Part 19 (1/2)
After some more rattling, Max heard the door close behind them.
Melody let out a deep breath. ”That was close. I don't know what this thing is, but I'm sure I don't have the money to replace it.” She placed the carving back on the shelf. ”See, Max, bigger isn't always better.”
”Yeah, imagine all those missions inside of small sundry shops I wouldn't be able to do.”
Melody laughed and pointed ahead of Max. ”Go find Eve.”
Max walked down the aisle, fascinated by the various items on the shelves. Pa.s.sing an intersecting aisle, he saw nothing but more rows of shelves.
Where did that girl go? Oh well, she can't be too hard to...
Eve popped out of the side aisle between Melody and himself. ”Hurry up guys.”
Melody jumped and b.u.mped a shelf, causing several small figurines to teeter dangerously along its edge. ”Eve!”
Eve snapped her tail along the shelf to steady the figurines. ”This way already.”
Spinning around, she walked back down the aisle she'd come from. Max tried not to laugh, but had little luck.
”Finally, she spooked someone besides me.”
He thought Melody would smack him. ”That wasn't funny!”
”Hey, at least she didn't pounce on you, and, yes, it really was funny.”
Melody swung at Max's head. He ducked, jogging after Eve, leaving Melody fuming behind him.
”Where did she even come from?”
Max snickered. ”If I could answer that, maybe I wouldn't get pounced on so often.”
He had almost started after Eve too late. Walking hurriedly down one aisle after another, he'd barely see the tip of her tail before it whipped around another corner. After making several more turns, he rounded a corner and stopped abruptly in front of a desk. Behind the desk sat an old man painting a figurine similar to the ones Melody almost knocked off. Eve stood next to Max, elbows on the desk, watching the old man paint. A moment later, Melody rounded the corner, smacking into the back of Max.
”Sorry, Max.”
”No problem.”
Eve started to laugh, but saw Max blush. She squeezed between him and Melody.
”You should be more careful, Melody.”
”Eve, it wasn't her fault.”
Melody gave a strange smile. ”It's okay, Max. Eve, I'll be more careful in the future. You don't have to worry about me.”
Eve eyed Melody. ”Kay.”
Max looked back and forth between them. ”What was that about, Eve? What's with that weird smile, Melody?”
”I'll explain later...maybe.” Melody laughed. ”For now, we shouldn't be so rude to our host.”
Max knew he would not get an answer now, so he turned his attention back to the old man. The figurine sat completed on the desk. The old man sat starring at them, arms crossed. Max cleared his throat.
”Uhh, excuse me?”
The man didn't move. Max leaned over the counter, afraid the old man had stopped breathing.
”Uhh, hi, are you okay?”
Eve pushed Max to the side. ”Oh, move over.”
She bent over, plopped her elbows back on the desk and placed her head between her hands.
”Hiya, I'm Evangeline.”
The old man cracked a smile. ”Good afternoon, Evangeline. Welcome to my humble shop.”
Eve scanned the nearby shelves. ”It's very odd. I like it.”
The man nodded. ”Thank you. I doubt you will find any other place like it in all of Velrune. Look around, if you don't find anything you like, let me know. I am sure I can get it for you.”
Eve focused back on the old man. ”How about information?”
”I have a wide variety of that as well.” The old man's lips drew tight as he gave Max a cold stare. ”However, I reserve that commodity for special customers only.”
Max returned the stare. ”The law states that you give any information regarding illegal activity to the Protectors.”
The old man didn't bat an eye. ”Who said I knew anything about illegal activity? Besides, if you haven't noticed by now, few in this town care for your law.”
Eve straightened, putting on her most innocent face; the one Max recalled having lulled him into more than one of her adventures. ”Maxy is my friend and I'm sure he won't report anything back to the Protectors.”
The old man remained firm. ”Perhaps there is hope for him if a lacarnian can call him a friend, but he is no friend of mine.”
Eve's tail swished back and forth in frustration. ”But...”
”It's okay, Eve, I'll go outside. Someone should check on Lysander anyway.”
”Wise choice, young man, and take the young lady with you.” The man nodded at Melody.
”Me, I'm hardly in league with the Protectors. Besides, I have a message for you from Lady Metis.”
”You may not be in league with the Protectors, but I believe the Church of the Immortals to be misguided. I do not trust anyone from their order with the truth. Hand me the message from your lady and leave.”
”What do you mean you do not trust us with the truth?”
The old man shook his head. ”I have nothing else to say.”