ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ sᴇᴠᴇɴ || ᴛʜᴇ sᴇᴀʀᴄʜ
Lucia
We disembarked at the port of an Amayan coastal city that I'd forgotten the name of.
"I've received word from one of my contacts may have a lead," Tyler waved a scroll in the air as he walked.
We were headed toward the city centre, cobbles uneven under my feet.
"So, which contact is it?" Niko skipped ahead to walk beside the guardian. "Do we know them?"
Tyler chuckled and raised a brow. "Oh yes, you know her very well." He looked around, then pointed ahead. "She said we could meet up at that cafe."
"Can we also get something to eat," Sasha butted in dramatically, "I'm starving!"
I rolled my eyes, but honestly I would've been lying if I said I didn't expect it. My stomach rumbled as well, reminding me that Sasha wasn't the only hungry one.
"That's the plan," Tyler jogged up the steps and pulled open the door to the cafe.
We filed in, and I was hit almost immediately with the aroma of sweet pastries and coffee. The smell only amplified my hunger, and a glance at the others told me I wasn't the only one.
Tyler shot a cursory look around the cafe. "I'll grab a table," he decided. "You guys can go check out the menu."
I followed Sasha and Niko as they joined the line up to the counter.
"Those sticky buns look really good," Niko said, practically drooling.
"Hmm, I'm impartial to the savoury ones, myself." A familiar voice chimed in.
I spun around, pink hair flashing in my vision.
"Hoya!" Sasha exclaimed, identifying the person before I could.
The woman grinned, shaking her unruly hair out of her eyes. The pink had faded a bit, brown roots starting to show. "Hey, strangers. It's been a while."
"It has!" Niko was grinning so wide it looked like his face was going to crack. I could tell he was restraining himself from throwing his hands around Hoya's neck.
"Uh, Tyler grabbed a table over there," I pointed toward where the rest of the team had gathered. "If wyou wanna go say hi."
"Ah, that's where they're hanging out." Hoya clapped Sasha's shoulder. "Grab me something, wouldja?"
He nodded and she walked away toward the table.
We bought a bunch of pastries– and a coffee for Tyler, of course– and returned to the table.
Hoya had taken her place beside Tyler, leaving the rest of us to draw up chairs and dump our purchases on the rather small table. The looks out group got suggested that parties of nine were rare, and clearly not very appreciated, in the cafe.
"The lead I got was gossip. Nothing but word of mouth, about a kid." Hoya was saying, "this kid– a street urchin, according to my informant– was in the middle of stealing from the market when the whole world went still and a spider appeared. My informant tracked them to their hiding place, but has not seen the kid leave since."
Tyler rubbed at his chin, the steam that rose from his coffee distorting his face in my vision. "When was this?"
"Few months ago." Hoya waved a hand very vaguely.
"Great," Sasha clapped. He leaned back into his chair, tipping it on two legs, and sighed. "So we have a location that might be empty and a kid that might not have even summoned anything. That's real helpful."
Zay's mouth twisted, clearly echoing his sentiment. "And the last time this kid was supposedly seen– which, by the way, is all gossip– was a few months ago."
A quick glance around the table showed me that many seemed to agree, their lips pulled into frowns or their brows furrowed.
Hoya shrugged. "I've found people with less. It really all depends how tight we are on time."
Tyler took a long drink from his coffee and set the empty cup back down with a thud. "Time is, unfortunately, one of the few things we do not have."
I straightened at that, surprised. "Wait, why?"
He shot me a look. "Classified."
"As always." Hoya grumbled, and for a moment I was unsure whether she meant the classified part or the time-sensitive part.
Niko finished off his sticky bun and dusted off his hands. "Well then, what are we waiting for?"
Tyler raised a brow. "Eager, are we?" But he stood, adjusting his coat.
The rest of us followed his lead. From the corner of my eye, I saw Sasha stuff the last of his pastry all the way into his mouth, and smothered a laugh at how his cheeks bulged like a chipmunk's.
Zay scolded him quietly as we made our way out of the cafe.
"My informant gave me the address," Hoya pulled a folded piece of parchment from inside her jacket. "It's an abandoned farmhouse, just on the outskirts of the city."
"Makes sense, the city's militia wouldn't have regular patrols there, or their usual jurisdiction. It's the perfect place for a street rat to hang out." Tazi spoke confidently, his voice sharp.
Hoya shot him a look from the corner of her eye. Anyone who wasn't looking would've missed it, but I was looking. "An orphan." She corrected mildly. "And how do you know So much about the militia?"
Tazi opened his mouth to fire off a retort, but Sabien jumped in before he could. The islander had clearly taken notice of the tense situation. "So, who's this informant of yours, anyway?" He directed the question at Hoya.
Clever distraction, I thought.
She shot him a smirk. "That's classified."
"Seriously?" Sasha complained. "Why?"
"We're here." Tyler interrupted tactfully.
Sasha groaned in annoyance, but was quickly shushed by Zay.
"So what do we do now?" Navia asked in a hushed voice, the first she'd spoken since getting off the ship.
Niko rolled out his shoulders and cracked his neck. "We go see if anyone is home." He stepped forward purposefully.
My heart leapt into my throat, "is that really such a good idea?" I reached out to catch the Niloan's arm.
He turned back to me and shrugged. "It's the only one we've got." Niko glanced at the others. "Right?"
Sasha stepped up beside him. "I'm with you." He looked around and cracked a very convincing grin. "Cmon, it'll be fun." He waved his hand.
I sighed. "Okay, fine."
The rest of the team followed Niko and Sasha, marching up to the farmhouse. Tyler raised his hand and, looking dubious, rapped twice on the wood.
6/08/21
dun dun dunnnn
:))) yeah so hoya's back
i couldn't just let her leaveee she's great!!
enjoy! xx
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