Page 170 of A Vow of Wrath and Ruin

“We’ll get her back,” Amolie said.

Tharan mustered the best smile he could. Leaning back in his seat, he tried to remember her smell, the way her hair felt as it slid through his fingers, the way her face lit up when she laughed, and what he wouldn’t give to kiss her lips.

The carriage turned into the small town of Honeyville. It was a quaint place with a crystal-clear river snaking its way through the village. A wall of twenty-foot-high honeycombs guarded its inhabitants.

“I’ve never seen anything like this before,” Sumac said, mouth agape at the tiny village.

“Honeyville is an apt name,” Hopper added.

They stopped at an inn in the center of town and unloaded their things. As much as Tharan wanted to throw himself into the plush bed, he had bigger concerns.

“I’ve arranged for a meeting with the mayor,” Roderick said. “We should go as soon as we are able.”

“Lead on, but I’ll be needing some of that honeyed cider afterwards,” Tharan said.

“I think we all will.” Roderick patted Tharan’s back, and together they walked through the bustling town to the mayor’s home with Sumac and Hopper in tow. Amolie stayed behind to set up her potions.

One of the mayor’s advisors met them at the door. A short, plump, sylph man with a mop of curly hair and a button nose. Hehad to be part halfling. Sylph were naturally tall and muscular, built for battle.

“Roderick and Lord Tharan, I presume,” he said.

“Yes. We have a meeting with Mayor Thistlebottom.”

The man looked at his parchment and nodded. “Right this way.”

They walked through the quaint halls of the mayor’s residence, much like the Hive of the Queen Bee, the walls grew hundreds of varieties of flowers. All in bloom. Bees flitted from one to another gathering their pollen to bring back to their hive. The floral scent of honeysuckle filled the air.

“Right through these doors,” the attendant motioned. “The mayor is waiting for you.”

“Thank you,” Roderick said, pushing the doors open.

The mayor, a sylph woman with dark skin and white hair braided into two buns on the top of her head, stood at a large oak desk, examining some documents. Her brown eyes lit up when she saw Roderick.

“It has been too long, my friend,” she said, smiling brightly.

Roderick embraced the woman in his massive arms.

“It is good to see you, Lydia. Or should I call you Mayor.”

“Lydia is fine.” She slapped him playfully.

Tharan and Sumac exchanged knowing glances.

“Very well, Lydia, these are my friends, Lord Tharan Greenblade, Sumac, and Hopper, of the Woodland Realm.”

“It is very nice to meet you,” Lydia said, rounding her desk and taking a seat at a long cherry table in the center of the room. “Please, take a seat, and I will tell you what I know of the Court of Screams.”

They each took a seat in a plush, velvet chair. An assortment of honey cakes and pastries adorned the table, and a silver mug sat before each of them. Lydia rang a bell, and two servants carrying teapots filled their mugs.

“Now that we have refreshments, where to begin?” she said, taking a sip of tea. “Roderick told me you want to get into our neighbors to the north. If that’s true, I’ll say you’ll have no trouble doing so. It’s getting out that’s the issue.”

“Have you seen their leader?” Tharan asked, leaning forward in his chair. “Should we seek him out?”

“Their leader is called Cyrus, and you will want to avoid him at all costs. He will not take kindly to you trespassing in his domain. But the good news is there aren’t many of them, so they should be easy to avoid. Roderick mentioned something about a well…”

Tharan shot Roderick look that said, “You better not have.”

Roderick averted his eyes.

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