The Onyx Stone

Chief Chef Jaxon

A few minutes later they were walking along the stone-floored corridor that led to the arched entrance of the Cookery. A slim black wolf that had stepped out of the Cookery spotted them and trotted up to Rena, nudging her leg.

Rena crouched down and gently ruffled the wolf's head, procuring a purr from her. "Good morning to you too Roxie, how are the dishes coming up? Perhaps there was an addition to the menu I'm supposed to be aware about? "

Roxie looked at her, making her sigh. "Of course, talk to Lyra".

The wolf turned to Lyra, as Lyra stared back at her for some moments, brown eyes connecting with blue ones. "She says yes. The hunters brought in fresh kill and the chefs are contemplating leaving out raw bloodied meat as a dish-option" Lyra said to Rena.

Rena considered for a moment, uncertain " Hmm. They'd have informed me then. Why I'm I hearing it now?"

"She says Jaxon sent her to let you know, and tell you he has..something for you?" Lyra said, as she kept eye contact with Roxie.

Lyra turned to Rena, mirroring the wide-eyed surprise on her face.

Rena who had previously stood back up, looked around briefly and crouched down again. "Roxie, are the sentries anywhere in the kitchen?"

Roxie shook her head. Rena patted her soft, beautiful fur again. "You've done great Sweetheart. Come on, let's get going"

The wolf pranced alongside Rena and Lyra as they made their way into the kitchen.

The Black Stone Cookery was one of the many structures that were outliers of the main castle, connecting together to form columned buildings of uneven height jutting out into the sky.

As Rena and her team passed the entrance into the main building, heads covered in varying caps of white , blue and black were lifted and bowed before continuing what they were doing. The bustle and clamor here seemed to have instantly taken first place from the ones on the castle grounds, with the clang of pots , spatulas, pans, knives hammered into meat or spices or fruits. Rena located who she was looking for by the side of his large cubicle where he was chopping spices on a wooden board.

Jaxon was a tan skinned, middle aged man clad in white apparel, a black rectangular signet-tie with his once jet-black hair now mingled with a lot of grey. He saw Rena and gave a quick bow, then acknowledging Lyra and a quick side glance at his daughter who had finally done one useful thing today.

"Luna" He said. "I had to tell--"

"Jaxon, if I called you "Chief Chef" instead of Jaxon, how would you feel, good?"

Jaxon paused, momentarily startled by the question. "But you know Luther, he won't have me or other males calling your name when he doesn't"

Rena rolled her eyes exhaustively: "Luther is a piece of s**t" She caught herself then, looking around if anyone else heard that, everyone seemed oblivious of their presence. "And of course you know I'm not here for the meat"

Jaxon smiled, but it appeared weary. He beckoned for them to come closer as he dropped his knife. "Well it's in between good and bad news. Heck, it might even be false, someone who I fear knows what you're up to and wants to spread rumors. "

"Well, what is it?" She was getting impatient.

"Alright" He exhaled. " I heard from a close source that someone had seen a brown wolf at the offshores of the Welkin river, towards the far-east borders of the Jade Lands."

Rena's face dropped. "A brown wolf, Jaxon? Really? How many brown wolves are within this castle walls alone? I'm glad you prepared me ahead of the terrible news"

Jaxon gave Rena an incredulous stare. "Pure-brown breed Rena, unspotted." He said softly least the walls heard him, ignoring the fact they almost couldn't hear themselves amid the noises in the kitchen.

Rena paused: "Really? Did you...did you get to meet with the wolf?" A flicker of hope was beginning to rise in her chest.

"Well, that's where the bad news comes in. No, I didn't, and I tried talking to the one who'd given the information but he wouldn't budge, I tried but he wouldn't talk to me. "

"But why? " Rena was confused.

"Don't know, he could be suspicious of me, thinking I'm among the wolves responsible for the murders, now mistaking him for a refugee. Or I could even be one of the sentries, goddess damn them, fishing out rumor-mongers, what with important news like this."

Disappointment crawled it's way across Rena's face.

Lyra spoke up: "I don't blame him though. Luther has been ordering everyone and no-one in particular to not mention anything about the incident" She glanced swiftly at Rena when Jaxon's expression changed. : "Wait" He said. "What if you talked to him?" His gaze was on Rena.

Rena scrunched her brows: "How? Wait...don't tell me--"

"Think about it, you could use your gifts." Jaxon said, his eyes flickering with hope.

"No...that's a no no" Rena shook her head and avoided looking at him.

She had discovered after the gruesome incident a year ago, that the moon goddess, probably as compensation for her inability to shape shift, had given her a gift that she could see into people’s past , by gazing into their eyes.

She saw into hers whenever she sat by her mirror and focused on her self. She’d end up going into a daze as she relived the horrific events that had occurred, in search of what she didn’t know yet.

So that the bloody scenes were now ingrained in her memories, like a background housing her thoughts. But she needed it, as her drive and fuel to accomplish her objectives.

She was going to bring those bastards to book.

"How can you even think of that?" Lyra said, incredulously to Jaxon.

Roxie who had gotten bored of the conversation, sniffed around before sauntering off to find another form of excitement.