<~> Chapter 106The priest released the [Zone of Truth] and motioo his guards. "Sheathe your ons."

  The guards looked uneasy but did as they were told. The priest of Morkinnen sighed and scratched the back of his head. "That news is in one part reassuring and another part troubling. However, at least I say that we're on the same side here." His eyes sed the five of us. "I no longer have reason to distrust the beastfolk you've brought here with you but I am curious why so many demon hunters would travel together like this, were you aware of the situation here before yht them?"

  Tarklin shook his head. "No, it just so happens that all of us here gaihe title on our st mission together. There was a dungeon break outside of Traehall, a demon-spawning duhat had retly beeroyed, releasing a rge wave of weak and mid-powered demons. It was lucky we already had the dungeon surrounded by adventurers. At the time we were esc some members of the Tamin church to verify the dungeon had beeroyed for a proper reason. It became quite clear the ones who destroyed it had made the right call. The five of us here helped sy the esg wave until it was over, there weren't any signs of demons esg the area st I'd heard."

  The priest's face became grim over the course of Tarklin's expnation. "So the rumors out of that area are verified? There are in fact demons on the edges of Torlimal too?"

  Tarklin nodded. "What is the situation here? What I've told you about the te Baron's death is all I know."

  "Frankly the city is barely funing." The priest sighed. "It's not like we were pletely unprepared for something like this to happen but the number of people who were sughtered in the Baron's castle was staggering. Whoever killed the Baron also attempted to kill as many people iy's governance as possible. The damage wasn't limited to the castle either, secretaries, high-ranking guards, scribes, and people all across town were murdered within a couple bells of each other. Several of the murders happened with rge-scale colteral damage, including several taverns and residences being buro the ground and at least three mid-level demons bei loose. Whoever did this was very well ahis event looked to be methodically pnned out."

  "The Tamin church seems to think it was a cult, they fought a battle with people in bck brigandine armor in Norta. Several of them attacked us because the Baron's daughter's former sve was with us at the time," I threw in.

  The priest grimaced. "Yes, I've read reports of them. The same group were the ones who stormed the Baron's castle as well. I was surprised when I heard such a rge armed group was able to get that close to the castle without aig. By the time that group was at the gates, people inside the castle had already sin all of the guards in charge of closing them. They quickly took the courtyard and summoned a demht in the ter of the castle while their people searched the halls for the Baron and his daughter."

  "Did the Baron have a wife?" I asked.

  The priest shot me a gnce. "No, the Baron is a widower. His wife died a number of years ago while their daughter was still young. Anyway, the guards iy proper were too focused on all of the arson and demon attacks to notice the castle had been taken. By the time the city had regained some order, they discovered the corpses and the rampaging demon they left in the courtyard. Less than half of the castle's staff members survived, none of them important ones, chefs and maids and the like are all that's left. We never found Sera Faelyn Morrister's body so we were hopeful she was still alive. It's not surprising her bodyguard had her leave the city entirely with what happeo the Baron in his own home."

  It struck me as a bit odd he listed Fae's entire perhaps it was a hing.

  Tarklin was looking a lot more rexed now, still guarded but not in the sehat he was worried about soldiers stabbing any of us anymore. "Lots of people are fleeing the city right now."

  The priest nodded. "Unsurprising given the damage to the city. Lots of civilians were killed through all of this, not to mention all of the damage to people's homes and busihey also burned fields of crops outside the town, meaning we might also have a nasty food she ing up if we don't already. We've already had to stop several merts from buying up all the grain. Anyone who could leave probably already have by now. The people in the reports with bck brigandine have left or blended bato the city but we're still trying to find any signs of them we . Our remaining guards that survived the initial attacks are stretched so thin right now we've had to keep our men posted oy exits, hoping to catch a clue of the young dy's whereabouts and stop things from getting worse. If we lose trol of the gates the city will colpse entirely. Unfortunately, that means the guard have had to give up on keeping order in many parts of the city. We just no longer have enough guards left to keep everything under trht now. While you're in Goldeh you should stay to the main roads, there are few other pces we say are safe at the moment."

  Tarklin cleared his throat. "That brings us back to the matter at hand. The fate of Sera Faelyn Morrister."

  "Quite," the priest replied.

  "I have no choice but t her back with me to the Northern Greens. She has a crest that grants her prote from my queen and I'm sworn to protect her for the time being. This pce is dangerht now, especially for her, but our pn was to go to the capital before I could head in that dire. At this point I'm not sure what the merts we have been esc will want to do, we might disband tonight."

  I looked over at Tarklin, "What? That's the first I'm hearing of this."

  Tarkliurned my stare with a sad smile. "I'm sorry Lilith, with everything happening, there have been calls to disband the caravan early here in Goldeh. This was supposed to be a return trip to the capital but some of the traders have already expressed i in disbanding and selling all of the building materials we've been bringing along with us here instead. From the sound of it, Goldeh needs it more than the capital right now and the merts smell an opportunity. They will likely want to take their ces buying and selling here for a while before tinuing to the capital in a smaller caravan ter. If that turns out to be the case I would be free to head to the Northern Greens with the girl now instead of after we reach the capital. As much as I would love to take you the rest of the way myself, the situation no longer calls for it. The young dy has forced my hand. But if it helps, you would get your full payment and guild credit now instead of upon reag the capital."

  God, what a disaster.

  "Is there any way to make you resider taking her up to the Northern Greens?" the priest asked Tarklin.

  Tarklin shook his head. "At this point no. You have said it yourself, the city is in shambles. If a force this rge could ihe castle before the city guard even noticed then the only way for the girl to remain safe is if we tio keep her hidden. I will send a missive to the king inf him the Baron's bloodliill thrives but she likely won't return until either things stabilize here enough for her to be safe or the elves send over a detat to guard her themselves."

  The priest's eyebrows sharply rose. "The elves would go that far to protect her?"

  Tarklin nodded. "The crest she holds is more signifit than even she knows. I'd bet the only one who had any idea of its value was the te Baron himself. The crest represents the Queen's prote. As a member of a great elven house, it is my duty to escort her there. After that, it will be up to the girl and my Queen what happe. The Queen of the Elves is likely to follow the young dy's wishes but it is hard to say right now how directly involved my Queen will want to be."

  The priest looked away, lost in thought for a moment. "If she waits too long the King may strip her of her peerage and give it to someone else. The likelihood is higher because she is so young. If she were older she would have greater cim to keep her peerage but I am unsure what the King will do."

  Tarklin shrugged. "That is not of sequeo me. It is up to my Queen and the young dy to decide what their iions are. Do you wish for me to ask her if she would sider staying to maintain the right to her barony?"

  The priest closed his eyes briefly before shaking his head. "No, it is as you have said. We probably 't protect her here. It's better if she goes to the domain of the elves."

  "...Do you have the proper authority to make that kind of decision?" Tarklin asked.

  "Normally no, but right now the town is being pletely trolled by the Churorkinnen in pce of the nobles. My church doesn't often d, certainly not at the seat of a barony, but there would be a total power vacuum here otherwise and things are bad enough as it is. I have enough authority right now to let you go without issue. But you may want to impress on the young dy that if she does wish to maintain her peerage, she would best return as early as possible. She should also make an effort to make tact with the King's men as soon as she ," the priest said.

  Tarklin nodded. "Very well. Then I suppose that's it for this versation. I take it you have no other issues with our caravaering the city?"

  "No, I have no further pints. Just know that the city's guard is spread thin so we do not have the proper resources to protect mert's wares to the same extent we normally would," The priest added.

  "I will inform them, though I get the feeling there will be plenty of cheap meraries willing to guard some mert's wares right now."

  The priest put on a tired smile. "That may actually be a relief. Better a guard for a mert at a low rate, than another bandit along the road, looking to take it instead... did you run into bandits on the way here from Traehall?"

  Tarklin nodded. "Unfortunately yes."

  "Then it has already begun." The priest sighed. "Thank you for your time Tarklin Silvergrove. May your trees stand ever taller," he said with a slight bow.

  "And may the winds be at your back," Tarklin replied with a bow of his own.

  Without further fanfare, roup left the room and headed back towards the caravan. I turo Tarklin. "If the caravan disbands, how long till I hear about it?"

  He shook his head. "You will know for sure by tomorrow m, probably earlier. Just help protect the carts until we find a stable, for now don't sit on the coach, stay on the ground. I will e find you personally as soon as I know."

  He removed one of the purses from his belt and ha to me. "Here, this is your party's share. Whether we disband tonight or not, I believe you've already ear. We have asked you to do much more than Raksha'va promised me. Just be here in the m if I haven't e for you already. I unfortunately have some merts to talk to." With that, Tarklin cut away from us and headed to the front of the caravan.

  I noticed Silva impatiently walking towards us. Once she got close she looked over roup. "Is everyone alright? You were in there a while."

  I smiled. "We're fine Silva. They wao ask us a few questions about our [Demon Hunter] titles."

  Man stretched. "Boy was that stressful. I'm gd I don't often have to pit for stuff like that."

  I sighed. "At least you wouldn't make a fool of yourself, I feel like I 't help but pick the dumbest questions to ask."

  "Ah, you were fine. I think asking for relevant information is normal when you're not familiar with it. It's not like you're from... this try." She waved off my s pretty easily.

  "Right. Well good, I was starting to worry I would have yet another new master in the span of a week," Silva joked.

  I... didn't really find it that funny.

  I cleared my throat. "Let's get back to the caravan. We o escort them to the stable and figure out our move from there. It turns out that we might not be able to get to the capital yet after all. Things got a bit more plicated and apparently the city is in disarray right now."

  Silva just ughed. "It seems like things go this way often for you lot."

  I sighed. It was unpleasant how true that statement was.

  End of Book 2Saine

  Hello! Here we are at the end of book 2! Not to worry, nothing will ge in terms of update schedule or anything, just annpost to keep things anized. Book 2 was mainly about travel and introdug us to our new bunnygirl character but I hope I kept things iing and intriguing on the road. chapter we're introduced to Goldeh! I hope you enjoy!

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