The next two days were somewhat quiet. Dark Angel had found a long time contract out on Alexis's life but no one had accepted it; the reason being that they didn't want to incur the wrath of the guardians themselves. They might be black hearted criminals but they weren't completely stupid. Dark Angel noted that the underworld was in a bit of an uproar. It is one thing to be accused of something you did do but another to be accused of something you didn't do. Most of the crime masters want the head of who ever brought the heat down on them. They weren't pleased. If they heard anything, they were willing to sell them the information, at a steep discount of course.
Alexander came back from a job at one of the cardinal's homes with a little bit of news. Various religious figure's homes, and churches had break-ins recently. Nothing was taken, but they speculate they were after information of some kind. They only way they know that they were possibly connected was a symbol was left behind carved into walls, or doors. It was a red vertical line with 3 dots going down it, each smaller than the last. No one had seen it before. Tirai Idanian said she would see what her network could find out. By the next morning she had an answer. It was similar to the symbol of a brotherhood out past Greenwinds, little is known of them other than the madness took most of the priests when their abbey was swallowed by the taint many years ago. No one had seen or heard about the brotherhood for over thirty years. She volunteered to take a group of scouts out to where their abbey used to be to see if they could find anything. Jenos expressed his opinion about going but Tirai convinced him that stealth was needed for now. They didn't want them to run to ground before they found out anything. She and Wallace would return in three days at best.
That was the reason Irina was minding the pub that afternoon instead of her sister. Jenos had spent most of the morning down in the fighting ring. His frustration over everything was best taken out on the practice dummies and not on the local green recruits. He had come up to the pub for a late lunch.
"Still no word from your sister?" Jenos indicated the jewel that hung around Irina's neck. When Tirai left Jenos insisted that she wear the master speaking gem. It allowed her to speak to any of those who held the four minor gems.
"She should be to Greenwinds by tomorrow at noon. Her last message said that the locals haven't heard anything, but there have been strangers through town. Then again that path is along the holy trail of the goddess." Irina looked at him sympathetically.
Since the guardian's great battles, and the ending of the Taint, pilgrims had started making religious journeys to the places that Cassandra visited on her journey to become her eminence, then the goddess reborn.
"The priestess we want to question was thought to be a pilgrim so we might be onto something, then again it could be a wild goose chase."
Jenos was mid drink when he heard the rumble. "What was that?"
"Don't know, sounded like one of the mages had another Ooops."
His curiosity getting the better of him, Jenos stepped out into the street with many of the patrons. You could still see where the dust was settling. "That isn't over by the mage's guild."
"No," some old timer commented, "That looks over by the army barracks."
"Army barracks?"
"Yes, they built new ones to house the new recruits."
Irina poked her head out the door, "Any idea what happened, Poppa?"
"Looks like something happened at the army barracks." Jenos commented as he started back inside. As he walked past her, he saw Irina had gone pale. "What's wrong?"
"Artie was training the recruits at the barracks today." Turning on her heel she ran back inside. "I got to go."
"Irina!" Jenos followed her.
"Poppa, something could have happened to him." She was near tears. "I can't loose him, not after…"
Jenos grabbed his daughter's shoulders, "Irina, stay here and look after the children. I'll go."
"But Poppa.."
"Irina, stay here." Jenos ordered, but she kept looking at the door, "Promise me." She didn't answer him.
"Irina, baby girl, promise me you will stay here until I get back. Promise!" He shook her slightly.
"Al… Alright Poppa."
Jenos grabbed his great sword and shield. At this point he didn't care if all he had on was a cotton shirt and breeches. He grabbed a horse from the stable, and rode as fast as he could toward the source of the commotion.