“Well, we first ran on the roofs to lose him, but then he saw us again when we were on the street. He stopped chasing us when he fell into a cesspool. I would have loved to stay and watch him claw his way out, but we didn’t want to be there when he did get out. He already wanted us flogged and branded.” Cero had trouble keeping a straight face himself as he watched Urake try to suppress an urge to laugh.
“And here I was worried about you all by yourselves. I shouldn’t have let you go through by yourselves without someone older, but we needed the older ones for the wagons, plus Torroth was with Inadar. You seem to have taken care of yourselves, Things must have changed a little because there was glass on the lower walls last time I had to go over.”
“There still is, but we were all right.” Cero crossed his arms making sure that his palms with the crystalline scabs covering them were out of sight.
“I used a blanket, but Cero didn’t and cut his hands up pretty good.” Aleest stuck his tongue out at Cero’s scowl.
“I really am fine.” Cero still kept his hands concealed.
“The last thing you want is an infection. Let me see them.” Cero grudgingly revealed his hands at Urake’s request. The blue blood was gone and only the crystal like scabs remained. When Urake pressed on one, it crumbled revealing a thin bluish line where the cut had been.
“Like I said, I'm fine. There will be nothing there in an hour.”
“Strange. Niman’s influence must be effective at a much greater range than I had thought. I don’t know about this stuff though.” Urake pinched a shard and watched as it crumbled into nothingness. Cero wasn’t about to correct Urake’s assumption or offer any explanation.
“We should get moving.” Cero took his hand back and followed Urake through the streets until they stopped at an inn situated in one of the better parts of the lower city. There was an old sign hanging over the door that depicted a red rose in some stylized manner. It was hard to tell with the paint half peeled off and the wood coming unglued. Inside, it was cleaner than expected, but there were few patrons as evidenced by the proprietor idly carving a piece of wood at the table in what must have been the dining room.
“Quite the busy day today. Have five rooms let already. With you three that makes more in one day than I have had in any one day over the last few years.” The wrinkled old man set down his knife amid the piles of shavings and pushed back his chair.
“It must be quite the trial living in Shienhin’s shadow.” Urake folded back his cloak revealing its dual nature.
“Shienhin’s shadow…” The old man squinted at Urake and took a step closer.
“The gargoyle said that you were still active.” The man started at Urake’s comment.
“Well bless my old eyes, I think I'm seeing a ghost. It has been nigh onto fifteen years since you darkened my doorstep. What brings you to my humble establishment? Need me to help these fine young gentlemen with their new lives?” The man squinted at Aleest and Cero inquisitively.
“No, they are with me.”
“I'm guessing the rest probably are also? I think it is time to put up the no vacancy sign. Been five years since I had to do that. King came out to wave at the people on some major holiday and the people flocked to Shienhin in droves. Too bad he up and died, was a good king before that Chancellor got his meat hooks in him. The Princess probably won’t stand a better chance though.” The inn keeper shuffled over the door where he pulled a cobweb covered sign off the wall and hung it over the window.
“You haven’t heard then. The princess here is an imposter that Reigns cooked up. The real one is in the Outlands leading a rebellion.”
“Is that so… The best of luck to the lass. She will need it because Reigns has the entire Braebach under his thumb.” The inn keeper motioned them towards the stairway before ascending the creaking construct himself.
“What can you tell me about Reigns’ princess?” Urake inquired when they stopped at a door.
“Can’t rightly tell you much. Never seen her myself. She is supposed to be crowned Queen tomorrow night. There is a big deal planned. I was thinking