The Guild of the Cowry Catchers, Book 1: Embers, Deluxe Illustrated Edition by Abigail Hilton Page B

Gerard: you
are good. The light claims you.”
    Gerard shook his head. It was the
darkness, he thought. The darkness was trying to claim me.
Who won? Did I keep that golden feather? He couldn’t
remember.

Chapter 10. Silveo Gives
Advice
    The islands of Wefrivain were once home to a
rich variety of shelts and creatures, and there is evidence that
they once lived and worked (and sometimes fought) on equal terms.
However, grishnards eventually subjugated all the other races. They
believe that panauns (shelts with paws) are the natural rulers of
fauns (shelts with hooves) and nauns (shelts with neither hooves
nor paws). Grishnards believe that fauns are fit food for panauns.
However, grishnards were not the only panauns in old Wefrivain.
Wolflings once inhabited the islands, too, and the grishnards
slowly eradicated them as competitors. Foxlings were more
circumspect, more willing to serve and work with the grishnards, so
they were allowed to survive, though viewed as a lesser species.
Their animal counterparts did not fare so well and have been
largely exterminated from all but the deepest jungle. A few pockets
of other rare panauns still exist on some islands, such as the
ocelons of Sern.
    —Gwain, The Non-grishnards of
Wefrivain
    The traditional residence of the Captain of
Police was, indeed, a humble place compared to the homes of most
government officials in Dragon’s Eye, but there was a small griffin
nest house and a garden. Thessalyn began at once to memorize the
layout of the rooms, and Gerard knew that by the time he returned,
she would be navigating the house as though she could see. He asked
Marlo Snale to look in on her daily and buy anything she required.
“I’ll be back soon,” he promised.
    Gerard debated over whether he should take
any Police with him to Sern and if so, how many. He was appalled to
learn from Marlo that the Police presently consisted of only
fifty-five individuals. In the past, their numbers had ranged from
five hundred to more than four thousand, with offices on several
islands. Gerard’s fears of inheriting a bloodthirsty army of thugs
were replaced by fears of inheriting a tiny band of ineffectual
cowards. It seemed to him that the only Police to survive their
service in recent years were the lazy, the young, and the
incompetent. Those the Resistance didn’t think worth
killing.
    His officers consisted of three wardens, who
presently commanded less than twenty shelts each. I had better
get to know them, he decided. Now is as good a time as
any. So, very early that morning, he sent a messenger to each
of their homes with orders to report to the dock prepared for a
journey to Sern by the first watch of the day.
    He left Marlo Snale in charge of the Police
on Lecklock, in spite of his ardent protests. (“I have never wanted
to be an officer, sir.” “With all respect, I am too inexperienced
for this, sir.” “Sir will please note that I take this position
under protest.”)
    “I’ll be gone for a red month at most,” said
Gerard. “As far as I can tell, you’ve been in the Police longer
than anyone and, you know how they work. Besides, there are no
prisoners in the dungeon and virtually nothing to do. You’ll spend
more time running errands for Thessalyn than managing the Police.”
As an afterthought, he add, “Should you become bored, you have my
permission to do some recruiting.”
    “Yes, sir,” said Marlo miserably.
    Gerard kissed Thessalyn good-bye and left his
new house about mid-morning. He did not think Silveo could possibly
sail before noon on such short notice, and if he had somehow gotten
away earlier, Gerard would catch up on Alsair.
    “I wonder what our dear admiral thinks about
going to Sern,” said the griffin as they flew low over the rooftops
of Dragon’s Eye. “Home sweet home, eh? Shall we ask him the way to
the best restaurants?”
    “Only if we want our throats cut,” said
Gerard. In the time he’d been sailing with Silveo, they’d visited
every