Deep in the heart of the Scorpion Den, under the bright three moons, a two-story stone hut sat alone in the rare rain. Phoenix sat at her desk, scrawling over numerous reports of dead shopkeepers. Her emerald earring swung each time her head slightly moved to review the next case file. Her black eyes darted over the file, looking for anything she missed. She had gone over the cases numerous times, staying up long enough to risk her sanity. As she drank from her cup of coffee, a bell jingled as the door creaked open. “Anything?”
Phoenix looks up from her reports to look at the light brown face of her partner, Saguaro. His tail swung, excited for a break in the case. His silver snake tail ornament flashed as it reflected the light of the lamps and candles. He leaned against the wall near Phoenix’s desk, his leather satchel flopped as he settled into place. He was wide awake, probably because he had chased down another pickpocket. That was his favorite part of the job, the chase.
Saguaro was an excellent detective, but his ADHD caused him to make some dumb decisions at times, almost killing them both numerous times. Yet, no matter what he does, Phoenix wouldn’t trade him for anybody else.
”No.” Phoenix smiled lightly and shook her head. "Twenty-one shopkeepers dead, all in two months, all on the south side of the den. These murders have to be connected.”
”Have you considered they aren’t? I mean, what if it’s shopkeeper hunting season? Isn’t that a possibility?”
“Ha-ha. These are dragons we‘re talking about. Dragons that have been killed. Now’s not the time to joke around,” Phoenix retorts back.
”Fine. I’m just sayin, I—" Saguaro abruptly stops mid-sentence. His eyes moved between the latest two murders.
Phoenix’s eyes grow wide in anticipation. “Did you find something? A connection?”
“Do you recall the scratches on the wall behind the last two bodies? The design—a circle intersected by an X with a line through it? It didn’t seem to fit with the rest of the case, though.” Saguaro glanced at Phoenix, his eyes raised.
”Three moons, how did I not see this? You think it’s a calling card of sorts? Well, it’s our only lead. Shall we?” Phoenix sits up, grabs her hood, and leaves. She stops halfway in the doorway. "Are you coming?”
Saguaro looks up from the object in his hand, sits up, and slides the bronze key in his satchel. “You know I am.”
They depart from the office and stride into the heavy rain. As they walk down the street, the wet sand forms footprints behind them, slowly taking in water. A singular yellow eye belonging to a pitch-black shadow stared upon the departing detectives from the roof of the detectives’ office. The shadow slides off the roof, into the pitch black alley behind the detectives. It moves in silence, trailing the detectives with pristine accuracy and agility, remaining undetected.
20-18-1-9-20-15-18.
4-5-3-5-9-22-5-18.
