The Mayor of Tenebra

"Wait," I said to Brielle. "I thought we were headed into town."

Instead of Tenebra proper, we had stopped before a massive mansion nestled in the forest on the town's outskirts. It was smaller than the royal palace, but impressive nonetheless. We dismounted.

"The princess arranged for us to stay at the mayor's mansion for the duration of the mission," Brielle explained as we approached the main doors. The guards, seeing our approach, unlocked the gates to let us pass.

Inside, a retinue of butlers and servants greeted us.

"Welcome to my home, Lady Vance and Lord Arc," a portly man with short, neat black hair and an ornate gown remarked. "I am Alaric Thorne, Mayor of Tenebra. It is a pleasure to finally meet you."

"The pleasure is ours," Brielle replied with a smile.

The mayor led us to a living room that was, I had to admit, opulent. I'd met my share of local leaders during my tours in the Arid Expanse, but none had a residence this lavish.

The mayor took a seat on a sofa across from where Brielle and I sat. Standing beside him was a young woman who was clearly not human. She had long blond hair, striking blue eyes, and a pair of white rabbit ears perched atop her head, complemented by a matching tail. Her attire consisted of a miniskirt, stockings, and a white blouse that did little to conceal her cleavage. She was undeniably attractive, a thought I quickly dismissed.

"We've gathered some intelligence on the bandits' hideout after questioning several witnesses," the rabbit-woman stated. "Our intelligence suggests their base of operations is in the slums. They tend to operate in small groups, and their primary targets are the town guards."

"Excellent work, Lyra," the mayor remarked.

I held up a hand. "Question."

"Yes?" Mayor Thorne inquired.

"Why are they targeting the guards specifically, instead of civilians?" I asked. The blank expressions on both Thorne's and Lyra's faces did nothing to quell the uneasy feeling coiling in my gut.

"Oh, they do attack civilians, but their focus seems to be on the guards. We suspect they're after their equipment," Lyra explained, though she paced away, stroking her chin in thought. "Honestly, we don't have a definitive reason why," she finally admitted. "Is that detail important, Lord Arc?"

"Not particularly. Just making a mental note," I replied flatly.

"So, when do we assault their hideout?" the mayor pressed. "The town guard is ready to move at a moment's notice."

I exchanged a look with Brielle, who gave a slight nod. "We'll launch the assault in two days," she announced. "First, we need to conduct our own reconnaissance, patrol the town, and observe the bandits' operational patterns."

The mayor and the rabbit-woman—Lyra—exchanged a fleeting, tense glance before she spoke. "Understood. We will assign a contingent of guards to assist you tomorrow."

"That won't be necessary, Miss Lyra," I answered, a hint of irritation coloring my tone.

"On the contrary, it is absolutely necessary," Thorne insisted, though a flicker of hesitation undermined his forceful tone. "The bandits could strike at any time. It would be far too dangerous for you to patrol alone."

"We're here to stop the bandits, Mayor, not get caught in a parade," I countered. "We've walked into countless ambushes before, some involving magic that could vaporize a man where he stands. We work better alone." I let that sink in, then softened my tone, taking a small, perverse pleasure in their discomfort. "However, I understand your concern for our safety. We will accept your generous offer."

The mayor's strained poker face finally broke into a relieved smile. "Excellent. I appreciate your cooperation, Lord Arc, Lady Vance."

After the meeting concluded, we were shown toward our guest rooms. We walked in silence for a moment before Brielle finally spoke. "Why did you push them so hard back there? You know our mission is to build trust, not intimidate people."

"They're hiding something," I said, my gaze fixed on the hallway ahead. "I can feel it in their demeanor."

"What?" she asked, surprised. "How can you tell?"

"Interrogation training," I said simply. "You learn to read people's tells—the subtle physical cues that betray nervousness or deception. They're difficult to spot, and a skilled liar can suppress them, but unless you're specifically trained to control them, the reactions are universal."

She gave me an impressed look. "Whoa. I thought only Elara could do that. She's famous for her skills in interrogation and disguise. It's why she was recruited into the Criminal Intelligence Division instead of the Knighthood."

I stopped walking and turned to face her directly. "So, what's the actual plan for tomorrow?"

She pulled a folded map from a compartment in her breastplate. "We'll meet Elara at the designated rally point," she said, unfolding it. "Right here," she added, pointing to a specific location.

I pulled my own map and a pen from my plate carrier, marking the corresponding spot with an 'X'. "Copy that." I folded the map and put it away.

A grin spread across Brielle's face. "Alright, Arc. Meet me outside the mansion at 0800 sharp. And if you're late, you're getting a face full of cold water, got it?" she said, flashing a V-sign with a playful smile.

I returned a small smile and a thumbs-up. "Consider it done. But if you're the one who's late, you're getting woken up by my 'gym-flavored' socks."

She stuck her tongue out playfully. "Not a chance! I'll be up first."

"No, you won't!" I retorted, a vein throbbing on my forehead.

"Yes, I will!"

"No, you won't!"

"Yes, I will!"

This childish banter continued for what felt like an eternity.

After our little argument, I headed to my assigned guest room. I was so exhausted that I barely registered the room's five-star luxury, which rivaled the accommodations at the palace. At that point, I couldn't have cared less.

As a sharpshooter, I'd developed a sixth sense over the years. And right now, it was screaming at me that something was going to happen tomorrow.