Twigs whipped Julienne's face as he ran as fast as the darkness would allow. His chest heaved. His throat was dry. His rolled ankle gave a little with every step. His legs burned. His arms really burned. One arm was covered in blood from elbow to wrist, singing a song of agony as it swung through the air. The other was still warm from the drops of Yarrow's acid that had splashed onto it.

A dog emerged from the dark and barked at them, forcing them to retreat behind a tree. Yarrow cocked his hands back.

"Yarrow, no!" Julienne yelled. "It's Ravi's dog. They probably cut it loose before they attacked."

Yarrow stepped toward the dog. It whimpered and scampered away.

"Don't do that again," Julienne pleaded. The smell of rotting flesh still plagued his nostrils, and the vision of the burned up bodies was clearer in his mind than the trees in the moonlight.

"Once I know it's not Mindy or Figgal, I'm not taking any risks," Yarrow scowled. "Come on. We have to keep going. It's not safe here."

"You can't be using your essence."

"A truffle isn't worth my life. Or yours. And the longer we're out here, the more likely I'll have to use it again."

Julienne panted as he looked up at Yarrow. There was no softness in his friend's face. No give. No mercy.

"Okay, let's go."

They took off again, Julienne following just behind Yarrow. He looked into his future for an extra burst of energy. He'd be back in the kitchen soon enough. He imagined Cafe Julienne. The three pods in the kitchen. The wall of refrigerators. The pantries of ingredients. The heat of the stove. The smell of masterpiece meals. The sparkle of the pots and pans. He'd be back soon. He'd never leave it again.

A bell tolled out like thunder over the valley. Julienne prayed that meant that Mindy had returned safely. They ran and ran as long as they could, their sprint weakening to a jog, their jog weakening to a walk. Julienne pulled ahead of Yarrow, looking at the silhouette of mountains to find his way toward the manor. They found a path in the forest, and despite Yarrow's protests, Julienne followed it. His ankle couldn't take much more, and the bell had stripped him of his fear. He just needed to get home.

The path got more compact. Julienne looked up and saw the silhouette of the manor. He doubled over and laughed with relief.

But Yarrow was still on guard. "Julienne. Julienne. People."

A group of little flames shone higher up the path, wobbling back and forth with the gait of a walk. Yarrow stepped in front of Julienne as the torches approached.

"The manor is this way," a voice called out. "We'll escort you in."

Yarrow stayed tensed as the men approached. Julienne put a hand on his shoulder.

"It's okay. It's the duke's guards. It's over." Julienne walked toward the men.

Yarrow grabbed his shirt and pulled him back. He yelled to the guards, his voice coated with skepticism. "Who got the truffle?"

"Figgal," the guard answered.

"Figgal's back?"

"Yes. Are you coming or not?"

"Figgal had the truffle?"

The guard slumped on his spear. "No. The blonde girl did. Figgal came in a couple minutes later with his dog."

Yarrow turned to Julienne and nodded. "Now it's over."

But as they got closer to the manor and the guards fell into formation around them, Julienne couldn't help but think that it wasn't. Julienne expected to be led back into the main lounge to reunite with the rest of his team or maybe back to their quarters, but instead the guards led them deeper into the manor to a set of double doors with long golden handles.

"Where are we going?" Julienne asked.

"Duke Malakoff wishes to see you."

Julienne and Yarrow exchanged wary looks. The doors opened with a crunch, and the guards led them into a dark room lit by small candles and a grand fireplace. A silhouetted man turned in front of the fire. Julienne could not see his face, but he recognized his voice.

"Enter," the duke said.

The guards ushered them inside, closing the door behind them.

"Where are Figgal and Mindy?" Julienne asked.

"They're having their injuries tended to. They won the truffle in accordance with our rules. You two, on the other hand…Have you anything to say for yourself?"

Julienne looked out of the corner of his eye at Yarrow, who stayed silent.

"We see more than you might think," the duke said. "From our watchtowers we cannot see bodies in the dark…but we see essence."

Yarrow remained silent.

The duke stepped forward, adding a touch of gravel to his whiny voice. "The amount of essence you have expelled…any Charmant truffle that was growing has surely disintegrated by now. Even on the other side of the valley, your essence will have an impact. It could be a decade before we find another truffle. Are you aware of what you have cost me?"

Yarrow remained silent.

"You'll be imprisoned until the next truffle is found."

Still Yarrow remained silent, but his hand started to flex. He was going to escape or die trying. Julienne had to do something.

"No he won't," he said.

Julienne's defiance made the duke erupt. "This is my valley! My laws!"

"It won't be your valley when my uncle finds out that your team of first entry came with the sole intent of killing me."

The duke lost some of the conviction in his voice. "What?"

"Ravi's team. They weren't interested in the truffle. They came to kill me."

"Nonsense."

Julienne stepped forward. It was his turn to throw acid. "Who sponsored Ravi?"

This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

"I cannot say. The list is strictly confi—"

"Who sponsored Ravi?!"

"I cannot say!"

Julienne remembered that the duke was an entirely self-interested man, and narcissists could be manipulated. "Was it you?" Julienne stepped forward enough to see the shock on the duke's face.

"What?"

"It's rather unusual, isn't it? Letting our four-man team enter?" Julienne stepped forward again. "It's the first time you've ever allowed it."

"And?"

Julienne shrugged. "Maybe you wanted me out there. Defenseless. No witnesses."

"You cannot mean to imply that—"

"When my uncle finds out you tried to have me killed—"

"Don't be ridiculous!" the duke screeched. "You cannot believe that. You would not be standing here with my guards making such accusations if you did."

"You're right, you're right." Julienne raised his hands in apology. But the gesture was just a front. Now was the time for the real bite. "You just facilitated a situation that would put me in danger. You let me into the valley. You gave Ravi's team the first go so they could set up."

"Absurd accusations."

"Accusations I won't be making if none of us end up imprisoned."

The duke stuck out his lower jaw and shifted it back and forth. "I see what this is."

Their rapid back-and-forth came to a sudden stop as a calm silence filled the room and they figured out their next move. "Who sponsored Ravi?" Julienne asked.

"You have one thing to bargain with," the duke countered. "You get one in return. Your friend's freedom. Not a word of these ridiculous allegations."

Julienne nodded.

"Did you kill them?" the duke asked.

"Yes," Yarrow answered.

The duke sighed. "They were good truffle hunters."

"They were lousy assassins."

"You don't understand the damage you've caused." The duke shook his head. "Take them to their quarters."

The guards opened the door, light spilling in from the hallway. Julienne saw the sweat trickling down the duke's face. There was still a lever to be pulled. "The valley's damage will have financial implications," Julienne said.

"You don't think I know that?" the duke spat. "Do you want your friend imprisoned?"

"I'm sure I can talk my uncle into easing any financial burdens during your time of need."

"That would be kind of you."

"In exchange for the list of sponsors."

The duke shook with a defeated chuckle. "You'll get your list when I get my money."

"Just tell me. Was it Neccio? Orzo?"

"You'll get your list when I get my money."

"Do not speak a word of this to anyone. And I'll make it happen."

The duke was silent.

"Do we understand each other?"

"Yes. Now leave. I want you gone. I expect you to leave for Toral at first light."

Julienne's stomach seized up with acid. He expected it to get worse throughout the night. He wouldn't take another of Neccio's elixirs. They had given his location away, and Julienne was starting to think that they had an effect that worsened his acid over time, keeping him dependent on them. No paranoia felt unjustified.

"I'm sorry for what's happened here," Julienne said.

"I am too," the duke sighed.

Julienne turned to leave, but a thought struck him. He couldn't return to Toral. If Neccio or Orzo wanted him dead, they had chosen the subtlest route. But now that he had survived the first assassination attempt, they might get more brazen.

"I would employ a second carriage and a crew of your guards to take me back to Ambrosia City."

"You make demands so readily. Truly a Julienne."

"And I make those demands with compensation in mind."

A moment of silence lingered in the air. "Fine. I'll have a team meet you at sunrise."

"Now."

"Excuse me?"

"We'll have our wounds tended to, and then we'll leave tonight."

"It's the dead of night!"

"I want the guards to take our carriage. We'll take theirs."

"Of course."

"Don't the winners of the hunt get a feast to welcome them back or something?"

"My Chefs should have it ready momentarily."

"We'll take it on the road."

"...of course."

"Let's go, Yarrow," Julienne said as he turned and walked away. He motioned to the guards. "You're with us, then."

They were led back through the manor, passing a few returning truffle hunters on their way. They kept their heads down, not wanting to attract any more confrontations. They heard a familiar panting, and Moondrop stuck his head out from an anteroom into the hallway, his ears perking up when he recognized Julienne and Yarrow.

Inside, a Purple Jacket with the aloe sigil of the Veratore mended Figgal's hand. She had wrapped it in noodles and held it in both of her hands.

"You're safe!" Mindy jumped up from her seat and ran up to embrace Julienne. He shied away, showing the wounds on his forearms.

"Oh my," the Veratore swore under her breath as she pulled away from Figgal and grabbed Julienne's elbow. "Why was this not treated immediately? Stay here."

The Veratore ran out of the room.

"You got the truffle?" Julienne asked.

Mindy pulled a bundled cloth out of her pocket, peeling it back to show the silvery truffle within.

"Don't let anyone else hold that," Julienne said. "And don't let anyone know you're the one holding it."

Figgal grabbed Julienne's hand and inspected his arm. "Now, I took care of Grison's team. Who got you?"

"Ravi," Julienne muttered. The image of the man's body flashed in his mind. The smell. "They're dead."

Figgal twisted his lips to the side and chewed his gum. "Mhm."

"They weren't here for the truffle. They were here for me."

"What?" Mindy leaned forward in shock.

Figgal inspected Julienne's other arm. "Acid. One of you used essence."

"I had to," Yarrow said.

Mindy caught Julienne's gaze and raised an eyebrow at him. Julienne nodded.

"It's been handled," Julienne told Figgal. "We won't face any consequences. Right now, our only concern is that someone wants me dead."

"Who?"

"We can talk about it on the road. We're leaving as soon as we can. Back to Ambrosia City." Julienne sat. The chair's bottom cushion was like a rock, but a rock was more comfort than he had all day. His fatigue hit him all at once. He slouched down, eyes half-closed. And then he laughed.

"What?"

He looked over at Yarrow. "All the stuff we left in Toral. Your belongings. You might not be getting that back."

Yarrow closed his eyes in a moment of frustration. "Well, I brought most of my valuables with us."

"Leave anything sentimental behind?"

Yarrow's brow furrowed. "I don't have anything sentimental."

The Veratore returned with a pot of lasagna noodles. Moondrop stood on his back legs to try to see what was in the pot as the Veratore wrapped a noodle around Julienne's cut arm, leaving a bit loose on one end. The red of dried blood speckled into the noodle and accumulated on the loose end which she tore off and threw away.

She scooped up a bit of steaming pasta water and ran her hand across Julienne's burnt arm. He expected it to burn, as hot as the water was, but instead it soothed his arm. "There will be scars," she said.

"That's fine. I'm fine. Help him." Julienne nodded to Yarrow.

"I'm okay," Yarrow said. "I never got…cut or anything."

The Veratore clicked her tongue and walked over to him. "Well let me look at you anyway."

Julienne snapped his fingers and Moondrop ran up to him. He scratched Moondrop below the ears, making the dog moan. "Will you two be alright? That stuff Grison was saying…"

"We'll be fine," Figgal said. "We'll lay low for a while. We prefer the wild anyway, don't we boy?"

Moondrop was enjoying his pets too much to respond.

"Thanks for everything, Figgal," Julienne said. "Good work, Moondrop."

"Sure. Four years in a row. Legendary." Figgal leaned back and deflated his chest in a victorious sigh. "Hey, there's a statue of a truffle hunter in Cafe Julienne right?"

"Yes."

"Make one of me, will ya?"

Julienne squashed a chuckle in his throat. He looked to Mindy for resolve, but she was breaking. When she saw his restrained expression, she broke into laughter and Julienne followed suit.

"That's uh…" Julienne broke into laughter again. "I don't know about that. How about we honor your win with…a dish? Truffle and fig."

"We could do toast," Yarrow suggested.

"Truffle and fig toast," Julienne confirmed.

Figgal nodded at Moondrop.

"With a side of moondrop wine."

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