The sun was setting and clouds were starting to gather in the sky, making the air colder. A cool breeze hit Lianne's face as she galloped ahead. Her eyes watered, but she quickly wiped the forming tears off, concentrating on the roadside inn in the distance.

Lianne let out a deep sigh of relief when the big building came clearly into view. They were finally there. The journey had felt ten times longer than it actually was. Lianne had been eagerly waiting for reaching their goal, even if it was just an inn.

"Soft bed, I'm coming for you!" Amra yelled excitedly with a wide grin on her face as she galloped next to Lianne.

"Warm meal and beer!" Lianne cheered as she spurred her horse to go even faster, moving ahead of Amra. Lianne heard Amra laughing behind her as she speeded up, to get to the inn before she or Faolin could.

Lianne pulled on the reins as she reached the fence of the inn. Luna stopped and neighed as if to announce their arrival. The inn before her was a large house with two floors, stone walls, a high rooftop, and a stable for the horses. Lush trees and bushes surrounded the place, making it seem welcoming. The inn was much bigger and fancier than Lianne had expected.

Lianne took a deep breath of the fresh air and then let it all out in a long exhale. A sweet scent lingered from the plants that were growing beneath the fence. Lianne was glad to be able to stay the night at the inn. She hadn't even realized before how much she had yearned for a roof over her head.

Lianne hopped off her horse when Amra and Faolin finally caught up to her. She patted Luna and then paced around for a moment. Even if they hadn't been riding nonstop, she still felt relieved to stretch out her legs.

"This place seems great," Amra sighed seemingly relieved as she got off her horse. She took the reins and started escorting Sol to the stable.

"I smell hyssop," Faolin said as he nimbly jumped off his horse and walked to the plants beneath the fence. He crouched down and picked one of the plants, lifting it to his nose and smelling it. "I did not know they grew this far north."

An older man pulled his horse out of the stable and tediously climbed on the saddle. He urged his horse to move, walking past them. "Evening," the man said, tipping his hat courteously. "It seems there's more traffic than usual."

"Good evening," Lianne replied with a little nod. "We're not the first ones to arrive today?"

"Nope," the man smiled before he spurred his horse to a gallop, leaving the inn and starting a journey of his own.

"Let's hope they have a room for us," Amra said while pulling Sol toward the stable.

Lianne started following her, but couldn't get far. She turned around and saw Faolin still crouching down and inspecting the hyssop. "Faolin, you coming?"

Faolin seemed to wake up from his thoughts. He glanced at Lianne and put the plant down. "Yes, forgive me," he said and got up, took the reins of Myrin, and followed them.

The open stable was surprisingly packed already. Lianne counted eight horses that whinnied and ate some hay laid before them. The stalls looked tidy, the floor swept and water tanks filled. It seemed that the place was taken care of.

"Hey, look at that," Lianne noticed a wagon parked next to the stable. It was the same they had seen earlier.

Lianne let go of the reins and walked to the wagon. It looked as ornamental and beautiful as it had before. She touched the surface of the wagon, letting her fingers move along the brass decorations on the side. She smelled the wooden walls but didn't sense the same stuffy stench that she had before.

Lianne moved to the window of the wagon, wanting to peek inside. As she was tiptoed, she froze in place. A small shiver ran through her spine as she remembered the eyes she had seen in the window. For a moment she felt an empty prickle in her stomach that soon disappeared.

Lianne shook her head and carefully leaned against the wagon. She peeked through the window slowly as if she was waiting for the same eyes to look back at her. But she couldn't see anything inside. It was too dark.

Lianne tried the handle on the door, but it wouldn't budge. "Damn it," she cursed to herself. She wanted to see if there were any clues to who those men were.

Faolin walked next to Lianne and put his hand on the wagon as if he was trying to sense something from it. He closed his eyes for a moment, focusing only on what he was doing. "I do not feel the same energy as before. Something is amiss," he opened his eyes and frowned.

"I didn't either," Lianne said and turned to Faolin. "The feeling is gone."

Faolin nodded. "The feeling of emptiness."

Amra walked next to them, to inspect the wagon too. She looked through the ornamental decorations and the dark walls. "Definitely someone rich."

Lianne shrugged. "Maybe," she said while looking through the horses that had been pulling the wagon. They seemed ordinary horses, munching on the hay. Maybe Lianne was overthinking? Maybe they had been just regular travelers?

Lianne let out a sigh as she backed away from the wagon and went to Luna, pulling the horse to one of the stalls. She tied the reins to a pole when she noticed a dark brown horse gazing at her in the corner of the stable. "Hey, isn't that Kendel's horse?"

"Guess he made it here without falling off his horse again," Amra grinned while pulling Sol to the stall.

"Good for him," Lianne smiled and started to untie her backpack from the saddle.

Lianne, Amra, and Faolin walked inside the cozy inn. The wood walls darkened the hall but all the candles light it up and made the atmosphere warm and welcoming. Curious paintings of sceneries and animals hung on the walls. Different kinds of fabrics covered almost every possible surface. It seemed the owner had decorated the inn with whatever they could find.

Lianne's boots clopped on the hard floor as she walked further in. She could smell faint traces of beer, spices, and something musty. A chatter carried from the tavern on the other side of the first floor, but it was soon exceeded by a cheery voice.

"Everyone! Welcome!" the innkeeper, a large man, yelled with a hearty voice, his arms wide open, walking to them from the tavern. He had a big belly, red plump cheeks, and a huge mustache that swayed with the movements of his lips as he spoke.

"Good evening," Lianne nodded at the man. "I'm really hoping you have a room for us."

"Of course! Of course!" the innkeeper said while ushering them all inside. "My name is Hann. Welcome to my inn," he greeted with joy and kindness.

"That is kind of you," Faolin said with a small bow, walking further in.

"So, it's just the three of you?" Hann looked through them as if he was counting.

Lianne nodded. "Yes. We'd like a room for the night, and hay for our horses. We have three of them."

"Yes, yes, and yes!" Hann agreed with deep laughter which seemed to stem from deep within his gut, rumbling out of him like a roar in a cave.

"Do you usually have this many guests?" Amra asked curiously.

Hann stopped laughing. "It depends on the season," he answered while moving to a small table on the side of the hall. "Let's see."

Hann took a book from the table and started to write on it. "A room for the night," he mumbled to himself, scratching his crooked nose before he turned to look at them. "We have one large room still available."

Amra dug through her money pouch and handed enough silver coins to pay for the room and the hay. Hann checked the sum and pocketed the coin as he reached out to a drawer and took out a key.

"Now, come, after me," Hann said and started walking to the stairs.

Everyone took their belongings and followed Hann upstairs. Hann, who limped with his right foot, lead them to a room furthest in the hallway. The upstairs looked similar to the downstairs. Different fabrics covered the surfaces and paintings of important-looking men hung on the walls.

Hann opened the door with the key and went in first. He light up all the candles in the room before letting them in. The room had four beds, a small drawer, a table, and antlers of a deer hanging from the wall. The last beams of sunlight that shone from the small window made the place feel homely.

Faolin walked through the room, looking at every corner as if he was inspecting it.

"Thanks. This is great," Lianne said to Hann while throwing her backpack on one of the beds.

Stolen novel; please report.

"Thank you, I try to keep everything in shape," Hann smiled widely while taking in the compliment.

Amra tossed her backpack and lute on one of the beds. She placed her hands on it and pressed a couple of times, to see how soft the mattress was. The bed gave in under her hands. "Nice," she sighed delightedly.

"Haven't seen a versatile bunch as you in a while. Where are you folks heading?" Hann asked curiously while glancing through them all. Two women and one elf must have been an odd sight in these parts.

"Just traveling through," Lianne replied vaguely. "Why have you put up an inn in the middle of nowhere?" she asked back, not wanting to talk about their reason for being there.

"It's crossroads," Hann replied with a wink of his eye.

"Oh?" Amra got curious. "Are there any towns nearby?"

"There's Tranholm a week's travel to the west. Sulmore is further to the east," Hann replied while pondering and scratching his chin.

"What about north?" Amra asked.

"Not that I know of," Hann said and stopped his scratching. "Right. Here's the key. The tavern is downstairs. The food is not that great but it will fill you," he said and handed the key to Amra who was closest to him.

"Oh, right. I noticed a fancy-looking wagon parked outside the inn. Whose is it?" Lianne asked.

"Yes. Three men arrived with it today," Hann replied.

"Not four?"

Hann shook his head. "No, I'm pretty sure there were three," he said and backed away to the door, smiling again. "Once more, I welcome you to my inn. Make yourselves at home," he said and shut the door behind him as he left the room.

When Hann was gone, Lianne sat on the bed. "No towns in the north, huh?" she mumbled, mostly to herself.

"What does he know?" Amra scoffed while walking to the window and looking outside. "It doesn't mean there's no town. Clandmere is out there," she said, even if Lianne could immediately see through her. She knew that Amra was trying to stay positive for her sake.

A stuffy smell of old beer wafted from the tavern as Lianne, Amra, and Faolin walked to the counter. Even if the smell wasn't appetizing, it didn't stop Lianne's mouth from watering. She kept thinking of getting a decent meal and a nice mug of beer.

The tavern was identical to the rest of the inn. Candles light up the dark wood walls and different fabrics covered the tables and chairs. The whole room had the feel of a melting pot, combining everything that Hann had found or gotten.

People were sitting at the tables, eating and drinking. Lianne spotted the three stoic-looking men that rode the horses and the wagon. They were sitting at one of the tables, beers in hands. The one in the wagon was not there.

"There's only three of them," Lianne whispered to Amra and Faolin.

"Yeah, so? There were three when they rode past us," Amra said while leaning against the counter.

"No. There were four," Lianne said to Amra, who shrugged.

"I only saw three."

Lianne frowned. "Who are they?" she mumbled to herself.

Hann walked to the other side of the counter, still smiling widely. "So, what will you get?"

Amra leaned on the counter. "We'll get three beers..." she said before she stopped and turned around. "Hey, Faolin, do you actually drink beer?"

Faolin nodded while averting his gaze from the riders. "Yes, I would not mind a mug."

Amra turned back to Hann. "Three beers and three portions of whatever you got cooking," she nodded toward the kitchen.

"Three and three, alright," Hann said and started pouring their beers. Amra started digging through her pouch of money again and paid for the drinks and the food.

When they all got their beers, they sat at a table in the corner of the tavern. "I think our money won't last for much longer," Amra said while looking through her money pouch.

"Really?" Lianne asked silently, even if she wasn't concentrating on what Amra was saying. She kept her eyes on the riders, whose expression didn't seem to change at all. The men had beers in their hands, but they didn't seem to drink them. They spoke to each other so silently that Lianne couldn't catch a single word.

"Lianne?" Amra asked, waking Lianne from her thoughts.

Lianne looked at Amra for a moment dumbfounded. "What?"

"What are you so focused on?" Amra asked.

"Those men. There's something strange about them," Lianne answered, finally looking away from the riders. "What did you want?"

"Now that we have gotten here, what's next?" Amra asked, sipping her beer.

Lianne took a deep breath and tried to forget about the men for now. "The most important thing now is to find something to lead us in the right direction."

Amra nodded. "Yes, of course, but how?"

Faolin took a gulp of his beer, tasted it in his mouth for a moment before swallowing. "The mountains cannot be far."

"Right," Lianne said while lowering her voice so that only Amra and Faolin could hear her. "Hann didn't know any towns in the north, but that doesn't mean there aren't any. I'm sure the place isn't accessible to just anyone passing by."

"What do you suggest then?" Amra asked.

Lianne glanced at the riders on the other table. "We need someone to take us there."

Amra followed Lianne's line of sight. "You mean them?"

Lianne shrugged. "I'm not sure yet, but I can't stop thinking about the feeling I got from them before. What if they know something?"

Amra seemed to ponder what Lianne said as she glanced at the riders again. "We can't just go and ask them."

Well, no," Lianne said, trying to think hard at the same time. "What about the person who was in the wagon? He's not here."

"Again with that one. I didn't see anyone," Amra frowned.

"I do find that curious-" Faolin said before he stopped himself, looking at the counter.

Kendel arrived at the tavern. He headed to the counter and ordered. He exchanged words with Hann, talking animatedly, gesturing with his hands. To Lianne, it looked as if Kendel and Hann had a good relationship.

When Kendel had gotten his mug of beer, he turned around and looked through the tavern. He noticed Lianne, Amra, and Faolin, and immediately smiled. "Hey!" he yelled and waved his hand while walking to them.

Kendel had clearly had a bath after getting to the inn. He looked much more refreshed, his blond curly hair combed to the side. His strikingly blue eyes stood out better now that he wasn't sweaty and dirty.

"Well, luck is definitely on my side," Kendel said and sat down on one of the chairs without asking for permission. "Good to see you all again."

"Likewise," Faolin commented with an honest smile.

"Well, look who made it here in one piece," Amra grinned at Kendel, who immediately laughed.

"Tell me about it."

"Did you have any more trouble along the way?" Amra asked.

"Nah, the journey went swiftly.

"What frightened your horse back then?" Lianne asked curiously.

Kendel scratched his head, his blond curls falling over his eyes. "You tell me," he said and moved the hair aside. "He started running fast as if someone was chasing us," he shrugged and drank his beer. He gulped it down enthusiastically as if he hadn't drank in ages.

"Did you see anyone else on the road?" Lianne asked. She again glanced at the riders from the corner of her eye, but they were the same as before, sitting and talking.

Kendel shook his head. "Nah, nobody. I bet it was an eagle or something."

"Eagle?" Amra asked while lifting her eyebrows.

"My poor El sometimes frightens of birds. He's a tender soul," Kendel answered, his voice weak.

"That is fascinating," Faolin said while leaning closer to Kendel. "What kind of an eagle was it? I did not see any of them on the road."

Kendel looked at Faolin, his eyes slightly widening. "It was a...grey eagle," he answered unsurely.

"A grey eagle?" Faolin asked wondering, his eyebrows raised. "I have never seen them this far."

Kendel looked at Faolin, his expression frozen. He didn't say anything, and Lianne could have sworn that small beads of sweat formed on his forehead. He gulped the rest of his beer and put the mug down with a thud.

"You know what, I just remembered that it wasn't an eagle. I confused it with another time I went through the same road," Kendel said and averted his gaze from Faolin. "I didn't see what it was, but there was definitely something. I felt it," he added honestly before starting to smile again. "Anyway, it could have been an eagle. Who knows."

"Thank you for your honesty," Faolin genuinely said while nodding at Kendel.

Kendel looked at Faolin again, his expression puzzled as if he didn't know how to react. His brows furrowed and his gaze changed from confused to delighted. Then he cleared his throat while averting his gaze. "Well, look at this. I came for a joyful mug of beer but ended up embarrassed. What a turn of events," he said and smiled.

"I guess you've traveled a lot?" Amra asked.

"You could say that. You could also say that I'm a man of the world," Kendel grinned, leaning back on his chair.

"Have you been here before?" Lianne asked.

Kendel nodded. "Yup, I've been traveling through quite a few times."

Lianne and Amra exchanged looks. Lianne was sure that they were thinking the exact same thing. If Kendel had traveled, he might know something.

Lianne gestured Kendel to come closer. "Hey, Kendel. Come here."

Kendel raised his eyebrows curiously at Lianne's inviting gesture. Then his smile turned crooked and his eyes half-lidded. He leaned closer to Lianne. "So, you're a woman of action, are you?" he asked with an alluring tone in his voice.

Lianne immediately frowned. "Oh, come on. I just want to ask you something."

Kendel's smile faltered a little, revealing his disappointment before he smiled again. "Oh, well, sure. Go ahead."

Lianne glanced around, making sure that nobody was paying any attention to them. Hann was working at the counter, speaking to other customers and the riders were talking to each other.

"Have you heard of a place called Clandmere?" Lianne whispered to Kendel and saw from the corner of her eye as the three riders flinched. They stopped their conversation and froze in place. Lianne had spoken so silently that they couldn't have heard her.

Kendel looked at Lianne and seemed to ponder for a moment. He turned his eyes at the ceiling and pursed his lips while scratching his chin. He hummed himself as if he was wracking his brains out. Then he casually spoke, "Yes, I know the place. I've been there."

Amra, who had been drinking, almost choked on the beer when she heard Kendel's answer.

Faolin leaned back on his chair, weighing on his words.

Lianne's eyes widened. She forgot to breathe for a moment. "What?" Lianne asked, a nervous tingle in her stomach. "Say that again?"