[center][h2]Anne Mayer[/h2][h3]Aventon — Hunter's Lodge[/h3][/center]
"Actually, I was going to tell you about that." Anne composed herself quickly, remembering the urgency of their situation. The Heralds were still out there somewhere, and fretting over her possible mistakes wouldn't protect anyone from a second attack. "While I was escorting the kids yesterday, we ran into one of the Herald commanders, a woman. She wanted Millie specifically, and offered to spare our lives if we handed her over."

Anne looked over at the girl, still fast asleep and eerily silent. It was clear that the child lay at the very heart of this mystery, the sole connecting factor between the summoned strangers and the Heralds' unknown motivations—and they had yet to even work out the truth behind her current condition. 

"Obviously we refused the offer, and the Herald backed down after receiving orders from higher up. I doubt they'll just let her go, though. There's a chance they could even come after you or Alvin to use as hostages." The Knight fished in her coat pocket, and brought out the small box the woman had given her the day before. She popped it open for Kendrick to see. "The woman gave me this before she left. Some kind of offer or token, though I'm still not sure what she really meant by it." She'd said something about 'falling into hell,' which all seemed like nonsense to Anne. [i]Hell doesn't exist. Or if it is real, then we're already living in it.[/i]

Regardless, she was hoping Kendrick might recognize any of the items in the box. The necklace, the jewel, and the vial of fluid... The first two could have been read as a bribe, but that third object gave the impression of some deeper purpose, far beyond Anne's own frail understanding.

[@PKMNB0Y]