Emmara Thistlefield's Arc

Chapter 2 of 9

Emmara stepped into the marketplace wearing her disguise. The flower-patterned dress swirled around her ankles. Her fake wings caught the morning light. She needed to learn how information moved through Mirthwood Meadows. Who talked to whom? Who listened? Who asked too many questions? She paused near a fruit cart and pretended to examine apples. Three pixies stood nearby, whispering about a neighbor's late-night visitor. Emmara leaned closer, but they noticed her and went quiet. She moved on, frustrated. Watching from ground level gave her scraps of conversation but nothing useful. She needed height again—a way to see patterns across the whole meadow without hiding in her tree. At the edge of the square, she spotted an old watchtower made of gray stone. Its top platform would give her a clear view of the seven suspects on her list. She circled the base and found stairs leading up. The platform was empty except for dust and bird droppings. Emmara brushed off a wooden crate and sat down. From here, she could see doorways, paths, and meeting spots throughout the meadow. But distance blurred faces and made details impossible to catch. She needed equipment. In a storage chest against the wall, she found a brass spyglass mounted on a small tripod. The metalwork was delicate, with tiny gears along the barrel. She set it up near the edge and pressed her eye to the lens. Suddenly, distant figures snapped into focus. She could see a pixie's expression two streets away. She could read the title on a book someone carried. Emmara smiled and adjusted the tripod. Now she had what she needed—a way to track movements, watch for suspicious meetings, and follow each of the seven names without ever leaving her post. The spy couldn't hide anymore. For three days, Emmara watched through the spyglass. She wrote down meetings, visitors, and routes. Her seven suspects went about their lives below, unaware. But observation alone wouldn't reveal the traitor—she needed proof. On the fourth morning, she left the watchtower and flew to the Record Hall. Inside, she asked the clerk for files on meadow residents. The clerk brought her a stack of bound documents. Emmara carried them to a corner table and began reading. Each page contained names, addresses, and notes about connections between pixies. She found entries for all seven suspects and studied who they knew, where they worked, and what meetings they'd attended. One name appeared three times in connection with the gathering where her secret was first spoken. Emmara circled it with her finger. She had her first real lead.