it was the first step of many in repairing his city and beginning the healing.
Osric and Kenneth approached the temporary Contege office in the records room of the barracks, just west of the collapsed palace. A short, bespectacled man glanced at them nervously as he exited the room they were approaching. With wide eyes, he looked down at the book in his hands and shuffled his way past the two of them. Osric sensed a slight pull from the man, indicating something important had just occurred. If they hadn’t needed to talk to Toby so badly, Osric may have stopped the man to investigate. Osric tried to shrug off the feeling that he should have reacted, and they entered the office to find Toby looking severely agitated. Stopping just inside the door, Osric and Kenneth stood quietly. Without glancing up from his desk, Toby acknowledged their entrance by raising a hand to silence them while rubbing his temples with his free hand.
“I know you miss us, but you don’t have to weep my friend.” Kenneth laughed.
Toby froze, then slowly lifted his head. Osric smiled and shrugged his shoulders at Toby’s shocked expression.
“Didn’t expect to see us again, I guess?”
“No, I was wondering if you had deserted your post after all.” Toby stood and stepped out from behind the desk, extending his hand to Osric. “Sit down and tell me how things went at Braya,” he motioned Osric to the seat behind the desk, and stood a respectful distance away, “I was sick of running this place anyway. I never make it home in time for dinner. Jasmine thinks I have a mistress; her hugs last far too long. I’m sure she is sniffing the air for perfume while she clings to me.” Relief was evident as his shoulders dropped, but his posture showed a readiness to work.
Osric took several purposeful steps around the desk before he responded, not quite ready to resume leading. It wasn’t that he couldn’t perform the duties, but rather that he felt he needed to be elsewhere. Not the sudden urging that came with his Portentist gift, but he knew that the mess was not going to be sorted out unless someone who knew what was happening was working it. The Portentist ability was silent, and that bothered him more than anything else. Just a little hint would be nice, Osric tried to reason with Archana for some direction, but none came.
“Toby, you may be relieved of your temporary Contege duties, but I’m afraid you won’t get off that easy. You are one of the few men I can trust to help me unravel this mystery, and I need your help,” Osric spoke with reserved calm. “By the way, why were there men and women sleeping and suffering on the cold, hard ground around the crumbled palace walls?” Osric’s tone turned serious as he questioned to Toby.
“It’s that damned Konsult, Dredek.” Toby sneered as he spoke, his disdain for the Konsult’s name was clear by the curled lip that contorted his face with the words. “He insists that even though they have apprehended the person responsible for the attack on the palace, the Vigiles are not trained well enough to handle another attack, if one were to come. He has all of the recruits and most of the senior Vigiles training and drilling in weapons.” Toby paused for a moment, and then crossed the room and closed the door. “He keeps assigning men to menial tasks, or promising grand promotions, depending on their performance. He intends to announce his selections for promotions at tonight’s operations council, so he has ordered all of the Vigiles to attend. Honestly, I’m not sure if leaving the city unguarded is his malicious intention, or if he is just ignorant enough to not realize the potential problems that will cause.” Toby ran his hands over his bald head in frustration. “And that creepy little minion of his, you must have passed him in the hall, keeps piling stacks of paperwork on my desk to keep me occupied. If you ask me, Dredek is selecting more people to take with him when he departs, but what could he be planning?”
“I’m not sure, but this is unacceptable! We have people starving and dying, out in the cold. Some of them are in shock and need help. Why would he stop the Vigiles from aiding them?” Osric was storming around, seeking a view in the windowless room. He needed the fresh air on his