In Fledgling Whispers (Book 3 of The Transition of Pinn)
The circle of trust (Chapter 4)

Dunn:

For goddess’ sake! My co-conspirators aren’t discreet.

As I exit the god’s temple, walking down the stone stairs towards the mammoth who stands out of place near the bottom. I never met him, but it’s clear from looking at him that he is related to both Senator and Council Hertilz. His large muscular arms are crossed, and his face looks cross too, his black eyes almost look murderous. What was my uncle thinking when he decided Hertilz was the best senator for the job?

“Master Priest Apothen?” he spits out.

I nod looking him straight in the eye. I don’t know what his problem is; goddess knows it’s his relative that fucked this up.

He sizes me up, and I size him up in return. I’m a big man, slightly above average height but broad and muscular from all of my time working out at the god’s temple. But compared to this man, I am scrawny.

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I almost want to protest, but decide against it. I don’t want to make a scene and draw attention to my current company. So I follow the goliath across the market square, the cool wind of early autumn gently pushing my green robes against my legs. I should’ve brought my coat, but I thought I was only going between the god and goddess temples and would barely be outside exposed.

He leads me through several streets to some part of the inner district I’ve rarely traveled. There are a few offices, a café or two, a shop, all with the same inner district charm of wide clean streets lined with trees. In essence, it’s nothing special. We stop in front of a door right on the street next to a bakery and the goliath pounds on a blue door right on the sidewalk.

A young man I don’t know opens the door, behind him white stairs graying with age leading up to a second floor. He pauses in the doorway looking us over.

“Hurry up, Alex!!” A voice calls from upstairs.

Alex rolls his eyes before greeting us “come in.”

We enter and I glance up the stairs, what kind of place is this? And who on goddess’ Pinn are these people?

I grab my robes, lifting them so I don’t trip, and make my way up the stairs, pondering over how many people are now in on the conspiracy- how many are trustworthy? The more people we tell, the more likely someone will rat us out. Then again, who needs to stab anyone in the back when Senator Hertilz does such a terrible job.

Upstairs is a small and quaint apartment, with three men waiting and we are ushered into a sitting room with large windows overlooking the street. A couple of chairs litter the space and a faded red rug lies on the floor. A pile of papers sits on a coffee table and a pile of books sits on the floor. It’s cluttered, but clean, and if there were fewer people inside it might even be described as comfortable.

I open my mouth to greet the men and demand what they were thinking when Hertilz grabs the front of my robe and pushes me against the wall next to the door. The papery wall is flat against my back.

“Where the fuck is she?” his eyes are stormy, his face furious. Hertilz may be taller than me, but compared to me he is a stick figure.

It’s the goliath standing behind him that I am more worried about. When my eyes shift to his, he looks away guiltily. What-?

“Ivy!” Hertilz yells far too close to my face.

“Your partner?” I ask confused. When he nods, I ask “how in goddess’ sake should I know?”

“Last time a chosen went missing she ended up in one of your shit piles you call temples”

I’m sick of him in my face, so I push him off, “I don’t know any Ivy, and we haven’t had any new priestesses in Haringshude since your cousin was last in town”

“Fuck!” Hertilz violently turns away before punching down on the back of a soft chair. James, Hertilz’s secretary now standing next to Alex on the far side of the room, visibly winces.

It’s my turn to get mad, who gave him permission to bring all these people into the fold? “Who are all these people, Senator?” I demand in an accusing voice.

Hertilz isn’t listening though, he is cursing up a storm, pacing around the small room nearly banging into the furniture, and muttering something about ‘fucking priests’ as if it is my fault he can keep track of his partner. The guy is a loose cannon.

A good-looking man with light brown hair and green eyes steps forward. His face is smooth like a youth, but a few wrinkles around his eyes and laugh lines show that he must be in his thirties. A large smile shows his straight white teeth.

He offers me a handshake, “I’m Senator Kin Barbin, Hertilz here is my best mate” I nod in acknowledgment. He pats the goliath who has been standing by brooding, “and this is my man Sean, Ivy’s bodyguard”

Bodyguard? Seems like the perfect job for such a male. How did he lose her? I can’t imagine anyone trying to take her from under his nose… then again one man can be outnumbered…

I am examining Sean when Barbin points to James, “You know James, I think” James offers me a small smile, “and Alex next to him is my secretary”

I nod at all of them in greeting, not smiling because goddess knows I’m unhappy with all the people here.

But here they are, and so we might as well get down to business. So I ask an inevitable question:

“What in goddess’ name were you thinking, Hertilz?”

*****

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