Warm air buffeted Cora’s cloak as she walked. It brushed against her ankles with each step. The streets were nearly bare with groups of two and three walking along together, a far cry from the city where merchants shouted from their stands to the crowds of shoppers that filled the streets.

“I have to make my rounds before we go home,” Idris said.

“Ok,” Cora answered, unsure whether it was a question or a challenge. “What are rounds?” She had heard Mattias talk about doing rounds but he had never explained what that meant either.

Idris glanced at her. “It’s an evening patrol to make sure everyone is safe before the Shadow-Walkers come out,” he explained.

Cora stared at the ground ahead of them for a moment, thinking over his answer. “They only come out at night?” If that was the case, why had they made a big deal over Delta?

Idris shook his head. “They are always out, but dawn and dusk are the times they are most active.”

“Oh,” Cora said. She peered down a side street as they passed. “Does everybody have rounds?” she asked when they were past the side street.

“No. It is the responsibility of the Gifted to make sure the people are safe.” He slowed as they came up to a crossroad.

“You and Mattias and Maya?” Cora guessed.

A cool breeze drifted over them, bringing with it a peculiar smell. “What’s —“ Cora started. Before she could get the rest of the words out, a large shadowy figure rounded the corner.

It’s wavy limbs appeared opaque, like dense shadows, letting the slightest bit of light through as it drifted toward them, its body shrouded in the strange shadow. A growl emitted from somewhere near its center. Then it showed its teeth. Gleaming and long, they seemed to reflect what light caught in its shadow.

Cora’s heart jumped into her throat and she stumbled backward, unable to tear her eyes away from the monster. The words Shadow-Walker echoed in her mind.

Idris stepped in front of her, blocking the monster’s path. He raised a hand in the air and uttered words she couldn’t understand.

A sense of longing filled Cora, pushing away all other emotions. It pulled at her insides almost painfully, and in her mind an image flashed of dark spaces connected by tunnels.

A bright light flashed in front of her, erasing the image and stinging her eyes. She blinked hard and scrubbed at her face with her hands. When she was able to see around the spots in her vision, the monster was gone.

“Cora, are you alright?” Idris turned to face her, concern etched on his face. He put a hand on each of her shoulders and gave a squeeze.

She nodded and answered in a breath. “Yeah.”

“Good.” He let one hand fall from her shoulder and looked around. “We need to keep moving.”

“What was that?” she asked, though she already knew the answer.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

Idris kept a hand on her shoulder as they started forward again. “That was a Shadow-Walker.”

Cora swallowed a lump in her throat. “Oh.”

They picked up the pace, turning at the crossroad and following it to the end where the only options were right, down another street, or left into what appeared to be open desert. Again, a rush of cool air hit her in the face, bringing with it the same smell as before.

“Again,” she heard Idris utter. He moved in front of her and raised a hand to meet the monster as it drifted in from the desert. In the dimming light, it almost looked like it had materialized out of thin air.

Once more, the sense of longing took over and the dark image filled her mind.

As soon as it had started, it was gone with the flash of light.

Idris took her hand and pulled her along down the street. They came to a stop in front of a house with a rounded wooden door that set it apart from those around it. He pushed it open and ushered Cora inside, closing the door behind them.

The inside of the house looked much like Mattias’s. The table and chairs fit less people, and the cushions were fewer and larger, but the layout was the same; a large open room with two doors at the far end, and windows in the ceiling.

Idris walked the room, lighting lanterns that hung on the walls.

“Are you alright?” he asked, turning back to Cora.

“Yeah,” she said. Then, looking at the door behind her she asked. “Do they break into houses?” She imagined it would be fairly easy to do. None of the doors she had seen had locks on them.

“No,” Idris answered, heading for the table where he took his cloak off and draped it over the back of a chair. “When the houses were built, they were imbued with magic. Shadow-walkers cannot enter.”

“Magic,” she said quietly, slowly heading toward the table.

“Are you hungry?” He opened one of the cabinet doors and pulled out two jars. One held dehydrated meats, and in the other was what looked like an assortment of dehydrated fruits. He set them on the table and opened the lids, pulling out a few pieces for himself.

“Yeah,” she answered, helping herself. Whether she was or not, it was foolish to turn down food.

Silence fell around them while they ate. Then Idris spoke up. “I only have one bed. We will go to the market tomorrow and get one for you. In the meantime, you can use mine.”

She studied the two doors, wondering which was the sleeping room and what the other room might be.

He opened the door on the left, closest to them.

Curiosity pushed her along and she followed him inside. Once again, a window in the ceiling revealed the night sky. Along one wall, a cot held a blanket the same color as the sandy streets, and a small lump she assumed was a pillow. A chest of drawers sat against the far wall and above it, she recognized a map of Phaedra. She found her eyes drawn once again to the mountains at the top of the map.

“Where are you going to sleep?” she asked, pulling her eyes away from the map. There wasn’t much else in the room. A wooden chest with a domed top was the closest thing to furniture and it wasn’t even the length of the cot. Though, she could imagine making a bed inside it if there was room. She had seen the smaller children sleeping in crates when they found empty ones.

He motioned toward the door. “I can use the cushions.”

She scrunched her brow, thinking of the large colorful cushions. They would be comfortable enough. “I can sleep there.” Without thinking, she took a step toward the door.

“No.” He moved into the way, his tone sharp.

Cora bristled. Nobody spoke to her that way. Crossing her arms, she held her ground, eyes narrowed on the man blocking her way. “Why not?”

To her surprise, Idris let his shoulders fall and lowered his hands. He took a deep breath. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you.”

“You didn’t scare me,” she argued, dropping her arms for emphasis. It would take more than that to scare her.

Idris looked away. “Mattias warned me…” he muttered, putting a hand to his head. Then he met Cora’s eyes again. “I am not going to argue with you, Cora. We will go to the market tomorrow. Until then, these will be the arrangements.”

She stared as he slipped out the door, leaving it ajar. The sudden shift felt like mental whiplash. Why was he so insistent on her having the bed? No one insisted on kindness without a motive behind it. What had Mattias warned him about?

The sound of the cushions shuffling reached her ears and she let out a sigh that immediately turned into a yawn. For one night, she could deal with these arrangements. She would ask her questions in the morning.