Swamped

"I wonder," you mutter, just loud enough that he might here. "I wonder if they ever try to settle grudges with explosives."

He doesn't respond. But you do notice his arms tensing up. He's getting angry.

You doubt you'll learn more from him. He doesn't seem inclined to open up any more.

So you take a look at little Mona, age twelve. She has a severe hand injury.

When you see it for yourself, though, you discover the report was understating things. There's a damned sword lodged into her arm, going from the elbow to her hand. Who does this to a child?

Actually... looking a bit closer, it doesn't look deliberate. Still terrifying that this happened, though, even if it was an accident.

You aren't sure you want to see any more, honestly. She looks deep asleep anyhow - maybe someone slipped her some swampleaf to spare her the pain.

Even if you did wake her, how much could she possibly know? She's a child. You probably should have skipped this trip, really.

But then something catches your attention.