Airne found the butcher in Ardimon, but it wasn’t the same man she remembered. This man was older than Sedge’s son but nowhere near as old as Sedge.

“I don’t see Sedge,” she said when she entered the shop.

“Ach, nae,” he said. “Ol’ Sedge don’ passed it along t’ me when ‘is boy, Simon, married th’ Mateyus gal and moved out t’ th’ farm. That were mebee three or four summers gone, now.”

“Huh, I was out there and the place is deserted.”

“Oh, aye. A plague ran through th’ flocks when they was up in summer pasture. Th’ two youngest brought it back t’ th’ rest.” He looked at Airne, tipping his head as he stared. “Ye be th’ one that run off ain’t ye?”

“Yes,” replied Airne.

“They thought ye was dead.”

“I almost was. Slavers managed to find me and I ended up in Port Freehaven.”

“Port…” his eyes widened, and he took a step back. “Ye ain’t lookin’ fer slavies are ye?”

“No,” she shook her head. “A group of us survived a storm, and we found our way there. We learned who and what was driving the trade. Eventually, we found the leaders. I came back to let my family know what had happened.”

“Ah. Mikiel’s wife and boy passed t’ th’ great beyond th’ winter a’fore last. They was th’ last t’ go. Th’ gods bless ‘em.”

“Thank you, Master Butcher,” she said as she left the shop.

Airne and Evie went back to the inn to decide what to do next.

“At least you know, now.”

“Yeah.” Airne thought back to the good times she’d had with her siblings. There weren’t many.

Mostly, she’d been the family scapegoat. The twins would cause all manner of mischief and she’d get the blame. She was well sick of it when she left. And honestly, she couldn’t say she’d miss any of them. Then guilt gnawed at her conscience. Was that really fair? Well, as far as the twins were concerned, it was. They’d been cruel to her as long as she could remember. In fact, they were the main reason she left.\

“Well, tomorrow we can arrange travel to the mainland,” said Airne. “It’s well past time I get myself to Rithraunen and the library. Do you still want to come?”

“Aye,” replied Evie. “Th’ clues I picked up in Freehaven tol’ me I’d find what I’m lookin’ for in th’ library there.”

“Right then. Tomorrow, I’ll book passage on the next ship to Abad’Noir.”