Total pages in book: 164
Estimated words: 152666 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 763(@200wpm)___ 611(@250wpm)___ 509(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 152666 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 763(@200wpm)___ 611(@250wpm)___ 509(@300wpm)
I placed my palms on the flat workspace and then traced a couple grooves that had been cut into the wood. The edges of those grooves were dulled now, perhaps having been a novice’s mistake from long ago. No new scratches existed, demonstrating a mastery at work. The surface shone as though freshly cleaned, maybe tidied at the end of each day. Polished, too, though that didn’t smell fresh.
I bent to peer in the little cubbies on the right side, each labeled with a delicate, loopy scroll. The left had drawers and I opened each one, breathing in her scent, envisioning her sitting here, completing her tasks. She was probably studious, missing no details, painstakingly getting each part of the process correct. A hard worker, diligent.
Did she smile while she worked? Did she sit there, humming a little tune, unbothered by the destruction she was creating in the world beyond?
Another thought flashed. Maybe she wasn’t happy at all. Maybe she was forced into this labor, toiling at a job she didn’t have a choice in.
But if that were the case, would she really try to defend her mistress? Take on a room full of warriors with nothing but an axe? Those weren’t the actions of a captive.
Her tools were clean, well-tended to. The canisters and jars stood in a perfect line along the side. I pushed one just a bit out of line and wondered if she’d immediately fix it when she sat down to work, or if she only straightened everything at the day’s end. Not that I’d ever find out. We had her now, their drug maker. The brains behind this operation. The “talent.” She was done with this line of work; I’d make sure of it.
Disgusted with myself, I pushed up to standing.
Tanix stepped back into the room after talking with Nova and I was glad he missed my overly detailed analysis of the workstation.
“Nova says they found a work area in the garden, but it’s for pruning. Not for mixing,” Tanix said, standing by the wall. “There’s another little work area outside here, which we’ve seen, and the one by the creek, even smaller. Which we’ve also seen. Nothing else.”
I nodded, crossing to the other desk. “The woman we caught is obviously the backbone of this organization.”
“Is that her desk then?” Tanix jerked his chin toward the desk in the corner.
“Yes. This other desk has another scent entirely. It’s habitually used, as well. We need to find the person responsible.”
“The pack is spreading into the village now. We can place the other scents—the one from this shed and the other in the garden—once we have better access to the villagers.”
“Good.” I bent to the messy surface, pushing a pair of garden sheers out of the way. A note was scratched into the desk, the scribble looking almost like that of a child.
Grow eyes in the back of your head, son. She’s wily. She’ll stick a knife in your back.
Chapter 8
Weston
Ilooked behind me, half expecting someone to be advancing with a weapon. An axe, maybe.
“Check this out.” I tapped it and stepped to the side, shuffling through the other items.
Tanix joined me, leaning over to read it. He looked behind, as well, and I couldn’t help a grin.
“It seems the little axe wielder has her co-contributors nervous.” I found another note and shoved an iron spike out of the way to read it.
They are her spies. Do not trust the glow bugs.
“Or maybe this guy is bananas,” I murmured.
“There’s another written on this side.” Tanix knelt around the desk and then tilted his head to read it. “This one is warning about the moon flash boiling the blood.” He stood, an eyebrow arched. “These are not the scribblings of a rational man.”
“Mr. Gardener might be partaking in his own creations.” I pulled open the door at the back, finding some sort of closet with shelves lining the wall. Broken glass littered the ground, and appliances, some smashed or broken, were scattered about. Only the top two shelves were intact, the appliances placed neatly in a line. By the woman.
I’d bet my life on it.
“Did they know we were coming, then?” I reached, taking one down. “Were they trying to quickly get rid of the evidence?”
“The blood is fairly fresh, but not entirely recent. Last night, maybe?”
“Before we invaded.”
“But not before you saw the woman . . .”
I stiffened. He was correct. Not before.
“If my . . . slip up was the reason,” I said, grabbing another mechanism and pulling them both out, “why not discard the top rows?”
Tanix shook his head, reaching for what I held. I handed those over and pointed back at the closet.
“Pack them all up, even the broken ones. We’ll have the woman tell us what they do. The queen might be interested.”
“Yes, Alpha.” Tanix grabbed a broom from the corner and swept the glass away as he worked into the closet.