The girl kept her distance, but some of the fear ebbed away. Her hands twisted the material of her dress nervously, and after a minute, she scrubbed away her tears.

“You're him, the one who's here to save us, right?” Her voice was weak, wavering every few words, but that didn't stop the fist that wrapped around my heart and squeezed.

Running a hand through my hair, I chose my words carefully. “I don't know. Everyone seems to think so, but I'm not sure.”

She deflated, the pace of her fidgeting hands picking up. “Do you not like us?”

Another painful squeeze in my chest followed. I sat, leaning back against the stone bench to put us at the same level. Shifting sideways to meet her gaze, I shook my head.

“That's not it. Even if I didn't necessarily like someone, it wouldn't stop me from saving them if they needed help.”

She pouted, confusion clear in the furrow of her brow as she inched closer. “Then why don't you want to save us?”

When she stopped less than a foot away, I sighed. “It's not that I don't want to save you, kid. But… I was just dropped into an entirely new world with no knowledge of how to use these powers. If I tried to go against a whole army, I wouldn't last a minute.”

Which was why I'd hoped to hear back from Karma by now. Hell, I might even take Time, if she didn't appear before the army arrived.

These people needed help, and if I could somehow offer it, I would. But Karma had sent me here with a mission I hadn't even put a dent in yet. I needed to know more about the oncoming apocalypse and what that fool of a king had summoned. But I couldn't focus on either of those if I died beforehand.

Focusing back on the girl, an idea sparked. “What do you know about that army? Maybe I can come up with some kind of plan against them.”

She curled into herself, arms wrapping tightly around her middle as tears filled her eyes. “They took my aman while Adan was away. King Silas tells me she's gone and Adan isn't back yet… I want my adan.”

The words were unfamiliar, but I'd heard that same lost tone from children looking for their parents. It didn't take much to put the pieces together. When tears spilled down her cheeks and hiccuping sobs started, a flutter of panic shot through me before I crushed it down.

She was a grieving kid who'd been separated from her parents. The last thing she needed was for me to freak out on her. Instead, I took a breath and rubbed her back. “Where was your adan last?”

She scrubbed her tears away and shrugged. “He fights against the army when they get close to home. But the bad things came a few days after he left. Aman told me to run… I don't know where Adan is.”

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The sobs picked up and I tugged her into a one-armed hug. She clung to my cloak, her words garbled as she spoke through the tears. “I want to go home.”

By the sound of it, she might not have one to go back to. Her father was probably a town guard, and since the army made it far enough to take her mother, odds were, he was already dead.

I had just enough tact to know she didn't need to hear that. I kept it to myself and held her tighter, letting her cry it all out. The poor kid had been through hell, and now the very army that took everything from her was getting ready to attack. She'd earned that cry.

When the sniffles petered off, she pulled away. Red-rimmed eyes drooped, exhaustion clear as she half-slumped against my side. The sight tugged at my heart and I tucked her closer.

“I never introduced myself, you know. That's rude of me. I'm Nikolas, and you are?”

She tipped her head back, sleepy eyes struggling to lock onto mine as she muttered, “I'm Maya.” Her eyes shut again and she cuddled into my side, letting out a yawn that cracked her jaw.

I bit back a laugh. “Get some rest, you've earned it.” She nodded, closing her eyes without complaint. When her breathing evened out, I let myself consider everything she said.

It seemed to line up with what Silas had told me before. An undead army was spreading chaos across Nexus. And if these two were right, I didn't have time to investigate the summoning ritual.

Hopefully, what or who that fool of a king summoned wouldn't be a problem long enough for me to figure out how to deal with the army.

Another rustle came, and I tensed, my attention swinging to the cause. This time, it wasn't a kid.

The bat beastfolk from earlier stood on the path leading back to the castle. Only now, I could actually take him in.

Leathery wings sat around his shoulders like a cloak, clasped in the middle of his chest back to where the tips rested a few inches above the ground. They matched the ebony of his hair, the locks cut short and brushed back to stay out of the way. Long bat ears replaced his human ones, and when I met his eyes, I paused.

They weren't focusing on anything.

Even now, they stared through me, watching something over my shoulder and beyond.

The silence stretched for a minute before he cleared his throat and introduced himself. “My name is Dominicus, one of king Silas's personal guards. He sent me to ask how you're settling in.”

More like to see if I'd decided to help them… Still, there was no need to shoot the messenger, so I smiled, my tone pleasant.

“I'm doing as well as can be expected, and you can call me Nikolas. It's nice to meet you.”

He tipped his head in acknowledgement before gesturing down at my side. “Is the girl bothering you? If so, I apologize. I came across her after her town was destroyed and brought her back, assuming she'd be safe…” He grimaced, letting the sentence die.

Then the army followed them back here.

I shook my head, noting that he could at least partially see. Enough to know it wasn't just me here.

“Yeah, she told me about what happened. I actually need to talk to the king, if you could lead me there.” I glanced down at Maya for a second before adding on, “And maybe watch her until I'm done? I don't want her to wake up alone.”

He nodded easily. “Of course.”

I gently shifted the girl off of me and stood, passing her to him as smoothly as I could. She sniffed but didn't wake, instead snuggling closer to Dominicus after a second. He adjusted his grip to make her more comfortable until her face curled into his neck, then he gestured for me to follow.

“I'll bring you to the king now.”

Good, I needed to talk to Silas first and foremost. Any information he could give me about the approaching threat was vital.

I didn't come to Nexus to fight, but I'd be damned before I let Maya or anyone like her die while I could even possibly help.

No matter what, she was going to survive this. I'd make sure of it.