Page 3 of A Fable of Riddles and Redemption

“And how did this creature access your gold? Did it unlock your safe?”

“I hate to interrupt,” the blonde woman blurted with absolutely no hint of regret in her voice, “but can you untie me now? And there was no safe.”

Chagrined, Herrick turned to her and untied her bonds. “Sorry for the misunderstanding,” he grunted as he released her. She scowled at him and said nothing.

Then, turning his attention back to Jurian, he asked, “What did she mean by there was no safe?”

The potter frowned at the young woman, then said, “I keep gold coins scattered throughout the pots around the shop. It’s safer.”

Herrick cleared his throat in an attempt not to scoff at such nonsense. Apparently, he wasn’t the only one who thought that way, since the woman he’d captured made a similar sound. “You may want to consider keeping your valuables locked up.”

Indignation shone in the potter’s countenance. “I do! I lock my shop every night!”

“That is not what I meant,” Herrick said, forcing as much patience and forbearance in his tone as possible. “I highly recommend you move your gold to a chest with a lock instead, and then lock your doors each night as well.”

Really. This man was an idiot. Or perhaps just a bit crazy, as his fellow guardsmen had mentioned. It was hard to tell.

“And I highly recommend, Guard, that you chase after that blasted thieving panda and return my gold!”

The young woman reached for a broom leaning against the wall and muttered, “It’s likely long gone by now.” She began to sweep up, but Herrick stopped her with one hand on the broomstick.

“Wait. I have to investigate before you clean this mess.” His hand brushed against hers on the broom handle, and he tried to ignore the strange spark it sent up his arm.

“Investigate? What, are you going to look for panda scat to prove we’re telling the truth?”

Herrick narrowed his eyes, his grip still firm on the broom. Was she lying? But he had seen a red panda running down the street…

“While you two deal with that,” Jurian said, breaking the awkward silence between them, “I have work to do. Zorina, when the guard gives the all clear, clean up the shop. Then you can be done for the day.”

The woman—Zorina, apparently—nodded, though she still looked annoyed.

Jurian, for his part, murmured to himself as he headed toward the back door, which Herrick assumed led to his workshop. “Blasted red panda. Now I have to start this whole pot all over again.”

Herrick peered down at Zorina. “I apologize for arresting you. How can I make it up to you, miss?”

She glared at him. “You can’t. Leave and never return.”

Herrick shook his head. “I’m afraid that won’t be possible. The theft is an open investigation.”

Zorina shot him an incredulous look. “An open investigation? Against a red panda? You’re as mad as Jurian is for putting gold coins in the pots—wait, forget I said that. Scratch that from the record.”

A smile tempted to tug at his lips, but he refused to let it show. “Noted.” Whether he noted her statement or noted that he would pretend she hadn’t said it, he would not say.

“In any case,” he said, relinquishing his hold on the broom at last, “I need to assess the crime scene.”

She scoffed at his words, but she still moved back against the wall to let him search. “I hope you find ‘gifts’ from the miniature intruder.”

Herrick rather hoped not to find what Zorina insinuated, but of course, several minutes into his search, he did—with his boot.

Almost worse was her snickering when he stepped in it.

Almost.

The squishy green fibers under his boot were definitely worse.

“Take that outside,” she grumbled after smothering her laughter. “Don’t spread it across the floor more than it already is.”

Her statement, though intended to bite, soothed him instead. At least he would not have to clean it off the floor—just off of his boot.