Tric and Heppa have different ways of processing the family dinner. Back in the scouting hut assigned to Alric, Heppa shares with her boyfriend her concerns about her father. Something felt off to her during dinner, but she cannot exactly put her finger on it. Could he just be acting this whole time, his whole manner a pretense? But how would she even be able to determine that? Heppa needs more information—preferably from as many sources as possible—to make that judgment.
“His library, when he’s not there, is a place you could dig,” Alric suggests. “I can help you break in, if you want.” He was a burglar before he became a bartender. Although he does not trot out those skills very often these days, this matter seems to be really bothering Heppa.
“Oh, then I could read his notes or get some ideas of—yes. Yes!” Heppa gives Alric a big kiss, grateful for the support.
As they then proceed to break into her own home, a small corner of Heppa’s mind wonders whether this is an exile-worthy offense if they get caught. That is a question that goes unanswered this day. Unfortunately, so do many of Heppa’s other ones concerning her father. She can find nothing in any of his notes to settle the sense of disquiet she feels lingering from dinner. Her stomach drops further when Alric draws her attention to what he has found in one of the drawers: an additional skull.
Heppa gasps in dismay, then picks it up and examines it for any signs of familiarity. It is just as creepy as the other two, but nothing about it is familiar. Thrandolil acquired it from some other source. This third skull suggests to Heppa that the tripod device does somehow use the skulls’ powers. From what she has heard and seen so far, they have some sort of unnatural healing power and they can amplify necromantic magic.
“He must be doing something on purpose,” Heppa murmurs, looking at the back corner of the library, where the device rests under a sheet at this moment. “It’s a very deliberate device… Might it not be completely defensive in nature? This is too complex for him to have just fumbled into it.” Heppa frowns, but she does not dig any deeper. She and Alric make their way swiftly and silently back to the scouting quarters. Although Heppa has new information, she is just as unsettled as before, and Alric gets to listen to her mutter theories late into the night. Magic theory is way beyond anything he is familiar with, so all he can do is lend a sympathetic ear and let her know she has his support.
As for Tric, he seeks consolation from his father. Nasir was at the dinner, too, and though he knows nothing of Tric’s conversation with Penna, he could see how drained Tric was after helping in the kitchen. When they get back to their house, Tric flops down on some cushions and observes, “Aunt Penna’s pretty tough.” Nasir nods wordlessly; Penna is his older sister, so he knows quite well what she is like. “But I think she and I managed to come to an understanding,” Tric continues. He does not want to lie to Nasir, but he also does not want to burden his dad with the full scope of what is going on. “We’re worried about Uncle Thran and how this battle is going to affect him,” he shares. “He hasn’t been in one since…”
“Yes,” Nasir says with understanding, not needing Tric to voice anything about that tragic time.
Tric lets out a long breath. “I’m going to look out for him, but I know I can’t be everywhere. We’re going to try to keep a close eye on him and make sure he’s able to do what he needs to do.” What we need him to do, that is, Tric adds to himself. He decides to leave it there; holding things back from Nasir makes him feel bad. “Do you want to do some night fishing? It’s been a long time since we’ve done that, and different fish bite at night.”
“Sure, my boy. That will be more relaxing than a formal dinner with your aunt.”
“Yeah, yeah. It was a good dessert, though. I love your cooking, Dad, but they have the best stocked larder.” On the way to the fishing hole, he regales Nasir with stories of snacks swiped from the pantry of House Thrandolil. Mate backs him up.