Seekers of the Stone Maker
Heated Water

The Scattered Crow was still quiet, with the troupe being their only patrons. Mr. Muffins had guessed earlier that Aramore would not be considered an ‘ideal vacation spot,’ but he did wonder how an inn would make money without people traveling this way. Thankfully, it was also a tavern, and he assumed that’s how the owner usually made enough to fund his homestead.

Walking into his room, he grabbed a bathrobe and went to the bathroom. While the cold outside would make any bath regrettable, the heated pipes in the building instantly made the water hot, so he filled the tub and readied himself for a relaxing hour of rest before figuring out his attire and making plans with everyone else. He had started to take his robe off as the door to the bedroom opened.

“Mr. Muffins, I’d like to speak with you,” Leaf’s voice bounced off the bare walls.

He didn’t have time to cover himself fully as Leaf burst through the room, a look of worry on his face turning to surprise as he walked in.

“Ah! Sorry!”

“Can you knock!?”

“Sorry, sorry…”

Leaf stepped out of the room, his eyes closed and waiting. Mr. Muffins tied the robe back around him, then sighed, wondering if he would ever know peace again.

“What do you want?”

Leaf took a slow step back into the room, his face flush with embarrassment.

“I wanted to discuss something that happened while we fought the basilisks.”

“A lot happened, Leaf.”

“It did, but something else happened.”

Mr. Muffins watched him closely and realized that he looked distraught.

“When the minerals were on our hands, I discovered it was blue phosphorus.”

“That helped quite a bit, Leaf. I wasn’t sure if water was the best move until you mentioned it. How did you know what it was?”

“That’s the thing. I didn’t. Not at first, at least.”

“What do you mean?”

“The woman we saved, then fought. Helena… I think she’s found a way to stay connected to me.”

Mr. Muffins sat on the lip of the bathtub. Helena seemed more powerful than he initially thought, but considering a deity had been after her, maybe he had wholly underestimated her abilities.

“How is she connected to you, Leaf?”

“When you yelled out about the stuff, she spoke in my head, telling me what it was.”

“She can see, hear, and talk to you.”

“Yes.”

“I know divination magic is readily taught, but I thought Berkton taught people how to become undetectable?”

“In later years, yes. It’s taught to students as a way to stop cheating, but I was only there for a few years, and Orin had plans for later, but I hadn’t learned it yet.”

“Well, it’s something that should be looked into sooner rather than later. How long has this been going on?”

“Very recently. The first time I remember was during the vision we received, but I assumed you all heard that.”

“We did. Rhokhishi ended up seeing more, as well, of her watching us. She had just left, so it made sense that she looked, but it seemed like a one-time situation. Now we know it’s not.”

“So, what do we do?” Leaf asked.

“I guess we sit tight on that information. A lot is happening here, but hopefully we’ll be out of this frozen shithole soon. Then, you need to learn how to make yourself undetectable from her.”

They sat silently for a few minutes, and then Mr. Muffins stood up.

“It’s been fun chatting, but I don’t want this water to get cold. Go ahead and close the door.”

“Oh, right.”

Leaf stood and let the door close behind him as he left the room. Mr. Muffins waited until he could hear the door close to the bedroom, too, before removing his robe and getting into the water.

What have we gotten ourselves into?