My eyes swiveled back to the herd that fled in a hurried manner, carrying mournful and grief-filled cries with them. Two bodies were left behind, one being that of a bull with its life pooling around its body in a mahogany puddle and the other a month old calf with its side peeled like that of a fruit. Even for a dragon, the scene was gruesome to see. If only I had stopped that eagle in time, then neither creature should have died, and Kat and Kagin would have escaped without expending so much energy. Even without an aiteho, it was obvious that it took energy to remain in Kagin’s lion form. Everything has a limit, and I guess elves and half-elves are no different.

Even Katsai’s magic was formidable, but it had its limits just like the rest of ours, maybe even more so. I stared at the ring that adorned her finger, remembering how it shocked Kagin that she took it off. I assume she rarely does. Maybe she never does. Even her cloak seemed a part of her. Sentimentals? I slowly shook my head as the conversation they were holding reached my head once more.

“You’ll see.”

I gazed at the lion-boy for a long second, noticing the primal, bloodlust-filled urge still flickered in his speckled irises. I followed his gaze, noticing the silhouette of buildings in the distance. The setting sun lingered a mile or two above the horizon, darkening the image even more. I slowly lifted myself from the ground as Kat turned to gaze at the sight as well.

“The village of Linuss.” She murmured quietly. “It’s a small village, its focus mainly on agriculture and farming. I am not sure of what inns and taverns it contains, but I am pretty sure we can collect supplies easily.”

“What about your scrolls?” I gazed at her with mild interest as she bit her bottom lip in thought.

“Not sure. Like I said, I would like to see if they had a library. The hope is that they do.” I still had no clue why the scrolls mattered so much to her. For battle plans? Were they planning on facing off against Galterius? I couldn’t be sure for the small girl was so secretive, even Kagin had trouble breaking down the drawbridge she had pulled up.

I meant what I said when I told her nothing stays hidden. My own secrets will be revealed one day, but with her, it seemed to run much deeper. Whatever she was hiding seemed to control her emotions. She switched from one mood to the next so fast, sprouting a psychotic grin one second before seeming on the edge of a mental breakdown the next. It made her seem so unpredictable and with her strategic way of thinking, it really makes you think what happened to her. And her debilitating fear of heights was odd to say the least. It was natural for people to have some sense of fear when near a drop, but her fear caused her to actually freeze as if going into a trance; based off of what Kagin told me anyway.

“We need to get going before that eagle returns. I am not sure you know this, but eagle flesh isn’t the most satisfying of meals.” Kagin hummed, setting off towards the village in a quick stride. Katsai followed after him, pulling her hood back over her head after it fell during the skirmish.

I had never seen personalities such as theirs. Even after years of being in the forest, I thought every man was the same. Cruel and without remorse, nothing but beasts that meant nothing but harm. I resented humans, even though I was one, and fled to the woods where I lived amongst creatures who only harmed to survive. Humans were different, they didn’t care about survival for they were at the top and saw others beneath them, even their own kind. Every guard and every traveler that passed through that dark forest; I treated with hostility.

But when these two entered the forest, something felt off. They weren’t there to cause harm or search for gold. No, they were running just like I did years ago. And like I mentioned before, they didn’t run when I confronted them like so many before. No, they took me on as if facing a dragon was easier than fighting against whatever was behind them, whether it was their past or, what I now know, Galterius. They didn’t act like criminals, exactly, but rather people who committed a crime to help fix a world. And no, it wasn’t the cheesy ‘I'm killing everyone in the country because there are too many people’ kind of thing, like so many drunkards spewed when stumbling over roots on the forest floor. They were actually doing something that will help so many people, save so many lives. In a way, they were heroes who just seemed like bad guys who fought a bad person that displayed fake heroism.

It was a twisted point of view, if you think about it. Even with their quirks, once they figured out I was no harm and could be trusted, they treated me with nothing but kindness and respect. I told Katsai that they weren’t criminals even though she was so adamant about being a bad person, and I truly believe it. I ran all my life and to see these two stand up to a threat like that, it made me want to join them. I didn’t want to live in the shadows anymore.

And now here I was, following a duo who walked towards the same path I had run from years ago. It felt good to retrace these steps. I looked up to see Katsai looking at me with a confused stare.

“You day-dreaming about a hot dragon boy over there?” She stuck out her tongue playfully before bursting out into laughter at seeing my unamused gaze.

“No. Just thinking about sticking you on my back and soaring into the clouds.” I murmured in return. That immediately silenced her laughing as she turned back around.

“Please don’t.” She murmured, which gave me the last laugh. A snort from Kagin could be heard from the front of us as he stifled his own snicker. A small smile slithered its way onto my lips. Feels like a family again.

The village edged closer as the day creeped on. By the time we reached a merchant trail, pinks and oranges blazed across the sky. The small pat of horse hooves moved along at a slow pace as a cart rolled its way to the village. A merchant sat on the coachmen’s seat, crying out ‘heeyaws’ or ‘giddyups’ at the horse as he snapped the reins. Boxes littered the backside of the cart, filled with who knows what.

Katsai tightened her hood, allowing only her mouth and nose to be seen. A shadow, which concealed her pale eyes and hair, was created by the too large of a hood.

“From now on, try not to call each other by our names.” She murmured quietly. Kagin only shook his head in amusement as we set off down the trail, following the horseshoe prints that were pressed into the dusty soil.

“You definitely do not look like a thief with your hood like that.” He hummed, not bothering to look back for a reaction. I gazed at Kat who walked beside me. She had puffed out her cheeks in a manner like that of a child who just got scolded for stealing out of the cookie jar.

“You are lucky I am in a friendly mood,” She grumbled. “Or I would kick ya.”

“Nah. You wouldn’t.”

I closed my eyes in exasperation, knowing what was about to come.

“Ow! Why..” Kagin whined as Kat swiftly struck him in the shin with her boot; albeit, it was softer than a full-blown kick but I assumed it was painful enough for Kagin to nearly trip.

“Imma get revenge for that, dwarf.”

I continued walking with an annoyed expression as the two continued to chase after each other. It’s like dealing with two toddlers.

I stopped in my tracks as I stared up at the village sign. Vines wrapped around the aged wood as the painted letters faded with time. Cracks from weather and water pushed through the wood, creating a split between the ‘n’ and ‘u’ of Linuss. The wood was warped, and bent at odd angles which helped further distort the name of the poor village.

I looked back before whistling to gain the attention of the half-elf and shadow-mage. They both stopped in their tracks as Katsai’s eyes landed on a piece of parchment that was posted just below the sign. It was a WANTED sign. A neatly sketched face stared at us as we gazed back at it.

“They could’ve done my nose a little better.” That was all Kat said before she noticed the line under it. “ ‘Now with a new companion! Beware! Subjects are very dangerous! High payout to whoever is able to restrain them!’ ”

“Sounds like a merchant advertising a new sales gimmick.” Kagin mumbled. Katsai snickered in response.

“All new criminals! If you buy two, you only have to pay for one! Five-hundred-thousand keepos for the newest addition: Shapeshifter Kagin!”

“Oh for the love of the gods.” I mumbled, gazing at Kagin with annoyance.

“What’d I do?!”

“You started the whole merchant thing and now she won’t quit laughing.” We both looked to Kat who was still giggling at her own joke. Kagin thought for a second before sighing.

“I would silence her but she licked me the last time I did.” Katsai tilted her head before sticking out her tongue mockingly.

“And I’ll do it again. That’s a threat.” She hummed with amusement.

Our gazes switched to the village before us where townsfolk meandered through the streets. It seemed to be a lazy day because half of the population were sitting around, basking in the sun.

“I bet they don’t get visitors often.” Kat approached the poster, tearing it down with a swift motion. She balled it up before quickly hiding the parchment beneath her cloak. “I’ll keep this for now.”

I nodded as we set off again, entering the small village with caution. Katsai walked in between me and Kagin. Oddly, only her face was known. If Katsai and Kagin had been traveling for a few days now, at least a few witnesses would know Kagin’s face. Even then, there was more detail to Katsai’s face than other criminal sketches. Too much detail if you thought about it. Why was Galterius so fixated on this girl? Only she seemed to know.

I stepped to the side as a kid came barreling towards us. The child was hollering at some of his friends who were chasing him down the street. Each child wore rags and had patches of dirt clinging to their youthful skin. They ran in between carts and strangers, weaving to avoid each other’s hands.

“Poverty.” Kat muttered absentmindedly. “I guess it’s what you would expect in a village like this. At least they find games to play.”

Both me and Kagin remained silent as we continued walking down the street, keeping our eyes peeled for inns or carts. Moments passed before we realized Katsai had disappeared. Kagin let out a long and exasperated sigh.

“She always does this.” He grumbled, turning in a circle in hopes of spotting the shadow-mage. My lips thinned as I scanned each merchant shop, looking for the familiar black clothing. I tilted my head as I caught a glimpse of the fabric.

“What’s she doing?”

“Stealing. She did this a lot in Maelstrom. It’s how she learned to earn money years ago. She sells the stuff she steals on the street to travelers who have no idea it was stolen.” We both watched as the short female blended into the crowd, using her height to disappear beneath the taller population.

“Huh. Even so, how’d she steal Galterius’s aiteho? Isn’t the Emerald Heart locked up very securely?” I glanced at Kagin as he shifted his stance.

“Yep. It is, or was, attached to his crown which he supposedly stored in a locked chamber within the heart of his palace, so we heard on the street years ago. Bounty hunters from other kingdoms would travel through Maelstrom every once in a while. They would be hired to either steal the aiteho or assassinate the King. As you can guess, all of them failed.” He yawned, walking over to a wall to lean against it. He ran his hand through his raven hair before continuing.

“Katsai has always had a grudge on the King, I guess you can say all of us do. And I am sure you’ve noticed by now, but she is a thinker. Strategic, you can call it. Always has a plan. But when it comes to her grudge against the King, she gets reckless. She asked me one day that she wanted revenge, knowing I wanted it too. I suggested we tried assassinating him once we got the chance, but she doesn’t kill. So that was out of the question for her. She told me a plan she had come up with.

She told me she was going to sneak into the castle at night, using her shadows to explore the castle unnoticed.” He paused for a second, giving me a chance to speak up.

“Compared to all of her other plans, especially the Giga Bison one, even I know that wasn’t going to work.” Kagin nodded.

“She somehow pulled it off though. I told her that if she was going to do it, don’t do it alone. She did it alone though, so she could have very easily died. I don’t know where he stored the crown or how she found it. She hasn’t talked about that night, yet, or anything of her past. Which is frustrating.” I nodded, my eyes returning to the thief who was talking to a merchant.

I narrowed my eyes, watching as she used very pronounced hand motions which seemed to distract the merchant. Every so often, while one hand did a motion, the other would fall to her side before quickly darting out to grab a roll or fruit. I looked to Kagin, noticing one of the bags was missing.

“Did you notice her take a bag?” I hummed.

“Hmm? Oh, yeah. She took it off my arm before she disappeared.” He answered, watching as Katsai continued her work. She waved to the merchant before moving to the next cart that contained weapons. Obviously, it was more gaurded. I straightened, prepared to help her out if she needed. I heard Kagin lift himself off the wall, but he seemed more calm compared to my tense posture. He looked at me before sticking his hands in his pockets.

“Just watch. This is where it gets interesting.” A small smirk formed on his lips as I heard Katsai’s voice break over the crowd.

“Five-hundred keepos for a rusted piece of metal like this?! Man, you are running a poor business here, I mean look at this flimsy blade! Who is your blacksmith, or is this your own work?” The merchant was glaring at her before he grunted, bending down to pick out another weapon for her.

I was waiting for her to steal something but nothing happened. I looked at the cart before noticing the items were wrapped around nails, keeping them in place. I narrowed my eyes as a ribbon of shadows slowly made their way to the dagger straps. The shadow quickly flipped one of the straps of leather that bound the dagger belt to the rusted metal. Kat bit her lip before smiling as the merchant popped back up, letting her shadows fall.

Kagin let out a long sigh, yawning once more.

“Taking her longer than usual. Might not be going as planned.” He hummed with boredom.

“Maybe she doesn’t have enough shadows?”

“Possibly.” He replied, turning to find a place to rest. “The entertaining part usually happens when she starts cussing out the vendor.” He chuckled.

“Wouldn’t that cause them to chase her off.” I crossed my arms, continuing to watch the repeating scene.

“Usually, but she somehow makes them think she has a shit-ton of keepos, so I guess they don't want to lose her as a customer.” I whistled, fighting the urge to chuckle. I fell silent as Kat’s voice rose over the crowd again.

“Man! Come on! You show me knife after knife, trying to play them as better than the last. Seriously, look at the metal! That is rusted and dull, what the heck kind of animal will this thing even skin? I doubt it can cut the petals of a daisy.”

“Ma’am, for the sake of the gods, you are in a poor village! The items here aren’t going to be top notch.”

“Yet, you sell them for way more than these people can afford. I’ve seen knives in better quality being sold for less in Eowawin! Why even sell here if these aren’t going to be bought? What kind of marketing ploy is that?” The merchant became silent, trying to come up with a come back but before he could, Katsai spoke up.

“If you don’t have any more knives in better quality, and I mean my definition of better, which means it can actually cut something, then I will take my money and go give it to someone more worthy.” She turned on her heel when the merchant cried out.

“Wait! Ok, ok. I do have one thing, but it is at the bottom of my storage, just give me a minute.” Katsai grinned like the world had just given her the biggest prize.

“Thank you. And take your time, I don’t want it to be damaged.” She sang with amusement. A mischievous aura took over her form as the man ducked behind his stand. With speed, her shadows unraveled the rest of the leather before taking the dagger belt and pulling it under her cloak. Her eyes shifted to us as she winked. Within moments, she disappeared back into the crowd before reappearing in front of us.

“Okay. Here, Genesis.” She handed me the dagger strap. It had multiple slots for multiple types of blades. Short daggers and incredibly long ones could be held in it. I picked it up from her hand before gazing at it. She laughed before turning to Kagin.

“Remember that pouch you had which you were saving?” Kagin stalled before looking back at her.

“Didn’t I leave it behind?”

“No. Here.” She handed him the sack of coins. “Managed to pickpocket from some of the merchants’ stores. They have way too much money for their own good, they can afford to lose some of it rather than purging the people of this village.” She hummed, “I filled it for ya.”

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He looked at the pouch then back up at her, and then back down at the pouch. Katsai burst into laughter.

“You look so surprised.” She chuckled, before turning around to walk down the street. “And, we also kind of need to go.”

“Wait, huh?” I spoke up.

“There you are! Get back here with that!” I looked behind me to see the merchant pushing past people to get to us. Katsai let out a small ‘eep’ before taking off. I gazed at Kagin, noticing he was still staring at the pouch.

“Thank you.” He whispered to which Katsai obviously didn’t hear for she was running down the street, cackling. Kagin looked back up before gazing at me solemnly. He dipped his head in the direction that Kat was running.

“Come on.” I nodded, following after the duo as we weaved in and out of the crowd.

“Psst.” We halted in our tracks as we spotted Katsai in a dark alley. “In here for a little bit.”

“This is totally not creepy in the slightest,” I murmured sarcastically.

Katsai waved her hand in a dismissive motion as she lowered the large bag, which was wrapped around her shoulder, to the ground. I slowly moved towards the back of the alley where Katsai was now sitting, looking through the bag. Kagin followed in after me, sitting to my right.

“I managed to steal a bunch of food items like bread, cheese, and apples. But, water is apparently difficult to find here.” She hummed in thought, as if she were speaking to herself. “They must use most of it for their crops. So, to compensate for that, I stole five canteens from the traveler’s merchant.” She pulled out the canteens, passing two to Kagin and two to me. She placed the remaining one in her personal bag that was still tied to Kagin’s shoulder.

“We can fill those once we find water. And one more thing for you, Genesis.”

“Huh?”

Before Katsai answered, she tossed a bag at me. It was roughly the size of their packs, but darker in color. It was a deep shade of gray while theirs consisted of beige and brown.

“With three of us now, we are going to need more supplies, so I decided to get you a bag for you to put your personal things in as well as your rations,” Her head snapped to Kagin. “And no, you cannot carry all of them this time.”

“Why not..” He mumbled.

“Because, it puts incredible strain on your shoulders and spine!” She retorted. “And two, we do have to carry our own crap from time to time.” I chuckled which gained her attention.

“What is it?”

“You sound like a mother.” She lifted a finger before huffing.

“I do not.”

“Do too.” Kagin chimed in, snickering.

“Shut up.” We all chuckled for a moment before returning to a new topic of conversation.

“I don’t know about you guys, but I am tired of sleeping on the forest floor.” Kagin hummed, leaning back onto his palms before having to readjust to remove the bag from his shoulder.

“Shocking.” Kat yawned, sitting with her legs crossed beneath her. Kagin flicked a tiny pebble at her.

“So, I guess we are looking for an inn next, right?” I questioned. Both of them nodded. Night dawned on the horizon as my eyes lifted to the ever-darkening sky. I looked to both Kagin and Kat as they began to gather all of their belongings. With a heavy sigh, my hands pulled myself to my feet as I stretched out my back.

“And while you two do that,” Kat started, heaving the filled bag onto her shoulders. “I will look for that library.”

“By yourself?” Kagin muttered, his eyes narrowed to slits. It was easy to see how this idea unnerved him and I understood why. Katsai was really eager for the library and it confused us both. Of course, she would come up with a logical reason on the spot, but it was never satisfactory.

“Night is falling.” She hummed, stretching her hands to the sky. “It’s the best time for me to be out. I doubt any of these people actually care for my appearance. They are too focused on their lives and finances to care about who the government is chasing.”

“Kagin’s right though.” I spoke up. “You may have gotten away with going on alone before, but I am sure you know how stupid it is to test your luck like this.”

Katsai squeezed her eyes shut like my words somehow caused her pain. She slowly reopened them with a sigh. Her hands slowly moved up to her hair where she began to run her fingers through the strands.

“Yeah, yeah. I know. But a library is the last place a person will think to look for a thief, right?. I’ll be fine.” She flashed a smile before beginning to walk off, her head low and in thought. My eyes followed her as she disappeared into the dispersing crowds.

I heard a light growl from Kagin as my eyes snapped to him. He was looking at the ground in anger, fists clenched before he slowly relaxed them.

“You know what she is doing, right?” His voice was low and soft as I nodded. No matter how much Katsai thought she was hiding it, it was painfully clear.

“She’s distancing herself.” I answered in return. Kagin lifted his eyes as he swiftly turned and swung his fist towards the alley wall. I jumped slightly at the sudden movement as the druid slowly lowered his bruised knuckles from the bricked wall.

“I don’t understand why!” He growled, canines flashing lightly in the dimming sun. “Why now?! Why can’t she just tell me?!”

My eyelids lowered in empathy as I looked to where Katsai walked off. I thought back to similar feelings that the light brunette expressed. I slowly shook my head.

“I can ensure you....I am fine...I’m not tired...I’ll take this shift...get some sleep…”

I looked back to Kagin with a sigh.

“She thinks she’s protecting us.” His head snapped to me as his eyes locked onto mine. I resisted the urge to flinch as another wave of frustration washed over his features.

“By making us wonder?! By going off alone where she can get injured and we aren’t there to help her?! By keeping the whole reason that Galterius is after her ass a secret?! Why does he even want her dead!”

“She stole his aiteh-” Kagin cut me off with a sigh.

“No. He’s been after her for much longer. At first I thought it was because I was with her, but no, she let it slip one day that she has been on the run since she was four. Guards and eagles were scouting Maelstrom every few weeks and I caught her hiding in a closet. She didn’t want to come out until the coast was clear.” His voice trailed off. He looked to the side with thought and emotion.

“I don’t get it...Why does she keep it a secret?” To this, I had no answer to. Why wouldn’t she tell us?

“I don’t know.” I replied with remorse. Kagin let out a small groan before brushing past me. I flinched lightly as the druid stalked off. My eyes trailed to the spot where his shoulder brushed mine. My fingers moved to the area as I felt my stomach close in on itself, fears from years past traveled up my spine. Unconsciously, my arms wrapped around my body to protect myself from an unseen fear.

I looked up to see Kagin staring at me. His brow was raised in a curious manner.

“You good?” I froze before nodding.

“Mhm. Ready to go?”

“I was already going.” He replied before continuing on. I pursed my lips before starting after him. When did you become so sassy? We walked through the middle of the street as the people from before now disappeared into their cottages. It was eerie as the silence overtook the main dirt road. The occasional bark from a dog or the light chirp from a bird overhead would disrupt the silence, but just as soon as they came, they were gone.

Buildings flashed past as the dark seemed to consume their walls. Katsai was not kidding when she said this was the perfect time for her to be out. Shadows littered the streets as our feet slapped the ground in a rhythmic pattern. As silence lingered over our forms, I took the chance to gaze at the weathered buildings. Grass clinged to the sides of the dull walls while thatched roofs blew in the wind. The walls drooped after years of water flowing down their mortared faces.

“Kat wasn’t kidding when she said these people lived in poverty.” I thought aloud which caught the attention of Kagin. He followed my gaze as we walked past another building that was in similar condition.

“Mhm. I don’t expect they will get much care from the kingdoms around here.” He answered. His eyes scanned the various buildings in search of an inn. Both of us stalled as a shape flashed in our peripherals. We looked up at the broken-down sign in light disgust. The sign hung from one string while multiple spiderwebs flashed in the draining sunlight. The sign was almost impossible to read due to the chopped and faded letters.

“‘The Golden Sun Inn?’” The question left my mouth as my eyes finally made out the letters. Kagin shifted, gazing at the run-down inn through narrowed eyes. The inn itself was small. It was about twice the size of the other huts and seemed to hold only two to three rooms. Instead of a thatch roof, the building was decorated with dark, cedar shingles that were warped by water damage.

“Not so golden anymore.” Kagin replied as he marched off towards the door. “Still better than a forest.”

“If you say so.” The druid waited for me as he rested his hand on the doorknob. With a gentle push, the door swung open to reveal a dimly lit waiting area with dust and cobwebs clinging to the corners.

My eyes scanned the little counter that was reserved for employees. A tiny, rusted bell sat on the wooden counter with tiny pieces of parchment scattered around it. Behind the counter was a rack with three keys hanging on tiny nails. Each key was a dull copper color with parchment labeling each one according to number.

Kagin approached the counter before turning in a circle to gaze around. His eyes flickered to me in a confused manner.

“No one here?” He questioned. I only shrugged my shoulders as my legs carried me to the counter. I stared at the bell for a second before tapping on it. A light ding resonated through the tiny lobby as we both looked around, waiting on our toes.

Moments passed where silence met our ears. Kagin began to whistle as I bounced on my heels. Again, only silence met us.

“We can do this Kat’s way and just pick a room.” Kagin started before he fell silent as a bang erupted from one of the backrooms. I felt my face fall as a voice blasted from the rear of the inn. The voice was old and brittle sounding but yet, carried that gritty edge.

“Wassit’? Ah! We have visitors! Go on, you pipsqueak. Answer the poor foo’s.” Another voice answered the older man. This one sounded scared.

“But-but Ido! What-what if they are those guards from last week?” It was a little kid by the sound of it. His voice made him sound at least six years old.

“Bah! Did those guards ever harm you? No! Stop being a little rat and get out there! I got to finish these files and I ain’t getting any yunger’, so unless you wanna work in those fields with all the other orphans, serve the suckas!” The sound of paper hitting a solid surface answered as little feet came scampering around the corner. The shape dove beneath the counter before tiny hands met our faces.

“Hello?” I tilted my head as a black-forested head rose over the counter. The kid was standing on his toes as he struggled to reach a quill that rested on the counter. Kagin stepped forward, pushing the quill along with an ink jar towards the outreaching hands.

“Thank you, sir. Ah, I forgot how this go-goes.” He stammered, dipping the quill into the ink. He quickly snagged a piece of parchment before scribbling tiny words onto it. “Okay, I think I got it. Y-you guys are looking to stay here, r-right?”

I couldn’t help but flash a tiny smile towards the kid. Kagin held back a little laugh as we both nodded. The kid only let out a small grunt as he let go of the counter. The soft plop of tiny feet hit the floor as the child walked back and forth between drawers.

“You g-guys aren’t guards, right?” He spoke up once again, trying to start a conversation as he searched through a stack of papers.

“No.” Kagin replied as the kid let out a small gasp. He spun around in a quick manner which startled both of us.

“W-wait! So you guys are actual travelers?!” I blinked at the sudden shift in energy. Kagin glanced at me as the kid began to ramble.

“I mean, guards are cool and all but that’s all we get around here. And even then, they are pretty scary. With their shiny swords and armor, I wonder how many beasts they’ve slain. On second thought, I don’t know why I thought you guys were guards but that’s besides the point. I bet you guys have seen so much awesome stuff! Have you seen the Giga bison?! They are massive, I don’t know how the merchants pull in all that hide. Oh, oh! Have you guys been through bigger villages?! I’ve always wondered what other villages look like! Wait! Have you guys been to Eowawin!?” We stared at the kid with blank stares as he continued to ramble.

I slowly put my hand up as Kagin spoke up.

“Slow down. Look, we just want a room at the moment. When our friend gets here, you can ask her all those questions.” My eyes snapped to him.

“She will kill you for loading a child onto her.”

“She’s a child herself, she’ll be fine.”

“You guys have another kid with you?!” We both stopped as the kid looked up at us with eager eyes.

“No. Although she is as short as one, she isn’t. It was metaphorical.” Kagin rubbed the back of his neck as the kid looked to the floor, downcast.

“Oh. Well then, let me get you guys your key. Ido will be out in a second to ask you guys questions.” The kid scampered to the keys, picking number three off of the nail. He came back, offering the key up to me. I took it hesitantly as the child ran to a nearby stool, waiting patiently for the old man to leave his cave.

Feet shuffling down a hall rose from behind the counter which caught our attention. The soft clicking of a cane introduced the raggedy, old man that rounded the corner. Wisps of gray hair hung from his skull as one blind eye stared blankly at us.

“So you are the travelers Tan keeps yelling about.” His head rolled to the little child who in return, shrunk sheepishly in his seat. “Apologies for his energetic outbursts. We don’t get business ere’ too often, so he gets a lil’ excited when it's anyone other than guards.”

The old man shuffled his way to the stack of papers Tan was sorting through. He looked back up at the child.

“Did you not find em’?”

“No, sir.”

“Ah, phooey.” The man shook his head as he gazed back at us. “We can just give you a room without the questionnaire for tonight. You guys are only staying one night, right?” We nodded as he continued. “Alrighty, then. Tan has already given you the key so you can take that hallway to the left to find your room. Room three, wassit? Ah, three beds and one bathing basin. You guys are all set.”

“You guys will answer my questions later, right??” Tan was practically bouncing in his seat as he stared at us. I nodded softly before we set off for the rooms. As we disappeared, a loud ‘yes!’ could be heard from the child.

We gazed at the door that stood dark in the narrow hallway. Kagin quickly opened it as we feared the interior condition. Surprisingly, it was well kept compared to the lobby and exterior of the building. Kagin threw down his bag as he slowly made his way to one of the beds that lined the wall. I watched blankly as he fell face first onto the soft surface.

“Definitely better than the forest floor.” He mumbled into the sheets, his voice muffled. I only shook my head as I turned in a circle, staring at the walls. No windows or shutters could be seen, giving the room a claustrophobic feel. The sounds of Tan running around in the lobby moved through the walls as the orphan played Knights VS Dragons against an invisible foe.

Kagin swiftly pulled himself back up, his eyes traveling to the door. I knew what he was thinking. It’s been an hour since we have last seen Katsai and for a village this small, it shouldn’t take her that long to traverse through it. And even if she found a library, knowing her, it wouldn’t take but a few minutes for her to find what she was looking for.

“I know, but we have to trust her. I mean, what other option do we have? She left without giving us a chance to stop her.” I murmured, sitting down on cloven bedspreads. Kagin only huffed, his eyes never leaving the door.

“You look like a lost dog.”

“Quiet.”

I was about to respond when a gasp from Tan interrupted me.

“Ido! Ido! Another one! This one doesn’t look like a guard though. Woah. Look at your cloak! Why is your face hidden? Oh, I know! You are some cool assassin or something!”

“Tan! We have guests, shut your yap!”

“But Ido…”

“Uh, can you let go of my leg?” A hesitant voice rose above the loud inn owners. “And no, I am not an assassin but I will become one if you don’t stop pulling at my cloak.”

“But-but, woah. Why do you have so many scrolls? Can you read and write?! I don’t know many people who can do that! I mean, Ido can, but he’s like the only one in the village who can. He taught me how to and it’s amazing! Do you know the stories of Lican the incredible? He slayed so many dragons, it’s really unbelievable!” Silence met the child before squeals of fear raced through the inn.

Kagin looked to me with an arched brow before we both peeked out of the doorway. Katsai, in her hooded glory, was chasing the child with hands outstretched. Tan was laughing uncontrollably until Katsai nabbed him and pulled him into a headlock. He began squealing as she held him in place, a look of annoyance and irritation adorning her face. Kagin sighed before stepping into the hallway. I followed suit while running my hand along the wall.

“Let go of the orphan-” Kagin stalled, catching himself as he almost said her name. Katsai stared at him before dropping Tan onto the floor. Tan let out a small ‘oof’ before brushing himself off and returning to staring at us with eager eyes. Katsai stared at his black head for a second too long before gazing back at us, three scrolls piled in between her arm and side.

”Found it.” Kagin only stared at her before turning on his heel and marching back to the room. Katsai watched as he disappeared, a long sigh leaving her lips. I gazed at the scrolls before tilting my head at her.

“Oh these? Just the history on battles of Eowawin.” She hummed with mild interest. Tan gasped, gathering our attention again.

“Battles?! I’ve heard of the most recent ones. The battle of Pyrei, right? King Galterius was so brave to face off against those savages!” Katsai frowned before she sighed. Tan looked at me in confusion. I only shook my head in response.

“Don’t believe everything you hear from the King, kiddo.” Katsai mumbled, picking her way to the rooms. “It’ll only leave you disappointed.”

“Huh?” I looked at the orphan before flashing a small smile. He gazed at us as we returned to the room, eyes sparkling as the door closed.

“Let’s get some sleep before we set off in the morning.” Kagin huffed, not bothering to look at Kat. I nodded as the excited footsteps of Tan faded into the background. “We’ll be heading to the mountains in the morning.”

“If we can get past Tan’s questions first.” I chuckled lightly. My eyes traveled to the door as the tension only seemed to rise. I sighed. Let’s hope whatever is on that mountain can help us.