Michael

  There was no one in the library, just as Michael expected. Shelves overflowing with books lined two of the room's four walls, a long table with six chairs stood in the middle, and rugs with cushions for sitting on the floor lay beside the windows that faced the front. It was a small library with a collection of over a thousand books, magazines, and old newspapers. At least half the books had been donated by the Hunter family, under pressure from the village priestess and teacher, Emma. Michael loved spending his afternoons there once in a while. The place was always empty, so he had it all to himself, except on weekends when Emma used it as a classroom. Despite her best efforts to educate the villagers, most didn't like to read, much less let their children develop a love for it. “You can't make a living from books,” was the familiar response among them.

  Michael left the room, passing through the archway that led to the first-floor stairs and the kitchen at the back of the house. The village women could often be found there, drinking tea and catching up on the latest gossip. However, no one was there at the moment. Michael checked the pantry and another room that served as a storeroom, but found no one. He went to the back door, went out, but didn't see anyone outside.

  Luke was nowhere to be seen. Either Rook had lied to him, or he was upstairs. But why? Denis was the only patient at the clinic, as far as Michael knew, and Luke had never shown any interest in him. Perhaps he's in the outhouse, Michael thought, trying to be optimistic, even though he felt something was off. He decided not to check the outhouse. It would be a very awkward moment if Luke were indeed in there. He went back inside and closed the door.

  He walked back towards the stairs and stopped by the first steps, silently looking up to see if he could hear anything. Two men were talking, but he couldn't make out what they were saying because they talked in whispers. He remembered what Rook had told him earlier and began to feel suspicious of Luke. He crept up the stairs to see what was happening.

  “Don’t forget what we talked about. If you happen to remember anything, no matter what, you can come to my house to see me. It’s only a few houses away. Or if you prefer, I can come here, and we can talk. Just send someone to get me. I'll come as soon as possible,” said a voice.

  ?“I’ll let you know if something comes to mind, but I can’t guarantee it, my good man,” another said. It was Denis.

  “Yes, yes, maybe…” The voice trailed off. Suddenly, an elderly man, wearing a leather apron over his sawdust-smeared clothes, burst out from one of the rooms upstairs. “Who’s there?” he called out angrily, then his eyes widened when he noticed Michael coming up the stairs. It was Luke.

  “M-Michael, my boy,” he said nervously. “What are you doing here? I thought you didn’t have class with Emma today.”

  “I came to see how Denis is doing,” Michael replied. “I wasn't aware you two knew each other.”

  “No, no, I…” Luke glanced over his shoulder at Denis’s room, then at Michael. “I just came to meet him. The whole village keeps talking about him, so I wanted to know what all the fuss was about,” he said, forcing a smile.

  “Yes, I’ve heard he’s quite popular with the village women, much to Emma’s grief.”

  “Well, there's no denying that the man’s quite handsome. That helps with the young gals, and the older gals too.” Luke laughed at his own joke. “Anyway, I have to go. I've got a lot of work piled up in the workshop, and it's not fair to leave everything to Justin.” Luke said goodbye to Denis and walked past Michael, avoiding his gaze.

  Michael stood still by the stairs. He heard the front door opening and closing, then went down to make sure Luke had really left. When he went back upstairs, he found Denis in another room, looking through the window. Panic was written all over his face.

  As Luke had mentioned, Denis was a handsome man. He had black hair and violet eyes, and his face possessed well-defined and attractive features: a strong jaw, high cheekbones, a sharp nose, and a predatory gaze, with a small mole under his right eye. It was clear to see why the women in the village were after him. If he were taller and more muscular, they might mistake him for another Hunter. He looked much different from the dying man Michael found a few weeks ago by the side of the road.

  “What’s wrong?” Michael asked. “Is there a jealous husband out there looking for you?”

  Denis ignored Michael's comment. He was focused on whatever was happening outside.

  “Is Luke what worries you?”

  “Come and see this. Come, come quickly,” Denis said, waving one hand at Michael to hurry up, while the other held his baggy trousers so they wouldn’t fall down. They were too big for his thin frame. Recovering from his injuries had caused him to lose a considerable amount of weight.

  Michael sighed and approached him. “What’s wrong with you? You’re acting—”

  "Shhh. Be quiet and watch, but don't draw the curtain. I don't want them to see us."

  “What do you want me to see?”

  “Look at the man who’s with Luke.”

  “Hasn’t the old man gone to his shop yet?”

  “No, he’s standing on the other side of the road talking to another man. Tell me if you recognize him.”

  Michael looked through the window. The man Denis was talking about had sandy-colored hair and was clean-shaven. His appearance suggested he couldn't be more than forty years old. He took out a pipe and began to smoke while talking to Luke. They were both looking toward the clinic windows.

  And where was this one hiding? Michael thought. I'm sure I didn't see him anywhere.

  “So, do you know him?” Denis asked.

  This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

  “That’s Justin,” Michael replied. “He works as Luke’s apprentice in his carpentry shop, and he’s also the foreman of the farm Luke owns south of the village. And you’re right—they’re looking this way. How long has he been there?”

  “Ever since the shopkeeper arrived.”

  "But why? Do you owe Luke something?"

  “I don’t even know the man. First time I’ve seen him.”

  “Could it be that you've screwed someone in his family or something? He has two sons in the city.”

  “I already said no! Are you daft!?” Denis shouted, but then regretted it when Michael glared at him. “I-I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to yell at you. It’s the first time I’ve ever seen that man in my life. I swear. You know I hardly ever leave here. The furthest I’ve ever gone is to the green, and that’s because the priestess forces me to do some exercise.”

  “It’s a shame she won’t let the village women help you with that, isn’t it?” Michael said.

  “Well, you can’t have everything, you know,” Denis said with a wry smile.

  "What did Luke want? I heard he asked you to contact him if you remembered anything."

  "Nothing, just some stupid idea that the crazy old man got into his head. Don't worry."

  “What did he say?”

  "It's nothing. Let's leave it at that."

  Michael grunted and continued staring out the window. Luke and Justin were still talking and observing the clinic. After a while, Justin said something, and Luke nodded in response, and they left. Denis let out a big sigh of relief as he watched them leave. He turned around and went back to his room, whistling happily.

  “And why did you come to see me?” Denis asked after sitting down on his bed.

  Michael turned away from the window and walked to Denis's room, but before entering, he glanced toward the stairs for a moment. Seeing and hearing nothing unusual, he locked the door and stood in front of it.

  "You know you screwed up," he said, giving Denis a cold look.

  “Hey, hey, why did you suddenly get so serious?” Denis said, climbing onto his bed.

  “I came here under orders. My commander noticed you've been eyeing his pretty little girl, so I was ordered to cut your dick off before you get any weird ideas.” Michael took off the wool brown coat he was wearing and threw it to the floor, revealing two knives as big as machetes strapped to his waist. “The priestess isn't here to protect you. She's probably at home taking a nap, and her helpers are likely working at the shrine. So, my dear friend,” he said in a deep, menacing voice, “no one's around to save your arse.”

  “Wait, wait!” Denis shouted and ran to a corner of the room. “W-what the hell are you talking about? You are confusing me.”

  “I’m talking about Esther, you idiot. Her mother sent me here to warn you not to touch her.”

  “But I haven’t done anything. I swear.”

  "I know. If you had done anything to her, it wouldn't have been me who came to talk to you, but my aunt Natalie. And she wouldn't waste her time chatting with you. She would have broken your legs right away and then dragged you back to the house, where she would hang you by the balls from the tree we have in our backyard. Then, after leaving you to bake in the sun for days, Grandpa would pierce your heart with a spear to end your suffering.”

  "So why the threats?"

  “My intention was to have a talk with you, you know, a frank, man-to-man conversation about Esther. I know well you wouldn't be capable of hurting her, but it wouldn't hurt to remind you of that. That intention, however, was shattered by what I just saw, and now I’m not so sure what to think of you.”

  “I don’t understand.”

  “I’m talking about Luke, you daft. He seemed surprised and nervous to see me, as if I'd caught him doing something wrong. I don't think he was expecting anyone here at this hour. I have no idea why he acted that way, but I think you must know something, right, my dear friend? You wouldn't be capable of screwing over the one who saved your life.” Michael placed a hand on the handle of one of his knives.

  Denis swallowed hard and raised his hands in a gesture of mercy. “Wait, wait, Michael. Don’t jump to conclusions!” he shouted.

  “I’m not jumping to conclusions. Do you think I’m a fool? I know you’re in trouble. That’s why I found you half-dead the other day. You were running from someone, weren’t you? Speak up, or I’ll rip it out of you.”

  “All right, I’ll talk, but calm down first, please,” Denis said. He went back to his bed and sat down. “Luke asked about me. He wanted to know what happened to me, where I was attacked, and when. Things like that. I told him what I’ve told half the village: that I was robbed on the way to the city. However, the whole thing got pretty heavy when he started asking me where I’m from. I told him I’m from Whitecross, but for some reason, he didn’t believe me. He kept insisting angrily that I’m from the capital. I told him several times that he was wrong. Candstone is too far from here for someone who doesn't even have a horse. But the old man didn’t seem convinced, and he started asking me how I got to the region. I told him I was born and raised here, but that just got him madder.” Denis held his head in his hands. He looked pale and tired, and his bare feet were trembling. “I started to feel uncomfortable having him here in the room with me, so I asked him to leave. That’s when you arrived.”

  “Did he come alone, or was he with Justin?”

  “I heard him talking to someone downstairs. It was that man, Justin. They sounded like they were arguing, but I couldn’t hear what they were saying. That was before Luke came upstairs to see me.”

  "Didn't come with anyone else? Luke has several hired hands."

  “No, just him and Justin.”

  So Rook never went inside. Maybe he was watching the area when we found him, Michael thought. He was doing the same job as Julie.

  “What debts do you owe Luke? And don't lie to me, Denis. It's obvious that you and he have a personal issue,” Michael said.

  “I have no debt or issue with him or any of his men. I already told you I don’t know those people,” Denis cried.

  "So why is he interested in you?"

  "How should I know? I don't know what's wrong with that bloody old man. I think he's confusing me with someone else. Old age is messing with his mind. That's all."

  “Denis, listen to me. Luke has lived in Rodford for decades. He not only owns the only shop in the area, but he’s also the village carpenter. I trust him more than I trust you. I barely know you, and I’m damn sure you’re running away from someone.”

  "I already told you—"

  “Hey, I'm not done yet, so shut up,” Michael interrupted him. "I don't care if you're in trouble. I really don't. However, it's another story if this could endanger my family, Emma, or me. Remember that we saved your life. I don't want you to repay us by screwing ours. Because if you do, you won't have to deal with me or Natalie, but with someone much worse: a man who hunts braskars and sildas for fun.

  “Sildas?” Denis’s eyes widened. “You’re pulling my leg, aren’t you?”

  Michael shook his head. “He likes to make rugs with their pelts. He has the whole floor of his bedroom covered with them. He says it’s better than wool carpets.”

  Denis became muted. He stared at the floor, hands on his knees, and remained silent for a long time. Michael watched him from the door, arms crossed, waiting to see what new story Denis would try to sell him.

  But Denis disappointed him, and said something unexpected: “I’ve decided,” he said, looking up. He seemed more confident. “I think it is best for everyone if I leave the village.”