The Soul Eaters (The Thin Hex Line Book 1) by Gwyndolyn Russell (e reader txt) 📕

Captain in charge of the ravens is disliked among the humans. Drast'Oebev is his name."

"Why does that name sound familiar?" Jackal scratched his head.

"He was a field Captain in the war. Guess he retired to run a colony."

"That would explain the resentment."

"So, we're gonna find him, right?" Sparrow looked to Reaper. "If we do, then that assassin guy should definitely show up eventually."

"That's the plan." Reaper nodded. "We find Drast. We watch him. Keep an eye out for that guy to show up. If we take him down quietly, we won't disturb the peace. It's best this operation isn't found out about by the ravens."

"We're here, Captain!" Ruby announced.

"All right, the air here is safe, let's not waste our tanks."

Two workers who jotted down the shuttle greeted them. In no time they were off, wandering through the colony. It was easy to see in the colony's early stages there was an attempt at mixing up the buildings. Two cultures clashed head on.

Stark white and grays with smooth edges were decorated with beautiful plants from earth. Darker colors painted the other buildings, near blacks accented with brilliant oranges and yellows, sharp angles ended with arrowheads. Their decorations were sigils, statues, and small fire pits.

These buildings were mostly abandoned, used only by children who ran amok playing. The first dozen buildings ended abruptly in their union. They split a small marketplace in half down the middle with a fountain humming at its center. They carved stars and sigils into the marble. Its centerpiece a statue of both founders of the colony. Drast'Oebev, and Arnold Steinwegenr, arms outstretched to the world.

One side of the marketplace was built for the eldiravan. The other for humans. While nothing truly marked the separation, it was an unspoken rule. An invisible line drawn on the ground. Not even the children dared to cross it. Beyond the market was dead space. Empty land meant for homes that neither race wanted to claim. Instead, the colony stretched out in either direction of the market, following the statues of the fountain to keep the races separated.

As long as one did not look to the other side, the beauty and peace of a new blossoming colony was a wondrous sight to behold. Cheerful people all around, starting new lives.

The eldiravan soldiers patrolled their streets, keeping the peace. A human police officer was sat around every other block, not caring about what was happening around them unless someone approached.

Jackal, Fenris, and Ruby split off from the others. Reaper would handle finding Drast’Oebev. Jackal would search for the assassin. It did not take long before Mjolnir suggested they split up. He could enter the eldiravan area with no trouble. If the assassin was targeting another eldiravan, then surely he would hide among them!

They spent hours walking around the colony. Yet there was no sign of their assassin. Mjolnir eventually gave word he found Drast’Oebev in his office, which was his home. Reaper wanted to set up for overwatch upon nightfall, predicting they would catch the assassin in the act.

They met up in the marketplace, converging at the fountain.

“Any luck?” Sparrow sat down on the edge of the fountain.

“No.” Jackal frowned.

“Did find something weird though.” Ruby held up a finger.

“What’s that?” Reaper crossed his arms over his chest.

“A lot of the folk wanted little to do with us. They were nervous.”

Jackal chimed in, “They were talking about some sort of world devourer.”

“I’m pretty sure they were talking about him.”

“Fenris?” Reaper raised a brow.

“Yeah.”

“That would be an impressive title.” Mjolnir smiled. “How would one earn such a name?” He looked at the wolf.

The wolf sat upon the ground without a care in the world. Its attention was elsewhere. Watching over the people who were taking wide births and bowing their heads. None looked at it directly. Humans and eldiravan alike reacted the same.

"Stay away from it, we have nothing to offer it today." One father stated quietly, ushering his toddlers along the path.

"Are the eos arriving here, too?" A woman whispered.

"I haven't heard anything! I don't see the others either." Another whispered back.

"If it's here alone, then it must be bad outside the colony."

"Isn't your husband in the mines tonight?"

"I hope he'll be safe out there. I heard the eos like living in mountains."

"It's looking at us. Let's go." One woman grabbed the other's arm, and both hurried off.

Ruby looked to the others. "Eos? What is that?"

"I've never heard of it." Mjolnir's nose twitched.

"Something must be going on we haven't been informed of." Reaper said. "Hey, Irzazee, could you check the database for anything related to the word 'eos'? It may be a race of people."

"Yes, sir! I'll look right now." Irzazee replied over the radio.

"It's getting dark, let's start moving." Reaper gave a nod of his head.

Mjolnir led the way. The crowds diminished as the sky darkened. Whenever the group neared, others abruptly turned away. Shut doors and windows. Turned off the lights. Perhaps the avoidance was not due to humans, but Fenris itself.

With nothing to offer the Devourer, the folk of the colony feared they would be sacrificed. For them, it was best to stay away and pray the wolf would not call for them.

The group split up around Drast'Oebev's home. They tucked themselves away around corners and rooftops.

Of all the homes they saw in the colony, Drast'Oebev's was the most luxurious. Fit for an emperor! The finest silks and leathers. The brightest of the colors of their colony. Statues of himself and those before him. He had his own personal courtyard, planted with wild fauna.

They caught sight of him fresh from a shower. His family was already gathering at the dinner table. A baby, three children, two adolescents, and three adults. His wife was putting the last touches on dinner. The food they had looked better than any food they had seen in months, even though they had no idea what any of it even was.

Ruby groaned about how they hadn't eaten yet themselves. He couldn't bear to watch them eat so