Iris slowly opened her eyes as she heard her name being called.

I leveled again…

She slowly breathed in and out as she considered the messages that had appeared in her mind. It was the second time she had received a notification, and she’d gone up three levels. Likely because I created a new spell.

Iris had always been eager to gain more rushes–or levels and learn new spells in the past, but this time was different. The circumstances surrounding her leveling up were heavy, and it was hard to feel any sense of accomplishment or excitement. Once again she’d needed to create new magic in a situation of life or death.

Only, this time, it wasn’t her life in the balance.

“Iris?” a soft voice called out.

Iris blinked, pushing her thoughts out of her mind and focusing on her surroundings. As she looked around, she realized she was on a bench, leaning against a pillow propped up against the wall. She shifted slightly, feeling a soreness in her muscles that suggested she had been in this position for a while. Turning her head to the side, she saw Kaira’s face staring at her from the bed, and everything came flooding back. The high elf was awake, her pixie-cut hair mussed and her face pale, but she was giving Iris a soft smile.

“Iris, you’re awake,” Kaira said, her voice weak but filled with relief. “And filled with thoughts as usual. Are you okay?”

Iris sat up, rubbing her eyes and taking in her surroundings. They were still in the inn, and the room was quiet except for the occasional creaking of the floorboards. She looked back at Kaira, taking in the sight of her awake and alive. It was a relief beyond words.

“How are you feeling?” Iris asked, her voice filled with concern.

“I’m alright,” Kaira replied with a small smile. “A little weak, but I’ll be fine.”

Iris let out a breath she didn’t realize she was holding. “Good,” she said, relieved. “You had us all worried there for a bit.”

“I’m sorry,” Kaira said, her voice barely above a whisper. “I shouldn’t have let my guard down. Such a rookie mistake.”

“There’s nothing to apologize for,” Iris replied firmly. “You fought like a badass. I’m proud of you.”

Kaira’s smile widened, and Iris couldn’t help but feel a sense of warmth spread through her chest at the sight. She had to admit, there was something about Kaira that drew her in, something that made her feel like everything would be alright.

Her thoughts from the night prior tempered any desire to scoop the woman up and hold her close.

“Is everyone else alright?” Kaira asked, breaking the silence.

“They’re all fine,” Iris replied. “Bree’s been taking care of you non-stop since the fight. Gryff and Laken should either already be back or be back soon.”

“Where are they?” Kaira asked, her smile fading slightly.

Iris examined Kaira’s face, noticing the worry etched there. “I sent them with Mocha to the bandit camp to look for evidence and loot it. It was late when they left, but they’ll be back soon,” she reassured her.

Kaira nodded, her eyes closing briefly. “Thank you for taking care of me, Iris. I don’t know what I would have done without you.”

Iris felt a pang in her chest at the vulnerability in Kaira’s words. “It wasn’t just me,” she replied, her tone softening. “Bree kept you stable until we could get the doctor. The guys transported you on the stretcher. If I’m being honest, I think I did the least…”

“If it wasn’t for you…” The elf sighed and changed the subject. “You ignored my question earlier, are you okay? What were you thinking about?”

“I got another notification,” Iris said, her tone serious. “I’m level forty-eight now. And I got a new spell.”

Kaira smiled. “That’s good, you deserve it. What spell?”

Iris nodded slowly, her eyes falling. “Yeah… [Lightning Spear]. The one I used against the bandit leader when…”

Kaira's smile faded, her expression turning somber. “I'm sorry I put you through all of that. You risked so much to help me, and I can’t thank you enough.”

Iris shook her head. “Don't worry about it. You would do the same for me.”

The elf nodded, her eyes flickering with emotion. “But still, I appreciate it. And congratulations on leveling up and getting the new spell. That's impressive.”

Iris smiled weakly. “Thanks.”

They sat in silence for a few moments before Kaira reached over, grabbed Iris’s hand, and squeezed it. “I’m happy you’re here. You had me so worried when you walked into the camp. My heart was racing…”

Iris sat up straighter, her attention fully on Kaira. She felt a weight settle in her chest at Kaira's words. The high elf had been through a traumatic experience, and the fact that Iris had caused her worry only added to her guilt. She wanted to say something but then hesitated, realizing that Kaira wasn’t finished.

Kaira took a deep breath before speaking, her eyes meeting Iris’s. “It’s hard to focus on just the quest and party when I realize how much I care for you.”

Iris’s heart skipped a beat at Kaira’s words, and for a moment, she was at a loss for what to say. Her mind raced with questions and doubts, but her heart told her that she needed to take a chance. She squeezed Kaira’s hand back and leaned in closer.

“I feel the same way,” she admitted softly. “But we have to be careful. We can’t let our feelings cloud our judgment. It’s not just us out there, it’s our entire party and the people we’re trying to protect.”

Kaira’s expression turned serious as she nodded. “I know. Trust me. It’s just… I remember getting stabbed and all of the regrets hit me at once. Thinking that I would die not…” She hesitated, and Iris could see that the woman was struggling with her emotions. “I didn’t want to go without you knowing how I felt.”

Iris smiled softly as she gave the woman’s hand a squeeze. “I’m glad we both feel the same way.”

Iris couldn’t help but feel a sense of contentment settle over her as she sat there, holding Kaira’s hand.

The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.

But her contentment was short-lived as she noticed the tears forming in Kaira’s eyes. “Hey, what’s wrong?” she asked gently, wiping away the tears with her thumb.

“I’m just… confused,” Kaira admitted, her voice trembling. “I’ve never felt this way before. And with all that’s happened, with the danger we’re constantly facing… I’m scared of moving forward. What if something happens to one of us? What if I have to choose between you and the others, when my choice could decide who lives?”

Iris took a deep breath, understanding Kaira’s fears.

“I know it’s scary,” she said softly. “But we can’t predict the future, Kaira. We can only focus on the present, on the quest at hand, and do our best to protect everyone. And as for our feelings…” Iris paused, taking a moment to gather her thoughts. She knew what she was about to say would be difficult, but it was the best decision for all of them. Tears pricked at the corners of her eyes as she continued, “I think we should wait until the quest is done before deciding anything. That way, we can focus on what’s important right now and not let our emotions cloud our judgment.

“And if, when the quest is done, we still feel the same way…” She hesitated, forcing herself to finish the thought. “Then we can talk about it then.”

Kaira nodded slowly, her eyes flickering with uncertainty. Iris could feel the tension in the air, but she knew in her heart that this was the right thing to do. They couldn’t let their feelings for each other distract them from their quest. Not when so much was at stake.

Kaira’s eyes met hers, and Iris could see the hesitation there. But she also saw the trust, the belief that Iris knew what was best.

“Okay,” Kaira said quietly, her voice barely above a whisper. “I trust you, Iris. I’m just… tired.”

“Good,” Iris replied, giving Kaira’s hand one final squeeze before standing up. “Now, you should get some rest. You need to regain your strength.”

“You’re right,” Kaira said, her voice barely above a whisper. “Thank you, Iris.”

Iris smiled softly. “Of course. I’ll check on you later.”

Kaira nodded again, exhaustion evident in her features.

As she walked toward the door, Iris couldn’t help but feel a pang of sadness. She knew that what she had suggested was for the best, but it still hurt. Her feelings for Kaira were strong, and the thought of putting them on hold was difficult. But for the sake of the quest and the safety of everyone involved, it was necessary. With a final glance at Kaira seeing the woman already sleeping, she left the room and headed toward Reeve Evelyn’s home.

✦ ✦ ✦

Iris made her way towards the Reeve's House, the familiar surroundings easing her nerves. Her thoughts turned to Gryff, Laken, and Mocha, who had yet to return from the bandit camp. Iris knew she would need to head back to the inn soon, but the thought of sitting idly by and worrying wasn't something she could handle. She needed to take her mind off of all the emotions swirling inside of her, and what better way to do that than to seek out Reeve Evelyn and see if the woman had any quests needing accomplished.

With a deep breath, Iris pushed aside her worries and made her way inside the building.

As Iris stepped inside, she immediately noticed the familiar surroundings. The large open area where Reeve Evelyn received villagers to discuss important business and hold village meetings was just as she remembered it. As she glanced around, her eyes landed on one of the Village Guards speaking with a House Arden guard. The two seemed to be animatedly talking about the bandits the Brightburn squad had captured. Iris wondered what the Reeve thought of the matter.

Speaking of Evelyn, the woman in question noticed Iris's arrival and made her way over. “Iris! It's good to see you again. I didn’t think you would return this soon after the knights arrived,” she greeted with a warm smile.

Iris smiled back, feeling a sense of familiarity wash over her. “How have things been here?”

Evelyn heaved a breath before she replied, “We've been managing. The Harpy threat hasn't gone away completely, and there have been a few random attacks on travelers. And thanks to your warning, we were able to prepare ourselves. Come, let’s sit and talk.”

The woman motioned over to the side to some chairs and led Iris to sit down on them. Evelyn's expression turned serious as she looked at Iris. “How is your friend? I heard she got injured pretty badly. From the two bandits the Arden Guards took to their little makeshift prison, I imagine it had something to do with that. I cannot wait until they are out of my village or hanging from a noose.”

Oh damn. Well, at least now I don’t need to ask her what she thinks of the prisoners.

Iris nodded. “Kaira’s doing much better now. Bree was able to save her life, and the doctor was able to stitch her up. The rest of my party should be back soon.”

Evelyn listened attentively as Iris launched into a description of everything that had happened since leaving Stilstead. She told her about the bandit attack, everything that had happened in Brightburn, and their encounter with the hidden bandit camp. When Iris finished, Evelyn sat back in her chair, looking pensive.

“I'm glad to hear that everyone is safe,” Evelyn said after a moment of silence. “You've been through a lot, Iris. Are you sure you're okay?”

Iris nodded, though she wasn't entirely convinced herself. “I'll be fine. I just need to keep busy. Do you have any quests that need doing?”

Evelyn sat forward in her chair, her eyes lighting up with an idea. “Speaking of quests, have you heard about our job board?” she asked, leading Iris over to a nearby board where a bunch of papers were stuck to it, each with random jobs needing done. “I remember you mentioning something about it as you described your guild idea.”

Iris smiled, scanning the various papers with interest. “Yes, I did. This looks great!”

“It's had a positive reaction with the village,” Evelyn explained, a note of pride in her voice. “People have been able to find people to help them with all sorts of tasks. It's been a big help to the community.”

Iris chuckled as she saw one about a request to clean up a storage shed and another about a cat that kept meowing constantly at night.

As they were talking, a man entered the building and approached the board. He pulled out a piece of paper and handed a copper coin to Evelyn, who explained to Iris that there was a small fee for posting a job.

Curious, Iris asked the man what the job was.

The elven man, who introduced himself as a farmer, explained that there was a monster beast attacking his livestock and digging up his crops.

“I'm sure you're busy with your own business,” the farmer said, looking at Iris and her still-gross armor with a mix of hope and desperation. “But if you could help me out, I would be eternally grateful.”

Iris glanced down at herself and her eyes widened. “I… I completely forgot to clean myself up…”

Evelyn sighed, reaching up to place a comforting hand on Iris’s shoulder. “I had thought that may be the case after you told me your story. Don’t worry lass, we’re a village. Everyone can be a bit dirty at times.”

Iris felt a pang of sympathy for the farmer. She turned back toward him. “Do you have any information on this monster? I might be able to help out.”

The farmer nodded eagerly. “Yes, it’s been attacking in the fields just outside of the village. We’ve tried to scare it off with torches and noise, but nothing seems to work. It’s getting bolder and more aggressive, and I’m afraid it’s only a matter of time before it attacks one of the children.”

Iris nodded, understanding the severity of the situation. “I’ll do what I can to help. Can you give me more specific details on where it’s been attacking and what it looks like?”

The farmer gave her a grateful smile and proceeded to give her more information about the monster. As he spoke, Iris’s expression fell. It sounds like a Dire Fox, like the one that had attacked the farm where I got Mocha…

Iris took a deep breath, steeling herself for what might be a difficult fight. “I think I know what we're dealing with,” she said, her voice determined. “I'll head out to the fields as soon as I can and take care of it.”

The farmer's face lit up with relief. “Thank you so much! I'll make sure to pay you a fair price for your services.”

Iris shook her head. “We can figure out a different type of reward. I'm happy to help out the village.”

Reeve Evelyn's smile mirrored Iris's sentiments. “Your kindness and willingness to assist are much appreciated, Iris.”

Iris waved off Evelyn’s praise and turned to the farmer. “I’ll take care of it. Thank you for letting me know. I’ll meet you at your farm as soon as possible.”

The farmer's face broke out into a grateful smile. “Thank you so much. My farm is just outside the village, to the east. It’s the one with the big oak tree in the middle of the field.”

Iris nodded, committing the directions to memory. “I need to check in at the inn first and see if my companions have returned. But I’ll be there as soon as possible.”

The farmer gave her a nod of understanding, and after saying goodbye to Evelyn, Iris made her way out of the Reeve’s House. She shoved her emotions down deep, her thoughts already turning to the task ahead.