My first though was that something was different to when I usually consumed something. The book was cursed like Stigma, and taking its power had the same effect on my body. My left arm had turned numb again, and the blackened veins had risen to the surface of my skin making it evident that I was not well.

Stigma appeared before me again and smiled, “Ah. I see. Interesting.”

I re-covered my arm with my sleeve and grunted, “What is?”

“It appears that consuming the tome has granted me the Eye’s power. We have assumed control over these thralls, and can see through their eyes.”

That would explain how he knew I was there before I was even seen. The man I knocked out and left in the office must have been linked to him somehow.

“Couldn’t you already control people?”

“Not to this extent. Mine is a vow of loyalty, changes more substantial than that are difficult and require a large amount of energy; extremely inefficient and dangerous. The Eye is a specialist in brainwashing and surveillance. Her magic is more intricate than mine.”

“So how do I use this?”

“Focus your mind and project the order to them. Verbal commands will also work.”

I turned to the two nobles stood by the door, “You two. Gather everyone in the ballroom.”

They didn’t respond. They simply turned around and left the room to perform the task I had assigned them. Cali and I cleaned up the mess while they were busy, and then returned to the ballroom where Randal had been giving his grand speeches. Every single person in the building had packed themselves inside, taking assigned places on the floor.

I passed through the middle and climbed up onto the stage. I could order them to do anything I wanted. But I wanted to get this stupid job over with so I could find Bell like I’d originally intended, so before I released them from Randal’s spell, I decided to take advantage.

“Has anyone here been in contact with a knight from Exarch’s Bend recently? Step forward if you have.” The crowd remained motionless for a moment, before one of the men pushed through and stood in the centre aisle. “Come up here.”

The older gentleman ascended the steps.

“Did he ask you to take care of someone named Belladone?”

The reply was instant, “Yes.”

“What happened to him?”

“Upon his arrival to the estate, his escort became suspicious of the cult’s activities. Master Randal attempted to ease their worries and invited them to stay, but they refused.”

“Where did they go?”

“I believe the knight stated that they were going to find temporary lodgings in the city instead.”

Not good enough to pin down where though. I ordered him to return to his previous location.

“Alright, let’s get rid of this spell and get paid. You are all hereby released from your [contract.]” My ears rung as a high-pitched whine filled my head. The robotic poses they held suddenly collapsed as they started to panic, the shared look of bewilderment on their faces a testament to the depth of his control over them.

I yelled as loud as I could, “Everybody, stay calm!”

The noise died down.

“I’m afraid that you were all taken advantage of. I’m sure you all remember the exact circumstances of how you came to agree to take part in this. Whether you remember what occurred afterwards is another matter. Your homes and property have been stripped away and sold, I strongly suggest you begin the process of recovering your possessions.”

A murmur of discontent spread through the crowd.

“Are any of you the parents of Adam?”

Two members of the crowd rushed to the foot of the stage. They both looked to be in their early fifties, both wearing the same dull work outfit as the rest of them. “Oh no, is he alright?” The woman asked.

“He’s fine. Been looking after the kids. He hired me to come here and do this.”

The father grimaced, “This was a shameful episode indeed. I won’t be signing up for any more cults again after this.”

“Our Adam did that? He saved everyone!”

I nodded to Cali, “Technically my friend here did all the work but… he has a good head on his shoulders.”

“But how did he find a pair of mercenaries to help?” the father queried.

“They’re everywhere if you ask around. He got in touch with a friend of mine, and when I went to visit he asked me to do him a favour.”

“I hope he isn’t dealing with anybody dangerous.”

“Fourst is a former knight himself. He’d kill himself before he’d put a child in danger. How about you go back home and let him know you’re okay?”

The man took my hands in his own and shook them, “Thank you so much. If you ever need anything at all, don’t be afraid to ask.”

“I got paid. That’s the end of it.”

“I can’t just leave you with that,” he insisted, “Though, our coffers may have been emptied by this contemptuous fraud…” I was sure they’d live just fine. These people always had more money hiding somewhere. Worst came to worst, they’d just have to sell their house and downsize. “B-But if you’re ever in Blackwake again in the future, please do come and visit so I can compensate you properly.”

“I left my equipment at their home,” Cali revealed, “We will need to visit Adam and tell him the good news anyway.”

Adam’s mother tilts her head, “If I’m not mistaken dear, that appears to be one of the La’Corvans.”

“I am Cali La’Corvan. Third daughter of Ceris.”

“What a delightful coincidence!” she smiled. “I wish we could have much under less strenuous circumstances.”

“My apologies Ma’am, but you may find noble manners wanting. I have not practiced for some time.”

“I-Is that one of my old dresses?”

“Thank you for allowing me to borrow it.”

She didn’t though. She stole it.

“Our first plan may not have panned out the way we wanted,” I explained.

She bit her lip, “Well, if it helped you free everyone…”

Hell lady! She just saved your damn life and you’re splitting hairs over wearing a dress for a few hours. These people were too set in their ways. She could probably buy so many dresses that she’d never have the chance to wear them all with little issue. You could just wash it if it was such a huge problem.

The captives spent an hour getting their bearings and collecting what little they brought with them to the manor. But our client needed to see us, so we left them to it. We followed Adam’s parents back down the road and to their family home. Adam dashed out of the front door and pulled them into a hug the moment he spotted us.

“Thank goodness you’re both okay!”

I turned to Cali, “I never expected you to run in and kill the guy…”

“He said something objectionable.”

“Did he now?”

“Yes.”

I wasn’t going to get any more than that out of her. After the three nobles enjoyed their family reunion and Cali emerged from the house in her mage gear, Adam thanked us again. “Thank you so much, you’ve saved hundreds of lives today.”

“Don’t mention it. We’ve got business back in town so we’re going to go now. Nice working with you.”

“Don’t be a stranger!”

I gave him a half-hearted wave as we walked back down to the main gate. So, so naïve. I couldn’t keep stewing over every noble I met. Adam was a good guy, ultimately. I wondered how long it would last, when that adult cynicism would settle in and he’d become protective of his image and property.

Cali ran a hand through her white hair, “So what are we going to do now?”

I didn’t know.

“Fourst isn’t going to have anything for us yet, especially if they moved Bell out of the estates and into a hotel.”

On thing on my mind was the state of my clothes and gear. The leather boots I’d purchased in Exarch’s Bend had been torn to shreds by everything I’d done recently. My jacket was in a similarly sorry state. After wandering the streets for a while, I found a tailor’s shop. Perfect. With the money I’d earned from my recent jobs, I could purchase something that would last a little longer and patch some of my clothes up.

While they were busy stitching up my jacket and shirt, I browsed the selection of products available. To my delight they even had a collection of sheaths for weapons of various sizes. I carefully tested Stigma with some of them, eventually settling on a large leather one that could go on my hip or my back, depending of the circumstance. I paid for that, as well as the repairs and came out looking like a new man. I had a bit of a sentimental attachment to the banner I’d stolen from the battlefield now. I tore the gilded fabric to bits and tied it around the sheath as a reminder.

Paying for expensive armour or backup weapons was still beyond my paygrade, and the gold bar?

I was saving that for a special occasion.

After that was done, we returned to Fourst’s home.

“You’re back already? You only left this morning.”

“It was a pretty simple problem to solve,” I explained, sitting back down across from him.

“I have been hearing that they’re getting back to normal. Thanks.”

“Turns out that my mark is going to be harder to find than I expected. When they found out that the cult was taking over the estates, they moved him to a local inn. Didn’t tell me which one.”

He wasn’t happy, “Ugh. There are dozens of them. And even if it’s you, I can’t justify putting all my eyes and ears on them. You know how many people go through those doors every day?”

“I know, even if he’s still here… they might have decided to move him out to another town.”

“Why are they going to so much effort to protect them?”

“Like I said, he sold out the rogues in the Bend. The knight that bought him out must think he’s worth something, or maybe his sense of ‘honour’ keeps him from cutting him loose so he can get killed for it.”

“You know I’m the first man to defend the knights, but that’s… unlikely.”

“It doesn’t matter. I’m going to find him and gut him.”

“You sure? You always talk about only doing jobs that pay. Making things personal-“

“-Is bad for business, I know. It’s guidance, not a creed. If things get too complicated, I’ll call it quits and get back to the Federation.”

“Everything is complicated, especially when it involves the order.”

He was right about that. The relationship between the knights, nobles and kingdoms was fiendishly complex. A tangled web of alliances, generational rivalries and political manoeuvring that would fry the brain of the most erudite of scholars. For all I knew Bell could be the long-lost son of an influential noble family. They did love to sleep around after all.

Finding him was going to be problematic. Fourst wasn’t going to help me out of the kindness of his heart, and he specialized in noble gossip, not a wide-reaching search for one man in a city with tens of thousands of people living in it.

“If you want to find the guy yourself, I have a few ideas,” Fourst concluded. He reached over to the table beside him and scribbled down a list of names using a pencil. I took the list from him and studied it. “That’s a list of ‘high class’ inns around town. If they’re with the order, they’re not going to sleep in a cheap bed.”

He’d even gone to the trouble of including some rough directions, how nice.

“Thanks Fourst. I owe you one.”

“No you bloody don’t,” he cawed, “Now leave me to die in peace.”

“Hopefully you won’t be six feet under by the time I come back to town.”

He shook his head, “I’m not so sure about that – this body of mine is playing hell. I’ve made my peace with it. Everyone has to go eventually, and I’ve been blessed enough to live a comfortable life.”

I took one last look at the room around me, “Who are you going to leave the house to?”

Fourst smiled, “My nephew. He’s been working hard, but still doesn’t have enough for a proper place.”

I nodded, “As long as the city doesn’t get it.”

“I would say ‘over my dead body’ but… that might have been the case.”

I laughed with him. Fourst coughed and hacked as he came back down to earth, “Ah, shit. I’m going to make it worse if I keep laughing like that. You take care of yourself Ren. You’re one of the good ones.”

“Thanks. See you.”

I left the house in a forlorn mood. I didn’t know that Fourst was in such a bad way. I hadn’t visited the city in a few years. It was crazy how the time flied when I wasn’t paying attention. Losing him would hurt. He was a cornerstone of the community for people on both sides of the law. But as he said, he’d lived a full life.

And I got the feeling that he might find himself living another.

Speculation aside, I needed to start working my way through the list. This was going to be a tough search. We were on limited time, and I couldn’t walk up to the reception and demand to see the logbook without booking a room myself. The practical option was to check the bar on the ground floor. Every inn had one as a secondary source of income.

I looked at the top of the list and followed Fourst’s directions. I had to start somewhere…