Chapter 14: Should’ve Known

They began at the haystack game, where all the kids unanimously agreed they’d all last seen Savander. Then Lady led them through the park, around various booths and stands. Whenever one of the group asked around about Savander, more often than not they got a affirmative response. Then, at the last place Val was certain he’d seen Savander, Lady turned to leave the park entirely, heading back towards the coliseum.

“I am sorry I failed to watch him,” Syn’Rae apologized, as it was by now apparent that he had slipped away from them all.

“Like we said, Savander has a knack for this,” answered Quatrill. “He’s escaped from all of us before.” As they passed the sign-up table, Lady paused to sniff at the edge, as if Savander had touched it.

“You wouldn’t happen to have seen a young elf boy pass by?” Dregan asked the guard there. “He’d colored like me, wearing similar clothes.” The guard nodded.

“Very inquisitive lad. Wandered off that way.” He pointed to a street to the southeast. “you’re not by any chance searching for the lost child by the name of Savander that I was informed about a few moments ago, are you?”

“Yes, we are. He’s my son.”

“Something told me I should be concerned when Is aw him go off alone, but for some odd reason I didn’t feel the need to do anything about it.”

“That’s Savander,” agreed Layrina with a small laugh.

“Perhaps we should split up,” Adam suggested, “to cover more ground.” Vivi nodded.

“If a mage goes with each group, we can communicate with the pendants, if we’ve all got them on.” Fortunately they did, and the guests and their Sir’Kai hosts split up, searching and asking. But this division didn’t last long, as clues and sightings eventually placed them on the same path, and therefore back together: from the arena, to down the artisan street, then the main street to the fountain, where all met up.

“He’s been every place we were!” Zidane exclaimed.

“Probably right behind us, by all accounts,” agreed Teela. “The shopkeeper we visited with on Zatana’s tour confirmed we left his sight just as Savander came into it, also feeling no need to call out to him.”

“Now where do we go from here?” mused Steiner. Dregan looked around, then smacked himself on the forehead.

“We’re idiots! Cedras, where does Savander always turn up when he goes missing in Ambre?” Cedras blinked, following Dregan’s line of sight, and groaned.

“C’mon!” They followed the suddenly enlightened pair to a structure not too far away. Lady, after a quick sniff of the steps, mewled excitedly.

“I should’ve known,” Dregan muttered.

They were at the Temple.