Chapter 28:

Annabel’s sobs continued for the first few hours of the night. After she finally stopped, I noticed she had disappeared altogether.

Once I was sure she wasn’t around, I approached the drawers beside the workshop table, relieved she wasn't there to stop me.

I opened the drawer where I had seen Seb place his turquoise ring. But to my surprise, it wasn’t there. Nothing was.

“What the hell…” I muttered under my breath. I had clearly seen him put the ring there. And surely, he hadn’t taken it out - I had been here the entire time; I would’ve noticed if he had.

I ran my hand inside the empty drawer, checking for hidden compartments. I used to stumble upon plenty of those in my street days. But I couldn’t find any secret mechanism inside.

I pulled the entire drawer out and inspected it, but there was nothing unusual about it. Even the weight seemed to match its size and wooden material. And then I saw it – a small symbol carved into the wood in the bottom left corner of the drawer: a square with a curved line resembling like the number eight on top of it. A rune.

'So much for ‘there are no thieves in Lind’, Seb…' I immediately thought.

Despite what he’d said, he still used magic to - whatever this rune did – to conceal the ring.

'Surely, if I can physically damage the rune, the magic would disperse, right?' A thought ran through my mind.

I grabbed a scalpel from the table and brought it close to the carved rune, trying to add my own carving on top of it. But to my surprise, the rune suddenly glowed purple, and no matter how much force I applied or how I angled the scalpel, I couldn’t do any damage to it.

Frustrated, I threw the scalpel on the floor and sighed deeply.

Looks like we’ll be stuck here for a while. Unless I can find a different way to steal the ring…

I tried to get some sleep, but my nightmares kept pestering me again, and eventually, I gave up.

I lit the lamps in the workshop using the sunstone granites, grabbed the Herbology Compendium, and resumed my reading. I made good progress before trying to fall asleep again, only to be woken by Seb in the early morning, just like yesterday.

Annabel was still nowhere around.

“I think her arm is becoming less purple, don’t you agree?” Seb asked suddenly, motioning for me to come take a closer look.

His comment made my heart race, and I jumped up, approaching Ren eagerly. Her arm was still purple, but it was clear that the shade had lightened slightly. I could only hope it was a good sign.

“It is.” I said, my voice filled with relief.

“You never did tell me how exactly she got overdosed with hematite.” Seb remarked casually.

I wasn’t planning on telling him either.

“I’m sorry, but I’d prefer to keep it that way.” I said.

Seb sighed. “Does it have anything to do with Axel?”

“In a way.” I admitted.

“Figures.” Seb grumbled, before continuing in a calmer tone. “I’ll be working from home today. Leia should be staying home as well.”

I nodded slowly, unsure why he was sharing this information with me.

He must have noticed my confusion, so he elaborated further. “What I meant is, you can roam the village a bit if you want. Just be back for lunch - I’m going to cook something good for the three of us.” He paused, then added. “Oh, and take a bath already. I didn’t want to sound rude before, but you smell like a skunk.”

Instinctively, I sniffed my clothes, especially my armpits, and realized he was right. The stench was overwhelming. With everything that had happened, I hadn’t even had the time to notice.

“Yes.” Seb nodded at my disgusted expression. “It’s worse than you think.”

When I was homeless, baths were mostly unobtainable luxuries, never a priority. Water, food, and shelter, in that order, were the main concerns each day.

Because of that, I’d usually bathe only once a month in the Bracebrug Stream, a river that crossed the whole south of Willox. The river wasn’t meant for such activities and was guarded at certain points, but there were a few blind spots that many homeless people, including myself, used.

I recalled my mother’s words from when I was a child, about how important it was to keep clean to avoid diseases, and I always wondered how I managed to avoid anything too serious. I later learned the answer to that from Elandor, after I moved in with the Blood Moon Foxes and got reintroduced to daily baths. He explained that mages have much stronger immune systems than regular people. It didn’t mean they couldn’t get sick, but the chances were lower. And they could also catch certain sicknesses exclusive to mages. Such as mana overdose, I assume…

“Sorry.” I apologized.

“It’s okay.” Seb said, raising his hand apologetically. “I wasn’t trying to scold you or anything. We have a bath on the second floor. Just let me know when you’re ready, and I’ll prepare it for you.”

Remembering I’m stuck in Lind for the time being, and that I should get back to training at least, I nodded. “I’ll go for a quick jog first, and then I’ll take it.”

Seb nodded. “Good. I’ll get it ready when you’re back.”

“Thank you.” I said.

I shot a quick glance at Ren before slowly leaving the workshop, keeping my eyes on Seb. The memories of Vedem made me hesitant to leave, and I half-expected the same wicked smile and wave that Vorlexia - back when she was still pretending to be Vera - had given me when I left Ren in her care. But Seb didn’t do anything like that. He seemed focused on his work, paying no attention to me.

I took a deep breath and left.

***

Under the rays of the morning sunshine, Seb and Leia’s house was more visible compared to the night of our arrival.

I could now see that my first assessment had been right - their house was indeed made of a different type of wood than the others around. I wasn’t an expert by any means, so I couldn’t identify the wood, but the difference was obvious to the naked eye.

I could also get a better look at the neighborhood itself. It seemed to consist of at least ten houses in a row, with multiple rows of houses behind the first one, where Seb and Leia lived.

Judging by the number of houses I could see, it was easy to conclude that Vedem wasn’t even a fifth of this place.

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I decided to jog around the first row of houses, keeping close enough to Ren in case anything happened. I had no way to measure the distance exactly, but by counting my footsteps, I estimated it to be around a kilometer – each house was about forty to fifty meters wide.

This seemed like a good starting point for me since I’d never ran as training before. Obviously, I had my fair share of running away from the guards and, more often than not, local bandits during my time in Willox.

It was still very early in the morning, so I didn’t see anyone outside. That was reassuring - I didn’t want to risk accidentally having to talk to someone.

But then, I rounded the last house and was startled by the sight of a group of runners ahead of me. There were five of them: three men and two women, all seemingly in their twenties, except for the leader of the group – Den.

I was about to turn around and retrace my steps, but it was too late. One of the runners, Olen, spotted me and called out.

“Hey, Luca!” he waved, then quickened his pace, passing Den and running faster until he met me halfway, stopping with an exhale.

All the while, I kept my eyes on Den, and he returned my gaze. His was far more intense and vicious - it almost felt like he wanted to kill me at that moment.

I also got a better look at his face. He was much older than I’d originally assumed. His face was lined with wrinkles, and his hair, though grey, was full and neatly tied in a ponytail. He wasn’t an old man like Belferon, but he was definitely in his late fifties at least.

“Good morning!” Olen greeted me cheerfully once he caught his breath. “I see you’re doing better.”

“Yes. Seb treated most of my injuries.” I said, nodding cautiously, watching as Den and the other runners got closer, dreading the impending interaction.

But Den and the group passed us by. The other runners gave me welcoming nods, while Den ignored me and just grumpily addressed Olen. “We’re not waiting.”

Olen seemed torn. He looked like he wanted to keep talking to me, but his commitment to the group was clear.

“Why don’t you join us?” he suddenly suggested. “We’re running around the village. I can show you around too.”

The thought of running alongside Den, who had already made his opinion about my staying in Lind clear, struck quickly, and I shook my head. “You’re all in much better shape than I am. I’d just slow you down.”

“Oh, c’mon, it’s not that hard.” Olen said, his tone still cheerful. “I’ll help you push through.”

‘What does this guy want from me?’ I wondered. ‘Is he acting nice just to keep tabs on me for Den?’

“Maybe another time.” I declined again, trying to keep my tone neutral.

Olen seemed a little disappointed, but surprisingly understanding.

“Sure thing. See you around.” He smiled before sprinting off to catch up with his companions.

I continued running. After completing one lap around the first row of houses, I realized it wasn’t challenging at all, so I ended up doing two more laps before returning to Seb and Leia’s. Thoughts about Den lingered in my mind the entire time.

My instincts were telling me I needed to check on Ren quickly, so I did.

I walked through the front door and immediately headed to Seb’s workshop.

The scene before me was exactly the same as I had left it: Seb mixing herbs and strange-colored liquids in his beakers, while Ren remained in the same position on the bed.

Seb lifted his gaze and noticed me. “Oh, you’re back. How was your jog?”

I nodded slowly, still thinking about Den. 'Who was he really? Was he connected to Alaric Belton in any way?'

“What’s on your mind?” Seb asked, likely noticing my inner turmoil.

I exhaled, figuring I might as well try and get some information about Den from Seb. “What can you tell me about Den?”

Seb looked up from the beakers and met my gaze. “Why? Did he try to scare you off again?”

“Again?” I asked, confused. Had Seb known about Den’s visit yesterday while they weren’t home?

Seb nodded. “Yeah. I know he came by yesterday. Leia told me she spoke to him and told him to leave you alone. Did that not help?”

“When did she…How did she…What?” I was bewildered.

Seb chuckled. “Lind is like anywhere else, pal. Neighbors spread rumors fast, and Leia caught wind of this one pretty quickly. She dealt with it right away.”

I was surprised that the shy person who could barely hold my gaze had the guts to confront that menacing man. And for what? To take him off my back?

“Did it not work?” Seb repeated.

I shook my head slowly, recalling how Den had passed me without saying a word. I couldn’t be sure I was entirely in the clear, but it seemed like Leia’s talk with him had helped. I just wondered why he listened to her…

“No, it’s fine.” I finally said. “I think it worked.”

“Good.” Seb nodded, standing up from his chair. “I’ll get the bath ready for you.”

***

I stepped into the small bathroom on the second floor and closed the door behind me.

It was a modest room. The walls were of a light blue color, and a wooden shelf held folded towels along with various bottles of soaps and oils. In the center of the room sat a large, claw-footed tub, steam rising from the hot water Seb had prepared.

Suddenly, I could feel the grime of the road clinging to my skin, the dirt embedded under my fingernails. It was as if the bath itself was reminding me just how filthy I was.

I began to undress, peeling off my dusty, worn clothes and tossing them onto the floor.

Seb may have healed my injuries, but the fatigue and constant tension still left my muscles aching. Yet the warmth from the bath promised relief, comfort, and much-needed rest.

As I approached the mirror hanging on the wall, I caught a glimpse of my reflection. Curious to see how I looked after everything that happened, I wiped away the steam that had covered the glass.

I almost didn’t recognize myself. My black hair, usually short and neatly kept, was now messy and matted with dirt. My black eyes looked tired and hollow, and my face smeared with dirt, grime, and even bits of dried blood, making my pale skin appear even more haggard to the point I could barely see the scar on my cheek.

I decided I had seen enough of myself and turned toward the bath.

Tentatively, I dipped a foot into the water, testing the temperature. It was perfect – hot enough to soothe my tired body but not so hot that it burned. I stepped inside and sank down, letting out a deep sigh as the water enveloped me. It felt like the heat was seeping into my very bones, melting away the stress and exhaustion.

I reached for a bar of soap from the wooden tray beside the tub. It smelled of lavender and eucalyptus, a scent that felt almost foreign in our current situation. I lathered the soap in my hands and began scrubbing my skin, watching as the dirt and grime sloughed off, swirling in the water around me. I scrubbed my hair, working the lather through the tangles and washing away the sweat and dust I’d accumulated over the past six weeks.

I found myself relaxing more and more, my muscles slowly unwinding as the warmth and the clean scent enveloped me. For a moment, I could almost forget the danger we were in. I could almost believe we were safe.

I leaned back, resting my head against the edge of the tub, and let my thoughts drift. It had been so long since I’d had the chance to truly relax.

My mind began tracing back everything that happened in Vedem: Sona, Jhad, Vorlexia, Lida, and Belferon. Each of them played their role in making me even more untrusting than I already was.

But perhaps I should thank them for that?

If Belferon was right about anything, it’s that I should have been ready for the worst right from the start. Ready and willing to do even the most despicable things if it meant Ren’s and my survival.

There was no denying that the three years I spent with The Blood Moon Foxes had made me softer. Yet despite that, I wasn’t able - or perhaps even willing - to forget them or leave them behind. Forgetting them would feel like betraying my dead friends, and I couldn’t do that.

Was that the reason Jhad, Kenneth, and Belferon kept appearing in my nightmares? Because I refused to toughen up? Because I clung to the only bright memories I’d collected in the last eight years of my life?

Was I not allowed to enjoy life the way Belferon described it? Would my life always be like this - just running, constantly thinking about how to survive to see the next day? Was there no light at the end of the tunnel for me?

I didn’t want to believe that, but how could I deny it when life constantly found ways to drag me down? Everything was always so, so hard. Too hard.

I thought of Lida, especially her final words before Sona kicked her out of the window and she disappeared with the tourmaline.

She had lost her humanity long ago, serving Vorlexia for hundreds of years willingly, committing unspeakable atrocities. Would I end up like her if I completely shut down my humanity? If I forget my friends?

My thoughts drifted to Sona, to her unwavering determination to save her brother despite everything. She was strong. Her humanity was rooted in her love for her brother, even with her ruthlessness and coldness when the situation demanded it – like when she left me behind…

Perhaps I needed to take inspiration from her, to find balance between the two extremes.

A knock on the door jolted me back to reality.

“You okay in there? Need anything?” Seb’s voice came from beyond the door.

“No, thank you. I’m fine.” I replied, my voice echoing softly in the small room. “I’ll be out soon.”

“Good.” Seb said. “I was just about to warn you that staying too long in a hot bath can make you dizzy.”

“Oh.” I said simply, recalling my mother had told me the same thing when I was little.

“Don’t worry.” Seb reassured me. “I’m leaving a set of fresh clothes by the door. They’re mine, so they probably won’t fit perfectly, but it’s the best I can do for now. We can visit the tailor in the center – his name’s Bog.”

I was still skeptical of his kindness, but outwardly I tried to show gratitude. “Thank you.”

“Don’t mention it.” He replied, and I heard him leave.

For the last two days, I had been planning to steal his ring – ever since we arrived. Yet both he and his wife seemed to genuinely care about me, believing I was a friend of a friend.

In the past, I wouldn’t have cared. I would have laughed internally at their naivety and taken advantage of whatever I could get from them. But now, there was this strange feeling deep inside me.

Was that…guilt?