Interlude: Theo

The city streets of Leeside were alive with talk regarding the news. To the east, on the distant borders of the Empire, the town of Wetbrook had been sacked. The news spread throughout the city like a plague after the rumour was verified, and the talk on the street was: The town was now inhabited by enormous spiders.

Apparently, Wetbrook had been at the mercy of spiders, big and dangerous spiders. Theo walked down the streets and needn’t trouble himself to buy a tabloid to get the scoop. Bakers, tailors, butchers, and everyone’s relative was talking about the news.

“Apparently there’s a spider queen that leads them” Theo heard an old woman say as she handed fresh bread to her neighbour.

“The Empire is rounding a great host to deal with the issue,” said another passer-by. “seen as Wetbrook is within the Emperor's protection”

“A whole lot of good that did when the town was being sacked,” said another “never understood why people would settle so far east”

By the time Theo arrived at the coffeehouse, he had heard several accounts of the story. He found it astonishing that the rumours were true and felt his stomach cramp uncomfortably at the idea of spiders—overrunning a town.

When he entered the coffeehouse, the bell above the door signalled his arrival. He took a seat near the window and waited to be served. The coffeehouse was small, unassuming and smelled pleasantly of roasted coffee beans. A young elf-like himself approached to ask him what he would like, and Theo ordered a coffee: lots of cream, lots of sugar. He lounged back and relaxed, casually looking out the window.

When his coffee arrived, he paid the barrister the ludicrous sum of seven copper and took a sip. It still held its core bitterness despite being heavily sweetened. Across the table from him, Theo regarded an interesting looking man, human to the eyes and adorned in an expensive suit of navy-blue and white. He sat reading the newspaper and sipped his own coffee, not letting his eyes leave the pages of the newspaper.

It was after Theo was into his third sip when he felt his head begin to fall as if vertigo suddenly hit. Theo hated the sensation of being communicated by magic. It was silent and safe, and not a single person in this coffeehouse would hear their conversation, but the sensation was still sickening none the less.

“Having fun?” the voice in Theo’s head asked. Theo recognised the voice and recognised the guy in the suit. His name was Cedrick Broome; an agent working for the Imperial Intelligence and Theo’s boss.

Theo took another sip without adverting his eyes from the window, his head felt light, his consciousness buoyant within his own mind.

“Let’s make this quick,” Theo said in his mind. “the coffee here is expensive”

There was a pause and Theo gripped the coffee mug tightly.

“Heard there was quite a mess in west wing last week, care to elaborate,” Cedrick said across telepathy.

Theo would rather not return to that night in the wizard’s chamber, remembering the blood, the ash, Thana, and how close he came to being a demon’s chew toy.

“I helped kidnap a wizard. It was the only way to get the guild’s trust,” Theo said. “and there was a demon involved.”

Theo heard Cedrick shift uncomfortably across the coffeehouse and cough loudly.

“Yes, we saw the mess and we’ve cleaned it up,” Cedrick said. “The boy wizard goes by the name Arthur, Arthur Downs. We tried to bring him in after his appraisal but he illuded us; let him realise how much of a mistake that was, try to find out why they want him.”

Theo took another sip of coffee, now feeling the effects heighten his mind and energize his body.

“Any idea at all why they want Arthur?” Theo asked.

“We have theories, but you’re to stand-by until we know more, “Cedrick said. “I want briefings every day now by sending stone.”

Theo shifted uneasily.

“That might be difficult,” he said.

“I don’t care,” came the response. “the webbed children are planning something big and I need new information the moment its available”

Someone else entered the coffeehouse and the bell rang. There was a pause, both men sipped their coffee and waited.

“They talk about a ‘Mother’,” Theo said, unsure whether to mention Thana as well. “and about a town out east. Is it connected to Wetbrook?”

There was a long pause, and Theo could almost hear Cedrick’s mind tick within his own mind.

“If you happen to hear any more on this ‘Mother’ inform me,” Cedrick replied. “Otherwise get close to Arthur, he’ll find out eventually what the guild wants from him and that’s your ticket of freedom if you still want it.”

“You mean you’ll let me go if I find out what the guild wants with the boy wizard?” Theo asked.

“Perhaps” Cedrick replied. Theo gritted his teeth together tightly.

“There is a girl I want you to keep an eye on too. Goes by the name ‘Sabrina Black’. She is an orphan at the Torrent Orphanage. Be a good elf and let me know if you see or hear anything strange regarding her.”

Cedrick rose abruptly, picked up his briefcase and left his newspaper behind on the table; then exited the coffeehouse without another word. Theo felt his mind return to normality and glanced at Cedrick for a heartbeat, he was not sure whether he was being watched by the guild still. After he finished his coffee, he too rose and left to visit the Torrent Orphanage. He wondered what could be so special about this girl in an orphanage, and what she had to do with the Imperial Intelligence. He thought about how he would discover the guild’s intention with Arthur Down’s, the boy wizard; and whether this ‘Mother’ was the spider queen he heard that old woman talking about.

After Theo was done thinking about such stuff, his head felt as light and dizzy as it had before.