Inn
792 Words
It only took a few hours to reach the village. I saw Fergus take to the skies to meet us.
Why'd it have to be him?
"Where's Felix?" Fergus asked immediately as he fell beside me.
"He..." I looked down at Jordan's head. I couldn't face Fergus. Not after...no.
"No," Fergus stated. I looked away and at the clear blue sky. It was beautiful.
"The warlock was there, Fergus," my voice shook as I struggled to hold in the tears in.
"You just let him take him?!" He demanded.
"You better calm down there, sir," Jacob spoke from behind me, "she would be dead if she tried."
I heard Fergus sigh and we lowered into the center of the village. There was a small crowd gathered and Annabella was at the front.
"Poor Annabella," Fergus muttered as he climbed off his dragon. Without looking at anyone, he stomped away.
"Alaina..." Annabella walked up to me and grabbed my shoulders, "where is Felix?"
"I..." I muttered as I looked at her muddy boots.
"Alaina..."
"The warlock," I said, "he...he was there."
"Oh, Alaina," Annabella said as she pulled me into her arms.
"I'm so sorry," I cried into her shoulder.
"Shh..." She said as she led me into the inn. I felt eyes on me as we left the group. I found Midnight, sitting alone in the sun.
Poor guy, I muttered as I frowned. Nathaniel. I needed to find him.
"Who?" Annabella asked as we walked up the stairs to my room. Did I really say that out loud?
"Nathaniel Jenkins," I said as I opened the door. I collapsed on my bed and stared up at the ceiling.
"Why?" Annabella asked as she sat on the bed. I could tell she was holding in her emotion. Her jaw was clenched and her hands were grasped sharply on her lap.
"He...I had a dream about him," I told her as I sat up. He could be anywhere in the world right now. He would be trouble to find especially since I only had a name. However, my dad kept a record of who came to the inn, especially ones he didn't necessarily like.
He didn't like Nathaniel. It was the barn that went aflame. My father's inn burned down.The records were thick books that my father kept in the cellar. The cellar was made of stone...it should still be intact. My father made it so it would survive an attack.
"I need to go," I told her as I stood.
"Where?" She asked as she followed me down the stairs. The inn was only a couple miles from here, Jordan should get me there in an hour tops.
"My father's inn," I said simply as I stepped outside.
"Why?" Annabella asked as I whistled for Jordan. The crowd had dispersed mostly, except for our little group of dragon riders.
"Where are you going? You should stay," Arthur said as he watched my climb onto my dragon, "rest up."
"Let her go," Jade snapped.
"What?" Magnus asked as he turned to Jade.
"She just lost her best friend," Jade said, "I'd much rather do something than nothing."
"Come back at least," Annabella said as she forgot her question. Her eyes were full of sadness as she watched me leave.
It took an hour to find the spot and almost another before I could make Jordan land. He could smell the residue...he could smell the chaos that had gone on.
"It's okay," I told him as I patted his nose. He gave a huff before bounding into the trees. I smiled and turned towards the sight.
The barn was obliterated. There were no remains. The inn, however, was charred with black and the windows were all broken. One corner of the ceiling had caved in but it otherwise looked like it was still fine. As always.
The door was only holding on with one hinge as I stepped through. The door fell off it's hinge and crashed down behind me. I rolled my eyes as I made my way through the dining room. Like all the warlocks attacks, there were no bodies. I was beginning to wonder if he did the same to everyone as he did to Felix.
I made my way over the overturned chairs and broken tables. It was like a punch in the gut to see the inn like this. My father loved this place and now it would never be used again.
The kitchen was better than the dining room. The door to the cellar was right beside the cooker, hidden under a heavy rug.
I opened the door and coughed as the musty air caught my nose. I took a deep breath before stepping into the dark stairway.
- Writer
