It hadn’t occurred to me that R?ven might not be home. How thoughtless of me. Of course, R?ven wouldn’t be home. She was a messenger, travelling across the country to deliver letters. She could be anywhere right now.
The messenger shop: I would try there next. I wondered if the middle-aged shop keeper would recognise me; no doubt she had seen the wanted posters.
Perhaps this was a bad idea. I was in the middle of a city where my face was known … where I had enemies.
I had to try and find R?ven. The whole trip would be a waste otherwise. I pulled out a scarf from my backpack, and wrapped it around my nose and mouth. Of course, in this warm weather I would look strange, but at least no one would recognise me. Hawthorne slunk down an alleyway to wait for me.
I hurried along the cobbled streets, admiring the multi-coloured foliage on the trees. It was like a painting; green grass, pink petals, and blue sky. I thought I could really enjoy this city if I was to give it a second chance, though I knew that was not possible.
The streets were familiar, yet strangely different. It took a while for me to get my bearings. Finally, I located the messenger shop after several minutes of wandering. Adjusting my scarf to ensure it covered most of my face, I stepped into the cramped messenger shop. It hadn’t changed since I’d last been here, many months ago.
‘Allo, dear,’ said the large, hairy woman behind the counter whose name I couldn’t remember. I thought it might be Gretchen, but I wasn’t sure.
‘Hello.’ My voice was muffled behind the scarf. ‘I was wondering if R?ven was in?’
‘No, she ain’t here.’
‘Can you tell me when she will be back?’
‘Can’t say.’ She shrugged, scratching the stubble under her chin.
‘Why not?’ I pressed, rather agitated.
‘R?ven don’t work here no more,’ said Gretchen.
I raised my eyebrows. ‘What? What do you mean she doesn’t work here anymore? Where does she work now?’
‘Fired her,’ said Gretchen simply. ‘Unreliable. Kept going missing for days at a time.’
I felt a stab of guilt. R?ven had skipped work to assist me in finding Helena two months ago. Was it my fault she had been fired from her messenger job? Regardless of whether it was my doing, I didn’t know where R?ven was or if she even lived at the same house.
‘Do you know where I can find her?’ I asked.
Gretchen rolled her eyes and looked at the large map that plastered the shop wall. This map showed all the towns and cities the messenger shop delivered to, and the price it would cost.
‘Pick a city,’ she said. ‘She could be anywhere, that girl. Free as a bird, the saying is, isn’t it?’
‘Thanks for your help,’ I muttered, turning for the door. I was not very thankful at all.
‘You know,’ Gretchen began slowly. I turned to face her, my hand still on the door. ‘You ain’t foolin’ no one.’
‘I beg your pardon?’
‘I know who you are,’ she said in a matter-of-fact tone.
I stepped away from the door. ‘Do you?’
Gretchen nodded. ‘It’s me Power, knowin’ things I shouldn’t.’
‘Well, why don’t you tell me what you know?’ I said, feeling rather daring.
‘You’re the one.’ She gave me a yellowing smile. ‘The one they’re lookin’ for.’
‘Is that right?’ I said, growing angrier by the second. Gretchen’s taunts would not be tolerated.
Remain calm, I told myself.
‘You’re the one that got rid of Elvira Frost,’ said Gretchen.
I hadn’t expected that. ‘I … what?’
‘Yeah,’ Gretchen continued, proudly. ‘All the city folk bin wonderin’ who did it, and I says “I reckon it’s a Fire-Mage that did it” you know? Who else could get rid of an Ice-Mage?’
‘How do you know I’m a Fire-Mage?’ I asked.
‘I told you, it’s my Power, knowin’ things I shouldn’t. Besides, the damn shop’s temperature increased by ten degrees when you walked in.’ She tapped the thermometer that was on the wall.
Gretchen was not taunting me at all. The look in her eyes was one of unmistakable gratitude.
‘You aren’t … mad?’ I asked hesitantly.
‘Mad?’ Gretchen repeated with raised eyebrows. ‘Why would I be mad? The whole city is in your debt, freein’ us from the never-endin’ winter! Don’t you know the history of this City? Only now are we free to talk about it.’
‘I know a little,’ I admitted. ‘It used to be called Phoenix Arch, didn’t it?’
Gretchen nodded. ‘Phoenix Arch was founded several hundred years ago by a warrior Fire-Mage by the name of Ronald Phoenix. You see, he was on a quest to find a peaceful place for the evicted citizens of his destroyed hometown. Then he found this place.’ Gretchen waved a hand at the shop window. ‘He chose this place ‘cause of the warm weather and beautiful trees that grew.’
‘So how did Elvira Frost come to rule?’ I asked.