Afraid of the Dark

Chapter 26: Shunned

Avinalyn was unaware that their decision to shadow Reela in Sunyu Foorst would prove to be this beneficial. They watched her storm away from the centaur twins once they started arguing and she found a quiet room at the tavern.

But the nice thing about centaur cities is the lack of glass windows.

They waited in silence, just listening to Reela on the phone.

"Reela, you're lucky you're my daughter. Otherwise I would fucking kill you for that goddamn heart attack you gave me, but only after I've checked you into a fucking mental hospital because what the actual fuck are you talking about?"

They recognized her father's voice from the last time he called. They had a feeling that letting Reela keep her phone was the right choice. Trying to get her password would have been more difficult. She's too smart for that. Untrusting of their intentions, and for good reason.

But simply letting her make the mistake of calling her dad on speaker was far easier. And overall harmless towards their standing with the girl. It's not their fault she didn't account for the fact that they might overhear the things she says.

More specifically, the things her father says.

"I have to find four mages? Healers or whatever the fuck you said? Do you know how many fucking mages are in Manatria?"

"I'm guessing less now that you've been there," Reela chuckles.

Avinalyn smiled to themself. 'Manatria.'

Her father is in Manatria. Not only that, but for some reason she may have found a lead towards finding Regan. Something about healers? Four of them in Manatria, but they don't understand what use that is for the search.

So they remain quiet and listen, hoping for more information to escape Reela's lips.

When someone taps their shoulder.

They gasp and their hands flare up with a small flame, but they disperse it before it can catch to anything. They quickly whip around to see, with no surprise, Mog crouched in a tiny bush beside them.

They sigh and step away from the window. They would love nothing more than to burn a hole through the orc's empty head, but they can't risk Reela catching on to the fact that they're eavesdropping. They can't jeopardize the discretion they've acquired since letting Reela keep that shard.

Avinalyn glares their warning at Mog and motions her away from the tavern wall, and Mog happily nods before she stands up from the bush and walks further into the forest. Avinalyn follows, sparing cautious glances over their shoulder at the window, when they stop a safe distance away with Mog standing proudly in front of them.

"What are you doing here?" they growl and straighten out their shirt, still glancing back at the tavern, when Mog sighs and grabs them gently by their shoulders to get them to look up at her.

"Okay, Boss... As your friend—"

"We're not friends," Avinalyn snaps and grabs her wrists to shove her hands off of them.

Mog clears her throat and nods stiffly. "Whatever you say, Boss. Anyway, I'm here because – and this is a safe space – I'm starting to get a wee bit... concerned," she says as Avinalyn briefly looks back over their shoulder. "About you. And, well... Your obsession. With Reela."

Avinalyn stops looking at the tavern to glare up at Mog. "I am not 'obsessed.' I am dedicated to the task given to me by my employer, and I am going to complete it," they state and straighten their shoulders. "And it would be easier without you getting in my way. I was just learning valuable information before you interrupted," they say and Mog slowly nods.