Asmund gave a nod. “Understandable. I must, therefore, declare the people of Littlewatch should remain within the confines of the Temple until help arrives. Is it possible, as you have enchanted arrows, to enchant blades against the Forgotten Gods?”
“It is, yes,” Inari said.
“Then I will ask for you to enchant the blades of my guards. We will need to search the town for any more survivors. Everyone shall be gathered in the Temple. And, once done, we shall discuss further how to proceed. For now, I think it wise we all retreat to the Temple.” He pointed to the cage. “What of the creature?”
“It has served its purpose,” Aloisia answered, drawing another arrow. “No sense in keeping it here.”
“As you will.”
Aloisia took aim. The arrow shot through the bars of the cage and buried into the hollow where its eye should have been. It screeched and thrashed against the bars before dissolving into dust. She stood and watched the ash drift in the breeze as everyone filtered back to the Temple.
Her mind roiled, replaying Lusana’s disappearance over and over. If only she had aimed a little further left, if only she had taken the shot earlier, perhaps she would still be here, in chains and being dragged to the prison. But instead, she was Divines only knew where, albeit with an arrow in her arm. How would they find her?
The footsteps became distant until there were none. Still, she did not take her gaze from the cage. A hand squeezed her shoulder.
“Come back inside,rosuda.”
Inari’s voice pulled her from her reverie. She reached inside the cage, retrieving the arrows which had fallen when the Forgotten God had died. The shaman slung an arm around her shoulders and guided her back to the Temple.
Once inside, everyone had set about their tasks, moving through the nave in a flurry. Inari and Ezra were enchanting blades and arrows. The guards and the huntresses gathered to head outside and search for survivors. Aloisia had volunteered to be one of those who went, but Mavka and Dhara both had instructed her to stay within the Temple since her brushes with death far outnumbered theirs of late. She could not dispute that.
Aloisia drifted around the nave, bringing food out to people instead. She wanted to feel useful.
Magistrate Vester approached as she wound between the pews. “Might I have a word, Huntress?”
“Of course.”
Asmund led her from the nave to the quieter corridors beyond. He wrung his hands, searching for the words.
“How can I help you?” she probed.
“As you know, we need to take this matter of Lusana and the Forgotten Gods to the Crown. I would ask you to helm this task, perhaps with one of the lead huntresses. Your position as one of the Chosen Seven Huntresses is a respected one. Littlewatch needs me here, and High Priest Silas too. We look, therefore, to the aid of the Hunting Guild. As one of the four founding guilds, your own is the next in station to mine. It makes sense to me for this task to be assigned to yourselves. The Warriors of Ravencross should arrive soon. Though their arrival is too late, they will protect us with the aid of the enchanted weapons your friends are fashioning. We can, therefore, spare some of your guild to take this task.”
Aloisia stared at him. “I don’t know what to say. I would need to take this to Mavka, of course.”
“Of course.” Asmund nodded. “With how involved you have been with this case, I thought you would be the best person to ask.”
“I am flattered,” she said. “I know how important this is. Hence why I am surprised you asked. I assumed someone of higher station would go to the queen.”
“We take our huntresses for granted here in Littlewatch. It is true. Which is perhaps why you feel that way.” He rubbed his hands together, glancing back to the nave. “I shall leave this with you, Huntress. Think on it, but do not take too long.”
“As you say. We haven’t much time, I know.”
“The Hunting Guild’s aid has not gone amiss.”
Asmund headed into the nave, leaving Aloisia alone in the corridor.
Aloisia leant back against the stone wall, the cold seeping through her leathers as she lowered herself to the floor. Gathering her knees to her chest, she rested her chin on them.
“Copper for your thoughts,rosuda?”
She peered up to see Inari approaching. “Shouldn’t you be enchanting things?”
“Ezra has cast me away for the moment.” Inari sank down to the floor beside her, sprawling his legs out before him. “He says my technique is ‘improper’ and it is infuriating him.”
Aloisia snorted. “The scholar is the infuriating one.”
“You can say that again.”
