literature

The Adventures of Moth and Flame, Chapter 4

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Published: Jul 5, 2013

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Ewlys came running to Andromeda and Ryker when the crowds had finally parted enough. “What happened?” he demanded with sweat gleaming on his forehead. “I’ve gotten a dozen different reports all saying different things, and the press is hounding me for answers! And Good Mother, Ryker, are you okay?” he said, just noticing him in Andromeda’s hand.
“I’m fine. I don’t need you fussing over me,” Ryker answered. “I don’t have a clue as to what happened because there was a flash bomb or something.”
“That’s what you think?” Ewlys looked hard at Andromeda. “I had a report stating it was you who caused the fire, Andromeda.”
Ryker turned his head sharply. “What?”
“I was trying to see the thieves!” she protested. “It was too dark to see anything.”
“Well, you caused a panic and blinded all of the Lepiswings, rendering half of our search parties useless for nearly half an hour – crucial time wasted!” Ewlys looked away and ran a hand over his short hair. “At this point, I don’t even know how we’re going to find it now.”
Andromeda cringed, but tried to look tough. “I’m sure you can find some good trackers. After all, there can’t be that many places to take that thing.”
“Perhaps, but the real issue is time,” Ewlys said. “If we don’t find it soon—”
“I probably won’t ever see it again,” Ryker finished for him. He opened his eyes, though they looked bloodshot, and stood up. “I’m going to start searching.” He flew off, ignoring that Ewlys looked like he wanted to say something to him.
Ewlys sighed, and then faced Andromeda once more.
“So, I guess you don’t really need my help anymore here, huh?” she asked.
“That would be correct.”
“Then I suppose I’ll just take my pay and leave then, right?”
“Excuse me?” Ewlys exclaimed. “Why would I pay you anything? Were you not listening? You failed to protect the Moon Dew, put Ryker in danger, and caused even more trouble in the process! If anything, I should blacklist you!”
“Blacklist?” Andromeda’s eyes widened with shock. “You’re out of your mind!”
“It’s only fair for the trouble you’ve caused. Unless you can somehow get back the Moon Dew, you’ll never find work in this city again.”
Andromeda gritted her teeth, too outraged to speak. I did all I could…
“If you have nothing more to say, get out of my sight!” She didn’t move or answer, so Ewlys turned and left without another word.

Up on the rooftops, Ryker’s antenna twitched as he concentrated on detecting a scent trail. He jumped the gap between two buildings and paused again to search. If I just knew where to start, it wouldn’t be so hard, he thought with a sigh. There are too many places to hide this high up.
Ryker looked down to the square and saw Ewlys walking away from Andromeda. For a moment she didn’t move, and then she looked up at the tower with an expression of complete defeat. Oh boy, I don’t like how that looks… I hope Ewlys wasn’t too hard on her.
He jumped off of the roof and glided down towards Andromeda, landing in front of her. She had pulled up her knees to her chest and hid her face in her arms.
“Hey!” Ryker called. “Everything okay?”
Andromeda looked up, startled. “Huh?” Then she saw Ryker. “Oh, it’s you.” She faced the cobblestones to her side. “What do you want?”
“You looked upset, so I wanted to see what was wrong.”
“What’s wrong?’ she snapped. “I didn’t get paid, and I’m getting blacklisted. That’s what’s wrong!”
Ryker raised his eyebrows. “Oh.” He paused to think of it from Ewlys’ perspective. “I can see why.”
“If you’re just here to rub it in, you can go buzz off.”
“I’m not trying to rub in anything.” He jumped up and landed on her arm to be level with Andromeda’s face. “I’d like to help.”
“Really?” She narrowed her eyes. “Why?”
“I’m a gentleman, of course,” Ryker answered with a smile. “I can’t just leave a lady when she’s upset.”
Andromeda turned away. “The only way you can help me is by keeping me from getting blacklisted. And giving me my pay. I could have used my time somewhere else.”
“Eh?” Ryker scratched the back of his head sheepishly. “I still have a missing Moon Dew to worry about, you know. I can’t let you off the hook that easily.”
“Figures.” Andromeda sighed.
“You could try helping me find it,” Ryker suggested.
“That’s what Ewlys said, but I don’t think he was serious.”
“So? That’s my decision to make, not his. I want all the help I can get.”
Andromeda said nothing for a moment. “Fine. It’s either this or I build my reputation back up from scratch, and I’m not too keen on that.”
“That’s the spirit!” Ryker did a fist-pump. “I’m going to check with Ewy to see what leads he has, and I’ll meet you back here.”
Andromeda agreed, and Ryker found Ewlys shortly later at a table with the press.
Ryker landed on the table, interrupting a reporter’s question with his sudden appearance. “Ewy, do you have any leads for me?”
“Ryker, can’t you see I’m busy?” Ewlys asked, gesturing towards the press.
“Yeah, and so am I.” Ryker put his hand on his hip. “Andy and I are searching for the Dew, and I’d like to get going.”
“Andy? You mean Andromeda?” Ewlys’ eyes widened in shock. “Why?! She—”
“I know. Can you just point me in the right direction now?”
Ewlys looked like he wanted to argue, but thought better of it. “All the information on the case is on my desk in my office.”
“All right.” Ryker jumped up and flew away, calling thanks over his shoulder before Ewlys could say anything else.
The office building where Ewlys worked was closed due to the late hour, so Ryker slipped in through an air vent. He flew through the air ducts with ease and arrived in Ewlys’ office moments later. A potted plant and a family photo on the desk humbly decorated the otherwise austere room.
Ryker lifted each page like a blanket, skimming the reports. Good Mother, there’s a lot of info here, he thought with a scowl. I’m never going to get through all of this. And it doesn’t seem like anybody has a clue what happened, either. He dropped the pages he was holding and sat on the stack of papers to think. I guess I’ll just have to wait for Ewy to finish with the press.
Since Ryker didn’t want to wait in Ewlys’ office until then, he went back to Andromeda.
“Well?” Andromeda asked when he returned. She was standing on the edge of the square, since guards had cleared the area for the investigation.
“Ewy was busy, and there was too much paperwork on his desk for me to read through,” Ryker answered. He landed on the rim of a flowerpot.
“You’re just useless, aren’t you?” she quipped. “I talked to one of the investigators here.” Andromeda pointed up towards a building with many windows on the side. “The Dew was shot with a specialized arrow from there, and landed over there.” She then pointed towards another building on the other side with a flat roof. “I saw someone running away on that side, so we know at least two people were working together.”
Ryker raised his eyebrows. “Oh? Do they have a trail?”
“Sort of. These people knew you Lepiswings have a good sense of smell, so they had done a good job of scattering it.”
“I see. I’ll be right back, then. I want to check out this trail myself.” Ryker flew towards the flat-roofed building she pointed out earlier. Investigators and guards discussed the case on one corner of the roof and didn’t notice Ryker when he landed. For the most part he only detected the acidic tang of bird droppings and the scents of people present, but then he picked up an unfamiliar smell. That must be them.
Ryker asked the inspectors about it. They had identified that the thieves were humans, which unnerved him. Humans… Why it’d have to be humans?
He returned to Andromeda and she stated, “See what I mean now? We’re dealing with professionals.”
“Yeah. I don’t know what to do now. Only a human would understand human magic.”
“So, you need a human? I think I know where to find one.”
“You do?” Ryker looked up at her, surprised.
Andromeda smiled wryly. “Yeah. She owes me a favor, so I think its time to cash in.”

A tale of action, wit, and the unlikely friendship between a cynical girl skilled with fire-based magic and a tiny but daring moth-like boy.

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