Along the way to the Thirsty Pirate, I gave Taz the details of my conversation with the prince… well, most of them. I left out certain things like kissing whilst I sat on his lap.
“See, I told you.”
“Told me? You were as upset as I was that he hadn’t written to me.”
“True but I did say not to jump to conclusions about Jennika.”
“I suppose so.” When we reached the main street that had been filled with people earlier in the day, it now appeared abandoned. Had that prince controlling the birds sent them to attack the city too? At least I assumed he was the one controlling them.
The eerie feeling among the empty streets and closed shops steadily grew in my gut. The only positive thing coming to my mind was the lack of bodies. It looked like no one had died. I peered into the buildings and people started popping up in the windows.
A bald man opened his door and peeked his head out. “Is it safe?” he called.
“Seems to be,” I shouted back. He put one foot out of the door and looked around. Up ahead I saw the sign for The Thirsty Pirate. “I told Zyacus I would wait for him at the pirate place.”
Taz pursed his lips. “For how long? The sun is setting, and shouldn’t we see if something is happening in Delhoon? What if our home is under attack?”
“We can ask Legacy if anything is going on. If so we’ll leave right away.”
“I’ll write to her now.” Taz pulled a rolled piece of paper from his pocket and a quill. After he scribbled on it he whispered the spell, set the note on fire and we waited by the closest torch for her to reply.
It lit up within a minute and I grabbed it before Taz could. Nothing’s wrong, why do you ask? Legacy replied.
I turned the note over and wrote, we’ll explain when we get back.
Taz groaned. “So that means we’ll stay here all night? I presume we won’t be sleeping since we’ll be at a tavern.”
“Live a little, Taz,” I teased. “When will you be in Hesstia at a tavern again?”
He tilted his head and laughed. “I suppose you’re right. Can I get roaring drunk? After I got crushed like I hadn’t been training my whole life by the Fae prince, I could use a drink.”
I understood the feeling but I also couldn’t ignore logic and our training. “What if we need to fight? Drunk idiots get bruised and battered if not worse.”
“Fine, I’ll keep it to two drinks then.”
“Good boy.” When we stepped inside the Thirsty Pirate, every passing conversation was on the bird attack but no one talked about the Winter Prince or his little minions. Perhaps no one else had seen him.
I found an empty table along the right wall and made my way over. Taz scooted into the bench across from me and tapped his fingers on the table. “I’m going to get us a drink.”
“Thanks,” I said and glanced over at the table next to us whose conversation caught my attention. An old man with fluffy white hair on the sides and nothing on top put his mug to his mustache.
“Strange things be happening. The birds were just the first sign. I wonder if it’s happening again.”
The slightly younger man with more hair but it too had gone white, leaned forward. “What be happening again?”
“The blood moon. My grandfather talked about it before. Crops dying. Animals going crazy. Wild beasts never before seen emerged. Sickness. Ocean waves as big as a mountain wiping out entire cities.” He put both arms above his head for emphasis. “And magic folk with pointed ears.”
Blood moon? Pointed ears? I had no idea what a blood moon was but could it have something to do with the Fae I’d just encountered? Could anyone have power enough to control the moon? That didn’t seem possible.
“Sounds like rubbish, Erwin.”
He grunted and slammed his mug down, sloshing liquid over the side. “You saw them birds same as me. Explain that.”
“I can’t explain it,” the man shot back. “Just don’t know nothing about no blood moon. And never seen anyone with pointed ears.”
“I have,” I mumbled to myself. I didn’t appreciate either time but most especially not the most recent encounter.
Erwin took a slug of his drink then wiped his mouth with the back of his sleeve. “I never seen a dragon before our king married the Collweyan princess neither yet they existed all the same.”
I wanted to interject, to question the old man, but instead I leaned a little closer.
Picking up his drink, the old man asked, “If tis a blood moon then what can be done about it?”
“Don’t know,” Erwin said, lowering his voice.
I couldn’t stay silent any longer. “How long ago was this blood moon?”
The old men looked at me as if I had three eyes. Clearly they hadn’t expected anyone to be listening to their conversation. As rude as it was for me to eavesdrop I had to with something so important.
“Uh, I guess it would be about... oh, four or five hundred years,” Erwin said. “My family are magic-born. We live long.”
“As am I,” I said with a half smile. “Is there a record of this event anywhere? Do you know anything about the Fae, er, pointed ear folk?”
“I’d guess there might be records of it.” He shrugged. “Never seen one myself. I’ve only heard the stories from my grandfather’s own mouth. He never saw any—Fae, you called them?”
With the noise of the place I had a hard time hearing so moved to an empty chair beside the two old men. Erwin and the other man watched me with amusement. “Yes, Fae. If he never saw them how did he know about the pointy-eared magic folk?”’
Erwin tapped a finger against his mug. “A boy from the nearby village constantly
