If I want to buy dust, this is the place to come. Guido’s first glimpse of Undeniable Interests left him more appreciative of his own cleaning talents. He had always regarded himself as somewhat deficient in the domestic arts; however, the proprietor of this establishment had taken the skill of not cleaning to hitherto un-scaled heights. Moreover, the dust rapidly travelled up Guido’s nostrils and he could not restrain a short sneeze, scattering a few particles over an array of objects that cluttered together on a nearby shelf.
It was not an auspicious entrance for the young archaeologist – still, there was no doubt that the shop promised a cornucopia of fascinating objects littered amongst the books, potions and antiques that adorned the place. In other circumstances, Guido would have been happy to have spent many bells exploring. Now, however, he was here for a specific reason and he had no time to gawp. There were already two figures present in the shop, standing hand in hand – a woman with startling blue eyes and a taller, dark-haired man. Are they part of the expedition? He was about to introduce himself, when the door opened and two other figures entered. The first, a graceful woman immediately introduce herself as Jilitse and her companion as Hadrian – a blue-eyed human. But it was not their names that most sparked the reimancer’s interest but the revelation that she was a Nuit. He couldn’t restrain a quick stare at the woman as she continued to speak, his own emerald eyes blinking rapidly, betraying his nervousness.
“Indeed, I am part of the expedition,” he replied to Jilitse when she had finished speaking. “I am Guido – Guido Faragas.” He said no more, merely giving a short bow to those present. There was little time for further conversation before the proprietor shuffled into view and then, after uttering no more than a few words, hastened out of the shop inviting all present to follow.
Horses! Shyke! Guido’s experience with riding had been limited to the ride to and from the labyrinth during the summer. His pride and backside was still only just recovering. He could just about sit on a well-tempered animal but his mounting and dismounting technique was somewhat haphazard. However, when the small group arrived at the stables, there were only two packhorses and a pony waiting and Dominac clambered on the back of the pony. As Guido glanced around to check if there were mounts provided for by the company or they were expected to walk, Dominac set off on his way mumbling about Bloodbane vaults and newly discovered doors.... sounds like one of my father’s tales but I suspect there is more truth to this. What does the old fellow expect to find behind the door? Others were wondering too – and Hadrian voiced the question aloud. A door?