Page 46 of A Fable of Riddles and Redemption

“My shop assistant never showed up! She’s never been late, not in all the two-and-a-half years she’s worked for me.”

Herrick frowned, hoping for a more expected and natural explanation. “Could she be sick? Injured?”

Jurian shrugged. “Possibly. Though she would at least send a note, I think, in that case.”

Herrick considered the point. Yes, she would…if she could. But what if she’s too sick to do that?

He tried not to dwell on what he truly suspected had happened, what his gut told him had occurred.

“I will go check on her, and then let you know what I find out,” Herrick told the potter.

Jurian nodded his thanks, and Herrick turned to the city’s edge.

Just before he reached the barrier, he caught sight of another guard on a similar patrol, and informed him of the situation. His fellow guard agreed to pass the intel on to their captain before they parted ways.

Worry ate at Herrick as he tromped through the forest. Though the distance to Zorina’s little shack was not far, it felt infinitely farther than it should.

As he approached the vine-covered shed, Anala’s frantic chirps filled the air. The red panda bounced anxiously outside the door, occasionally clawing at the doorknob.

Dread churned in his stomach. “Anala? What happened?”

Anala chirped again as she twisted her head toward him, then bolted over to him while he walked closer. Instead of going after his pouch like she usually would, however, she stood on her hind legs and stared up at him, practically begging him to help with her luminous amber eyes locked on his.

“Is she home?” he asked, stepping toward the door and knocking on it.

No answer.

Gritting his teeth, he turned the doorknob, but it was locked. Herrick pounded on the door again, but there was still no response.

He circled the building, and tried to peek in the one tiny window, brushing some vines aside to access it. A dark green curtain that matched the greenery covering the shack covered the window, but the window itself was slightly ajar. Shoving it open farther, he peered through the opening.

The shade of the forest kept the light inside dim, but he could see well enough to note a small bed, a table and chair for one, a fireplace for both warmth and cooking, and a few basic supplies.

But no Zorina.

She was not home, nor did her neatly made bed look like it had been slept in recently.

Perhaps she left for work after I talked to Jurian? But if that were the case, wouldn’t I have seen her on her way there?

Herrick shook his head, quickly dismissing the idea. Unless she had some sort of errand to run before work, he would have seen her somewhere between the two locations.

No, something must have happened.

And after several women had mysteriously disappeared for a few days—all with similar physical features to Zorina’s—he knew deep down in his soul that she was the Maestro’s latest victim.

Herrick looked down at Anala and frowned. “Where is she?”

Not that he expected an answer.

To his surprise, the red panda padded over to him and nudged his leg, pushing him in one direction. She seemed to want him to go somewhere.

“You want me to follow you?” he asked, trying to determine if the animal knew more than she could communicate effectively.

Anala chirped again, but this time, the sound had a note of excitement in it.

Herrick shook his head, bewildered, but it was the best lead he had. “Lead the way, then.”

The red panda bounded off into the woods, and he followed. After a while, they stopped at a large tree. Anala circled it over and over, and it looked like she was trying to get inside of it. Herrick watched in consternation, wondering if the tree was hollow, though he saw no evidence to indicate that it was. He certainly saw no possible entrance into it, or any sign of Zorina.