Free Web NovelChapter 31: Chapter 31
" That’s—" Gonan stuttered. He had never stuttered in his entire life. " That’s truly unfortunate."
Gonan faked a look of sympathy, his eyes drooping in faux sadness. He was still pretending that he and Cornelia had been close, so it would look strange if he didn’t at least seem upset about her disappearance.
The stranger was watching him now. He probably expected him to be worried or shaken, and if Gonan acted too calm, it might raise questions he wasn’t ready to answer. Questions like why he was really asking about Cornelia. So he did what he had to, put on a concerned face and played the part, even if he didn’t feel any of it. Gonan didn’t feel much of anything when it came to the matter of the assassin and his sister.
The only time he felt much of anything was when he imagined telling Ragnar what he discovered and how his friend would react to the news. Ragnar would find a way to blame himself for what happened and Gonan didn’t like it when he did.
Among the both of them, Ragnar was the one with the still beating heart and conscience, Gonan’s heart was a blackened charred mess in comparison. Ragnar was the one who wanted to find Cornelia and protect her from her brother’s employers. Gonan, on the other hand, wouldn’t have cared if the people her brother worked for got to her in the end.
’The guild’ was what the assassin called them. Gonan still wasn’t fully convinced that they didn’t have a hand in Cornelia’s disappearance. He had witnessed magic that could alter a person’s appearance and he had seen that very same magic backfire and kill its wielder. No possibility could be ruled out. It was just too much of a coincidence that she happened to disappear around the same time her brother was caught. freewebnovёl.ƈom
But he was also curious about the other disappearances. He had gotten word of people going missing in Kemia but there had only been a small handful of them at the time so he didn’t place much interest in them. Too many things happened in his life in the last two weeks, making it impossible for him to investigate the matter even if he had wanted it. He had no idea it had spread to Kezar or even how serious it had become.
" When did it start? The disappearances." Gonan asked the man next to him. What he really wanted to know was how a fog could be responsible for snatching people off the street.
" About two weeks ago. I’m not really sure. We’re a town of mostly fishermen, people sometimes get on their boats and never return. But this is different. Entire households didn’t just disappear without a trace in the middle of the night." The man said. His response did nothing to help Gonan make sense of the situation.
" Has any one of them returned after being taken?" If something was truly taking people in Kezar then why did they choose to stay instead of packing up and leaving? Gonan cast a cursory glance at the tavern’s patrons, their worn clothes and sun-weathered faces that spoke of hours spent in the sun. Kezar was theirs, it was where their families called home. It would be difficult to just leave it all behind and since the disappearances had spread from Kemia, there was no guarantee that anywhere else would be safe.
" I’m afraid not. Many of us suspect that they never will but the families of the victims refuse to listen to such morose assumptions." The man shifted in his seat. " Do you still have a long way to travel?"
Gonan nodded. The stranger didn’t have to know that Kezar was his true destination.
" Then you better get back on the road. Best to leave town before nightfall."
" I will." Gonan said. " And thank you for the information. There was no way I would have known about what happened otherwise."
The man clapped Gonan twice on the back before rising to his feet. " I’m sorry for the loss, truly. It must be devastating to learn something terrible happened to someone you care about."
" It is. Absolutely heartbreaking." Gonan said. A good man wouldn’t have been able to spin so many lies in such a callous manner. A good man would have at least felt a bit of remorse. But Gonan had never been a good man and didn’t plan to become one anytime soon.
The man gave him a pitying look before striding away.
A minute later, Gonan stood from his chair as well and headed for the door, leaving a single silver coin beside his untouched drink. He stepped outside and found the old man once more fast asleep on the ground.
Gonan sneered in disgust. Even after being paid, the man couldn’t even do a simple task properly.
His horse whinnied at the sight of him as he approached. The sound woke the sleeping man.
"There you are." The old man said, muffling a yawn with the back of his hand. " See, the horse is right where you left it."
" Ah yes, and I’m really impressed by the amount of effort you clearly poured into the task." Sarcasm dripped from each of Gonan’s words.
The man beamed. " Why, thank you." fɾeeweɓnѳveɭ.com
He must have misunderstood what Gonan was trying to say or was purposefully being obtuse.
Gonan turned away, choosing to ignore the man as he untied his horse’s reins. He put his foot on the stirrups and vaulted himself onto the saddle with the practiced ease of a skilled rider, gently guiding his steed into a trot. He had nothing else keeping him in Kezar.
It was only mid-day when he started on his journey back to the capital. He wanted to be home before nightfall.
Gonan had come there looking for Cornelia but discovered something entirely different. He had to tell Ragnar about it. But he wouldn’t be surprised if his friend already knew something about the disappearances.
