The Moonlit Curse

Ch 5: Io's Curse

Kiya was slow to follow Hadyn's lead, taking her time getting comfortable in one of the magistrate's overstuffed chairs. "I have many stories. The whole library of the Monster Corps is locked right up here." she smiled and tapped her temple. "Which would like to hear?"

"Your story. Tell me about you, Kiya."

"My story is short and not worth telling."

"I don't believe that. Not for a single second." Hadyn leaned back and gave her a patient smile. "The magistrate asked me to speak to a young, wide-eyed recruit. Instead, I get to speak to her lieutenant. I do agree with Elliot that I, too, would have expected the higher-ranking officer to manage the business side of this gathering. Though, my assumptions are for entirely different reasons."

"I understand but, trust me, you want Elise's hands on the magistrate's accounts. Nobody knows capital business and logistics like her."

"Be that as it may, you are still a lieutenant who is far younger than I would have expected from the king's army. How were you promoted so young? And how did you become the proclaimed master of history and stories by your team?"

So she wouldn't have to answer right away, Kiya took a long sip of her tea. It was one thing to talk about her military experience to other soldiers, but completely another when it involved a stranger as far away from normal society as possible.

Hadyn never looked away, his green eyes boring into her, and once again she was struck by the strange connection she felt to the man. "I'll tell you mine, if you tell me yours," she finally said with a feigned smile. "How did you get appointed as the main contact between the town and the villages?"

"Avoiding the topic will not make it go away."

Kiya's heart thudded hard against her chest, and her body went hot. She didn't so much hear the words with her ears as they resonated inside her head. Just like when August ordered her to stay put in his bar.

But this wasn't an order. It was a powerful reminder that he would hear her answer. The stubbornness in her drove her to clench her teeth together and sip tea through her lips again.

"I have a brother who lives in town," Hadyn relented. "I come here often enough to check on him. Since I'm already traveling back and forth, I just started picking up the errands that needed doing. My wife's family is here as well, and my children love the equinox festivals every six months. It makes the most sense that it's me."

"But why do they need a point of contact? Business must be done. It seems inefficient to put everything in the hands of one man."

"The villagers like to keep to themselves. They come into town when and if they need to. But in the case that, for example, six capital soldiers decide to come and stay for four months..."

"We're not enforcers."

"There is little difference between local law enforcement, border patrols, and monster hunters to us. Either way, we are not the kind of people who are particularly welcoming of the military. You see this place as a town, maybe even a village, in comparison to the big city. For us, this is the big city. We value our privacy and our anonymity. Considering how the north came under control of the Westmoran crown, can you blame us for avoiding military types?"

"No, I... I'm sorry. I know that the reality is bloodier than the official version."

"It's cultural as well. The further north you go, the closer we stick to our traditions. We have celebrations honoring the goddess that have long been forgotten by the southern population. We honor nature differently and leave sacrifices to the beasts to appease their tempers."