The Ballad of Adler Young, Canto 2.5

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This is late because a storm knocked out power for 3 hours this evening, preventing me from working on it when I usually do.

>Adler: It is an intense struggle to wipe the look of stupefied glee off your face and return to your super serious, concentrated demeanor, but you eventually settle somewhere between the two. As your ixies flutter off on the mission you gave them, you turn back to vernier.
>Vernier: *Snrk* Quickly cover your mouth to stop yourself from laughing. The expression on Adler's face is ridiculous.
>Adler: What? is there something on your face?

As my Ixies flew away on their new mission, I struggled for a few seconds to regain my composure and wipe the silly grin off my face. Eventually I bit my lip and turned around with what I hoped was a serious and businesslike glower.

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"What's so funny?" I asked as Vernier tried unsuccessfully to stifle a giggle.

"Nothing, sir," she chuckled.

"Very well then," I stated decisively. This would be so much easier if I still had that false mustache! "Let's get back to what we were discussing before we were distracted by this mysterious bell. You recommended that I talk to Oak Marten, but I'm pretty sure I heard that the entire family had moved away, including Oak."

"That is true," Vernier admitted. "But she's still in Eire, and the distance wouldn't really be an issue considering most of your retinue can fly. Oak would probably be willing to make the journey back if she was adequately compensated. I suppose you don't really have to summon Oak if you don't think it is necessary, but remember: She was one of your most enthusiastic followers, and it seems unkind to not at least reach out to the Marten family, considering how much they lost serving you. It wouldn't hurt to send out an Ixie to ask Oak if she is interested in meeting."

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Vernier's words made sense on a basic level, but that was overshadowed by a darker thought. I remembered the things Ash had told me. He bragged about murdering all of Oak's uncles and one of her brothers, as a way of cultivating undeserved gratitude for helping them out of the grief he himself had caused. Smoothing over the mess the Martens landed in by supporting me was one thing, but more importantly I needed to warn them not to trust Ash.

The Vulpitanian scoundrel had implied that he was constantly spying on me, so I had to figure out a way to do this without him knowing. It only took a moment to realize I had to do it without the trees knowing, since the Voice of the Forest was undoubtedly Ash's primary source of information. Could the trees detect Elfmind? I would have to find out ... but first ...

"Pardon me a moment," I muttered thoughtfully. "Let me go check on Rebecca."

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I walked past a still-dozing Burnside to where my student was sitting, pondering the Foxspell of Saint Reynard.

"What's the last part you were able to read?" I asked.

"It was an assorted collection of wise and witty sayings," Rebecca explained. She was already getting near the end, then. "Then there was a very detailed set of instructions for digging a hole to bury things in for safekeeping, and after it, more of the secret text."

I glanced at the book and saw that the next section was a step-by-step guide to performing several classic japes and pranks.