Eight Gods on a Windowsill

 Silas and Hina finally came out from the house, carrying both lanterns. When they were fully free of the door's frame, they looked around a bit, eyeing the burnt bits of dirt, and then Silas asked, "What did we miss?"

 Abryi smiled.

 Silas looked around at everyone in confusion. He didn't know where to start. Instead of asking Abryi, who he was sure wasn't going to bother giving him an answer, he walked up to the new face and introduced himself. "Detective Silas Dartmouth, Atlanta's Rest Police Department. How do you do?"

 Campbell reintroduced himself. Then, he said something very interesting. "We have been waiting a long time for the coming of a former resident of this town. We have been systematically burying the dead; but, I held hopes that someone had survived. There is a small outpost farther in town where the rest of the refugees are."

 "You called yourself, King of Haddock, when you introduced yourself before." I commented, not really sure how to ask anything of this stranger. I used my sleeve to put pressure against the blood that collected in the wound the hell-hound inflicted. To my surprise, it felt cloying already, as though it had already stopped bleeding.

 "The other refugees have elected me their king." Campbell responded. "Come, it is not safe to talk here in the barrenness. Let us go where the Prince of Liars cannot easily do his bidding." He motioned for us to follow him.

 We decided it was best that we did as he asked. Something told me he wasn't like Benny or Silas. He knew Abryi descended from Hered. That alone was more than someone should know. Perhaps, he, too, was a follower of the faceless gods. As we walked behind him, the buildings of the town looked less and less destroyed or forlorn. I was pleasantly surprised to see that some of the town survived the onslaught of the Sixth War.

 "This side of town was untouched." Campbell said unexpectedly. "Either the whole of the town evacuated or the automata never made it this far. We made our camp here anyway, seeing as this part of the town could be easily inhabited." Then, he said, "I was hoping someone who originally lived in the town would come back. I wanted to rebuild it to its former glory." I could feel a smile spread across his face, even though his back was to me.

 "You just didn't expect me, a member of the House of Haddock." I responded.

 "Exactly."

 I could feel everyone else's eyes on me. They were walking behind me. I doubt any of them truly put the pieces together. There is a reason that the town was named for my uncle. And, though I knew they hadn't bothered doing any research, all of the Sandlands' leaders had been my relatives, except for its last. For now, I ignored the feeling of the questions they wanted to ask. They would get their chance. Eventually.

 By now, we had reached the inhabited part of the old town. Lanterns hung outside of the buildings, lit to allow passersby to see the streets. I could feel eyes looking at me from the windows. I supposed it had to be rare that someone came to this place.

 "We will head to town hall."

 In the last moments of the Sandlands, Haddock's town hall had doubled as the Capitol building. The parliament and president held their office there at that time. I remembered coming there every so often with Uncle Thaddeus. The place was so huge compared to all the other buildings around it.

 At this point, people started coming outside to see who it was Campbell was leading and where we were headed. The stark difference from the ruins at the other end of town was amazing. It made Atlanta's Rest look even more dilapidated. The closer we came to the town hall, the more people came out of their houses and shops. Even the places we had already passed by.

 I hated being on display.

 We finally reached the town hall building. Behind it, you could see the remains of Wright Patman Lake. The building was about five stories tall, full of windows, and very twenty-first century modern. As we passed through the double doors, the vaulted ceiling had mosaic depicting the Sandlands' flag. Beyond that, I could see rows of ceiling fans, no longer operational and rusted. Lanterns hung throughout. Straight ahead was the main meeting hall. Off to the left side were a couple of doors.

 Campbell made his way to the third door and let everyone inside, taking a seat behind the desk. After everyone had entered the room, he declared, "Welcome to New Haddock."

 Abryi stepped forward. "How did you know who we are? You called me a descendant of Hered."

 Campbell smiled. "I too am a descendant of Hered." He paused. "There are many fractions like us. Some are worse off than others. But, all have abilities that come from their lineage." He turned to me. "You, on the other hand, daughter of Rammel, have something more important than all of us."

 "What do you mean?"

 "I am well aware of why you went into that bunker." He said. "All of the Minor Ones are aware. Before you ask, my father is Kaddyr Lothbrok. He asked me to keep an eye out for Nesbeth's favorite."

 "Nesbeth's favorite?" Silas sounded shocked. 

 Somehow, I had already guessed. Nesbeth was not one to hide his feelings about certain things. But, what really caught me off guard was the fact that Campbell said all the Minor Ones knew what I was doing. It seemed a little too perfect when we were attacked on our way to Haddock. Or, that once we'd found what we were looking for Yog Thalthos arrived to interrupt what we were doing. So, if all the Minor Ones knew, did that mean they were about to play their parts in this, whatever it was Nesbeth wanted me to do?

 "Do you know more about what the Minor Ones want me to do?" I asked. Nesbeth hadn't been very forthcoming.

 "For now, all my father has told me is that you are to train your gifts."

 "Well, our training has been interrupted." Abryi said. "I don't know if it is very safe to go back to that other side of town to continue what we were doing."

 Campbell shook his head. "Not at this hour. You might as well rest up while you can." He then reached into the drawer of his desk and took out three keys. "These are the keys to the Hotel Jezebel. You can rest there." Then, to Silas, he added, "I have more documents if you need to find something to occupy your time while Rammel's daughter is training. I'm sure that Thaddeus kept records of the prophecy."

 Silas led us out of the town hall. "Campbell is right. We need rest."

 The hotel was easy to find. There was a nice big sign on the overhang. After we found which rooms we would take, Abryi came to me. At first, I thought he was going to try to harass me again like he did in my uncle's house. But, the look on his face said something more serious.

 "Tomorrow, we will continue our training. Meet me by the lake." And then, he was gone.