‘It doesn’t say where,’ Jack continued, looking at the poster. ‘It says they hold meetings at midnight, but it doesn’t say where they are.’
I pursed my lips thoughtfully and scanned the flyer but couldn’t find any clues as to the meeting’s location.
Jack shrugged. ‘Looks like we will be going for a midnight wander.’
Jack and I turned from the poster as a man in a burnt umber cloak swept in front of us and tore the poster down, ripped it into tiny pieces before throwing it to the floor and stomping on it vigorously.
The stranger had a silhouette of a tree on his cloak. I figured this was the symbol for some kind of authority group in Flamethroat, I had seen it many times already.
The cloaked man turned to glare at Jack and I. ‘Did you put this up? Did you?’ He pointed to the shredded paper that lay at his feet.
‘No,’ I said, retreating as Hawthorne gave a low growl.
‘It wasn’t us,’ Jack said stepping forward. ‘We only read it.’
The man rounded on Jack. ‘Read it did you? Thinking of joining the rebels, are you?’
‘Rebels?’ I repeated, peeking around Jack’s shoulder. ‘They’re seeking equality and peace, aren’t they? That’s hardly a-’
‘Peace?’ The man interrupted, ‘Ha! We’ve had three attacks on the Human market this week!’
‘Attacks?’ Jack said with narrowed eyes. ‘What kind of attacks?’
The stranger scrutinized Jack and I closely. ‘What’s that accent you have there? You two aren’t from Flamethroat, are you?’
‘We only just arrived today,’ I said as innocently as I could.
‘We’re from the north,’ Jack explained, ‘Frost Arch and Mortlock.’
The stranger’s eyes darted between us. ‘You’re a long way from home. Why have you come to Flamethroat then?’
‘Tourists,’ I lied.
‘Is this your first time to the Valley?’ he shot.
‘Yes,’ I said honestly.
‘Ha!’ The man pointed at me. ‘A tourist with a Spirit? You’re having a laugh.’
I felt as though I had just missed a step going downstairs. ‘What?’ I said. ‘You mean Hawthorne?’
‘Of course,’ said the man. ‘Not many outsiders have animal Spirits, unless they’re stinking rich.’
‘Why not?’
‘Animal Spirits aren’t shipped from Flamethroat unless they are a special order for someone very rich or very powerful and you don’t look like neither, missy. Not to mention he looks like one expensive creation if you ask me. Not many kids your age can afford a flying mount.’
‘He escaped and I found him,’ I lied.
I knew Hawthorne was a combination of many species, his technical name being 'Vulmessian'. Elvira Frost had revealed to me months ago that Hawthorne had been created by a Mage who had the Power to crossbreed animals and shape their genetics at will. The truth was, I had stolen Hawthorne as a pup.
The man scoffed. ‘Mighty lucky then, if that’s true, which I doubt it is. Anyway, not much can be done about it now that he has bonded with you.’
I glanced over my shoulder at Hawthorne who looked just as puzzled as I. ‘Why are there so many animals Spirits here? I thought the Mage who created them lived in Concord City?’
The man scowled, ‘People have been referring to Flamethroat as a suburb of the capital city for years.’
I looked at Jack for support, who promptly changed the subject. ‘So why all the questions?’ he interrupted.
‘Hmph,’ the man grunted. ‘Been getting a lot of funny folk around here, you know? Human empathisers,’ He said dramatically.
‘Is that who is putting up the posters?’ I asked.
‘Yeah,’ the man said. ‘I’ve been tearing them down all week, trying to catch the buggers who are putting them up. I reckon they’ve got someone with the Power of invisibility, but we don’t have anyone like that on our citizen register.’
‘I’m sorry, but who are you?’ Jack asked as politely as he could manage.
‘Reginald Walter, head of the Human-Watch committee, member of the Guard and in charge of taking down these pro-Human activist groups.’
‘Any luck yet?’ I contorted my expression into one of polite interest.
‘Squat’.
‘You haven’t located their meetings?’ Jack asked.
Reginald Walter shook his head. ‘We’ve been scouring the city, day and night for the last week. We don’t know how they meet or where their headquarters are.’
‘Do you have any idea who formed this group, uh, what was it? H.E.L.E.N.A?’ I enquired.
Reginald looked around before leaning closer. ‘We’ve been getting a lot of new faces in the Valley this past week. Northerners, like you two. I’d bet anything it’s one of them.’
‘Where do visitors to the Valley usually stay?’ Jack asked. ‘We’re still looking for accommodation.’
‘Most new faces stay at the lodge on Eastmoreland place, just around the corner from the manor. You can’t miss it-’
‘The manor?’ I asked.
‘Yeah. The Martinez manor. Biggest house in the Valley.’