12
Caius led me outside and into the dreary overcast weather. A malaise hung over the town like a wet blanket as we stepped off the wooden sidewalk and into the muddied street. The atmosphere was subdued as those few who mingled on the street were huddled together and whispered to one another.
One of those secretive groups was a pair of boys who huddled beneath the awning of a blacksmith shop across from the inn. They had their bent heads close together and were using the light from the forge to study a damp rag.
Caius lifted an eyebrow. “They’re up to something.”
I snorted. “Does it remind you of you and your brother?”
He flashed me a mischievous grin. “Somewhat, but let’s go see what they’re plotting.”
“But we’re supposed to be looking for clues to the problems here,” I poin
