn’t make sense.”

  “You don’t make sense. This makes perfect sense. Who complains about a free lunch?”

  “It is a strange battle,” Hyrax added, scanning their surroundings. “Almost looks deliberate how the branches are snapped.”

  Oh shit. Are they going to figure it out? What if they catch and interrogate Bougie and Wort? There is no way I want to trust those two to cover for me.

  “Not you, too, Hyrax. Just how hard is it to get good help,” Egarn groaned. “You lot need to leave the thinking to me and get to work.”

  “Boy, you don’t know what happened here, do you?” Zazie questioned.

  Egarn swung toward her with a brimming smile. “No, not a thing, ma’am. I finks you gone and done it, though. Found the fiend thing, that is. Makes me feel safe knowing you demon hunters are around; it does.”

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  “Nothing el–”

  “He doesn’t know anything, Zazie,” Egarn cut her off. “Look at the poor, pathetic, poor, disheveled, meek, hopeless boy. Do you think he knows a thing about feinds? I’m the mage here, or had you forgotten? Now, come give me a hand and lug this thing back to town.”

  Zazie glared at Kal for a second, then sighed and followed her orders.

  That was close, but I think they bought it—or at least that Egarn guy did. And that seems to be all that matters.

  “Finally, we’re going to be green for the first time in months,” Egarn dusted his hands off as the group gathered around the corpse.

  “Alright, to work everyone,” Hyrax said. “And Zazie, don’t you have debts back in Lorran? We’re about to get paid. At least try to smile.”

  “Right,” Zazie reluctantly said.

  “And what if this isn’t the fiend that’s been terrorizing the town?” Another party member said.

  “And since when has that been our problem?” Egarn questioned. “We’ve been hired to track down and hunt a fiend. We have the corpse. Job done. If there’s another, they can offer another bounty.”

  “Hurry up now, let’s get this thing back to town. Once we’re there, we’ll rent a wagon and take it straight to the bounty office. No need to spend a second longer in this peasant hole than we need to,” Egarn continued.

  Now, to earn a debt.

  “Ahem,” Kal cleared his throat.

  “What do you want, peasant boy?” Egarn shot Kal a gummy grimace. “What’s that look on your face? You’re not hoping for a reward, are you?”

  “Not a copper,” Kal grinned, rocking on his heels.

  “And? Why are you looking at me like that?”

  “Just hopin’ you remember the aid I gave, is all. You know, when you go back to wherever you rich folk go.”

  “Not a copper?” Egarn face brightened. “Right, how generous of you for a peasant. Your lot are usually all too happy to get your grubby hands on our noble wealth. So, what’s your name anyway?”

  “It’s Kal. Kal Jakari, Mr. Mage.”

  “Jakari? Why does that name sound familiar? Wait, as in that pesky mage family? No, it couldn’t be, or could it?”

  “That’s right,” Kal nodded. “My father is a mage at an academy in Lorran.”

  “Your father? Bureaucrats, right,” Egarn shivered. “Your poverty makes so much more sense now. The Jakari family—a bunch of government goons. I’ve heard enough about your magling family. They are such a tiresome bunch, and I’ve had the misfortune of dealing with them multiple times. Your kind seems to have a finger in every branch of mage bureaucracy in Lyssia. And now I’ve somehow managed to bump into one of their little mutts.”

  Okay, it looks like the Jakari aren’t as well-liked as I thought.

  “Give the kid a break,” Zazie said. “You were just praising how lucky we got with this find.”

  “I feel like you exist to counter everything I say, Zazie. But you’re right; I’ve wasted enough time on this peasant. Now go on, scamper, boy,” Egarn waved. “Away with thee.”

  “But–”

  “Fine, I’ll remember you’re not as horrid as the rest of your family—IF—you leave now.”

  That was not exactly the reaction I had been hoping for. So, it turns out this pompous twat is as bad as first appearances suggested. Well, at least I got rid of the corpse and got them out of these woods. Ultimately, keeping the geckos hidden was the most important goal, and Kal had at least achieved that.

  “Okay, Mr. Mage. I’ll be expecting a good word for Kal Jakari. Preferably one with the duke!” Kal called back as he began running back to town, waving.

  “Yeah, right. Like I’m going to mention you—you little brat to Uncle Vernard,” Egarn hissed. “And what are you lot standing around for again? Come on, get to work. And for crying out loud, would someone go prepare the horses?”

  “Yes, sir,” a couple of men barked in unison and ran off toward Ebenshire.

  ***

  I doubt that Egarn guy is going to be the ally I had hoped for. Well, that could have turned out worse.

  Kal watched as the mounted party led a wagon out of town with the huge toad corpse tied to it.

  Several residents lined the muddy roads to cheer the party on as they made their way through town, though there were more than a few suspicious scowls among the townsfolk. There was little doubt that many people were suspicious that this was the group that finally rid them of the fiend that had haunted the town for so long.

  It could have been worse. At least I dodged another bullet.

  Turning away from the departing party, Kal felt a wave of relief settle over him. Even if it had been a partial failure, at least his secrets were still saved.

  “Hey, where have you been?” Ellie stormed across the street, pointing at Kal.

  “What?”

  “I’ve been looking all over for you.”

  “Have you?” Kal blinked.

  “Yes, and you’re not getting away this time. You’re gonna tell me exactly what’s been going on.”

  The demon hunters have left now; maybe I should trust her with a little more? Kal’s eyes wandered toward the overcast sky as he hummed aloud.

  “Hey, don’t ignore me. I’m right here,” Ellie said, getting in his face.

  “Sorry, I was thinking. Fine, I’ll show you. Come this way.”

  “What do you mean, show me?”

  “Just you wait and see. I’m not sure I’d be able to explain it properly anyway.”

  “This better not be another of your tricks, Kal!”

  “It’s not. I promise.”

  ***

  “Holy cow, what are they?” Ellie said, squatting with her arms wrapped around her knees as she pointed at Bougie and Wort.

  “This our replacement food for taking the toad?” Bougie said as he inched toward Ellie.

  “No. She’s not food, nor is any human for that matter. Also, you reminded me to ask an important question. Were you two or the toad the reason for the disappearances of humans around here?”

  “Disappearances?” The two geckos looked at one another.

  “No idea what you’re talking about. Toad bossman always said to stay away from humans,” Wort said.

  “Yeah, he just had us hunting grub around here,” Bougie nodded. “Like rabbits and the odd hog.”

  Could that mean something else has been terrorizing Ebenshire this entire time? Or was the Flesh Trail always just a made-up story? That doesn’t explain the disappearances, but maybe it is just people getting lost in the woods.

  “Hey, bossman. Sooo, what are we gonna eat then?”

  “You’re free to leave the burrow now. The demon hunters have moved on. Just take care and make sure nobody from town sees you, got it? I want people to believe the creature haunting Ebenshire is really gone, and that won’t work if they spot you two creeping about.”

  “What, really? Woohoo!” Bougie shot a fist toward the air and jumped as high as he could.

  “They’re so weird,” Ellie said, still staring at the geckos. “Are they really fiendlings? I expected them to be scarier.”

  “Who you calling weird, creepy girl? And I can show you scary!”

  “Hey, I’m not creepy,” Ellie narrowed her gaze. “I’m cute, unlike you.”

  I had a feeling they would get along.

  “Hey, bossman,” Wort said, passing Ellie and Bougie as they argued. “So, what are your orders for us?”

  “Orders?” Kal crooked his head. “Hmm, I’m not sure at the moment. Just keep your heads low and out of trouble.”

  “Really, that’s it?”

  Kal shrugged.

  “Alright, if you say so, bossman. I mean, we’re pretty good foragers if you change your mind. There are even some decent reagents in this forest if you know where to look.”

  “Reagents?” Kal’s brows rose.

  “Yeah, spotted a bunch since we’ve been here. Always thought it was weird that our old bossman didn’t care for them. Hey, wait, that’s got me thinking. You’re not a monster pretending to be a–”

  “Shhh,” Kal hissed, eyeing Ellie. “She doesn’t need to know any more than what you heard me telling her, okay?”

  “Oh,” Wort nodded, placing a finger to his moist lips.

  Kal had told Ellie about the geckos when he brought her to the burrow and how he had saved Arix from demonic possession, but he had chosen to leave out the part about his demonic core. Anybody who knew that would become a liability, and he wouldn’t go about sharing the secret unless he absolutely had to.

  “I’m sorry for being indecisive, Wort. I’ve changed my mind. I would like you and Bougie to collect reagents for me. You can store them here, and I’ll come to collect them when I need them.”

  “As you command, bossman,” Wort saluted.

  I had a feeling these guys would be useful, but I didn’t imagine they would show their worth so soon.