Later that night, when the festive cheers had been replaced by sighs and sweet lullabies, Jake and his Emily set out to investigate the crime scene. Lord Vilmund and Zill were already waiting for them near the woods. A narrow trail of grass led them to the spot where the guard’s mutilated body had been found. The corpse was still there and so were the bloodstains.
Jake bent down to take a closer look at the corpse. Its face had been smashed with a heavy object; most likely a rock and the limbs had been hacked into smaller pieces by a sharp weapon or tool. Jake was still analyzing the dead body when Emily tapped him on the shoulder.
“Jake, there’s something inside its mouth. Look at the cheeks, they are both swollen.”
“You’re right. There is something...” Jake covered his nose and pried
