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"Does this mean it's tied to the sun?" Sylas frowned. The riddle didn't say whether it pointed to a person or a thing.
[Main Quest Unlocked: Pig Talisman]
Spend 100 Justice Points or Sin Points to reveal the next hint. Each subsequent hint will cost double.
"Buy the next hint," Sylas said without hesitation. The first clue was way too vague; he at least needed a target range.
[-100 Justice Points]
[New Hint: Pig Talisman]
"A pig isn't a rooster, yet it can still mark the hour—precise and on time."
"Time?" Sylas shut his eyes, connecting the dots. Sunrise… timekeeping… and telling people the time. That screams object, not a person.
"Alarm clock?" he mused—then shook his head. An alarm tells time, sure, but how does that fit the sun?
He slid into his desk chair, pulled up the browser, and started digging. On a whim, he tossed the riddle onto Twitter as a generic puzzle crowdsourcing without exposing anything about the Talismans.
"Done." He stretched—and a [Shadow Ninja] silently handed him a steaming cup of tea.
"Thanks, Little Black," Sylas said, taking a sip.
Little Black signed quickly: Can I try the computer, Master?
"Go for it." Sylas gave up the seat.
The [Shadow Legion] couldn't speak, so Little Black had studied human sign language. Sylas didn't really know ASL, but the link between host and shadows made simple meanings obvious.
Was sign language overkill? Maybe. But if they ever had to interface with regular humans, it could matter.
Little Black's fingers flew across the keyboard pulling up a physics lecture.
"…I thought you were about to solve my riddle," Sylas muttered, amused. Studious was still better than the other one.
Big Black lay motionless on the bed his favorite hobby was "pretending to be Sylas sleeping." The moment Sylas left the room, Big Black would claim the pillow like a cat.
Ffft. Big Black sat up, then dissolved into shadow, slipping back to the [Shadow Dominion].
"Whatever," Sylas yawned. "I've been going nonstop. Ten minutes won't kill me."
He stretched out on the bed and closed his eyes. Little Black put on headphones and dove into another chapter.
---
Evening
"Sylas! Peter! Dinner!" Aunt May called up the stairs.
Sylas blinked awake, slid on his shoes, and tapped Little Black's shoulder. In a blink, the shadow vanished into the [Shadow Dominion].
Click.
Aunt May opened the door and found Sylas standing at the desk. "Dinner's ready, sweetheart."
"Coming, Aunt May." He followed her out.
Across the hall, Peter tried to stand—and immediately tugged at his bandages.
"Yikes." He loosened the gauze, lifted his shirt, and stared at the savage claw marks across his chest. The sight alone made his head swim.
Knock, knock.
"Hold on—I'm changing!" Peter called.
Aunt May's hand left the doorknob. "Alright—don't be long. Dinner's getting cold."
"Coming!" Peter tucked the bandage, grabbed a high-collar long sleeve, checked the mirror to make sure nothing showed, and headed downstairs.
"You cold tonight?" Uncle Ben asked, lowering his paper.
"Yeah, um—kind of chilly," Peter said quickly.
"Chilly?" Ben frowned. Not exactly sweater weather.
"Come eat, boys—and Ben, you too," May said, setting plates on the table.
Ben let the worry go and took his seat. He inhaled. "So that is steak I'm smelling."
"They're both banged up," May said. "Protein helps healing." She'd cooked three steaks—none for herself.
Sylas clocked it immediately. He cut his steak in half and slid a portion onto May's plate.
"For you, Aunt May."
"Thank you, but—" she began.
Before she could finish, both Peter and Ben split their steaks too, adding to her plate.
"We're family," they said, almost in sync.
"Thank you…" May covered her mouth as her eyes glossed with tears.
"Don't cry, May," Ben said softly. "Be happy. The boys are good men."
May wiped her eyes, smiled, and lifted her glass. "To our happy little family."
All four clinked glasses—just juice, bright and simple.
"I'm off tomorrow," Ben added. "How about we make up for last weekend and finally take that day trip?"
"What? But—we don't have a car," May said.
Peter and Sylas looked over.
"We rent one," Ben grinned. "Nothing fancy."
"Yes!" Sylas pumped a fist—quietly. A quiet forest picnic sounded like the perfect place to chew on that maddening clue.
Peter didn't bounce like usual. Under the bandages, even a deep breath hurt.
"What's wrong, Pete?" Ben asked.
Peter forced a smile. "Nothing. Great idea, actually. When do we leave?"
Ben studied him, still suspicious, then nodded. "Early. I heard the new forest preserve just opened a scenic loop. That's our spot."
"Perfect," May said. "Way better than the amusement park. Let's do trees, birds, and sunshine this time."
Sylas smiled into his glass. Trees. Birds. Sunshine.
And maybe, just maybe, an answer about a pig that keeps time by the sun.
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